Underclass Area Code Games: Day 1

MLB Youth Academy, Compton, CA - Like the Upperclass, the Underclass has the state of CA broken up into two teams: the Brewers with players from SoCal, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado and Hawaii and the A’s representing NorCal and Washington. All teams took batting practice to start the day and took Infield/Outfield on the secondary field prior to their games during the second part of the day. The Brewers played first facing the Yankees and picking up the win 7-0. The A’s followed playing a close game but losing 4-3 to the Nationals. Below are the highlights from the day. 

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Brewers:

2021 SS Marcelo Mayer (Eastlake) - USC commit. After being one of the standouts from the 2018 Underclass Area Codes, Mayer showed he’s the real deal coming back again this year and having great rounds in BP, a high-level infield/outfield and a strong game during the first day. Standing 6-3, 180 the long and strong frame is firming up with current strength still showing some space for added maturity. During BP, Mayer worked from a slightly opened, high-hands set up showing easy, plus bat speed as the bat shows lag in the zone working gap-to-gap with carry. That feel for the barrel carried over to the game when he doubled down the left field line on a ball away cruising into second base; he also barreled a ball deep into CF for an F8. At SS, Mayer has the footwork, actions, glove work and arm to stick at the 6-spot and showed it in the game making plays on the move to both sides of him. The tools and ceiling are very high. 

2022 C Luke Davis (Cypress) - USC commit. At 6-0, 185 the switch-hitting catcher put together strong round of batting practice showing a quick bat from both sides of the plate as he stayed balanced through contact with the barrel working on an upward path producing easy lift to the pullside; he showed off the pop late in the round carrying balls deep that way over the fence. During the game he was right on some good velocity flying out to CF with a barrel and LF. Behind the plate, Davis has an above-average arm putting the ball on the bag between innings (1.97-2.03 pop), Having started for Cypress as a freshman, helping the team to a Southern Section Division 1 Championship, Davis shows present skills behind the place with room for growth in his current tools. 

2022 RHP Jaden Noot (Sierra Canyon) - Uncommitted. Noot’s 6-2, 195 frame is the type of frame you dream on, having an ideal pitchers build with length in the limbs and the lower half strength to keep firming up as he matures. Noot went two innings striking out three with no hits, runs or walks. He attacked hitters using a slight rock over the back hip allowing his compact H-3/4 arm to show speed out front and the lower half control to consistently find a strong release point as he worked ahead in the counts all game. FB 85-89 T90 spotting the pitch on both sides of the plate and flashing run arm-side. CHG 72-76 is above-average showing feel and late dive to the arm side; understood when to use the pitch and able to pull the string for the swing-and-miss. CB 70-74 with short 11/5 action occurring at the plate; the feel comes and goes right now, but the shape is good and will continue to improve. Expect to hear more about Noot as he continues to mature and improve. 

2021 OF/INF Roc Riggio (Thousand Oaks) - Uncommitted. 5-foot-9, 170 pounds medium frame, athletic with present strength. Riggio is a max effort player, he plays one way and that’s 100% and it shows. Riggio had a strong day at the plate showing well in the rounds of batting practice and during the game. During BP, Riggio worked from a high-hands stance with slight coil producing late bat-speed as the direct hands send balls gap-to-gap with ease while flashing some pop to the pull side. He followed up BP going 1-for-2 with a single, RBI, BB and SB during the first game showing strong run times (4.40 H-1st, 4.71T), working the count and playing with that infectious energy. 

2021 OF Nick McLain (Beckman) - Uncommitted. 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, medium frame, athletic, present strength and strong lower half. McLain showed the ability to turn the barrel with a quick, compact bat staying balanced through contact as he worked with easy carry to the gaps in batting practice. McLain followed it with a great day at the plate going 2-for-3 with 2 double and an RBI; was aggressive on the base paths always looking for that extra base like he did on his first double into LCF taking an aggressive turn after coming hard out of the box. In RF, McLain reads the ball off the bat with strong instincts and shows the arm strength to stay in right. McLain will be a player to keep an eye on this week.

A’s:

2021 OF Tyree Reed (American Canyon) - Uncommitted. Reed is an athletic and long frame standing at 6-2, 175 with lean strength and the space to keep adding as he matures. Reed is the type of player that you can really project with multiple tools that rate above-average or better and looking like a true five-tool player. During batting practice, Reed showed a quick, compact bat with feel for the barrel as he started working the opposite field gap with carry before finishing the day flashing his pullside pop creating more leverage on the baseball and driving it out of the park. That same barrel feel came in during the game when he started the A’s offense on a double into the LCF gap (4.64T) before flashing that pop on a double over the RF’s head (4.90T), with a solidly struck ball for an F9 in between; the second double kept carrying ending up at the bottom of the fence in RF. In the OF, Reed shows easy plus range in CF tracking balls down with an excellent first step reaction. Reed’s arm fits in any spot in the OF being loose and showing the accuracy to the bags preventing runners from advancing bases. Special is the perfect word for Reed. 

2021 1B Blake Burke (De La Salle) - Tennessee commit. Burke’s 6-2, 230 frame looks like the type of body that will hit for power from the middle of the lineup at the next level; he can keep shaping the body to add to that strength already there. Burke hit some moonshots during BP as his barrel works on an upward path staying tall and showing a strong rear-barrel turn that gets on plane early to produce easy pop. The head and body are quiet through the swing allowing for strong rotations and that occurred in the game when he knocked a single through the middle to drive in Reed and start the scoring for the A’s. Burke moved well at 1st with some good stretches to get out and help his infielders and has plenty of arm strength at the position. This weekend will give him the chance to show off the skills we’ve seen the last couple seasons.  

2021 SS Davis Diaz (Acalanes) - Uncommitted. At 5-11, 170, Diaz has the skills to be an elite middle-infielder with great first step reactions showing those skills during infield/outfield and in the game where he saved runs making plays because of his first step reactions; a diving play up the middle where he got up and threw out a runner was a perfect example of the skills Diaz shows in the dirt. During BP, Diaz worked from a patient and quiet stance allowing the loose and easy swing to produce above-average bat speed as he drove balls gap-to-gap; the bat-to-ball skills were very strong. In the game the patient approach was still there, but that approach also pushed him into counts where the swing wasn’t able to attack pitches he wanted to hit leading to some weaker contact. When Diaz gets back to that attacking approach, the hits are going to come.

2021 OF Malakhi Knight (Marysville-Getchell, WA) - Oregon State commit. One of the most physical frames on the A’s roster, Knight stands in at 6-3, 190 and looks the part with length throughout and current strength in the build. That strength came out during batting practice where Knight showed off easy plus power to the pull side with a full two-handed swing that created easy lift on the baseball. In game, Knight put together two quality AB’s with a single through the middle and walk where he battled off pitches after falling behind before working the count full and drawing the walk. In RF, Knight has a plus arm with easy, loose actions that had balls jumping out of his hand and carrying on a line to bases.