Prep Baseball Report

Elite Prospect Showcase Analysis: Class of 2016 Pitchers



By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

Of the 25 pitchers to throw a bullpen session at the Elite Prospect Showcase just two were from the Class of 2016. With that said, both sophomores had solid showings and showed promise as pitchers to follow in this class.

Travis WickardRHP Travis Wickard (Boiling Springs HS)

Wickard sat 81-82 out of a high 3/4 arm slot. He rotates his body to show his numerals to the hitter out of the windup and develops some arm side run on his fastball as a result. Wickard also commanded a 69 mph 11/5 breaking curveball and a 73 mph changeup. The changeup is thrown at near fastball arm speed and has similar run as his fastball. Wickard has a developed 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame and has shown a 2-3 mph spike in velocity in the past four months.

Max MatteiRHP Max Mattei (Downingtown East HS)

Mattei sat 78-80 from a high 3/4 arm slot. He pounded the strike zone and displayed sound, repeatable mechanics. The 5-foot-10, 150-pound righty also commanded a 65 mph 11/5 breaking curveball. Mattei showcased a 58 mph knuckle ball as his changeup, a pitch that needs to be eliminated in favor of a quality changeup. He has an athletic frame and should continue to see velocity gains as his body matures.


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