Fall Scout Blog: Twelve vs. Marucci

Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

Twitter: @PBR_Texas
IG: @pbr_texas

Sunday, October 1, 2017

KATY, TX - Throughout the fall, PBR's staff will be on the road covering baseball across Texas. Games, workouts, practices, camps and more.  The "boots on the ground" philosophy of PBR is well represented with the coverage throughout the Fall of 2017. Here are some quick thoughts from last Sunday’s workout between uncommitted 2018 grads from Twelve Baseball and Marucci Elite.

+ 2018 3B/1B Blake Martin (Deer Park HS) drew a ton of attention during batting practice. The right-handed hitter has easy, relaxed rhythm, bat speed, quick hands, simple strength at contact, and middle of the field power. Martin stands approximately 6-foot-1, 195-pounds, with strong lower half. Not only does the ball jump off his bat, but the unsigned senior has smooth footwork at third - and first base. Arm works well from different angles, average arm strength across the diamond. He made a slick run through play on a swinging bunt at third base with good presence.

+ Several quality arms with upside are still available, including 2018 Daylon Farmer (College Park HS). Farmer stands 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, with a projectable frame and strong lower half. The right-hander works from a high slot with a short, quick arm stroke. His fastball sat 86-88 mph in one inning of work. Only threw two curveballs, one was sharp at 71 mph with 12/6 rotation. Lots of upside there. Another right-hander with a projectable frame is 2018 RHP Cason Wachel (Montgomery HS). Wachel has 6-foot-4, 190-pound, projectable, strong, athletic frame. He started the day by runing a 6.94 60-yard dash, and threw bullets from the outfield. Then, the right-hander got on the mound, working from a high slot with a slight cross-body delivery. Straight fastball at 82-85 mph, mixed in a curveball at 68-71 with downward shape and gradual break. 2018 Bryce Bennett (Madisonville HS) is a 6-foot-3, 172-pound, athletic right-hander with good energy in his delivery. Bennett works from a short, high-¾ slot, his fastball sat 83-84 mph, touching 85. His curveball has 11/5 shape with average depth at 69 mph.

+ Colorado School of Mines got a quality player in 2018 SS/RHP Cannon Sims (The Woodlands HS). Sims committed earlier this week. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder is a two-way player with upside. He is athletic enough to stay on the infield in college and consistently makes hard contact on the barrel with loose hands and projectable leverage. But there is something about him on the mound, the ball comes out easy and he has a long, loose arm stroke from a ¾ slot. He only sat 81-84 mph, but look for that velocity to climb if he continues to pitch at the next level.  

+ 2018 3B/RHP Dylan Golden (Spring HS) 6-foot, 205, strong, thick, broad chested frame. Golden is an intriguing player because of his size and strength. He shows good bat speed and strength at contact from the right side and took a solid round of batting practice. Above average arm at third base. Although he did not pitch on Sunday, we saw him pump 86-88 mph with a good breaking ball in an early June bullpen.

+ A couple of players that do a little bit of everything are 2018 UT/RHP Gavin LaBruyere (Montgomery HS), and  2018 SS Ryan Solberg (The Woodlands HS). LaBruyere has a projectable 6-foot-3, 175-pound, long, lanky frame. The unsigned senior ran a 6.79-second 60-yard dash, and threw 82-84 mph on the bump, touching 86 one time. Solberg is another long-limbed player for Twelve Baseball, standing 6-foot-3, 175-pounds. He ran a 7.26 60-yard dash and hammered a double to left field.

+ There were a number of guys that posted solid running times in the 60-yard dash, highlighted by 2018 OF Charles Gordon (Alvin HS), who posted a 6.43 on my watch, and 6.38 on another watch. 2018 OF Austin Herrera (Bryan HS) ran a 6.69. Herrera has a loose body and lean-muscular frame 6-foot-1, 175-pounds

+ 2018 SS Ben Shields (Montgomery HS) ran a 6.93 60-yard dash. Shields handles the ball well in the middle of the field and has quick feet. He has a balanced setup from the right side and the barrel stays in the zone a long time. 2018 SS Cody Cegielski (Clements HS/Marucci Elite) showed good actions at shortstop and made several nice plays, he also ran a 6.93 60-yard dash.

+ Really liked what I saw from uncommitted 2018 C Ty McCain (Home School) behind the plate. McCain stands 5-foot-10, 200-pounds, with strong frame and well defined lower half and broad shoulders. He made accurate throws to second during the workout with his pop times at 2.07-2.13. Clean arm stroke, soft hands, and efficient footwork.

+ There were a number of hitters that stood out, but the only home run of the day came off the bat of left-handed hitter Nick Petro (Concordia Lutheran HS/Marucci Elite). Petro, who transferred to Concordia Lutheran this year, stands 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, and has natural lift in his swing with pull side power. Calvin Whitaker has a thick, muscular, strong frame, he squared the ball up twice in two at-bats with a single to left field and a line-drive missile to center field. Behind the plate, Whitaker posted pop times of 2.11-2.28.