Prep Baseball Report

GEORGIA INFIELDERS SCOUT BLOG: DEEP SOUTH INVITE


Blake Davis
State Director, Georgia

Georgia Position by Position Analysis from the Deep South Invite: Infielders

Some impressive numbers and skills were shown by the group of outfielders from Georgia that showed up for the Deep South Invite. The following is a brief write-up on each one in attendance.

 

Ryan Spikes 2B / RHP / Alcovy, GA / 2021

Spikes is a sturdy built medium framed kid with natural strength and bat-speed. At the plate he takes aggressive hacks and leaves no doubt about his ability to impact the baseball. In the future Spikes looks like the kind of kid that controls the zone and is dangerous to any pitcher that comes to him. Like the ability to show rare under control aggression in the batters box and is able to do so by his natural late finish to his swing. Defensively Spikes shows plenty of arm and is surprisingly light on his feet for his build. future second/third-base option and also a good enough athlete to fill a corner outfield spot down the line. No doubt value in the batters box, but sneaky utility value because of who he is and his sneaky athletic ability. Close Follow for us and excited about what is in his future.

Logan Johnston SS / 2B / Whitewater, GA / 2021

Johnston already posses a nice infielders frame that he will continue to grow into. He stands 5-foot-10 150-pounds. Defensively he shows some quickness to his feet and actions. The ball enters his glove clean and shows good hands both stationary and on the move. His arm is accurate and shows feel for delivering the baseball. At the plate Johnston has a nice balanced set-up with a straight away approach. He starts with his weight over his back-side and gives himself a chance to use the field, with some leverage to his swing. Much like in the field Johnston's hands are an asset and shows willingness to stay inside the baseball. As Johnston adds needed strength look for him to start showing good power to both gaps, on top of his already good feel for using the field.

 

 

Justice Cromwell 3B / RHP / River Ridge, GA / 2021

Cromwell is a strongly built young 2021 at 5-foot-9 190-pounds. He attended the Deep South Invite after stepping off the football field, where his is a middle linebacker who is not afraid to hit somebody. Cromwell profiles well as a corner infielder in terms as he is showing improved bat-speed at the plate. He was balanced and showed healthy hacks both in batting practice and live game situations. Cromwell starts upright and open with good hand placement, He gets to a strong front side and is showing good leverage. He is not a dead pull hitter though that is where most of his power is at this time. I only see him getting stronger as he continues to fill out and add strength. Defensively Cromwell has the adequate actions at third, but his current range will probably be a better fit at first-base at the next level.  This makes it imperative that he focused on being strong enough to drive the ball into both gaps and see no reason he will not posses that kind of strength. Big fan of Cromwell's demeanor and intent in the batters box and look forward to following him closely over the next couple of years.   

 

 

Christian White 2B / RHP / Eagle's Landing Christian, GA / 2022

White is still a pup and it shows in his 5-foot-8 130-pound frame. He shows a nice rangy athletic frame that has some projection to it. Offensively he shows good feel for the bat-head and makes solid consistent contact.  Right now White starts and stays over his backside in the batters box and often times hits off a softer front side than you would want. This cost him leverage and power. As he adds much needed strength, white has a chance to grow into some gap power. with these minor mechanical adjustments  Defensively White has good life to his body, but needs to work through the baseball instead of sitting back. He will occasionally field the ball to deep into his body and gives the ball too much time to play him. Their are good ingredients to improve upon here and White seems like the kind of kid that can keep his head down and do the work. Added strength and defensive reps will pay off big for White down the line.

Preston Joye SS / 2B / Fellowship Christian, GA / 2020

Joye has already made the commitment to being a good player and it shows up in his compact 5-foot-11 180-pound frame. Joye showed off a workmanlike demeanor and went about his business like a player all day. He is a switch hitter with the ability to use the field and make hard contact. He is balanced from both sides and has the ingredients to continue to switch-hit at the next level. Defensively Joye can play low to the ground and catches clean and makes accurate throws. Joye's strong body and ability to play low to the ground profile best a second-base at the next level and should make somebody a solid grinder type, bringing quality at bats and solid defense. What Joye lacks in projectable upside he makes up for in self awareness.  Have little doubt he knows how to work and will make someone a good player at the next level.

Bryce Hale RHP / 1B / Whitewater, GA / 2021

Hale is a strong kid at 6-foot 190-pounds. At the plate hale shows good bat to ball skills out of mostly a pull approach. Hale's swing and set-up match a up with a first-base profile and he is set-up to have good leverage in his swing. Right now Hale lacks the strength to activate all of that power.  he has the frame but added strength will be imperative to his profile. Defensively Hale needs to work on his flexibility and concentrate on bending at the knees, instead of at this waist. Hale's approach matches his overall profile, but will need to work on his strength in order to make it all come together.

Ashton Faulk RHP / 2B / St. Anne Pacelli , GA / 2020

Faulk checks in at 6-foot 160-pounds and shows good strength for his size. Offensively Faulk shows a powerful set-up and a strength based swing. Though Faulk already shows strength to his game, he will need to continue to add pounds and muscle to his profile. I see good ingredients for him to reach the next level with his current approach, but it will take him making a commitment to being as strong as he can be. Aggression is an attribute that is hard to develop past a certain age and rarely nurtured to the point of impact, but Faulk posses this attribute. What Faulk lacks in long fluid rangy actions, he makes up for in aggression. He profiles on both sides of the ball as a strong compact kid that drives the baseball. He uses his lower half well at the plate and incorporates a strength shoulder based swing that is powerful from start to contact, similar to the way a Dan Uggla went about things in the batters box. Defensively Faulk has plenty of arm strength, but needs to take direct routes to the baseball and work through the ball instead of around it. Love the aggression Faulk brings to the baseball field and look forward to seeing him add strength and damage to his game at the plate. Will be a player to keep an eye on over the coming year.

Nicolas Senese SS / RHP / East Coweta, GA / 2022

Excited about what we saw from this young 2022 infield prospect at the Deep South Invite, and think he has a good foundation to build upon. Sense has an excellent frame and athletic actions in the dirt. He is long and rangy with a very good pre-pitch routine that always starts in an athletic position. His first step is direct and low to the ground. He fields the ball clean and looks like he will progress into a sure handed infielder. His arm stroke is also clean and produces the kind of footwork that should lead to strong accurate throws. His set-up at the plate feels natural both in terms of rhythm and balance, his hands are high and his lower half stays underneath him. He showed the ability to use the big part of the field and was not over-matched by the older competition. Senese has a very interesting package of fluid actions on both sides of the ball, with a projectable, athletic frame.  Will be a close follow for Prep Baseball Report going forward and with natural progression and strength shows the kind of ingredients to progress into a good prospect to follow for clubs the next level.

 

 

We will have more position by position analysis (Outfielders and Catchers) for Georgia from the Deep South Invite over the next week. Check out our website at www.prepbaseballreport.com and follow us on Twitter at @PBR_Georgia.

 

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