Uncommitted Spotlight: 2022 SS/RHP Cooper Vance (Mohawk)
September 20, 2021 Joe Walentin Operations / Scouting
Scouting Report
‘22 Cooper Vance (Mohawk)
Athletic and fluid actions throughout the fielding process. Works low to the ground and moves side to side well. Plus arm strength at 87MPH across the diamond. Ability to throw on the run. High level defender. @CooperVance5pic.twitter.com/OP1s0fGNBE
2022 SS Cooper Vance (Mohawk) Strong, athletic build. Easy and fluid swing while producing hard contact. Showed good power to the pull side of the diamond. Had a top exit velocity of 92 MPH #PAStateGamespic.twitter.com/lEGXIAne6l
Physical: Strong, athletic 5-foot-10, 170lb frame with compact power in the movements. 6.88 runner in the 60-yard dash.
Offensively: RHH - Started from an upright, loose, slightly open stance with some rhythm pre-swing; utilized a leg hang with good direction over the plate, initiating the hands through a flat, twitchy path with bat-speed into the hitting zone. Posted a 92 mph bat-exit velocity pointing towards natural doubles power coupled with a 40% line drive rate via Trackman Baseball (334 foot batted ball distance). Can slot into the top of most batting orders with good bat to ball skills and a line to line approach with hard contact in any direction. Worked into a stiff front side with adjustability on pitches in any quadrant, advanced/mature at-bats in game action.
Defensively: The primary shortstop featured fluidity during defensive evaluations arriving with advanced footwork and an accurate, soft glove hand showing early out in front; good range in either direction and kept the chest down over the toes on all routes. Above-average quickness in/out of the glove and a live 87 mph throwing arm (high ¾, accurate).
Pitching: RHP - Started off the far left side of the rubber with continual pace in the delivery; balanced stack position and held tempo down the mound into footstrike, athletic arm-swing and competed in the zone, ranging 83-85 mph on the FB (arm-side run, strikes; 60% zone rate). Added a sharp, late 72-74 mph SL with good tilt/depth when getting on top of it. Advanced 76-77 mph CH with some fade to the arm-side and a 33% zone rate. Two-way abilities flashing on both sides.
2/07/21
Physical: Strong and athletic 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame with impressive movement strategies throughout. 7.00 runner in the 60-yard dash.
Offensively: RHH - Loose, open stance with the barrel showing tons of methodical rhythm bouncing off of the shoulder in the setup. Utilized a leg hang stride with drift out towards the mound, held his positioning pretty well over the back side with good stretch and noticeable sink into the legs. The swing worked through a quick and efficient flat path with lift after contact yielding a solid 40% line drive rate during batting practice. Mostly pull-side approach with ability to spray it through the middle when pitched out over the plate; recorded a peak bat-exit velocity of 89 mph with room for more.
Defensively: The primary shortstop featured smooth, easy actions with range to either side during defensive evaluations. Stayed relatively low to the ground with confidence in the glove hand working out in front of the body, created consistent momentum towards the target aiding a strong arm (89 mph) with life across the diamond. Impressive skill set defensively and made the play on the run from a multitude of arm angles.
Pitching: RHP - Featured an athletic delivery from the left side of the rubber; side rocker step into a medium-high leg lift at the top of the stack, good directional drive towards the plate with good posture in the lower half, got over the front side at release through a loose, high ¾ slot. FB ranged from 84-85 mph with up to 13 inches of horizontal play to the arm side. Mixed a sharp 69 mph breaker with late, moderate shape to his glove side. Countered with a 72 mph SL thrown with similar confidence while breaking out an above-average 74-76 mph CH with some deception out of the hand at near similar release heights to the FB.
7/21/20
Hit: Professional round, taking what the pitch gives him and distributing the ball around the yard naturally. Consistent line drive flight. High follow bat. Power: Quick hands with above average strength. Offensive Projection: Multiple Roles. Max BP Exit Velocity: 89mph. Max BP Distance: 327ft. Field: Dude can really play defense. Shows an impressive combination of instinct, athleticism, ball skills. Moves well laterally and maintains ball skills out of funnel. Throw: Loose, whippy arm with more strength to come. Defensive Projection: Multiple Roles.
Scouting Notes: Athletic delivery with a clean arm and quality stuff. Much like his profile as a position player he has a ton of feel on the mound. Pounded the zone with both offerings and had impressive feel for spin. Up to 85mph velo wise. Fastball: 83-85mph. Fastball Spin Rate: 1701-1980 Breaking Ball: 68-69mph. Breaking Ball Spin Rate: 2191-2315 Changeup:
2/16/20
2/16/20 Position Player Hit: Upright setup in the box with a slight leg kick to get his timing down. A level path through the zone creating varied ball flight from the ceiling to the floor. Power: 85 mph exit velocity off the tee. Gap abilities Offensive Projection: Top of the lineup Field: Looks the part in the infield, athletic feet with the ability to create angles, hands work well/above average ball skills, plays with consistent rhythm. Throw: 84 mph across the infield Defensive Projection: SS/2B.
2/16/20 Pitching Delivery Notes: Slight foot turn to create balance along with a fluid motion down the mound. Impressive control over movement patterns, everything works well, velocity jump candidate. Fastball: Topped at 84 mph, occasional arm side run. Curveball: Between 71-73 mph, spins it well, hard bite at times, showed signs of swing/miss. Changeup: 74-76 mph, playable third offering.
6/18/19
Body Type: 5-foot-8, 150-pound thin and athletic.
Swing Mechanics: Open stance with smooth and simple load that engages his entire body.
Hit: Twitchy swing with a lot of intent, and a level bat path that produces line drives to all fields.
Power: Will be a gap to gap guy if he adds size and develops.
Offensive Projection: Top of the lineup guy. Field: Athletic prospect that moves light on his feet in the infield. Plays fast without compromising control. Hands work and he maintains ball skills in/out of funnel. Very solid defender. Throw: Arm works and has some jump out of the hand. Defensive Projection: MIF. Additional Comments: Turned around 88 mph fastball for a line drive 1B into the LCF gap.
2/3/19 Position
Body Type: 5-foot-7 145 pound prospect. Swing Mechanics: Uses a mini leg kick load and hovers the front foot a bit before he actually gets his front foot down. Showed strong hands and good barrel control with a balanced finish. Barrel stays in the zone while giving himself more margin for error. Best swing we saw on the day. Hit: Good bat to ball ability. Some natural lift to the swing, but had no issues being on time and finding the barrel. Power: Exit velocity of 77 mph. Offensive Projection: With a smaller, physically immature frame he still gets in strong athletic positions in his swing. As he matures and develops more strength should be a guy that shows at least average power with above average hit tools. Run: 7.50 60 yard dash Field: In the infield he showed quick, smooth actions and good footwork. He attacked the ball well but could take a little better angles to make his throws a little easier for himself. Throw: 67 mph across the diamond. Defensive Projection: Middle infield type that showed the sure handedness you want with smooth, athletic actions once he had the ball secured.
Scouting Report
Physical: Strong, athletic 5-foot-10, 170lb frame with compact power in the movements. 6.88 runner in the 60-yard dash.
Offensively: RHH - Started from an upright, loose, slightly open stance with some rhythm pre-swing; utilized a leg hang with good direction over the plate, initiating the hands through a flat, twitchy path with bat-speed into the hitting zone. Posted a 92 mph bat-exit velocity pointing towards natural doubles power coupled with a 40% line drive rate via Trackman Baseball (334 foot batted ball distance). Can slot into the top of most batting orders with good bat to ball skills and a line to line approach with hard contact in any direction. Worked into a stiff front side with adjustability on pitches in any quadrant, advanced/mature at-bats in game action.
Defensively: The primary shortstop featured fluidity during defensive evaluations arriving with advanced footwork and an accurate, soft glove hand showing early out in front; good range in either direction and kept the chest down over the toes on all routes. Above-average quickness in/out of the glove and a live 87 mph throwing arm (high ¾, accurate).
Pitching: RHP - Started off the far left side of the rubber with continual pace in the delivery; balanced stack position and held tempo down the mound into footstrike, athletic arm-swing and competed in the zone, ranging 83-85 mph on the FB (arm-side run, strikes; 60% zone rate). Added a sharp, late 72-74 mph SL with good tilt/depth when getting on top of it. Advanced 76-77 mph CH with some fade to the arm-side and a 33% zone rate. Two-way abilities flashing on both sides.
Physical: Strong and athletic 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame with impressive movement strategies throughout. 7.00 runner in the 60-yard dash.
Offensively: RHH - Loose, open stance with the barrel showing tons of methodical rhythm bouncing off of the shoulder in the setup. Utilized a leg hang stride with drift out towards the mound, held his positioning pretty well over the back side with good stretch and noticeable sink into the legs. The swing worked through a quick and efficient flat path with lift after contact yielding a solid 40% line drive rate during batting practice. Mostly pull-side approach with ability to spray it through the middle when pitched out over the plate; recorded a peak bat-exit velocity of 89 mph with room for more.
Defensively: The primary shortstop featured smooth, easy actions with range to either side during defensive evaluations. Stayed relatively low to the ground with confidence in the glove hand working out in front of the body, created consistent momentum towards the target aiding a strong arm (89 mph) with life across the diamond. Impressive skill set defensively and made the play on the run from a multitude of arm angles.
Pitching: RHP - Featured an athletic delivery from the left side of the rubber; side rocker step into a medium-high leg lift at the top of the stack, good directional drive towards the plate with good posture in the lower half, got over the front side at release through a loose, high ¾ slot. FB ranged from 84-85 mph with up to 13 inches of horizontal play to the arm side. Mixed a sharp 69 mph breaker with late, moderate shape to his glove side. Countered with a 72 mph SL thrown with similar confidence while breaking out an above-average 74-76 mph CH with some deception out of the hand at near similar release heights to the FB.
Hit: Professional round, taking what the pitch gives him and distributing the ball around the yard naturally. Consistent line drive flight. High follow bat.
Power: Quick hands with above average strength.
Offensive Projection: Multiple Roles.
Max BP Exit Velocity: 89mph.
Max BP Distance: 327ft.
Field: Dude can really play defense. Shows an impressive combination of instinct, athleticism, ball skills. Moves well laterally and maintains ball skills out of funnel.
Throw: Loose, whippy arm with more strength to come.
Defensive Projection: Multiple Roles.
Scouting Notes: Athletic delivery with a clean arm and quality stuff. Much like his profile as a position player he has a ton of feel on the mound. Pounded the zone with both offerings and had impressive feel for spin. Up to 85mph velo wise.
Fastball: 83-85mph.
Fastball Spin Rate: 1701-1980
Breaking Ball: 68-69mph.
Breaking Ball Spin Rate: 2191-2315
Changeup:
2/16/20 Position Player
Hit: Upright setup in the box with a slight leg kick to get his timing down. A level path through the zone creating varied ball flight from the ceiling to the floor.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity off the tee. Gap abilities
Offensive Projection: Top of the lineup
Field: Looks the part in the infield, athletic feet with the ability to create angles, hands work well/above average ball skills, plays with consistent rhythm.
Throw: 84 mph across the infield
Defensive Projection: SS/2B.
2/16/20 Pitching
Delivery Notes: Slight foot turn to create balance along with a fluid motion down the mound. Impressive control over movement patterns, everything works well, velocity jump candidate.
Fastball: Topped at 84 mph, occasional arm side run.
Curveball: Between 71-73 mph, spins it well, hard bite at times, showed signs of swing/miss.
Changeup: 74-76 mph, playable third offering.
Body Type: 5-foot-8, 150-pound thin and athletic.
Swing Mechanics: Open stance with smooth and simple load that engages his entire body.
Hit: Twitchy swing with a lot of intent, and a level bat path that produces line drives to all fields.
Power: Will be a gap to gap guy if he adds size and develops.
Offensive Projection: Top of the lineup guy.
Field: Athletic prospect that moves light on his feet in the infield. Plays fast without compromising control. Hands work and he maintains ball skills in/out of funnel. Very solid defender.
Throw: Arm works and has some jump out of the hand.
Defensive Projection: MIF.
Additional Comments: Turned around 88 mph fastball for a line drive 1B into the LCF gap.
2/3/19 Position
Body Type: 5-foot-7 145 pound prospect.
Swing Mechanics: Uses a mini leg kick load and hovers the front foot a bit before he actually gets his front foot down. Showed strong hands and good barrel control with a balanced finish. Barrel stays in the zone while giving himself more margin for error. Best swing we saw on the day.
Hit: Good bat to ball ability. Some natural lift to the swing, but had no issues being on time and finding the barrel.
Power: Exit velocity of 77 mph.
Offensive Projection: With a smaller, physically immature frame he still gets in strong athletic positions in his swing. As he matures and develops more strength should be a guy that shows at least average power with above average hit tools.
Run: 7.50 60 yard dash
Field: In the infield he showed quick, smooth actions and good footwork. He attacked the ball well but could take a little better angles to make his throws a little easier for himself.
Throw: 67 mph across the diamond.
Defensive Projection: Middle infield type that showed the sure handedness you want with smooth, athletic actions once he had the ball secured.