By Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

JUPITER, FL - Prep Baseball Report Texas is working to become your #1 source for high school and travel baseball news and notes. So when teams from Texas, pack up and travel to Florida, we tag along to watch some of the most talented players from our state compete against teams from all over the country. The four day tournament provided our staff the opportunity to lock-in and evaluate nine teams from Texas. Over the next week, we will be posting our team write-ups, as well as player write-ups, be sure to visit our site daily for content. Follow us on twitter @PBR_Texas.

indians scout team

+ The Indians Scout Team was stacked with exciting young players. Leading the way was 2019 SS Bobby Witt Jr. (Colleyville Heritage HS, TX), an Oklahoma recruit, who was arguably the best player at the event from any class. Witt utilizes a reverse toe-tap and lightning-quick hands to punish baseballs including a key leadoff triple late in a 0-0 game that led to him scoring to take the lead in a playoff victory. On Sunday, he smashed a home run to left field off the scoreboard, then squarely hit a sharp one-hopper through the infield on a curveball he was initially fooled on, running a 4.32 home-to-first on the turn. Witt bounces around the infield with a strong arm and great hands, making every play, and even showing off Jeter-esq jump-throw to the backhand side to nail a runner at first base. Witt is already on scout's radars, and is nearly a household name only a couple months into his sophomore year.

+ 2019 LHP Colton Bowman (Bullard HS, TX), an Oklahoma State recruit, was poised getting the ball for the Indians Scout Team's first game of the tournament. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound left-hander sat 82-85 with a fastball that remained down in the zone, and was moved in and out with ease. Bowman's slider was 72-74, and he showed a changeup with fade at 70-71.Bowman still has room to grow physically, and should see an increase in velocity to an already clean, quick arm.

+ 2018 RHP Ty Madden (Cy Ranch HS, TX), a Rice recruit, flashed premium present velocity with, it seams, more to dream on as he begins to fill into his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. Madden came in relief for Indians Scout Team, working from a high-¾ arm slot with short arm action, the projectable right-hander was bumping 90-92 mph on his fastball. His curveball had sharp, late, downward action at 82-83 mph.

+ 2018 RHP Mason Cooper (Robinson HS), a 6-foot-2, 194-pound Texas A&M recruit, threw one inning of relief with strong arm and compact arm action. His fastball ranges from 88-90 mph, while his CB has 12-6 action at 72 mph.

+ 2018 C/3B Cole Stilwell (Rockwall-Heath HS), and 2018 C/1B Jose Gutierrez (Lamar HS, TX) are two big Texan bats that aggressively attacked pitches all week. Stilwell, a Texas A&M Corpus Christi commit, utilizes a leg kick to trigger the hands back before generating gap-to-gap line drive power. Behind the plate, Stilwell receives very well, and has quick feet with a developing arm.

+ 2017 1B/C Jose Gutierrez (Lamar HS), 2018
Dallas Baptist commit. Strong left-handed hitter works with good rhythm and a leg kick to get started, with a hand-cock that moves the barrel to point nearly at the right hand batter's box. His quick hands are able to rip through the zone with ease, and apply powerful contact to the ball with good lower-half transfer. He takes good cuts during games with plenty of bat speed and strength in his hands. He has a feel for offspeed pitches that will continue to improve.

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+ Jupiter Notes: Dallas Tigers
+ Jupiter Notes: DBAT

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