With 36 total teams
playing at least three games (not including playoff competition)
across seven fields over the greater Fresno metropolitan area, it was
difficult to see all of the talented players that participated in the
California World Series, but here are some of the players that stood
out to this one evaluator over the course of the long weekend.
Matt Manning
(2016, Elk Grove, Calif.) has an extremely projectable frame. The
righthanded pitcher was a participant at the Perfect Game
All-American Classic just a couple of months ago at Petco Park in San
Diego, where he hit 95 mph in his one-inning stint. On Saturday, the
Loyola Marymount commit took to the mound for the NorCal Baseball
Upperclass team in front of a handful of scouts from the area. The
6-foot-6, 190-pounder has very long levers and plenty of room to fill
into his angular, lean frame.
Working consistently
in the 90-92 mph range with his fastball in the early going, Manning
was able to overpower most of the opposing lineup. Manning lands
slightly closed and works a bit crossfire, but he creates a good
angle to the plate and can be particularly difficult against
same-sided hitters. At times, he falls out of his delivery, getting
too rotational and spinning over his frontside in the process, but as
he continues to add strength and develop physically he should be able
to more consistently stay within himself.
Manning has plus arm
speed coming through the backside, and he flashed some feel for his
76-78 mph curveball, with the best offerings showing 11-to-5 break
with solid depth and later break. At times, the pitch could spin a
bit too early out of the hand and show softer, rolling depth in the
73-75 mph range. There are still some things to be ironed out, but
with the physical projection and present raw elements, it is easy to
see why Manning is discussed as one of the top righthanded pitchers
in the 2016 class.
Arman Sabouri
(2016, San Jose, Calif.) pitched opposite of Manning on Saturday
night, and the California commit more than held his own. The
5-foot-11, 180-pound southpaw has a solid build with present strength
and athleticism in his compact frame. Sabouri has some funk and
deception in his delivery, as he works to a three-quarters arm slot
with an extended, loose arm stroke. His 84-88 mph fastball has
natural short tailing action and solid finish, and he did a solid job
of keeping the ball down in the zone, where it was difficult for
hitters to barrel and lift. Sabouri also showed quality feel for his
slider, with the offering displaying short, late tilt in the 79-80
mph range and some more sweep and gloveside finish when in the 76-77
mph velocity band. He also worked in a changeup in the upper-70s, but
was largely able to succeed on the command and feel for his
fastball/slider combo. He has an advanced feel for pitching and
sequencing and he should be a quality pitcher at the next level.
Matthew Fraizer
(2016, Fresno, Calif.) was the headline prospect for the Central Cal
Baseball Academy Upperclass, a scrappy team that reached the
semifinals and nearly advanced to the championship game, losing a
close game in extra innings against CCB Elite. Fraizer, a Perfect
Game National Showcase participant, is committed to the University of
Arizona. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound outfielder has a highly projectable
frame. He has some present strength and shows solid bat speed and the
ability to whip the barrel through the zone. He could develop some
more power as he continues to fill out and develop physically, while
at present he shows a measured gap-to-gap approach utilized to take
advantage of his plus speed (4.09 home-to-first from the left side).
His speed plays well in the center field as well, where he showed an
ability to track down balls into the gaps with relative ease.
Carter Aldrete
(2016, Fairfield, Calif.) helped CCB Elite Upperclass advance to the
Upperclass Championship game. The Arizona State commit is a
physically impressive player, as the 6-foot-2, 185-pound shortstop
has plus projection remaining on his frame. He is a solid athlete and
moves well to either side while playing defense. At the plate, the
righthanded hitter has solid balance and bat speed with quick hands
and strength in his forearms and wrists.
Korey Lee
(2016, Vista, Calif.), an uncommitted catcher, played well this
weekend. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound righthanded hitter has quality
strength and bat speed, and he showed some power potential, stroking
a well-hit double to the left center field gap. At times his swing
could lengthen a bit, but Lee has high-level hitting tools to work
with. Lee was also solid behind the plate, showing quiet hands and
receiving and lateral quickness to block balls in the dirt.
Chris Jimenez
(2017, Fontana, Calif.), another catcher that is presently
uncommitted, performed well and always a pleasure to watch. At
5-foot-8, 170-pounds, Jimenez doesn’t fit the prototypical catcher
mold, but his game is reminiscent of players such as Austin Barnes,
as Jimenez also has the ability to play both the infield and
outfield. He’s polished defensively behind the dish, showing good
flexibility, receiving and footwork to go along with a strong arm.
He’s always a threat to cut down opposing runners, as he did over
the course of the weekend, including throwing out two runners in one
game on Saturday. At the plate, the right handed hitter has a
contact-oriented approach with good plate discipline/coverage and
comfort in using the entire field.
Donta Williams
(2017, Las Vegas, Nev.) was named the MVP of the Underclass Pacific
tournament, and the University of Arizona commit has a high ceiling.
The 5-foot-10, 150-pound outfielder patrols center field well.
Williams’ speed is game-changing and he did a tremendous job of
setting the table the entire weekend as CBA Marruci’s leadoff
hitter. He showed off a disciplined approach at the plate, using the
entire field and rarely expanding the strike zone.
Evan Rocha
(2018, Fresno, Calif.) is an intriguing uncommitted infielder. The
compact 5-foot-7, 150-pounder showed good actions at shortstop and
impressive range to both his left and right. At the plate he showed a
contact-oriented approach with solid hand-eye coordination and good
tracking and plate discipline. While he may project best at second
base at the next level, Rocha is definitely a player worth watching
in the coming years, particularly if he continues to add strength and
mature physically.
Brian Hefner
(2018, Madera, Calif.), Rocha’s teammate for Central Cal Baseball
Academy Underclass, is another interesting uncommitted plater out of
the greater Fresno area. Hefner, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound first baseman
is a bit raw, but the lefthanded hitter has the physical tools, bat
speed, and strength that can play at the next level. Starting with an
open stance, Hefner has a good shift and weight transfer a la Adam
LaRoche, and he maintains solid balance in his swing. There some
stiffness in his swing and overall actions in the field, but as he
continues to mature and grow into his body, Hefner should more
consistently show off his impact potential.
Zachary Chalmers
(2017, Sam Ramon, Calif.) is an uncommitted righty that displayed
some impressive arm strength. The 6-foot, 175-pounder sat in the
85-88 mph range with his fastball, touching 89 mph in the early going
of his outing on Saturday morning. He also worked in a 74 mph
curveball.
Chalmer’s
teammates on the North Coast Reds Underclass, Quentin Selma
(2017, Clovis, Calif.) and Zach Presno (Clovis, Calif.) both
showed off quality tools that have made them Fresno State University
commits. Selma has a nice 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and displayed
above-average bat speed and developing power potential, while Presno
has solid defensive skills behind the plate with quality receiving
and blocking skills.
Brendan Tinsman
(2018, Cape Elizabeth, Maine) was one of the few non-California
players that participated in the tournaments this weekend. The Maine
native, playing for Phenom Signature underclass, cuts an athletic
figure and it easy to see why the 6-foot-2, 190-pounder is currently
ranked 71st in PG’s 2018 rankings and is already committed to Wake
Forest. Tinsman should continue to add strength onto his frame, and
he shows good balance and an easy, measured weight shift in his
swing. He’s able to generate natural backspin and carry, which
along with his impressive strength allows for considerable carry off
of the barrel. He feasts off of mistakes and ripped a double on a
fastball left up in the zone. He’s certainly a player worth
monitoring over the next few years.
Patrick
Wicklander (2018, San Jose, Calif.) is an interesting uncommitted
southpaw. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound sophomore has a projectable frame
and some deception in his delivery and three-quarters arm slot. He
generally worked in the 82-84 mph range with his fastball and showed
flashes with his 68-71 mph breaking ball that had quality sweep and
finish to the gloveside.
Isaac Esqueda
(2017, Pomona, Calif.) pitched opposite of Wicklander on Saturday
afternoon, and the uncommitted lefty also showed off solid stuff.
Esqueda has some funk in his own delivery, with a quick pace and
varied direction to the plate. He touched 88 mph with his fastball,
generally sitting in the 84-87 mph range and generated solid plane
and angle from his high three-quarters arm slot. While his secondary
pitches still need some refining—he showed off a sweeping breaking
ball and a changeup—Esqueda has natural cut action on his fastball,
and it was a quality pitch when he located it down in the zone.
After impressing at
the PG Evoshield Underclass back in September, Carlos Lomeli
(2017, La Habra, Calif.), a St. Mary’s commit, again showcased his
quality heater running his fastball up to 92 mph. He worked to all
four quadrants with his fastball and showed quality feel for his
changeup.
Johnny Kuhn Jr.
(2017, Lakewood, Calif.) and Matt Sauer (2017, Santa Maria,
Calif.) both also performed well and the PG Evoshield Underclass last
month, and the talented right handed pitchers carried that
performance over to this weekend. Kuhn, a Long Beach State commit,
and Sauer, an Arizona commit, pitched in the same game for CBA
Marrucci. Kuhn again displayed quality feel for both his 85-86 mph
fastball and 77-77 mph slider, striking out six over three innings.
Sauer came on in relief of Kuhn, and the projectable 6-foot-3,
185-pound righty sat in the 87-90 mph range with his fastball. He has
plus armspeed coming through and is a good athlete. On this occasion,
Sauer showed quality feel for his mid-70s slider with it offering
good two-plane tilt and sharp finish.
Josh Zamora
(2017, Foothill Ranch, Calif.) displayed good defensive actions and
athleticism at shortstop. The uncommitted infielder has very good
body control, range, and smooth hands to go along with a quick
release and accurate arm.
Carson Rudd
(2017, Agoura, Calif.) was a participant at June’s Junior National
Showcase, and the projectable righty continued to show why he’s
such a highly regarded pitcher for the 2017 class. Rudd touched 88
mph in the early innings, working mostly in the 84-86 mph range with
his heater. The 6-foot-5, 160 pound Stanford commit has a narrow
frame but still has plenty of room to fill out, and with a clean and
loose arm-action it is easy to envision him adding velocity over the
next few years with additional muscle and physical development. Rudd
also flashed a low-70s curveball with good depth and varied 12-to-6
to 11-to-5 shape.
Javier Felix
(2019, Watsonville, Calif.) pitched opposite of Rudd in what was one
of the premier pitching matchups of the Underclass tournament. Just a
freshman in high school, Felix has a large, yet projectable 6-foot-1,
170-pound frame. He has quality present strength, but has the
potential to grow into a physical specimen as he has broad shoulders,
wide back and well-proportioned lower half. With a measured, simple
pace Felix is able to repeat his delivery and mechanics very well for
such a young pitcher. He has a full, extended arm-action with a
slight hook on the backside, but with his plus armspeed and
athleticism he is able to work to his three-quarters arm slot with
ease. Touching 85 mph throughout the game, the young righty
predominately sat in the 82-84 mph range with his heater. While his
fastball command still needs some fine-tuning, he flashed the ability
to use the offering to both sides of the plate. Felix has very good
feel for his 71-74 mph slider, using the pitch often and able to
manipulate the shape and depth on the pitch depending on count and
situation. It has a chance to be a very special offering for him down
the road.
Hayden Petrovick
(2016, Azusa, Calif.) displayed quality arm strength from the left
side. The 6-foot-3, 195 pound southpaw is a San Diego State commit.
On Sunday, Petrovick touched 89 mph with his fastball, locating the
offering pretty well to his armside. He flashed some feel for a
low-70s curveball, locating the offering better in the later innings,
while also working in a harder breaking ball and changeup in the
upper-70s.
Jaylon McLaughlin
(2016, Los Angeles, Calif.) is a live-bodied athlete with impressive
quick-twitch and explosion. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Nevada commit
presently plays shortstop, although he also has the athleticism and
speed to fit in center field.
Nathan Webb
(2017, Moreno Valley, Calif.) flashed loud tools throughout the
weekend. He hit two homeruns on Saturday, and the 5-foot-11,
185-pound UC Riverside commit has a strong, sturdy build with good
bat speed and quick, strong wrists. He also has some big arm
strength, showing a fastball up to 91 mph off of the mound in a one
inning stint. While he’s extremely raw as a pitcher, the arm
strength is undeniable and plays well in right field (and potentially
catcher although I did not see him play there this weekend).
Webb’s teammate on
Saddleback Cowboys, Rory Smith (2017, Riverside, Calif.)
showed solid defensive skills behind the plate. The 6-foot, 185-pound
catcher is a Cal Baptist commit, and he is a vocal leader with
quality receiving and blocking skills.
Jimmy McClenaghan
(2017, Modesto, Calif.) was named the Underclass Coastal MVP. The
6-foot-2, 164-pound outfielder impressed at the West Underclass
Showcase a few months ago, and the Nebraska commit again displayed
his potential this weekend. He has solid bat speed and strength at
the plate to go along with solid foot speed and defensive instincts
in center field and he projects well.
Julian Favela
(2018, Modesto, Calif.) helped the NorCal Young Guns Underclass
capture the Underclass Coastal Championship thanks to his strong
pitching performance. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound sophomore has an
online delivery with solid downhill plane. He showed good command of
his 80-85 mph fastball, locating the offering to either side of the
plate and effectively using it at or above the letters with two
strikes. He also showed some feel for a developing 67-70 mph
curveball with varied 11-to-5 to 10-to-4 shape.
Over the course of
the summer Jack Owen (2017, Coto De Caza, Calif.) has been
very impressive at a number of Perfect Game tournaments. Owen pitched
extremely well on Monday, throwing a complete game shutout in a
semifinal game. The Mississippi State commit again showed advanced
pitchability, mixing in three pitched adeptly. Owen commands his
83-85 mph fastball well, keeping it down in the zone often and has
tremendous feel for his deceptive, fading 69-71 mph changeup.
Additionally, he’s a good athlete who plays a quality center field
and swings the bat well.
Daniel Martinez
(2016, Riverside, Calif.) is a primary shortstop, but he showed off
some arm strength and competiveness on the mound on Monday. The
5-foot-11, 170-pound UC Riverside commit hides the ball well and has
some deception with a slight pause in his delivery. He worked in the
83-86 mph range with his fastball and showed off very good feel for a
diving 76-78 mph changeup. Additionally, flashed a solid breaking
ball with occasional hard, slider tilt. Martinez also hit well, with
the lefthanded hitter showing good feel for manipulating the barrel.
Sean Ross
(2017, El Cajon, Calif.) also displayed big arm strength and a
two-way potential. Ross, a primary outfielder, helped CBA Marucci
clinch the Underclass Pacific Championship as the 6-foot, 180 pound
Arizona commit threw four shutout innings. The tightly-wound Ross is
a tremendous athlete and he was up to 89 mph in the first inning
before settling in at the 86-88 mph range with his heater. While
there is some head snap and recoil, Ross commanded his fastball well,
locating it down and to the gloveside without issue. At the plate
Ross has a large leg lift trigger and big-time bat speed.
Daniel Cervantes
(2017, La Mesa, Calif.) has impressive strength in his compact
5-foot-11, 180-pound frame. The uncommitted middle infielder hit well
all tournament and is a solid overall athlete. As he did at the PG
Evoshield Tournaments last month, Cervantes showed quality bat speed
from the right side and some juice and pop to his pullside. He
manipulates the barrel well and has shown the ability to use the
entire field with authority.