CA State Games: Uncommitted '24 Pitcher Spotlights (NorCal)

September 20, 2023
Blaine Clemmens
Northern California Director

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The offseason for high school baseball players has started for many players. The gap between summer and fall ball is a good time for college coaches to sort through players who are still available for recruitment as they organize the last couple of opportunities to scout off campus before the long quite period (October 9 - February 29). The PBR California staff got to see plenty of talented players show out at PBR events across the state in 2023, most recently at the California State Games.

Today we shine a spotlight on some Northern California players in the 2024 class who stood out at the CA State Games. Their stats and data are in the profiles, including; TrackMan, Blast Motion, Swift Performance, along with traditional data for throwing velocities and for catchers, pop times. In the offseason as colleges coaches look at their recruiting class depth charts and holes they might have in that class, they identify players not just by scouting games in person, they also watch video in profiles and also factor in the data, stats, metrics to illuminate players to target.

Click on the player name to go to his individual profile where you will find more data and stats.

2023 California State Games Stats, Data, Metrics

Jackson Halverson RHP / C.K. McClatchy, CA / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 289 / POS: 88

Bulldog with the stuff to back up his approach. When he's attacking the zone with his four pitches (FB, CB, SL, CHG) he can bully the hitters. FB up to 88.5 mph with life and high spin efficiency average (93%) at most recent event. CB is above average, with 2400+ avg spin and his movement average is toward the highest end of the range. Short take away on backside, somewhat like if he was a catcher when he was younger. There are likely some sniffs of 90 mph in his future this spring.

Lucas Hermes LHP / 1B / Rancho Cotate, CA / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 338 / POS: 26

One of the better two-way players at the event and frankly, one of the better two-way players in Northern CA. Smooth and exceptional as a defensive first baseman. Handles bat well too, flat swing, all fields, smooth (there is that word again) stroke, tall and rangy but has outstanding body control. The name Shawn Green has popped into my head when watching him as a position player. On the mound he's got three quality pitches that play off each other, with the CHG being his best offering. Can land the big CB, is gaining steam on the heater (T84 mph) and the CHG fades off the FB look. Oh, he's also got one of the best pick-off moves in the state and controls the running game very well.

Archie Paul LHP / The Academy - San Francisco at McAteer, CA / 2024

Crafty and tenacious, Paul is more than willing to come right at hitters in the zone. The stuff won't blow anyone away (has been up to 83 mph), but as a LHP, we often don't hold that against them like we do with RHPs. Clean delivery, can take the ball time and time again and post up. Works to all quadrants, can utilize the CHG down in the zone and the movement patterns of the FB and CHG are similar, with CHG having slightly more HM. The CB is his best pitch, with spin up to 2500+, which given that it's a SLOWER CB (64-67 mph), hitters see it long, but have a hard time assessing the spin and often swing over it or get caught taking strikes they assess as being high or off the plate.

Bryson Schelp RHP / Davis HS, CA / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 247 / POS: 75

First thing to notice is the physical size (6-foot-6, 225-lbs) and lean muscularity. This is a young man who is not only big, but has clearly worked on his lower body, while maintaining lankiness in his upper body. The arm action is long and clean, the delivery is steady and he controls it, allowing for consistent manipulation of the ball at release. His FB peaks at 88 mph, with arm side life and depth to bottom of zone. The spin is sub-2000 which is where the sink and downward life comes from. He utilizes a slider as his breaking ball, with the pitch having smooth shape and break. He can use it to steal strikes as he works to set up and finish hitters with his best pitch, a split-finger fastball that at times is DEVASTATING, with late dive right off the table. It's a swing and miss splitter.

Shane Timmons RHP / Los Gatos HS, CA / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 361 / POS: 103

Timmons didn't have the greatest outing at CA State Games, but there sure is a lot to like and project. He's 6-foot-2, 190-lbs with athletic proportions. He's been a QB of some renown in his HS career, though as he's transferred to LGHS this year, he's not yet played as a senior. That is all to say, he's a talented thrower with a clean athletic delivery and arm action. The raw stuff will have to tick up (we've seen 85 mph as max FB) but what he does possess is pretty crisp. Where he's gotten hurt is a bit toward the upper part of the zone, where his spin rates don't play quite as well as it would down in the zone. The slider and CB have distinctly different shapes and velocity and he throws both with feel. The CHG is his best offspeed pitch and with the ease and control of his delivery, he's going to be outstanding putty in the hands of a good pitching coach.

Jay Tooker RHP / Roseville HS, CA / 2024

Rankings StateRank: 445 / POS: 121

We've seen Tooker quite a few times the last couple of years and each time he's gained a little more velocity. He's always been able to fill up the zone with all his pitches and never shies away from the zone. Tooker continues to slowly and surely get stronger and fill out his frame, so he's also putting in the work. The FB is now up to 86 mph, obviously not super-notable, but a year ago he was not yet at 80 mph. Encouraging. As he's getting stronger he's able to grip and rip the FB better, with a max spin of near 2400 rpm. He's got run and good HM on the arm side (and LIKES to go inside to RHH) and can dot the glove side with a four-seamer. Has ability to land the CB and mix in the CHG which given his feel for throwing strikes with the FB makes the CHG a very usable pitch.

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE	STATE	DATE	LOCATION
NorCal Underclass Games	CA	09/30	Islanders Field
SoCal Underclass Games (OC)	CA	10/01	Hart Park
NorCal Uncommitted Games	CA	10/08	Chabot College
SoCal Uncommitted Games	CA	10/08	Fullerton College