AJ
Malzone

One of the top uncommitted 2023s in attendance was C AJ Malzone (St. Rita) who continues to ascend up our board everytime we see him. Long known for his prowess with his bat, the left-handed hitting catcher has made big strides behind the plate, especially with his arm. There were a number of times where Malzone came out of the chute and showed off a well above-average arm that played accurate and with life. His bat continued to look like one of the better still on the market, playing with extreme ease and comfort in the box. Malzone is never in a rush, rarely chases and when he gets the pitch he is looking for, rarely misses. Malzone provided one of the hardest hit balls of the event, a no-doubt home run to deep right-field on the first evening. 

Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-11, 190-pounds. Strong frame, thick lower half.
Hits: LHH. Relaxed, open, quiet setup, fluid load and stride. Easy, smooth swing, stays on-plane, natural loft and works hard contact to the pull-side gap. Took a number of good at-bats over the course of the event, rarely expanding the zone and making loud, powerful contact. Final Line: 2-for-7, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB.
Power: 96 max exit velocity, averaged 90.3 MPH. 344' max distance.
Arm: RH. C-79 mph. Short to the ear into a high 3/4 slot, throws play with accuracy and life. Arm has gotten noticeably stronger since the last look. Was willing and able to show it off in-game, making a number of strong, accurate throws; potential weapon moving forward.
Defense: 2.01-2.09 pop times. Steady hands, clean transfer, feet work in-line to the bag, directional footwork while gaining ground.
Run: 7.31 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 79.38 Edge Score

Athletic 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame with strength in the lower half. A top left-handed hitting backstop in Illinois that performed throughout the weekend for Top Tier Americans. Maintains a short, direct path to contact with gap-to-gap feel and occasional juice off the barrel. Owns high bat-to-ball skills and athletic hands to pair. Improved receiver behind the plate with arm strength. Advanced runner for the position, too. 

Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-10, 175-pounds. Compact frame with strength.
Hit: LHH. Open, balanced setup. Fluid rhythm and stride. Loose and easy. Strong hands. Quiet in the box. Consistently on the barrel. Hard, elevated contact throughout round.
Power: 95.2 max exit velocity, averaged 89.4 mph. 347’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 80 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top arm slot.
Defense: 1.94-2.09 pop times. Quick feet, clean exchange.
Run: 7.07 runner in the 60. 

AJ Malzone (St. Rita) continues to show a highly advanced left-handed swing to go along with an improved defensive skill set. Malzone hit with authority every time we saw him in 2021 and it looks like it is set to continue in 2022. It's a simple, fluid swing that stays on-plane with natural loft and he flashed pull-side power throughout his round of BP. He registered a peak exit velocity of 95.2 mph and reached a max batted distance of 347 feet. Malzone’s catcher velocity is now topping at 80 mph which helped produce a low pop time of 1.94 at the showcase, which was down from a 2.05 low in 2021. If Malzone can prove he is a lockdown defensive catcher in 2022, his stock will continue to rise sharply. The bat, however, should play no matter where he slots defensively.

Malzone’s pure ability to hit is certainly advanced for someone his age, as the left-handed backstop routinely finds ways to spray the ball across the yard. He’s improved defensively as well, captaining the Top Tier pitching staff for a large majority of the PBR at The Rock Fall Championships and calling a quality game, too.

Positional Profile: C
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced, slightly open setup, leg kick, short stride, easy pre-pitch actions. Creates bat speed with an average of 73.6 MPH, whippy swing, path works uphill, consistent hard contact.
Power: 96.54 max exit velocity, averaged 86.76 mph. 353’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 78 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top arm slot.
Defense: 2.05-2.20 pop times. Steady receiving actions, can work from multiple stances, clean exchanges, quick feet.
Run: 7.24 runner in the 60.