Prep Baseball Report

Fall Scout Blog: Twelve Baseball Underclassman


Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

Twitter: @PBR_Texas
Instagram: @pbr_texas

KATY, TX - On Saturday we had the opportunity to watch the 2020 and 2021 graduates for The Texas Twelve intrasquad at Cotton Ranch. Here are some of the highlights.

+ While most spectators were halfway into their morning coffee, 2021 3B/RHP Josh Phillips (Bridgeland HS) gave everyone a shot of life when he hammered a homerun over the right field wall. Phillips is a physical left-handed hitter at 6-foot-2, 205-pounds. He has swagger and presence in the box, and showed outstanding bat speed. He walked in his second at bat, then smoked a single to right field in his third at bat. A two-way player and right-handed pitcher, Phillips’ fastball was 81-83 mph, with a 72 mph curveball.

+ This was our first chance to see recent Texas A&M commit, 2021 Ty Hodge (College Station HS). Hodge stands 6-foot-1, 165-pounds, with a high waist and lean-muscular, athletic frame. The right-handed hitter makes strong contact and has an advanced feel for the barrel. In his second at bat, he laced a line drive into the left-centerfield gap, hustled to second base, avoided the tag with a nice head first swim move, moved up to third on a dirt ball read, then scored several pitches later on a wild pitch.

+ 2021 1B/RHP Josh Alexander (College Station HS) has a strong frame at 6-foot-1, 210-pounds. On the mound, the right-hander works from a ¾ slot with a loose arm swing and repeatable delivery. His fastball has arm side sink at 81-85. Shows feel for spin with a 69-71 mph breaking ball. A two-way player and right-handed hitter, Alexander had a sharp single to left field, walked, and punched out after having a quality at bat where he fouled off multiple pitches with two strikes.

+ 2020 RHP Zac Childers (College Station HS) had a solid outing on Saturday, with his fastball topping out at 87 mph. The right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a quick arm stroke out front. His fastball sat mostly 83-86 mph, and he has a sharp slider (70-74 mph) that he was able to command in the zone.

+ College coaches will want to follow 2020 RHP Dillon Janac (College Station HS) closely. He has a long-limbed, projectable frame at 6-foot-3, 170-pounds. The right-hander works from a high slot with a quick, loose arm stroke and an athletic delivery. His fastball sat mostly 83-84 mph, topping out at 86, and dropping to 82 in his second inning of work. Janac has a sharp curveball at 72 mph with good downward tilt. Also shows feel for a changeup at 78 mph.

+ 2020 IF Alec Atkinson (Katy HS) has added strength to his 5-foot-11 frame, and it has paid off for him offensively. The right-handed hitter crushed a single to left field, flew out on the barrel to left field, and laid down two drag bunts, running a 3.93 and a 4.13 down the line.

+ 2020 SS Jack Riedel (Memorial HS) has a projectable loose, athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 170-pounds. The left-handed hitter laced a single to right field and has solid actions and arm strength on the infield. Riedel is one of the top uncommitted infielders in the '20 class with high end, projectable tools.

+ Right-handed hitter 2020 1B/OF Fabian Mayfield (Cypress Ranch HS) has a ton of bat speed and strength at 6-foot-3, 230-pounds. He had an rbi ground out and a walk.

+ Keep an eye on 2020 SS Zachary Freshcorn (Waller HS). At 6-foot, 150-pounds, he is not even close to filling out his frame and has plenty of room to add strength. Freshcorn has smooth actions, good footwork, clean exchange and can make all the throws from all three infield positions.

+ 2020 SS/OF Brady Braun (Klein Cain HS) has a quick-twitch frame at 5-foot-6, 120-pounds. The right-handed hitter has really good feel for the game, a high motor and plays hard. Braun uses the whole field and has quick hands at the plate. He lined out sharply to right field, doubled to left-centerfield, and had an RBI sac fly. A 6.88 runner, Braun accelerates on the bases and gets to full speed quickly.

+ 2021 C/IF Tripp Cromer (Bridgeland HS) is an aggressive left-handed hitter with life in his hands. Hitting in the cleanup spot, Cromer was 1-for-3 with a sharp single to left field, a fly ball to centerfield on the barrel, and a ground ball to second base.

+ 2020 RHP Dravin Barber (Groesbeck HS) has a projectable pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 180-pounds. The right-hander works from a ¾ slot with a clean arm stroke. His fastball sat 83-85 mph from the stretch, and he showed good feel for a 69-71 mph with 11/5 shape.

+ 2021 LHP/OF Luke Harrison (Lutheran South Academy) has a wiry, long-limbed frame at 6-foot-1, 155-pounds. On the mound, the left-hander works from a high-¾ slot with some funk in his delivery. His fastball comes out clean with his arm working well out front, flashing glove side cut at 78-80 mph. He spun one curveball at 71 mph. A two-way player and left-handed hitter, Harrison also showed a good swing when he flew out to left field on the barrel.

+ 2020 1B Mason Flinn (Memorial HS) collected three hits on Saturday, all three were hit hard on the barrel. The right-handed hitter has an aggressive approach and strong frame 6-foot-2, 180-pounds.

+ 2020 C Jacob Madden (Clear Creek HS) has strong arm behind the plate and a loose hack in the box. The right-handed hitter hammered a fly ball to right field and smoked a liner to center field on a curveball.

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