Houston Area Open: Pitcher & Catcher Analysis

August 12, 2017

Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

The Houston Area Open took place on July 18 at Premier Baseball in Tomball, Texas. The event was open to the classes of 2018-2021, and featured players from around the south Texas area. Today we begin our analysis with the pitchers and catchers.

Pitcher Analysis

Bryce Toney LHP / OF / Cypress Ranch, TX / 2018

Rankings State Rank:191 POS:26

The stable of arms running out of Cy-Ranch HS seems to have no end. Toney looks slightly taller than his listed 5-foot-10, 160-pounds, and has a lean-muscular, athletic, projectable frame. The left-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a quick arm stroke. He gets his hand out front on release and locates very well to his glove side, not missing arm side once. His fastball ranged from 81-83 mph with good life. When he did miss the zone it was down to his glove side with life. He throws a hard curveball with 1-7 shape and excellent depth at 68-69 mph. Both his FB and CB come from the same window of release. His changeup is a solid pitch at 75-77 mph, and flashes depth and fade. With his athletic frame, quick arm, and ability to spin his curveball, he would be a great pickup for a college recruiting class.

Nick Voyles RHP / 3B / Pleasent Grove, TX / 2019

Voyles has a projectable, strong frame at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds. The right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a long arm stroke. Good balance in his delivery, with some rhythm and effort, lands square with an athletic lower half finish. His fastball was 80-81 mph at the Houston Open and flashed late run. His curveball has 12-6 shape with late break at 68-71 mph. His changeup comes in at 68 mph with some fade to his arm side.

Joseph Garza-Delapena SS / 3B / Winston Churchill, TX / 2018

6-foot, 165-pound frame. A two-way player and right-handed pitcher, Garza-Delapena works from an over-the-top slot with a quick, loose arm stroke. Good balance throughout his tall-and-fall delivery, lands square, with an athletic lower half and an upright finish. His fastball was mostly straight at 78-81 mph. His curveball sat 66 mph, while his changeup was 73-74 mph.

Thomas Canales RHP / Central Catholic, TX / 2018

5-foot-10, 195-pound, sturdy frame with strong lower half. Canales works from an over-the-top slot with a long arm stroke. Good rhythm and repeatable tempo in his delivery with some effort. Shoulder tilt as he makes his way down the mound with a reach at hand separation, lands close with an athletic finish. Fastball has some late cut at 72-75 mph, topping out at 76 mph. Throws a 12-6 curveball with late downward action at 60-61 mph and show ability to command the pitch for a strike. Throws his change with fastball arm speed at 65-67 mph.

Humberto Vela 1B / RHP / Pasadena Memorial, TX / 2018

Vela stands 6-foot-4, 180-pounds with a long-limbed, lanky frame. A two way player and right-handed pitcher, Vela works from an over-the-top slot with a short, fairly loose, elbow dominant arm stroke and some effort in his delivery. Good tilt in shoulders at hand-break, lands open at footstrike, athletic lower half on finish. His fastball was mostly straight at 79-81 mph. His curveball has gradual break and 11-5 shape at 66-68 mph. He throws a straight changeup with fastball arm speed at 72 mph.

Drew Blankenship 2B / RHP / Anderson, TX / 2018

Blankenship is a two-way player, standing 5-foot-9, 160-pounds, with a medium frame. On the mound, the right-hander works from an over the top slot with a short, quick arm stroke. His fastball ranges from 74-77 mph. He throws a 12-6 curveball with short, late break at 61 mph. His changeup came in at 72-73 mph.

Chase Richter OF / LHP / Cypress Woods, TX / 2020

5-foot-11, 170-pound, athletic, lean-muscular frame. On the mound, the left-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a short, quick arm stroke and a directional delivery. His fastball was 75-76 mph at the Houston Open, with a 60-62 mph curveball with 2-8 shape and gradual, downer break. He also threw a straight changeup that was 65 mph.

Jarred Sherman RHP / 1B / Sealy , TX / 2018

5-foot-11, 245-pound frame. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall, neutral stance, simple load with a short stride to get started. Weight shifts forward at footstrike, level path with an exit velocity of 81 mph. At first base, Sherman throws with some accuracy and carry from a long, high-¾ arm stroke at 74 mph to second base. On the mound, he works from a high-¾ slot with a long arm stroke. Fastball is straight at 71-73 mph, topping out once at 74 mph. His curveball has 11-5 shape with gradual break at 62-63 mph. His changeup was 60-66 mph.

catcher analysis

Cole Marler C / OF / College Station, TX / 2019

Rankings State Rank:64 POS:9

Marler has an athletic frame at 6-feet, 175-pounds. He has excellent mobility in his lower half and blocks with athleticism. He threw accurately with pop times of 2.0, 2.04, 2.11, 2.16 with clean arm action and release. Advanced receiving skills with soft hands. A right-handed hitter, Marler has a fluid hack with good rhythm and an athletic leg-kick. Produces good power and bat speed with bat-lag, whips the barrel through the finish with strong contact. Ran a 7.1-second 60-yard dash.

Jake Henley C / 1B / Cypress Woods, TX / 2018

Henley has a strong frame at 6-feet, 185-pounds, with a well defined lower half. The right-handed hitter starts from an open stance, big leg kick to load his hands back with early rhythm. Strong contact with power to the pull side and explosive bat speed (92 exit velo). Drove the ball with carry to the pull side, including leaving the yard once. Defensively, Henley has soft hands behind the plate, fluid footwork, quick exchange, throws from a ¾ slot with a short arm stroke at 73 mph from the crouch. Registered pop times of 2.19-2.26 with accuracy.

Fisher Byers C / George Ranch, TX / 2019

5-foot-9, 150-pound, still developing frame. Defensively, Byers threw 74 mph from the crouch with pop times ranging from 2.04-2.11-seconds. He has a quick, easy exchange, in-line, fundamental footwork, and his arm works well from back to front. Byers showed solid receiving skills during his bullpen, blocking with ease and showing soft hands. Offensively, the right-handed hitter starts from a neutral stance, loads back slow, hips slide forward as he strides, shifting his weight to his front foot. Slightly stiffer hand path with an exit velocity of 82 mph off the tee. Contact, line drive approach during batting.

Nick Tovar C / 3B / Mcallen Memorial , TX / 2018

5-foot-11, 158-pound frame. The right-handed hitting Tovar has a wide set-up in the box. Deliberate load to start with a short stride. Hands stay tight to his body as his lower half rotates the barrel through contact with average bat speed and balance. Behind the plate, Tovar has an athletic set-up in his two-stance and posted pop times of 2.12-2.19 with a 71 mph velocity from the crouch.

Cavendar Wolf C / Katy Taylor, TX / 2020

Wolf has a still developing 5-foot-6, 150-pound frame. The right-handed hitter has an athletic swing, with an open setup and good rhythm. Gets started with a quick leg kick as he loads his hands back and lands square. Hips rotate nicely through contact as he transfers his weight with balance. Barrel stay in the zone, good extension through contact with a pull side approach during batting practice. Defensively, Wolf posted pop times of 2.3-2.41 with 65 mph velocity from the crouch.

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