PORTLAND, TX - Continuing our Preseason Event Schedule, we heading south to the Corpus Christi area to host an event at Portland Municipal Park. Players from around the South Texas area were in attendance. Here are the player reports from that event, beginning with the top performers.

Top Performers

2020 3B/OF Ryan Targac (Halletsville) has a strong, muscular, athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 195-pounds, and he squats 415-pounds. The switch hitter started the day with a 6.99 60-yard dash, then showed excellent strength in the barrel and gap power during BP with a 95 mph exit velocity right-handed, 92 left-handed. From the left side, he has a bit more natural lift, and right-handed he has more pop to the opposite field gap, either way, he has the look of an impact corner bat in the SEC. Quick footwork on the infield with a clean exchange. Throws the ball with true carry across the diamond with a top velocity of 87 (88 OF). On the mound, the right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with slow tempo and a tall-and-fall delivery. Fastball was 82-84, changeup 74-75, and his slider had short late, 11/5 break at 69-70.

2020 RHP Perry Burkett (Incarnate Word Academy) continues to impress everytime he steps on the mound.  The 6-foot, 155-pound right-hander releases all three pitches from the same window with a loose arm swing an athletic delivery. His fastball was still 85-86 in the early preseason, the slider (per usual) has sharp, late bite at 75-76 mph, and yesterday he showed us a ++ changeup at 77-80 mph with exit ramp arm side fade.

2021 OF/LHP Malachi Lott (Gregory Portland HS) popped up at this event and we are glad he did. The sophomore has serious twitch running through his veins at at 5-foot-9, 155-pounds, and recently committed to Houston. On the mound, the left-hander was 84-86, touched 88 once, and showed feel for a changeup from a lower slot at 70-74 mph. Curveball has big deep break at 59-64 mph. Simple, balanced swing from the left side with quick hands and feel for the barrel. Plays through the ball with athletic footwork in the outfield, and has a fast arm with a top velocity of 90 mph.

Adam Muirhead, RHP, Rockport-Fulton HS, 2020
At 6-foot-2, 165-pounds, Muirhead is going to be a lot of fun to follow this spring. The right-hander has a fast arm with an athletic delivery, working from a high slot and long arm swing that creates tilt on his fastall at 84-86. Threw his curveball for a strike at 67-68 mph with deep break and 12/6 rotation. His changeup was 74-76.

2021 OF/LHP Matthew Perez (Robert Vela HS) has a strong, durable frame at 5-foot-9, 175-pounds. The left-hander was 81-82 on the mound with a long, quick arm swing and pumped strikes at 81-82 mph with his fastball. Showed feel for a 1/7 curveball at 60-63, and threw his changeup for a strike at 72-73 mph. The left-handed hitter posted a top exit velocity of 90 mph and has loose hands that work inside the ball with strength to the opposite gap. Easy rhythm with a balanced transfer and more power to come in the future. In the outfield, he has a loose arm swing and threw strikes to the dish with a top velocity of 85 mph.

Sergio Guerra, C/3B, San Diego HS, 2021 
Guerra does a little bit of everything from catching, to playing infield, and is a solid all-around ball player. Although he as only been catching for a short time, he posted pop times of 1.94-2.11 with a top velocity from the crouch of 78 mph. Quick exchange with a clean arm swing on throws to second base. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall, stacked stance, then uses a leg kick load as he cocks the barrel forward toward the mound. Gap power with strength at contact and a top exit velocity of 89 mph off the tee. Clean footwork and soft hands on the infield with directional shuffles to throw from over the top arm swing with a top velocity of 88 mph. On the mound, he works from a high-¾ slot with a short arm circle. Short stride down the mound with above average effort. His fastball ranged from 76-82 mph, while his curveball had early break at 64-68 mph.

Cale Wagoner, RHP, Reagan HS, 2020   
Projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds. The right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a long arm swing, and above average effort in his drop-and-drive delivery. Gets inside the baall at release creating some sink on both his changeup, and his fastball that was 81-82 mph. Curveball had 11/5 shape at 70-74 with good rotation. Changeup looks to be a solid third pitch at 75-77 mph.

Brandon Maldonado, SS/2B, Calallen HS, 2019
Maldonado has a sturdy, broad shouldered frame at 5-foot-8, 160-pounds. The right-handed hitter swung the bat really well during BP, showing a fluid hack with power through the gaps. Simple load back as he triggers his hands, then takes a short stride and uses a powerful weight transfer to generate leverage with quick hands that throw the barrel through the zone with good barrel awareness. On the infield, he has a quick first step and smooth footwork, staying in an athletic position through the catch. Fluid transfer, can make the one handed play and throw on the run.

2020 3B/OF Parker Tennill (Calallen HS) has the actions and size at 6-foot-2, 184-pounds, with room to add strength. He shows great feel for the left-side of the infield with the ability to throw on the run, and from lower slots, as well as starting the double play. Soft hands with rhythm through the ball and an accurate arm with a top velocity across the diamond of 82 mph. Offensively, the right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance the lifts his hands and cocks the barrel as he uses a reverse leg lift load. Efficient path through the zone with a front arm bar and slight lift, he transfers his back hip through contact staying upright on his finish. Gap power with strong hands and hard contact during BP.

There is upside with 2020 RHP Caden Norman (Smithson Valley HS) at 6-foot-5, 184-pounds with his projectable, long-limbed frame. The right-hander works from a ¾ slot with a medium arm stroke and tall-and-fall delivery. Fastball was 79-81 mph with slight run. Curveball had early break at 63-64 mph. Changeup was a solid pitch at 71-73 mph, while his slider was 73 with more lateral action.

Keep an eye on 2021 SS/OF Riley Bender (Kingwood HS) has grown a ton in the past 6 months and still has room to fill out and add strength to his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. The long-limbed, right-handed hitting infielder has a leveraged hack with upside. Starting from an open stance, he uses a reverse leg lift load as he cocks the barrel over his head, then strides foward, getting the head out with a pull side approach and quick hands. On the infield, he has a quick first step and soft hands out front funnel the ball into a longer exchange. Short arm circle from a ¾ slot with a top velocity across the infield of 80 mph. Fields the ball left-of-center, can start the pivot from short with a quicker echange and throws with rhythm on the run.

Will Dolan, 2B/SS, George Ranch HS, 2020
Dolan has a muscular frame at 5-foot-9, 155-pounds. The left-handed hitting infielder started the day by posting an event best 6.89-second 60-yard dash. Starting from a tall, open stance, he has a simple hack that he repeats with easy rhythm and quick hands through the zone. Hard contact on the barrel through the middle of the field, flashing strength to the gaps. On the infield, he has soft hands and starts and finishes the pivot with accuracy. Accurate arm across the diamond with a loose arm swing and top velocity of 82 mph.

Best of the Rest (Alphabetical)

Jeremiah Bush, 2B/SS, CC Carroll HS, 2021
5-foot-10, 167-pounds. The left-handed hitter starts from a wide base, then pushes his hands back into a front arm bar and takes a short stride. Barrel stays in the zone a long time working on a flat path with quick hands, good lag and extension to finish with a top exit velocity of 84 mph. On the infield, he has soft hands, midline exchange and throws from a low-¾ slot with a top velocity across the diamond of 67 mph.

Ryan DeLaGarza, OF/2B, Goliad HS, 2019
5-foot-6, 150-pounds. The left-handed hitter starts from a slightly open, tall stance. Loose hands trigger back as he takes a short stride, landing square. Flat path through the zone with some lag in the barrel, line drive approach with a top exit velocity of 74 mph. Plays through the ball with athletic footwork in the outfield and throws from a high slot with a clean arm swing and top velocity of 79 mph.

Joseph Montemyor, 1B/3B, Refugio HS, 2020
6-foot-1, 220-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance with flex in his lower half, then uses low leg lift to stride as he triggers his hands back. Does a nice job of staying stacked and balanced as he makes his initial move to the ball. Gets the barrel on plane early then works upward through contact with a high finish and strength at contact to produce gap power and a top exit velocity of 85 mph. At first base, he threw 74 mph across the infield with a short arm stroke. Soft hands with quality glove action on picks around the bag.

Brandon Ramirez, C/RHP, San Diego HS 2021
5-foot-10, 145-pound, young, high-waisted frame. The right-handed hitter starts from an open, stance, then triggers his hands back and strides closed. Contact approach with a top exit velocity of 78 mph. On the infield, he plays low with soft hands, clean exchange and threw 79 mph across the diamond from a high-¾ slot. Behind the plate, he posted a top velocity from the crouch of 73 mph with pop times ranging from 2.33-2.44. On the mound, he works from an over the top slot with tilted shoulders and long stride down the mound. Fastball sat 76-77 at the end of the day, and he mixed in a 69-71 mph curveball with 12/6 rotation.

Romeo Ramirez, OF/3B, San Diego HS, 2020
Ramirez has a broad shouldered frame with strength throughout at 6-foot, 180-pounds. Started the day with a 7.03 60-yard dash. The right-handed hitter has a tall stance and takes a linear stride forward as he triggers his hands back. Made hard contact during BP to the middle of the field, working uphill through the zone with a high finish and top exit velocity of 83 mph. In the outfield, he threw with a top velocity to the plate of 77 mph.

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