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Hardy's Hits: CIF SS & CS Coverage 4/23 - 5/7

May 8, 2024
Steven Hardesty
Central Coast/North LA Area Scout

  

New Episode LIVE now! - At The Yard Podcast

Ventura, Calif- 

As the spring has hurried to a close on regular season play in the CIF-SS and kicked off the playoffs here across the 8 Divisions of Southern Section High School baseball I’ve got a lengthy list of players who I’ve seen over the last 2+ weeks of action including a trip up the Central Coast to take in CIF-Central Section action.

My first game of this period took me out to see a rising Saugus program who closed the season on a tear and earned a playoff berth in the D5 playoffs (they have since completed their season with an opening round loss) as they took on the defending CIF-SS D6 champion Castaic Coyotes.

From there I made a closing trip for the week up the Central Coast to watch the Cabrillo Conquistadors who are riding a pair of strong SR arms with a powerful top end of the lineup to a current 22-2 record travel to Santa Maria to take on the rising St. Joseph’s Knights who are in second place behind the Conquistadors and have an emerging depth of young talent.

The following week opened up the CIF-SS playoffs which started for me with a quick 4+ inning look at the presumptive D4 favorite and #1 seed Camarillo Scorpions winning their first round game in dominating fashion after an early test from the Dos Pueblos Chargers. 

Finishing off the first week of the CIF-SS playoffs meant a trip down the I-5 freeway to see the La Mirada Matadores host the Oaks Christian Lions for a D1 opening round matchup between two very evenly matched programs in the D1 playoffs.

Then to complete this notebook I’ll break down another look at the Newbury Park Panthers program as they pulled a D3 second round upset by defeating the #2 seeded Summit Skyhawks in a home game.

Below you can check out my breakdown of the standouts of the day with video highlights, access to their PBR profile and a scouting report on them.

(Players click the link on your name below to claim your profile. Also, players search the PBR database for your profile. Don't see your profile? You can create a free PBR profile here)

Saugus:

+ ‘24 RHP/ Wesley Yim 

A smaller framed RHP Yim posted an outstanding spring for the Centurions working off a FB that is in 80-83 MPH range which he commands to all 4 quadrants of the zone primarily attacking the bottom of the zone while adding the feel to elevate when necessary and mixing in 69-73 MPH breaking ball which gives Slurve like action and a deceptive mid 70’s CHG he throws with FB arm speed. Yim is polished with his feel for all 3 pitches, ability to throw any pitch in any count, attacking tempo both in his pace & his delivery operation, cool/confident demeanor on the mound. He does not have a college commitment at this time and I’m unsure of his future plans for playing baseball now that his high school career has concluded, but Yim could raise his stock by starting at a JUCO program and helping to tick up his velocity while continuing to show his ability to pitch that would put him in a very good position to play 4-year baseball.

+ ‘ 24 SS Derek Hughes 

This was my 2nd look at Hughes in person who I also saw in the Winter Ball period of the CIF HS baseball in the Southern Section. The senior had a bit of a down year with the bat, but on this day he showed his potential as a RH hitter with athleticism finding the barrel 3 times over the course of the Centurions dominating win to collect 3 pull side singles, once on the bases his above average athleticism plays well with a stolen base and scoring multiple runs. While there was some offensive struggles as a SR for Hughes what did not struggle was his glove as he looks the part of a steady sure handed SS who will consistently make the routine play with enough range/arm strength to move laterally & take away hits with the easy actions to move downhill on slow hit balls. As a glove first SS who has potential in the bat Hughes should be a solid JUCO land for a program where he has a chance to impact the program immediately with the glove, add strength to his frame & give his bat a chance to show the potential in it that will make him a 4-year level player.

+ ‘ 24 MINF Toby Lite

The double play partner for Hughes is the SR 2B Lite who put together a solid campaign to close out his High School career including an avg. over .300, showing the feel to move the ball around/play the small game in an offense that values those tools, while being a smooth defender at 2B who will easily handle the position at an above average level for the college game and should his arm make a jump in strength as he continues to mature there is even enough potential to see him play SS in the future at the college level. Currently uncommitted Lite is weighing some smaller school offers at the D3/NAIA level and will find himself a college baseball player who brings an interesting skill set that can help the program he commits too.

+  ‘24 INF Brady Yeamen

I’ve Yeamen a few different times and playing both 3B and 2B which looks to be his best future positions at the college level he is a clean defender with solid feet and sure hands which will allow him to be a solid if not dynamic defender at either spot. What Yeamen brings that can help a college program is a quality LH bat which has given me previously good looks and again showed well in this look. The path is quick/direct with more a leverage based plane that will work to line drives up the middle of the field and play as doubles power which suits the compact framed Yeamen just fine. He finds the barrel consistently with ability to get to pitches on both halves of the plate. I see a future 6-9 hitter who can add some additional impact to a lineup and to his personal game as he continues to add strength to his frame. Likely headed to the JUCO level to start his college career between his LH bat, quality feel for defense and ability to continue developing his athleticism/strength Yeamen should be a good 4-year land once his time is done at the JUCO level.

+ ‘25 CF James Frias 

Frias has been the top performer on offense for the Centurions over the spring season and hitting in the 3 hole with above average athleticism, some present strength to his frame and intriguing skill set at the plate/defensively Frias is a ‘25 who is trending up. A medium frame with strength and some dynamic actions in his run tool, swing path and overall way he moves around a baseball field Frias gives you the feel of a top of the order potential hitter who is showing an approach with the bat speed/feel for the barrel in game that will help him stick there once he heads off to a college program including a .396/.516/.437 slash line at the time I saw him while stealing 15 bases and drawing 1 less BB than Ks on the season (8 BB/9 K). He worked multiple lengthy at bats early with a feel for spoiling pitches and the bat to ball skill set with only one swing & miss while drawing 2 walks, collecting a barrel on a L-9 and coming around to plate 2 runs for the Centurions. He is an above average runner who covers plenty of ground in the OF to stick in CF with the arm strength/accuracy to be a solid thrower in the CF position, but might be a little light for RF presently. Either way the uncommitted Frias is a name coaches should be adding to their board and paying attention to this summer/fall as a middle of the diamond athlete who is showing an offensive impact ability.

+ ‘26 OF Matthew Carta 

An intriguing RH hitter who has give me a few good looks at him with an aggressive RH swing while projecting as a corner OF defender. Carta had a bit of an up and down 2024 campaign playing pretty much full time as a SOPH. on varsity for the Centurions and hitting near the top of the order for them. His overall numbers show the continued need to develop his approach at the plate, but the swing itself, frame and upside are readily apparent with Carta. He is starting to show improved leverage/lift in his path which will give him a better chance to tap into what looks to be solid raw power that should trend upwards as he continues adding strength to long athletic frame. He was able to drill a pair of balls to the RCF with authority for me on this day while hitting a hard GB out to SS in a 2K count. There is a small pause between his front foot strike and the start of his swing turn in the lower ½ which as he cleans up his feel for his approach with continued at bats against higher level pitching will allow him to better find his timing on the trigger of the swing which will turn the hard contact to RCF into loud contact to the pull side with the ability to impact the ball to the opposite field. My personal arrow is up on Carta while there is polish to his game that is still needed as a SOPH. with intriguing tools I like the potential for this RH hitting corner OF.

 

Castaic:

+ ’25 SS Travis Van Ness

A wiry lean framed SS who shows interesting actions moving around defensively with some natural rhythm to his feet, good hands and fringey arm strength to stay at SS long term. With Van Ness I liked the collection of actions, tools and potential slightly more than his present production. He has a direct swing with some looseness to his hand path and showed a feel for bat to ball ability against Yim taking the most consistent quality at bats. There is room for improvement across the board for Van Ness to add strength to his frame, continue to develop his athleticism, polish his feel for defense to allow his natural actions to play more consistently, and continue to get at bats against quality pitching to tap into the high contact/middle of the field offensive profile. He will be one I want to see more of hopefully through the summer circuit or fall circuit prior to his SR campaign as he shows the potential to be a college level player.

Cabrillo:

+ ‘25 C Blake Gregory

A LHH catcher who shows the ability to be solid player both behind the plate and in the batter's box at the college level Gregory is a rising ‘25 name who needs to be on college coaches' radars as they look for pieces in that class. His swing is loose with a direct path to the ball that plays to a middle/pull side approach that will drill line drives back through the middle of the field with lift to the pull side that plays to HR power (5 2bs, 1 3b and 3 HRs on spring). Gregory is aggressive on pitches over the plate that he feels he can hit and hit hard which he is doing at a very good level this spring  .432/.543/.648 slash line when I saw him play while hitting atop the Conquistadors lineup. Behind the plate he is a solid receiver who shows a feel for handling pitches both on the fringes of the plate and low in the zone to present them well with some quickness to his block. I got a difficult read on the true arm strength of Gregory as he had to throw into a stiff 30+ MPH wind which was affecting ball flight on throws, but he did give me consistent 2.05-2.1 throw times against it, which should play lower on a normal day. While he will need to continue to add strength to his wiry athletic frame the overall package of ability that Gregory presents makes him one that college coaches should be looking to find a way to get their own look at him over this summer/fall.

+ ‘24 RHP Gage Mattis 

The SR arm for Cabrillo has put up some outstanding numbers this spring including 11 W/ .67 ERA/ 73 IP/ 84 Ks and on the day I saw him throw he picked up a 7 inning CG win to help clinch the league title for the Conquistadors. He gets there with more pure pitchability/competitiveness than pure stuff. He works off a FB that sits in the 84-86 range but did touch 87 on multiple occasions for me that will give arm side run when up in the zone and heavy sink when down in the zone that generates extensive GB contact when put in play. His best secondary is a 73-77 MPH SLD that morphs from a 10/4 shape on the arm side and 11/5 shape on the glove side and is better when he throws it firmer to the glove side that will get him swing/miss with the pitch where the shorter version gets more soft GB contact. Also, has a fringey 78-79 MPH CHG which is on the straighter end of the movement spectrum and he does throw it with good arm speed that gives you a FB look out the hand, but will need to develop improved feel for it as he left many of them up in the zone. Mattis is likely headed to the JUCO route where he can have time to add life to his stuff, develop the CHG and should find himself an opportunity to stick as a starter long term at the college level.

+ ‘26 MINF Gabe Barraza 

The LHH Barraza follows Gregory in the Cabrillo lineup and I was a fan of what he can do in the batter's box. It’s a compact and direct bat path that works back through the middle of the field with some quickness to the hands/bat speed that will continue to improve as he matures. He showed the ability to get the ball on a line to the gaps with some authority including a double to RCF with a feel for his approach and the ability to play the small game (executed a clean hit and run in game). Moving well at SS he shows solid footwork and softness to his hands, but the athleticism/arm strength presently look like they will play better at 2B, but as just a SOPH. with plenty of time to develop and improve those skills he should stay up the middle long term.

+ ‘25 3B Thomas Kiesling 

A solid overall player who is having a good year as a middle of the order force for the Conquistadors. He shows strength in his swing with a middle/pull side approach that looks to do damage in each swing he takes (which does lead to some swing/miss that will need to be cleaned up long term). Kiesling has some present strength in his frame especially in the lower ½ which he uses to generate torque in the turn portion of the swing allowing his hands to deliver the barrel. In game he stung a hard 2B down the LF line which was knocked down by the wind that may have had a chance to carry further to straight away left without the wind. Kiesling plays a quality 3B and gave me a feel that he can stick there long term although it was just a 1 game look, but the arm strength showed well between innings with good footwork and the actions in game. Another ‘25 to keep eyes on in the Central Section for college coaches.

St. Joseph’s:

+ ‘27 LHP Mason Majewski

The wiry athletic framed Majewski comes with a strong pedigree having been the ace of a Santa Maria Babe Ruth team that claimed a national championship and he is showing that ability very well as a FR. throwing significant innings on varsity for the Knights. Majewski has a loose easy arm action with body control in the delivery that comes from a lower effort smooth operation that allows him to throw strikes with consistency and project an interesting command potential with the ease of the overall pitching operation. Entering the game in the 2nd inning after the starter was removed for precautionary reasons related to some arm discomfort Majewski stymied the tide for 4 innings allowing just 1 run in that span. The FB worked consistently at 82-84 MPH while showing the ability to locate it to both sides of the plate with some late arm side run to both sides. From there his offspeed offerings both flashed good potential the CB presently is at 66-68 MPH and a 1/7 shape while the velocity makes it on the loopier side it has the look of a pitch that can develop into a mid 70’s power offering in the future. Then comes the 75-76 MPH CHG which he throws with arm speed and feel for the pitch to keep it down in the zone while showing some fade to the arm side on it. Over his 4 innings of work Majewski punched out 3 hitters and pitched through one jam while limiting his pitch count. He has been used mainly in relief to keep his workload on the lower end as a FR. on varsity, but the arrow on Majewski is pointed way up for me and I anticipate him to be on of the better ‘27 arms in this area going forward.

+ ‘26 3B Connor Chanley

On what was a good day for hot corner defenders with his Cabrillo counterpart being a very solid college potential player Chanley really opened my eyes watching him play defense where he looks very comfortable moving in all directions (laterally, downhill and even going back on a tough hop) with smooth actions to his feet, easy clean hands and presently solid arm strength which could turn into more as he matures. He made plays in each direction in the game and there is enough athletic ability with feel for what he does defensively that I’m curious if he could even play some SS in the future. As impressive as Chanley is defensively he is far from a glove only 3B prospect, but also has a solid skill set in the batter’s box. A RH hitter with a simple quiet approach in the box that allows him to track the ball well with a good feel for his timing at the plate. He relies on a direct bat path which works through the middle of the field and gets a turn with his body to help delivery the barrel with some impact through contact. He will give you flashes of whip in the swing path, but more consistently it’s a connected path within the turn of the body and his hands. He hit multiple balls hard within the game and took some of the better at bats against Mattis for the Knights. Another arrow up player for me out the Knights program who should be a strong follow for college programs this summer ahead of the Aug. 1 contact date for the 2026 class.

+ ‘24 OF Jack Ferguson

A LHH corner OF defender Ferguson has had a good spring for the Knights and he showed well in this game with a pair of hard hit balls. The swing is more strength based with some potential for impact through the middle of the field, but will play best to the pull side. He plays a solid LF defense and moves well although it’s more fringey run speed than pure average run speed. A solid LH bat for the JUCO level who if he can continue to polish his overall game and show the ability to hit at the same level he did in high school at the JUCO level will put himself in position to play at the 4-year level in the future.

Camarillo (of note this was a 4+ inning look not full game):

+ ‘24 LHP/1B Boston Bateman LSU Commit

The appropriately nicknamed “Sasquatch” Bateman is an intimidating presence on a mound who has performed as a larger than life level this spring for the Scorpions who are the #1 seed in D4 and the presumptive favorite to claim the title. Much of both of those comes from the fact of Bateman starting every other game (which would lineup with him starting the CIF Finals if they reach there) and essentially Bateman has been nearly untouchable this spring with a 10-1 record, .66 ERA, 110 Ks in 53.1 IP, allowed just 8 hits all spring with 33 BBs. I saw just 4 innings of what would be a 5.1 inning start for Bateman in which he pitched comfortably at 91-94 for the majority of the outing but did pop a 96 for me on the 2nd pitch of the game (highest velocity I have seen in 4 looks at him this year) while adding in his 73-77 MPH CB as the primary secondary working it at lower velocity for a “get me over” strike and spinning the sharper power version at the 77 MPH end for swing/miss. Threw his 84-85 MPH CHG in warm ups, but I did not catch one in game while I was there. Boston struck out 8 total for the outing, allowed just 2 hits and walked 3 (I was there for 1 of these) and very much looked to be chasing early contact with an idea of pitching deeper in the game then chasing the strikeout once he put himself in position to get one. As the Scorpions have won their 2nd round game (6-4 win over Murrieta Valley) this puts Bateman on track to start again in the quarterfinals where barring a surprise upset Camarillo should be in line for a semi-final berth which if they can win that game would have Sasquatch toeing the rubber at Lake Elsinore Stadium in a CIF Finals start which would be a precursor to what is sure to be a future of him appearing on the mound of plenty of minor league stadiums as a professional arm.

+ ‘24 SS Trotter Enright Long Beach State Commit

Watching Trotter Enright play baseball for his senior season at Camarillo has been an absolute pleasure with the high level ability, the high energy, the competitiveness and teammate he has shown over the course of the last 5+ months since I first saw him at a winter ball game in December has ticked his stock way up with me. The LH hitter has bat speed, generally strong control of the strike zone on his swing decisions (although he will chase at times in advantage counts something he can continue to polish), leverage in the path which allows him to drive the ball from line to line with authority and will grow into more consistent power should he decide to look for opportunities to lift the ball to the pull side on a consistent basis. In this brief look he did what I like to say about players I like “Trotter Enright doing Trotter Enright things” as he set the table for the first two runs for the Scorpions by nailing a 2K one hopper to the right side and drawing a BB and would go on to get another hit (a double) and draw another walk while scoring 4 runs and driving one run in (accounting for 5 of the Scorpions 9 runs by himself). He plays a solid SS with good hands and will flash the arm strength to handle the position, but as strong as he looks there he may be destined to become a future 3B which combined with his LH bat if everything clicks for him at the college level he is another player I would not be surprised if one day we see his name generating significant MLB draft buzz towards a professional career.

+ ‘24 INF/OF Tommy Goodin Vanderbilt Commit

Long known for his light tower power in which Goodin has put on impressive BP displays launching baseballs to the deep parts of the pull side of baseball fields, but this year he has shown a significantly improved bat to ball tool with feel for simply hitting to go along with his inherent power in the profile. This improved approach to hitting has allowed him to put up an impressive SR. campaign which saw him hit .386, smash 12 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HRs (16 of his 34 hits have been of the extra base variety) lead the team with 27 RBIs and second on the team with 22 runs. Goodin’s improved approach and simplified load/swing paid dividends as well with his 12 BB/7 K totals this season while still showing significant OPS value .476 OBP and .659 SLG for a total of 1.135. Playing predominantly 1B this spring I have seen Goodin play some 3B and LF in the past which if he can stick at one of those spots in the future he presents an interesting upside as he goes forward with his post high school baseball career as a Vanderbilt commit who much like Enright if things all click for him going forward on his development path we may see one day as a professional baseball player.

 

Oaks Christian:

+ ’25 LHP Ty Hanley 

This was my 3rd time seeing Hanley throw this spring (2 starts and this relief appearance) and within each outing he has ticked up for me as an uncommitted ‘25 LHP. Coming in after the Matadores had opened up a 4-0 deficit behind a few errors from the Lions and a HR Hanley immediately quieted their bats and kept the Lions in the game until the final out. Hanley has showed consistent velocity on his FB in each look working in the 84-87 range (mostly 85-86) but what has improved in each look has been the FB control/command as he has not only thrown it for more strikes, but executed it to his intended location on a consistent basis especially within this outing. Used his 73-75 MPH CB with effectiveness especially when down he can get swing/miss with the pitch, but also did mix it in as an early count strike offering while adding the occasional 78-79 MPH CHG (he used infrequently in this outing). While I still think Hanley profiles as a starter long term especially as he has shown me more consistent control of the strike zone in the last two outings, what this look did was give me a better confidence that he could be used a leverage reliever from the LH side where his FB/CB combo could collect big outs in a college bullpen. Whatever role Hanley winds up in long term one thing I’m convinced of is that he can help a college pitching staff and will be a quality land for a college program in the ‘25 class.

+ ‘26 C Carson Sheffer 

I’ve written about Sheffer on multiple occasions this spring and spoken glowingly of him on podcasts with an extensive focus on his ability behind the plate where I really like the overall collection of skills at a premium defensive spot. Where I was initially intrigued with what the RH hitting Sheffer does at the plate as the Lions leadoff hitter he has risen his stock for me with each additional look that he isn’t just a top of the order high school hitter, but someone who can eventually slot into the top of a college lineup while playing a premium defensive position. Facing off against La Mirada starter who is bound for the D1 level, Sheffer strung together multiple strong appearances at the plate as he continues to not just hit the baseball for me, but hit the baseball off the barrel of the bat with consistency. He lined out hard to RF in his first two plate appearances with both balls being barreled at the RF before turning on a pitch down the LF line for a single later in the game. It’s a pure swing with looseness and an ability to go line to line with hard contact. I’m very excited to continue to see more of Sheffer as he continues to develop/improve and perform for the Lions program and should be a priority follow this summer for college programs ahead of the 2026 contact date in August.

+ ‘24 SS Elijah Clayton Cal Commit

The future Cal Golden Bear who has legitimate MLB potential to his game capped a stellar high school career at Oaks Christian with an impressive performance. I’ve been a fan of the athleticism, impressed by the defensive ability and liked what Clayton does at the plate, but in this look he took another step up for me showing off impact to the pull side. After being retired in his first plate appearance Clayton would turn on a hard double down the LF line before being stranded at 2B and then on what would be the final pitch of the day for the Matadors starter he launched a 3-run blast to straight away LF. While the field was on the smaller side this HR was not a product of the short fence, but one that likely would have been out of most parks. Clayton is a dynamic player who if he can stick at SS long term will likely find himself as a future professional baseball player and even with a move to 2B there is still a strong potential that Clayton will don a professional baseball uniform one day.

+ ‘26 OF/RHP Jack Laubacher  

I’ve seen Laubacher hit on several occasions this spring, but this was my first chance to see him toe the rubber which is likely his future home on a baseball field once he moves on to the college level. He has put together a very strong spring for Oaks Christian and earned himself the start in the opener of the D1 playoffs. The adrenaline of the moment may have played a role in the quality of his outing as he looked to be more effectively wild on the day than pounding the strike zone with consistency. But, what is undeniable is the quality of the stuff for the ‘26 Laubacher who pitched consistently at 88-89 with his FB and popped multiple 90/91 velos for me including the ability to elevate the FB at the top of the zone for chase & swing/miss. His SLD is in the 75-77 MPH range with a sharper action to the break in the 10/4 range, but does morph to the 11/5 shape at times as he continues to develop his feel for spinning the pitch with consistency, but projects as a swing/miss offering. The CHG was an interesting look as he threw it at 78-80 MPH while giving almost a splitter like action to the sink/run of the pitch which I’m not 100% sure is the natural movement to the pitch or if he was overthrowing it on the day, I’ll definitely need an additional series of looks at the CHG to get a better feel for the shape and potential of the pitch. His delivery is athletic with a small amount of effort, but not enough that would give you worry about his future potential to start once he heads to the college level. With the size, the arm action, the delivery and his pitch mix Laubacher gives me a Jake Peavy type feel for what he does on the mound. Another priority follow in the ‘26 class for college coaches as the August 1 contact date looms in the coming months. 

La Mirada:

+ ‘24 RHP Walker Calvo Army Commit

The future Black Knights arm Calvo screams that type of player who can be successful playing for a military academy. He is an uber competitive pitcher who has a toughness to how he approaches his work on the mound with the intellect and body control to mix/match his 3 pitch mix with effectiveness to generate soft contact or swing/miss while being able to pitch through traffic when necessary. The FB for Calvo was at 85-87 MPH for the majority of his outing, but did dip down a bit in the 4th inning then spins a tighter 75-77 MPH SLD which at times will give you a cutter like feel to the movement on it and he threw a 79-80 MPH CHG which also gave me splitter like actions on the movement at times, but is the third offering for him behind the FB/SLD combo. Calvo went 4.1 innings and was able to limit hard contact, but was finally touched for a HR before exiting the game. The ace of the Matadores staff is slated for another starter with the quarterfinals coming up on Friday and whenever his high school career ends will head off to a bright future as an Army Black Knight baseball player and student.

+ ‘27 LHP Luke Armijo

This was my personal first look at Armijo who entered the game in relief of Calvo following the HR and the FR. arm quieted the Lions bats quickly and efficiently to close out the win and pick up the save. With a pre-pitch set up that closes his body off to the hitter showing them the numbers on the back of his jersey he curls his body even more in the delivery, but once he uncurls Armijo makes an athletic clean move down the mound with body control that is highlighted by a quick to fast arm with looseness to the action and an impressive feel for his stuff and the strike zone. His FB was consistently at 85-86 over the 2.2 innings of work, but on multiple occasions he bumped up to 87 and 88 MPH with his velocity while consistently controlling it within the strike zone. He used a upper 70’s CHG as the secondary offering which he throws with FB arm speed that combined with his deceptive delivery makes it hard to pick up inducing swing/miss plus soft contact with the pitch. Armijo punched out 4 in the relief appearance with no walks and no hits allowed. The La Mirada lefthander has about 16 months before a college program can start to recruit him, but with his loud arrival on the varsity level as a FR. plus likely a future in the Matadores rotation next year and his present stuff with upside you have to believe his name is one college programs are going to be paying close attention to and potentially in the future one MLB scouts are coming out to see throw regularly.

+ ‘25 INF Maverek Russell UCLA Commit

The LHH Russell was in the lead off spot for La Mirada and the future UCLA Bruin gave me a very impressive look in my 2nd one of the spring. I saw him previously at the Spring Invitational Tournament where he hit several baseballs hard, but did not collect a hit in that look and once again Maverek gave me quality swing after quality swing while showing an advanced approach. His swing is direct with present bat speed and what has generally looked like a middle of the field approach for him that plays to a high contact approach which is evidenced by his .394 average on the spring to go with 4 doubles, 2 HRs, .495 OBP with a .535 SLG. He drew a walk in his first plate appearance and would come around to score, then smoked a hard shot for an out in his 2nd at bat before welcoming Hanley to the game with a line drive single as one of the few hits off him in the game. The simplicity of his operation in the box with the strength/quickness to his swing project a future top of the order bat with a floor of being a very quality back end of the lineup piece who as a LH hitter who flashes an impressive hit tool could find himself in MLB draft discussions in the future.

+ ‘25 CF Travis Friend UCLA Commit

Friend is an intriguing athlete who flashes speed with power and a profile that should stick in CF long term. There is loose bat speed to his operation in the box that has impact when he connects with the baseball and Friend looks to hit the baseball with authority each time he takes a swing. The path has lift and the approach is middle/pull side which has helped him produce strong power numbers .539 SLG, 6 doubles, 2 triples and 4 HRs, but has also led to some swing/miss issues this spring for Friend. The premium defensive profile, intriguing power bat with potential middle of order profile at the next level the Bruins have an exciting piece in the ‘25 class who could be a dynamic piece for them at a pair of very important spots (CF/offense).

 

Newbury Park:

+ ’25 RHP/3B Cameron Fausset 

Fausset is one of the top uncommitted ‘25s in the state of California as a RHP, but he is growing on me as a RH hitter who can play a corner spot defensively. In this game he was the DH for the Panthers, but took INF/OF at 3B where he looks solid and has swung the bat well for me in a couple different looks at him as a hitter. He collected a big hit with the bases loaded that broke the game open with a couple other solid plate appearances. Then Fausset came on in the 7th to close out the win for Newbury Park as the pulled the upset of the #2 seed Summit Skyhawks. Fausset has battled some control issues later in the spring with his FB which continues to show quality life on it pitching at 88-90 consistently while touching 91 with his control of the pitch being both within the zone or around the zone and dropped in a pair of SLDs at 77-78 including one in which he picked up a called strike three. He retired the other 2 hitters on flyball outs to CF and RF while pitching around a leadoff walk. While the quality of what Fausset can do on the mound with a starters potential is most likely where Fausset ends up at the college level, I would not be surprised the more I see Fausset hit if there is a program who gives him a chance to hit based on the strength in his swing and slots him in as a reliever who can work of the FB/power breaking ball combo to be a leverage arm.

+ ‘24 RHP Justin Frohn Lewis & Clark Commit 

Frohn drew the start in this important matchup and having seen him throw extensively in relief in each of my previous outings I was very curious to see how he worked as a starter and needless to say by his 6 scoreless innings there is plenty of reason to believe he can compete for a future starting role once on campus with Lewis & Clark (D3 in Oregon). Pitching mainly at 84-87 with a FB that both can run arm side when up in the zone to bore in on a RH hitters hands, but also sinks it when down in the zone making it difficult for hitters to elevate the pitch, then adds in a ability to reach back for a firmer 89-90 MPH FB at times. Frohn uses his 73-76 MPH SLD that has some bite to it especially when he buries it to the arm side and is his best pure swing/miss pitch presently and a softer 69-71 MPH CB that he uses less frequently but can be used to steal a strike. He pitched predominantly off the FB while using his spin in spots where he needed a swing/miss or true soft contact out of a hitter. With a background as a leverage reliever for the Panthers, but plenty of reason to believe he can start at the college level the Pioneers have a quality piece headed to their program once Frohn wraps up his high school career.

+ ‘24 SS Cade Falsken Oregon State commit 

While the Beavers lineup boasts an extremely talented LH hitting MINF this spring in Travis Bazzana once the slugging Aussie leaves campus the dynamic Falsken could find himself in a position to compete for a chance to take over the 2B slot and bring his LH hitting profile to the Pacific Northwest. There is bat speed, there is polish to the approach, there is consistent bat to ball with a feel for the the barrel, there is dynamic speed running the bases, and as he matures the bat path gives you future power projection for Falsken too. After striking out in his first plate appearance Cade went to work in his next 3 trips to the plate to make his impact felt on the game and show the type of player he is. Falling behind 0-2 with a runner in scoring position he would foul off 4 straight 2K pitches before stinging one through the right side for an RBI single. Then in his next two plate appearances he showed off his versatility with a 3-0 count hack in which he drilled a left on left pitch to RCF for a hit and burst out of the box thinking two stretching it in a double and then finally drawing a walk in his last plate appearance before stealing his 31st base of the spring (a new school single season record at Newbury Park). He is an athletic mover at SS who has quick feet, smooth glove, and the arm that could stick at SS, but a move to 2B would allow him to be an impact level defender. I’ve truly enjoyed watching Falsken play in multiple looks this spring and once he steps foot on campus for the Beavers I would not in the least be surprised if he one day in the future hears his name called as an MLB draft pick.

+ ‘27 MINF Cole Munyon 

In the column on arrow up players I’ve seen in the last couple weeks Munyon firmly cemented himself in there with my 2nd look at him. He intrigued me with his swing, the body/frame, how he moves at 2B for the Panthers in my first look and in a highly competitive environment squaring off with a future D1 level arm Munyon looked right at home as a name to know in the ‘27 class for college coaches. He made multiple plays at 2B which showed his athleticism and actions to stay at the spot with enough intrigue that he could handle a move to the left side in the future including charging a soft chopper and glove flipping to 1B then a diving play to save a run with 2-outs and keep the game scoreless. Then add in the bat to ball skill he continues to show for me which is going to profile to add more power as he matures into additional strength, improves/develops his rhythm & approach versus higher level pitching. He currently hits in the backside of the lineup, but as the SR. class for Newbury departs after this season, I see a rise in the order in his future. Munyon collected multiple hits in the game as a vital piece of the offensive performance in the upset win.

+ ‘25 OF/LHP Luke Medhurst USD Toreros Commit

At this point the more I see Medhurst play CF defensively where he can cover ground at an impressive level to take away hits from gap to gap, coming in and going back plus his innate feel for hitting with bat to ball skills that combine an impressively consistent feel for barreling the baseball from line to line I would be very surprised if he doesn’t get a chance to be a 2-way guy once he arrives on campus for the Toreros (Medhurst is an upper 80’s LH arm who spins a very good breaking ball). The swing is on the flatter side which produces line drive contact consistently which suits his offensive profile just fine as he looks to be a present top of the order table setter who runs at least above average. With a more wiry frame that has added strength to it since I first saw him as a SOPH. in 2023, but there is room to add strength across both the upper/lower body he could eventually grow into more power in the future as he matures. He collected 3 hits in the game first with a one hop shot of the leg of the pitcher, a hard line drive to RCF and then pulled his hands inside a FB on the black of the plate to line a single to straight away RF. While it’s always hard to not want to put a very talented LH arm on the bump and let him focus on that skill set it’s hard for me to see a reason why not to continue to allow Medhurst to hit once he gets to college and play CF because he can be an impactful piece at a premium defensive spot and within a lineup.

+ ‘25 OF Owen Meli 

Meli has been a bit of a revelation this spring with his performance at the plate which has featured a consistent bat to ball ability from a compact direct swing path. Meli has hit .329 for the Panthers including 2 doubles, 2 HRs and leads the team with 20 RBIs and tied for 2nd with 21 runs scored (only behind Falsken’s 36 runs scored out of the leadoff spot). He is a corner OF profile defender who shows the potential to stay in RF long term with good actions moving around the OF and the arm strength that shows potential to handle the throws from RF. His approach works the middle to pull side of the field and you can see some lift in the path that if he develops his feel for putting the ball in the air to the pull side of the field has some intriguing power potential. As R/R corner OF it’s a profile that will depend heavily on his continued ability to hit going forward, but Meli has so far looked up to the task of being a ‘25 offensive piece that college programs should keep tabs on going forward.

Summit:

+ ‘25 RHP Kody Smathers Cal Baptist Commit

The future Lancer hurler was impressive in his 4.1 innings of work and on what turned out to be an overall tough day for the Skyhawks was a bright spot. Smathers is a wiry athletic arm who is just tickling the levels of his potential on the mound with a clean, easy delivery that is highlighted by a loose quick arm that will flash fast at times when he lets it loose. With that delivery comes a consistent 87-89 MPH FB that comes with little effort and very good control of it within the strike zone then when Smathers decided to let it loose a bit (still not full effort) he popped 90-91 on several pitches. His FB will give you arm side run with life that got some swing/miss. Backing up his FB is a very impressive 80-83 MPH SLD that is sharp & tight with the movement on its break that almost gives you a cutter like feel to it at times, but also will show some vertical depth to it and was his primary swing/miss offering. He racked up 5 punchouts while in the game with the majority of those coming of swing/miss SLDs from the Panthers. Already committed to Cal Baptist (who has a history of producing MLB draft arms) the next step for Smathers is to continue to develop his body by adding additional strength, working on his 3rd offering while polishing his already strong pitchability over the course of the next year before he heads to campus and if he continues on the path he has set forth for himself don’t be surprised if come his JR/SR year at CBU the talented righthander starts to generate some MLB draft buzz around himself.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Showcase State Date Location
SoCal Rising Stars Game CA 05/12 Mater Dei High School
FUTURE GAMES TRYOUT: Orange County CA 06/01 Fullerton College
FUTURE GAMES TRYOUT: Ventura County CA 06/09 Westmont College

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