DALLAS, TX - With the 2018 MLB Draft coming to a close, it is time to move on to the 2019 Class. We had the opportunity to attend the North Texas Area Code Tryouts on Monday, June 11, at Dallas Baptist University. As the 2019 class continues to take shape, we also have two 2019 Events coming up in the next two weeks, in the DFW Top Prospect Showcase, and the Houston Top Prospect Showcase. In addition, we will be at Underclass Area Code Tryouts, and the Houston Area Code tryouts the next two weeks. Our scouting staff is constantly on the road evaluating the high level of talent in Texas. With all that being said, let’s take a quick look at some of the players that stood out last Monday.

Position Players

+ We could talk about 2019 SS Bobby Witt Jr. (Colleyville Heritage HS) all day, and sometimes we do. The Oklahoma commit ran a 6.54 60-yard dash, plays a premium position and already has five tools that pro scouts use to evaluate potential draft picks, not to mention the pedigree. He plays shortstop with one of the best inner-game clocks I have seen from a high school player. The bat speed is there, along with the overall hit tool, and the arm strength is ++,  along with the actions and overall feel for the position.

+ 2019 C Nate Rombach (Mansfield Legacy HS) Texas Tech commit has the frame of a catcher that draws a lot of attention at 6-foot-3, 215-pounds, but there is also significant present strength in the bat, and real carry in the arm on throws to second base. He posted pop times of 1.86, 1.93, 1.93, and 2.01.

+ Another player with high end tools and a big time frame is 2019 OF Logan Britt (All Saints Episcopal). The Texas A&M commit stands 6-foot-5, 210-pounds, and has power from the right-side. During the game he laced an absolute missile to right field, ultimately ending up on third base. Britt still has plenty of room to add strength as he continues to fill out his frame, and when you combine the arm strength with the hit tool and the long strides, there is still a ton of upside for professional scouts to evaluate before next year’s draft.

+ 2019 CF Jared MacKenzie (Round Rock HS) is committed to Baylor, but looked more like Wade Boggs playing for the Red Sox during the game. The left-handed hitter starts from a wide, balanced, crouched stance and has quick hands with high end barrel awareness. He made hard contact in all three AB’s collecting three knocks, including a double to left field, and a pair of singles, one the other way, and one to the pull side.

+ Tennessee commit 2019 SS Tyler Wade (Midland HS) had a sharp single up the middle, and plays with a ton of overall athleticism.

+ 2019 OF Rance Rojas (San Angelo Central HS) ran a 6.29 60 yard dash and earned a spot during the evening game.

+ Oklahoma commit 2019 Logan Kohler 3B/LHH (Little Elm HS) has a long-limbed, athletic frame for a third baseman. The Oklahoma commit stands 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, and possesses the type of actions and arm strength that should allow him to stay on the left side of the infield in college. A left-handed hitter, the bat already plays, with more upside still left in the tank as he continues to add strength. Kohler demolished a line drive right at the shortstop, and showed enough strength to single through the middle on a ball he got jammed on.

+ Uncommitted 2019 C Peyton Powell (Robinson HS) significantly increased his stock on Monday. We first saw Powell during the HS Playoffs this spring when his Robinson Rockets team bested Madisonville in a one game playoff. The defense stood out then, and he continued his upward trend on Monday by posting sub-2 second pop times to second base with easy carry and a clean arm stroke (1.93, 1.95, 1.94, 1.86). The biggest difference at this event was the way he swung the bat. Powell has a sturdy, strong frame at 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, and also hits from the left side. Scorched a couple of balls during the game including a double in the left-centerfield gap with carry, and a single that he turned on to right field.

+ Texas commit 2019 3B Brett Baty (Lake Travis HS) has a strong, thick frame at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds and is a high level corner bat. Moves well at third base, but the bat is what stands out the most, he hammered a double to left-centerfield and has the present power that college coaches love to see.

+ Uncommitted 2021 CF Tyler Collins (McKinney Boyd HS) was the youngest player in attendance and held his own during the game. Collins has ultra-quick hands from the left side, with feel for the barrel. He can flick his wrists and turn on velocity. His swing shows much better during games than it does during batting practice. He took a 90 mph fastball off his fists and inside-outed it over the shortstops head for a single, running a 4.57 on the turn at first base.

+ DBU commit 2019 3B/RHP Chandler Freeman (Colleyville Heritage HS) pumped 89-90 with his fastball and mixed in a 78-79 mph slider.

PITCHERS

+ Oklahoma commit 2019 RHP Kadon Morton (Seguin HS) has an athletic frame at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds. The right-hander has a loose arm swing and repeatable delivery with a fastball that sat 89-90 and a 78-79 mph slider.

+ 2019 LHP Jacob Hasty (Fort Worth Christian) was unhittable in one inning of work. His fastball was only 86-87, but the LSU commit was throwing a hammer curveball at 76-77 with sharp 1/7 break for swings and misses.

+ TCU commit 2020 RHP Jared Kelley was the talk of the day as the right-hander was pumping strikes at 94-97 mph. The ball comes out clean from a high-¾ slot with a relative low-effort delivery that he repeats with ease. His curveball flashed sharp break at 78-80.

+ Uncommitted 2019 RHP Elijah McCormack (Coppell HS) flashed quality stuff with a 90-91 mph fastball that he scattered around the zone, and a 74-77 mph curveball.

+ TCU commit 2019 RHP Jacob Meador (Burleson Centennial HS) was 91-93 in one inning of work. Meador also has one of the best breaking balls in his class with a 75-78 mph curveball with tight spin and 11/5 shape.

+ Texas A&M commit 2019 RHP Blake Mayfield (Marcus High School) was 90-92 with a long, clean arm swing. He only threw a couple of sliders at 76-77.

+ LSU commit 2019 RHP Jimmy Lewis (Lake Travis HS) throws a heavy fastball at 90-91, topping out once at 93. His slider was 76-77, and his changeup was 78-80.

+ Uncommitted 2019 RHP Hambleton Oliver (Calallen HS) has garnered a lot of attention from D1 Recruiters as he is one of the top arms still available in the class. His fastball was 88-89. He throws a sharp breaking ball for strikes at 78 mph, and can also mix the changeup in at 81 mph.

+ 2019 RHP Dylan Savino (Austin Westlake HS) works from a high slot with a quick arm stroke. His fastball was 89-91, and his curveball was 73.

+ 2019 RHP Kyle Wilson (Keller Central HS) has a projectable pitchers frame at 6-foot-4, 186-pounds. Quick arm swing with his fastball sitting 87-89 in the bullpen session, then was 85-88 during the game. Threw a splitty in the pen at 74-75.

+ Houston commit 2019 Triston Smith (Nacogdoches HS) has a quick arm swing with slightly above average effort in his delivery. Hitters took poor swings off his 88-89 mph fastball and he flashed a sharp breaking ball at 75 mph.

+ Uncommitted 2019 RHP Mason Speaker (All Saints Episcopal) stand 6-foot-4, 205-pounds. His fastball was 87-88 and mixed in a 73 mph changeup.

+ Texas Tech commit 2019 RHP Gunner Morris (Winnsboro HS) is 6-foot-5, 215-pounds. His fastball has late life at 88-90 mph, and he throws a sharp slider at 75-77. Threw one changeup at 82 mph.

We will be updating our 2019 Rankings in early July after both of our 2019 Top Prospect Showcases. 

Texas News