South Texas Underclass Games: Quick Hits

Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

Twitter: @PBR_Texas

COLLEGE STATION, TX - Some of the top underclass talent from around the state converged on Texas A&M on Tuesday for the South Texas Underclass Games. The event was loaded with underclass talent from the 2019, 2020, 2021 class, with a few 2018 grads sprinkled in. Here are just a few of the highlights from the event.

Jimmy Lewis, RHP/1B, Lake Travis HS, 2019
Uncommitted. 6-foot-6, 190-pound, lean, projectable, long-limbed frame. Lewis works from a high-¾ slot with a long arm stroke with some effort. He threw his fastball for strikes and sat mostly 87-89 mph with arm side run and late action, bumping 90 mph twice and dropping only once to 86 mph. Also threw a slurve that was 72-74 mph with 10-4 shape and some depth.

Michael Gresham, SS/RHP, Boerne Champion HS, 2019
Uncommitted. Gresham stands 5-foot-10, 170-pounds with a strong frame. The rising junior put together one of the better overall performances of the day, highlighted by a one inning stint on the mound. The right-hander was 87-90 mph and showed a feel for four pitches. His slider was 75-76 mph with 11-5 shape, his curveball was 71-72 mph with 12-6 shape, and he threw one changeup at 73 mph.

Quinton Martin, OF/RHP, Sweeny HS, 2019
Uncommitted. Martin has a solid frame at 5-foot-11, 190-pounds with a strong lower half. He threw 93 mph from the outfield and had the highest exit velocity off the tee at 95 mph. He squared up balls consistently during batting practice, including hitting two home runs, one to left-centerfield and another to left field, and he hit a missile to centerfield during the game. On the mound, the right-hander has an aggressive delivery with a quick arm stroke from a high-¾ slot. His fastball was around the zone, ranging from 86-90 mph, sitting mostly 88 mph. He throws a power curveball with late action from 71-74 mph, and a changeup at 76-78 mph.

Garrett Zaskoda, RHP/SS, Sealy HS, 2019
Uncommitted. The 6-foot, 165-pound, athletic, right-hander showed some of the best pitchability at the event, working from a high-¾ slot with a short, quick arm stroke and simple delivery. He threw three pitches for strikes with late run and sink at 85-86 mph, dipping down to 82 & 83 mph once. He has a plus curveball with 11-5 shape at 73-76 mph, and has a plus changeup that he throws with fastball arm speed and arm side run at 74-76 mph.

Nathan Hamberg, RHP/OF, George Ranch HS, 2019
Uncommitted. Hamberg has a projectable frame at 6-foot-3, 195-pounds. The right-hander works from high-¾ slot with a short arm stroke and easy effort. Slow, smooth, tall and fall delivery. His fastball ranged from 84-87 mph, sitting mostly at 86 mph. His slider has 11-5 shape with late action at 74-76 mph. He also throws a straight changeup with fastball arm speed at 74-76 mph.

+ 2020 1B/RHP Gage Boehm (Hutto HS) put on a power display during batting practice. The right-handed hitter has a simple swing with balance and juice in his bat. After registering a 93 mph exit velocity off the tee, he launched towering home runs deep over the left-field wall in batting practice. Boehm also scorched a single past the shortstop on a first pitch fastball in his first plate appearance of the day. The rising sophomore has an advanced frame with broad shoulders and a strong lower half at 6-foot-3, 245-pounds. The right-hander has a long, loose, high-¾ arm action on the mound with his fastball sitting mostly 83-85 mph, dipping only once to 82 & 80 mph.

+ Several catchers had strong showings during the workout portion, posting sub-two-second pop times. 2019 Cole Marler was consistently 1.93-1.94 on four of his throws during the workout. 2020 Luke Banister was 1.93 twice, with his slowest time being a 2.04. 2019 Rhett Trlicek threw a 1.93-2.09 with an 80 mph velocity from the crouch. 2020 Ben Dukes was a 1.93-2021 Travis White threw strikes to second base at 76 mph with pop times ranging from 2.01-2.17. And 2019 Blake Benevides was 1.94-2.1.

+ There were a number of left-handed hitters that had success during the game, highlighted by 2020 SS Jack Riedel (Houston Memorial HS) who hammered a triple to right field off an 89 mph fastball, then had a sharp single up the middle for an RBI vs. a left-handed pitcher. Oklahoma State recruit 2019 OF Caeden Trenkle (Hillsboro HS) ran the fastest 60 time at the event with a 6.79 and roped a triple down the right field line. 2020 C/OF Ben Dukes (Houston Memorial HS) had a double down the right field line, smashed another would-be-double just foul down the left field line, and stole two bases during the game. 2019 OF/SS Fabian Bernal has life in his hands and laced a single back side to left field and flew out on the barrel to left field. 2019 OF Mayan Mendez (Pflugerville HS) roped a triple to right-centerfield. 2019 3B/C Carlos Abello (Kinkaid HS) had a sharp single to left field and his exit velocity off the tee was 91 mph.