Area Code Games: Day 3
August 8, 2019
BREWERS:
2020 INF Drew Bowser (Harvard Westlake) - Stanford commit. Bowser has been swinging the bat well this week and that continued today going 1-for-2 with two well struck balls. The quick bat shows easy pop off it working on an upward, compact swing and showed when he laced a 2B (95.6 MPH Exit) down the LF line in his first AB. In his 2nd AB he just missed a HR (98 MPH Exit) having a deep fly ball land in the LF’s glove a step from the wall.
2020 OF Isaiah Greene (Corona) - Greene has been a steady presence for the Brewers showing great range in LF during the first two games before being moved to CF for this game. Those defensive skills showed up again as Greene made another diving catch coming in on a ball to take away extra bases. The bat also showed up today as he picked up two hits and laced a third ball at the RF finishing 2-for-4. Greene showed the ability to manipulate the barrel with the singles going to both sides of the field. Plus speed and athleticism and you can see why he's one of the top uncommitted players remaining in CA.
2020 MIF Milan Tolentino (Santa Margarita) - UCLA commit. Tolentino is not a flashy player consistently doing things to help his team win and impact the baseball game. That showed again today when he made a great play deep into the 6-hole throwing a strike to get a great runner. He’s smart on the base paths as well picking up a stolen base and consistently making the pitcher worry about him. Shows a great approach at the plate taking what’s given to him and allowing his compact swing to work both sides of the field; showed that today staying on a FB off the plate and driving it into LF for an easy knock.
2020 MIF D’Andre Smith (San Dimas) - USC commit. Smith has shown he shouldn't be overlooked on a team loaded with middle infielders playing steady defense at both spots in the middle of the dirt and flashing bat-to-ball skills. Picked up three hits today showing his speed down the line on a swinging bunt, following it with a stolen base, before two sharp singles to LF driving in a run. The quick bat allows him to be direct to the ball and during BP showed sneaky gap pop as well.
2020 OF Kalai Rosario (Waiakea HI) - Cal Baptist commit. After winning the HR Derby last night, Rosario stayed hot coming in late and picking up two hits. The sturdy frame is balanced through contact allowing the strength in the frame to come out. His first hit today was a power ground ball single through the 4 hole that drove in two runs, before a swinging bunt at 3rd put him on base for the second time. During the second hit, Rosario showed he’s got speed in the large frame busting down the line to beat the throw with a 4.32 time home-to-first.
2020 C Garret Guillemette (Servite) - USC commit. Guillemette’s catching skills have been clearly on display this week being a leader on the field and communicating with his pitchers as he’s gotten them refocused and back on track. The catch and throw skills have also been consistently good as he nabbed a runner at 2nd (2.02 Pop) with his quick release and impressive footwork. Guillemette’s hustle can’t be questioned either and showed when a ball scooted away from him with a runner on first, busting to get to the ball and throwing the runner out at 3rd base with his above-average arm.
2020 RHP Ryan Delgado (Righetti) - Cal Baptist commit. On a day where the Brewers pitchers scuffed through the early innings, Delgado came in and attacked the zone striking out 4 over his two innings and showing a strong three-pitch mix with the baseball jumping out from his shoulder with a very compact arm. FB 86-89 spotting the ball to both sides of the plate and getting swings on pitches up through the zone. CHG 81-83 sold well and another pitch that induced swing and misses having late arm side fade. SLD 77-79 showed 3/4 break with gradual depth and late cut at the plate showcasing as a solid third pitch. Delgado’s projection for the next level is available and has the chance to make another velocity jump prior to the 2020 season.
2020 INF Jacob Gonzalez (Glendora) - The Mississippi commit has a hyper-athletic 6-foot-2, 188lbs frame. Shows a crouched, wide setup and really gets into his legs in the box. Demonstrates impressive bat speed and a natural left handed stroke. Gonzalez has sneaky raw power and present gap-to-gap pop. Has the ability to backspin the ball and will have high doubles totals with homerun potential.
2020 INF Tank Espalin (Orange Lutheran) - The USC commit checks in at an athletic 6-feet, 179lbs, with ample room to add muscle and twitchiness. Starts with a tall, narrow stance at the back of the box, moderate stride, with above-average bat speed. Approach is to all fields, has a good eye, recognizes pitches early, tracks well, and gets involved on every pitch. Espalin is a solid utility player that will likely play multiple positions in the infield this year for the OLU Lancers. I see a home at third base for him at the college and professional levels.
2020 MIF Walter Ahuna III – (Hilo) The Kansas commit stands 5-foot-11.5, 152lbs. lean, wiry frame with significant room to add weight and muscle. Ahuna shows a neutral stance with a moderate leg kick. Approach is to all fields and has tremendous plate coverage with above average bat speed. His short compact swing leads to a high contact rate and current gap power. Ahuna is as smooth as they get on defense that demonstrates soft, supple hands, and above average range with athletic actions. He’s showing the ability to stick at shortstop with an above average arm tool. His glove, bat and athleticism will carry him an most likely will hear his name called next June in the 2020 draft.
A's
2020 C Tyler Soderstrom (Turlock) - UCLA commit. Soderstrom has done nothing to diminish his standing as one of the top players in the state, if not the country. Soderstrom simply hits and did so again today. His first hit was a single laced up the middle where he had to bust down the line as the SS went full effort to make a play (4.36 H-1st). Soderstrom’s second hit was an absolute rocket off the bat (104); the 2nd baseman went into survival mode to get out of the way on the ball and allowed Soderstrom to easily get to 2nd base. He also showed his athletic ability playing the game at 3rd base, not his natural position, and flashing some skills including on a quick tag that just missed getting a runner. Look for Soderstrom to be a name you hear a lot come MLB Draft time.
2020 OF Chase Davis (Franklin) - Arizona commit. After putting on a show during batting practice yesterday, Davis saw the ball well again today with two quality AB’s picking up a hit in the 1st one lacing a hard single through the 4-hole. In his second AB, he squared up the baseball driving it deep into CF (96 MPH exit) for a long flyout as the wind knocked it down. The arm has been a consistent plus arm in RF, and he showed his athleticism out there when he over-ran a ball on the line but dove back to make a catch and end the threat.
2020 C Omar Plascencia (Lodi) - UC Davis commit. Plascencia put together two quality AB’s in this game battling back in his 1st AB before staying on a pitch and driving it into RCF for a 2 RBI double. Earlier in the week, his hands had been getting around the baseball before staying inside the ball and driving it to the oppo gap showing his ability to adjust on the fly. During his second AB he again battled and worked the count before drawing a walk. He showed his quick release and average arm during the game putting a ball right on the bag (1.94 Pop) with a runner who had a great jump.
2020 OF Carson Yates (Leland) - One of the most physical and athletic players representing California, Yates showed off his raw tools in this one picking up two RBI’s and a hit and showing above-average-to-plus speed on the bases and in the field. His single was a shot off the bat through the middle of the field to drive in one of the first runs for the A’s in the game. After the single he showed his speed scoring from 1st taking great angles as he rounded to score standing up (9.42 sec). During his second AB he drove the CF back (91 MPH exit velo) on a deep fly-ball to drive in another run. A two-sport athlete (dual-threat QB), Yates has a high ceiling as one of the few Uncommitted players on the roster for California.
2020 C Cole Carrigg (Turlock) - SDSU commit. We’ve consistently mentioned the depth at the Catcher position in Northern California for the 2020 class and that showed again today having three of them in the lineup. Carrigg has got a knack for finding the barrel showing it again today keeping a liner inside the bag at 3rd base for a standup double. His pitchers beat him up a bit behind the plate and he kept working to beat the ball to it’s spot and between innings was consistently on the bag with throws.
