Prep Baseball Report

VA/DC Freshman Free Showcase: Pitcher Analysis


John Nolan
Virginia Scouting Director & Managing Editor

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The Virginia/DC freshmen free showcase was held on Saturday, January 26 at the Virginia Sports Complex. Over 40 players from around the Commonwealth were in attendance to perform in front of the PBR Scouting staff. Today we continue our analysis from the event with a look at the pitchers.

Top Performers

 

Jason Cheifetz RHP / OF / Westfield, VA / 2022

Cheifetz is 5-11 with a lankier athletic frame that has a lot projection left to it. On the mound, he throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot with a long loose arm action that is free and very quick and easy effort. Shoulders slightly closed and uphill, lands slightly closed with some fall off and recoil. Hides ball well and creates deception, good rhythm and a repeatable delivery. Fastball was 79-81, touching 82, with some plane and late two-plane movement to it. Curveball was 62-64 with good armspeed and gradual 12/6 break that has good shape and should sharpen as he gets stronger. Change-up was 67-69 with some armspeed and late fade to it. Slider was 71-73 with good armspeed and late sharp 10/4 break, pitch flashes swing and miss already. Showed feel and command of all four pitches, very advanced for his age.

 

Clark Driscoll SS / RHP / Clover Hill , VA / 2022

Driscoll is 5-8 strong athletic frame very strong lower half. On the mound throws from a three-quarters arm slot, short free arm action is very quick, generates velocity with some effort. Shoulders uphill and online lands square with an athletic finish, simple repeatable delivery, explosive to the plate. Fastball was 79 to 82 with boring action to the armside. Curveball was 63-68 with sharp 12/6 break, good arm speed when thrown at a top of the range, pitch has a chance to be very good when thrown hard.


Cole Macomson RHP / 3B / Monacan, VA / 2022

Macomson is 6-2 with a lanky athletic frame that has plenty of projection left to it. He throws from a low three-quarters arm slot with short loose arm action that is quick with normal effort. Drop and drive delivery, shoulders level and closed, lands on line with an athletic finish. Fastball was 79-82 with armside run. Curveball was 67-68 with sharp 11/5 break, and good armspeed. Change-up was 74-76 with good armspeed and some sink to it. Slider was 69-70 with good armspeed and sharp 10/4 break. Good mix of pitches and feel for them.


Christopher McCullers RHP / OF / Woodgrove, VA / 2023

McCullers is 6-3 with a big frame that has projection to add strength as he gets into the weight room. On the mound, throws from a high three-quarters arm slot, long free arm action that is quick, throws with normal effort. Shoulders are uphill and on line, lands square with an athletic finish, simple delivery. His fastball was 73-77 with downward angle and some late sink to it. Curveball was 62-69 with big 12/6 break and some armspeed, should sharpen as he continues to develop. Change-up was 62-63 with some armspeed and late sink to it.

Blake Pesante SS / RHP / St. Mary's Ryken, MD / 2022


Pesante is 5-9 with an athletic frame the has projection to it. On the mound throws from a 3/4 arm slot with a shorter loose arm action that is very quick, throws with some effort, shoulders are uphill and closed, lands slightly open with an athletic finish and some recoil. Fastball was 79 to 83 with some late run. Changeup was 67-69 with some arm speed and late fade to it. Curveball was 61-63 with good arm speed and sharp 10/4 break.

 

Benjamin P. Santiago SS / RHP / Douglas Freeman, VA / 2022

Santiago Is 5-9 with an athletic frame and strength in his lower half. On the mound, throws a from a low 3/4 arm slot with a short arm action that is free, some effort to his delivery. Shoulders on line and uphill, lands square with a fall off finish simple delivery. Fastball was 79-80 touching 81 with heavy late cut to it. Change-up was 66-68 with good arm speed and late fade. Curveball was 62-64 with some arm speed and gradual 11/5 break, also showed a slider which was much better at 69-70 with good armspeet and sharp 10/4 break.



Best of the Rest (Alphabetically)

 

 

 

Noah Burtner 3B / RHP / Spotswood, VA / 2022

Burtner is 5-9, has an athletic frame with some strength in the lower half. On the mound throws from a higher three-quarters arm slot, very short arm action, free with normal effort to delivery. Shoulders are uphill and online, simple delivery lands online, slight fall off in his finish. Fastball was 71 to 74 touching 75, pitch had some late life to it. Change up was 64-66 with some arm speed and fade. Curveball was 61-64 with some arm speed and 11-5 break, there was some sharpness to pitch, has a chance to tighten up into swing and miss as he continues to develop.

 

 

Aidan Cunningham RHP / 1B / Falls Church, VA / 2022

Cunningham is 6-4 has a big frame, room to add some strength. On the mound, throws from a low three-quarters arm slot, shorter arm action, loose with some quickness to arm. Shoulders level and online, complex delivery, lands closed with fall off finish. Fastball 73-74 touching 76, pitch has some late run to it. Slider was 64 to 66 with good armspeed and 10/4 break that is late, potential swing and miss pitch.

 

 

Payton Faulkner SS / OF / Prince George, VA / 2022

Faulkner is 6-0 lanky athletic frame with a lot of projection left to it. On the mound throws from a low three-quarters arm slot, short arm action that is free, arm is quick, throws with normal effort to his delivery. Shoulders level and online, lands closed with a slight fall off finish, simple delivery. Fastball 76-78, pitch has sink, to it potential to be heavy. Change-up 71-73, good arm speed and run to the pitch. Curveball 65-66, some arm speed, pitch has between 12/6 and 11/5 break, late break is gradual potential to tighten as he gets stronger.

 

Ryan Gimbel SS / RHP / Highland School, VA / 2023

Gimbel is 6-0 with a very lanky frame, plenty of projection left to it. On the mound, throws from low three-quarters arm slot, shorter free arm action, has some quickness. Shoulders level and online, lands square, athletic finish, very simple repeatable delivery. Fastball was 66-68 touching 70, has late run to it and some sink. Change-up was 61-63 with some armspeed and fade. Curveball was 59-61 with some armspeed and sharp 12/6 break.

 

 

Ethan Hamill RHP / OF / Thomas Dale, VA / 2022

Hamill is 6-2 with a lankier frame that has a lot projection left to it. On the mound, he throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot with a short free arm action that is quick with normal effort. Shoulders closed and slightly uphill, lands slightly closed with some fall off. Fastball was 71-73, touching 74, with some late sink to it. Curveball was 62-64 with good armspeed and gradual 11/5 break that has should sharpen as he gets stronger. Change-up was 66-67 with some armspeed and cut to it.

 

 

Charlie Knighton SS / RHP / St. Christopher's School, VA / 2023

Knighton is 5-10 with a lanky frame that has projection left to it. On the mound, throws from a high three-quarters arm slot, short free arm action that's clean. Shoulders online, slightly uphill, strides out online with a slight fall off finish, very simple repeatable delivery. Fastball was 66-68 touching 70 with some late sink. Curveball was 56-58 gradual 11/5 break and some shape to it with good arm speed. Changeup was 61-63 with some armspeed and a little bit of cut to it.

 

 

Noah Potholm RHP / SS / Gonzaga, VA / 2022

Potholm is 6-0 with an athletic frame that has projection left to it. He throws from a low three-quarters arm slot with long free arm action that is quick with normal effort. Simple smooth delivery, shoulders level and on line, lands on line with an athletic finish. Fastball was 74-75 with some sink. Curveball was 61-64 with sharp 10/4 break, and some armspeed. Change-up was 65-66 with good armspeed and heavy sink to it.

 

Dylan Ryan SS / RHP / Battlefield, VA / 2022

Ryan is 5-9 with a lankier athletic frame that has plenty of projection to it. On the mound throws from a low 3/4 arm slot with a long free arm action that has some quickness to it. Shoulders are uphill, slightly closed, lands online with a slight fall off finish. Fastball was 68-69 with some cut to it.Curveball was 62-64 with some armspeed and sharp 10/4 break.



Blaine Scott 2B / RHP / Great Bridge , VA / 2022

Scott is 5-9 with a lanky athletic frame that has projection left to it. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot with long free arm action and normal effort. Simple delivery, shoulders level and on line, lands on line with an athletic finish. Fastball was 64-67 with some sink. Curveball was 56-59 with gradual 11/5 break, and some armspeed, and some shape to the pitch. Change-up was 62-64 with good armspeed and some sink to it.

 

 

Ryan Sellers 1B / RHP / Freeman , VA / 2022

Sellers is 5-9 with an athletic frame. On the mound, he throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a long free arm action and normal effort. Shoulders online and level, lands square with athletic finish. Fastball was 70-72, with some late sink to it. Curveball was 61-63 with some armspeed and gradual 12/6 break. Change-up was 63-65 with some armspeed and sink to it.

 

 

Brayden Simpson SS / RHP / Cosby, VA / 2022

Simpson is 6-0 with a lanky athletic frame with a lot of projection left to it. On the mound, he throws from a high three-quarters arm slot with a short loose arm action that is quick and normal effort. Shoulders uphill and online, lands square with athletic finish. Fastball was 72-76, with run to it. Curveball was 61-63 with some armspeed and some late 11/5 break. Change-up was 66-68 with some armspeed and run to it.

 

 

Hunter Sipe LHP / 1B / William Byrd, VA / 2022

Sipe is 5-10 with a lanky frame with a lot of projection left to it. On the mound, he throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a short free arm action and normal effort. Shoulders uphill and online, lands square with athletic finish. Fastball was 66-69, with sink to it. Curveball was 55-56 with some armspeed gradual 1/7 break. Change-up was 61-63 with some armspeed and fade to it.

 

 

Noah Vargas RHP / 2B / Landstown, VA / 2023

Vargas is 5-6 with a lanky frame with a lot of projection left to it. On the mound, he throws from a high three-quarters arm slot with a long free arm action and normal effort. Shoulders uphill and slightly closed, lands closed with an athletic finish. Fastball was 66-69, with sink to it. Curveball was 57-59 with some armspeed gradual 12/6 break. Change-up was 62-63 with some armspeed and sink to it.

 

 

Price Whitaker 1B / RHP / Lafayette, VA / 2022

Whitaker is 5-9 with an athletic frame. On the mound, he throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a long free arm action and normal effort. Shoulders online and level, lands square with an athletic finish. Fastball was 66-68, touching 71, with sink to it. Curveball was 59-61 with some armspeed gradual 11/5 break. Change-up was 64-66 with some armspeed and sink to it.

 

 

 

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