MLB DRAFT: DAY ONE LOOK BACK

ROUND 1 (1) - PITTSBURGH

The 6-foot-6 right-hander started slow with three of the first four Kansas State batters reaching base. He threw 33 pitches in the first inning alone, struggling to control his lively 97-99 mph two-seam fastball that typically has greater than a foot of horizontal movement, and up to 18” at times to his armside (1” more than the width of home plate). He did not record an out until pitch No. 20. However, it was all easy-going from there as he made a between-innings adjustment with what looked to be an improved direction to the plate. Skenes shoved for the remainder of his six-inning, 11-strikeout start. He finished the game retiring 12 in a row and 16 of the last 17. His fastball settled in at 95-97 and used it primarily as a chase pitch up in the zone for strike three. Skenes also featured a hard 89-90 mph changeup to left handed hitters and a sweeping slider to right handed bats. The change-of-pace showed good bottom and so much life at times that it made it difficult to land in the zone. Early in the game K State spit on the borderline offering, but Skenes developed more feel as the game progressed and it too, became a swing/miss offering, grading out as solid average to plus. His slider is a bit lower quality than his change, grading out as average at 83-87 mph. With continued good health, stuff and performance as he displayed this past weekend at Round Rock, Skenes is a lock to go in the top 10 overall picks this July. A MLB comparison to Andy Benes (who went No. 1 overall in 1988) is currently popular in the industry.

7/09/19

Another outstanding showing from the physical catcher who has a strong catchers frame, with ample room for additional good weight. Skenes continues to rise above the rest of the competition and separate himself as one of the top catching prospects in the 2020 class. Batting practice session was loud and he stood out in the catching portion showing his ability to receive with firm wrists and soft hands. Pop times were in the 1.9 – 2.1 range. Had an opposite field single in the live session seen below, then proceeded to steal second on the first pitch, demonstrating that he is not just a bat, but a well-rounded baseball player. Really excited to see his development going into his senior campaign.  

Skenes is showing that he may be one of the best catchers in his class despite his under-the-radar emergence and his commitment to the Air Force Academy. The former a case of priorities while the latter is a result of them. Academics are a priority both for Skenes and the Air Force Academy, making this a great fit for both parties. He is a physical, soft handed catcher with a power arm that could work on the mound if catching doesn't work out, and there's no indication it won't. Skenes controls the running game with his arm that popped 1.89 - 2.00 consistently throughout the game. He also provides power at the plate for the offense as demonstrated by his home run into the wind.

ROUND 1 (6) - OAKLAND

USA CNT: Wilson put together an eye-opening sophomore campaign with Grand Canyon, slashing .358/.418/.585 while striking out just 7 times in 275 plate appearances. He brought his aggressive approach and barrel control to play at trials, outhitting the next best would-be USA CNT member by over 100 points, slashing .467/.556/1.000 and leading the other 24 position players in nearly every offensive category (AVG, H, 2B, HR, RBI, TB, SLG and OBP). Wilson utilizes a simple load and well-above-average bat speed to attack pitches and stays balanced in the body and quiet in the head throughout his impactful cuts. The result is a compact swing with an ability to do damage across the zone while utilizing the whole field. Wilson's aggressive approach limits his free passes, but the quality of his contact is high enough to offset that nit, and though he lacks top tier over-the-fence pop, he should hit his share of dingers to go with loads of doubles. His impressive footwork and solid arm strength could fit across the dirt, though he may lack the lateral range to slot in as a full-time shortstop at the pro ranks. Wilson capped his impressive spring/summer campaign with a very strong showing overseas, slashing .364/.462/.455 at the Honkbalweek Haarlem tourney, while presenting well defensively with clean play at both third base and second. It's a first round profile at this point in the draft cycle and, like Gonzalez, could fit in the top ten picks with another strong season next spring.

Wilson showed well for himself putting together some really good at-bats despite not having anything to show for them in the hit column. At 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, his frame is long and lean with wiry strength throughout particularly through the arms down into the hands. Shows a high aptitude on defense where he is currently playing second base. Profiles well at third base in the future where his size and developing power would fit nicely. Presently shows range to both and enough arm strength to make accurate throws from any angle. At the plate he has a pronounced bat waggle that he uses to trigger his swing. Starts upright with hands above shoulder and uses a medium stride before firing back hip into the ball. Shows quick-to-fast hands that maintain the barrel on a consistent plane throughout the hitting zone. Drops hands into launch position upon front foot landing. At times overstrides and has weight on the front resulting in weak contact. Shows a penchant for fighting off pitches and extending at-bats. Keeps hands close to body before extending through contact with the knob leading the barrel to a balanced, high hand finish. The son of former MLB play Jack Wilson, there’s plenty of physical projection remaining with the younger Wilson who has a solid foundation of tools to build upon.

ROUND 1 (12) - ARIZONA

Entering the 2023 season, Troy already possessed a profile that has typically boded well for the top rounds of the draft as a college performer who has the tools to stay on the dirt in the middle of the diamond. By demonstrating better control of the strike zone (19 BB vs 18 SO) while increasing his batting average and power production, he has strengthened his draft value. Keeping his barrel longer through the zone this spring, he has lowered his strikeout rate from 25.8% as a freshman, 19.4% as a sophomore to just 11.4% in 2023. Troy also produces very good power for his size at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds. With quick hands and good body strength he finds the barrel and produces a top combination of power (.618 SLG, .237 ISO) and batting average (.382). He can also run, as evidenced by 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts this spring. He played a lot of shortstop in the Cape last summer, but has moved to the hot corner for the Cardinal this spring. He has plenty of arm for the left side of the infield, yet in pro ball his best position could be at second base where he profiles as a five-tool talent. With continued good health, Troy should easily be selected in the top 20 overall picks.

NorCal ProCase Spotlight

Open Division Playoffs - Stanford Commit. Troy has had a monster season for the Cats playing both Middle-Infield spots and regularly showing off his defense, speed and ability to drive the ball. At the plate, he’s got good rhythm pre-pitch with a short take back of his hands showing the ability to keep the hands tight with strong rotation from the middle of the body. The barrel gets on time early and will do damage to pitches up in the zone as evident when he drove the 1st pitch of the game over the CF head (Called Back) and again in his last AB when he drove a FB into the RCF gap. He’s an above-average runner using the speed on the basepaths and on defense. On the bases he’s able to get moving quickly with first step quickness and instincts to read pitchers and their pitches to gain a jump when taking bases. He stole 3rd without a throw late in the game and went into 2nd hard on two different opportunities creating errors and preventing double plays. Defensively he’s got strong range with the ability to come get the ball or move laterally. The arm is fringey with the ability to stick at SS due to his quick feet and quality angles, playing up if he were at 2B or in CF. Throws were regularly online as he will load up to make sure the ball is where it needs to be. Troy plays the game hard showing skills that will translate to the next level.

ROUND 1 (15) - CWS

Entering the Cambria Classic with a .441 batting average and two home runs, Gonzalez continued the hot start to his 2023 season with a 4-for-12, 2 2B, 3 BB stat line. Defensively, there's little question he has the actions, range and arm strength to stick at shortstop over the long term. He’s also one of the most instinctive players in this year’s college draft class with an excellent first step and angles to the ball. A near average runner, the left handed hitter ran a 4.37 and 4.25 down the line. His impact, however, is in the box, where the Rebel infielder produces good leverage and enough bat speed to make up for some length in his cuts. With gifted hands and simply an innate feel to hit, Gonzalez excels at controlling the barrel and taking bat to ball despite a backside out and reaching swing at times. It’s unorthodox and nowhere near the pure stroke you’d like to see from a top prospect, but it works. He has produced with the stick everywhere he’s played, including the USA CNT last summer. Barring a major downturn in his tools or performance, Gonzalez is a slam dunk to be selected in the top ten overall picks this July.

USA CNT: Fresh off a College World Series run that landed Ole Miss its first ever National Championship, Gonzalez followed his very strong spring with a good showing for the Collegiate National Team, slashing .313/.333/.438 through team trials and .250/.333/.417 over 26 plate appearances at the Honkbalweek Haarlem tournament while accounting for almost a quarter of the club's extra base hits. Gonzalez looked a little worn at times — particularly on the dirt — getting lax with his throws and footwork, but there's little question he has the actions and the arm strength to stick at the six-spot long term, where he should grow into a steady and dependable defender. His impact, however, is in the box, where the Rebel infielder produces good leverage and enough bat speed to make up for some length in his cuts. Gonzalez excels at finding the ball with the bat and is confident working deep into counts, helping him to draw walks and limit empty swings. Already able to inflict damage when he barrels the ball, Gonzalez just needs to show continued growth in the frequency of his quality contact to take the next step as a truly elite producer. He enters the fall as a high follow penciled into the first round and could slot into the top ten selections next summer with a strong junior year.

Ole Miss commit. The two-sport standout (QB on football team) put together one of, if not the, best rounds of batting practice that saw him launch several balls out of the yard and pepper the outfield fence a few times. He showed the ability to go the other way during both BP and in-game. It’s a smooth, relaxed, effortless swing with excellent barrel control through the zone. Defensively his present tools all grade at average to above. His footwork and glovework were impressive, but it’s his range and arm strength that set him apart from the others. At 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, there’s plenty of physical projection remaining as he’ll undoubtedly continue to add strength/mass. 

ROUND 1 (21) - ST. LOUIS

The Pac-12 regular season home run champ also made a big impact in the batter’s box during the tournament, including a 3-for-4, six RBI performance against Stanford. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound left handed slugger barreled balls all week and was much better vs RHPs than LHPs. Competed in the box, but was challenged against left handed spin. Top exit velocity was 108.5. Has lowered his strikeout rate to below 15% this spring from 22.8% in 2022 while increasing his ISO to .388 from .294 last  season. Fair defender in left field. Had balls hit his way early and often against Oregon State as nearly a dozen balls came his way. Showed average strength and his arm played down a grade due to a long transfer and release. Above average runner underway, but plays less on the bases with long rounds and poor turns. Will likely be selected within the top 20 overall picks.

Cape Cod: One of the top athletes for the 2023 draft, Davis brings exciting tools to the middle of the diamond. Spending several weeks with the Collegiate National Team before arriving in the Cape, Davis launched 18 homers for the Wildcats this past spring. A plus runner with a big arm, he impressed in the big field on defense and put together a .212/.379/.250 slash in 52 at-bats for Wareham. His contact rate next spring will be key in determining his ultimate draft value, but both the tools and raw production point to Davis as a high follow with a chance to draw Day One attention with a strong spring.

Area Code Tryouts - Upper Class Notebook

Arizona commit; had a big game vs Cosumnes Oaks. He was the DH in this one (no alarming reason) and had the two big swings of the bat for Franklin, both doubles. We've broken him down a few times before and seeing him vs more high quality pitching paints a broader picture. He's long and strong and athletically built (6-foot-1, 210-pounds) and has presence at the plate. Davis stands considerably off the plate and looks to get lots of extension in his swing. The set-up and swing path and talent all brings Carlos Gonzalez to mind. He will occasionally swing and miss and can get a little big in positive counts but he's also got the ability to hunt and do damage. There are some spots to pitch him and have success but balls up and out over the plate get hammered, as his first double did, over the centerfielder's head and something thrown down and in can get raked to right field, which describes his second double. He's capable of competing vs good pitchers and having success and what takes him to another level is what he can do with mistakes.

ROUND 1 (23) - CLEVELAND

SoCal Preseason All-State: The #19 player overall in the Class of 2023 State Rankings and showed this weekend why he’s already such a highly regarded player. Appearing to have added somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-15 pounds, Velazquez’s newfound strength paired with his sweet left-handed swing was a pleasant surprise. After posting an 88 mph exit velocity, he pounded the right-center field gap with line drives with backspin. It’s a simple swing without a lot of wasted motion allowing him to produce a consistent barrel plane. Behind the dish the strength gains appear to have aided with athleticism as he’s quicker to point when needs to shuffle. Popped in the 1.99-2.09 range with throws on the bag. Exchanges were quick and clean.

Setting up in a wider stance with the bat rested on his back shoulder, he shifts his weight back with a heel lift and minimal stride that works the hands down and back with a slight wrap. From there, the barrel works flat through the zone with some lag present, and he gets more aggressive use of the lower-half, although more strength will aid that even more in the future. In this quick look, Velazquez looked like he is going to have a chance to drive the ball from gap to gap, and his 5-foot-11, 170-pound, long-legged frame projects very well.

ROUND 2 (61) - HOUSTON

USA CNT TRIALS: A Freshman All-American this spring, Tredwell went 4-1, 2.11 with six saves and a dazzling 62-6 K-BB mark in 47 innings for the Bruins this spring. He struggled at CNT training camp, but it was nonetheless clear why he was so successful this spring: he’s a serious talent. At 6-foot-7, 235 pounds, the long-levered Tredwell is ultra-loose with a low-effort over-the-top delivery, and he uses some front-side glove funk to add deception. He works downhill at 91-94 with a promising 81-83 slider that spins in the 2300-2500s as well as an 86-87 changeup that looked fringe-average in our brief look. As he continues to mature physically, he could grow into even more velocity, making him one of the more exciting projection guys on this list, and he already has present stuff. A to-be 2023 sophomore draft-eligible, it’s easy to envision him sliding into a starting role at some point in his college career and potentially emerging as a first-rounder down the line.

UCLA commit. It was the first time on the mound for Tredwell since last spring due to some complications in his back he experienced over the summer. The back issues were nothing serious, just a natural growth spurt issue. Tredwell came out firing working his fastball down in the zone before elevating it for swing-and-miss. While his command was naturally a bit rusty, his arm action and mechanics looked to be on point. The big righty works downhill on the mound where he gains a lot of ground thanks in part to his long stride. He's explosive down the mound after a slight dip-and-drive coil in the back. The ball jumps out of his hand with ease. Threw a single curveball in his outing which he spiked in front of the plate at 74 mph. Also threw one changeup at 82 mph that flashed big running action back over the plate and in on the right handed hitter.

Tredwell, a UCLA commit, played first base and swung the bat in the middle of the order. In his first at-bat he took a curveball on the outer half that he hit foul. On the next pitch he smoked a line drive to center field for base hit on a fastball in.

ROUND CB 2 (65) - COLORADO

Cape Cod- Hitting: Carrigg enjoyed a strong spring campaign with San Diego State, slashing .388/.509/.426 over 53 games and 235 plate appearances. Carrigg kept that momentum rolling through his summer on the Cape, batting a team best .329 while getting on base at a .388 clip. The switch hitter has a similar approach and bat control from both sides of the plate, but his swing comes with some length and he takes an aggressive at bat, leading to a fair amount of early-count contact which can detract from his ability to draw walks and get on base even more often. The power is limited – average raw from the left side and slightly less from the right due to swing path – in part because of the combination of an aggressive approach, long swing and bat control which produces a decent amount of contact but often more ball-to-bat than ball-to-barrel. Defensively, Carrigg can quite literally play anywhere on the diamond. He's a good athlete with good instincts, showing quality reads on the grass and on the dirt, alike. We even saw him take the mound for an inning against Harwich and flash intriguing potential (details below). It's a utility profile at the next level with the key to bumping his value being an increase in quality of contact and more in-game power production.

Cape Cod- Pitching: After a solitary disastrous outing for San Diego State this spring (1 IP, 6 ER, 4 H, 3 BB and 2 SO) Cole Carrigg (2023) made just two regular-season appearances for the Red Sox this summer.  He was so impressive in those two Y-D outings he earned two more in the playoffs, finishing with a combined line 5.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 7 SO and 0 BB. The stuff is still very raw, but intriguing in its power and swing-and-miss tenor. Working 91-93 mph (2550 rpm) with a high-riding fastball, Carrigg drew plenty of empty swings up in the zone, while also setting up a changeup for which he showed surprising feel in the 78-80 mph velo band with good arm speed. His breaking ball was the least consistent of his offerings, but flashed some sharpness in the upper-70s with tilted action. At a minimum, his four shutout appearances should earn him consideration for innings this fall back on campus and make him one of the more intriguing helium candidates on the bump exiting this summer

Area Code Tryouts: Upper Class Notebook

NorCal ProCase Spotlight

at Jesuit in SJS D1 playoff game - San Diego State commit; Played 3rd base and pitched in this game, long lean lanky build, loose arm, lively actions during infield, ball out of hand nicely tracking across diamond, can play a little loose at times at 3rd base but athleticism and ability to make well above average and difficult plays are absolutely present, made great catch in foul ground running back toward storage shed and made incredible over the shoulder catch on his glove side - basket style. Offensively stroked a 92 mph fastball up the middle, quick bat, loose lively swing, chased fastball up in later at-bat and also walked, hit tool will continue to evolve with strength. Threw last inning on mound, overhand slot, easy arm action, loose, good body control, some life through zone as fastball sat 86 mph. Primary position is catcher but the overall athleticism and tools suggest he could play just about any position.