Davis
Diaz

Cape Cod: Coming off of batting .263/.376/.415 as a sophomore at Vanderbilt, but his offensive skills suggest he’s better than those numbers would lead you to believe. He had a very consistent summer with Brewster, batting .284 with five doubles, three home runs and nearly as many walks (17) as strikeouts (20) in 102 at-bats. Using a quiet setup and swing, Diaz has excellent bat-to-ball skills and even when he chases out of the zone, he often finds a way to get his barrel on the ball. He profiles as a hit-over-power prospect offensively, but he did hit nine homers last season at Vanderbilt and his three homers this summer were tied for second on the club. Long story short, he’s got the bat speed and strength to punish mistakes for extra bases and his plate discipline serves to increase the chance that he gets a mistake from the opposing pitcher at some point in every at-bat. Defensively, he has the varied skill set to play anywhere on the infield, including shortstop, but with Jonathan Vastine also returning to Vanderbilt, Diaz may once again be ticketed for second base for the 2024 campaign. 

Cape Cod: Logged 59 games as a true freshman at Vandy this spring and followed it up with a solid showing on the Cape as an underclassman. He's a smooth defender who also shows good bat speed at the plate and an ability to barrel the ball with authority. Already boasting a mature approach and willingness to let his at bats come to him, 2023 could be a breakout year for the talented 'Dore. Another All-Star selection this summer for the Whitecaps, Diaz tripled to center in his only All-Star plate appearance, turning on a low-90s heater

at College Park HS - Vanderbilt commit. 5-foot-11, 175-pounds. Very athletic build. Plays very cool, calm, and collected; didn’t let some early errors affect the rest of his play. At the plate, went 0-for-3 though reached base twice, once on a fielder’s choice in his first at-bat and on an error in his 3rd AB. Quiet stance at the plate. Keeps his hands back and lets the ball travel. Great at keeping his head still while swinging. Excellent hit tool; something that’s been evident since his days as an underclassman. Plays as an average runner with strong instincts, stole second in the first, 3.12. Ran 4.44 home to first on a groundout to the infield his second at-bat. Easy to see why he will continue to play at the next level.

2020 Norcal ProCase

Body: 5-foot-11, 170-pounds. Proportioned and athletic looking, when near him you can see that he's put time in to hone and develop lean strength. As he physically matures there is a chance that the tools do increase.
Hit: RHH, it's this tool that has been the one most scrutinized by scouts. However, it's also the tool that is the most subjective for high school players. At his best Davis can be seen lining line drives from gap to gap, grinding out at-bats, driving in runs with quality team-type at-bats, and laying off quality pitcher's pitches. Scouts who will have him high on their pref lists will project the future hit tool at least as average and I'd suspect even 55 for those who really like him. There is a valid reason for that. His hard hit % during BP was 60%, not super high but among the highest in the event. Davis also has the work ethic and aptitude to reach his ceiling and that means an awful lot in this game. Average bat speed was 67.1 mph, average peak hand speed 21.2 mph. The line drive that went whizzing past the pitcher off a 90+ mph FB in his first at-bat was perhaps the loudest contact in the competitive ABs portion of the event.
Power: Given his position and defensive chops, the power tool, while desired and frequently found among the top SS in MLB, will be modestly considered with Diaz. His average of 89.7 mph exit velocity (max of 100 mph) during BP at the ProCase ranked 8th among the hitters, 3rd among MIFs. Wood bats were used. His average attack angle of 9 degrees reflects a line drive hitter, which he is. The 4.03 average power kW rates within the ideal range (lower end) of MLB & MiLB hitters. What is likely to happen with Diaz is that he learns to elevate the ball a bit more, gains strength, continues to work gap to gap and as a mature man is able to produce near average power.
Field: Also a highly subjectively graded tool, Diaz generally gets big time grades as a defender. It's what got him on the field as a freshman and it's what had him manning the position for Team USA on multiple occasions. Soft hands, quick and efficient feet, takes excellent angles and gets rid of the ball quickly. He's comfortable around the bag and has the lower body strength to take contact and get off off-balance throws. Plays below and through the ball. The raw arm can still improve a tick or two and the raw foot speed can improve as well. However, as we have seen with the SS of the SF Giants, being a plus runner isn't necessary to be an elite glove man. Diaz grades out as a future plus defender at the SS position. The last play in his ProCase video will shed light on the field tool.
Arm: With a peak of 85 mph across the diamond, he has present arm strength that is more of a positive than a detriment. Arm strength can and will increase as he physically matures and works to develop that talent. Whatever velocity he's able to get to, is less important than his ability to make accurate throws and play on the move. His internal clock and release both allow his raw arm to play above average.
Run: 7.02 60-yard on turf surface. We have seen him get down the line at 4.28 during game action. The run tool may cause some scouts to downgrade him and/or his range capabilities, but that could be a mistake. He can perform as an average runner and his defensive skills rely on instincts and first step quickness more than raw foot speed.
Summary: When putting it all together, Diaz grades out as a future plus defender at SS w/an average hit tool, average power and well-above average playability. As a long time crosschecker once told me... the most important ability is USABILITY of the tools and Diaz has that. Now, all that said, he's very likely going to have to continue to prove himself, first at the college level, and looking ahead to the 2024 draft.

vs Foothill HS - Vanderbilt commit; Athletic 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, compact frame, solid build with proportional strength throughout. One of the top shortstops in his class in the region. All around solid offensive contributor. Successfully laid down sac bunt and later launched a fly ball to deep left center for a double. Mechanically sound. Calm, quiet stance. Stands deep in the box, which allows him to recognize pitches with little body movement. Quick hands. Good bat speed. Good weight transfer, doesn't have much of stride and keeps hands back, allowing ball to travel. Does a good job of keeping head still when swinging. Has a flat swing, with a gap-to-gap approach. Shows patience while staying aggressive to what he wants to hit. Defensively sound as well. Quick feet and quick release. Made all plays. Throws were accurate and strong. Always moving in the field. Ran 4.28 home to 1st. Stole third and scored on bad throw. Showed versatility by catching the last inning. 

vs Berkeley HS - Vanderbilt commit; One of the nation's top junior shortstops, Diaz, as a three year varsity player, has proven himself to be an exceptional defender with a high baseball IQ and ability to contribute with the bat. He's an athletically proportioned 5-foot-11 170-pounds or so, with plenty of physical development ahead of him. The tool that gets the highest grade is the fielding tool, given his quick feet and agility, angles and reads and jumps, which all come start with his pre-pitch preparation. The raw arm strength plays up further with his quick release and at the major college level it will play as above average. Offensively he hit out of the 2-spot which fits his talents well. A contact oriented hitter, he has the ability to work counts and to execute situational hitting (two RHP in this one with a singled punched through the middle and a 4-3 out, both with a runner at 3B and less than two outs). He gets the barrel into the zone and can frustrate pitchers. I've seen gap pop on occasion over the years and perhaps he grows into some more power potential as he physically matures, but that's likely to show up as a college player. He's a 4.42-4.4 runner down the line.

Area Code Tryouts - Under Class Notebook

vs Clayton Valley - Uncommitted; One of top 2021 SS in California, long been renowned for his high level glove along with a high baseball IQ. The glove is still an elite part of his game, though there wasn't much for him to do defensively in this one, save for a very nice pick of a short hop throw from the catcher on a steal attempt. He calmly stayed below the ball, made the catch and applied the tag. Though the umpire called the runner safe, the glove work and calm around the bag was exceptional. Offensively he's got high level bat control and knows what he wants to hit. Gap to gap approach and good barrel awareness, with gap power and maybe someday a bit more. Short and direct to the ball, with good balance throughout his swing. Everything he does is done with calm and relaxation. The one tool that is below average for him is footspeed.

vs Foothill - Diaz was as advertised and although he did not have much to show for in this game he showed he is on of the top players in Northern California. He hit one of the hardest balls of the game on a line drive to left field. He has a very simple setup, stride, and hand load. He does not have a lot of movement which allows him recognize the pitch early and allows him to get his bat in the zone early and get the barrel out front to drive the baseball. He has a gap to gap swing, but the power should come as he matures more. Diaz has great hands and good bat speed that will only get better. Defensively, he is smooth and has soft hands. He is very confident on defense and his athleticism is what you look for in an elite SS. Arm can make all the throws.Foot speed needs to get better, but it should as he matures and gets stronger. He showed his athleticism on a terrific play, making a tough over the shoulder catch on a pop-up to shallow center field. Coaches say he is deciding between numerous D1 programs. Diaz should be a top prospect come his senior year with the tools he has and he is an exciting follow the next couple of years.

at Vacaville HS - Uncommitted. Wiry 5-foot-10 160-pound middle infielder who stands out with his actions and feel for the game, which given his status a freshman on a talented high school team is pretty noteworthy. One of Northern California's top 2021 grads. Defensively he stands out, soft hands, sure and calm feet, clean footwork to and through the ball, handles short hops well around the bag, quick release and easy arm that will develop into an above average arm, can throw from multiple angles, accurate feeds to 2B, plays under control. First step and angles are good (particularly to his right), needs to be as his footspeed is still below average. Offensively starts with even feet and a slight bent knee set, with traditional hand set, easy rhythmic load, calm stride as he moves toward the ball and keeps hands back, flat swing plane and slashing gap to gap stroke, works inside the ball and is short to it, has good plate coverage, displayed excellent 2-strike approach and hit the ball hard in all counts.