SoCal Preseason All-State: Pitchers Analysis

1/5/19 - SoCal Preseason All-State - 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, big-bodied right-hander with lower half strength and room for growth. Tall and fall mechanical base, releases ball from a high three-quarter arm slot, average arm speed, loose arm action and an inline finish with the occasional cross landing forcing him to fall off towards the first-base side. Fastball flashed heavy arm side run with above-average high school command. Released curveball at the same arm speed as fastball and flashed sharp breaking action at a 12/6 plane. Change-up showed good speed differential and arm side run and fade.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 5-foot-9, 155 pounds, short and slim, wiry actions, two-way player. Drop and drive mechanics with good balance help produce power and direction. Delivers from a high three-quarter arm slot and does a great job producing lower half power from above average hip drive and quick arm speed. Arm action is long in the back with a slight stab, which led to pitch tipping. Breaking ball broke more like a slurve and produced late bite, flashing strikeout potential. Change-up lacked speed differential and movement. Projectable lefty who should see a velocity jump from growth, maturity and a shorter arm path.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State - 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, two-way player with proportional build. Tall and fall pitching mechanics, releases the ball from a high three-quarter arm slot, repeats a consistent arm circle in the back, keeps shoulders level before releasing backside and toppling towards home plate. Lower half needs to be engaged more to create power and plane on fastball. Curveball showed sharp break and command from the same arm slot as the fastball. Change-up was inconsistent and raw. Strike thrower that would greatly benefit from lower half engagement.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, athletic proportional build with room for growth. Strike-thrower featuring a hard fastball thanks to a short and smooth over the top arm path. Arm works quickly with minimal effort. Direction and extension are linear keeping body in line with home plate. Curveball arm action did not possess the same arm path as the fastball. Quality change-up from a repeatable arm slot, sink and fade with a drastic velocity difference from fastball. Focus should be on throwing all pitches from the same arm slot as fastball and to experiment with cutter and slider grips. Projectable pitcher who should see an increase in velocity

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 6-foot, 180 pounds, athletic build with room for growth. High three-quarter arm slot featuring a smooth arm path and quick delivery. Creates momentum and power from the lower half and accompanies that with fluid mechanics. Command was erratic at times caused by a drastic glove side pull and first base side finish. Featured a power slider that flashed strikeout pitch potential at the next level from the same arm slot as the fastball. Projects well with added strength and velocity, plus slider could make him a strong bullpen asset down the line.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 5-foot-11, 146 pounds, slim, athletic build, plenty of room for growth and strength. Fluid mechanics, average arm speed, good balance and feel. Releases ball from a high three-quarter arm slot, drops and drives to create momentum towards home plate, inconsistent finish. Keeps head on line with catcher but falls towards the first base side lapses in command. Slight stab in the back arm circle hinders mechanics. Both curveball and change-up are released from the same slot as the fastball. Curveball broke at a gradual pace and at a drastic velocity difference from fastball. Change-up showed to closely to the fastball. Off-speed development coupled with his fluid mechanics project well down the line.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 5-foot-9-165 pounds, stocky build with a strong lower half. Releases from an over the top arm slot, average balance, smooth rhythm, uphill shoulders and finishes with effort. Front side shoots high and the backside sits back creating a pendulum like action for deception and power. Swings the front foot instead of driving towards home, consistent with the landing and pendulum arm action. Curveball showed drastic difference in velocity from fastball but lacks sharp break and feel for the zone. Change-up comes from same release point as fastball and features sink, fade and feel for strike zone. Staying tall and strong on backside should project better feel for curveball and command of the zone.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 5-foot-11, 145 pounds, two-way player, short and slim, athletic build, plenty of room for growth and maturity. Fluid and consistent mechanics, good balance, easy effort pitch to pitch, releases the ball from an over the top arm angle. Slow and deliberate effort hinders arm speed and command despite solid hip drive. Fastball flashed slight sink and downward movement. Curveball showed potential with 12/6 break but lacked sharp action and command. Young pitcher with fluid mechanics and balance, will benefit from growth and pitch development.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, two-way player with a strong athletic build. Starts from the third base side of the rubber, steps back creating a long leg kick and momentum towards home plate. Keeps hand high throughout the process, arm is smooth but lacks arm speed. Landing zone is across body, which resulted in inconsistent command and inability to locate on the glove side of the plate. Effort was easy and had good rhythm pitch-to-pitch. Both off-speed pitches lacked command and consistency but flashed potential. Increasing arm speed and elimination of the across body landing could correct inconsistencies and create opportunity for a sharp velocity increase.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State (pitching) - 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, athletic build, good instincts, room for growth and added strength. Releases the ball from a high three-quarter arm slot, very short arm circle in the back, showed good balance and relaxed effort. Hunches over to gather self before exploding towards home plate, keeps head straight on to create good command and repeatable mechanics. Has great feel for the change-up, featuring heavy arm side run and sinking action. Needs to increase arm speed and follow through more to create power and velocity. Mature pitcher for age/grade, starter potential with a plus change-up.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State - 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, athletic build, balanced structure with plenty of room for growth. Short and quick arm action with an over the top release point. Keeps everything tight and turns slightly to create power and momentum towards home. Great mechanical balance, smooth rhythm, level shoulders and in line direction when throwing fastballs. Fastball featured arm side run and good plane. Curveball and change-up need work, both pitches were released with slower arm speed and arm action. Mature pitcher for age and grade. Good projection with physical growth and development of secondary pitches.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State - 6-foot, 165 pounds, athletic frame, proportional build with room for growth. Releases from a high three-quarter arm slot, quick arm speed, loose and long arm action, good balance and rhythm. Keeps shoulders level with a tall back leg before driving towards home plate with good extension and hip drive. Features a high repeatable leg kick to create drive and power down the mound but finishes on the first base side effecting command. Curveball showed power and command with 12/6 break. Arm action allows for split-finger, sharp action with good rotation and tumbling sink. Three pitch mix and projectable mechanics point towards starter potential and an uptick in velocity.

1/5/19 - SoCal Preseason All-State - 6-foot, 210 pounds, strong proportional build. Starts tall with hands high to compensate for high leg kick. High three-quarter arm slot, keeps glove side high to create downward plane. Slight twist and lean towards second base to create momentum, power and deception. Keeping his moving parts together should create more consistent mechanics pitch to pitch. Curveball has some late sharp break that could be improved with quicker arm speed. Features a quality change-up with sinking tailing action that is released from the same arm slot as the fastball. Starter potential with increased consistency and off-speed development.

1/5/19- SoCal Preseason All-State - 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, long arms, broad shoulders, good lower half with room for growth and added strength. High three-quarter arm slot, level shoulders, average arm speed, across body landing direction and an open finish. Arm action in the back needs improvement as the action follows a similar path to pulling back on a string of a bow, which creates tension and inconsistent results. Command and feel followed his head alignment. Showed a quality change-up with sink and fade and the potential for a plus high school pitch. Featured a curveball with a gradual 12/6 break that could become sharper with increased arm speed and smoother arm path. Physically mature for age with a projectable build and pitching potential.