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9 To Know: Uncommitted Pitchers

May 8, 2023
Les Lukach

New Episode LIVE now! - At The Yard Podcast

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - With the CIF postseason underway across the state, it’s time to begin focusing on the summer circuit and all the madness that comes with it. Having seen triple digit games this spring we’ve had the opportunity to see our fair share of uncommitted players in all classes who we are bullish on in terms of their long term prospects.  

With the new rule change that doesn’t allow college coaches from having any communications with players before August 1st of their junior year of high school, being on their prospects lists is important so that when the time comes coaches will have had ample time to evaluate a potential prospect. 

 As we head into the business of the summer season I wanted to break out some uncommitted players that college coaches will want to keep close tabs on this summer. 

2025 RHP Christian Eaton - Etiwanda

Does an excellent job of mixing pitches and locations with what is a true three-pitch mix (FB/CB/CH). Fastball (83-85 mph) gets on hitters in a hurry from a loose, whippy arm that comes from a high 3/4 slot. FB flashes some arm side run while being effective to all quadrants of the strike zone.  Repeats his mechanics/delivery consistently on all pitches. Changeup (72-75 mph) tunnels off the fastball before diving late proving to be very effective against LHH’s. Late showing pitch with up to 18” of horizontal movement and 14” of induced vertical break. CB (68-70 mph) is loopier with late break down in the zone.  Held his velo into the fifth inning in multiple viewings this season. 

2025 RHP Donald Murray - La Mirada

Murray burst onto the scene last spring after a big outing in front of many college recruiters and that momentum has carried into the 2023 season where he’s seen himself elevated to ace of the staff level. At 6’1” 190-pounds there’s a physical projection to Murray that is easy to excited about as an evaluator. With a three-pitch mix that features a fastball up to 89 mph, and advanced slider at 74-76 mph, and a changeup at 81 mph, Murray has the foundations of an above average arsenal for the next level. There’s a quiet confidence to Murray’s approach on the mound. He attacks hitter using all three pitches as out pitches. Fastball shows almost cutter-like action late while the changeup has proven itself to be and advanced pitch now. The slider is equally as impressive as the changeup and induces about the same amount of whiffs. 

2025 SS/RHP Adrian Beltre Jr. - Maranatha

If bloodlines mean anything in baseball this is a player who’ll have a multitude of opportunities to play the game beyond high school. As such, Beltre Jr. Currently is a threat as a two-way player given his propensity for loud contact at the plate and his fast loose arm on the mound where his present three-pitch mix is a weapon. Using a simple load at the plate, Beltre Jr. Explodes into the ball with a powerful lower half and the type of hand and bat speed that gets onlookers excited. With the ability to hit to all fields, the consistent over-the-fence power with Beltre Jr. Appears to be coming in a matter of time. On the mound he’s equally as explosive with a fast arm that belies significant gains in velocity. The fastball (89-91 mph) shows heavy riding life through the zone with spin over 2400 rpm. The pitch gets plenty of chases up in the zone and whiffs down while inducing weak contact when actually connected with. The arm explodes through the zone from a 3/4 slot giving the appearance that the ball is coming out of the ear. Slider (80-81 mph) flashes late sinking action when down in the zone inducing a high whiff rate. Changeup is more of a get me over pitch presently, yet flashes late diving action. 

2024 Erik Puodziunas - Norte Dame

Perhaps no player has experienced the right in 2023 that Puodziunas has as he’s evolved into an unhittable closer on the No. 1 team in California. The righty has become as close to a sure fire thing to close a game as we’ve seen thanks in part to his upper-80’s FB but mainly because of his devastating slider at 77-80 mph that induces more whiffs than just about any pitch for any pitcher in the area. Falls off the table good with late depth and tilt. At 6’2” 200-pounds Puodziunas oozes physical projection and allow one to dream on what he might look like in the fall and into next spring. Uses a shorter arm path through to a semi-crossfire release from a mid 3/4 slot. Operation is simple and repeatable where he sinks into the hips to explode down the mound. There's some deception to the delivery with a pronounced back turn showing both numbers on his jersey while keeping the glove inline with the release point as long as possible. 

2025 Brennan Bauer - Santa Margarita

An efficient outing from a sophomore arm against a good arm will always get tour attention and that's what Bauer did in my most recent viewing. Threw all four pitches for strikes with weak contact all day. FB/CB/CH/SL mix. Rhytmic and deliberate delivery that he's able to repeat consistently. Works noticeably quicker from the stretch without losing much velocity landing inline repeatedly. Arm works freely from a shorter path through release at a high 3/4 slot.  Fastball at 83-85 shows hints of downward arm side run while the slider was very good at 73-75 showing late tilt and diving action. Curveball was a little humpy at 68-70 but a good change of pace pitch presently while the changeup shows real upside as he tunnels it well off the fastball and induce no-look called strikes and whiffs throughout the viewing. 

2025 Cody Cappalletti - Patrick Henry

Atheltic shorstop by trade who also pitches absolutley shoved in a recent outing against a quality opponent. Fast worker from the windup with a fast/accurate pickoff move out of the stretch. High leg lift to the glove along with a significant hip sink make it difficult to pick the ball up out of the hand from a near over-the-top slot. His command of the three pitch (FB/SL/CH) mix day was exceptional collecting at least two of his eight strikeouts with each pitch with at least one of them looking with each pitch. The fastball is heavy at 86-87 and bores in on righties. If playing with wood it's easy to see a lot jam shots/broken bats. Touched 89 to the second last hitter in the game. Changeup at 75-78 tunnels off the fastball very well and was a killer to lefties in this viewing. He also challenged righties in with is getting whiffs. Slider may be the best pitch as he lands it in all quadrants for strikes. Was barreled once on a slider up but the ball didn't go anyhwere. Shows two variations, one a sweeper and one more humpy. Both work. Both are good pitches now. 

2025 Grayson Boles - St. Augustine

Boles is no stranger to us having been a part of Team California at the Future Games last summer where he threw two scoreless relief innings with six strikeouts. While this viewing wasn't that efficient he did show his advancements with the slider that projects as a future plus pitch for him. Working 79-81 (2673 rpm) he landed the pitch for strikes in the bottom two quadrants consistently and getting pletny of whiffs out of the zone. He even came in on righties with the slider getting more than one ball pounded straight down into the dirt. Sharp breaking, late showing pitch that comes from the same slot as the fastball. Plays way up now. The fastball (88-90) shows some life through the zone with hints of arm side run. He couldn't be touched up in the zone. Challenged both righties and lefties in with very good results. At 6'4" 200 pounds, there's plenty of physical projection left with Boles, who could easily add strength to his frame. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
SoCal Rising Stars Game CA 05/21 Cerritos College 
CA FUTURE GAMES TRYOUT CA 06/03 Fullerton College
NorCal ProCase CA 06/04 Chabot College - Hayward
SoCal-NV-AZ-ProCase CA 06/04 University of Southern California - Dedeaux Field
NorCal Rising Stars Game CA 06/06 Islanders Field (morning)
Team CA Future Games ID CA 06/06 Islanders Field (afternoon/early evening)
Bay Area State Gamess Open ID CA 06/14 College of San Mateo
OC State Games Open ID CA 07/11 Hart Park


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