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PBR at The Rock 16U: Quick Hits Day 1

July 18, 2019
By Wisconsin Staff

Today marked the first day of the 16U PBR at The Rock Championship in Franklin, Wis. The four-day tournament features 35 of the best travel programs at the 16U age level across the Midwest. Throughout this week, our the PBR Wisconsin and Illinois teams will be compiling end-of-day notes in a Quick Hits format, to provide you with the most impressive takeaways from that day’s action. You can find Day One’s notes below.

QUICK HITS

+ From a single team perspective, ISA Stars Royal might have produced one of the best day’s performances. ISA won its only game, 9-0, over Top Tier North (Wilhelm) in five innings. The team combined for eight hits, two home runs, and received a complete-game shutout from J.P Gauthier (De Pere, 2021; Illinois State commit). Gauthier has really been trending way up on the mound, after landing on our radar with his bat and glove first. On Thursday, Gauthier punched out 11 batters in just five innings of work, allowing just two hits and two walks in the process – and I’m not sure a ball was barreled against him all game. He worked with rhythm and tempo and a consistently well-located fastball, sitting 80-83 mph. He also regularly mixed in a curveball, 68-71 mph, that he demonstrated real feel for, dropping it into the zone for strikes and burying it low and away to righties. Gauthier is turning into a real two-way prospect to follow inside the state’s 2021 class.

+ Circling back to ISA’s bats, two went deep: Braydon Skenandore (West De Pere, 2021) and Bennett Spaeth (De Pere, 2021). Skenandore’s homer came after a long battle at the plate after he fouled off eight pitches when, finally, he crushed a no-doubt home run that rocketed over the big left field fence in a hurry. Conversely, Spaeth had been jumping over fastballs early in the count all game, and in his third at-bat, he launched a first-pitch fastball over the left field wall for a three-run bomb – his third hit of the game.

+ Elsewhere on Thursday evening, a duo of right-handed arms for STiKS Black combined to hold a quality Central Illinois Outlaws team to only one run in six innings. RHP Drew Stippich (Kettle Moraine, 2021) started the game, tossing four strong innings of one-run ball. One of the top ranked pitchers in the state’s 2021 class, Stippich ran his fastball up to 85 mph, consistently sitting 83-85 mph. He showed feel for a strong breaking ball that he was able to throw at any point in the count, 74-76 mph. Stippich exited the game in the fifth and handed the ball over to RHP Grant Ross (Pewaukee, 2021) who tossed two scoreless innings, striking out five. Ross saw his fastball reach 85 mph and sat between 82-84 with the pitch. He also showed a curveball at 70-72 mph featuring some bite off an 11/5 plane and used it to put hitters away. Ross had a spectacular day at the plate as well, ending the night with an exclamation point after slugging a grand slam to end the game, 11-1.

+ RHP Bryce Barbian (Cudahy WI, 2021) got the start on the bump for Rockets Baseball. In his two innings of work, Barbian dominated from the first pitch. He possesses a fastball-curveball mix, and controls both pitches well for his age. Ran his fastball up to 80 mph, consistently ranging in the mid-to-upper 70s, with his curveball landing in the 65-68 mph range. Presents a drop-and-drive delivery with rhythm, in line with target, and square landing.

+ It was RHP Gavin Theis (Kettle Moraine Lutheran, 2021) who relieved Barbian on Thursday evening and he turned in a solid outing out of the ‘pen. The lanky-framed righty dominated when he took the hill in relief, possessing a fastball that topped 82 mph, sitting 77-81 mph. Theis also showed a slider, 67-68 mph, with sharp break and he showed that he wasn’t afraid to throw it in any count to any hitter. Theis also mixed in a changeup on occasion, 74 mph, which helped expand his arsenal. Regardless of what pitch he hurling home, he maintains consistent long, loose, and fluid arm action in rhythm.

+ Two Morris Chiefs had big days at the plate on Thursday: Jaden Deel (Hobart, IN, 2021) and Cal Curiel (Crown Point, IN, 2021). Deel, a catcher, hit clean-up for the Chiefs and went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBIs. He drilled an RBI double in his second at-bat that landed well past the left fielder’s head, showing off a short, quick swing with some power potential. As for Curiel, he showed some pop himself. He launched a home run that helped push Morris past the 29ers and made a difference in their 8-7 win. Curiel also played a dependable third base, making a clutch play down the line and showed arm strength across the infield. 

+ Casey Chignoli (Joliet West, 2021) led the way for Illinois Dynasty in a 10-0 rout over Kards Baseball. Chignoli went 3-for-3 with three RBIs from the left side, favoring his pull side with line-drive contact.

+ One of the top arms in action on Thursday was MASH’s Carter Hendricks (Farmington, MN, 2021). The 5-foot-8, 165-pound lefty showed a short, quick, and loose arm on the mound with an uptempo delivery. His fastball sat in the 83-85 mph range with life through the zone and he was able to locate it well.

+ Another prospect from Minnesota, Zach Zaetta (Minnetonka, MN, 2021), started off MASH’s game with a bang, smacking a homer to straightaway center. He doubled off the left field wall in his second plate appearance, too. He finished Thursday 3-for-5 with a homer, double, two RBIs and a pair of runs scored.

+ Verona’s James Rae (2021) is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound right-handed-hitting middle infielder. He played shortstop and batted third for Edge against Wind Lake and went 3-for-4 in the ballgame with a pair of doubles, including a line-drive that ricocheted off the top of the big fence in left.

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