Raymond
Specht

East-West Battle (July 2017)

Solid defensively with good range left/right and moves well forward on the run or back for in-between pop ups. Strong arm that can throw across diamond on a line from deep short. Showed a good bat hitting solid line drives on tough pitches with a good eye at the plate not chasing balls outside the zone.

NY Games (June 25-27, 2017) 

Athletic 6-foot-1, 170-pound infielder who is just growing into his frame, ran a 7.12/60. Offensively - short to the ball, with clean, fluid swing, stays on level bat path through the strike zone, comfortable driving to middle third of the field with an exit velocity of 79 MPH - that number will increase as he fills out frame, further lower body engagement will help in the process. Defensively - clean footwork, stays balanced, soft hands, quick transfer, accurate arm at 73 MPH, best baseball is ahead of him.

April 2017

6-foot-1 and lanky with tremendous foot speed, can easily see him getting up the line in sub-four on a dry day. Contact hitter who sprays the ball to all fields. Sure glove at second and demonstrates above average range.

Preseason All-State (February 20, 2017)

Specht is wiry/lean 6-foot-1 165 pound middle infielder who ran a 7.07 60. Offensively- Sets up in an even stance with flexion; weight slight posted up towards back leg. Hands work straight back off the shouler with a 45 degree bat angle, utilizes a toe tap gaining ground forward. Rotational from head to to toe with a direct line to contact; rolls through contact on front side with an elevated two-handed finish. Line drive, gap results with some lift to pull side. Exit velocity peaked at 81 MPH, a 7 MPH improvement. Defensively- Upright setup; active footwork staying on the balls of his feet. Creates proper angles when moving laterally; leans at the belt to get into fielding postion. Breaks hands across the belt line and throws from a 3/4 slot with accuracy. Suitable left side defender who could provide some athleticism at 3B or make a move to a corner OF position at the next level. Arm strength up to 75 MPH, an improvement of 1 MPH.

Diamond Pro Workout (January 14, 2017)

Specht checks in at 6-foot, 165 pounds. Recorded a time of 4.32 seconds from home to first base. Offensively- Starts with feet wider than shoulders and slight knee bend. Hands aligned slightly above back shoulder. Uses a quick toe tap stride to initiate swing. Hips are very rotational through swing. Bat path is short to ball; barrel gets level in the zone early. Hands stay tight to body before extending through contact. Has a high finish with backwards lean. Had an exit velocity of 74 MPH off of the tee. Middle to pull side line drive/flyball results. Defensively- Sets up with feet wide. Bend is mostly at waist and fields ball under his body. Transfers ball quickly to throwing hand. Uses a double shuffle to gain momentum towards target. Has a loose arm with an over the top arm slot. Had a positional throwing velocity of 71 MPH with more in the tank. 

WNY Holiday Clinic (December 15, 2015)

Stands 5’11 145 pounds with a long lean build.  At the plate he sets up shoulder width with elevated hands. He uses a small toe tap and has an uphill bat path with high finish.  With his frame he could create some serious whip if he’s able to shorten his bat path a little. In the field he works through the ball and shows a good release with an over the top arm action.  The 2018 middle guy has some projectable features that could lead to some good gains over the next few years.  As he adds some strength to his frame and smooths out his swing at the plate he’ll gain consistency.

WNY All-Star Games  (August 27, 2015)

Stands at 5-foot-11, 145 pounds, with an athletic body build.  He ran a 4.58 Home to 1^st from the right-hand side.  Defensively- He has a good approach through the ball, with good hands, throws with a high 3/4 arm action, plays through the ball nicely, with some of range, and has accuracy on the target.  His arm strength was 71 MPH.  Offensively- At the plate his setup is relaxed and balanced stance, leg kick stride, with a really long back load.  His hands are very compact, swinging with a little uphill tilt but straight to the ball, with extension through the ball finishing above shoulder height.  His exit velocity was 70 MPH.