Fresno Easter Classic: Day 1 Notebook

Buchanan v Bullard:

• 2020 RHP Isaac Ayon (Buchanan) - St. Mary’s Commit. Just looked really good in the outing maintaining velocity for it. Lands crossbody at times but gets away with it. Arm path is quick and clean. Touched 89 MPH several times mainly 87-88 MPH. Worked 85-86 MPH in stretch. Touching 88 in 6th inning. SLD was sharp at 77-78 MPH and mixed in a CHG at 70-71 MPH that he showed feel for.

• 2020 P/INF Nico Rangel (Bullard) - Athletic, twitchy MIF we’ve seen 84-86 as a PO at a showcase. Strong approach at the plate, understanding the use of his body. Drove one into RCF for base hit off of 86 MPH FB. Made an athletic play up the middle with the backhand from 2B making the throw.

Oakmont v North:

• 2020 C Carson Blatnick (Oakmont) - Washington State Commit. Athletic C, quiet receiver, soft hands, who moves well with average arm 2.01-2.19 in between innings. Smooth LHH swing with some power in it; shows good feel for barrel and ability to control it favoring pullside.

• 2019 RHP Bryce Sidler (Oakmont) - Threw CG showing feel for three pitch doing very good job of mixing pitches and locations. Also swang the bat well with three hits including a 3B to RF.

• 2020 SS/RHP TJ Nichols (Oakmont) - Sacramento State Commit. Athletic SS that shows range to both sides. Made a very athletic play 30 feet up the line for diving catch; outstanding athleticism. Arm is slightly above average now and accurate. Shows sneaky pop at the plate from right side. Drove ball into oppo gap in game; average runner.

• 2019 INF Joel Mooney (North) - Showed well defensively having some range to both sides; understands what he's doing and where he needs to be. Arm was average with accuracy. Showed ability to turn double-play.

Clovis v Jesuit:

• 2021 RHP Anthony Susac (Jesuit) - Oregon State Commit. Big strong durable pitchers body with a loose whippy arm. Worked 88-92 MPH in 1st touching 93 MPH. Settled in at 88-90 MPH touching 91 in 4th. SLD shows plus potential 77-79 MPH changing between slurvy to sharp-biting action. Flashed CHG at 81-82 MPH showing feel for it and flashing more.

• 2020 C Daniel Susac (Jesuit) - Oregon State Commit. Long and lean strength throughout, one of the top throwing catcher throwing arms in the state (83-85 mph on pops between innings), best throws down around 1.95 and rarely above 2.0-2.02. Agile blocker, occasionally late to shift, soft hands, can get better receiving the low pitch. Excellent back-picker and has the guts to do it at anytime. Got pitched very tough by Beal (see below) in highly competitive at-bats. Plenty of bat speed and raw power, with a heavy barrel. Was letting ball get a bit too deep in this one.

• 2020 RHP Noah Beal (Clovis) - UNLV Commit. Large athletic build. Worked 85-86 T88 MPH. Threw tumbling CB with continuing depth at 66-69 MPH. CHG 75-76 MPH fair life that was useable. Pitched off his FB using control of both offspeed working efficiently with the ability to go to all quadrants of the zone with multiple movements on pitches.

• 2019 C Darrien Miller (Clovis) - New Mexico Commit. Medium/Large frame that is rangy and athletic. Sits low in crouch behind the plate with ability to get out of it quickly. Showed athleticism picking it out wide from LHH batter’s box with MIF actions. Arm is strong average and accurate (1.97-2.02 Pop in multiple between inning looks). LHH with quiet setup with real strong feel for the barrel being able to manipulate it. 3 hits going to LCF gap for 1B on FB away then went RF line for 3B before 1B into RCF gap; all field approach. 10+ MLB scouts there to see him.

Clovis North v Edison:

• 2020 RHP Ryan O’Hara (Clovis North) - Medium frame with compact loose arm projects well with more strength; clean actions. Went CG giving up 7H (1XBH), 1R, 5K. FB 82-84 T87 MPH early and sitting lower range of velo through 5IP. FB attacked inner half getting lots of weak contact with it. CB 65-68 MPH loose with depth blending between 12/5 and slurve.

Bella Vista v Garces:

• 2020 3B Garret Forrester (Bella Vista) - Oregon State Commit. Strong muscled frame with sloped shoulders and length in lower half. Swing shows power to the middle of the field and patience at the plate not expanding the zone. Drove 2B deep over CF head cruising into 2B with ease. Showed athleticism beating out a single to SS (4.56 H-1st) that translates to agility at 3B. Arm showed very well having strong throws across the diamond from the line with carry. Frame to stick at 3B and hit in middle of lineup.

• 2022 2B Brandon Forrester (Bella Vista) - Oregon State Commit. Lean wiry muscles with quick twitchy actions; very projectable frame that will stick in MIF. Compact stroke with middle of the field focus; started offense in 1st with a missile up the middle and then lined at 2nd baseman during 2nd AB showing above-average speed down the line (4.32 H-1st). Can stick in the middle of the diamond with strong arm; made a couple mistakes on routine balls slowing his feet instead of moving through the ball. Chance to make major jumps this off-season.

• 2021 CF Gino Antongiovanni (Garces) - Very lean skinny frame with length in the legs. Speedster able to use the speed on the bases and in CF. Compact, direct bat with ball on ground 4 times. Really easy stride down the line showing quick feet (4.27, 4.33, 4.38 H-1st). Rangy in CF going to get the ball over glove-side shoulder with fringe arm that can continue to improve.

Buhach Colony v Hoover:

• 2021 RHP Jake Sapien (Buhach Colony) - 5IP CG with 2BB, 8K no Hitters. Dominated Hoover using mainly FB/SLD with clean, loose and electric arm. FB 84-86 T89 MPH showing angle to both sides of the plate and cut off the glove-side; late life at the plate. SLD 68-71 MPH with feel for pitch showing late bite and tilt cross-plate; had some back-up but also used it on both sides of the plate going front-door on RHH and back foot on LHH. Also showed some bat-speed at the plate with aggressive full-body swings laced a ball to LF for 1B and directly at the LF in his last AB for Sac Fly. Very impressive 2021.

Stockdale v Buchanan:

• 2019 SS Brady Hormel (Buchanan) - Nevada Commit. Showed footspeed, arm strength and very quick bat. Quick hand speed with ability to really turn the barrel through the zone. Hit an absolute rocket down the RF line for HR to win game in bottom of the 7th. Above-average arm with ability to stick on the left-side of the diamond; made a great play in 6-hole letting arm loose and having carry across the diamond. Made a very good defensive play on 2nd base side of the bag nailing a runner to end the inning stranding a runner during 1st game against Bullard.

• 2019 OF Miguel Ortiz (Buchanan) - Fullerton Commit. Showed strong range in LF with the footspeed to close on ball. Used that same footspeed to beat out chopper to 3B (4.15 H-1st) scoring game tying run in Bottom 6th. Bat flashes pop to pull side.

• 2021 C Austin Young (Buchanan) - Athletic medium frame that shows twitchy actions out of the box and lateral agility behind the plate. Strong arm with balls regularly on base; blocking flashed ability with times of smooth lateral movements. Kept his hands tight with feel for the barrel driving 3B into RCF knocking in 2 runs. Drag bunt for hit (4.00 H-1st) late in game setting up winning AB.

• 2021 C Owen Nagel (Stockdale) - Wide shoulders and large frame; lean, strong build that can keep adding. Showed a strong arm with ability to keep the ball on the bag and some arm-side run (2.06-2.14 Pop in between). Swing has times where it gets long, but did a great job of shortening up when behind in the count and staying on the baseball well; drove a 2B into RCF to help take the lead and finished 3-4.

Clovis West v Reedley:

• 2019 OF Michael Garabedian (Clovis West) - Igniter type offensive talent with quick runner vs being fast and aggressive on the bases. Aggressive at the plate with good acceleration. 2B to LF/RF showing good all-field approach and sneaky pop and can get to FB. Good all-around baseball player.

• 2020 C Hayden Driggs (Clovis West) - All around toolset for Catcher position; strong soft receiving hands display well above average if not exceptional blocking ability all day long. 1.97-2.1 Pop times between innings with fair arm strength and quick feet. Accurate to bag. Balanced offensively with strong hands and a heavy barrel; can mishit a ball and still drive it the other way having ball leaves the bat well.

• 2020 C Jacob Gagnon (Reedley) - Defensive standout was well ahead of the bat; high effort catcher with blocking agility showing up repeatedly. Saved multiple runs keeping team in game. Solid receiver can improve with strength; 2.17-2.26 was accurate and arm strength can continue to improve. Two great plays: 1) Pop up to 1st base side got to rail and made catch with awareness of field and foul-territory. 2) Block to back pick at 1st to end the inning. Defensive intangibles with space for growth on offensive side.

Fresno v Hanford West:

• 2019 SS Jordan Perez (Fresno) - 4-4 in game showing bat control with drag skills and hard barrel contact to pull side. Athletic Infielder that was quick and decisive on the basepaths. Good work around the bags with clean footwork. Played a team he should do well against and did just that.

• 2019 3B Sam Blanco (Fresno) - 2B short of the Cycle. Long, lean and tall projectable frame. Power to pullside is easy with barrel on time. Narrowly missed cycle by 3B up the 3B line to get him. Bat is projectable with barrel awareness and power that is sneaky for size.

Lemoore v Consumnes Oaks:

• 2020 OF Justin Holaday (Lemoore) - Long, rangy athletic QB type body. Lively barrel better to oppo gap. Runs well gliding to bases. Easy power potential to see. Most impressive tracking the ball into deep gap with excellent angles. Great reads and ability to make plays stealing would-be hits. Can learn to stay off breaking balls through bottom of zone. Lots of tools to work with and dream on.

• 2021 C John Sheehan (Consumnes Oaks) - Blocks with agility and control. All the defensive skills you look for in Catcher. Big time release, plus accuracy; intimidating for other teams and stops run game. Strength in frame and barreled two balls today. Fair bat speed with XBH power in there; Hit tool continues to remain something to improve.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

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