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Ventura, Ca. -

While the world of High School baseball in Southern California never really comes to a complete stop with the weather we afforded here to be able to get outside and play consistently, the MLK holiday weekend generally serves a launching pad for the rapidly approaching CIF High School baseball season. With multiple tournaments being hosted around SoCal and college team camps on the campuses of several prominent NCAA D1 programs there was plenty of baseball to be seen on a slightly chilly January weekend (by Southern California standards) which provided me the opportunity to see 7 games over 2 days and get eyes on 10 different programs.

I started my two-day venture with a trip over the Conejo Grade (separates what is considered Coastal Ventura County from the Valley portion of Ventura County) to Newbury Park High School for their annual MLK Tourney which this year featured the programs of: Newbury Park Panthers, Saugus Centurions, Westlake Warriors, defending CIF-SS D4 champion Camarillo Scorpions, El Camino Real Royals, and the Chaminade Eagles. With an 8 AM game between El Camino and Camarillo, followed by the mid-day match up of Westlake and Saugus and the day concluded with Newbury Park taking on Chaminade.

For day 2 of the weekend I made the trip up the coast from my home in Ventura to the campus of UCSB where the Gauchos played host to a two-day Team Camp with 4 squads from the Southern region of California playing 3 games (for this day each team would be playing a doubleheader giving me 4 games with two looks at each squad). Teams attending the camp were: St. John Bosco Braves, Los Osos Grizzlies both making the trip up to square off with local programs San Marcos Royals and Dos Pueblos Chargers. For the day Los Osos opened with back to back games first against San Marcos and then Dos Pueblos. At which point St. John Bosco then played a pair of back to back games facing off with San Marcos first and Dos Pueblos to close the day.

I'll dive into some of the players from each squad above who caught my eye during the 7 games I saw for the 2025 MLK Weekend. 

St. John Bosco:

+ '25 LHP Trevor Heishman - Memphis Commit

I've seen plenty of video on Heishman the Memphis commit across X and IG while also getting a quick look at him in the start of the SoCal Scout ball circuit at Long Beach state, but this look was my first real chance to bear down on a multiple inning look at Heishman. With a durable 6'4 frame that has present strength to it at what looks to be the 220-225 lbs. range he moves with body control and lower effort down the mound while showcasing present quickness to his arm speed that helps him show high quality stuff. Heishman opened the day by working 90-92 MPH with a riding FB that plays well at the top of the zone while eventually settling in at 88-90 MPH over the course of his 2 inning look. His FB plays best when utilized at the top of the zone to get over barrels for both whiff/soft contact, but when down in the zone was where he got hit on the FB. Utilized a 77-79 MPH SLD with a horizontal shape that was especially tough on LH hitters starting at the front hip and diving back over the plate for strikes/whiff. There was the occasional big miss on a couple of FB that got away from him, but for the most part Heishman was in and around the zone with both the FB/SLD. It was easy to see why the talented southpaw holds a D1 commitment, but there is plenty in the foundation of Heishman that I wouldn't be surprised if he garners some MLB scout coverage this spring or during his collegiate career that eventually gives him a turn in professional baseball.

+ '26 SS/2B Jaden Jackson - UCLA Commit

Jackson boasts a UCLA commit so that alone is going to generate plenty of intrigue about his ability and this being my 3rd live look at him (Area Code Tryouts summer 2024, Area Code Underclass summer 2024 being the first two) it was yet again another display of why the LH hitter is one of the more intriguing offensive profiles in the 2026 class. I can go on and on about why I love the swing/athletic ability to the operation that Jackson has in the box, but the results simply speak for themselves when he is on the barrel consistently with hard contact from line to line. At present he looks to be more hit than power, but the strength in his frame and bat speed in the profile give him the chance to show interesting power as he continues to mature. An athlete who profiles up the middle defensively (for me personally I like him best at 2B/CF, but the range-arm both show SS potential with polish) he gave me a sub 4.2 run time on a 4-3 ground out in his first AB before drilling a LD single to LCF that he could have pushed into a 2B before shutting down after a very aggressive turn around the bag. His third plate appearance started with a swing that brought an uncomfortable reaction from Jackson and he was removed from the game to be cautious with this still being preseason. Overall, I'm personally very high on the offensive ability for Jackson and I doubt I'm alone in this sentiment the key for Jackson will be where he winds up defensively that will be key to his future profile, but I will not be surprised to see a professional career in his future.

+ '26 SS/2B James Clark - Princeton Commit

This was my first live look at the Princeton commit who had already generated a lot of buzz around the stadium at UCSB for the impressive INF/OF he took on the opening day of the event and it was readily apparent in seeing him move around the INF dirt at SS on the evening that Clark has the actions across the board to man the premium spot of SS not only at the High School level, but be a premium defender at a premium spot once he moves onto the next step of his playing career once High School is done. In multiple at bats on the day I got a good look at his offensive profile as a LH hitter who can work the middle of the field with hard line drive contact which combined with his run tool (sub 4.2 H-1b time and multiple stolen bases) can turn those balls in the gaps into extra base hits and potentially as he matures taking the present bat speed he shows to elevate the baseball to the pullside for HR power. It is just my first real look at Clark, but the foundation of what I saw gives me plenty of reason to believe he has the potential to one day play this game professionally.

+ '26 OF Miles Clark - Princeton Commit

The twin brother of James above and also a Princeton commit Miles also profiles as a long term option at a premium spot on the field with his being CF where he showed high level ability including running down a drive to the RCF gap with ease showing the range he possesses in his profile. As well, getting to see several at bats from Clark I got solid early look at the potential in his RH hitting profile with a compact swing that stays to the middle of the field for hard line drive contact similar to his brother and the athletic ability to push those balls in the gaps/lines into extra bases hits. I came away very impressed with this first look at Clark and definitely intrigued to continue to see him mature over this year and next year as he develops towards his next step in the game of baseball.

+ '26 INF/ OF Noah Everly - Uncommitted

I've had the chance to get two different significant looks at Everly the first coming during the summer of 2024 when he played in the Prep Baseball West Coast Invite and saw multiple at bats where he showed off pull side impact launching a deep HR at Great Park in Irvine and then working several other good at bats. On this day his RHH offensive profile was again on display and continues to grow on me as a talented offensive profile RHH for the next level especially the way his hands work in the swing to help him adjust to pitch locations throughout the zone and spin/change of velocity to deliver the barrel of the bat. Over the course of the day most of his contact was of the line drive/hard ground ball variety, although he did elevate the ball a couple of times, but nothing of significant note as they predominantly went foul. He collected a trio of hits all to the pullside one a line drive shot to LCF, one a hard grounder to the 5-6 hole and the final a one hopper down the foul line that got past the 3B and down the line for a double. Everly profiles as a corner defender either on the INF dirt or the OF grass, but his bat has the profile to handle that defensive outlook and should make him a good land for a college program with the impact he can provide to their lineup once he steps on campus.

+ '26 INF/RHP Jack Champlin - Uncommitted

Champlin was a member of Team California at the 2024 Prep Baseball Future Games, but went to Georgia as a slick fielding INF who gives strong left side of the INF long term vibes and he showed well over the day playing 3B with clean actions and picked up a hit from the RH side at the plate with a developing offensive profile. But, for me the area of note that I saw in this look was the interesting potential the athletic RHP is showing on the mound as an emerging arm for the Braves. His profile on the mound is currently fronted by his ability to spin an impresssive 2-plane SLD which comes in the 76-78 MPH range with power to the break which induced whiff and chase especially from RH hitters helping him rack up 3 Ks in his 2 innings of work. His FB shows potential with arm side run in the movement profile while sitting at 84-86 MPH touching 87 MPH which will give him an east/west attack profile sets up his impressive SLD to get whiff while his FB can rack up soft contact boring in on RH hitters hands and away from LH hitters barrels. Champlin is an interesting blend of upside both as a position player who can provide impact level defense with sound offense, but the emergence of what he can do on the mound is enticing for a college program to keep eyes on.

+ '26 RHP Gavin Cervantes - Uncommitted

Cervantes jumped on the radar during the summer for all of the Prep Baseball California staff during an outstanding showing at the 2024 CA State Games where he was up to 90 MPH on a warm summer day. This was my first look at the rising righthander since that outing and I came away again very impressed by his present foundation and future potential. Like Champlin above his SLD picked up the majority of his whiff coming at 75-76 MPH with more a tight shape that runs away from RH hitters and in on LH hitters with Cervantes showing the feel to both throw it in the zone for strikes, but also bury when ahead in the count to attempt induce chase from hitters. His FB was slighlty down on velocity in this look (potentially a product of the colder temperatures) working at 85-87 mainly and touched 88 MPH with running action towards the arm side. He throws the FB predominantly in the strike zone, but there is some command work he will need to do as he had a few in the first inning run out over the heart of the plate that got hit well, but when he can locate the pitch where he wants it can explode in on hitters hands or run away from the barrel of a LH hitter. Cervantes punched out 2 hitters of 2 innings of work and with the present arm speed, ease of operation to the delivery, feel for the strike zone and ability to add strength to his frame there is plenty to like about the future for him.

Newbury Park Panthers:

+ '25 LHP/OF Luke Medhurst - USD Commit

For the past 2+ years I've had the chance to see Medhurst on several occasions to see the toolset he provides a talented LHH OF who flashes feel to hit with top of the order profile and CF defensive profile (which was on display again as he roped a 2B to RCF in game), but I've only got brief short looks at his ability on the mound as a starter profile LHP who features a 4-pitch mix. This weekend I got an extended 3 inning look at Medhurst and it left me with the impression that while I still believe he can hit/play the OF for the Toreros once he gets on campus I'm not going to be surprised at all should he find his way into their weekend rotation one day. Opening the day with his FB at 87-88 MPH touching 89 MPH early he eventually settled in to work at 85-87 the majority of his outing with running life to his FB. Medhurst backed it up with with a trio of offspeed offerings including a 77-78 MPH CHG he works to RH hitters, a 75-77 MPH SLD to LH hitters (a very difficult pitch for LHH) and a 71-73 MPH vertical breaking CB he uses to both RHH and LHH. Medhurst is in and around the zone consisently with all his pitches and like most young pitchers is more control than command at present, but does flash feel for command off all his pitches which helped him to punchout 5 over 3 innings. It's an easy operation to his delivery on the mound and his arm works with good present arm speed which all give him a very sound foundation, but there is still plenty of potential ahead for Medhurst and being lefthanded with 4 pitches, the feel to throw strikes and upside I won't be surpised if one day he earns a shot to play professionally.

+ '25 OF Owen Meli - Cal Poly SLO Commit

Meli just continues to grow and grow and grow on me as a talented offensive player who can really hit at a high level. From a loud spring where I saw him perform on a variety of different occasions into a strong look over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend where he collected multiple hits in an early morning game and now with yet another multi-hit game with yet another extra base hit (3 triples in my last 9 at bats seen) the Mustangs have landed a RH hitter who can potentially continue his role as a leadoff hitter once he gets to college as he shows again and again that he has barrel feel, bat speed to handle velo, an approach to control the strike zone, discipline to avoid chase at a high level and the athleticism to be impactful as a runner. He is playing CF now for the Panthers and looks comfortable there with potential to be a solid defender, but has experience on each OF corner giving him plenty of versatility to get his high level bat into the lineup. 

+ '25 OF Andrew Vega - Uncommitted 

Vega has been on my radar for a bit now as a solid LHH OF who has a swing that I've liked since I first saw him significantly at this same event last year. The bat for me is the carrying tool with Vega who looks like a best fit to play LF or potentially 1B on the defensive side, but the balance he shows in the swing to go with a solid approach and emerging impact the bat can play at either of those spots for a college program. He is accurate with the barrel making consistent hard contact even on his outs, but on this day the contact turned into loud production with a trio of hits including just missing a HR to the RCF gap that went for extra bases and a hard one hop single thru the right side of the INF. College programs would be wise to keep following Vega over the spring for any late needs they may have in the 2025 class especially as a LH bat who can help a lineup at the next level.

+ '26 SS/2B Alan Espinal - Uncommitted

Espinal has been a name I've heard some buzz about from baseball people I know around Ventura County, but this was the first time I had to put my own eyes on him for a live look and needless to say I like the foundation of the profile that I saw. He is smaller framed athletic build who gives you strong "gamer" vibes, but has good tools that while nothing jumps off the page are all solid. Defensively, the feet-range-hands are all solid enough to play SS long term, but the arm at present is fringey (it can handle playing at HS level, but would need to get stronger to stay there at next level) and it all adds up to a potential impact defender at 2B now or in the future. At the plate he showed a compact RH swing when connected (did get off rhythm in second at bat showing some length when not connected) that profiles to a line drive approach with ability to play the small game as evidenced by a really good basehit bunt attempt in his first at bat. Overall, there is plenty to like about Espinal from this first look and I'm excited to see more of him as he continues to develop as a '26 grad.

+ '27 OF Carson Richter - Uncommitted

Richter like Meli above continues to grow on me and grow on me more and more each time I get to see him in person. A physical corner profile who stands at 6'4 and around 190-195 lbs. at present, but still can fill out more while maintaining what appears to be solid overall athletic ability that has him playing RF at present and can handle either OF corner. For me it's been the steady development of his swing path to work more uphill than flat and is allowing him to elevate the baseball with authority on a more consistent basis (in live looks and video I've seen) that really has me intrigued because it plays to the power profile projection I see for him. On this day he drilled a pair of doubles to the LCF and RCF gap both of which had carry to them, plus a single to the left side and as he continues to learn to use his lower half more while getting more aggressive with his turn the doubles power he shows is going to turn into over the fence power consistently and has a chance to play from the middle of the field to the pull side. Still young as just a '27 grad the foundation of what I'm seeing in Richter has me excited about the future potential he has as a RHH with impact. 

San Marcos Royals:

+ '26 INF/RHP Mason Crang - Uncommitted

Crang is the top returning offensive piece to the San Marcos program who is eyeing their 4th Channel League title in the last 5 years after finishing second in 2024. Fresh off a standout performance at the Central California Preseason All State this weekend viewing gave me a chance to see the offensive tools and defensive versatility for Crang, while also diving deeper on his profile on the mound. With present bat speed from an aggressive turn the RHH Crang shows the ability to drive the ball from the middle to pull side of the diamond which was on display with a hard line drive single to LF and I've in the past seen him turn around upper 80's to low 90's velocity with ease. He did get fed a heavy diet of sharp offspeed pitches down in the zone which is an area of development he will need to polish to continue his rise as one of the most talented uncommitted '26s on the Central Coast, but the foundation of what he can do at the plate has me intrigued to his profile on the offensive side while I got to see him play LF also adding to his sound corner INF defensive profile. But, the work he did on the mound backed up a strong showing at the Central California Preseason All State. He mowed through the backend of the Bosco lineup with 2 Ks in his first inning pairing a riding 84-86 MPH which touched 87 with a sharp vertical breaking CB at 74-76 MPH which can get whiff and chase. Then in the second inning James Clark tagged him for a single before he retired the next three Braves hitters 2 via a punchout. Crang has some effort to the delivery, but from rawness to the pitching profile then effort needed to get to his stuff. But, I left the day more convinced that there is real 2-way potential here for Crang for the right program.

+ '26 SS Miles Herbert - Uncommitted

Herbert saw significant playing time on the varsity level in 2024 playing predominantly 2B and showed good defensive actions, but scuffled with the bat as a Soph., but this 2 game look gave a solid glimpse into the big strides he has made on each side of the game. Shifting over to man SS this year for the Royals the actions he displayed over 14 innings with his footwork-range-body control-glove all look the part to stay at SS long term especially his ability to play downhill. The arm strength is presently fringey to stay there, but with a wiry build that should add strength his arm should make the necessary strides to stick. At the plate the growth he showed as a RHH with bat speed on the rise plus a sound approach with feel for his barrel was on display. He started the day by drilling a hard line drive single to LF off CSUN commit Reagan Samples and then put together sound at bats the rest of the game vs. Los Osos. Then leading off against Bosco facing Memphis commit LHP Heishman he got a 92 MPH FB out over the plate that he drilled to LCF for a one hop double to the wall. Those two at bats alone would have been impressive, but throughout the day he showed the ability to control the zone, put the barrel on the baseball and will only continue to trend up as he gets stronger with maturity. 

+ '26 1B/LHP Landon Johnson - Uncommitted

Johnson like Herbert above saw significant varsity playing time as the primary 1B for the Royals and showed flashes of his potential, but with inconsistency in his Soph. year. He put together a strong showing against Los Osos where his middle of the order potential LH bat was on display. He has strength through the zone at contact with a leveraged path that can drive the baseball to the opposite field gap with carry as evidenced by his LCF gap double early in game and the ability to elevate the baseball to the pullside with authority when he launched a deep drive down the RF line later in the game. Johnson will have to clean up the approach as he continues to mature as he was prone to chase elevated velocity above the zone and soft down, but that can be cleaned up as he continues to face higher level pitching over his final years of high school baseball. The profile fits at 1B or LF defensively and is a very strong defender who works well with balls in the dirt/coming off the bag to receive throws up the line early and tag runners giving his INF defenders confidence to be aggressive with their throws. I'm intrigued to get further looks at Johnson come the spring season as he has an arrow up profile for me.

⬆️⬆️ on ‘26 1B/LHP Landon Johnson of San Marcos

LH bat w/present bat spd. LVG in path
Shows impact to pull side
Can drive ball to oppo gap
Can still polish but like foundation
Really solid at 1B
Athletic build@PrepBaseballCA pic.twitter.com/HGRcYZazuy

— Steven Hardesty (@hardy03bsbl) January 20, 2025

+ '25 RHP Alexi Stegner - Uncommitted

Stegner was the ace for the Royals in 2024 and pitched to the tune of a mid 1's ERA in his first extended exposure to varsity pitching. From a late spring look for me to the this look the 8 months in between has seen him polish his FB/CB duo while showing a new short breaking SLD with almost a cutter like shape to it. Stegner rides his FB in the 83-85 MPH range while touching 86 and it plays better near the top of the zone then down in the zone which helped him to get uncomfortable late swings from several Los Osos hitters inducing soft GBs by getting in on their hands or lazy fly balls from getting over their barrels. His CB is a vertical breaking 71-73 MPH offering with depth in the shape that can look up RH hitters by starting it up in the zone and dropping it in for strikes or burying it down below the zone for chase. The SLD is a newer pitch and he threw a select few, but it does show potential. The arm action for Stegner is long and deep in the back swing with a tilt of the upper body before working to a high 3/4 release point and provides a funky look for hitters. He is more effectively wild than he is controlling the zone, but he throws enough strikes with solid stuff to profile as a starter in High School although he would need to polish that feel to continue at the next level, but there is potential for a leverage reliever role at the next level in his profile.

Chaminade Eagles:

+ '26 INF Drew Kostich - Uncommitted

Kostich's RHH offensive profile continues to grow on me with this now being my 3rd in person look at the talented rising '26 for the Chaminade. He has some present strength to his frame with athleticism in the profile which was on display with him manning 2B which was a first for me and he looked comfortably solid at the spot adding to his defensive versatility having him seen him be solid at 3B and with a corner OF potential defensive profile. Wherever Kostich ends up defensively his bat will play as he continues to show present bat speed to go with a sound approach and leverage in the path which helps him to impact the baseball with authority. He got to a mistake from USD commit Medhurst in a pitch out over the plate and drilled a loud 2B to LCF while putting together 2 other solid plate appearances on the day. It was a shorter look at Kostich for the day, but now between the data/metrics he showed at the 2024 Ventura County Summer ID and my live look at him in November of 2024 at a Thanksgiving tournament I'm becoming more convinced of his offensive foundation being able to profile at a high level.

+ '27 1B/OF Andrew Chute - Uncommitted 

Chute just transferred into the Chaminade program over the winter break so this was my first time seeing him with the Eagles and my first time seeing him in general. The frame is ultra intriguing as he has a present athletic build with strength in his legs and some present strength to his upper body looking the part of his listed 6'3 185 lbs.. His actions around the base were solid with a good glove and solid footwork while moving around well especially making a nice catch on a foul pop up. But, where I'm really intrigued by Chute is what I saw from him in the LH batters box with a quick bat the works on an inside leveraged plane with feel for his approach to stay on pitches esepcially facing a D1 LHP commit he strung together a solid at bat. Then against a pair of RHP's in his final two plate appearances he showed the ability to stay on the baseball with hard contact to the opposite field and leveraged a ball to straight away CF for an L-8. The brief first look left me excited to get more future looks at Chute who has a rising profile for me.

Los Osos Grizzlies:

+ '25 OF Hunter Meyer - Cal State Fullerton Commit

Meyer is a Cal State Fullerton commit and I've seen plenty of video on him via social media, but this was my first chance to get my own eyes on him in person. It's an athletic overall operation from his actions in the OF which should stick in CF or if a move is needed can slide to RF to his flatter RH swing which gets the barrel to the baseball with consistency with even his outs coming off the barrel and showed an aggressive approach with hitterish vibes. The results of the day were not loud for Meyer, but the ability was readily present and you can see the tools, present foundation and intriguing upside with polish to his profile and why the Titans have him signed to their 2025 recruiting class. Late in the day he did turn around a FB for a hard line drive into LCF and I got a glimpse of the run tool as he pushed it into a double. A talented piece of the Grizzlies program his success in 2025 will undoubtedly be paramount to the overall success of the program this spring. 

+ '25 1B/RHP  Reagan Samples - Cal State Northridge Commit

Samples is thickly built two-way player who made a late summer commitment to the Matadors of CSUN and while I think his power profile LH bat might be the strongest of his tools this day gave me a solid opportunity to dive into his profile as a RHP. The stuff for Samples is not overwhelming in terms of velocity as he pounded the zone with a 84-86 MPH FB which did touch 87-88 MPH during warmups, but not during game action with some sink to the profile which really helped it set up an impressive 75-76 MPH CHG which induced several whiffs in zone from hitters and chase below the zone especially from LH hitters. His 3rd offering was SLV like 75-76 MPH SLD which looked to be predominantly an offering he uses against RH hitters and he can throw for strikes and inducing soft contact. He punched out 5 hitters in 3 IP most coming on CHGs below the zone while the majority of the contact made against him was of the groundball variety. It's a potential starter profile because of the 3 pitch mix, feel to command all his pitches, ability keep the ball out of the air and durability of his body, but the stuff likely needs to tick up a bit consistently to reach that ceiling. 

+ '26 3B/RHP Wyatt Mohler - Uncommitted

Mohler just continues to grow on me from the plethora of quality video I have seen of him on social media and his ability to perform at a strong level and then with a pair of live looks at him (2024 Orange County Uncommitted Games and this look, plus he attended the Inland Empire Preseason All State to open 2025 while I was up at the Central California PSAS). The two game look gave me a solid representation of all the tools Mohler possesses on a baseball field. The standout on the day was his impact potential defensive profile at 3B where his arm plays well with carry and flashing consistent accuracy/strength on all throws, range both laterally/downhill including an impressive play ranging way to his left and on the run popping his hips to throw from a low slot and putting the ball on the 1Bs chest that all add up to a long term hot corner profile for him. At the plate I'm a fan of the swing itself which shows strong present bat speed with a quick turn and balance in his lower 1/2, Mohler is in swing mode once he gets in the box and attacks pitches aggressively and could long term benefit from a little bit more selectivity to focus on getting the pitch he wants to hit over attacking anything within the zone because when he gets his offering the impact is real as evidenced by the ball he launched deep down the LF line. On the mound Mohler works off a 3 pitch mix fronted by his 84-87 MPH FB with arm side run to it which profiles to an east/west attack profile pairing with a 74-75 MPH tight breaking SLD to he glove side and finally he adds a tumbling CHG which flashes potential, but does need polish. Realistically long term Mohler profiles more as a position player for me personally, but the arm works and the stuff is solid that he could fill a role within a college bullpen especially if he stuff continues to tick up as he matures.

+ '27 C Sean Brian - Uncommitted

This was my shortest look of any of the Grizzlies players as Brian got most of his playing time the night before against St. John Bosco and caught the first 4 innings of game 1 getting 2 at bats and then got one at bat in game 2 coming off the bench, but in that brief look what the rising '27 backstop showed backed up the solid performances he put together at the 2025 Orange County Preseason ID and 2024 SoCal Top Prospects Underclass. The glove works really well behind the plate with mobility/agility in his hips and lower 1/2 to block at high level giving his pitchers confidence to bury their offspeed in the dirt with no fear of a wild pitch. His arm is accurate with a quick transfer and sound arm strength at present which I had as low at 1.97 seconds in between innings. At the plate the swing has upside although I did only get a few in game swings to evaluate with a hard 6-3 groundout, K and a BB, but overall I like the foundation of what he does in the box and I hope to get further looks at the full profile for Brian.

Westlake Warriors:

+ '25 OF/LHP Mason Berlinger - Uncommitted

Chatting with Berlinger's dad at the event he informed this was Mason's first time back on the field after a brief bout with vertigo in the week prior which for anyone can be difficult, but for a baseball player trying to compete it can hamper anyones performance making what the uncommitted '25 did more impressive for me. The results on the mound were not outstanding in terms of the stat line, but Berlinger competed well mainly having the feel for his FB/CHG duo but struggled with his SLD which made getting to his glove side difficult. His FB sat at 82-84 while bumping a couple 85s and when he pounded the pitch down to the arm side it was an effective pitch getting late sink to the movement profile while collecing called strikes and GB contact (which unfortunately on this day resulted in a large chunk of GB singles getting through the INF) and paired with his 75-77 MPH CHG gave him at least two weapons to compete with especially to RH hitters. The SLD occasionally showed it's sweeping 72-73 MPH shape, but it was inconsistent to the zone and more often then not was pulled down into the dirt. Berlinger continued to attack hitters despite the struggles which showed his competitiveness. As much as I like Berlinger on the mound with a starters potential from the LH side it's getting harder and harder for me to not envision him hitting at the next level because he put up good numbers as a JR. in a limited role and has absolutely hammered the baseball in 3 different looks over the last 4 months. On this day he drilled a pair of hits in 3 at bats with loose fast hands that whip the barrel through the zone he is accurate and on time consistently with the barrel for hard line drive contact and with some small tweaks should be able to tap into more power by elevating the ball more consistently. He has looked solid playing CF and is playable there, but also can handle either OF corner or 1B to get his talented LH bat in a lineup at the next level. 

+ '26 INF/RHP Rocco Cortell - Uncommitted

Cortell was a priority watch for me having seen him just the weekend before at our 2025 Central California Preseason ID where he showed a well rounded toolset from the RHH profile to versatile INF defensive potential and strike throwing profile on the mound. He gave me a solid look over the Thanksgiving holiday when I saw him play SS for the Warriors at a tourney and wanted to use this look to confirm if my first two impressions were what I saw in his profile. Well the rising '26 did confirm that by putting together another solid showing with a pair of barreled balls in 3 at bats to go with a walk (L-7 hard, 1B up the middle) with a compact swing that is geared towards hard line drive contact through the middle and ablity to go line to line with his approach and good hands to control the barrel. He played 3B in this look and was sound there after looking sound at SS which gives him 3 position versatility on the dirt at present, but I think he is best suited for 2B or 3B unless the athleticism/arm strength make strides to give him a shot to play SS long term, but he can do it in a pinch presently. On the mound he was solid without overwhelming stuff he attacks the zone with a high percentage of strikes using a 82-84 MPH FB and 74-76 MPH SLD he doesn't fear contact and goes right after hitters. The toolset is well rounded and the profile is solid, but he can make some forward strides by adding strength to his frame and increasing the level of some of his tools which for me would be best focused on the position player side where I like him slightly better at present.

+ '25 SS/2B Noah Stead - Navy Commit

I didn't get any video in this look at the dynamic up the middle athlete who is bound for the Naval academy once his High School career completes to play D1 baseball. In his opening at bat he showed again his high level offensive ability by lacing a double to the LCF gap off the starter for Saugus and then walked in each of his next two plate appearances not giving me a chance to collect any video. He looks sound playing SS, but the actions/arm are not best suited there long term I think he will best fit at the 2B or CF spots where his arm is solid and his athletic ability will give him plenty of range to profile as a strong defender there. The offensive profile has doubles through the middle, but he will flash HR power to the pullside (he went deep for me in person last spring during a live look) and the ability to create havoc on the bases with his run tool. A solid land for a very good Navy program.

Dos Pueblos Chargers:

+ '25 OF Charlie Potter - Uncommitted

Potter is a bat first LH hitter who looks best suited to be a solid corner OF defender with maybe a future in CF should he continue to get more athletic, but the bat is real and the offensive upside he has should make him a desirable late grab for a 4-year program or JUCO program. Potter gives big hitterish vibes when he stands in the box  with a leg kick and intent to hit on each pitch with his approach. As aggressive as his movements can look in the process of the load/stride he is disciplined and sound at controlling the strike zone with good bat to ball skills and displays a feel for his barrel. On the opening night he fell a single short of the cycle and then in his first at bat of the day he shot a ball to LF for a single to complete the feat in his first 5 at bats of the Team Camp (even more impressive was the strength he showed as his metal broke in half, but he was strong enough to drive the ball into the OF). He has no fear getting deep into counts and can work a 2K approach fouling off pitchers pitches and staying off chase pitches which he displayed in a deep count BB and a deep count SAC F-8 while also going deep into another count later in the day before striking out on one of the few whiffs he had when he pulled the trigger. Again, I'm not quite sure where he fits on the defensive side, but the bat will play wherever someone decides to put the LH hitter out of Dos Pueblos. 

+ '25 1B/OF Alexander Hajda - Uncommitted

Hajda is a corner profile defender who played 1B on the day, but I've seen run around in the OF corners in the past looking solid in both LF and RF, but the arm probably profiles in LF the best. He stands taller in the box with a bat waggle and short stride to his load which keeps him taller in his posture while using a flatter stroke that delivers the barrel with leverage through the zone. Hajda is able to consistently hit the ball hard, but it plays presently to more line drive contact (although I have seen him elevate balls up in the zone and can get to velocity in 2023 I saw him crush a LCF HR off a 93 MPH FB up in the zone). With a hit over power approach at present if the RH hitter decided to tweak his approach and set up in the box to allow him to get up through the baseball more he does have a chance to show real power to the pullside consistently and carry to the middle of the field. An uncommitted RH hitter he is a strong player all around and could be a good late grab for a college program.

+ '27 INF Taylor Young - Uncommitted

Young is an interesting '27 who I got the chance to see both SS and 3B (looks presently better at 3B than SS, but there is potential there) while also hitting in the 3 hole for the Chargers lineup. He athletically built with some wiry present strength and has room to fill while getting more athletic as he matures. He made a few very nice plays including a fielding a 2 hopper to his backhand side and planting his right foot in the ground threw a strike to 1B to nail a solid runner from the Bosco program, but that did come with a couple of errors ranging to his glove side and downhill that he will need to polish. At the plate the swing is sound with some bat speed at present, but can be improved as he matured he hit a couple of balls hard, but also did have a pair of at bats against the arms of Bosco where his youth showed up. I didn't collect any video on Young, but I did come away impressed with the foundation he showed and will be a follow for me to get to see either this spring/summer or for sure come his JR. fall/winter.

+ '27 INF/RHP Nick Salcido - Uncommitted

Salcido is a wiry lean athlete who flashed a couple of different interesting potential profiles for me. Taking a few innings at SS he looked comfortable there with good actions, but like Young above does require some polish as he matures if he were to stick there long term. At the dish it's a short compact swing with a flat plane through the zone that with his present quick bat speed will play to a inside out middle/oppo style approach, but could show more should he add strength and bat speed to his profile that would allow him to turn on the ball and elevate to pullside. As well, he jumped onto the bump for a late inning of work showing ability to throw strikes with a clean athletic delivery and solid present arm speed that worked his FB up to 82 MPH. Another one who I did not collect video on, but showed the foundation of a profile that I will be following going forward.

Saugus Centurions:

+ '26 OF Matthew Carta - Uncommitted

Carta was fresh off a live look at the 2025 Central California Preseason All State where the 6'4 190 lbs. RHH corner OF put together a solid day flashing his interesting offensive profile. He go a trio of at bats for me in this game and after a 2K 4-3 ground ball in his first at bat was able to stay through a pitch on the outer half and drive it to RCF for a hit and finished his day by pulling a ball through the leftside for a single. The swing path for Carta works uphill and has shown the ability to elevate the ball with carry from LCF to the RF line and as he continues to polish his approach there is power in the profile especially if he can make that contact go more consistently to the pullside in the air it will appear more in game. He is a corner OF profile defender who I've seen step on the bump and go 86-88 MPH with his FB which should give him enough arm strength to play RF and is solid in LF. The performance of his bat will carry the profile and as he continues to show improved feel to hit the next step is to get to his power more consistently in game. 

+ '25 OF James Frias - Uncommitted

Frias was impressive for me in the spring of 2024 as the leadoff hitter for the Centurions when I saw them late in the spring. He is compactly built athlete who plays CF with a strong defensive profile. I wasn't able to collect any significant video on him as he drew a trio of BBs and only got one pitch he decided to pull the trigger on to swing the bat which he fouled straight back just missing hard contact. The foundation he shows as an up the middle defender who can set the table at the top of a lineup should make him a solid follow for college programs looking for late pieces in the 2025 class.

El Camino Real Royals:

+ '25 RHP/OF Luke Howe - Long Beach State Commit

Howe kicked my weekend of coverage off in fine fashion by toeing the rubber for the ECR Royals and putting together a strong performance showcasing the reason he holds a Long Beach State commitment. He worked at 87-91 MPH on his FB and was able to hold that velocity throughout his 4 innings of work, but predominantly was in the 88-90 MPH range and his FB features heavy run to the arm side which can explode in on RH hitters hands. The run on his FB comes with more sink than ride which played to it working more effectively down in the zone and when he wants to elevate he needs to go above the hand for chase vs. trying to throw it within the zone as all of his hits came on FB left over the plate up in the zone. I really liked his tight breaking SLD at 78-81 MPH that got whiff/chase from RHH and buried in on the hands of LHH. His third offering is a solid 80-81 MPH CHG which he threw infrequently and has potential, but needs to polish his feel for the pitch. The arm works with present arm speed and with some clean up to the lower 1/2 in his delivery there is potential to see his FB tick up in the low to mid 90's with a east/west attack profile that can rack up heavy GB contact and Ks while looking like starter candidate for the Dirtbags in the future. For good measure the talented '25 also picked up a pair of hits on elevated breaking balls he stayed through to the LCF gap and LF line, plus drew a BB on his day.

+ '25 SS/3B Gavin Farles - Uncommitted

Farles is a solidly built athlete who has some present strength in both his lower 1/2 and upper body while showing a left side of the INF defensive profile to go with a RH swing that shows potential. At the plate he uses his hands well to flash an accurate bat to ball profile with some potential for impact while using his hips/upper body to drive through the zone. He hit the ball hard in all 3 plate appearances with more line drive/ground ball contact which picked up a pair of 1Bs and induced an error from the 3B with a hard one hop shot at him early in the game. He is solid at SS with decent actions, sound hands and feet that show some rhythm to them, but it's more body control/fundamental in his profile that might be better suited for a long term 3B defensive profile, but can provide SS depth for a college program who sees him a strong late grab for their 2025 recruiting class. 

Camarillo Scorpions:

+ '25 C Blaise Meylemans - Uncommitted

Melyemans caught the front end of the Scorpions 8 AM game against El Camino Real and after a Jr. campaign where I deftly saw him receive the arsenal of a 2nd round MLB draft pick, low 90's RHP with a tight SLD and funky low slot LHP with a sweeping SLD the conviction I have in him to be a strong to impactful defender behind the plate is there. Now with a staff that doesn't feature the high quality stuff or feel for pitching that the Scorpions 2024 staff had Blaise will be tested to guide this group through the spring and he was effective blocking pitches in the dirt, adapting to wild misses from pitchers and make the borderline pitches look good. His arm still shows very well with a quick transfer, present arm strength and consistent online carry, accuracy and pop times sub 2.0 in game and in between innings. The defense is real with Melyemans and after an injury that limited him from swinging the bat at the end for the Scorpions 2024 CIF-SS D4 title run and forced him to bunt only he is back healthy and while I didn't get a deep look at his swing in this game he has previously shown a sound bat to ball approach with ability to work quality at bats. I didn't get any video of him on this day since the look was very brief, but he has proven himself to be a solid late grab at a premium defensive spot with a premium defensive profile for a college program.

TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH ASST. SCOUTING DIRECTOR STEVEN HARDESTY ON SOCIAL FOR SCOUTING COVERAGE:

X: @hardy03bsbl

Instagram: @hardy_pbr_california

Upcoming Events

Showcase	State	Date	Location
North Bay Preseason ID	CA	01/25/25	Novato High School
Inland Empire Preseason ID	CA	01/26/25	Ganesha High School
East Bay Preseason ID	CA	02/01/25	Pittsburg High School
Sacramento Preseason ID	CA	02/09/25	McBean Park
Orange County Rising Stars ID	CA	03/02/25	Mater Dei High School
Inland Empire Rising Stars ID	CA	03/30/25	Corona High School
Los Angeles Rising Stars ID	CA	04/27/25	O'Malley Field

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