Area Code Tryouts - Upper Class Notebook

NorCal ProCase:  Spotlight

8/10-8/12/18 - Arizona commit - Medium frame with lean strength in legs and chest; high, tight waist and strength through core and lower half showing off loose hips as he runs and makes plays. Simple set up with balanced stance and higher hands that work back under control during the load; very explosive hands showing tight turns on the ball and above average bat-to-ball skills. Regularly barreled balls all weekend with patient approach at the plate showing advanced knowledge of the strike zone; 3BB's and 4 hits in weekend. Showed ability to spray ball to all parts of the field during batting practice including showing some pull-side pop that can continue to develop as he matures. Average runner with ability to turn up speed when needed; 4.3, 4.5 home-to-first showing the ability to let loose hips open up when trying to get to next base. Instinctual runner on the field, with plus ability to read balls in dirt taking bases as well; ability to go 1st-3rd and score from 1st when available. Defensively showed off average range from three infield spots with ability to make plays on the move and get feet into position for turns and accurate throws. Shows an average arm from a lower slot that has flashes of more when he recognizes the need to get rid of it; strong internal clock at all three positions. Another strong performance from a high-quality player that seems to hardly ever has a bad day at the ballpark. A high follow for 2020 class in Northern California.

6/1/18-6/3/18 @ BAWS 2018 - Strong athletic body type with 5-foot-11 185-pound frame. One of top players in Northern California in the 2020 class. Slight crouch with low hands and balanced stance. Small load before very quick bat with line drive approach showing carry into gaps; ability to control barrel and spray ball to all parts of the field for easy extra bases. Very strong hands with loose wrists; sneaky pop. Above average arm with easy flick of the wrist throws; athletic in field with easy range to both sides. Times where arm can get moving early and cause errant throws. Fluid runner with longer stride and consistent hard runner; consistently taking extra bags as needed; 4.5 Home-1^st. Leader on field with consistent hard play and intuitive knowledge of the game.

3/31/18 - Uncommitted. 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame; lean, athletic frame with wide shoulders possessing current strength through core and legs. Uber-athlete with makings of being a star in middle of diamond. 1-1, 2B, BB. Balanced, compact stance with slightly open front foot; hands stay in back pocket with load. Slight tuck of front shoulder while keeping hands in position to fire and coiling into back hip. Very quick hands get excellent extension before turning barrel through contact and hitting over stiff front leg. Ability to drive ball gap to gap currently with more power to come. Fluid, easy runner shows excellent body awareness and control with ability to get to 2nd gear quickly and easily. Defensively has the ability to excel at multiple positions. Took INF/OF at both CF and SS while staying in CF for game. In CF, reacts quickly to ball with ability to snare low line drives or range into either gap. At SS, showed plus actions with excellent ability to control body and get into position quickly. Loved his ability to move his feet and beat ball to spot as well as moving on the run. Arm is compact and quick with ability to get more on throws as needed. Actions in field allow him to not have to maximize arm on every throw. Getting lots of D1 interest currently. Very bright future with potential to be impact player.

at Hart (Winter Game) - The #1 Overall Player in the 2020 Class, Pete Crow-Armstrong (“PCA”) will have plenty of eyes on him during the 2020 season as was evident by the roughly ten scouts in attendance for a Winter game. I’ve been able to get a good looks at PCA during the past two summers at the Area Code Games and this look continued to show a player who should be a very high-round pick come June 2020. The long, wiry strength has continued to firm up, adding more mass without taking away from his twitchy athletic ability that shows up in all aspects of the games. At the plate the CF keeps the hands high with a simple knee tuck while maintaining strong posture and allowing for fast turns that create space for the hands to work through the zone; the bat speed is an asset and when on time has the ability to square up multiple pitches. During the game, his timing was tinkered with and while he didn’t pick up a hit, was right on a mid 80’s FB for a hard L8 before walking and showing that quick twitch burst to steal 2nd. Defensively he’s an easy fit in CF where he covers both gaps and has the ability to pick his spots for special plays. That was evident on the last play of the game when he started in on a lined ball at him adjusting his body on the fly, turning and making a leaping catch to prevent the ball from going over his head as it took off; it’s the type of reaction and athleticism that isn’t taught.

The No. 2 player in the Class of 2020 rankings plays the game with such ease and at such a high level that one might think he’s not putting in his max effort. But when you watch closely, you see that his baseball IQ, instincts, and skill are just that much further advanced than most players on the field. The bat speed and ability to hit balls where he wants them is uncanny. Late in the game Thousand Oaks shifted their defense over to the second base side to counter a huge swing from Crow-Armstrong that nearly saw him tumble to the ground. Two pitches later he took a fastball on the outer half and lined into left field for a base hit. Earlier in the game after a single, he went first-to-third on a bunt that drew right-handed pitcher about eight feet off the mound to his right to collect the ball. It was an impressive feat. Crow-Armstrong is making a push for not only the top player in the state, but the country as well.

Armstrong continues to show why he's in a tight race to be the number one player in the class in the state. Not only does he posses a huge arm in the outfield - which he showed off during the defensive portion - but he had one of the five hits on the afternoon as well. Crow-Armstrong showed off his sneaky power during BP where he peppered the gaps and showed some pull-side pop as well. The Vanderbilt commit appeared to be on another level than every other outfielder in attendance.

Bottom hand heavy at the plate with lag through the zone. He plays loose and has quick twitch. Doesn't seem to be bogged down by lessons, and just waggles the bat and attacks. Uses the whole field. Quick hands at the plate with some developing strength. Above average runner. Superb routes with a great first step and plus-hands.

Vanderbilt commit. 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame that is lean, twitchy, and hyper-athletic. High waisted outfielder that posses plus speed. Crow-Armstrong is one of the top players in his class (#2 in California) not only in the state, but nationally. A member of the 15U USA National Team last summer, Crow-Armstrong is an elite defender that possesses a big arm, quick first step, and plus range in centerfield. Makes difficult plays look routine while taking good routes to the ball. A quick first step allows him to position himself to come up in perfect throwing position once he collects the ball. Throws are online and accurate with carry. Offensively, Crow-Armstrong flashes present power that belies his lean frame, that power should continue to develop as he matures physically. Uses a neutral stance with high, active, hands and slight toe-tap trigger to close his stance a tick before driving his lower half in to the ball with his upper body to follow. Shows advanced bat-to-ball skills and the ability to get the barrel into the hitting zone with ease. A plus runner, Crow-Armstrong was clocked 4.11 home-to-first, and 4.25 with turn.

Area Code Tryouts: Upper Class Notebook

6/09/19

Norcal ProCase: Spotlight

5/16/19

at Jesuit in SJS D1 playoff - UCLA commit; Lean athletic build, very agile behind the plate and moves with athletic and confident actions, sits low and presents good target, strong soft hands with quiet and clean receiving mechanics, stuck pitch well, gives umpire a good look, strong arm though slot is a little low and has pronounced rotation of left should in throwing motion which creates tail on throws and took away carry, warm-up pop times 2.03 and 2.11, velocity on one was 81 mph but there appears to be more in there than that. Offensively grounded out up middle twice (4-3, 1-3) and in last at-bat got overaggressive to some plus breaking balls from 2019 LHP Carter Benbrook. Has above average bat speed and can certainly compete against plus HS stuff, barrel wasn't in zone quite as long as it could be and lower half a little late. Overall his tools rate with best in his class at his position. 

Oregon State recruit. His 6-foot-2, 180-pound is going to fill out much more in coming years. From his defensive work behind the plate where he exhibits loose hips, soft hands, and an accurate arm, to his smooth, uphill stroke from the left side, and there is no wonder why Soderstrom is committed to this year’s national champions. He will quickly ascend as one of the better catching prospects in California’s 2020 class.

8/10-8/12/18 Area Code Underclass Games -  UCLA commit; Large frame with length in legs and core showing lean muscle throughout; very athletic and fit build not normal for most high school catchers. Even stance with slight crouch as hands work back during load creating pronounced back shoulder load; pull side approach with compact swing showing lofty hands that flashed more pull side pop during batting practice. Showed off pull-side power with 2B in game and barreled singles up the middle; bat has quickness through the zone with ability to barrel mistakes. Athleticism shows up around the field with flashes of next level speed when needing to get down the line; 4.5 home-to-first. Behind the plate utilizes a more compact set up with feet that are tighter together; uses athleticism with very quick glove hand that regularly picked balls and body that can move from one side of the plate to the other for blocking mistake pitches. Showed off above average arm in games with multiple caught stealing (1.87, 1.94 pop times) regularly keeping the ball on the arm side of the bag.

USA PDP workout - Good frame presently with wide shoulders and plenty of frame to hold more future size and strength. Strong left-handed batter, easy swing with good rhythm, one of the better looking swings of all 2020 grads in Northern California. Swing projects to allow him to hit for both average and power (showed easy home run power during BP, loft and carry) as he's fluid and quiet, calm and sturdy lower body mechanics, stays behind the ball well and showed adjustability to different locations so he's not just a one pitch one spot one trick pony. Defensively threw well with competitive 2.0-2.05 pop times, can certainly speed up and sync up his lower half with his release but the arm strength is there. Live at-bat resulted in hard F8 on an 85 MPH FB from a RHP and another high F8 that was well-struck vs an 89 mph FB from a RHP who was the top pitcher present.

3/6/18 - Strong and sturdy 6-foot-2 175-pounder, multi-positional versatility, catcher primary but could also handle 3rd base at well above average level. Strong arm that plays behind plate and corner, occasionally comes out as plus arm strength, offensively he's got middle of the line-up capability, power profile with good feel for hitting. Athletic player but a BETTER baseball player than just athleticism. Understand the game and will not give away at-bats.

SoCal ProCase: Spotlight

Threw six innings while allowing one run on two hits and four walks and a hit batter. He struck out six. His fastball also ranged from 93-96 early, settling in at 92-95 at the end. His slider wasn’t as sharp, as he would get underneath most of the time, but a few flashed sharp break on a lateral plane. Ever the competitor and a good athlete, he varied his delivery quite a bit, throwing quick pitches and pausing at his balance point to try to disrupt hitters’ timing.

1/19/19 - Jones, the number two player overall in the 2020 class, returned to the La Mirada lineup on the third day of action, and immediately made his presence felt. The Southern California recruit, and two-way prospect, blasted a deep home run to left centerfield in his second at-bat of the day, and showcased his winning-ways in helping lead the Matadores to multiple victories. The right-handed hitter features quick hands and aggressive stroke, and has a propensity to show up when the team needs him the most. Appearing to have added at least 10 pounds of strength over the off-season, Jones strong arm continues to play as he showed it off in throwing out a base runner trying to move up. While his electric arm, and work on the mound continue to carry him as far as draft talk for 2020, his athleticism, competitiveness, and abilities as a position player are also quite impressive.

4/3/18 - 4/6/18 - He was 92-94 for the majority of the game, and the fastball really explodes through the zone. Athletic delivery with a slight stab in the back before the hand whips out front. ELECTRIC ARM. It's special arm strength. He varied his delivery a bunch. Went fast and slowed down to throw off timing. His final two sliders were 78 & 84, and they showed much more promise. Depth and swing and miss capabilities. Made me feel much better about him moving forward. VERY INTENSE competitor at all times, and wears his emotions on his sleeves. At the plate, he has twitchy hands and big bat speed. Power to both gaps with more to the pull side, and he can run. Obviously the arm is plus from the outfield and he made some incredible throws and plays.

9/20/18 - Greene is showing no lingering effect from a wrist injury in the spring as he's back to smacking balls to all fields. The Oregon commit and No. 31 player in the 2020 class, took an 85 mph fastball on the outer half that he drove into right field for a base hit. Greene is primed for a huge spring season for Corona after what has been a very good summer.

8/1/18 - SoCal Underclass Games - Oregon commit. Six-foot-1, 170-pounds, medium/large frame with proportional strength throughout and room for growth. Greene, the 31st ranked player in the 2020 class, is recovering nicely from a wrist injury that cost him time down the stretch in the spring. Lucky for him his skills didn't rust. Defensively he shows quick instincts with the athleticism to support it. Has an easy arm with carry. Receives balls under control; is athletic and comfortable in the outfield. At the plate he has a short, smooth stroke with easy bat speed from the left side. Very balanced setup with quick hips that he fires at the ball. Gets extension while showing excellent feel for the barrel. Adjusts well to different pitches. Quick out of the box with above average speed. Clocked a 4.27 home-to-first time.

2018 Underclass Area Code Games - Oregon recruit. Wiry-athletic frame that is long-limbed. Solid hitter that shows a flat path with gap to gap power coming. Pushes some to the front foot, and the head drifted some. However, he controlled the barrel very well and has quick hands. Natural, athletic movements, and looked like a strong runner.

2/24/18 - Oregon Commit. 6-foot, 160-pound frame, athletic, quick twitch body type that projects for future strength as he matures physically. One of the top offensive sophomores in the region due to his hitting ability and bat speed. Offensively, Greene uses an upright, slightly closed stance with hands at his shoulders in a power position. Shows a very mature, disciplined approach with the type of pitch recognition that comes from playing a lot of games and seeing different types of pitchers. Showed very good plate coverage by often getting to balls on the outer half and beyond. Defensively, Greene transfers his athleticism to the outfield where he gets good reads and jumps on the ball before circling and coming up in a ready-to-throw position. Throws are accurate with some carry. Arm strength will continue to develop with further maturation.

2/22/20

Scrimmage vs Valley Christian - UCLA signee; 2 IP, 4 K, 0 BB, 0 H (31 P, 19 strikes) vs Valley Christian HS. Perhaps nation's top senior LHP, Harrison carved with heavy fastball usage, mixed in enough sliders but in this early season outing it was about the heater. He must have been feeling good about it because with a few touches of 94 and steady diet of 93s, he was as firm as we've seen him. Hard run/riding life on arm side and pounded a few very aggressively on the glove side. Slider (76-77) flashed depth and bite while most were more more smooth with lateral break. He located the slider well and threw it with feel. In this scrimmage he went at the VC line-up like it was a playoff game, which is nothing new about his approach and competitiveness. Body is in great shape, appearing to be a bit stronger than last spring and very well-proportioned. Played 1st base after his outing and if he didn't pitch, he'd be a college prospect as a position player. 

8/10-8/12/19 - Large frame showing thick, strong legs to match with his high, tight waist; mature build, but still some projection in body, especially in upper half. Side step delivery with slight pause as hands go down to the waist and back up with his front knee; delivery builds momentum and allows long legs to get added extension down the mound from a controlled drive. Very short and compact arm with small behind the back flex before attacking hitter from a mid-3/4, almost sidearm release point; ball really jumps on hitters and lots of looking at pitch not knowing what to do with it. FB 83-86 MPH T88, with late life at the plate and regularly running with life up through the zone; lots of swings and misses through the pitch and hitters were caught staring at pitch after off-speed. SLD 72-74 MPH with very tight and short cutter sweep; very limited depth with almost all action being lateral and off the plate to the glove side for swing and miss. Flashed CHG in warmups, but never used in game; pitch had some ability to turn over, but was regularly up with limited feel. Very solid outing with three innings pitched walking two and striking out fours while giving up no runs and no hits.

Norcal ProCase: Spotlight

vs Monte Vista in NCS D1 playoff - UCLA commit; went CG 114 pitches (10 K, 7 H, 2 BB), continues establish himself as the top 2020 pitching prospect in Northern CA, talent and competitive and poised, gave up HR to first batter of game ( 2019 Tommy Gavello - UOP commit) and though was in trouble in a few other innings he never gave up another run; fastball was steady 89-91 mph all game, touched 92 more than a few times, used both slower curveball 71-74 mph and slider 76-77 mph, struggled with feel of SL early in game and when to CB to find feel of offspeed, when finally found feel it was a wipeout slider, utilized fastball on glove side very well and went up above hands effectively when needed, good pick off move, did make error on throw to 1B on sac bunt pulling 1B off bag a bit, also made a very nice play on another sac bunt and similar throw he had to make, most impressive was pitching out of bases loaded none out jam by striking out the side. The tighter the spots got the better he got and as game got to the final two frames he was clearly sniffing the finish line and throwing as well then as he had all game. Looks to have legitimate shot to be first day selection in 2020 draft.

vs Foothill HS - UCLA commit; 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, three pitch mix - FB 88-90 T91, CB 73-76, SL 79. Simple and clean mechanics from the left side, looks effortless even when he runs it up to the low 90s, late arm side run making it difficult for hitters to square one up and causes more swing and misses. Both off speed pitches have tight spin and late movement, curveball is slightly more loopy as it is slower than the slider. Showed good feel with curve, able to throw it for strikes repeatedly in any count. Slider was thrown as an out pitch against opposing lefties, could be an effective pitch against righties if he is able to throw it in on the hands to righties. Held composure well on the mound, showed good poise and presence.

3/19/19

UCLA commit, was impressive. He pounded the zone with two pitches today. A fastball that sat in the 87-89 range and T90. The fastball did dip to 85 a few times. Harrison’s fastball has life with plenty of ASR and sink.  No fastball he threw today was straight. He consistently worked both sides of the plate and also worked up and down when he needed to. His slider was 73-76 and the slower he threw it the more it looked like a curveball. Like his fastball, he threw it to both sides of the plate and buried it with two strikes when the situation called for.  He has a great pitcher's body with some present strength already, and the velocity should only go up as he matures and gets stronger. Another impressive part of his outing was he seemed to get stronger as the game went on. Harrison has established himself as a premier pitcher in Northern California and he only solidified that with his outing against Monte Vista.

vs Jesuit - UCLA commit; was the starter for DLS and was one of the main draws for us that day as he is one of the top left-handers in the state. He didn't disappoint, going four innings, giving up one infield hit (to the first hitter of the game), recording 8 K and issuing one BB. He threw his last pitch at 89 mph and sat 87-88 mph for the entire outing, routinely touching 90 and once getting up to 91 mph. He has a loose arm that works from a 3/4 slot and a body that is increasingly stronger. The stronger he gets, the more control he has of his release point. Harrison can run the fastball on the arm side with his good velocity and can also shove the fastball inside with some angle/tilt to right-hand hitters, pushing them off the plate if need be. He has two breaking balls, a slower 72-73 mph curveball and a 76-77 mph slider. The shape of each pitch isn't that different, with both having two plane sweeping and when thrown well, biting action. He also flashed a diving 77 mph change-up with impressive feel. He's got awareness of the running game and a good move. It was also impressive to see him pitch through some adversity and keep his cool. Seems VERY steady. Harrison has also been playing 1st base when not pitching and hitting in the 5th spot in the order, showing he is not a high school PO, rather, a good baseball player. He had two hits in this game.

at Valley Christian - the #15 player in the 2020 class and a UCLA commit got the start for De La Salle and looked very good early in the season. He went two innings, striking out 4 and walking 1 working quickly and attacking hitters. Harrison is long and lean, but looks to have gained some strength in his lower half since my last viewing and is still a very projectable frame. His arm works with some length in the swing showing a small wrist wrap in back before getting to his mid-¾ release point. The arm is loose and easy working in time with his mechanics and making the ball jump on hitters at the plate. His FB worked 84-87, T88 MPH staying mainly 86-87 MPH during the outing and working with angle to both sides of the plate while generating lots of weak contact and swing and miss. He also flashed two future plus pitches with his CHG and SLD. The CHG was 75-78 MPH with arm-side run and the ability to go back-to-back showing feel for the pitch. The SLD was short and tight with hard bite under the bat path of hitters working 75-76 MPH. He also mixed in a CB at 69-70 MPH that showed 2/6 bend with short depth. For good measure, Harrison also started off the offense for the Spartans with a knock into right center field.

UCLA recruit, The 6-foot-2, 185-pound southpaw has a whippy arm that releases out of a slingy ¾ slot. Worked 86-89 with his fastball which exhibited heavier arm side life in the zone. Also showcased a 75-76 slider that flashed sharp breaking action, and will likely be a weapon moving forward.

USA PDP - UCLA commit again impressed. Body type still good, looks to be a little more filled out, good lower body control in delivery, same 3/4 slot and quick arm with loose two-piece arm action, on-line lower body though front hip is early and causes some sling of arm which can create repeatability issues, leg kick in delivery can create some deception, stuff is quality and all moves well, lots of fastball (topped 87) run and hides it well, was painting at times, breaking ball slurvy 73-74 and at times tough to get to release point given his arm action combined with sling upper body delivery, good arm side action on change-up with some late fade. Stuff is quite good, covers first well, good athlete, good energy, remains a top talent in the 2020 class. Three batter outing (4-3 FB, 1B then picked off runner, K FB up).

UCLA commit, lean lanky 6-foot-1 185-pound frame that is far from filled out, young body but yet loose and alive, works from 3/4 slot, loose whip quick arm, the slot and timing of his separation do make consistent release point a challenge at this time, he is highly competitive, has mound presence that is obvious, lower body stability can improve in order to reach a more consistent release point and ability to feel pitches vs throwing them, stuff is fun to watch though.  Fastball can jump on hitters with both cut or run, breaking ball can be big and sweepy with some bite, threw that type of breaking ball in his warm-up pitches but rushed it in the game and lost the bite and shape, flashed a changeup so it's good to know he's got the chance for three pitches. Good pick off move and showed moxy on the mound.

Norcal ProCase: Spotlight

4/12/19 V Valley Christian - UCLA Commit. Medium, strong athletic build continues to swing the bat well. Really liked his approach during the game where he shortened up the swing looking to utilize velocity from the pitcher and just put the ball in play. On-base four times with three hard hit balls and HBP showing feel for the barrel hitting ball to LF, CF and RF. Showed off his above-average speed and athletic gait getting down the line on ball knocked down deep in the 4-hole (4.27 H-1st). Showed his base running skills and instincts when he advanced to 3rd on ball hit right at SS; great read and knew SS couldn’t beat him by going on contact. Defense was good as well tracking ball well and working to stay behind it; showed solid average arm on ball that could have been sac fly, but came up throwing and prevented runner from advancing.

3/5/19 vs Santa Cruz - started in CF and was on base three times with a walk, hit-by-pitch and infield single beating out a ball up the middle to the 2nd baseman. The speed is something that will continue to help the profile showing range in the OF and getting some good jumps on the bases.

3/2/19 - vs De La Salle - UCLA commit. He's got that attractive L/R profile and a wiry, greyhound type of body (with wide shoulders) that we see on many players who go on to success at the collegiate level and beyond. He's got a slashing type of swing and sees the ball well. There is some arm bar in his swing mechanics which can cause him to slap/slash the ball to the left side or if early can cause him to get around it on the pull side. That type of mechanic in a swing can work, there are plenty of players who have barred, but it also takes good timing on a consistent basis. In any case, the hand speed and athletic hitting ability is there. As a runner he moves easy and fluidly with light feet and clearly is athletic. Defensively there wasn't much action for him in the game but in pre-game his throws home were 87-88 mph. He plays with energy and has the look of a kid who wants to live at the ball field.

2/20 Vs Los Gatos - showed today why he’s ranked so highly in the 2020 Rankings playing a solid centerfield and being a lightning rod for the offense at the top of the order. He was on base two out of his four AB’s drawing a walk after fouling off multiple good pitches before going down and crushing a breaking ball over the RF scoreboard for a 2R Homerun in his 4th AB. He stands quiet at the plate keeping his hands even and tight to the body with a slow, controlled load into his back shoulder. Halpin rocks into his back hip with a slight foot lift allowing him to stay behind the ball and sync up his hips and hands producing late bat speed that showed the ability to create easy loft. In center field, Tracked down fly balls using an athletic and fluid stride showing closing speed and athleticism in the hips. The UCLA commit shows strength in his body currently with wide shoulders and looks the part as one of the best players in the State.

4/13/18 - UCLA Commit. 6-foot, 160-pound frame. Medium frame with wider shoulder build,lean, athletically muscular build; made for explosiveness rather than raw strength. 1-1, 2B, Run, RBI. Only 1 AB late in game. Shoulder wide, tall stance with small roll of hands around back shoulder. Slight load into back hip with hands moving back in timing; showed very quick, strong hands during with aggressive cuts. Barrel control and ability to go down in zone and use line drive swing with explosive hip that shows late reactions to pitches. Drove pitch into left-center gap with authority. Very quick runner (4.7 on turn for 2B) with fluid stride and ability to turn up/down speed as needed; glides on bases with limited wasted motion. Showed strong arm in pre-game with ability to come up and throw through targets with carry. Very intriguing,athletic player with high upside.

2/23/18 - UCLA commit. Halpin is a young player with exciting tools with an athletic 5-foot-11 160-pound build with growth/strength upside. He has a short swing with developing power and shows advanced plate discipline especially given his age. Went 3-3 in this game with all three balls squarely on the barrel. Defensively he covers a lot of ground in the outfield with mature reads on balls off the bat, possesses above average speed. Likely to be a dominant player among 2020 players in Northern California.

2018 Area Code Games - Arizona State recruit. 6-foot-1, 185-pounds. Solid, proportional strength on athletic frame. Spin Wins! Threw one of the better curveballs of the event. Sharp and with confidence at 74-77. 11/5 with depth for swings and misses and strikes. 88-90 with the fastball and it came out of the hand well with medium-sized stroke. Looks like a future bullpen arm because of his feel for the breaking ball and projected velocity gains. Pitched mean, and had tunnel vision. Power load, with short, quick arm. High ¾.

7/13/18 - Barnhart showed his three-pitch mix on his first three pitches and all were impressive offerings. His fastball flashed armside run at 87-89 jamming righties in the box. His curveball can be loose, but when he threw it with conviction was an excellent pitch showing late breaking action at 72-73 mph. He also showed a slightly above average changeup at 83-84 that flashed late depth and sink. The Arizona State commit was one of the better arms at the event.

UCLA commit. He sits on a small, compact, strong athletic frame that has room to add muscle. I consider him one of the best pure hitters in the class. On a consistent basis he demonstrates that he has elite bat-to-ball skills and the ability to be a table setter that can hit at the top of any lineup. Flashes average raw power and will hit the ball over the fence occasionally. Vogel will produce high doubles totals until he adds more strength to his frame. Shows an above average arm tool with carry, accuracy and the ability to track balls down in the gap. The run tool is special, combined with instincts. He clocked a 6.45 60-yard dash to lead off the workout. Exhibited quick bursts, agility and is capable of stealing bases at will as he showed after leading the game off with a hit and taking second on the next pitch. 

7/13/18

Vogel is another player that should see his ranking climb when they're updated. Vogel showed off his all-field power during batting practice by barreling everything up and using the whole field. Vogel showed a strong arm during the defensive portion of the workout in which his accuracy was eye catching. The UCLA commit also showed some speed down the line where he was clocked at 4.18 home-to-first.

The USD commit went 3-for-5 with a HR, 4 RBI and scored a run in the 11-1 league win over Newport Harbor. Vogel can spray the ball all over the field, which lends itself to a high BA. His power numbers are in the form of 2B's, but as he adds strength you will see him pull the inside pitch down the left field line at a higher rate.

University of San Diego commit. At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, his frame project for further physical development. Wiry strength in his long limbs, lean build. Vogel is an interesting player in the 2020 class Committed as an outfielder, Vogel uses a left leg trigger then drops the barrel in the zone where he keeps it through contact. Shows very good plate coverage and zone awareness. Doesn't chase bad pitches and squares up most that are in the zone.

2018 Underclass Area Code Games - UCLA commit. Inconsistent start to the Area Code Underclass Games for Vogel before turning in a stellar performance in Day 2 where he had three hits and all but carried the Brewers against a very good arm. Consistent barrel after the slow start that he carried the rest of the week. The approach is raw, but the hands are quick, and he's stronger than he looks. Showed his easy power on a double to right field that continued to carry into a cutting breeze. Vogel shows some polish in the outfield where his arm is a legitimate tool now. Throws are inline with carry. Shows good lateral movement and range. Reaches ball under control of his body.

4/3/18 - 4/6/18 - He's shorter with a lean, athletic frame. Looks like he could be a slot receiver in football. Runs well and the hands were twitchy at the plate. Really quick to the ball with stronger wrists than you would think. Got on a couple to the pull side for doubles. Consistent hard contact especially to the pull side. Had him at 4.35 on a full swing infield single. Moves well in centerfield, although he took a couple iffy-routes. Not a mega guy on the national scene right now, but a very good ball player with twitchy actions. Leg hang at the plate that comes down somewhat heavy. It worked for him during the week, but I can see the timing getting thrown off at times.

9/30/18 - The rising junior had a breakout spring season where he showed of his burgeoning power to compliment his elite level defense. He took a fastball away to left field for a standup double in his first at-bat where he was 4.30 with a turn around first base. The UCLA commit pulled another pitch to left field for another double before dropping a ball into no-mans land for yet another double in his third at-bat.

7/13/18 - Tolentino should see his rankings improve when we update them in a few weeks. The shortstop is hyper-athletic with a combination of great hands, footwork, and body control of any of the middle infielders in attendance. Tolentino shows great feel for the barrel and has current pop that he showed during batting practice. The UCLA commit was clocked at 4.29 home-to-first on an infield single showing off his hustle and speed from the left side.

3/18/18 – UCLA commit, 5-foot-11, 165-pound, medium-slender, athletic frame, with plenty of room for future strength and muscle growth. Tolentino has an advanced approach for his age, an eye for the strike zone, able to recognize secondary pitches, a simple load trigger, and rhythmic swing with natural lift. Currently has gap-to-gap power, but will develop into over the fence power with body maturity and age. He exhibits a no-fear attitude and demeanor with a flare for the dramatic. Tolentino has already had multiple last inning heroics this year and has seemed to emerge as one of the team leaders. He shows an above average arm tool, with the ability to make all the throws from all the angles at SS, sound defensive actions and quick, athletic feet around the bag. Tolentino displays 1st step quickness, can steal a base almost any time, and is an alert base runner that can disrupt a pitchers rhythm. He plays with energy and joy that is contagious and fun to watch.

2020 Carlsbad HS SS, 6-foot 170 pounds, R/R. Best player on the field. Continuing to show his strong hit tool and ability to stay at SS. Pitched around and saw a lot of breaking pitches. Stole two bags on great reads and scored a crucial run after picking pitchers timing and taking off early from second.

2020 Carlsbad (Carlsbad, CA) INF Thomas Saggese is currently uncommitted. Throws right and hits right. Started at shortstop and hit leadoff. Average infielders build with some room for added strength. Throwback style, no batting gloves, leader. Field general awareness and baseball IQ are present in his play. Displayed soft hands in between innings on warm-up grounders and made consistent on target throws to first. Average runner with solid base running skills and good sliding technique. Overall athleticism, lateral quickness and arm strength are average and do not project for much improvement. Has a good overall feel for hitting with high contact rates and bat speed. Hit two opposite field home runs on two pitches with nearly identical ball flight and in the realm of the “sweet spot” launch angle projection. Was hit by a first pitch change-up in his third and final at-bat. Calm in the box with little wasted and pre-pitch movement. Short to the point of contact with present bat speed. Intriguing uncommitted shortstop with his best tool being his ability to hit for average.