By Nathan Rode
National Supervisor

It took a few days to decompress and digest everything from the 2013 Area Code Games, but to make sure anything notable wasn’t missed, I’ve cleared out my notebook from spending five days in Long Beach, CA:

Brady Aiken, LHP, Cathedral Catholic HS, CA

We wrote about Aiken’s transformation after his strong outing early in the event. He sat 88-90 mph while flashing a sharp 74-75 curveball and good low-80s changeup.

Brad Bass, RHP, Lincoln-Way Central HS, IL

Bass has a big frame at 6-foot-6, 215 pounds, but shows quick feet and athleticism for someone his size. He sat 87-89 with a solid slider. It sat 79-81 and showed good potential. He struggled with throwing strikes in his first inning of work, but managed to settle down and pitch well.

Chris Betts, C, Wilson HS, CA

Betts comes from the same high school that produced first-round picks Sean Burroughs (1998) and Aaron Hicks (2008). It’s right across the street from Blair Field, where the Area Code Games are held, and it was obvious Betts felt right at home. He started to heat up late in the week, putting strong swings on pitches and scorching two one the second-to-last day. One was a double and the other was a deep flyout to center field that took a circus catch to haul in. A rising junior standing at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Betts will need to keep his conditioning in check and may have to move to first base down the road.