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2022 Area Code Games: Monday's Five Best

August 9, 2022
Nathan Rode
Director, Multimedia & Scouting

SAN DIEGO -- The 2022 Area Code Games are underway, in their second year at San Diego’s Fowler Park and Cunningham Field. Many of the nation’s top 2023 prospects are in attendance, split up on eight regional teams: Athletics (NorCal), Brewers (SoCal), Nationals (Southeast), Rangers (Texas), Reds (Four Corners), Royals (Pacific Northwest), White Sox (Midwest) and Yankees (Northeast). As usual, we’ll have plenty of in-depth coverage after the event, but here are some highlights from Monday’s action…

DeCremer of the Crop

Another day, another showing of electric stuff at 8 a.m. RHP James DeCremer (Brophy College Prep, AZ) got the start for the Reds and struck out six around two runs allowed on two hits in two innings of work. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Oregon State recruit pitches with some effort and aggression on the mound. He came out pumping 94-96 mph fastballs at 2400+ rpm and ripped off several plus sliders at 83-86 and 2500-2600+. He also mixed in a 79-81 changeup.

Full Steam (A)Head

OF Dillon Head (Homewood Flossmoor HS, IL), a Clemson recruit, is a spark plug with twitchy strength. With his speed, he only needs to put the ball in play to have a chance of reaching base, as he routinely gets down the line in 3.9-4.0. But he’s not just a slap hitter. He showed gap power Monday, driving a ball that was up and tailing away from him off the right-center field wall for an easy triple.

McGonigle & Co.

One of the country’s best southpaws started for the Royals in LHP Paul Wilson (Lakeridge HS, WA), but one of the country’s best hitters was leading off for the Yankees. SS Kevin McGonigle (Bonner-Prendergast HS, PA) ambushed a 93 mph fastball for a home run to right-center field. That fired up the squad, as they opened with three runs in the first en route to a 12-2 win. McGonigle added another hit later and the Yankees got loud production out of IFs Myles Naylor (St. Joan of Arc SS, ON) and Dean Curley (Northview HS, CA). Naylor went 2-for-3, squaring up a double to left-center and a triple to deep right-center with a quick barrel. Curley went to the opposite gap for a double.

Grant Rebounds Quickly

RHP Mikhai Grant (Georgia Premier Academy, GA), a Mississippi State recruit, started against the Brewers and quickly gave up two barrels that resulted in a run, but he found his groove after that, striking out seven over three innings. His 93-95 fastball has life through the zone and his 79-83 slider got swings and misses and locked guys up.

What A Relief

LHP Jake Brown (Sulphur HS, LA) relieved Grant for two innings and pumped strikes with ease. The stuff is modest, but he commanded his entire arsenal. Out of a 3/4 slot, the Louisiana State recruit ranged from 88-92 mph, with the fastball spinning at about 2400 rpm. His go-to secondary offering was a tight slurve at 80-82 and he mixed in a low-80s changeup. Overall, the stuff is solid, but his ability to move it around the zone helps it play up. 

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