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2016 Underclass Games: Pitcher Analysis

September 25, 2016

By Mike Maerz
Director of Florida Operations/Area Scout  

After breaking down the infielders, today we continue our position analysis by taking a look at the pitchers from the 2016 Underclass Games.

Ryan McCauley, RHP/1B, JW Mitchell HS, FL (2020)
The 6-foot-3, 200 pound right handed pitcher was very impressive in his two innings of work. He showed advanced feel for pitching, especially for his class. With a clean high ¾ arm action, he is balanced and in line. When he learns how to drive down the mound and get some extension, there will be a big jump in the velocity. His fastball ranged from 82-84 mph and topped out at 86 mph. He also showed a feel for a plus changeup that he would turn over with the same arm speed as the fastball at 70 mph. The curveball tended to back up on him, but showed good shape at 69 mph. He has an extremely projectable frame, clean and easy arm action and feel for pitching. As he continues to develop, he will have a chance to be a very high end pitching prospect.

Hunter Mink, RHP/OF, Palm Harbor University HS, FL (2019)
The athletic 6-foot, 180 pound RHP/OF, showed athleticism and a quick arm on the mound. Landing slightly closed, with a crossfire action, he threw from a ¾ slot with a quick and easy arm action. The fastball ranged from 84-86 mph with late sinking action which resulted in three strikeouts and two jammed weak ground balls in the 5 hitters he faced. At times, his arm got trapped behind him, but when he got extended there was life on the fastball with more to come. The slider has a good shape to it and ranged from 68-69 mph. The right handed hitter starts from an open stance and uses a low hand load trigger. He has an uphill path and tended to get long, but shows some bat speed. His potential is on the mound and has a high upside being athletic with a quick arm.

Below are the remaining pitchers in alphabetical order:

Bailey Armentrout, 3B/RHP, Kenton Ridge HS, FL (2018)
On the mound the right handed pitcher showed some good downhill action to the fastball that sat 79-81 mph. He could gain a tick or two as he learns to stay closed down the mound as the lower half tended to leak open a bit. He also showed the ability to throw a slider with a decent shape and good spin at 69 mph.

Andrew Aultman, RHP, Graceville HS, FL. (2018)
The high waisted and long limbed 6-foot-2, 165 pound RHP has a very projectable pitcher's’ frame. He has a controlled motion and lands in line with a clean footstrike down the mound. He has a long arm action with a pronated type wrist action on the backside of his arm swing that at times leads to him not getting fully extended with his fingers on top of the ball. His fastball ranged from 83-85 mph touching 88 mph and showed some good late arm side action. His has a strong front side and overall very clean mechanics. He throws the changeup with the same armspeed as the fastball with late fading action at 82-86 mph topping at 88 mph. The slider showed good shape at 69 mph with the changeup at 74 mph. He is very projectable and there is life in the arm. Once he can consistently get extended the velocity should jump and he should be able to hold it.

Brendan Bell, 3B/RHP, Park Vista Community HS, FL. (2018)
The right handed pitcher showed a quick arm from a 3/4 slot. There was effort in the throwing action, but the fastball ranged from 82-86 mph with some arm side run. A weak front side limited a bit of the velocity potential currently, but as that gets strong the velocity will jump. He still needs to improve his offspeed as he did not show a feel for the slider or changeup currently. Overall he is athletic with a quick arm and potential both in offensively and on the mound.

Kyle Chiger, OF/RHP, River Ridge HS, FL. (2018)
On the mound he stays in line with a short arm action and a fastball ranging from 76-77 mph. He also showed a tight slider ranging from 68-72 mph striking out one of the five hitters he faced. Will be very interesting especially as he continues to get bigger and stronger as the swing works and has some feel for pitching.

Derek Crum, OF/LHP, Gaither HS, FL (2019)
The 5-foot-10, 165 pound OF/LHP showed potential on the mound in his 2 innings of work.  Striking out hitters with all three of his pitches, Crum throws a knuckleball and curveball along with his fastball that ranged from 83-85 mph with a quick and easy high ¾ arm action.

Peyton Fedorek, RHP, Seminole HS, FL. (2019)
The 5-foot-8, 170 pound RHP/3B has a stocky frame and short arm action on the mound. He has a simple motion that keeps him in line with the plate and allowed him to work to both sides of the plate, down in the zone. His fastball ranged from 67-70 mph with a breaking ball that ranged from 55-57 mph. The ability to throw strikes and change speeds led him to striking out one during the game. Will need to continue to grow and get stronger, but showed a feel for pitching.

Jordan Garcia, OF/RHP, J.W. Mitchell HS, FL. (2018)
On the mound, he carries over the short arm action with fastball that ranged from 74-80 mph and a breaking ball that topped out at 64 mph.

Steven Hotinski, RHP/3B, Wharton HS, FL. (2020)
On the mound, with a simple delivery and short arm action he showed a fastball that ranged from 75-76 mph. There is some effort and he doesn’t yet get fully extended, but as he grows and learns how to get some extension the velocity should jump. The breaking ball has the shape to be a good breaking ball and ranged from 62-65 mph.

Jack Jasiak, RHP/SS, Springstead HS, FL. (2019)
On the mound, from the stretch only, he showed a short quick arm with a fastball ranging from 85-87 mph topping out at 88 mph. There is a lot of projectability on both sides of the ball. With room to fill out and present bat speed he should develop above average power as well as have potential on the mound with a quick arm and more velocity to come.

Raymond LaFleur III, 1B/LHP, JM Tate HS, FL. (2019)
With long, easy, over the top arm action he stays in line to home showing a fastball that ranged from 80-82 mph. He also showed a sweeping slider that ranged from 66-67 mph with shape and potential. There are present tools that play well above his class with an extremely high ceiling both at the plate and on the mound that make him one of the top 2019s in the state.

Ryan Leavy, RHP/2B, Jesuit HS, FL. (2020)
On the mound, the right handed pitcher worked quickly and down in the zone. With a short arm action the fastball worked from 70-73 mph with the curveball at 60 mph and the changeup at 66 mph.

Bryce Leonhardt, RHP, Steinbrenner HS, FL. (2019)
The lanky and projectable 6-foot-5, 185 pound right handed pitcher has the prototypical projectable pitcher fram. With an over the top arm action he lands in line, but tended to lose his lower half by opening up early. His fastball ranged from 76-77 mph and could make a jump with more use of the lower half. The curveball was a little loopy, ranging from 60-62 mph. In the game he struck out one and will be interesting to see how he continues to progress.

Nolan Lepkoske, RHP, Mandarin HS, FL. (2018)
The 6-foot-5, 235 pound right handed pitcher is a big, strong and physically mature. He throws with a short, half circle arm action that is somewhat shouldered. This resulted in an 83-84 mph fastball that topped out at 86 mph. He does not get full use out of his strong lower half and could lengthen the arm action with better extension to continue to improve. The curveball topped out at 76 mph. He is a big strong kid who has some potential to throw hard is he can clean up some of the mechanics and get full use out of the strength.

Ryan O'Neill, 3B/RHP, Gulf HS, FL. (2018)
On the mound, he lands in line and worked quickly during the game. He throws with an over the top arm action with his fastball ranging from 78-80 mph and a curveball that ranged from 66-67 mph with some depth.

Duncan Pastore, 3B/RHP, Wharton HS, FL. (2018)
On the mound, Pastore showcased a ¾ arm slot with quick arm.  His fastball ranged from 82-85 mph and showcased both a slider with good spin that topped at 69 mph and a changeup that was consistently 72 mph that could potentially develop him into a back end guy at the next level.  

Dalton Plattner, LHP, Cardinal Mooney HS, FL. (2018)
The tall, lanky and projectable 6-foot-4, 150 pound left handed pitcher showed some upside on the mound. His fastball ranged from 75-76 mph with a clean and easy ¾ arm action that showed some late arm side run. The curveball topped at 69 mph that got a little loopy at times with a good changeup that topped at 66 mph. He showed a feel for pitching with a good pickoff move as well. There is a lot of projectability and the arm action works and will be an interesting follow going forward.

Darwin Rodas, RHP, Mater Academy Charter, FL. (2018)
The stocky 6-foot-1, 205 right handed pitcher showed some feel for pitching over his two innings of work, With a short, easy arm action he showed a fastball than ranged from 80-81 mph topping at 85. He also showed a curveball at 69 mph and a change up at 70. He stays balanced and in line through his motion while showing the ability to locate and change speeds striking out 3 out of the 10 batters he faced.

Dominic Scavone, SS/RHP, Lake Highland Prep, FL. (2021)
On the mound, he stays in line and threw strikes with a fastball that ranged from 75-76 mph. He still has a lot of growing and learning to do, but there are some present tools on a good frame and has an idea of what he is doing, which makes him very interesting in the next few years.

Parker Stoyan, OF/LHP, Berkeley Prep, FL. (2020)
On the mound, the left handed pitcher showed a clean and easy arm action. He stayed in line working down the mound, working the bottom of the zone with a fastball ranging from 64-66 mph. Overall, the actions work and will continue to project well as he gets stronger.

Daniel Tart, OF/RHP, Braden River HS, FL. (2018)
He featured an 80-83 mph fastball, but lacked a breaking ball. With a quick over the top arm action, he showed some inconsistent command but has potential. Throwing from the stretch only, with a slight pause at the top of his leg lift, he stays in line with a good front side. His frame projects well at the next level, but developing a curve ball will go a long way for him.

Channing Young, C/RHP, Palm Harbor University HS, FL. (2019)
The 6-foot-2, 240 pound right handed pitcher had a simple and smooth delivery on the mound. He throws with an easy over the top arm action and his fastball ranged from 75-76 mph with his breaking ball at 66 mph.  He through a lot of strikes, but will need to improve his velocity and off speed movement to compete at the next level.

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