Prep Baseball Report

GBG Arizona Scout Day: Quick Hits


Jordon Banfield
Arizona Scouting Director

The GBG Arizona PBR Scout Day took place on Sunday, January 7th at Liberty HS in Peoria. The event featured prospects from the 2019-2022 classes and gave all players in the organization an opportunity to be evaluated by PBR and considered for future invite-only events. Today, we start the event analysis with some Quick Hits on a few of the top performers. Complete video, data and pictures are already posted with scouting reports soon to follow. As always contact [email protected] or direct message @PBRArizona on Twitter with any questions and/or information. 

Long Stands Out From The Crowd

-With his lean 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame and all around fast-twitch ability, Trevor Long was a standout performer in nearly every area and cemented himself as a guy that will be highly ranked when 2020 rankings are updated in February. A legitimate two-way prospect, he worked 84-85 with his mostly straight fastball, using a compact, low effort delivery with a high ¾ arm slot and the type of arm speed that indicates more velo is on the way. He also mixed in a sharp 71-72 mph curveball with tight rotation and late 11-5 break as well as a developing mid 70’s slider that backed up at times. His 75-77 mph changeup is already a weapon as he maintains arm speed and gets some late tumbling action on the pitch. Offensively, Long shows has a very loose swing, generating easy pop you wouldn’t expect from a 165-pound 2020 grad. He has an advanced rhythm, uses his lower half well and turned in an impressive 91 mph exit velo. Defensively there are some questions where he profiles best, possibly 3B or in the outfield, but he’s an athletic mover and threw 85 mph from SS. Also ran solid 6.96 60-yard dash.

 

Intriguing Two-Way Prospects Emerge

-2021 RHP/SS Cayden Collins does everything easy on the baseball field. With his projectable, high-waisted 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame with broad shoulders, he will certainly be one to follow moving forward. Currently more advanced as a RHP where he ran his fastball up to 79 with very little effort, Collins also shows soft hands on the infield and the ability to find the barrel with his flat bat path.

-2021 RHP/3B Kaden Schiefelbein is even further away physically, but shows feel and a clean arm action on the mound to go along with some hitting ability. His present 5-foot-11, 130-pound frame will certainly undergo significant change in the coming year, making him one to follow, especially on the mound. 

-2021 SS/RHP Aaron Limon is far more advanced physically than the other prospects in this section, with plenty of present strength in his 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame. Limon put on display his 81 mph fastball and also turned in an 85 mph exit velo and 6.94 60-yard dash. Impressive numbers across the board for an incoming freshman. 

-2022 OF/RHP Trevor Adams shows impressive polish for a current eighth grader. With extremely advanced rhythm in the box, Adams consistently made hard line drive contact to all fields in his round of BP. Using a leg-lift trigger, short hand load and explosive lower half, Adams is one to watch offensively. An athletic, mover in the outfield, he posted an 81 mph outfield velocity to go along with his 7.2 60-yard dash. To cap things off Adams ran his fastball up to 77 mph and showed feel for three pitches with one of the more advanced deliveries we saw on the day. 

Solid Group of Young Catchers

-2021 Alex Hernandez stood out on offense with impressive bat speed and easily the most raw power of any prospect we saw on the day. He is one to watch and will be in attendance at the upcoming Preseason All-State Games. 

-2021 Tanner Smith continues to show advanced hitting ability, driving the ball to all fields. There is no question he has the ability to be a next-level hitter and with continued improvement throwing the baseball behind the plate could develop into a high-end prospect. 

-2022 Andrew Villalobos was clearly the top catch and throw guy in attendance, posting a best pop time of 2.01 and consistently butting the ball on the bag. An advanced receiver, Villalobos also showed well on the infield and made plenty of hard contact in the box. A very polished young prospect.

Additional Standouts

-2021 Michael Riley is more physically developed than some of the other young prospects in attendance with his 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame and it shows. Running his fastball up to 80 on the mound with a short, quick arm action, Riley is one to watch on the bump.

2021 John Lauinger was a complete unknown coming in to the event but immediately put himself on the radar with a 6.94 60-yard dash. Everything he does is fast twitch and despite some crudeness in his swing, Lauinger made lots of hard contact to the pull side in BP. A solid all-around athlete, it will be interesting to how he develops moving forward.