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Morton College Scout Day: Takeaways

October 5, 2023
By: Tyler Defibaugh
Illinois Staff

On Monday, Oct. 2nd, PBR Illinois traveled to Goss Field in Cicero, Ill., for the Morton College Scout Day. The event featured over 35 players and allowed our staff to get an inside look at the Panthers before the 2024 season.

Shortly after the event’s conclusion, we rolled out a full statistical data dive, highlighting several of the day’s standout performers from a measurable data perspective. Learn more about those names, here.

We’re diving deeper into the event today with these takeaways, where you’ll learn more about a handful of the day’s standouts.

pitchers

+ A recent standout at the NJCAA Region IV Showcase, RHP Sebastian Gutierrez (Nazareth, 2022; IL) stood out once again for the Panthers. Standing in at an athletic 6-foot-1, 180-pounds, Gutierrez is a quick mover down the mound. Gutierrez worked a three-pitch mix throughout his 'pen with each offering playing with above-average metrics. His fastball was lively, working 88-90 mph, touching 90.9 mph at its peak with an average IVB of 19”, an average spin rate of 2,370 rpm, and an average of 15.3” HM. Gutierrez complemented his fastball with a changeup that sat 78-80 mph with an average of 17.3” HM, and rounded out his arsenal with a high-spin curveball (avg. 2,763 rpm).

+ Returning RHP Jeremy Fox (Riverside Brookfield, 2021; IL) was an intriguing bullpen to watch on the day. Fox works with an uptempo delivery and throws from a low slot consistently with his four pitches. Fox’s fastball played in the mid-80’s, topping out at 86.7 mph with an average HM of 17.3”. Fox’s best off-speed pitch in this look was his changeup that had similar horizontal movement (17.2” average HM) to his fastball. Fox also flashed feel for a curveball and a slider to round out his mix. Fox posted a 3.04 ERA and a 10.32 K/9 during the 2023 season.

+ Freshman RHP John McGlynn (Oak Lawn, 2023; IL) gave an upside look to our staff on the bump. McGlynn stands at 6-foot-1 with strength throughout his frame. McGlynn had a two-seam fastball that played in the 83-84 mph range with an average HM of 14.3” (19.6” max). He mixed in two high-spin breaking balls with his 11/5 shaped curveball posting an average spin rate of 2,584 rpm and his sharp slider averaging 2,554 rpm. 

 

+ A pair of Freshman worth mentioning from the event are RHP Ethan Jordan (Dekalb, 2023; IN) & RHP Jaxson MacKay (Resurrection, 2023; ON). Jordan is a physical 6-foot, 220-pound right-hander who could throw his curveball and changeup for strikes consistently, with his changeup being the better of the two with an average of 17.7” HM - backed by a low-80’s fastball that peaked at 82.8 mph. MacKay is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound righty that showed the ability to throw strikes with his fastball (60% in-zone), maxing out at 81.4 mph. MacKay’s off-speed consisted of a slider that flashed sharpness at times and an arm-side fading changeup that averaged 18.3” of HM.

Position Players

+ Another recent standout from the NJCAA Region IV Showcase, was OF Angelo Luna (St. Laurence, 2022; IL). Luna is an intriguing R/R athlete in the outfield standing at 6-foot, 195-pounds. Luna started his workout by running a 6.82 60-yard dash with a peak run speed of 20 mph. During BP, Luna presents a simple, hitterish look in the box that is paired with an uphill bat path that has intent to lift the baseball pull-side. Luna posted a max exit velocity of 95.3 mph and a peak distance of 372 feet.

 

+ A returning NJCAA All-American that hit 17 home runs last year as a true freshman for the Panthers, So. UTL Miguel Cantu (St. Rita, 2022; IL) continued to hit for power in this look. During batting practice, the strong 6-foot-2, 210-pound R/R utility mainly hit line drives up the middle and to the pull-side, showing the ability to lift the ball at times with authority. Cantu did not hit a single batted ball in-play under 95 mph leading to a tallied average EV of 96.4 mph, with a max of 100.1 mph. Defensively, Cantu worked out in the outfield and at first base showing a loose and fluid arm at both spots, with his throws being accurate and around the bag. Cantu rounded out his performance at the event with a 7.07 second 60. 

 

Impressing behind the plate for Morton were R/R Catchers Carter Hall (Champaign Central, 2022; IL) & Joey Russo (Mount Carmel, 2023; IL). 

+ Hall stands in at a strong 5-foot-10, 185-pounds, impressing with both his bat and his arm throughout the workout. During BP, Hall posted a 98 mph max EV and an average batted ball distance of 302 feet. Defensively, Russo has a short and whippy arm that posted a 79 mph max velocity from the crouch paired with a pop-time as low as 1.90. 

 

+ Russo is a sturdy 6-foot, 225-pounds that showed easy pop throughout his BP round with an average EV of 92 mph (96 mph max). Russo also showed to have quick hands at times (25.4 mph max hand-speed) that made for a quick bat (79.2 mph average bat-speed, 82 mph max). 

The two-way duo of INF/RHP Cristian Ruiz (Oak Lawn, 2023; IL) & INF/RHP Noah Chase (Illinois Valley Central, 2022; IL) are names to know moving forward. 

+ Ruiz is a well-proportioned 5-foot-10, 180-pound switch-hitter who can spin the ball on the bump. Offensively, Ruiz has a short swing that allows for line drive contact up the middle from the right side with a max hand speed of 25.7 mph. Defensively, Ruiz is sure-handed with a strong arm to pair (87 mph INF velo) up the middle. On the bump, Ruiz is an athletic mover with a short and quick arm. His fastball played at 81-85 mph with carry through the zone (20.2” average IVB), thrown for strikes. Ruiz had two breaking ball offerings with his slider being the one with more feel for the zone (75% in-zone) and his curveball having some sharpness to it. Ruiz rounded out his repertoire with a downer change that flashed feel for the zone with an average HM of 14”.

 

+ Chase stands in at 5-foot-11, 215-pounds, performing well at the plate and on the bump. At the plate, Chase is a right-handed hitter who has a strong and direct swing path with the intent to lift the ball. He posted a max EV of 96.9 mph and a max distance of 343 feet - also boasting a max bat speed of 81.5 mph. On the bump, Chase showed four different pitches in his ‘pen with his fastball topping out at 83.4 mph and showing two-seam action (16.5” avg. HM). Chase landed a short curveball for strikes at an average of 2,309 rpm, pairing with a changeup that killed spin and moved horizontally at an average of 17.5”.

 

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