By Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

JUPITER, FL - Here are some of the highlights from Prep Baseball Report's fourth, and final day at the World Wood Bat Championship

The Texas Scout Team Yankees started the 8:00 a.m. game shortly after the sun came up over the Florida coast, and the bat of 2017 OF Tristen Lutz (Arlington Martin HS, TX) helped open the eyes of all in attendance. Lutz, a Texas commit, stands 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, began the day with a double off the bottom of the wall in left field that may have been a home run had it not been hit directly into a stiff breeze. The strong, athletic senior added two more base hits and finished the day 3-for-3 with a stolen base.

The same game brought our first opportunity to see 2017 LHP Rylan Kaufman (Friendswood HS, TX). The recent San Jac commit stands 6-foot-3, 1900-pound projectable frame, has a high-¾ clean arm swing with a smooth, repeatable delivery. He pitched off his fastball ranging from 86-88 mph. He threw one changeup at 79 mph and although he was on the side of his curveball at times, it showed good shape at 67-72 mph.

Our second slate of games saw 2018 RHP Adam Kloffenstein (Magnolia HS, TX) take the mound for Premier Baseball Futures Evans. The TCU commit stands 6-foot-5, 200-pounds with a strong frame, working up-tempo between pitches. He throws from a high-¾ arm slot with a smooth, clean delivery and bumped his fastball up to 88 mph, while his curveball ranged from 74-76 mph with 11-5 shape. His changup was 77-78 mph. The junior was tough on hitters as his fastball has good cutting action, settling in at 85-87 mph.

Coming on in relief for Premier Baseball was 2018 RHP Ryan Segner (Fredericksburg HS, TX). The Baylor commit stands 6-foot-2, 195-pounds, working from a high-¾ arm slot with a fast, long, whippy arm action that gets good extension out front on release. The first three fastballs out of his hand were 88 mph, while his curveball sat 73-74 mph.

Game 3 of the day gave us a chance to watch the Indians Scout Team and catch up with two highly touted sophomores. 2019 LHP Colton Bowman (Bullard HS, TX), an Oklahoma State commit, stands 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, and works from a ¾ arm slot. He ran his fastball up to 86 mph with some arm-side run, settling in at 82-85 mph. The sophomore shows good feel and command of his curveball at 72-74 mph.

Mentioned yesterday, 2019 SS Bobby Witt Jr. (Colleyville Heritage), had another impressive day in Jupiter. The Oklahoma commit showcased his all-around abilities in a playoff game against Team Elite. The 6-foot, 165-pound sophomore, smashed a home run to left field off the scoreboard, and 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. Defensively, Witt Jr. made a Jeter-like play in the six hole ranging to his backhand and throwing off a jump to get the base runner at first.

In game 4 of the day we got our second look at 2017 RHP Pepper Jones (McKinney HS, TX). The uncommitted senior stands 6-foot, 172-pounds with a live body. Jones entered the game in relief for the Dallas Tigers bumping 89-91 mph, eventually settling in at 86-89 mph. The two-way player has up-tempo, aggressive delivery, working from a high ¾ arm slot. He threw his slider 74-78 mph.

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