The wide-spread and plethora of talent in the Golden State converged on Orange County for PBR Tournament’s “California State Games.” With talented players popping up on every field throughout four age levels (14U, 15U, 16U, 17U), the event was truly a dream for a scout and evaluator. Recruiting has sped up considerably across the country with young players committing earlier and earlier, but the depth of talent in California always provides for uncommitted players to be found at any point in the process. Below are just some of the players/prospects in the upper class (2020-2021) that caught the eye of National Crosschecker, Shooter Hunt, while he was On the Hunt.

Ryan Reddemann LHP / Quartz Hill, CA / 2021 Uncommitted. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Reddemann’s wiry-athletic frame whipping fastballs into the zone from a distance, and immediately walked over to get a closer look. Possessing longer arms, the 5-foot-11, 165-pound southpaw deceptively delivered fastballs at 82-84 on a hot afternoon that featured arm side life, and produced multiple swings and misses. He repeated an uptempo delivery that included more aggressive drive off the back side, seeming to jump towards the plate before releasing out of a high ¾ slot with impressive hand speed through the ball. He flashed a faded changeup at 76 mph for strikes, and his 70-71 curveball featured tighter spin with multi-tier break and near 1/7 shape. It would not surprise me if he makes a considerable velocity jump in the future given the elasticity of the arm and the overall athleticism. An aspiring engineer-major, Reddemann also sports a GPA above 4.0, and will likely have college coaches following him very closely the rest of the summer.

Roc Riggio OF / C / Thousand Oaks, CA / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 36 / POS: 4 Uncommitted. Riggio’s energy and athleticism help propel his abilities at the plate, and it is easy to see why he is one of the top prospects/hitters in the 2021 class. Unafraid at the plate, and confident in his abilities, the left-handed hitter hit in the middle of a loaded lineup of 2020 prospects for GBG Marucci. Hitting from an athletic base, his hands rock further back into a power position with a slight scoop before his strong wrists and quick hands drive the barrel through the zone on a flat path. His strong bottom hand allows the barrel to lag in the zone as he showcases the ability to drive the ball to all fields. An athletic runner with some strength in the lower-half of his 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame, he gets into his legs at the dish helping to provide for a bit more power. While he is aggressive early on in counts, he also demonstrates the ability to adjust late when behind, changing the barrel plane, and driving whatever pitch comes his way. Overall, Riggio features plenty of upside, and with his hit-tool already advanced, he should be able to progress and a more rapid rate the next couple of years.

Eli Paton 3B / 1B / Maranatha, CA / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 72 / POS: 8 Paton, UCLA recruit, showcased a mature approach at the plate, and was one of the more intriguing players from the 2020 class coming out of the weekend. Listed at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds, the left-handed hitter looks thicker and stronger than that in person with some strength present in the lower-half. His hands flow back with a minor leg kick before working the barrel quickly uphill through the zone. He demonstrates the ability to drive the ball from gap to gap, and will likely develop even more power in the future as his frame still shows signs of adding strength.

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