Live Looks: Pac-12 Baseball in April

California is in a down year with collegiate talent for the 2022 Draft. However, the abundance of colleges here have allowed me to see talent come all through the West Coast. Recently, top Pac-12 teams have started to appear in Southern California for conference play, allowing me to see more of the West Coast’s talent for the 2022 Draft. Below are some of the players that have stood out in the early going, including a small school California arm.

RHP JAKE BROOKS, UCLA 4/1

Performance: 8 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 SO, 1 BB, 24.42% CSW

Opponent: University of Oregon

Jake Brooks showcased his four-pitch mix that induced loads of weak contact by Oregon all night long. Brooks repeatedly showed an ability to compete with hitter after hitter, constantly executing competitive pitches with purpose. Brooks was able to run his fastball with arm side run in on the hands of hiiters avoiding barrels. He gained a feel for his breaking balls as the outing progressed leading to a lot of ground balls and quick at-bats. The breaking ball shapes teetered around slurvey shape early on but quickly found their distinct identities as he settled in. The changeup plays well with his fastball, coming out from a similar arm-slot but with significantly more fade and sink than his fastball. Overall, Brooks was as advertised, a pitcher who can compete and get outs, but won’t overpower a lineup.

SS JOSH KASEVICH, OREGON 4/1

Performance: 1-4, 1 2B

Opponent: UCLA

Josh Kasevich consistently made loud contact all night long and was in the minority of Oregon hitters that found barrels off Jake Brooks. Kasevich rocketed a hard-hit line drive into the LCF gap in his first at-bat, generated from his plus bat speed and extension, but Malakhi Knight (‘24) tracked it down with ease. In his next at-bat, Kasevich made sure he wouldn’t get beat and once again, rocketed a Jake Brooks fastball down into the left-field corner for a double. Kasevich runs well out of the box, progressing to top speed fairly quickly with good baserunning actions. On the diamond, he stood out for his defensive preparation and light footwork before each pitch, showing that he has intangibles and a hunter’s mentality at SS. The Oregon SS has made a considerable effort in 2022 to elevate the ball more and tonight’s performance indicated that it is indeed true.

RHP CJ CULPEPPER, CAL BAPTIST 4/2

Performance: 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 6 SO, 1 BB, 25.81% CSW

Opponent: Seattle University

CJ Culpepper (‘22) of Cal Baptist getting his 4th whiff of the 2nd inning. Lots of 90-92s early on, showing good feel to command his SL early in counts , with good shape. @ProspectsLive pic.twitter.com/6rxKkmwoJN

— Jackson Thomas (@BaseballByJT) April 2, 2022

CJ Culpepper didn’t come out with his best stuff for the outing but he showed flashes of what can make him a day three arm in the upcoming draft. He has an ideal projectable pitcher’s frame with a slender build and long levers. Culpepper’s delivery has a slow-paced rhythm with a timed burst, letting his arm speed do the heavy lifting from a 3/4 slot. Culpepper did show a feel for commanding his slider early on in the game, showing lots of confidence in it throwing it early in counts and often to Seattle U hitters. The slider has a high spin rate and profound sweep, generating consistent shape pitch after pitch. Culpepper’s fastball has high spin and some arm side run, consistently sitting in the low 90s. It doesn’t have any prolific movement but has viability as a future bullpen weapon with added velocity, which Culpepper is capable of. Overall Culpepper shows promise as a day three reliever prospect with room to grow in his arsenal development and quality strike-throwing ability. 

LHP COOPER HJERPE, OREGON STATE, 4/8

Performance: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 9 SO, 0 BB, 2 HBP, 35.87% CSW

Opponent: University of Southern California

Oregon State’s Cooper Hjerpe (#33 on the @ProspectsLive top 400 2022 Draft Board) , posted 6 whiffs in the 1st inning , stranding 2 runners with 1 K. Pounding the K-Zone early on. pic.twitter.com/ricTu1POmX

— Jackson Thomas (@BaseballByJT) April 9, 2022

Some Hjerpe open side, up-tempo delivery with rhythm , short sling shot like arm action with above average arm speed. Really enjoyable to watch tonight. pic.twitter.com/23deyW4Qne

— Jackson Thomas (@BaseballByJT) April 9, 2022

Cooper Hjerpe put on a very enjoyable pitching performance showing his ability to throw three pitches for strikes and get ahead early in counts. In the first time through the order against USC, The Beavers’ ace relied heavily on his fastball while slowly gaining a feel for his slider. Hjerpe has an ideal fastball pitch profile for generating whiffs, with a great combination of a -4 vertical approach angle, 18 inches of horizontal break, and funky deception. This was proven the case as USC hitters were overmatched against his fastball, whiffing against it 12 times on the night. After the first inning, Hjerpe locked in his slider with tight spin and good sweeping depth, showing he can spin it in any given count. The slider showed flashes of plus and is a true swing and miss pitch, generating a whiff rate of 50% against The Trojans. Hjerpe’s changeup began to appear the second time through the order and he maintained great arm speed while generating late darting fade.

He is able to repeat his delivery very well and pitches with a confident mound presence. What is most fascinating about Hjerpe’s repeatable delivery is its innate uniqueness. Hjerpe has one of the most deceptive deliveries in the college ranks with his upper body rotation, sling-shot like arm action, plus arm speed, and low 3/4 arm slot. The entire package of Hjerpe looks like a pitcher that will get outs at the major league level with two potential plus offspeed pitches. I’m all in for Hjerpe continuing as a SP in pro ball and believe he will add a couple more MPHs to his FB. Hjerpe would be a great comp round pick and I find it hard to believe he lasts far into the 2nd round.  

OF JACOB MELTON, OREGON STATE 4/8-4/9

Performance: 2-7, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB

Opponent: University of Southern California

Jacob Melton (#90 on @ProspectsLive 2022 Draft Board) takes a FB to LCF for a RBI 2B. Good adjustment in AB after swinging over a CH. pic.twitter.com/DM9E3Vkj5V

— Jackson Thomas (@BaseballByJT) April 9, 2022

First and foremost, Jacob Melton has a great physical presence, with noticeable strength through his 6’3” frame with projection for another 5-15 lbs of muscle. During my two-game look at Melton, he consistently demonstrated a methodical and patient approach at the plate, approaching each at-bat with a plan and intent to act upon it. He is very comfortable spitting on pitches and waiting to attack on pitches he feels he can bang. In both games, Melton was consistently on time with all of his pitches, with good bat to ball skills letting him fight pitches off. Melton also has above-average bat speed and extends on-plane through contact well, as he smoked an opposite-field double through the LCF gap. He handled CF on Saturday showing solid range and gliding route running ability into the gaps. The Beaver OF definitely has the offensive tools to succeed in pro ball with likely a future in a corner OF spot. Overall he is one of the higher upside senior draftees in the upcoming draft.

OF JUSTIN BOYD, OREGON STATE 4/8-4/9

Performance: 4-10, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI, 4 SO, 1 BB, 2 SB

Opponent: University of Southern California

In a two-game look, Justin Boyd showed he can do a lot of things well as a player and prospect. He has a filled-out physical frame with noticeable strength throughout his body and solid athleticism. During his at-bats he demonstrated a patient approach with a high intent to mash any pitches that came over the plate. Boyd has average bat speed but pairs it with good bat-to-ball skills, letting him spray balls across the entire field and run up pitch counts. Defensively Boyd was able to make quick reads on flyballs letting him camp under with ease. The knock on Boyd is that he really doesn’t have any plus tools, but there aren’t any noticeable weaknesses in his game. Boyd could greatly improve his status as a prospect if he came back to the Beavers next season to improve his bat speed in the hopes of unlocking more power, as a little would go a long way given his current skillset. 

2022 MLB Draft Early Preview - Right-Handed Pitchers

While certainly not concrete and all-encompassing, scouts have a way of siphoning the top right-handed talent to the top of draft boards every year. Especially in today’s baseball meta, there are qualifiers a right-handed college pitcher must possess should he hope to get selected in the first round of any given draft. There will always be outliers to any anecdotal model, but the modern right-handed arm is usually cut from a similar cloth.

First and foremost, there must be an element of velocity in his game. Scouts need to see the ability to throw hard, and you’ve got to miss bats as well. Generally, if a pitcher isn’t sitting north of 92 mph consistently, there’s very little chance they’ll hear their name on day one. And that’s the baseline, mind you. More than stuff alone, a right-handed pitcher must be able to command and control the baseball as well. Walks will lose you baseball games, and advanced hitters barrel up middle-middle cheese more often than not. The ability to work in and out, as well as up and down, is critical to the success of any starting pitcher.

A starting pitching prospect should have three pitches and the ability to control those pitches. The ability to command the fastball is a must. More and more, data plays a role in qualifying secondary pitches these days. Scouts like seeing big spin rates and appreciable markers that suggest future success. But some of those indicators in pitch design are discernable to the naked eye. I don’t need to show you TrackMan data to convince you Kumar Rocker’s slider is an extremely effective offering.

Starting pitchers also operate much different than most other arms. Scouts want to see athleticism and the ability to repeat. Pitchers who prove to be good athletes generally have the best chance to see more gains in their development moving forward in professional ball. Athleticism helps with efficiency and fluidity on the mound and can be a prerequisite to a player’s ability to repeat their release. Pitchers that are max-effort and rigid in their operation end up being relievers as they lack longevity and their command wavers earlier in outings.  

Blade Tidwell

Armed with a 99 mph fastball and a wipeout slider, Tennessee RHP Blade Tidwell has the makings of a big league ace. He could be the first starting pitcher off the board in the 2022 MLB Draft. Tidwell spent the offseason re-shaping his fastball... 👀 https://t.co/oiDg9ETDg7

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) December 20, 2021

Tidwell was a big name in the 2020 MLB Draft, but went unselected due to his bonus demands, ending up in Knoxville. That has paid dividends. Tidwell has the prototype body, the athleticism and some low-hanging fruit in terms of development right in front of him that could vault his name into Top 10 conversations come July.

Tidwell’s full arsenal includes the fastball touching 99, more comfortably resting 94-95 most nights. He was living closer to 96 this summer for the Collegiate National Team. Tidwell focused on Clean Fuego training this summer in an attempt to get more ride out of his heater, experimenting more and more with attacking at the top of the zone, a tact the University of Tennessee has generally shied away from adopting in recent years. At his best, Tidwell was resting north of 19 inches of IVB, touching 22 inches at times. That would play beautifully in 2022. He works in a firm mid-80s bat-missing slider that presents more sweep than it does depth, and shows a fringier high-70s curveball that he struggles to command or throw with complete conviction. The changeup shows promising shape, though feel and command for the offering is still a work-in-progress as well. The book here is arm talent and projection, both of which are substantial.

Over 98.2 innings in 2021, Tidwell pitched to a 3.74 ERA, punching out 90 hitters and walking just 34. The opposition struggled to hit Tidwell, but when they did it would too often come in the form of homers. He made huge strides this summer for the Collegiate National Team, and the results were encouraging. In 31 plate appearances against the best hitters in the country, Tidwell saw his strikeout rate spike to 29 percent, his fastball generating a 33 percent whiff rate. Those are the kinds of numbers scouts like seeing when projecting out a future top-of-the-rotation horse.

Peyton Pallette

One of the reasons Arkansas RHP Peyton Pallette gets the acclaim he does is the curveball. Pallette averaged north of 3000 RPM in 2021, *elite* spin rates. He also throws his CB close to 80 mph, another top-of-the-scale figure suggesting future success. pic.twitter.com/yjBNhGUlRd

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) December 26, 2021

Pallette gets a ton of comparisons to Dodgers hurler Walker Buehler, and for good reason. It’s a lean, 6-foot-1-inch 180-pound frame with exceptional arm speed and a super-efficient lower body operation. That’s the book oh Buehler too. You could argue Pallette presents the best two-pitch combo of any starting pitching prospect in the class.

The fastball-curveball one-two punch from Pallette can be absolutely devastating. The heater touched 99 last season, sitting 93-95 with ease. It’s a high-spin offering with some inefficiencies in terms of spin direction and spin efficiency, something that could truly unlock another gear to his stuff at the top of the zone. While Pallette fills up the zone and commands the fastball well, its shape precludes the ability to generate a ton of swing and miss right now. The curveball is as dynamic as they come, touching 84 mph, sitting comfortably in the low-80s. It’s got spin rates exceeding 3000 rpms, as well as the vertical hammer shape teams covet. The pitch shape and metrics are elite here. Pallette isn’t as comfortable throwing strikes with the breaking ball, but most believe he shows enough feel to project at least a plus out-pitch as a pro. Pallette does possess a below average changeup and has flirted with a cutter as well. Optimists see a potential starter with two plus pitches and a usable off-speed pitch to offer against left-handed hitters.

Pallette has 61.2 innings to his name in Fayetteville, striking out 70 and issuing just 23 walks. He dealt with shoulder fatigue in 2021 so staying healthy in 2022 will be critical to reach his draft-ceiling in July, especially considering his lean frame. Analytically motivated organizations would covet Pallette and his intrinsic abilities on the mound. He certainly has the upside of a top ten pick.

Landon Sims

Run it back pic.twitter.com/1Z7mCCUWQS

— Landon Sims (@landoosims) January 1, 2022

If Pallette doesn’t have the best one-two punch in college baseball, Sims probably does. The electric Sims was as dominant a reliever as you could find in college baseball in 2021, transitioning into a rotation role for the 2022 campaign.

It would be hard to argue for anybody but Sims having the most dominant fastball in college baseball last season. He sat 93-96, reaching back for 98. The ball explodes out of the hand, creating some of the best-performing metrics in the country. Sims threw his fastball for strikes almost 70 percent of the time. Those that swung at the heater whiffed through it more than 40 percent of the time; an outlandish figure at any level. As if those numbers weren’t impressive enough, opposing hitters chased Sims’ fastballs outside of the zone almost 30 percent of the time. Elite whiff rates. Elite chase rates. Pounded the zone. What’s not to like? Sims has a low release and innate deception. If the velocity continues to tick up, this could be a double-plus fastball. The slider is just as dynamic, averaging north of 85 mph and touching 88. Sims attacks hitters from the right side of the rubber and employs more sweep than depth on his slider, though most would characterize the breaking ball as short. It gains effectiveness through tunneling and deception. It plays up thanks to sublime command. It’s at least above average, though most believe it could be plus when all is said and done. Sims really hasn’t shown a changeup or curveball yet, something scouts will want to see in 2022.

Sims has 69.1 innings in his collegiate career despite never starting a game. He has no problem working multiple innings in crunch time. In those innings, he’s punched out an astronomical 123 hitters, issuing just 22 walks. If he carries anything close to that sort of production into the rotation, he could be the first arm off the board in July.  

Kumar Rocker

NO-HITTER.
19 STRIKEOUTS.

VANDERBILT’S KUMAR ROCKER JUST MADE HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/Q05eYikbbR

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) June 9, 2019

After being selected 10th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, the New York Mets and Rocker could not come to an agreement on a pro contract. Because of this, Rocker will give it another go in 2022. The narrative is long and exhausted. The concerns over his medicals after reports surfaced that he failed his physical with the Mets post-draft will be the storyline to watch this go around. To date, Rocker and his camp have been entirely absent from the public since July.

The weaponry is well-chronicled. A fastball that has been up to 98.6 but more often sits 93-95. The heater has strong riding characteristics and was swung through more than 31 percent of the time last season, an exceptional figure. The breaking ball is wicked with tremendous depth and deception, grading as high as plus-plus by evaluators. The cutter flashes above average and a changeup that is below average more often than not. It’s a full repertoire and figures to only improve at the pro level.

I’m still 100 percent in on Rocker. It still looks like top-of-the-rotation stuff to me and the operation works over long innings.  It’s at least three pitches in his arsenal, probably four as he continues to mature. The concerns over his medicals will certainly be a point of emphasis, as they should be. If it’s shoulder-related, the caution ramps up a bit, but even if Rocker needs to go under the knife for Tommy John Surgery, it’s hard to imagine him not coming back and performing as he has since he was 16 years old. The track record is long and storied. Don’t overthink it.

Gabriel Hughes

The last Gonzaga Bulldog drafted in the first round was Seattle Mariners southpaw Marco Gonzales in 2013. That may change in 2022. RHP Gabriel Hughes is often referred to as "electric" by those who have evaluated him. The fastball touches 96 and the slider can be devastating. pic.twitter.com/jAX7TwGg9h

— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) January 2, 2022

There’s perhaps no other pitcher in the country more likely to explode onto the scene in 2022 than Gonzaga’s Hughes. A two-way guy in 2021, he broke his hand after getting hit by a pitch, costing him much of the year. That said, in 10 starts, he showed all he needed to get scouts juiced for the product of Eagle, Idaho.

At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Hughes is a power arm with the three-pitch mix evaluators covet. The fastball generally sat 91-94 last season, touching 96. He was more 92-95 this summer for the Collegiate National Team, again north of 96. Opposing hitters swung through the heater almost 30 percent of the time last season, but even when they did get bat-to-ball, Hughes avoided barrels. He throws a power-slider that he commands reasonably well glove-side with gyro-bullet spin. It tunnels the fastball well and can be un-hittable when he’s got feel for it. This could eventually be a plus slider. There’s a whole lot more in the tank with Hughes too. He’s an exceptional athlete showcasing a big leg kick and the ability to really ride down the mound, repeating his release consistently. It’s a high waist and long levers. It’s not hard to envision a guy throwing 94-98 in short order as he continues to mature.

Hughes has 73 collegiate innings under his belt with 80 strikeouts and 36 walks. Harnessing more command for his entire arsenal will be a point of emphasis in 2022. If he fills up the zone, the stuff is so good his baseball card is going to be quite gaudy.

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Others to Watch: Adam Maier, Oregon; Marcus Johnson, Duke; Henry Williams, Duke; Eric Adler, Wake Forest; Victor Mederos, Oklahoma State; Jonathan Cannon, Georgia; Bryce Osmond, Oklahoma State; Jarred Karros, UCLA; Josh White, Cal; Alex McFarlane, Miami; Mason Barnett, Auburn; Zach Maxwell, Georgia Tech; Justin Campbell, Oklahoma State; Jacob Meador, TCU; Derek Diamond, Ole Miss; Drew Thorpe, Cal Poly; Brandon Sproat, Florida; Max Rajcic, UCLA; Andrew Taylor, Central Michigan; Mack Anglin, Clemson; Will Childers, Georgia; Brandon Birdsell, Texas Tech; Liam Simon, Notre Dame; Carter Rustad, Missouri; Aaron Nixon; Texas; Nick Maldonado, Vanderbilt; Tyler Nesbitt, Florida; Jackson Finley, Georgia Tech; John Modugno, Indiana; Eric Reyzelman, LSU; Troy Melton; San Diego State; Devereaux Harrison, Long Beach State; Sebastian Keane, Northeastern; Andrew Mosiello, Oregon; Sam Highfill, NC State; Matthew Wyatt, Virginia; Jake Brooks, UCLA; Parker Stinnett, Mississippi State; Jackson Fristoe, Mississippi State; Cade Winquest, Texas-Arlington; Will Frisch, Oregon State; Luis Ramirez, Long Beach State; Seth Halvorsen, Tennessee; Mark Adamiak, Arkansas; Cam Schlitter, Northeastern; Cam Weston, Michigan; Nick Durgin, Stetson; There are so many others…….