Prep Baseball Report

Future Games Analysis: Pitchers


Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

WESTFIELD, IN - The Prep Baseball Report Future Games is the premier summer scouting event for uncommitted underclassmen. 253 college coaches from all over the country were in attendance. This was the first year for Team Texas to participate, with 26 players from around the state, including six that were on Team Select. Over the next several days we will be breaking down every player, based off positions. Team Texas’ roster was loaded with talent from around the state, including seven pitchers. 

 

PITCHERS


Storm Hierholzer

RHP / 1B / Lake Travis, TX / 2020

Hierholzer, who committed to TCU just two days after the Future Games, was even sharper in his second outing of the week. Working from a ¾ slot, the right-hander showed high-end stuff with real sink and run on a heavy fastball at 87-91 mph. He also proved again that he can spin the ball, mixing in a 78 mph slider with 10/4 shape and depth, to go with a 72-74 mph curveball. He struck out the side, getting two punch-outs on breaking balls,and  another on a fastball. At 6-foot-1, 180-pounds, there is still more left in the tank.

 

 

 

Braxton Pearson RHP / 3B / Georgetown, TX / 2020

Pearson is listed at 6-foot, 165-pounds, but there is still room for him to grow, as he has a young, lean-strong frame. Carved in his lone inning of work, creating two strikeouts of his own. The right-hander doesn’t throw anything straight, with his fastball sitting 84-88 mph with arm-side run, while his slider has short, lateral, late break at 74-78 mph. The last batter he faced, he sequenced a curveball for strike one, a curveball for strike two, a fastball above the zone for a ball, setting up a curveball for a strikeout.



 

 

Konnor Baird RHP / 1B / Salado, TX / 2020

Baird worked the quickest of all innings on Saturday (totalling maybe 3 minutes) and attacked the zone with real intent. After a quick first out, the right-hander got two punchouts, both on curveballs with 10/4 shape at 73 mph (72-76 in Game 1). You could call it more of a “slurve” but the pitch has depth and bite, and Team Arizona was not picking it up out of his hand. Baird has a deceptive delivery with a short compact arm stroke that slings from a high-¾ slot. His fastball jumps on hitters at 84-86 (85-88 in his first outing on Thursday). The rising junior also mixes in a 72-76 mph changeup. Fun fact, at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds, Baird also plays safety for the Salado High football team in the fall.


 

 

 

 

Evan Johnson RHP / 3B / Frenship, TX / 2021

2021 RHP/3B Evan Johnson (Frenship HS) is going to be fun to watch as he continues to develop as a two-way player. At 6-foot-3, 185-pounds, Johnson already has a strong, projectable frame. On Thursday, his fastball got up to 87 mph, sitting mostly 84-86 mph. He was still 83-85 mph on Saturday, and shows feel for a sharp curveball at 68-69 mph. In game one, his curveball got as high as 70-74, whith a 69-71 mph changeup. 



 

Jacek Karczewski RHP / OF / Nacogdoches, TX / 2020

2020 RHP Jacek Karczewski (Nacogdoches HS) worked a quick first inning, getting two punchouts on sharp breaking balls for swings and misses at 73 mph. His fastball was 83-85 mph, but with his 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame, Karczewski has a ton of upside with a clean arm swing.



 

Joshua Cordova LHP / OF / Klein Collins, TX / 2020

We knew that 2020 LHP Joshua Cordova (Klein Collins HS) could spin a curveball whenever he wanted to, and he showed that on Saturday. Cordova may have only been 80-81 mph, but his fastball has arm side run, and he can drop a breaking ball over the plate at will. The pitch has 2/8 shape with deep break at 69-71 mph. Like the three guys before him, Cordova also recorded two punchouts.



 

 

 

Tyson Carlton RHP / 1B / Allen, TX / 2020

Carlton stands 6-foot-5, with a strong, durable, pitcher’s frame. The right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a medium arm stroke. Although he had scattered command of his fastball at 84-85, hitters were not picking the ball up when it was in the zone, as he got weak contact on two of his outs. Throws an 11/5 curveball at 69-72, and shows feel for a changeup at 71-72.



 

 

 

UP NEXT: Two-Way Guys
Texas news