Prep Baseball Report

San Diego Fall Open: Scouting Reports - Outfielders


Prep Baseball Report - California
Scouting Staff

New Episode LIVE now! At The Yard Podcast

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. - Prep Baseball Report California ended the year on a high note with the San Diego Fall Open. With the sun setting an hour earlier and on a weekend that featured the Breeders’ Cup World Championships a mile away at the Del Mar racetrack, the San Diego Fall Open had its fair share of standouts, longshots and new names to help set the table for 2022. The event featured 400 batting practice pitches, 136 live at-bats, 306 defensive in game slots, 96 pages of TrackMan and Blast data and 7 hours of the best game on Earth. 

With so many talented players on hand it was a great day of showcase baseball. The Quick Hits edition hit leadoff for post-event content followed by our stats story and TrackMan pitching analysis. Profile videos have been officially uploaded, helping clear the way for the four part scouting report rollout. TrackMan and Blast Motion provide necessary data needed to analyze and understand player capabilities but the written eye test remains undefeated and an integral part in scouting. Today we take a look at outfielders. 

CLICK HERE FOR SORTABLE PLAYER STATISTICS INCLUDING TRACKMAN AND BLAST MOTION DATA

SCOUTING REPORTS

Koa Dabuet, Woodcrest Christian (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-11, 185-pounds. Medium size at 5-11 that is mature and well developed. Present strength and athleticism throughout the build.
Hit: LHH. Sets up slightly open. Hands and lead leg work in good rhythm. Hands load into a low launch position with a vertical barrel with lead leg working into a knee lift trigger. Swing is sequenced well with lower/upper half. Smooth stroke with a clean path and contact consistently out front. Had himself a single during game action.
Power: 86.00 max exit velocity. Pullside wall ball power. Rotational acceleration stands out in metrics with average of 22gs which is way above average for his level and gives him a solid power ceiling.
Arm: LH. INF - 82.00 mph. OF - 82.00 mph. 4/5 accurate from the OF. Longer arm action with throws that were higher arcing and showed good carry to the bag. Quick in getting to release as well. Was 2/5 accurate from 1B. Loaded up on throws from the INF and body seemed rush to get throws off.
Defense: Solid actions in the OF. Relaxed in his approach and showed good fundamentals. Fielded out in front well and showcased fundamental transfers. Quick in getting feet set up for throws. INF actions were average. Comfortable fielding but rushed his body on throws at times.
Run: 7.63 runner in the 60. 

 

Matthew Dicicco, Bellarmine College Prep (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/3B
Body: 5-9, 155-pounds. Medium athletic build. Above average speed. Room to add gains throughout the frame.
Hit: RHH. Upright and open with low hands and bat relaxed at shoulder. Limited negative movements as he strides forward using a medium knee lift. Barrel takes a flatter path through the zone with a lower finish which allowed for a lot of pullside topspin LDs. Strong top-hand. Consistent contact out front. Balanced at finish. 
Power: 90.00 max exit velocity. Some present pullside wall-ball pop. Bat speed average of 71.6mph is above average for his level and creates a good power floor. A more uphill bat path that stays in the zone a little longer can create more launch angle.
Arm: RH. OF - 79.00 mph. Average arm strength for level. Shorter arm action. 4/5 accurate. Mix of higher/lower arcing throws. Higher slot.
Defense: Aggressive approach. Comes in hard which gives good momentum for throws. Fields low and out front with a clean exchange. At times glove tapped which hurt time to release.
Run: 6.85 runner in the 60. 

Robert Ferrell, Great Oak (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/2B
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds. Medium build. Lean and athletic. Above average runner. Strength in lower half. Room to add gains.
Hit: RHH. Simple set up and swing. Lower set hands with feet straight up. Quick toe tap trigger as hands load slightly up. Present bat to ball skills. Compact swing with hands staying tight and connected. Level path. Swing works short to long. Middle of the field approach during BP. 
Power: 93.00 max exit velocity. Gap to gap doubles power. Bat speed average of 73.6 stands out and shows a decent power floor.
Arm: RH. OF - 85.00 mph. Above average arm strength. Medium arm swing with present arm speed.  4/5 accurate throws, either long hop or no hop. Decent carry to the bag. Quick in getting to release.
Defense: Solid OF actions. Gets around the ball and comes through with good momentum and rhythm. Fields low and out front. Quickness with feet to get off throws. Clean exchange. At times stutter stepped to adjust fielding timing.
Run: 6.99 runner in the 60. 

Dylan Fishbough, La Costa Canyon (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/SS
Body: 6-0, 160-pounds. Athletic frame, toolsy, posted the fastest 60-yard dash at the event.
Hit: RHH. Wide and athletic stance, keeps weight centered, quick hands and bat. Able to take a hack and finish with two hands.  Fishbough scored very well according to Blast Motion (20-80 scale) with 54 plane - 60 connection - 63 rotation scores. Showed about equal exit speeds on the inside part of the plate as he did on the outside part of the plate, showing positive signs of quality plate coverage and potential gap-to-gap ability. High ceiling swing. 
Power: 89.00 max exit velocity. Power potential is there thanks to ability to rotate and keep the barrel through the zone. Putting it all together in game will be the key to his success.
Arm: RH. INF - 81.00 mph. OF - 86.00 mph. During the defensive portion, topped at 86 mph from the outfield and 81 mph from the infield. Able to make throws from multiple spots on the field but seems best suited for the outfield. Speed and arm could make him a plus right fielder.
Defense: The footspeed and arm strength combination projects well in any high school centerfield and gives him versatility in all three outfield spots. Add his infield ability to the mix as he showed well laterally and with an arm that can make throws all over the infield and you’ve got a good problem to have with a player that could essentially play 6 positions.
Run: 6.75 runner in the 60. 

London Hudson, JSerra (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/1B
Body: 6-0, 170-pounds. Projectable build with his present size. Athletic, lean, and slender with long limbs.
Hit: RHH. Stands slightly open in stance with hands tight to body. Slight rock into backisde as hands create some separation with minimal front foot/leg separation with stride. Hand dominant swing as he throws them at the baseball for a direct level path (72% on plane). Hands stayed inside the baseball well. Used the whole field throughout his BP round.  
Power: 87.00 max exit velocity. Gap to gap doubles power. Rotational acceleration average of 17.5 shows well for future power but increases in bat speed are needed.
Arm: RH. INF - 65.00 mph. OF - 70.00 mph. Average arm strength from both spots. 4/5 accurate 1/2 hops from the OF and 3/5 accurate from the INF. More full and loose arm action from the OF and a shorter lower arm slot action from the INF.
Defense: Average defensive actions from both spots. In the OF took solid first steps and angles but slowed down approach when fielding which included a glove tap before getting to release. Showed average feet and glove skills at 1B. Better exchanges and quickness to release but hurt accuracy of throws. 
Run: 7.63 runner in the 60. 

Ben Lyons, Rancho Bernardo  (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-0, 170-pounds. Mature build, proportional throughout, some present strength with room for more.
Hit: RHH. Wide stance with athletic bend in knees, low hands, quick to the ball, two-hand finish. Blast Motion scores of 36-49-36. Low plane and rotation scores are helped by top 5 event hand and bat speed. Singled and walked during live at-bats.
Power: 96.00 max exit velocity. Topped at 96 mph off the bat for a 335 ft batting practice homerun.
Arm: RH. OF - 85.00 mph. Arm showed well from the outfield, got on top of the ball, used his momentum and got his body behind the throw. Fairly accurate showing, can hit the cut from the fence. Picked off a runner while pitching.
Defense: Capable outfielder that could play all three outfield spots at the high school level thanks to foot and arm speed.
Run: 7.16 runner in the 60. 

Jack McWilliams, Cathedral Catholic (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 6-3, 175-pounds. Projectable build. Long, lean and athletic with plenty of room to fill out.
Hit: RHH. Athletic stance. Wider set feet that are straight up with slight bend in knees. Simple forward stride trigger as he loads into a higher elbow barrel tip position. Barrel takes a steep direct path towards the baseball. Early exit  out of the zone with his level barrel finish. Lots of pullside LDs during BP round. 
Power: 86.00 max exit velocity. LD gap to gap swing. Above average bat speed of 72.7 mph gives him a decent power floor. Barrel path that is more uphill can allow for some HR power.
Arm: LH. INF - 82.00 mph. OF - 82.00 mph. Medium arm swing from the OF with a shorter action from the INF. 4/5 accurate from the OF with a mix of 1-hops and on the fly throws. Showed decent carry to the bag. INF throws from 1B were more snappy and quick. 4/5 accurate as well.
Defense: Above average actions from both spots. Attacks with good momentum, displays glove early, and fields in rhythm in the OF which allows for better quickness to get off throws. Showed well at 1B as well. Good body posture staying low to the ball with glove out front. Was also solid around the bag.
Run: 7.01 runner in the 60. 

Christopher Mellos, Christian Unified (CA), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/3B
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Compact frame with present strength, football build, room for even more.
Hit: RHH. Shoulder width base with open front foot, slight leg lift to plant into hitting position, creates power with total body drive to contact, two-hand finish.  Blast Motion scores of 43-44-44. Average and even across the board, showing a swing with no glaring flaws or major strengths at this time. Hand and bat speed produce average and even results as well. Giving the swing a solid base to continue to develop and grow now and at the next level.
Power: 94.00 max exit velocity. Batting practice home run at 364 ft.
Arm: RH. OF - 77.00 mph. Short arm swing, high release, took his time putting himself in a good position to throw making his throws accurate but also slow.
Defense: Saw time in LF, CF, RF. Showcased a skillset to play all 3 outfield spots. Speed and arm are adequate but could be improved. Made a nice play in the left-center gap during gameplay.
Run: 7.24 runner in the 60. 

 

Nikko Paoletto, Damien (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/3B
Body: 5-11, 205-pounds. Physical build, present strength with room for more, significant hand and bat speed. Improving running speed would elevate significantly.
Hit: RHH. Athletic set up in the box, leg lift to hitting position, creates momentum into swing while keep weight on the back side. Can handle fastballs throughout the zone, bat speed enables the inside corner.  Had two hits in the live portion, highlighting the hitters on the day, the double in the gap and his hustle to second looked next level.
Power: 99.00 max exit velocity. Average bat speed of 79 mph puts him into the upper echelon of players we have ever had at our events at any level. Paoletto had one of the more impressive BP rounds, pounding balls with consistent 90+ exit velos and backspin which allowed for 4 HRs over the left field fence.
Arm: RH. OF - 85.00 mph. Quick release, short arm swing in the back, accurate throws, picks and chooses when to really let it go.
Defense: Moves well in the outfield, good footwork when fielding, quick burst seen with initial jump/read. Saw time in LF-CF-RF, can currently play all 3, arm/speed/bat might suit him best as the utility OF at the D1 level.
Run: 7.39 runner in the 60. 

 

Matt Pueschel, La Costa Canyon (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: 2B/OF
Body: 5-7, 145-pounds. Medium build. Lean and athletic. Room to add gains. Still developing.
Hit: LHH. Narrow base and upright upper half in stance. Slight rock onto backside as barrel loads into a slight tip. Gets into an athletic early connection position at foot strike. Barrel is slotted well early allowing for a clean path. Compact stroke with a direct barrel. LDs to all fields during BP round. 
Power: 89.00 max exit velocity. Gap to gap doubles power. Bat speed average of 71mph is well above average for his level and creates a decent power floor.
Arm: RH. INF - 70.00 mph. OF - 74.00 mph. Short and quick arm action from both spots that is quick to release. Average arm strength for level. 4/5 accurate from the OF and 4/5 accurate from the INF.
Defense: Actions looked better in the OF. Took good angles. Glove was displayed early and out front. Quickness with feet and exchange to get to release fast. INF actions were solid. Got low but at times to low which hurts mobility. Decent glove with similar quickness to release. 
Run: 7.38 runner in the 60. 

 

Gavin Vanderpool, San Marcos (CA), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/1B
Body: 6-0, 190-pounds. Athletic and proportional build. Strength is developing in the upper half.
Hit: LHH. Tall and relaxed in stance. Simple gather and forward move with some rhythm in the load. Slots back elbow well to allow for a clean entry into the zone (75% On plane efficiency). Slight uphill barrel path. Compact and connected. Contact consistently out front during BP for a more pullside approach. Firms up front side at finish. Balanced throughout. 
Power: 94.00 max exit velocity. Pullside HR power. 70 mph average bat speed and 15gs average rotational acceleration are good metrics to build on.
Arm: LH. INF - 76.00 mph. OF - 75.00 mph. Similar arm actions from both positions with a slightly lower slot from 1B. Clean action with a slight pause in the back before getting to release. OF throws were accurate 1 hops but took extra time to set up feet. Infield throws showed better quickness to release.
Defense: Average actions in the OF and advanced actions in the INF. Displayed the glove early in the OF but fielded deeper into body. Was slower to crowhop which hurt his quickness to release. Showed good feet in the INF while getting low to the ball with overall good body positioning. Clean exchanges as well that allowed him to be quick to release. Good feel around the bag. 
Run: 7.42 runner in the 60. 

 

Nathan Zimmer, Calabasas (CA), 2023
Positional Profile: SS/OF
Body: 5-8, 140-pounds. Athletic smaller frame, showed some twitch, speed in the 60, room for strength gains.
Hit: RHH. Wide base, athletic bend, clears the hips well and rotates through the ball, barrel path works consistently through the zone, swing looked good.  Blast Motion scores of 67-67-50. Elite plane and connection scores are rare to see and really highlight his natural hitting ability. One can project high contact rates, ability to hit velocity, and all fields ability.
Power: 85.00 max exit velocity. Doubles power is real, college level weight training could surprise his power potential.
Arm: RH. INF - 74.00 mph. OF - 78.00 mph. Average arm that showed it can make accurate throws and from different angles. Quickening up the back side arm swing could boost the arm immediately.
Defense: Saw time at 2B-SS-LF-CF. Utility player look and feel, the speed and capable arm gives him versatility. Good footspeed and actions to the ball. Might not have the size for the left-side that recruiters long for but could be worth it down the line.
Run: 6.83 runner in the 60. 


UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
Central Valley Preseason ID CA 01/08 Fresno Pacific University
SoCal Preseason All-State Underclass CA 01/08 JSerra High School
SoCal Preseason All-State Upperclass CA 01/09 JSerra High School
East Bay Preseason ID CA 01/16 Ohlone College
Central Coast Preseason ID CA 01/22 Hartnell College
Sacramento/Delta Preseason ID CA 01/23 McBean Stadium
Peninsula/South Bay Preseason ID CA 01/30 Canada College
Super 60 Pro Showcase NATIONAL 02/06 The MAX - McCook, Ill.

RELATED TOPICS