Prep Baseball Report

Uncommitted Upperclass: Pitcher Analysis


Brett Harrison
Nevada Scouting Director

The Uncommitted Upperclass Showcase brought in an impressive group of position player with a sub 2.00 pop time behind the plate, outfield arms topping out in the upper 80’s and infielders with smooth, clean actions to round it out. The group of pitchers continued that trend with Jasper Nelson topping out at 89 with plus action on his secondary pitches, Andrew Baughn, up to 88 and able to locate each of his four pitches and Noah Glaser who was sitting 85-86 with a polished delivery from the left side with feel for his secondary pitches. These are just a few of the prospects from the loaded group of projectable arms that we break down in the complete Pitcher Analysis.

Blake Barrett, OF/LHP, Faith Lutheran, 2021

5-foot-11, 170-pound frame, athletic, lean build, room to add size, proportion strength. On the mound, has a quick, tall-tilt delivery, raises glove overhead, short, quick arm cycle, over the top arm slot, hides the ball, creates a downward angle, on-line stride. He uses a three pitch mix; FB, CB, CH. Fastball, up to 77 mph, lives around the zone, downhill action. Curveball, 71-73 mph, 11/5 shape, flashes of feel, repeated arm slot, effective when down in the zone. Changeup, 69-70 mph, some deception, sink when kept down in the zone, slight fade. 

Andrew Baughn, RHP/1B, Rancho, 2020

6-foot-2, 190-pound frame, develops, athletic, strong build, proportionate strength. Starts on far left side of rubber, slight hybrid start, repeated, smooth, coiled, delivery, tall-tilt type. Swinging, high leg kick, on-line stride, heavy, square foot landing, high effort, works quickly. Long, loose arm action, high ¾ arm slot. Uses a four pitch mix: FB, CH, CB, SL. Fastball sat 84-88 mph, downhill action, arm side fade and sink, lives in the zone, locates well. Changeup, 78-80 mph, circle change grip, heavy, sink and fade, similar arm action to fastball, locates well. Curveball, 72-75 mph, 12/6 shape, spots up, occasional back up action, slightly slows up delivery. Slider, 77-78 mph, 11/5 shape, late action, down in the zone, same arm speed as fastball.

Maklain Briggs, RHP/OF, Pine View (UT), 2020

5-foot-10, 155-pound two-way prospect, lean build, broad shoulders, room to develop physically. Has smooth, rhythmic delivery, drop and drive, slight hesitation at the peak of his leg kick, high front side. Over the top arm angle, long, loose arm action. Uses a three pitch mix: FB, CB, CH. Fastball, sat 81-83 mph, straight, lives around the zone, downhill action. Curveball, 63-66 mph, 11/5 shape, stays on top of it, flashes of backup action. His changeup ,72-73 mph, deceptive arm action, gained feel throughout, downward action with some fade. Briggs projects to stay on the mound with his confidence shining through as he displayed feel for his three-pitch mix that lived around the zone.

Austin Cates, RHP, Coronado, 2021

6-foot-0, 205-pound right-handed pitcher, stocky, developed build, proportionate strength. Starts on middle-left side of rubber, Cates has a smooth delivery, simple, repeatable mechanics, drop and drive type. Loose, long arm action, high ¾ arm slot, level shoulders, throws downhill. Stride is on-line, lands slightly closed, tends to fall to the first base side. He uses a three pitch mix: FB, CB, CH. Fastball, sat 80-81, downhill action, slight arm side fade, works around the zone. Changeup, 72-74, split change grip, sinking action, arm side fade, down in the zone. Curveball, 71-72 mph, slight arm curls, 12/6 shape, flashes of back up action. 

Daniel Clayton, OF/RHP, Basic, 2021

5-foot-11, 154-pound two-way athlete, athletic, tapered build with a strong lower half. On the mound, starts in middle of the rubber, he had a quick, high effort delivery, tall-tilt type, stays on-line, lands square, falls off to first and arm recoil following pitch. Long, loose arm cycle, reaches back, high ¾ arm slot. Had feel for each of his three pitches: FB, CB, CH. Fastball, sat 79-80 mph, lives around the zone, slight arm side run. Curveball, 70-72, tight spin, not much shape, accurate, barrel misser, repeated arm slot. Changeup, 70-71 mph, slight slowed his motion, maintains arm slot, sink and fade, projects to be his best pitch. 

Christopher Dietrich, 3B/C, Palo Verde, 2020

6-foot-0 175-pound two-way athlete, lean, athletic build. On the mound, he starts in the middle of the rubber, hands positioned at the belt. Repeated, coil delivery, drop and drive type. Long, loose arm action, ¾ arm slot. On-line stride, soft landing. He used a two pitch mix, FB and CB. Fastball sat 79-82 mph, mostly up in the zone, some arm side run. Curveball, 63-64 mph, 11/5 shape, come out of higher slot. Project as an infielder, middle of the order bat that should increase in power he continues to develop strength and size.

Christian Dijkman, RHP, Faith Lutheran, 2021

6-foot-1, 220-pound frame, strong, barrel chest build, strong lower half. Start far left on rubber, clean, quick delivery, some effort, drop and drive type, level throughout. On-line stride, soft, slightly closed landing foot, falls slightly to 1B line. Long, loose arm action, high ¾ arm slot. Uses a three pitch mix: FB, CB, CH. Fastball, sat 81-82, straight, downhill action, locates well. Curveball, 62-64 mph, slower arm action, 11/5 shape, stays down in the zone, some bit. Changeup, 71-72 mph, circle change, sink and fade, slows down arm, locates well, above average feel. 

Xavier Garrity, P/OF, Centennial, 2021

5-foot-11, 185-pound frame, developed, athletic build, proportionate strength. Starts from a slight hybrid start, clean, smooth delivery, drop and drive type, little wasted movement.  Reaches back, long, loose arm cycle, high effort, over the top arm slot, throws over high front side, creates a downward angle. Hide the ball, soft, slightly open landing, athletic finish. Fastball sat 77-79 mph, straight, downhill action, lives around the zone. Changeup, 69-70 mph, sink and some fade action, down in the zone. Curveball, 64-66 mph, best pitch, 12/6 curveball, flashes of back up action, also had 11/5 curveball, lived in the zone. 

Noah Glaser, LHP, Bishop Gorman, 2020

5-foot-11, 185-pound left-handed pitcher, stocky, athletic build and a strong lower half. One of the top remaining arms in the ‘20 class. Polished, repeated mechanics, drop and drive type, rhythmic delivery, soft landing with stride on-line. Clean, loose arm action from a high ¾ slot, repeated on all pitches. Feel for each of his three pitches. Fastball, sat 85-86, arm side action, jumps out of his hand, lives in the zone. Changeup, 72-76, arm side fade and sink, eventually above average action, his go to pitch. Curveball, 67-69, 11/5 shape, sharp downward action, slightly curls arm, stays down in the zone.

Garrett Guy, OF/RHP, Sierra Vista, 2020

6-foot-1, 185-pound two-way athlete, developed, tapered build, proportionate strength. On the mound, he sets up on the right side of the rubber, high effort delivery, tall-tilt type, some rhythm, level shoulders. Short, slightly stiff arm action, high ¾ arm slot. Lands square, finishing upright, tending to fall off to the first base side. He uses a two pitch mix: FB and CB. Fastball sat 74-76 mph, downward angle, lives around the zone, slight sink action. Curveball, 58-59 mph, 12/6 action, toppling, lived down in the zone.

Anthony Kopecky, RHP/OF, Slam Academy, 2020

6-foot-1, 160 frame lean, athletic build, long limbed, room to add strength and size. Throwing primarily from the stretch, narrow, closed set up. Slightly rushed delivery, drop and drive type. High front side, quick, over that top arm action. Slightly open plant foot, finish in line, excellent balance. Uses a three pitch mix, FB, CB, SL. Fastball, sat 76-78 mph, straight fastball, hides ball well, downhill action, lives down in the zone, some arm side run. Curveball, 60-61 mph, 12/6 shape, flashes of bite, repeated arm slot, occasional back up action. Slider, 65-66 mph, 11/5 shape, above average feel, keeps down in the zone.

Jonathan Merino, RHP/OF, Centennial, 2021

6-foot-0, 165-pound frame, lean build, long limbs, room to add strength and size. Starts from left side of the rubber, he has an athletic, slightly rushed delivery, raw mechanics, tall-tilt type. Throws over a high front side, high ¾ slot, long, loose arm action. Athletic finish. Fastball, sat 82-83 mph, has been up to 85, jumps out of his hand, slight arm side run, more in the tank. Changeup, 71-72 mph, slows down delivery, flashes sink and arm side fade. Curveball, 64-66 mph, 11/5 shape, potential above average pitch, slight arm curl slowing down his motion. 

JJ Neal, RHP, Boulder City, 2020

6-foot-2, 180-pound frame, excellent athletic build, long limbs, proportionate strength. Starts far left on rubber, smooth, rhythmic delivery, drop and drive type, easy effort, strides slightly closed, lands softly. Long, quick arm action, high ¾ arm slot. Athletic finish. Uses a three pitch mix: FB, CB, CH. Fastball, sat 81-83, arm side run, slight downhill action, locates well, lives down in the zone. Curveball, 64-67 mph, arm curl, slows down body, 12/6 shape, occasional back up action, lives in the zone. Changeup, 73-74 mph, slows down body, sink and fade, locates well, down in the zone.

Jasper Nelson, RHP, Palo Verde, 2020

6-foot-2, 195-pound frame. Lean, athletic build, long limbs, room to add strength and size. Nelson is a high ceiling prospect who threw an excellent bullpen, showing above average feel with each of his three pitches. Starts on the far-left side of the rubber, narrow, hybrid set up. Quick, repeated delivery, some effort, tall-tilt type, high peaking leg kick, on-line stride, square landing, athletic finish. Long, loose arm action, ¾ arm slot. Works quickly. Uses a three pitch mix: FB, CB, CH. Fastball, sat 87-89 mph, above average life, jumps out of his hand, arm side run, lives in the zone. Curveball, 71-73 mph, 11/5 shape, sharp action, occasional back up action, located down in the zone. Changeup, 77-79 mph, circle change grip, slightly slows body, arm side fade and sink, locates well, above average feel. 

Braden Polzien, RHP, Green Valley, 2020

6-foot-2, 165-pound frame, lean, wiry build, broad shoulders to fill out. Starts in a tall, narrow set up, middle-left side of the rubber. Smooth, clean delivery, slight drop and drive type. Long, loose arm action, high front side, high ¾ arm slot. Maintains good balance, repeated square delivery, athletic finish. He uses a three-pitch mix: FB, SL, CH. His fastball, 81-82 mph, lived around the top of the zone, flashes of arm side fade. Slider, 65-67 mph, 11/5 shape, slightly slows motion, late action, locates well, repeated arm slot. Changeup, 70-71 mph, repeats arm slot, heavy, sink and run, locates well, down in the zone. 

Andres Rodriguez, LHP, Bishop Gorman, 2020

6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, developed, proportionate frame, strong lower half, broad shoulders. Starts in the middle of the rubber, clean, quick delivery, drop and drive type, some effort. On-line stride, level shoulders, soft, slightly open landing, falls to 3B side. Long, loose arm action, ¾ arm slot. Uses a three pitch mix: FB, CH, CB. Fastball sat 79-81 mph, cutter, late action, downhill, down in the zone. Changeup, 74-75 mph, cut and sink action, slower arm action, lives around the zone. Curveball, 67-69 mph, 11/5 shape, slight arm curl, more effective down in the zone, lives in the zone.

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