Rising Stars Showcase: Player Analysis

Derik Gerber OF / RHP / Citrus Valley, CA / 2023

Hayden Ashby C / RHP / Temescal canyon , CA / 2024

Uncommitted. Five-foot-9, 145-pounds. Long, lean, wiry strong frame with long limbs, high waist and ample room for addition of mass/strength. Starts with a knee-bent setup before rocking onto bag leg and driving through with a leg lift and short stride. Showed feel for the barrel despite having a somewhat “handsy” swing - likely due to his developing body strength. Showed some present bat speed and the ability to manipulate barrel level through the zone. Defensively he sets up with an even crouch flashing soft hands and quickness in blocking-and-recovering on balls in-dirt. Arm path is a tick long but throws showed modest accuracy to the bag. On the mound Ashby showed a deliberate delivery with a full arm path in the back through to a 3/4 release point. Showed feel for his fastball, curveball, changeup arsenal that will undoubtedly improve as he continues to fill out his frame.

Henry Leipart OF / SS / N/A, CA / 2024

Thomas Morales 1B / RHP / Oak Hills , CA / 2023

Uncommitted. Five-foot-9, 155-pounds. Medium frame with some strength in the lower half and plenty of room to add mass/strength throughout. Starts upright at the plate with toes pointed in and hands high above shoulders. Rocks back onto back leg using a leg lift and short stride to initiate swing. Drops hands and barrel into the zone where he maintains it on plane throughout the swing. Has some sneaky strength as shown by the number of line drives he put into the gaps. Squared everything up. Defensively he showed nimble footwork around the bag at first with the ability to turn and recover on double play balls. Arm was accurate across the diamond. On the mound he stays tall with a slight knee bend in the back leg and a high front leg lift before driving down the mound through to a 3/4 release point. Fastball showed hints of run back to the arm side while the curveball was tight with sharp break and 12/6 movement. Threw a knuckleball that had knuckle-curve action with late breaking shape down in the zone.

Cooper Rasmussen SS / 2B / Chaparral , CA / 2023

Jeramiah Sotelo C / 3B / La Mirada, CA / 2023

Uncommitted. Five-foot-9, 155-pounds. Medium frame with room for continued physical development and present wiry strength. Has an open, high handed stance getting the barrel in-and-through the zone with a slight uppercut path with excellent use of the lower half. Showed a middle-middle approach and the ability to get the barrel on the ball. Behind the plate he shows soft hands with a quick release with throws in the range of the bag. On the mound he showed solid feel for a three pitch mix dropping his fastball, curveball, changeup mix in for strikes. We’ve had several viewings of Sotelo on the mound and this was arguably as sharp as he’s looked in any of them.

Matthew Calzada OF / 2B / California , CA / 2023

Uncommitted. Five-foot-10, 140-pounds. Long, lean frame with long limbs, a high waist and large feet. Starts upright with high hands at the plate. Shifts weight back using a leg lift trigger before rotating through the zone. Maintains barrel on plane through swing with quick hands and some present bat speed. Swing can get handsy at times causing him to roll over. Defensively he showed adequate footwork with good reads off the bat. Funnels balls out front while playing through to release. Throws were accurate to the bag and home plate. 

Nick Montgomery C / OF / Cypress, CA / 2024

Uncommitted. Five-foot-10, 140-pounds. Medium frame that is in the early stages of development with a high waist and long legs. Starts slightly open with hands high and a bat waggle. Swing is a bit handsy but shows feel for the barrel and the ability to maintain it on-plane. Sprayed balls to all fields during his on-field hitting. Behind the dish he showed soft hands and the ability to frame pitches while working underneath the ball. Arm strength is developing still, with throws in the vicinity of the bag. Arm path is full in the back.

Marc DiCarlo, Jr. SS / RHP / Citrus Valley, CA / 2023

Uncommitted. Six-foot-3, 165-pounds. Large frame with squared shoulders and long limbs. Present wiry strength in the upper half. Starts with a slightly open stance with hands at the shoulders. Uses a short stride to initiate swing while showing the ability to get and keep the barrel in the hitting zone for a long time. At times swing get a bit uphill as he looks to lift the ball. Showed a middle-middle approach at the plate. Defensively he showed athletic actions with adequate footwork that may profile best at third base. Arm was accurate across the diamond. On the mound he uses a drop-and-drive delivery where he really loads on the back leg before driving down the mound with excellent backside drive through to a high 3/4 release point out front. Fastball works on a downhill plane with some run that he starts at the knees. Worked the pitch black-to-black. Curveball was a sharp, late biting pitch with 11/5 shape that he was able to drop in for strikes. Very projectable on the mound with his current two-pitch mix and the addition of a third pitch will only enhance that.