James
Fino

2.18.19

A physical 5-foot-11, 200 pounds. Ran an 8.13 60 yard dash. Offensively- Stands in the box with lower half shoulder width apart. Loose hands with a short load. Gets the bat to the hitting zone quickly with some easy pop. Shows some power potential at the next level with 88 MPH exit velocity. Stays balanced throughout the swing. A lot more in the tank at the plate. Defensively- Displayed active footwork with soft hands. Has a long ¾ arm action across the infield at 77 MPH. Pitching- Displays a loose arm in the pitching portions. Repeatable delivery, stays balanced throughout the delivery with good command of a three pitch mix. The FB peaked at 77 MPH and flashed a tight CB 63-65 MPH and feel for a CH 68-69 MPH. The 2020 has a bat to follow going forward as he continues to develop.

Last Chance Preview – Upstate (October 20, 2018)

Durable, proportional build at 5-foot-11, 200-pounds. Offensively – Wide, balance set-up with some slight knee bend. Hovers on back foot before getting into controlled, forward stride. Makes contact out front while hitting against a firm front leg. Hands show quickness with smooth hitting actions. Barrel stays level thru the zone with a high finish after contact. Stays balanced throughout. Defensively – Fields the ball in the center of his body from a spread stance. Hips stay low and behind ball as he funnels it into his throws. Long arm action that could shorten up to better suit the INF. Loose, whippy throwing motion from ¾ release point. Maintains body control while moving laterally. Pitching – Consistent, repeatable delivery with smooth tempo. Balanced leg lift with front knee working towards back shoulder. Shows some drive from backside as he works down the slope. Long, loose arm swing after hand break. ¾ release point. Front side maintains consistent direction towards target. Finishes out over front side with eyes on target. Showed feel for 3 pitch mix. Breaking ball shows tight spin and projects well for the future.

WNY Prospect Preview (July 5, 2016)

James listed at 5-foot-8, 145 pounds as a RHP/3B. He ran a 5.15 home to 1B. Offensively- James digs in, leaning slightly towards his back leg, with a stance far outside shoulder width. He hands start high (head height) with his bat at 45 degree angle. He displays an aggressive load, dropping his hands to shoulder height and using a high leg kick into his stride. James has a long swing, but makes up for that with quick hands. James hit an exit velocity of 76 MPH. Ground ball/ fly ball results. Defensively- Starts tall; sitting back on the ball. Fields the ball flat footed, but had decent lateral range; arm strength of 67 MPH. Pitching- James took the mound, starting on the middle of the rubber with his feet shoulder width apart. He started with a quick side step into his delivery. Stopping short with his stride, James could benefit from reaching out significantly further. His plant foot landed slightly to the 3rd base side, cutting him off and forcing a tough delivery. James’ FB hovered around 66-69 MPH. He also had his curveball sit 62-63 MPH (2-to-8 action) and a changeup coming in at 61-62 MPH. Showing a good mix of pitches with room for improved command.