FL Preseason All-State: Team White Analysis

Standing 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Blowers’ athletic frame suits him well at short or second base. He looks comfortable in the infield, always under control and sure of himself. He works the feet well and flaunts some impressive mobility, throwing well on the run and moving to hole. At the plate, Blowers possesses a smooth swing that looks effortless due to his strong back side and ability to keep his upper body quiet in the load. Furthermore, he lets the ball get deep, staying inside well for a mature and productive approach.

At 5-foot-10, 150 pounds, Brown showcased athleticism and quick twitch ability in the outfield and at the plate. That long frame suits him well in the outfield as he runs well and cuts balls off in the gap. He short arms the ball a bit with a quick release but shows plenty of arm and carry on the ball. Brown turns on the ball at the plate, with fast hands that clear well with the hips. Furthermore, he extends through the ball well, especially to the pull side, coupling bat head speed with back spun line drives that had enough juice to split the gaps.

Cervone has a stocky frame and moves fluid in the infield. He displays true hands and feet that play soft and through the baseball, aiding strong and accurate throws up to 85 mph. He shows a natural tendency to pull the ball at the plate but has enough balance before, during, and after the swing that he is rarely out in front and hits most balls on the nose. Cervone also got on the mound and worked efficiently in his lone inning. He utilized the lower half and engaged the hips to drive towards the plate as he ran his fastball up to 83 mph with a 66-72 mph breaking ball that showed depth at times.

As a rising 2021 with a stocky, 6-foot, 210 pound frame, Chance is starting to tap into his power potential and when he gets a little stronger could really figure out what type of hitter he can be. He uses a leg kick with a big load but possesses the body control and athleticism to stay on time and up the middle well, keeping the hands inside. He generates an impressive amount of torque and tension in the barrel that not only keeps him in the zone but adds bat speed and exit velocity, which was up to 85 mph.

Donay might have the most potential of anyone in attendance. As a 2022 grad, he is already 6-foot-5, 190 pounds with a live arm. The size looks a bit unorthodox in the infield and he still needs to mature into his large frame, but the arm makes up for it as he was up to 91 mph from shortstop. Behind the plate he was clocked at 81 mph from throw downs to second and showcased a quick transfer and a bit more comfortability in the lower half at catcher with balanced transitions and strong throws. At the plate he uses leverage on the backside and tries to get a little extra separation to move through the zone with authority. He creates impressive bat speed and extends through the middle of the field. Even though he is raw, the potential really pops when Donay stepped on the mound. He touched 87 mph with a promising mid 70’s changeup and has very little experience on the mound. With some direction and growth, Donay could be dominant with his arm talent.

At 5-foot-10, 193 pounds he has the body type and size you look for in a catcher. Moreover, he’s a 2022 graduate giving him three more years of high school baseball to hone his craft. He showed a good feel for the position with mobility and quickness. He had pop times from 2.00-2.05, which again shows the promise behind the dish. At the plate, Finco stays balanced throughout the swing with rhythm and a short load that might concede some power but he gets enough separation in his swing to generate torque.

Goulart reads ground balls well and is aggressive in how he makes a play on the ball. The wrists and hands worked in sync with his feet as he showed the ability to field through the ball with momentum toward the throw. Goulart has an aggressive approach at the plate and at times can be a free swinger but engages the lower half well enough that the hands stay back and he can still barrel a pitch up. He is wide and balanced throughout and when he is on time has a smooth swing, with present bat speed evidenced by his 91 mph exit velocity.

Griffis possesses a tall 6-foot-3 frame but at 180 pounds he holds the weight well and looks solid from the lower half up. He likes to use his size and length in the outfield as he can make a play on balls that most can’t. At the plate, Griffis sits in the backside and drives from the back hip. He has some pull tendency but his extension on the ball keeps him from hooking balls and he drives pitches to the pull gap with consistency.

One of the more talented pitchers in attendance, Guilliams has the size, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, and potential to be a big time arm. He flashed mature mechanics on the mound, relieving stress on his arm and engaging the entire body in his pitches. Guilliams has tempo and a tall backside that allows him to transfer the energy from his backfoot, through the body, to the arm. He drives with the front side square, eliminating power leaks and explodes through the hips. The UNF commit topped at 93 mph, leading the event, coupling it with a 75-76 mph curveball and 79 mph slider that had sweeping action.

Leard is 6-foot-4, 190 pound frame but he has advanced body control as Leard should continue to fill out and get stronger. He utilizes those long limbs and, despite the lankiness, keeps his core activated throwing and swinging. In the outfield, he utilizes a ¾ slot and gets the extension on the throw to get it on a line to the infield. At the plate again, he activates the core to get the long limbs through the zone with quick bat speed. On the mound, was methodical and rhythmic in his windup. He was up to 83 mph with his fastball that got on hitters quick out of the hand. He countered the fastball with a 68-70 mph curveball that snaps when he can stay on top. He also flashed a 71-73 mph changeup and a 63-67 mph splitter. 

At 5-foot-10, 160 pounds, Loughren possesses a wiry, athletic frame with room to mature and fill out. In the outfield, he has spring in the first step and active feet as he makes a play on the ball and also flashes an accurate arm. In the infield, the lower body plays well as the feet stay moving but in control, and the arm is actually a tad better as he was clocked at 86 mph across the diamond. At the plate, Loughren sometimes tries to get a little big as he will close himself off from the right side but he is starting to understand his swing as he sprays line drives over shortstop and second base when he stays within himself.

One of the more talented players in attendance, Morales displayed a natural ability in between the white lines. Listed at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, he has a filled out, muscular build and possesses the athleticism to move around the middle infield well. He moves in sync with the legs and hands while getting momentum through the ball utilizing his body in the throw. He displays the arm talent to make a throw from anywhere on the infield, up to 87 mph, while also using different slots with accuracy. Morales impressed at the plate with advanced movements and a mature approach. Utilizing a leg kick to activate the backside and increase separation, Morales has fast enough hands to sit and let the ball get deep. He has a rhythmic load and keeps the head still as the front foot lands softly, then fires the backside producing back spun line drives.

At the plate, Poppell can keep all of his weight and energy in the backside with a simple rock back load. The 2021 switch hitter displays a similar approach on both sides of the plate staying inside the ball well from the left side and likes to turn on the ball from the right side. Behind the plate the 5-foot-11, 185 pound backstop replaces the feet smoothly with a clean transfer and strong throws that he gets on top of and can ride it through the bag with consistent sub 2.0 pop times.

Portes was all over our leaderboards from the weekend. The 6-foot, 177 pound lean athlete tied for 2nd at the event with a 6.87 60, dropped the 3rd best exit velocity at 93 mph off the bat, and topped all outfielders, clocking in at 88 mph from right field. In the outfield, Portes plays balls aggressively with his momentum towards the infield and generating power in the lower half as he gets the arm out front creating extension and carry to the ball. He holds his hands high, right above his head at the plate and from there pushes them back in separation. He lands on the front foot but transfers the weight well enough and keeps his hands back until he triggers. This keeps his center of gravity and allows him to pivot with quick hands and optimum bat speed.

Listed as 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Prevesk looks every bit the part with a filled out athletic frame and quick twitch ability that he couples with his added strength showcased by his 6.79 60 which led all players at the event. The arm is fluid and loose in the outfield, and he gets his weight behind the throw. At the plate, the Florida Gator commit again put the athleticism to play as he sprayed hard line drives to the gap and was up to 91 mph on exit velocity. With a smooth, rhythmic swing that he keeps consistent, the body control, and ability to get to a strong, balanced position proves that Prevesk works on his swing daily and is hungry to get better.

Quinones looked like one of the most advanced players in attendance. With a filled out frame standing 6-foot, 210 pounds, strong legs and a stout torso, he showed a mature approach at the plate and displayed the ability to play both corner infield spots. He moves well at first, pivoting his feet and displaying awareness for the bag while making strong throws across the infield. At the plate, Quinones sets the hands high with loose wrists that whip through the zone. He generates power from the lower half using a leg kick and coils the front side inward. He clears his hips but keeps the front shoulder closed eliminating anything too rotational in the swing and has the confidence of a natural hitter as he is looking to do damage when he comes up, taking a full hack evidenced by his 94 mph exit velocity.

A 2021 grad, Schramm is 6-foot-1, 155 pounds with long arms and legs. He utilizes his length by activating his core and getting the rotation necessary to bring his arm around correctly and quickly. He stays on line to the plate and drives the back leg with a strong follow through and optimal extension. The fastball sat in the low 80s touching 82 mph, and he spotted it up well on both sides of the plate. He countered it with a 63-67 mph curveball that he could throw for a strike or keep it off the plate.

At 6-foot, 185 pounds, Schroeder adds strength to the already athletic frame which set him apart from the get-go. In the infield, he shows the mobility and arm strength to play in the middle or on the left side. He’s active and has the body control to stay balanced and make a strong, accurate throw. At the plate, he is similar from both sides with strong swings that get through the ball as it jumps off his bat. He stays inside the ball with consistency left handed with line drives to the opposite gap and tends to stay in the pull side gap from the right side where he has a bit more natural ability.