Prep Baseball Report

2022 Area Code Games: Tuesday's Five Best


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 Tuesday’s action…

Max ‘N Zion

The White Sox beat the Brewers 10-7 today, largely thanks to OF Max Clark (Franklin HS, IN) and C Zion Rose (Brother Rice HS, IL). They went a combined 9-for-10 with five RBIs and four runs scored. Clark was 5-for-5, using his speed to leg out a couple of infield hits, but he also shot a ball through the 5.5 hole and laced a triple to left-center field that nearly took the shortstop’s head off, as his view got briefly blocked by a runner. Rose had four singles--to right-center field, back up the middle off the pitcher’s foot, to right field and left field.

Bueno Means Good

RHP Reece Bueno (Redwood HS, CA), a Cal Poly recruit, tossed 2.2 innings for the Athletics, allowing just one hit and striking out six. The fastball was 86-91 mph, spinning at 2400-2500+ rpm with cut, as he ran it away from righties and really got inside to lefties. The breaking ball was sharp with around 2500 rpm, looking more like a slider at first and then gaining more depth as his outing progressed. It sat 78-80.

Keeping Up With Jones

LHP Gavyn Jones (White Oak HS, TX) pitched three innings of relief, allowing a hit and walk while striking out six. The fastball started out 90-93 from his 3/4 slot, before dipping to 87-90, but the pitch had arm-side run and he threw strikes. A Texas Tech recruit, is best secondary pitch was a slider with 3/4 sweeping action. It didn’t have sharp or late break to it, but the angle at which he delivered the pitch allowed him to miss a lot of bats. He also mixed in a changeup at 83-84.

Blake Bomb

C Blake Mitchell (Sinton HS, TX) is one of the top prospects in the country. He barreled a ball off the wall in deep center field Sunday, but owns arguably the most impressive hit of the event so far with his opposite field home run Tuesday. The present strength he possesses is impressive, and it never gets old seeing a plus-plus arm, even if it’s only during in and out or between innings.

Bronx Bombers Return

On Monday, it was McGonigle, Naylor and Curley. Tuesday, SS Cal Fisher (Deerfield HS, WI) and 2024 C Matt Conte (Dexter Southfield HS, CT) got in on the action. Fisher was 2-for-2 with a home run, double and four RBIs, while Conte was 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs.

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