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The Human Blur

December 15, 2022
Justin Goetz
Assistant Scouting Director

If you travel into the heart of Atlanta on Bouldercrest Rd, you’ll find a historic baseball complex that has shaped the careers of many MLB draft picks. The Gresham Park Sport Complex, run by the non profit Gresham Park Baseball and Softball Association (GPBSA). Braves 2022 Rookie of the Year Michael Harris was a 3rd Rd pick in 2019 that grew up playing and practicing here. Former Giants 3rd rounder Jalen Miller and Braves 32nd rounder Trey Harris who were teammates for the AA Mississippi Braves in 2022 grew up grinding on these fields. Heavily scouted 2023 draft prospects Antonio Anderson and Tai Peete also first made their names at this legendary complex. But there’s a new future star who grew up playing with Anderson & Peete and developed his physical and mental toughness at Gresham Park, 2024 SS Arnold Jay Abernathy Jr.

The 2022 Future Games (Team Georgia) Alumni was the first player off our roster to commit to a power 5 program. Almost immediately after FG he was on his way to Knoxville to visit the University of Tennessee, the organization currently taking the college baseball world by storm. His commitment followed soon after, and it was one that forced the baseball industry to follow suit with PBR that Abernathy was a national name with legit 5 tool potential. He was an absolute electric factory at Future Games, going 3-5 with 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, and 4 SB. Jay proved he could barrel some of the best arms in the country consistently, showing every trait needed to be a table setter at the games highest level in the future.
What got him here was a tough, exhausting path filled with hard work and adversity, but Jay wouldn’t have it any other way. Pressure makes diamonds, and that's what has created this explosive future draft prospect. Jay told me he trained anywhere possible as a youth with his dad (Jay Sr.), “We climbed fences to get onto baseball fields, I ran hills, pushed sleds at 6 years old, and never gave up. My dad is someone I look up to and he’s taught me alot through my life and career.” Abernathy has let nothing stand in the way of his baseball goals, and this type of determination and no excuses attitude is what stands out immediately with him. At Future Games, the energy and fearlessness were obvious and he set the tempo for our team as a whole.

Jay has tunnel vision and his focus is to do whatever it takes to make it to MLB no matter what it takes. He grew up emulating MLB legend and former MVP Jimmy Rollins, a player who, like Jay, had tools that played well above his size. Currently he loves to watch and study Georgia native and MLB All-Star CF Cedric Mullins, who has an eerily similar skill set to Abernathy. He has the mentality of a role model and a message for the younger generation who might not have the same opportunities as most travel ball kids in this expensive sport, “Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money or the newest equipment, but I want kids reading this article to know that anything is possible no matter your size or wealth, and I’m nowhere near finished.”

Approach

What stands out immediately above all else in his offensive plan is the decisiveness and fearlessness against big velocity early in counts. No matter how good a pitcher's FB is, they’re likely to regret challenging him with a first pitch heater. His ability to time up any delivery, reaction time, and quick twitch fibers make him a serious power production threat who can quickly ruin the plan of opposing arms in the first inning of a game. Not only can he rattle any arm with a leadoff double or triple, he’s got an exceptional feel as a bunter. And if he lays a solid bunt down the 3B/1B line, it’s a near guarantee for him to reach base safely. Then you have to worry about his near top of the scale speed burning catchers for an easy run before opposing teams can blink. If a pitcher tries to finesse him with junk, he will gladly work an 8 pitch walk and create havoc on the base paths. This trifecta of skills brings a dynamic look to the top of an order, as you have to respect his gap to gap juice just as much as his short game. As a LHH with run speed just as explosive as his bat speed, he doesn’t even have to square a ball up to get on quickly. With multiple 3.9 to 4.0 home to 1st times at Future Games, this is a plus plus runner NOW in game who wasn’t even fully healthy in the videos you see (was coming back from a strained hamstring)! When I asked Jay what his approach was, he said, “I stay aggressive in the box thinking middle away and do damage. I am also able to make mid swing adjustments.” This is the perfect thought process with someone of his skillset and spot on with how I see him. It allows Jay to take away the outer half of the zone and force pitchers to challenge him inside, where his lightning quick hands and reaction time allow him to turn the barrel in tight space and attack the baseball before it attacks him. Although he can get over aggressive on offspeed pitches, it’s much easier to refine/calm that down than ignite it at the plate in a player's development.
Swing Mechanics

Quite simply, the mechanics of his swing are extremely high level. His hips are the engine of the swing, controlling pace, timing, and creating explosive momentum in stride without impacting his weight distribution in the forward move or post landing. The patience he shows in his hands to keep them active in one spot as his hips rock back is the initial key to his well sequenced swing. This allows him to feel his toe tap (also helps him decelerate on offspeed) as the signal for separation timing, the central point where the upper and lower half will work in opposite directions of each other at the exact same time. Notice how his chest & hands don’t load until his back hip releases and he leaves the toe tap to stride, and they load slowly at the pace of the stride. The diagonal plane his shoulders rotate on in separation allow him to stay on the baseball and maintain direction up the middle following his lower half, creating a knob led path post landing. This enables his hands to stay inside the baseball regardless of pitch location, and give his barrel extended time through the hitting zone. It also connects his swing with the backside in linear fashion post landing, where the core and backside fire in perfect unison with the hands. Not only does Abernathy have special bat speed, the sequenced mechanics he has at the plate create more bat speed than his current strength alone by way of torque. With more strength coming, I think he will hit for considerable power production out of the leadoff spot. His upper half stays loose and his hands/elbows work close to the body both where they’re strongest/quickest and where he’s able to control them best and manipulate the path on pitches in/out/up/down. The lower half is elite, as his base increases by 25% post landing from where it originally starts with impressive momentum. With the toe tap, front hip release, and weight distribution keeping his head quiet and with the backside, he showcases unbelievable separation at landing. All big reasons why his balance (weight distribution 55% backside, 45% front side) and body control in an aggressive swing are extremely advanced. He’s able to flatten or steepen the swing path based on how a pitcher is working him vertically, and able to tighten or inside out the path based on how a pitcher is working him laterally.
Defense & Baserunning

Very instinctive defender with lightning quick first step and advanced footwork that always puts him in the best possible position to throw, even when off balance. Ability to change direction or redirect momentum on a dime. Very good feel for changing arm angles based on play type. Reactive hands and aggressiveness take away all bad hops. Plus exchange thats only going to get quicker. Can be more fluid in one motion on backhands. As a baserunner, his elite reaction time and explosive twitch create an unmatched start underway. Very powerful lower half for his size, running form like a college/nfl RB. Can improve selectiveness and deceptiveness on steals but at the HS level, everyone knows he’s going as soon as he gets on.
Scouting Report

Future every day MIF/CF with the tools to be an All-Star that will light up any atmosphere he steps into. A top of the order bat who will not only make consistent contact with his elite bat 2 ball skills and short game, but hit for power production by way of 2B & 3B’s. This is a player who has 2 tools that will show up every day regardless of offense, in his speed and glove. High motor player who plays with his hair on fire. Not the most selective leadoff hitter, but will make up for that with more HR than a typical table setter and impact RBI’s. Gold glove potential in the future at 2B/CF. Ability to stay at SS will depend on continued development of arm strength. I've seen lesser athletes stick at the No. 6 position.

Future Tools (Based off MLB scouting scale)

Hit - A/AVG. (Elite twitch and bat 2 ball, will play up due to bunts/IF choppers. Shows early stages of pitch recognition. Won’t be overmatched by velocity).

Raw Power - AVG. (Bat Speed, Exit Velocity, Strength Projection).

Power Production - A/AVG (Gap to gap approach, ability to keep balls fair down lines, can't be beaten inside. Creates carry to gaps due to backspin. 10-15 HR future. Speed will create more XBH’s).

Run - Excellent - (3.9 - 4.0 down line, 60 in 6.4 - 6.5 range currently. Explosive runner).

Field - SS (A/AVG), 2B (Plus), CF (Plus) - (Instincts, Range, Exchange, Arm Accuracy).

Throw - AVG (87 mph from IF. Consistently accurate throws from all angles).

Separators - Athleticism, Run Speed, Glove, Power Production.

Player Comparison - SS : Tony Womack. 2B : Chone Figgins. CF : Cedric Mullins.

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