James
Triantos

VA/DC Scout Blog

Triantos is a North Carolina commit and the top prospect in Virginia in the 2021 class. He didn't get a chance to do much at the plate in the game, walking once, striking out once in a long at-bat, and then was intentionally walked in his other PAs. On the mound, was 89-90 in the first two innings, touching as high as 92. Gave a few ticks in the stretch, working 86-88 there. Slider/breaking ball was 78-80 with sharp break, flashed swing and miss. Showed a hard change-up in the 84-86 range as well. 

VA/DC Scout Blog

Triantos got minimal opportunities at the plate on Friday night, but I wanted to see him positionally as much as I did at the plate. Smooth, consistent defender at shortstop, above average arm strength across, and accurate. Showed nice lateral range that was on display when a Centreville hitter lined one over the third baseman's head in the hole and Triantos ranged over to keep it in the infield saving a Centreville run that would have scored from second. Easy to see the baseball IQ on this kid. Dropped a line drive early on trying to induce a double play, strike zone discipline, and aggressive on dirt balls. Simply has a feel for the game. In my opinion is the best and most complete player in the 2021 class in the state. Has the ability to make an early impact at UNC. 

VA/DC Scout Blog

It has been a pretty regular occurrence this spring to go to a game, or be around other scouts and hear how much they like Triantos and it is easy to see why. Triantos plays the game at a different speed. He does not appear to be some high energy/high effort kid, he just plays the game hard all the time. On contact he looks for two out of the box and has the speed to stretch an extra bag on a hit, but also shows plenty of power in the swing. Square athletic stance, hands relaxed, and makes a quick load before a short level path to contact. Triantos has advanced feel for the barrel and adjustability in the swing. Was 4-4 on the night with one intentional walk. Led off the game with a line drive that got out of left field in a hurry. His next at bat he hit a first pitch line drive through the left side. In his third at bat he took an outside fastball out of right center field. In his fifth and final at bat of the night he worked a 3-2 count and you could tell he just wanted a chance to hit. His 3-2 pitch was a fastball about three balls off the plate and he flipped the barrel out hitting a ball into right center that he would get a hustle double on.  Triantos got the start on the mound as well. It is a simple efficient delivery with low effort throughout. From the full he works with pace, especially when in a rhythm and consistently around the zone, which he was in the third and fourth innings. It is a full arm swing from a three-quarter arm slot. Early on the fastball was 86-89 and touched 90, but as he went deeper into the outing the velo was more 87-89 and touched 91 twice and 92 once. The offspeed command was not there early, especially the breaking ball, but it got better as the game progressed. Was more fastball-changeup early on and the slider started to play really well into the third and fourth innings. The changeup was 74-78 mph with gradual arm side fade and worked mostly to the arm side and he used it effectively to right handed and left handed hitters. The breaking ball had more of a slider profile to it and stayed between 77-80 mph with occasional late depth and swing and miss potential to it. Spin rate to the slider ranged from 2580-2766. Triantos is a UNC commit that offers plenty of intrigue as we creep towards the draft with the biggest question being arm or bat first. 

VA/DC Scout Blog

Triantos has an athletic frame that has projection left to it. On the mound, throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. Short very quick arm action, normal effort to his delivery. Ball jumps out of hand, fastball was 84-88 on the day, sitting in that 86-88 range early. Change-up has heavy fade and good armspeed at 81-82. Curveball is best pitch and he shows advanced feel for it. Throws two versions, one to get a strike and then a wipeout swing and miss version. Overall pitch is 70-76 with sharp 11/5 break, when in the 75-76 range pitch is spectacular. At the plate, hits from the right side, short swing with some batspeed, used whole field and is a line drive hitter now with some gap power and the potential for more as he continues to get stronger.

12/2018

Triantos is a 5-foot-10, 160-pound framed athlete out of St. John's college. UNC commit. Compact controlled delivery with nice tempo. works down to out with some shoulder tile upon separation. Sound, clean arm action with fast arm speed through release. Pitches with some effort. Fastball shows later life on the pitch and jumps on hitters. Breaking ball is a quality pitch and shows swing and miss ability with near fastball arm speed. Has depth and 11/5 shape on the pitch with later action. Change up shows fade to the pitch and slows down on the pitch. Nice feel for his arsenal.