Crack of the Bat
More Jupiter Part 5
By Blaine Clemmens
Ok, this is the previously promised "last" report from the first full day at 2005 WWBA Championships. Three games were in the stadium to finish that day and featured some of the nation's top teams and players. The highlight of the night was the previously alluded to performance by Orlando Scorpions catcher Max Sapp, but there were also impressive mound performances for the Akadema/IN Yankee Nationals and the Houston Heat Silver.
The game scheduled at 5:20 in the stadium was between the Akadema/IN Yankee Nationals and the Orlando Scorpions team. The top prospects in this game stood out pretty clearly. On the mound for the Yankee Nationals was 6'3" 165 lb. '06 RHP Tyler Blandford. Blandford had one of the strongest arms I saw in Jupiter. Now, he is not exactly what you would call a refined and polished pitcher, but he is talented. We don't have a college commitment listed for Blandford, but I have to believe he is committed somewhere, as he is a very draftable talent.
Blandford touched up to 93 mph in the first inning and was 90-92 that whole inning. In the second and third innings he was in the 88-90 range. Part of the reason he was never in the 91-93 range after the first is that he is the epitome of a max effort pitcher. Blandford pitches from a high 3/4 slot with a very quick arm and a long two-piece action on the backside. However, he rushes down the slope which causes that quick arm to lag behind, resulting in four hit batters in that game, and in general, his delivery is violent.
That delivery/approach also hurt Blandford's breaking ball (71-75 mph), causing it to be up in the zone because of arm lag or in the dirt because he held it too long trying to get it in the zone. I believe that an above average breaking ball is in there, but he is going to have to back off the pedal to allow his hand to get in a position where he can feel his release point. Surprisingly, Blandford's best secondary pitch was his change-up (81-83).
Blandford finishes upright and doesn't finish his pitches but his issues are not really mechanical issues. An adjustment in his approach and understanding/trusting of his own ability would seem to be all that is holding him back. Arm strength, talent, and aggressiveness are already present in Blandford and every coach in America will tell you that they would rather try to tame a wild stallion than have to spur someone with talent but a lack of aggressiveness. I don't know of too many pitching coaches that wouldn't want to have a crack at coaching a kid with Blandford's arm.
I recall in the first report that I said I wouldn't be doing a lot of scouting report type writing. Well, guess that has gone out the window. Can't help it. If you are taking the time to read my reports, then I feel the responsibility to share with you all that I was thinking about the players. They put in so much time and effort to be become prospects and when I come across players I like, I feel that I owe it to them to recognize them.
Ok, first tangent out of the way. Other players on the Yankee Nationals that I liked for one reason or another were corner infielder Wade Gaynor (committed to Western Kentucky, a R/R athletic bodied player with some bat speed) - infielder Marvin Sanchez (not on roster, not sure if he was '06 or '07, short swing, quick from left side, switch hitter, wiry and athletic frame, good actions, goes to ball well, projection type athlete) - '07 OF Don Lambert (L/L wiry athletic body, lets the ball travel, nice hand path, good pitch recognition) - '07 MIF Alex McClure (undersized but he can really play SS and has a nice stroke) - '07 catcher Dylan Swift (didn't bare down on him real hard, but he is a good looking young player).
Now, let's get to the Orlando Scorpions, in particular two or three of their big time '06 players - catcher Max Sapp (committed to Florida State), CF Derrick Robinson, and SS Mike Freeman (committed to UGA). Most of you that follow PG events are very well aware of Sapp and Robinson from PG National and the AFLAC All-American game. My first look at Sapp was after his sophomore year at a regional showcase and then at a national showcase as the only underclassman at that event. I knew he was good, but he went beyond what I had seen in the game against the Yankee Nationals.
As for Robinson, I had not previously seen him, but had rave reviews about his performance at the East Coast Professional Showcase last summer. Freeman had not made it onto my radar at all, but I really enjoyed watching him play. Georgia got a very good player and he should make an outstanding college player. Robinson on the other hand, though I am not sure of his college commitment if he has one, is not likely to step foot on a college baseball field as a collegiate player, unless it is as a draft and follow prospect at a junior college.
Because I know I am going to go on and on about Sapp's night, let's get to Freeman and Robinson first. Freeman is a L/R 6'0" 170 lb. SS/OF. That night at SS he showed the ability to make plays on the move. I really liked his feet at that position and the way his arm worked very easily across the diamond. On the turn at 2B Freeman showed quick hands and threw accurately with above average arm strength.
Freeman went down the line in 4.21 (5-3 ground out) and 4.36 (infield 1B toward second base) and for the most part he is a line drive/ground ball type hitter with a nice opposite field approach. In the seventh inning of a scoreless game he knocked in the game's only run with a single through the six-hole. He hits from an open stance and has good bat speed. Not sure how he handles the inner half (broken bat on that infield single), but if the open stance is any indication, it is something he is working on. In any case, Freeman is one of the top all-around SS prospects I have seen in the '06 class, maybe not for this draft, but I would expect him to emerge as a strong prospect during his college career.
With Robinson it is simple; he can flat out fly. In three at-bats of that game against the Yankee Nationals I didn't get a running time after a full swing. He walked, put down a sac bunt (went 3.89 down the line on that one), and popped up to the pitcher as he attempted to bunt for a hit. I did see him in a few other games, albeit when I was looking over from another field, so my thoughts on him are not complete. I do know that Robinson is a plus runner with an exceptionally athletic body. He is a switch hitter and plays a premium position and has performed on some big time stages. Look for him to be selected in the upper regions of the earlier rounds.
Now, we finally get to Sapp. My previous times seeing Sapp told me that he is a prospect with the bat. He has shown plus power potential on many occasions and at the catching position, his power is a plus, especially since it comes from the left side. He is a strong 6'2" 205 and in the last couple of summers he has really firmed up his body. I know there was some concern about where his body could go when he was performing after his sophomore year. However, my thought is that he has gone in a positive direction since then which is a good indication of his desire to excel.
Sapp didn't have a big night with the bat but reminded me in many ways of former USC catcher and current Seattle Mariner prospect Jeff Clement (3rd overall pick in 2005 draft). You see, Clement has the ability to draw a ton of walks because even though he is a power hitter expected to produce power numbers, he generally does not chase pitches. Same thing with Sapp. He did punch out swinging at a couple back to back change-ups in his first at-bat, but they were quality pitches. In his next two at-bats he walked and refused to chase anything out of the zone.
We all know that Clement has plus power and a strong arm. Sapp has both of those attributes. But also like Clement, Sapp has a great motor and just loves to play. His energy behind the plate was excellent that night and I got the feeling that he is the type that can and will catch 140+ games on a yearly basis and not wear down, mentally or physically. In my notes I wrote that he has a "good ticker" and plays with good effort.
That night against the Yankee Nationals Sapp did not stand out with the bat, he did it with his arm, his energy, and with one of the most outstanding plays you will see a catcher at any level make. Sapp had four assists in that game, he threw out three runners at 2B and back picked a guy at first. On two of his throws to 2B I had him in the range of 1.90-1.93 and he was right on the bag. Sapp showed off efficient footwork, a patient exchange, and a plus arm. On the first steal attempt he actually double clutched a bit but stayed patient, understood the time he had and still delivered a seed to comfortably get the runner.
The first and second caught stealings took place in the second inning. The second one was the 1.90 laser and it wasn't even close at 2B. He looked like he as a man among boys. His next two assists even topped the first two.
I am not certain what inning "the play" took place in, but I will not forget what I saw. The hitter popped up a pitch that was headed to the backstop. It was not a high pop up and Sapp didn't see it right away. He got to his feet, found the ball and somehow got to it, diving toward the backstop head first to make the play. Great play, but that is not the best part. There was a runner at first base that decided to tag up and he took off as Sapp was landing during his dive. As he hit the ground, Sapp popped to his feet, gathered his wits, heard his teammates calling out the runner, and calmly threw a seed right on the bag to get the runner. Every scout and fan in the stands kind of just looked on like, "did we really just see that?"
The last assist, a back pick at first base, was no less impressive. Since I was watching Sapp so closely, I noticed him make non-verbal communication with the first baseman about a runner that was getting a bit too far off the base. Sapp got a great pitch to handle and quickly snapped a throw right on the bag to get the runner. My take on it is that the pitch he got to throw didn't happen on accident. He saw the opportunity for an out (late in a scoreless game, remember that part) and got the attention of the first baseman, which leads me to believe he called for a fastball away off the plate so he could make the quickest throw possible to first base. I could be wrong, but then again, I might not be.
Sapp dominated the game with his arm, effort, and aptitude. He still has that power bat, but that display of throwing had to increase his draft prospects. I realize that comparing Sapp to a former collegiate All-American that holds national records for his power hitting in high school is quite a lofty comparison. But I watched Clement play at least five times during his junior year at USC. I feel like I fully understand what makes Jeff Clement a great prospect and feel that Sapp has the same qualities. Neither one is noted as a great receiver, but both have left handed juice, plus arms, strong work ethic, durable and strong bodies, the comparison is natural, at least to me.
High school catchers don't often go in the first round, but Sapp has a chance to go very early in June. His arm and left hand bat, combined with his performance on a big stage in front of a big throng of scouts pushed him into the higher rounds, and I don't think it is out of the question to consider Sapp going as high as the second round. When players perform in the biggest PG events, they increase their draft status. Just ask outfielder Colby Rasmus, the former Russell County (AL) HS star that blew up at a PG event, which contributed to him becoming a first round pick last June.
A similar scenario may have unfolded for Colby's brother, Cory. The 96-97 mph Cory showed in this tournament (with the Ohio Warhawks) was the highest he showed and he unveiled a stronger and more powerful lower half. Though he is not your typical 6'3" - 6'5" RHP that scouts like (more like 6'0" 205ish), you can't ignore that power fastball and the torque he puts on the breaking ball. If he touches up to or pitches in the 96-98 range this spring, scouts will factor that with the 96-97 he showed in Jupiter and he could find himself in the first round area.
I knew this report was going to get long with that part about Sapp and didn't figure I would talk about the Rasmus boys. I still have to get to the Houston Heat/Long Island Titans game and the ABD/Pepsi Puerto Rico game. There were a couple of other Orlando Scorpions to keep an eye on - '06 6'3" 185 lb. LHP John Wiedenbauer has a long, fairly loose arm and tilts the ball well while being able to get to the opposite arm side. He went up to 86, but pitched below that. His curveball was big but pretty loose, so that needs to tighten up. He did maintain good arm speed with decent feel of his mid-70s change-up. There is some projectability with Wiedenbauer. College should be good for his development.
The Long Island Titans had some good college-type players including Michael Belfiore (6'1" 195, R/L), an '06 outfielder (also listed at 1B/P) that showed excellent defensive instincts and abilities, though his offensive approach had him a bit late to the ball. Wiry '06 SS Bobby Haney (L/R 6'1" 160) will flash very good actions but seems a bit preoccupied with being flashy. He has a good arm, quick hands and turns the double play well. He is not real strong yet, but gets the barrel to the ball. I had seen Haney with a nice opposite field approach before but was pleasantly surprised when he turned on an inside fastball and flew out deep to right.
The most interesting player for me on the Long Island team was '07 catcher Jonathan Candelier. Candelier plays with tremendous energy and some flair. He looks as though he patterns himself after Tony Pena, which is not necessarily a bad thing. He has good actions behind the plate, with lower half agility. He pops out of his crouch well and has a strong arm. For me he moves too far forward during his throwing set-up, but still delivered both game and warm-up throws in the 2.03-2.05 range (all three throws were in that range).
It also looked like Candelier knows the speed of the game and how to play within the flow of the game. His head is on a swivel and he seems to be aware of all that is happening on the field, like a true field general. Candelier is an aggressive hitter and frankly, he comes out of his shoes when he swings. With that approach he is going to accumulate his fair share of strikeouts (swing has length), but he also has some juice and will hit his share of doubles and dingers too.
Though it was not the best Houston Heat team that has won past WWBA events, the Silver team at 2005 WWBA Championships was talented. The most well-known '06 players on the Heat in Jupiter were LHP/1B Aaron Miller (committed to Baylor), SS Raynor Campbell (Baylor also), MIF/P Diego Seastrunk (Rice), and LHP Chris Bergmann (Arkansas). RHP Kyle Drabek was on the roster, but was not able to attend due to an injury.
The highest profile '07 grad on the Heat was SS/3B Kevin Ahrens. I was well aware of all the aforementioned players (except Bergmann) but there were some very interesting players I had not seen before. RHP Frank Corolla ('06 - 6'2" 160), RHP Justin Jackson ('07 - 6'4" 185), 2B/OF Chris Hermann ('06 - L/R - 5'11" 170), catcher Mickey Armstrong ('07 - R/R - 5'11" 185), catcher Kevin Gonzalez (committed to Texas A&M - R/R - 5'10" 175), and OF David Alleman ('07 - S/L - 6'0" 195) all caught my eye for one reason or another.
Miller basically showed the same stuff he has for some time now - 85-88, good downer curveball, pitchability, some deception by hiding the ball a bit behind his head. However, at this point it seems that he is becoming more of a prospect with the bat as scouts have seen him possibly plateau on the mound. He creates good leverage in his swing and could very well develop into a corner-type power bat. Interesting to see what will happen in the draft with him. My guess is that he goes to school, plays two-ways there, and then is drafted as a hitter in 2009.
Campbell is a strong hitter and gamer at the shortstop position. He showed range to the hole and enough arm to complete the play from there. Offensively he has a quick bat and the ball gets off his bat very well. He has good balance in his swing and with his no-stride approach he can handle all pitches. He is a below average runner (4.53 home to first) so some may try to move him off SS, maybe to 2B or 3B, depending in how his bat continues to develop. He is currently a line drive hitter with some gap power and for me, he simply can play the game.
Seastrunk is a powerful, stocky, twitchy player with plus bat speed and an aggressive hitting approach. He is ready to hit when the ball gets into the hitting zone and even though he is not a big kid (5'9" 185), don't let that fool you because he has some pop. As I recall from seeing him in the summer of '04 he also has a well above average arm and is an above average runner.
I did not see Bergmann on the mound, only at the plate. The other player I had seen previously and liked a lot was the '07 grad, Kevin Ahrens. In many ways Ahrens reminds me of UCLA freshman infielder Brandon Crawford. Ahrens is an athletically built player with pretty fluid movements. He takes excellent defensive angles and has a strong arm. He was playing 3B in this game, though from what I saw last summer he is a very capable shortstop.
Ahrens is a switch-hitter and has a lively bat that produces pretty easy power. His bat stays in the zone well and his hands get through the hitting zone well. He did not have the greatest night at the plate this night, but did produce 5.87 second hang time on a pop up to the catcher (hey, on a play when the watch was started and nothing else happened, sometimes having that hang time can tell you something about the way the ball gets off a player's bat). From the left side he has a slightly open stance and is willing to use the opposite field. Stay on this one, he just has the look of a young player that is going to explode into a big time prospect.
RHP Frank Corolla was one of the players I had not seen and I liked him. He is a wiry 6'2" 160 with a long and quick arm action. He displayed good body control and has plenty of arm strength. There is some effort in Corolla's delivery (and lots of head action), more than I would like to see for a kid with an arm like his. He really doesn't need to try to throw hard, he already has arm strength and arm speed. As his body develops (he has skinny ankles and calves), he is going to easily get into the low 90s.
In this game he was 87-88 during the game after warming up at 88. That is a clear indication that he has the arm to throw harder, but in the game he amps up his effort which actually takes his velocity backward. Corolla flashed a 77 mph two plane slider with hammerish late action. He didn't throw it a lot, but it is going to be a plus pitch for him as he continues to develop. He also showed a change-up (80 mph). Don't be surprised if he is a name that pops up late in the spring, especially if his body starts to keep some weight and strength.
Another Heat RHP stood out to me in this game, '07 grad Justin Jackson. Jackson is a tall though somewhat narrow pitcher. His body (6'4" 185) still has plenty of development. He has a loose and quick arm, with a very clean backside arm action. I liked that he was able to pitch in and out with his 86-88 mph fastball and also showed good pitchability with the curveball. Jackson used that curveball (71-75) for both strikes and outs and it had late depth. This youngster is going to keep getting better and better and could be one of the top '07s at this time next year.
Mickey Armstrong is an '07 catcher that is on a lot of radar screens. I didn't see the best of him I am guessing. I saw an aggressive hitter that takes a big swing. But I have only seen him once and will look forward to the next time to get a better feel for his all-around abilities. He was not catching in this particular game.
Second baseman Chris Hermann ('06, Tomball HS) is a quality hitter that will excel in college. He has a short swing, a quick bat, and sprays the ball all over the field. The ball gets off his bat well. If he is not committed to a college yet and there are college programs looking for a left hand hitting second baseman (also plays OF), this kid is going to hit and produce in a college line-up sooner rather than later.
The last Heat player to mention is '07 outfielder David Alleman. He is a switch hitter that displayed good balance and excellent bat control. He looked like he understands how to hit in situations and could develop into a very good RBI guy. He rounded the first base bag awkwardly after the only at-bat I saw (single to left for an RBI) and looked to hyper extend his knee. My initial thought was it looked like he may have torn his ACL as he was walking off the field because there appeared to be no stability in that knee. As it turns out, he only sprained his right ankle and has resumed his full baseball workout schedule. He is a good looking young hitter and one to follow. Also to note about Alleman is that he is a switch hitter and reportedly has flashed power from both sides. We will look forward to seeing more of him in 2006.
Ok, finally I am to the last game of the first full day. That game was between the ABD Bulldogs and the Pepsi Puerto Rico team. ABD won handily and eventually ended up in the semi-finals of the tournament. This ABD team is one of the better ones in recent years, and they are always good, so that tells you something about this club.
The top '06 players/prospects are 1B/OF Chris Parmalee (committed to Cal-State Fullerton and one of the small handful of HS hitters that is in the "best hitter in the nation" discussion), SS Luis Tovar (committed to UC Irvine - he is so polished with the bat and plays defense very fluidly), MIF Tommy Pham (committed to Cal-State Fullerton and has an abundance of tools that are still being refined), OF Matt Jaimes (committed to Hawaii and has a very quick bat and steadily increasing power), C Austin Rauch (committed to San Diego State and has a good combo of arm strength, solid exchange, good blocking ability, and power to the gaps), and OF Scott Berke (committed to Oregon State and has a flat, quick bat, usable speed and "dirtbag" type approach to the game - that is a good thing).
Before I saw ABD play I was very familiar with most of their top seniors and juniors, in particular Parmalee, Pham, and Rauch. Most of you reading this are aware that Parmalee had the best offensive tournament. He is a first round talent, whether he goes in that round or not. Not only can he hit and hit with power, but he is a plus base runner, has good hands on defense, and generally brings the entire package, including plus make-up. I have been around him on a number of occasions and have not ever been around a high profile player that is as gracious and humble as Chris Parmalee. He is a great kid and great player with a potential all-star career ahead of him.
Tovar is another player that is going to get some serious consideration for the upper rounds. I was not aware that his bat has advanced as far as it has. He can flat out hit. He drives the ball with authority to the opposite field and has power from gap to gap. At 6'2" 175 he is still a long way from being physically developed but you can see the muscle starting to cling to his frame. His hand path keeps him inside the ball yet he still gets to the pull side if he needs or wants to.
Defensively he flows to and through ground balls well and can play on the run. His release and timing are better than his arm strength, but I think he can stay at SS. Because of his bat some will want to move him to 3B someday, and if that happens, so be it, but even without above average wheels, he still has good range and looks like a solid defensive player. Overall Tovar has a very good feel for the game, all parts of the game. Fun player to watch play and not only that, he plays like he is having fun.
The other upper round talent in the '06 class was Tommy Pham. For me Pham is so intriguing because of his wiry strength, especially in his hands and forearms. He is not a very fluid defensive player in the infield because his feet don't work well enough. When it comes to making athletic and instinctive type plays he seems to do fine, but "the everyday, set-up to the ball and make the play" plays he sometimes struggles with. Pham does have good hands and his arm is a plus. At the plate his hands work equally as well. He has a quick bat and is whips through the zone easily with life. There is no problem for him to get to good velocity. My guess is that when the pro clubs work him out this spring, they are going to put him out in centerfield, where his plus arm and average speed will serve him well. He also throws 92 from the hill!
Jaimes does have juice in his bat, more than I remembered from last spring when I saw him play in a high school game and his arm has improved since then as well. He still will stay in left field, but he throws accurately and gets rid of the ball well. At the dish he is aggressive and has excellent bat speed. No one really hits that well for power at U of Hawaii, but he could be one that does. Certainly he will hit a bunch of doubles and later in his pro career those will turn into home runs.
The top two underclassmen for me were catcher Daniel Elorriaga-Matra and OF/P Ryan Pineda. Both are '07s. Elorriaga-Matra I have seen a number of times, Pineda I have seen twice now. Elorriaga-Matra is a plus catch and throw prospect with good receiving skills and a bat that projects to the middle of the line-up. He has had a chance to catch some of the nation's top high school pitchers during high school in South Florida so when he enters either D1 or pro baseball, he will be advanced for his age.
Pineda is undersized (5'11" 165) in terms of what we normally want to see out of RHPs, but he has good stuff, including a plus curveball (70-75 mph). I have also seen a usable slider out of him in the 77 mph range and he does a nice job of keeping that pitch down. His fastball at this point is 83-86 mph but that curveball is a difference maker. Offensively his hands work well in his swing. I have not seen enough of him offensively to really get a feel yet on that part of his game, but I do know that most every college coach in America would take that breaking ball - it is big and it is deep.
Another '07 grade sort of caught my eye too, 1B Anthony Rizzo (6'2" 220 L/L). Rizzo has present day juice and a pretty short swing. Strong left handed power hitters with short swings are not real common, so keep your eye on him. Yes, there is some concern that his body could really get away from him, but as long as he keeps swinging a big bat, he will get attention.
Eric Hillenbrand threw a good game against Puerto Rico and he has pitchability. He is a big and strong pitcher with a durable frame (6'3" 215) but for me, right now I see him as a college pitcher. His fastball was 84-87 mph, which is basically what I saw two summers ago. He does have nice curveball with late action and he pitches well with it. I didn't see him swing the bat in the tourney, but I know there are those out there that feel his brightest future is with the bat. Stay tuned on him.
Ok, that was one long report. I need a break. Next report: I will start to breakdown the rest of the tournament and work on focusing on some of the other teams. Hopefully you have enjoyed my translation of my experience as one roving scout at a huge tournament. It certainly is a challenge, but when it is all said and done, the opportunity to scout, evaluate and then report about that experience is worthwhile for me, and I hope for those of you that read these reports.