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SoCal ProCase Spotlight: OF Cole Koniarsky

July 20, 2020
Les Lukach
State Scouting Director

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FULLERTON, CA. - For Cole Koniarsky the SoCal ProCase not only represented an opportunity to get in front of numerous scouts for the first time in several months, but also a chance to be on the field with an elite group of outfielders to see where he falls in place as we look ahead to the 2021 MLB Draft. With 67 representatives from 22 MLB Organizations in attendance, some teams 2-3 deep, and the talent on the SoCal ProCase roster, Koniarsky looked to seize the opportunity at hand and show that he belongs in the conversation when it comes to the 2021 MLB Draft. 

The outfield class is deep at the top in the state with plenty of players out to prove they belong in the conversation of being in the top group of top prospects. Koniarsky, currently ranked #27 in the state and #5 outfielder overall, is in prime position to be firmly entrenched in that conversation. 

A starting outfielder since his freshman year at Ayala, Koniarsky has long been known for his abilities on the grass where his feet work very well with his body hinting that athleticism won't be hurt when he adds another 20-25 pounds and is fully developed. His actions are smooth and although he had trouble with two hops on balls, his track record is that of a sure handed outfielder. He continues to show the ability to cover a lot of ground and track balls with ease allowing his arm (80 mph) to play up. His arm showed improved accuracy on throws to both third base and home plate predominantly on a line without much hump.  

Long known for his speed and athleticism, Koniarsky's abilities at the plate have shown the most growth since my last viewing. He’s still short-and-quick to-and-through the ball to extension. And he still has some power that is showing itself more consistently and easily as he’s matured physically into a 6-foot-4, 195-pound outfielder with more even power to come. However, it was the adjustments he showed during BP and in-game that impressed. 

After a so-so first round of BP that saw him square up only one ball in his previous four swings, he finished the round strong with one ball off the LF wall, one pounded into the LF gap, and one pounded to dead center. He carried that over into his second round that saw him stay middle-middle with line drive after line drive. It was a great sign of his maturity as a hitter and his ability to adjust his plan at the plate. 

Koniarsky has added some physicality to his frame that has translated into more consistent power. His Blast Slash Line, which measures avg. Bat Speed/Rotational Acceleration/On Plane Efficiency, of 68.8mph/17g/55% were all slightly to above average for the entire ProCase. He shows easy, natural power that sounds differently off the bat from a rather simple load where he remains mostly quiet before driving into the ball often catching the ball out front resulting. 

We’ve seen Koniarsky develop from a burner outfielder who snuck up on people as a freshman at Ayala to a legitimate MLB Draft prospect who presents much more than one tool for scouts to take note of. A Cal State Fullerton commit, Koniarsky will be a player scouts continue to monitor closely heading into his senior season. 

I go back to the adjustment he showed during BP. It wasn’t simply the awareness that he needed to make the adjustment, it was the ability to process that and make the adjustment between pitches during BP in front of that audience and then show that same ability in-game. Those are the types of things that get you in the springtime conversations leading into the draft.

After all, that’s when the conversation for best outfielders matter the most. 

 

THE REPORT:

Blast Motion Data: 

Body: 6-foot-4, 195-pounds. Long, lean, wiry, strong and athletic with some twitchiness. Frame should easily withstand the addition of mass/strength as he continues to mature physically. Large hands. Broad shoulders. High waist. 

Hit: Compact swing with a line drive approach favoring the pull-side. Uses present hand quickness to get the barrel inside the ball even on inside pitches while showing the ability to go the other way on a line.

Power: 97 mph exit velo on Trackman during BP. Power is present in gap-to-gap deep line drives throughout his BP rounds. There’s projection there for over-the-fence all-fields power in the future, with it present to the pull side now. 

Field: Covers a lot of ground with instincts and excellent reads off the bat. Takes good routes to the ball and is efficient with his footwork. Lines himself up to the target well when possible. Shows the ability to cover lots of ground to both sides.

Arm: Arm is accurate with average strength presently. Balls comes out from a high ¾ slot on a line with very little hump. 

Run: 6.98 laser timed 60 on a grass surface. 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

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