Jake
Sapien

Norcal ProCase - Position Player Report

Body: 6-foot-3, 212-pounds. Thick and physical, particularly throughout his lower body.

Norcal ProCase - Pitcher Report

Delivery: Gets work done over the rubber, with no runners on has high knee lift to mid-section, on-line direction down slope, lands slightly closed w/balance, creating leverage and ability to maximize extension. Loose fast arm, high backside elbow before making move forward. Head action indicates the violence of his delivery. His release height of around 4.80 favors his ability to pitch up in the zone.

FB: Sat 88-91, T93 mph / 2180 avg spin rate (2356 max) / 16.2 avg IVB (max 17.9) / 6.3 avg horizontal movement (HM) (max 10.1) - The max spin rate gets into the above average range in relation to 2019 MLB numbers and the IVB metric is a very positive number for how his stuff plays through the strike zone, while also indicating his ability to be effective up in the zone. Also showed ability to create down angle. His average fastball has slight run, so being effective either up or at very bottom of zone is where he's going to be most effective.

SL: 72-75 mph - 2043 avg spin rate / horizontal movement avg - 9.2 - The eyeballs saw good action on this pitch, enough to get swings/misses. The bite and quickness of the slider on its own merits don't make it a swing and miss pitch, but the tilt and his high usage of the fastball allow this pitch to play up. 

CHG: 80 mph - Effective velocity avg of 78 mph / avg spin rate - 2085 spin rate / 11.6 HM / 5.46 extension - 14.8 IVB - Threw just the one and the pace he took off the average fastball works. Considerably lower spin that the fastball, allowing for just enough fade off the fastball look and the extension was identical to the fastball. The release height was also very similar to the fastball.

Pitching Summary: He got the raw stuff of a closer, max effort of a closer, and believe in his fastball that a closer has. His ability to get outs with the fastball is a trait that is very useful in that type of role. Given the delivery effort and basically two-pitch repertoire, the projection here is that he's utilized as a two-way player at Stanford his freshman year, to see how his various talents/tools play and then from there start to hone in on where he can have the biggest impact for the Cardinal. His role as a pitcher, whether in college or beyond looks to be the bullpen.

Area Code Tryouts - Under Class Notebook

Fresno Easter Classic - 5IP CG with 2BB, 8K no Hitters. Dominated Hoover using mainly FB/SLD with clean, loose and electric arm. FB 84-86 T89 MPH showing angle to both sides of the plate and cut off the glove-side; late life at the plate. SLD 68-71 MPH with feel for pitch showing late bite and tilt cross-plate; had some back-up but also used it on both sides of the plate going front-door on RHH and back foot on LHH. Also showed some bat-speed at the plate with aggressive full-body swings laced a ball to LF for 1B and directly at the LF in his last AB for Sac Fly. Very impressive 2021.

Fall tournament - Lean athletic bodied pitcher, also showed talent as hitter/fielder, one of the outstanding talents in the the N California 2021 class. Long fast arm action, high 3/4 slot, can be a bit calmer out of the glove and control his fast actions a little better but the ability and the stuff are obvious. Fastball was hot, up to 89 mph, sat 86-87 mph and even did so in stretch/slide step. Was better when he stayed in his delivery and let his arm work vs amping it up to max out his very good arm. The curveball has tight spin and power bite with 11/4 shape. It's surprising how much bite he got given the relative slow speeds of 67-71 mph. Change-up is a developing pitch, 73 mph. Rates with the most talented players in this class in the region.