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A bounty of backstops Even
in a slightly "down" year for the Four Corners (Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico), the Cincinnati Reds
squad was well represented with a balanced mix of upside arms and positional talent. The Texas Rangers, comprised of
Texas and Louisiana preps, brought some power arms to the mound, although the team lacked a standout talent. The most
exciting players on the Rangers may have been not only position players, but underclassmen. Both the Reds and Rangers
shared a common bond in their collection of catchers, who covered the full spectrum from defensive specialists to offensive
threats to all-around talents. Any discussion of backstops at the Area Code Games must start with Blake Swihart (Cleveland HS, Rio Rancho, N.M.). Swihart is a switch-hitter with the
potential for a plus hit tool and above-average power thanks to his bat speed and strong wrists. Throughout the event,
he sprayed line drives around the field, suffering through an uncommon number of "at 'em" balls that resulted
in loud outs. He is generally short to contact and showed a high degree of pitch recognition by adapting to a variety
of arms. Defensively, Swihart is a comfortable receiver that exhibits a solid feel for the craft, but where he really
shines is in his catch-and-throw game. He has a nice release and excellent carry on his throws to second and third,
which is made possible by his plus arm strength, good body control and athleticism. Though he wasn't tested much,
he routinely recorded sub-1.9 pop times to second. Swihart is a good athlete who is also a solid defender in the outfield
and at the infield corners. He should be on the short list of potential first round prep players and is likely to be
the top catcher at any level entering the spring. Also showing well for the Reds was Greg
Bird (Grandview HS, Aurora, Colo.) and Ryne Dean (Red Mountain HS, Mesa, Ari.).
Bird earned his receiving stripes working with now-LSU freshman fireballer Kevin Gausman,
an Under Armour and Aflac All-American last summer and one of the top talents in this year's California Collegiate League
(a summer wood-bat league for college players). Bird shows very good raw power at the plate, though he is still working
to convert that raw power into a usable in-game weapon. While his receiving is solid, his footwork needs to be refined,
as he will occasionally drop his back foot too far towards the third-base dugout, causing him to come across his body and
sail his throws. Dean was also solid behind the plate, showing some arm strength but inconsistency in his accuracy.
The Rangers showed off a trio of Houston catchers in Daniel Mengden (Westside
HS, Houston, Texas), Wayne Taylor (Memorial HS, Houston, Texas) and rising junior
Hunter Kopycinski (St. Thomas HS, Houston, Texas). Mengden is a comfy receiver who gets good carry on his throws and registered 1.93-1.96 in-game pops and as
low as 1.87 between innings. There is some general cleanup to be done on his footwork and release, but he already has
good catch-and-throw skills and moves well from side to side. At the plate, he is primarily a line-drive bat, though
there is enough leverage in his swing to project some power if he can add loft. Solid offspeed pitches gave him some
trouble, but he does have the foundation for solid future offensive production. Taylor flashes a very quick transfer
and release, with his feet doing an admirable job of keeping up, but his carry is inconsistent and he may need to slow things
down to help him repeat. The quick feet also work well from side to side, and he was among the best in blocking balls
in the dirt. Offensively, he displayed pop to the gaps, lacing a double to right-center field (although he was thrown
out after trying to stretch a double into a triple). Kopycinski was generally around 2.1 seconds to second between innings,
but he notched a 1.95 in-game on Day Four. His footwork needs improvement, as he gets out front way too early, which
causes him to lose force on his throws. He is a clean receiver and is likely to be one of the higher follows at his
position in the 2012 class. More player notes: - Bryan Brickhouse | rhp | The Woodlands HS, The
Woodlands, Texas: Brickhouse had one of the better pure arms at the event, generating low-90s velocity from a relatively
easy delivery. His quick arm helped produce above-average bite on a hard, low-to-mid-80s slider that flashed both tilt
and late dive. His curveball is softer, generally sitting in the mid-to-upper 70s with inconsistent shape. And
while he doesn't use it often, Brickhouse can throw a nice changeup with some deception and drop, registering 10-12 mph
slower than his fastball. He throws with some effort, however, evidenced by a head whack that contributes to occasional
control issues.
- Connor
Castellano | ss/2b | Evangel Christian Academy, Shreveport, La. - Castellano has a sound approach at the plate with the ability to spray line drives
to both gaps. He shows good footwork at both second base and shortstop and is capable of fielding either position at
the collegiate level, although his footspeed and range may ultimately spell a permanent shift to second once he moves on to
pro ball. Castellano should be a high follow this spring with the chance to take off if he can continue developing both
offensively and defensively.
- Kyle Crick | rhp | Sherman HS, Sherman, Texas - Crick sat 88-91 mph with his fastball and moved
it around well, showing an understanding of how to use it to set up his secondaries, a slider and a changeup. The slider
registers at 82-83 with tilt and hard, late bite, and it has the potential to grow into a legitimate "disappearing"
breaker. Crick creates arm-speed deception on his changeup, but he will need to refine his feel for the pitch in order
for it to be a weapon against more discerning bats.
- John Curtiss
| rhp | Carroll HS, Southlake, Texas
- Curtiss is a power righthander, capable of low-90s velocity, although he was down in the upper-80s at this event.
He currently does not have a consistent secondary offering, with his slider lacking bite from pitch-to-pitch and his changeup
still a bit too firm. Curtiss throws with some effort, making command an issue, and he can lose his slot and release
on each of his pitches. Still, there is projection in his solid frame, and the raw materials are there for him to develop
into a top-tier prep arm. His focus for the spring should simply be consistency with respect to his secondaries and
control.
- Matthew
Dean | SS/3B | The Colony HS, The Colony, Texas
- Dean entered the event as one of the more highly regarded shortstops, though his actions in the field left something to
be desired. With a number of slick-fielding gloves on the squad, Dean spent a fair amount of time at the hot corner,
where he looked sluggish and slow-footed. He has definite left-side arm strength, but he will need to work to show that
his defensive showing in Long Beach was an exception. At the plate, Dean has a powerful stroke, but can get long to
contact and needs to refine his approach. His frame could ultimately prompt a shift to third base, but his power potential
gives him the offensive profile that's desired for the position.
- Parker French | rhp | Dripping Springs HS, Dripping Springs, Texas - French displayed one of the best overall fastballs
at the event, hitting 93 mph, sitting in the low-90s, and showing solid command with life. He is a sturdy 6-foot-2,
195 pounds, and utilizes an under-control delivery that helps him produce a good release point and consistency
across his offerings. French can spot his curve, a mid-70s hook with 11-to-5 action and good bite. He also throws
an upper-70s changeup with arm-speed deception. French took the mound twice, throwing multiple innings each time
and not allowing a run in either appearance.
- C.J. Hinojosa
| ss | Klein Collins HS, Spring, Texas
- Hinojosa was one of the more exciting players in attendence during the six-day collection of games. A rising junior and
member of the prospective 2012 draft class, he already shows advanced actions in the field, including soft hands, good reads,
a strong arm and a creative flare that allows him to flash a spectacular play on occasion. He reads the ball very well off
of the bat, both from short and from second, and should be able to stick up-the-middle defensively. He is surprisingly slow
out of the box, making-up for some of that with average speed underway, but is far from a burner. His swing is generally on
a linedrive plane, showing hard contact to the gaps but not much carry. As a potentially elite defender up-the-middle with
a knack for squaring the ball, Hinojosa is among the top 2012 infielders on the circuit this year and should be a close follow
over the next 18 months.
- Michael
Howard | lhp | Prescott HS, Prescott, Ariz.
- Howard throws with some effort but shows a very quick arm, helping him to upper-80s velocities with his fastball. He can
land on a stiff front leg, combining with a slight shoulder tug to give him some control issues from time to time. His curve
is soft and slow, sitting in the low-70s and lacking consistent shape or bite. Right now Howard is an arm strength pitcher,
but there is plenty to work with and he has the athleticism to develop into a more refined hurler as he continues to log time
on the hill.
- Ricardo
Jacquez | rhp | Franklin HS, El Paso, Texas
- Jacquez is an undersized hurler with a big arm, capable of touching 94 mph of the strength of his arm speed. His curve lacks
big depth, but comes with good velocity (upper-70s and as high as 80 mph) and hard, late bite. He lacks the size to start
as a pro, but could develop into a solid late-inning arm. He is also an impressive draft prospect at shortstop.
- C.J. McElroy | of | Clear Creek HS, League City,
Texas - McElroy showed some
of the best speed out of the box at the event, clocking one home-to-first at 4.09 from the right side, as well as a number
of sub-4.2 times. He is a slasher at the plate that does a solid job of putting the ball in play, including by bunt, and can
beat out hits off the strength of his speed. Defensively, he has the range and the reads to project as a center fielder, though
evaluators are likely to be split on whether the arm is there to hold down the 8-spot as a pro. He moves well in the field
and is not afraid to leave his feet to make the play, be it to his side or charging-in.
- Chris McFarland | ss/2b | Lufkin HS, Lufkin, Texas - Like McElroy, McFarland is capable of earning
the infield hit, though his first-step quickness and plus footspeed were noticeably absent during his 30/60 yard dash. In-game
he clocked sub-4.2 times to 1st, and even a sub-4.1, showing a nice first step out of the box from the right side and good
explosiveness. His footwork carried over to the field, where he also showed soft hands and a solid arm (though his arm may
ultimately play best at second base as a pro). There is enough potential in the bat for him to shift to the outfield if necessary,
as he gets solid whip with the bat head and can produce hard contact to the pull side. He has a nice approach at the plate
and does a good job of working with what is given to him.
- Michael Reed | of/rhp | Leander HS, Leander, Texas - Reed shows average footspeed both in the outfield
and on the bases, though a solid first step helps that to play-up some on the defensive side. He has a compact build, capable
of producing solid hard contact, with a chance for some homerun pop as he refines his approach. He is a good athlete who finished
9th overall in the SPARQ testing at the event. On the mound, Reed threw almost all fastballs, sitting in the 86-89 mph range
with decent command. His curve showed little bite.
- Drew Stankiewicz | 2b/ss | Gilbert HS, Gilbert, Ariz. - Stankiewicz is an undersized middle infielder
with a nice glove and solid arm strength. He is capable of making the flashy play - and he showcased that ability on
multiple occasions at the event - but can get lazy with his footwork on the routine plays, causing some throws to sail.
At the plate, Stankiewicz has a balanced setup and does a decent job of getting the barrel to the ball. He can over-swing
and spin-off, making him susceptible to pitches away, and he still needs to refine his strike-zone command and pitch recognition.
He's a slightly below-average runner, both out of the box and under way.
- Trevor Story | ss/of | Irving HS, Irving, Texas - Story has the potential to shine as an offensive
shortstop, though his bat was lacking for most of the event. He was generally overly aggressive at the plate, but he
showed good bat speed. When he did reach base, Story showed some aggression, stealing second on a "first move go"
despite the pitcher throwing over to first base. He is not an elite athlete, but he shows sufficiently clean actions
at short to potentially stick there. He has a high level of comfort in the field and shows easy footwork and accuracy
on his throws. If Story can break out the bat moving forward, he could move up follow lists quickly.
- Michael Suiter | of | Punahou School, Honolulu,
Hawaii - Suiter put up one
of the more impressive SPARQ performances, finishing third overall while showing plus speed in the 30- and 60-yard dashes,
a 31-inch vertical and good strength in the power-ball throw. He has the arm strength for right field and enough foot
speed to potentially hold down center field. While his routes need some polish, he projects as an above-average defender
in both center and right. Suiter needs a fair amount of work at the plate, but his bar for offensive production should
be lower if he can provide value up-the-middle on the defensive side.
- Stephen
Tarpley | LHP | Gilbert HS, Gilbert, Ariz.
- Throwing exclusively out of the stretch, Tarpley boasted an upper-80s fastball with occasional arm-side life, touching 91
mph. His breaker is a mid-70s curve with a slurvy shape that flashes solid late action, and he shows some feel for an
upper-70s changeup. While Tarpley doesn't have a big body, his arm action is easy and he shows an ability to spot
each of his offerings. There is some room to add strength, and his three-pitch mix gives him a chance to start at the
pro level.
- Nick Williams | of | Ball HS, Galveston, Texas - A balanced athlete with solid speed and agility,
Williams walked away from the Area Code Games as the highest-scoring athlete in the SPARQ events, totaling 82.87 points (that
included a 64-foot power-ball throw). He is average down the line from the left side and a tick above-average underway,
has a nice first step, and gets good jumps on the basepaths. With room in his frame to add strength, he projects to
have plus power given his quick hands and the amount of leverage he is already capable of producing in his swing. Another
standout 2012 graduate, Williams profiles to an outfield corner where he could develop into one of the better bats in the
draft class.
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| Copyright DiamondScape Baseball LLC |
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| Blake Swihart (photo by Nick J. Faleris) |
SPARQ leaders30/60 -yard dash: 3.67/6.66
Michael Suiter
| of | Punahou HS (Honolulu, Hawaii) 20-yard shuttle: 4.21 Blake Swihart | c | Cleveland HS (Rio Rancho, N.M.)
Vertical:
34.7" Michael Reed | of | Leander HS (Leander, Texas) Power-ball throw: 64.0' Nick Williams | of | Ball HS
(Galveston, Texas)
Overall: 82.87 points Nick Williams | of | Ball HS (Galveston, Texas)
Top tools Hit Blake Swihart | c | Cleveland HS (Rio
Rancho, N.M.)
Power Greg Bird | c | Grandview HS (Aurora, Colo.)
Speed
C.J. McElroy | of | Clear Creek HS (League City, Texas) Arm Blake Swihart | c | Cleveland HS (Rio Rancho, N.M.) Defense (infield) C.J. Hinojosa | ss | Klein
Collins HS (Spring, Texas)
Defense (outfield) C.J. McElroy | of | Clear Creek HS (League City, Texas) Fastball (velocity) Bryan Brickhouse | rhp | The Woodlands HS (The
Woodlands, Texas)
Fastball (overall) Parker French | rhp | Dripping Springs HS (Dripping Springs, Texas) Breaking ball - slider Kyle Crick | rhp | Sherman HS (Sherman, Texas) Offspeed - changeup Parker French | rhp
| Dripping Springs HS (Dripping Springs, Texas)
More ACG team wraps
Part 2: Midwest/Northwest
Part 3: California
Part 4: Northeast/Southeast
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