Socal Stars No. 5: Boras Classic South-Hitters

*This article was written by Grant Carver and Cameron Emamian

Ralphy Velazquez, C/1B Huntington Beach, 2023

This name should be no surprise to anyone who has followed along with the 2023 MLB draft. Ralphy Velazquez is widely considered the top prep guy in California for the 2023 class, especially in a year where it has been a bit underwhelming for guys with high expectations. He delivered repeatedly during the week, including a light tower shot to right field. He also blasted a double off the wall dead center field in the Championship game against Notre Dame, along with lots of other hits he collected during the week. The power is legit, and it shows in games, especially to center and his pull side but he has the ability to go the other way as well. He knows the strike zone very well and doesn’t try to do more than he knows he can, which makes him very difficult to pitch to. Defensively as a catcher, he has good hands for receiving and a strong and accurate throwing arm, which is what you need to see from a catcher, but the mobility and athletic lateral movements are lacking a bit, as the body is very mature already and it might push him to first base long term. Either way, this is a bat that has teams and scouts dreaming on, and he can anchor an offense, don’t be surprised if he sneaks into the top 25 picks.  

Trent Caraway, SS/3B JSerra, 2023

There have, for the most part, been two 2023 guys performing this season, Ralphy, and Caraway. Caraway would be really big for a SS, it seems highly likely he ends up as 3B but he projects solidly as a corner guy. He moves surprisingly well for his frame but it seems likely he’ll add even more weight as he matures which is where the corner position really comes in. I’m not sure too many teams will worry about him as a 3B over SS when he hits the way he does. He has the ability to hammer baseballs but there are still some concerns here. He was exposed a few times to better fastballs for having a longer swing, which can sometimes come from big power bats. There is also a good amount of swing and miss but when he connects, it is hard contact and he has delivered more than almost any other bat so far. 

‘23 SS/3B Trent Caraway (@BeaverBaseball commit) continues to hit in the Boras Classic, this time shooting a base hit to RF pic.twitter.com/WdreCud02A

— Cameron Emamian (@CameronEmamian) April 13, 2023

Casey Borba, 1B/3B Orange Lutheran, 2023

It’s hard not to be intrigued by a guy with the hit tool that Casey Borba has and he displayed that in the game I saw this week where he doubled and went deep for a home run. Borba has a really interesting swing that features a big leg kick and lots of bat movement. Within that swing is impressive bat control, and his approach impressed too. He was recognizing pitches and digging into counts extremely well, which pairs nicely with his ability to get the barrel to the zone and hammer the ball. He played third base in this one and was not tested very much on the dirt, but he is very much a corner profile. That kind of profile can get overlooked at this level for valid reasons, but Borba is very advanced at the plate and the production is hard to deny.

Ben Reiland, OF Orange Lutheran, 2024

The only non-2023 to crack this list and for good reason. Sitting in the middle of a lineup that features Casey Borba and 2024 top talent Derek Curiel, Reiland still finds ways to stick out. While he’s a fairly wiry and undersized frame, he might have one of the better hit tools in the 2024 class. He features great bat control and quick hands that hit hard-line drives all around the diamond. He’s currently a corner outfielder and he doesn’t exactly profile there, he’s played some middle infield as well, where he could make sense as a 2nd baseman but more likely than not he’ll end up on campus in the Fall of 2024 at Oklahoma State, and he’ll be a great watch in his college career. 

Eric Bitonti, SS Aquinas, 2023

Bitonti just stands out of the crowd right away due to his combination of age and size alone. He is a legit 6’5 and is filled out on top of that, and the power was there because of it. In one of his plate appearances, Bitonti crushed a grand slam and showed off his plus raw power. It is hard contact when he connects thanks to his excellent bat speed, the question has been about the bat-to-ball skills. Still, in the game I saw him he was making contact with the ball, and that included the grand slam. In the dirt, Bitonti played a solid shortstop but he is probably a third baseman in the future. His lateral movement was a little slower than the ideal shortstop, which is not surprising given his size, and he did have a couple of mistakes with the leather. However, his hands were sound and his arm strength was impressive, making me believe in his ability to play the hot corner. Bitonti’s combination size, power, and bat speed were on full display during this one and all of those tools make him a real name to watch going forward.

‘23 eligible Eric Bitonti (#52 on @ProspectsLive top 400) with a tank of a grand slam early in this game. Legit combo of size & tools. pic.twitter.com/m0dn6qZuRa

— Grant (@GrantCarver32) April 11, 2023

Grant Gray, OF/SS Norco, 2023

Grant Gray has had a bunch of helium as a potential day one guy in this year's draft recently and it was pretty easy to see why. The tools he had were something scouts dream of. Gray is a plus-plus runner with a bunch of athleticism and is fluid in everything he does. He was moving super well at short and should be able to stay there as he gets more experience. The glove was a little raw and his arm accuracy was a problem, but the ball jumps out of his hand due to the arm strength he has. He has all the tools to be an above-average shortstop in the future. At the plate, the production was not really there in this one. He flashed his speed with an infield single, but that was about it. Still, the bat speed was there and the hit tool should improve with some swing refinements. His approach was average and needs time to improve as well. Gray is an extremely raw player for sure, but he is the type of two-sport athlete with all the tools and time he needs to really put it all together.

Deep Drives: South Carolina Road Trip

1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, FloridA

Hitting: 3-11, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 BB, 5 K

Pitching: 3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 K

Jac Caglianone has taken over the college baseball landscape this season, becoming an amateur Shohei Ohtani clone. The two-way prowess has been rather impressive to watch, though there are some things I wanted to hone in on with him over the weekend. Could these be hot takes? I don’t know, but here’s my honest opinion on Caglianone: he’s electric, but there’s work to be done.

As a bat, you’re looking at some of the biggest raw power in the country. The bat and hand speed that Caglianone possesses is otherworldly and presently, he leads the country in home runs with twenty-three. His latest home run wasn’t a cheap one, murdering an 81 MPH breaking ball on the outer halfway over the right field fence, coming very close to leaving the stadium. Leaving the bat at 108 MPH, it would ultimately land 412 feet away. He’d add on a single and a double, and while it’s legitimate double plus power, I do have some reservations about the hit tool. He can get rather aggressive at the plate and shows trouble with off-speed. Will Sanders welcomed Caglianone to Columbia with three sliders, all of which Caglianone whiffed on. He’s in no rush to walk either, as he only has nine on the year. Defensively, he’s limited to first base and while he could see some time in the outfield to test his versatility, there’s gonna be pressure on the bat to perform.

Things you don't do with Jac Caglianone in the box: hang a breaking ball.

The distance on this HR was 412 feet, but I'm not sure it ever landed. The ball left the bat at 108 MPH and the bat/hand speed is on full display here. Legit 70 juice.

Oh, btw, he's on the bump today. pic.twitter.com/cqM1PLjGsp

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 22, 2023

On the mound, it can get rather rough to watch. He labored through a lengthy first inning, allowing a home run to Braylen Wimmer and walking two more batters before the inning ended. He’d ultimately walk six batters in the span of three innings. It’s a reliever-ish look for him, as he can struggle to repeat his mechanics and his fastball command is rather pedestrian at best. He did hold consistent 93-96 MPH velocity, as well as a solid low-mid 80's slider with tight spin and a quality change-up with great separation and diving action, but the strike-throwing, or lack thereof, is slightly concerning.

He’s going to be a polarizing prospect in next year's cycle, not because of the two-way ability, but because of the rawness he has and whether or not he can find the polish that Vance Honeycutt and others have. If he manages to do that and performs admirably in the SEC in 2024, you’re likely looking at the 1.1 pick. If not, you might be looking at someone who’s defensively limited and aggressive at the plate, as well as a potential reliever down the line. Would you take that over a legitimate center fielder with a revamped approach in Honeycutt? That’s the real question and we can dive into that further later on. For now, though, we can sit back and enjoy the season he’s having and hope the polish comes around.

RHP Hurston Waldrep, Florida

Final Line: 6 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 10 K

Hurston Waldrep’s stuff is rather loud. The former Southern Mississippi arm has always had a robust arsenal, though the results just have not been there this year. Maybe I’m overthinking it because it’s the SEC, but he’s really struggled to open ballgames and last Friday was no different.

Hurston Waldrep's off-speed stuff is just bonkers.

FB has been 94-96 T98 w/ cut-ride. Pitching off CB and SL a lot, SL high-80's w/ sweep and big 12-6 bender at 82-84. Flashing super-low spin splitter in high-80's. Retired nine straight at one point tonight. pic.twitter.com/hJ4dvwbGwI

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 22, 2023

Over the first two innings, Waldrep would primarily lead off at-bats with the fastball. The result? Five earned runs, including a three-run home run to Ethan Petry on a hanging 88 MPH splitter in the second inning. After that? Waldrep would retire the next ten batters straight before a leadoff walk in the sixth inning, primarily pitching backwards with his off-speed arsenal. The fastball features cutting action with some ride in the mid-90’s, touching 97 MPH early, though the command was scattered at times and it felt very hittable. The curveball was utilized often to steal strikes early in counts, sitting in the low-80’s consistently with big downer shape and he’d primarily pitch off his high-80’s slider that featured sweep and high spin. His splitter, which is one of the best pitches in this year’s class, lacked some feel and he didn’t utilize it much, though when snapped off properly, it featured very low spin and dropped off a cliff.

The main question with Waldrep is whether or not scouts see him as a starter long-term. He’s highly athletic with an over-the-top arm slot, but the delivery has a good amount of effort and the command, particularly with the fastball, draws some concern. He’ll need to utilize a more consistent fastball shape, too, as the pitch is subject to being lit up when down in the zone and he showed some struggles elevating the pitch early in his outing. He’s still a projected first-round pick, though he’s going to be a bit of a project for a big-league team.

RHP Brandon Sproat, Florida

Final Line: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K

Brandon Sproat is a bit of an interesting case to dive into. He was selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the New York Mets, but opted not to sign and returned to campus to be Florida’s new Friday starter. He’s shown glimpses of brilliance on the mound this year, including a complete game shutout against Alabama last month, though while he has seen an uptick in velocity across the board with his stuff, I wonder if he’ll ultimately end up in the bullpen.

.@GatorsBB's Brandon Sproat has some loud stuff.

FB has touched 100 tonight, sitting 95-99 with big running life. CH at 88-91 has serious sinking life to lefties, showing off gyro SL in same velo band to righties. Flashing low-80's CB. Command is erratic, however. pic.twitter.com/o03VA47iCL

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 21, 2023

His start on Thursday was a mixed bag of sorts. He primarily lived off a lively fastball/change-up combo, sprinkling in a slider at the start before resorting to a curveball in the third and fourth innings. The fastball touched 100 MPH on the first pitch and he primarily lived in the 94-98 MPH range throughout the night, but the pitch’s shape and inconsistent command hamper it. It’s more of a running two-seamer than a riding four-seamer and won’t miss a ton of bats, plus the lack of strikes with the pitch is concerning. His best off-speed is the aforementioned change-up, which features great separation and he’s confident enough to throw it in any count. It lives in the 88-91 MPH range and dives hard to the dirt, garnering plenty of empty swings. The slider is more of a gyro pitch, showcasing decent depth with a little horizontal movement in the high-80’s, though at times, he did hang the pitch, which led to a home run in the first inning by Ethan Petry (he’s really good at this baseball thing, by the way). The curveball was primarily used to steal strikes to open at-bats later on in the low-80’s with solid depth and some sweep.

There’s athleticism in the delivery, which features a very long arm swing into a three-quarters arm slot, though there’s some effort in the operation. That, mixed with inconsistent command, does hint at a potential relief role down the line. However, he’s likely going to start off as a starter in the minor leagues until he’s forced into a bullpen role. It’ll be interesting to see if he manages to go higher than his 2022 selection and sneak his way into Day 1 conversations.

OF Wyatt Langford, Florida

Final Line: 2-11, 2 BB, 3 K

Langford has long been one of my favorite players in this class. While his CNT trials didn’t result in a ton of hits, he impressed me enough in that week to solidify himself in my personal top five, so it was paramount to see him again this spring. While it wasn’t the weekend he wanted, he still showed off why he has legitimate five-tool potential.

Wyatt Langford is a line drive machine.

Bit of a slow start offensively tonight, but got on the board with this line drive single (98 MPH EV) after a lengthy AB. Tons of bat speed and he's a physical freak, plus he can absolutely haul down the line. Pot. Top 5 pick this year. pic.twitter.com/uq4Fz5sl3u

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 21, 2023

His BP was rather fun to sit down and watch, spraying line drives across the field. There’s legitimate bat speed in his swing and his power plays to all fields, even though he hasn’t replicated his 2022 power performance. He’s showing off more patience at the plate, as well. On the year, he’s garnered 37 walks and just 21 strikeouts, though there is an issue of being too selective and letting opposing arms get to their weapons deeper into counts. He’s a physical freak, as well. It’s a muscular build at 6’1, 220 pounds, but don’t let the size fool you, this is a player that can absolutely fly. He’s recorded plus run times in the past and books it down the line on ground balls, and if it weren’t for a fringe-average arm in the outfield, he’d likely be manning center field over Michael Robertson thanks to his speed. The arm will need to improve at the next level.

He did miss a little over two weeks from a pretty brutal lower-half injury, though he returned much earlier than expected and is still performing at a phenomenal clip. This is a profile that will find itself inside the top five, there’s very little doubt about that. Logistics will figure itself out as we get closer to draft day, but the upside is immense and he could be on a fast track to the majors if all goes well.

LHP Matthew Becker, South Carolina

Final Line: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

We’ve written about Will Sanders and Jack Mahoney plenty this month, so why not talk about South Carolina’s new Sunday starter, Matthew Becker. The southpaw is destined to be one of the top lefties in next year’s class.

Becker made a loud impression as a freshman, throwing six innings of one-hit ball against the top team in the country, the Texas Longhorns, striking out eleven in the process. While Sunday was not a replication of that Texas start, Becker only allowed two hits across five innings of work, striking out six and walking just one. The lone blemishes in his outing were two opposite field jacks to Cade Kurland, both of which coming off fastballs. Becker throws two different heaters, a sinker in the lower half of the zone and a four-seam with significant carry up in the zone. He’s added a bit more velocity, sitting more in the 90-92 MPH range with the four-seam and 89-91 MPH with the sinker. He has two excellent breaking balls with distinct shapes, a high-70’s curveball and a low-80’s slider, both of which have high spin numbers and big break. He began utilizing a low-80’s change-up with fade later on in the outing, primarily against righties.

Command was the biggest issue with Becker as a freshman and he’s improved a bit as a sophomore, but his fastball command can be fringy at times. He’ll need to add more velocity and improve the command a bit more to solidify himself as a potential Day 1 arm in next year’s draft, but the mold is definitely there and he’s in a great place to work on it with pitching coach Justin Parker. He and Eli Jerzembeck have the potential to be a very nasty 1-2 punch in the SEC in 2024.

RHP Teddy Sharkey, Coastal Carolina

Final Line: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 2 K

The combination of loud stuff and personality is something that doesn’t show up all that often in college baseball. Enter Teddy Sharkey, Coastal Carolina’s psycho closer.

Teddy Sharkey: American Psycho.

Sharkey has some of the best pure stuff in the country. FB was 93-97 today with ride and can bore it in on righties. High-80's SL and low-80's CB are dynamic breakers. Command wavered in his 2nd inning. One of the best relief arms in this class. pic.twitter.com/6phFj7EnVr

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 23, 2023

Sharkey has a stockier build on the mound with some physicality present, coming in at 5’11, 200 pounds. It’s a high effort delivery with a higher arm slot, but man, the stuff is loud. The fastball has plenty of carry and got up to 97 MPH, sitting 93-96 MPH later on in his outing with command that began to waver a bit. He has two distinct breaking balls that are both potential plus pitches. The slider sits in the 85-88 MPH range with sharp two-plane break that, when commanded away from righties, can be lethal. The curveball has the potential to be a legitimate hammer, a low-80’s offering with significant depth and some sweep. He looked the part of a high-leverage reliever in his first inning, snaking his way out of a bases-loaded jam with two strikeouts. However, after getting two quick outs in his second inning, it became clear that he was tired and he had a meltdown with two outs, though his defense did not help him much. All five runs he allowed were unearned as a result.

While Coastal Carolina has stretched him out in recent outings, Sharkey is suited more for shorter outings and he projects as a potential high-leverage reliever at the next level. There are some things that will need to be shored up in the minor leagues, mainly his command, but this is an arm that could fly to the majors if everything comes together. He’s expected to be one of the first true relievers off the board in July.

OF Matthew Etzel, Southern Mississippi

Final Line: 3-5, 1 HR, 2 R

Etzel was a highly touted JUCO bat coming into the year and while Southern Mississippi has had its fair share of trouble, Etzel has been a big bright spot out of the leadoff spot.

Southern Miss' leadoff guy Matthew Etzel impressed today. Hit a leadoff HR to start off another three hit day. Simple swing suited for line drives, very quick runner and glides in CF. Former JUCO bandit. pic.twitter.com/yrpNEhx17S

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 23, 2023

Everything works easily for Etzel at the plate. He has solid plate discipline and it’s more of a line-drive approach at the plate. He does have decent power, but did not get his first home run of the season until his first at-bat on Sunday. The swing is more suited for spraying line drives across the field, but he has a knack for putting plenty of backspin on balls in play. He does have a bit of trouble with fastballs up in the zone, though that wasn’t very apparent in this series. He’d tally seven hits total in the three-game set, including back-to-back three-hit performances. He’s likely a lock to stay in at the eight moving forward, too. He glides on the basepaths and in center field, though his route running can waver from time to time. The arm may put him in a left field position should he move to a corner position, but ultimately, his speed should be the difference maker there.

He’s a bit of a weird one to rank on our board, but there’s a chance that Etzel could play his way into the top 100 picks. He’ll need to add more power to his profile, but he’s a potential center fielder with great speed and a knack for hitting. He’d fit anywhere at the beginning of Day 2 in July.

Honorable Mentions: INF Cade Kurland, Florida; OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina; INF Cole Messina, South Carolina; RHP Will Sanders, South Carolina; LHP Cade Fisher, Florida

Socal Stars No. 4: Boras Classic South - Pitchers

*This article was written by Grant Carver and Cameron Emamian

Ethan Schiefelbein, LHP Orange Lutheran, 2024

The way Schiefelbein was throwing the ball when I saw him was extremely entertaining. He was aggressive while attacking the zone with his quick arm action and had twelve strikeouts thanks to his overpowering fastball and curveball combination. The fastball usually sits in the upper 80s-lower 90s and it was looking really firm in this one. The curveball was a sharp breaker that featured some impressive command, which was probably the most impressive part of the pitch. The command on those two pitches was plus in this one. He mixed in a changeup for a velocity shakeup, but it fell a little flat and needs some more refining. Schiefelbein has some projection on him too as he gets older and is listed as 6’1 right now. His two-pitch mix and the command with them specifically were super impressive, and he could be a big name for UCLA if he gets there after next year.

Matthew Champion, RHP JSerra, 2024

Almost as if his name was earned, he’s an absolute competitor on the mound. Champion moves extremely well on and off the mound as he’s very athletic and can field his position. He’s a slender frame but will likely continue to grow, but he flashed three pitches to like. The fastball has a chance to be average, he commands it well and it sets up his other pitches well, but he’ll need to add more velocity and consistency to it for it to play. He also throws a curveball that shows good depth and deception, getting good amounts of chase and swing and miss, and it is definitely his best pitch. His last pitch is a changeup, which he shows feel for and it has flashes of an above-average pitch, although he struggles with its consistency in the zone, it has good arm side fade and plays off the fastball well. At times he can rush his mechanics and lose command and he carries his emotions with him on the mound but he’s a very intriguing arm going into the 2024 draft. 

After walking the bases loaded, ‘24 RHP Matthew Champion (@LSUbaseball commit) gets a groundball 5-3 double play to Trent Caraway to end the inning and he’s fired up. Breaking ball has flashed average and it’s a good feel for a changeup with fade pic.twitter.com/QPRJZ18NCc

— Cameron Emamian (@CameronEmamian) April 12, 2023

Justin Lee, RHP Notre Dame, 2023

His name has been all over the draft talks, especially given the lack of California prep arms that could be drafted this year. It’s been a tumultuous spring in terms of stuff for Lee, with his velocity being all over the place but there is one thing that remains true, its pitchability and command. During his outing at the Boras, he was unable to find the breaking ball in the first and he was able to avoid trouble thanks to fastball command, where he sat 88-90 MPH, touching 91 MPH. As the start went on he flashed a slider that had a lot of depth, and was borderline looked like a curve at times but it was highly effective as he pounded fastballs at the knees. He threw the splitter less than he usually does but it still wasn’t hit by anyone, an increased usage of that pitch could be really effective for him. 

‘23 RHP Justin Lee (@UCLABaseball commit) pitching in the 1st @TheBorasClassic sitting 90 and touched 91, struggled to find a feel for the breaking ball but was able to get this one for a K pic.twitter.com/hVqJ9NOv8O

— Cameron Emamian (@CameronEmamian) April 11, 2023

Zach Strickland, RHP Maranatha, 2025

This one is interesting because Prospects Live first got a brief glimpse of the righty at Area Code Select West in a one inning sample size, but he had a whole different outing on display at the Boras. He went seven innings in a game that went into extras, and despite not having his best stuff he fought for over 105 pitches to battle, showing a three pitch mix of fastball, curveball, and a changeup. His fastball was 88-90 MPH and by the end of the game was more 85-88 MPH but for a sophomore in high school to maintain velocity that well alone was impressive. The command can be spotty at times but at his best, he’s keeping hitters off balance and works north and south frequently with the fastball and curve. The changeup needs work but an arm to keep an eye on for the future for sure. 

JJ Hollis, RHP JSerra, 2023

A 6’4 righty committed to UCSB, this is a college arm who could really break out and dominate. The velocity doesn’t jump off the page for someone his size, but he threw an incredible complete-game shutout and didn’t appear to break a sweat at any point throughout. It was mostly a two-pitch mix for much of the outing, throwing from a low three-quarters arm slot, it was a sinker that ran hard into righties and took their knuckles right off their hands, and a breaking ball, which genuinely could have been a curve or a slider thanks to his arm slot being so unique, but either way it didn’t matter, he threw it with solid velocity out of the same slot and it tunneled well. He split the plate in half and ate hitters alive with it, he mostly showed a ground ball mix but he did get enough swings and misses to be intriguing. He threw a handful of changeups that showed some potential and also played off the fastball thanks to the arm slot. Command carries his profile but will be an interesting guy to watch in the future.

*The video says ‘25 Josh Hollis but it is actually JJ Hollis ‘23

‘25 RHP Josh Hollis (@OregonBaseball commit) is an interesting name to watch for JSerra. Projectable body with a funky arm slot, mixing a nasty fastball with lots of arm side run and a slider that plays off of it, he tossed a CG shutout in Day 3 of the Boras Classic pic.twitter.com/N4qioyhmkh

— Cameron Emamian (@CameronEmamian) April 14, 2023

Collin Clarke, RHP Santa Margarita Catholic, 2023

Clarke was a really sound and effective right-hander on the mound in the start I caught. He overcame some early control issues and went the distance, racking up eight strikeouts while doing it. He is listed at 6’2 with some room to add weight, which should give the velocity a few ticks of improvement as he gets older. The mechanics were on point and consistent, and once he got in a groove after a couple of innings he kept going. His fastball does have good run on it with some late life. His best secondary pitch is probably his slider, which almost looked like a sharp cutter during this one. He threw in a changeup that was fringe as well. The stuff overall needs improvement and did not look super flashy to me, but the results were there and the process on the mound was impressive for Clarke. 

Deep Drives: ECU + Vandy/South Carolina

Another week, another Deep Drives edition.

It was a quieter week on all fronts, so it’s only natural to get some extra help and combine live looks with another writer. One of our newest writers, Jonathan Martin, makes his Deep Drives debut as he got a chance to get out and see a heavyweight matchup in the SEC between Vanderbilt and South Carolina in Nashville. Meanwhile, Tyler ventured out to East Carolina to get a chance to look at one of the best arms in the 2024 class, Trey Yesavage.

RHP Trey Yesavage, east Carolina

Line: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K (86 Pitches)

When we revamp our 2024 draft board, fully expect Yesavage to be in first-round consideration. The stuff is that good. He’s a big, physical specimen on the mound for ECU, who has gone from a high-leverage reliever in 2022 to a bonafide ace in 2023.

It’s hard to see the fastball not being a plus pitch at the next level. He’s been up to 98 MPH this year, though the velocity against Cincinnati was 92-95 MPH early, before settling in at 91-94 MPH as the outing went on. He’s able to generate a ton of backspin at release, which comes from an over-the-top arm slot, and the pitch has ridiculous riding life at the top of the zone. It gives him a big margin for error at the present level, especially with his feel for throwing his off-speed arsenal lacking in this start. The fastball alone had sixteen whiffs on the night, which is ridiculous. His command of the pitch is much improved, as well, giving him plenty of success living on the edges before going upstairs for whiffs.

.@ECUBaseball's Trey Yesavage turned in another 10+ K outing, his fifth on the year.

FB is electric, sat 91-94 today, touching 95, with serious life up in the zone. Tight cutter 84-88, SPL 80-83, CB 79-81. 19 whiffs total, 16 on FB alone! Becoming one of the top 2024 arms. pic.twitter.com/PGutpupZQv

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) April 15, 2023

The aforementioned off-speed arsenal is rather robust, though it was not utilized much on this day. The primary breaking ball is a slider/cutter hybrid that he’s recently added, giving him an additional weapon with late horizontal break and tight spin against righties. When he kept the pitch down in the zone, it was nasty and got three whiffs, though there were times where he bounced it off the dirt or missed glove-side. He has a splitter in the low-80’s that can drop off the table when it’s on, though in this outing, he only threw one for a strike and struggled to find feel throughout the outing, missing arm-side constantly. There’s also a 12-6 curveball in his repertoire, and while it has sharp downward break, he struggled to find the strike zone with it.

Overall, the evolution that Yesavage has had gives him plenty of potential and upside for teams. If there’s any nitpicking to be made here, it comes from the off-speed command plus the long ball. He’ll be eligible as a junior in next year’s draft, but if he keeps this up, it’s tough to envision him lasting past the first round.

1B josh Moylan, east Carolina

The pride of Stoney Beach, Maryland, Josh Moylan made a name for himself in his freshman campaign before entering the “sophomore slump” last spring. As a junior, Moylan has begun to find his old form and has been one of the hottest bats in the country in recent weeks.

MOYLAN SENDS IT INTO ORBIT @josh_moylan20 pic.twitter.com/XG8soTClWG

— East Carolina Baseball (@ECUBaseball) April 15, 2023

Moylan is a tall, physical human with plenty of present strength. He’s struggled with strikeouts throughout his career, but he shows patience at the plate and draws a fair share of walks. With that said, the burgeoning power that Moylan possesses will intrigue teams. His swing has plenty of loft to it and his power plays to all fields. His lone hit against Cincinnati was a back-side homer, carrying over the fence in the opposite field gap. He’d go on to have a home run in the remaining two games of the series, propelling ECU’s win streak to eight straight games and one step closer to gaining a hosting spot in tournament play. The bat will need to continue to perform, as he’s a first base profile with consistent defense.

He likely profiles more toward the back half of the draft at this point in time, providing a team with a money-saving option at this point in time. Things can change, however, and if Moylan continues to crush the baseball, he could find himself sneaking his way up boards.

OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina

To say Ethan Petry is putting together a spectacular freshman season would be modest. The freshman is facing elite SEC arms and doing damage against high velocities while handling off-speed pitches fairly well. Friday night, Vanderbilt gave their workhorse a rest in Carter Holton and started Bryce Cunningham against South Carolina. Cunningham was offering 94-95 MPH fastballs to the upper portion of the zone, while also mixing in a slider and right-on-right change-ups. Cunningham managed to strike out Petry twice, but during those two at-bats, the freshman showed the ability to recognize spin and not be overpowered by a solid fastball that carried into the top of the zone. In his last AB against Cunningham, Petry took a first pitch, belt-high fastball opposite field for his seventeenth home run of the year, tying South Carolina’s freshman home run record.

Freshman Ethan Petry with his 17th HR of year. Took this elevated fastball backside & pretty sure he didn’t get all of it. Serious bat speed and good feel for the zone. @ProspectsLive pic.twitter.com/fxwfusVH7u

— jonathan martin II (@jonathan_d_m20) April 15, 2023

As stated in the above tweet, I am almost certain Petry did not fully get ahold of this baseball, which is scary. The ball still managed to get out into the right field seats 3 rows deep, but you could hear it was slightly missed. This just shows what kind of bat speed Petry possesses, and this could be an intimidating hitter for opposing pitchers for the next two years. The spray charts and this particular swing shows Petry’s is not selling out for home runs either. He maintains good front hip direction and gets a ton of unforced extension on the baseball. This shows he trusts himself to let the baseball travel and lets his insane bat speed work from there. He works with a slow early toe tap that allows him to not be overpowered by hard fastballs and he controls his forward move well. As with any power hitter, there were a couple of questionable swing decisions with him being a little too aggressive on chases out of the zone on spinners, but that will clean up nicely as he continues to see more college-caliber arms. Very excited to see this young hitter continue to make noise in college baseball.

Catcher Cole Messina, South Carolina

Cole Messina is a 2024 draft-eligible catcher from South Carolina that has put together a pretty solid season thus far. He does a good job managing his strikeouts compared to walks, he barrels the ball often and is aggressive early. Friday, he went deep twice, both home runs being on 94 MPH fastballs that were middle-in portion of the plate in 0-0 counts. Both home runs were hit virtually in the same spot and were hammered. Messina also collected two walks on the day while flying out to right field on a slider that he was a tad out front on. Besides the slider he gave into, he ignored all off-speed offers and hunted the fastball.

Defensively, Messina worked well behind the plate against a Vanderbilt team that likes to steal bases. He handled some tough blocks limiting the opportunity for runners to take extra bases as well as stealing some strikes on the corners. With only one look it is hard to tell, but the defense behind the plate is at least serviceable at the next level. The body movement on some pitches could calm down a tad to create a more consistent look for the umpire, but Messina will be behind the plate or at 1B in the future. Overall, his ability to stick to his plan and approach at the plate is impressive as well as his ability to do damage on early fastballs. As his career continues and he begins to get different pitch mixes, it will be interesting to see how his approach changes.

RHP Will Sanders, South Carolina

During Sanders’ Friday night start against Vanderbilt, the righty showed obvious glimpses of big-league intangibles. He works with a very fluid delivery that he shows he can repeat. The ball comes out of his hand well and shows the ability to create ride that could be successful in the top of the zone. The arm action also shows the ability to create deception, although sometimes not enough. The body type is there with long lanky limbs that can handle the addition of mass. Sanders has the prototypical build for what most teams look for in a big-league pitcher.

#44 on PL 2023 Draft list is Will Sanders. FB worked 91-95 flashing ability to play up, but did not miss many bats. Throws a tight slider @ 84-86 that works vertical and grabbed the most whiffs on the day. Has big league intangibles that grabs your attention. pic.twitter.com/jyQe6JbnW6

— jonathan martin II (@jonathan_d_m20) April 22, 2023

Friday night there were some signs of his fastball not getting calls in on batters or missing enough bats at times. His fastball sat 91-95 while flashing above-average vertical life and when working down, some late run. The curveball was his go-to off-speed pitch, and it showed the most success against the Vandy hitters. Sanders' curveball worked with sharp 12-6 action that floated around 84-86 MPH. There was some inconsistency with the depth on the pitch, but it created 7 whiffs on the day and produces some awkward swings. Sanders is known for great feel of his changeup, but Friday he did not have it. The changeup missed down and arm side mainly and was not competitive enough to induce much weak contact.

Sanders ended the day with only giving up five hits while striking out four and walking four. He did not give up much hard contact on the day besides two doubles and a hard line out from Jack Bulger. The command was a little shaky, but Sanders had a decent start. There are some things that can be cleaned up but, you cannot argue the projectability and future of Sanders is very exciting.