Jack
O'Connor

Cape Cod: A blue-chip recruit who had an uneven freshman year for the Cavaliers, O’Connor made four appearances for Hyannis, shining in one of them but taking some lumps in the others. He finished with a 5.10 ERA and 11 strikeouts against seven walks and 17 hits in 12.1 IP. O’Connor certainly looks the part of a high-end prospect at 6-foot-5, 235 pounds with a very good, clean delivery, and his stuff is already good with room to get better. He sat at 91-93 for Hyannis along with a breaking ball that was a true out pitch at times and good feel for his changeup. He just needs to do a better job getting ahead in counts and executing his pitches in the right spots. He has obvious first-round upside if he can continue to develop at UVa over the next two years.

VA/DC Scout Blog

O'Connor is a physical athlete. Listed at 6-foot-5, 230-pounds with a high waist and lean strength present throughout the frame. On the mound it is a pretty easy operation before a really short arm swing to a higher three-quarter slot and a very quick arm. Long stride down the mound that lands on line. O'Connor's fastball sat 90-93 and touched 94 mph during his three innings of work. The fastball flashed some hard arm side run, especially when he got it out to the glove side. The curveball is a bigger 12/6 breaker at 74-76 mph. The slider had short shape and was up in the zone at 78-80 mph. His best arm speed on his secondary offerings came on the slider. O'Connor is a very good athlete and showed the ability to defend his position. Starter makeup.

VA/DC Scout Blog

O'Connor stands around 6-foot-5, 230-pounds. It is a strong athletic frame that is pretty filled out. On the mound he works with a normal effort delivery, stays on line, and hands break in rhythm. The arm is really short on the backside and shows well above average arm speed through release. Three-quarter arm slot and maintains slot on all four pitches. The fastball was the highlight of his outing, sitting 92-95 mph. It has life out of the hand and through the zone. He showed two breaking balls, a curveball and slider. The slider sat between 77-80 mph and was the better and more ready of the two, with future potential of being an above average pitch. O'Connor showed really nice arm speed on the changeup. While it was a bit firm at 88-90 mph, he did show some feel for it around the zone. O'Connor has starter makeup and will continue to solidify himself in some higher round conversations as he shows the ability to use the secondary effectively this spring.

VA/DC Scout Blog

O'Connor is a Virginia commit. 6-5 with a projectable athletic prototypical pitcher's frame. Some strength present but not bulky, loose and flexible, still can add more strength. Throws from a higher three-quarters arm slot, short very quick loose arm action and easier effort to his delivery. Has some crossfire and drop and drive, shoulders are closed and level, lands closed with a slight fall off finish. Good tempo, smooth simple delivery. Fastball was 86-89 with downward angle and a bit of late bore to armside. Curveball was 73-74 with good armspeed and sharp 12/6 break to it. Slider was 76-78 with good armspeed and late sharp 11/5 break, flashed swing and miss. Change-up was 79-80 with good armspeed. Showed ability to command the fastball in and around the zone. Mixes breaking balls well, can throw both for strikes or out of the zone, the slider was his go-to finisher pitch. Held his fastball velocity effectively for the most part, working 86-88 in the fourth inning. Has a prototypical professional pitcher frame with the arsenal to go with it. Still has room to add velocity as he continues to fill out, easily one of the top prospects in Virginia in the 2022 class and is going to be exciting to follow this summer and fall. At the plate, hits from the right side from an open stance. Had one of two O'Connell base hits on the day, keeping hands back and inside and lining an outside fastball that was a bit up for a sharp single to rightfield. Has a short swing with batspeed, his long limbs allow him to create easy leverage and generate power to all fields.

DCPL Scout Blog

O'Connor showed about the same mechanics that we broke down earlier this week. O'Connor showed more of his arsenal in his second outing, which was a bit more extended than on Monday and much sharper. Fastball was 85-89, touching 90. Showed a curveball that had bigger sharp 11/5 break at 72-74 and a slider that had sharp late 10/4 break that was 76-78. Also featured a change-up that was 79-80. Showed ability to locate all four pitches and worked them well to keep hitters off balance.

DCPL Scout Blog

O'Connor has a tall, long athletic frame that has strength present and some projection left to it. Throws from a high three-quarters arm slot with a very short, loose quick arm action, easy effort to his drop and drive delivery, shoulders uphill and closed, lands square with a slight fall off finish. His fastball was 88-90 in his first inning with downward angle and some late armside run. He showed a three pitch mix with a change-up that had good armpseed and was 84 with some late hard armside run. Also threw a curveball that had some armspeed and was 74-76 with sharp 11/5 break. Struck out 4 of 7 hitters he faced in his outing.

Virginia commit. Physical prospect, carries strength throughout 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame. Arm works long, showing low on the backside, quick arm speed to get out front to a 3/4 slot. Drop and drive delivery, rides lower half down the mound landing square. Started the game sitting 84-85, warmed up over the second and third innings, touching 87 multiple times. Offered up three distinct off-speed pitches. Good feel for curveball at 68-70, shape varied between 12/6 and 11/5. Changeup showed fade at 75, makings of a power pitch. Flashed one cut-fastball at 80 that had sharp lateral movement, may have been a miss-throw, but if he is able to consistently find the pitch, it will complete an already potent arsenal.