West Coast Championships: Day 4 Notebook

IRVINE, CA. - The final day of the PBR Tournaments West Coast Championships got underway with every team looking hoist the trophy at the end of the day. With teams playing the fourth game in as many days it’s easy to think teams would be thin on pitching which definitely wasn’t the case on this Championship Sunday. 

With semifinals and finals in the 14U, 15U, 16U, and 17U divisions taking place on Sunday, there were plenty of players and teams to Be Seen. 

Let’s take a look at some of the players that stood out. 

+ 2021 RHP/C/INF Brian Dennis (Notre Dame So) 5-foot-10,170-pounds, medium frame, strong, athletic body and a strong lower half. His fastball sat from 82-85 MPH and topped out at 86. Fastball had some life a little movement and commanded the pitch. His changeup was 73 MPH, good deception from fastball when he threw. His curveball was 67 MPH and was a strong pitch, loose movement with good spin. Could be a strikeout pitch. Dennis looked good on the mound showing feel for the zone. Will be a player to keep an eye on for this year at Notre Dame.

+ 2020 RHP/3B Alonso Reyes (Culver City) 5-foot-10 165-pounds, has a large frame with a strong lower half, present strength for age and projection. Had a level compact swing and made consistent loud contact. He flashed a gap approach. Showed a classic left handed swing, very balanced and very consistent. Has quick feet with a medium stride. Strong arm and enough for third base. He had a good day at the plate recording 1 hit and also put a charge into one for a deep fly out to the right-field warning track along with stout defense.

+ 2022 3B Armando Briseno (Etiwanda) 5-foot-11,185-pounds, Medium/large frame with present strength and physical projection. Flashed a gap approach at the plate; made loud contact and used the whole field. He made consistent contact and could foul off tough pitches. He was good defensively at 3B, strong arm and could make all the necessary throws on this day. Good reads off the bat and could make plays from many angles. He had a good day at the plate recording two singles and one stolen base. Will be a young player to keep an eye on as he continues to mature. 

+ 2022 C Ben Lee (St.Monica HS) 5-foot-9,185-pounds large frame, strong lower half, young athletic body, with projection. Flashes a gap approach at the plate, using all fields and making consistent contact. He recorded one hit on Sunday - a double with a couple errors that turned into an inside the park home run which gave his team the lead they wouldn’t relinquish. On defense he played right and showed some athleticism and good mobility. Didn't get to see him behind the plate but of what I've seen before his future could be behind the plate. Will be interesting as he continues to progress. 

+ 2022 SS Kai Hines (Culver City) 5-foot-9,135-pounds, smaller frame, young, athletic body. Showed some good defense at 2B with a strong arm and some athleticism. Got good reads off the ball with a proper first step. At the plate showed a compact line drive swing. Had a line drive approach and ended up recording one hit and making good contact in two at-bats. 

+ 2020 LHP Julian Castro (King HS) 5-foot-9,140 pounds, Medium frame, wiry strength and athletic body. Castro had some deception on his pitches as he was not overpowering but he did a nice job hiding the ball. His fastball had some life and good extension. He commanded the fastball from black-to-black. He had a strong changeup, good deception from the fastball and was able to use it as an out pitch. He flashed a strong slider, was a strikeout pitch dropped it in their a few times to catch the outside part of the plate. Castro single handedly helped his team reach the finals. He threw a CG with one earned run, 5 hits, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. 

--RUSS MORGAN 

+ 2022 RHP Dante Montgomery (Acalanes HS) 5-foot-9, 150-pounds, medium frame that is lean and strong with developing strength throughout the body. Squared shoulders with some strength down into the wrists. Showed a clean repeatable medium arm stroke. Curveball showed to be best present pitch with it's a downer, sharp, biting action. It’s a high spin pitch that makes his fastball play up as they both come from the same slot. Fastball shows some action late while he worked it black-to-black. Highly competitive, pitchability type arm now with projection. 

+ 2021 SS/RHP Johnnie Valdez Jr. (Don Lugo HS) 6-foot-1, 155-pounds, long, lean, wiry athletic frame with long limbs, and twitchy strength throughout with ample room to add more to strength and mass. There’s some deception to his delivery with a high leg kick and a medium back turn allowing him to hide the ball well. Arm slingshots through a high 3/4 slot consistently with quickness. Worked fastball to all quadrants of the strike zone touching 88 mph and living comfortably at 85-86 mph with several 87’s mixed in. Maintained his velocity into the fifth inning where he was 84-86 mph with the fastball. Curveball got progressively better each time he threw it. Started a bit loose before and adjustment made it sharper with more of a slurvy action away to righties. Also dropped in an 11/5 shaped breaking ball in on righties. Curveball worked 68-71 mph early and was 67-69 mph late in the game. 

+ 2021 3B/RHP Evan Yates (King HS) 6-foot, 155-pounds, every time I see Yates I can’t help but look ahead to what this guy is going to be like when he fills out his long, lean, athletic frame. There’s plenty of tools to work with both offensively and defensively where he shows the flexibility and ability to play both third base and the outfield at a high level. Made a nice play in right field ranging to his right while under complete control of his body. While it wasn’t a highlight reel play, it showed his understanding of angles on balls off the bat. At the plate he didn’t get the results he wanted, but he put together a couple of really good at-bats including the one below that was an eight pitch at-bat that resulted in fly out. 

 

--LES LUKACH

+ 2020 MIF Noah Sudyka (Aliso Niguel HS) Uncommitted, 6-feet, 170lbs sturdy, muscular frame. Certainly impressed with his physicality and approach over the weekend, especially playing a premium position; shortstop. Sudyka put his tools on display and captivated the eyes of college coaches in attendance. A must follow. 

 + 2020 INF/OF Anthony McFarland (JW North HS) The UCR commit checks in at 5-foot-11, 170lbs. with ample room to add muscle and twitchiness to his frame. This was my second viewing this weekend and my takeaway is that he is consistent as they get at the high school level regarding his approach, and his ability and flexibility to play multiple positions on the field. 

+ 2021 OF Nate Beckley (San Clemente HS) Uncommitted. Athletic build on a 6-feet, 175lbs frame. Body will be able to handle more additional weight and muscle.  Displays an advanced college eye, patient at the plate, and takes close pitches. Hands are fast, displays above average bat speed and squares the ball up consistently. Beckley’s power will develop as his body matures, until then you will see high double totals. Has above average speed and looks to run early in counts.

+ 2020 C/RHP Justin Drury (Norco HS) Uncommitted. Large 6-foot-2, 200lbs frame. Has some present strength and room to add. If he makes the commitment to his body and tighten it up, we could be looking at a physical specimen. A switch hitting catcher that shows the ability to really impact the baseball. Drury has projectable power, and loft in his swing. Drury pitches as well but his future lies behind the plate or a first-base. A must follow.

+ 2020 OF Ethan Caschetta (Eastlake HS) The uncommitted senior checks in at 6-feet, 175lbs. medium/large, athletic frame with room to add muscle. Has above average bat speed, is short to the ball with a high finish and a pull-side approach. Exhibits a good eye, tracks well and recognizes secondary pitches. Has average raw power. Shows above average range and arm. Made a difficult catch in the gap showing off his range and athleticism.

+ 2020 MIF Ayden Estrada (Helix HS) Uncommitted. 5-foot-9, 150lbs compact, athletic frame. Needs to add weight as there is some physical projection remaining. High-energy player. At the plate he maintains good balance, keeps hands inside the ball with an all fields approach. Shows above average speed on the bases with good awareness, which makes the run tool play up.  Gets low and aggressive at pitch and reads contact well off bat. Comes across the bag with fluidity on double play turns. Exhibits average arm, with a quick release, and can throw from all angles. Will be college 2nd baseman. Estrada is a confident player with solid ability and an all-around skill set.

+ 2020 RHP Peyton Gleich (JSerra HS) Uncommitted, large 6-foot-3, 205lbs. near ideal pitchers frame.  Long limbs with a base that can add weight in future. Comes out of a ¾ slot with his 3-pitch mix. There is effort in his delivery and has occasional lapses with mechanics leading to inconsistent command. Has an imposing presence on the mound, works efficiently, and exhibits strong competitiveness, even when command is poor. Gleich will have to do some tinkering to his mechanics and simply be more athletic on the mound to increase his consistency throwing strikes.

 

----STEVE DOHERTY