JR
Ritchie

One of the premier talents in the '22 class, we had the chance to check out Ritchie get some work in during an early May bullpen as he and the rest of Washington patiently awaited news on whether or not the HS season would happen. Working with a controlled, deliberate effort, Ritchie continued to show the fluid actions and athleticism that we've grown accustomed to seeing from him. He uses a high, balance leg lift and gathers with some subtle flexion on his back leg. There's a bit of drop and drive from his back half but his shoulders stay level and he avoids creating too much tilt or angle with his upper half. Average stride length allows him to stay in his lower half and move easily through his core. At the same time, the shorter stride keeps him arm stroke tight and compact. The release is consistently on time at landing and he flashes exceptional hand speed through release. Ball comes out of hand with effortless life. His mechanical sequence and lead leg blocking help him stay balanced at finish and the backside fires through naturally. FB held an low effort 88-92 with consistent control. Stays behind the baseball & exhibits some command over control tendencies. The breaking ball has morphed into more of a true slider over time and when thrown at its best has the chance to be an above average offering. CH was a point of focus on this look. With his ability to control the FB, it seems like eventually the CH will develop into a consistent weapon and give him a viable 3-pitch mix. Expect Ritchie to stay at the top of our national rankings as he progresses while also attracting major interest from professional scouts

The 6-foot-2, 175 pound righty has twitchy actions, a clean arm, repeatable delivery and remains a high follow on the national level for the 2022 class. We’ve seen the FB up to 92 now with reports of him touching 93, 94. Also has flashed the ability to spin a tight breaking in the mid-70’s on the looks we’ve had. Currently ranked 19th overall in our updated 2022 national rankings

The #1 player in the state for the ‘22 class shows no signs of slowing down. Ritchie also currently ranks #16 overall nationally. Although we didn’t get the full JR Ritchie experience on this look, as he was mostly getting some work in, he did cut loose on a couple FB’s and touch 92, with some guns reading 93. There isn’t a whole lot to report on that hasn’t been said before. The 6-foot-2, 175 pound righty has twitchy actions, a clean arm, repeatable delivery and remains a high follow for the 2022 class. 

Athletic frame at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds with quick-twitch actions on the diamond. Simple delivery with short stride & aggressive finish out front at release. FB has been as high as 91 while ranging mostly 86-89. CB has 11/5 shape with depth in the mid-70's. Also a very capable defender at SS. Low mileage arm with significant potential left to tap into