A brief update on what the last several months have been like for me and my mission moving forward.
The Seattle Mariners Have A Generational Opportunity In The 2023 MLB Draft
This article is brought to you by Tyson Tucker, one of the newest members of PL’s Draft Team
One of the main storylines taking place within the 2023 MLB Draft centers around Jerry Dipoto and his Seattle Mariners. The M’s hold three picks (22, 29, 30) in the top 30 of the draft, presenting a rare and massive opportunity. So rare in fact, that Dipoto says in his 24 years of working in the draft, he’s never been a part of something like it.
Dipoto shared some of his thoughts on Joe Doyle’s Overslot podcast, “To have three picks in the top-30 is exciting for us. Particularly excited because, frankly, this is an area of the draft that has been very productive for us. We feel like we’ve done very well in this general zone. The types of players that go off the board in the 20-30 range in the draft, are typically those that embody the criteria we hold in high value. We’re well situated to make these picks.”
He even went as far as to make a statement regarding a strategy they plan to employ. “We are likely to do something creative. We’ve tried hard to be creative in years where we’ve had a Comp B pick, but you need extra slot money to do anything…creative.” It’s clear the staff recognizes the opportunity at hand, expect them to be innovative with a freedom that isn’t typically afforded in this magnitude.
The instance is irregular in the fashion that the last time it did take place was back in 2016 when the Padres had the honor bestowed upon them. As we look back to those picks currently, San Diego walked away with two quality MLB starters. Albeit, both are no longer with the organization.
Quantrill helped land Mike Clevinger and Lauer brought over Trent Grisham and Zach Davies. Gone for the team but multiple guys who created immense organizational value. Which, in essence, is what the MLB Draft is all about.
It’s clear there’s a great opportunity at hand.
Picks and pool
One of the reasons this opportunity is so rare is because of how the M’s came to have these top picks. The first came through regular means. Pick No. 22 is their regular selection given their finish in the previous campaign.
The second came from an instance that is new to the MLB Draft. Seattle was awarded a pick at the end of the first round because of the new Prospect Promotion Incentive. Which is explained by the MLB in these terms, “If a player who was rated as a preseason Top 100 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, and/or ESPN (at least two of the three) and was on his team's Opening Day roster goes on to win the Rookie of the Year Award, the club is awarded a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick after the first round.” Julio Rodriguez’ 2022 Rookie of the Year campaign fit the criteria and has been awarded to the Mariners immediately after the first round; Pick No. 29.
The third pick comes in the form of Competitive Balance Round A, dealt to teams with the smallest markets or revenue pools. The M’s found themselves with the first pick within the competitive balance round right behind their Prospect Promotion selection. And to make the case even more advantageous for Seattle, both picks got moved up two spots because of some other team’s big spending. Both the Mets and Dodgers first-round selections were moved back 10 spots because they exceeded the competitive balance tax threshold by over $40 million. So what would have been picks 31 & 32 turned into picks 29 & 30. A non-zero value move that gives the M’s another leg up.
What affords Dipoto the opportunity to get creative is the slot value allotment that comes with these high picks. And as of Tuesday April 4th, we now know what the slot values and bonus pools will be for the 2023 MLB Draft. It’s more than fair to say the Mariners are well situated.
Here’s the Top 10 courtesy of MLB.com:
Pittsburgh Pirates - $16,185,700
Detroit Tigers - $15,747,200
Washington Nationals - $14,502,400
Minnesota Twins - $14,345,600
Oakland Athletics - $14,255,600
Cincinnati Reds - $13,785,200
Seattle Mariners - $13,170,900
Miami Marlins - $12,829,600
Kansas City Royals - $12,313,500
Colorado Rockies - $11,909,800
Other than the Mariners, who check in at #7, every team on that list holds a pick within the Top 10 of the draft. And as we know the M’s first pick is outside the top-20. As far as the total bonus pools, the Mariners’ top 3 pick values combine to be $9,029,800; which is more than 12 teams’ total pool. You’ve heard me say it a couple times, but the opportunity at hand is nearly unprecedented. In large part thanks to the ever-rising slot values. The M’s hold the cards in the back half of the first round.
So, where do they go?
To know where they might go in 2023 we must look back to where they’ve gone previously under Jerry Dipoto & Scott Hunter.
They’ve nearly done it all since Dipoto took the reins in 2016. First it was college bats, then it was college arms, and in the last two years, it’s been high school bats. It’s fair to say they really don’t have a first round “type.” They identify the guy they deem fits their needs best for the given situation and run with it. To make an educated guess on a player they might draft would mostly be a shot in the dark. Dipoto and Co. are going to play the role of a wild card on draft night, but we can identify options they may have presented to them.
Scenario 1:
They float down prep. Blake Mitchell is a premium high-school catcher who can really swing it, while also being up to 97 MPH on the bump, so you know the arm strength is there. It’s solid athleticism and great makeup on an up-the-middle player. All these factors fit the mold of what the M’s have done with recent prep picks but also make him likely to go off the board in the area of the 15th pick. On the off chance Mitchell is still available around 17th or 18th, I think you see the M’s make some promises on the dollar amount they can match going overslot on pick No. 22.
With the two remaining selections I think you see a team that realizes a window opening up on the Major League side of things and looks to supplement that. Colton Ledbetter and Juaron Watts-Brown are players that are performing at power conferences within college baseball and could be semi-quick movers. Both of which should require slot or less at their draft position. College arms will be a mainstay of these scenarios because the organization has shown they have a pitching infrastructure they fully believe in. Expect a college arm to be one of the selections especially with the depth of that crop in this class.
Scenario 2:
In this scenario, they catch a falling prep. As I mentioned above, this is a team that has a window opening at the major league level for the first time in decades. They’ll look to grab some college players who can move fast. So in this scenario, they go grab Tommy Troy, a versatile, athletic do-it-all type of up-the-middle player. A true hitter who brings more than that to the table.
After that, they nab a premium prep hitter in Aidan Miller. Miller missed a portion of his high school season with a broken hamate bone in his hand. Before the injury, Miller was a fringe top-10 prospect. He’s even likely just a tier below consensus top-10 players in Max Clark and Walker Jenkins. Miller is committed to Arkansas and could get close to honoring his commitment unless a team like the Mariners can catch him at this position. It wouldn’t be the first time they nabbed a big-bodied 3B after grabbing Tyler Locklear and Tyler Keenan in recent years. It’s not an up-the-middle player, but we’ve heard their staff say they can afford to take on more risk this year. Miller fits the mold.
Going over-slot to nab Miller at No. 29, requires them to go just a touch under-slot at No. 30 with Alabama LHP Grayson Hitt. Hitt is a projectible guy who has more recently tapped into his ceiling. Dipoto and staff have not been shy about getting arms in which they have identified deficiencies through biomechanical means. Knowing in turn they can make the necessary adjustments to tap into more. They get their college arm here and it’s an arm they believe they can mold into future value.
conclusion
When it comes time to turn in the card(s) this July, it’s hard to know where the Mariners will go. We can presume they’ll want to stick to their typical high-character, middle of the diamond, impact player. Odds are they will also nab a college arm to supplement the infrastructure they’ve built out as an organization. Above all else, as we’ve heard them say, expect some creativity.
When you have tenured GMs and scouting directors making remarks about never experiencing an opportunity like this in their career or even franchise history, it’s easy to understand the weight of the situation. And while three picks in the top-30 adds a little pressure, it also affords a ton of freedom and opportunity. Both of which the higher ups in Seattle are relishing as we speak.
It will all come to fruition on Sunday, July 9th during MLB All-Star Week. Which happens to be where you ask? Seattle. A draft being held in Seattle, in which the hometown team will hold the cards for much of the latter half of the first round. The stars are aligning for what figures to be…
A generational opportunity.
Live Looks: UCLA @ Long Beach State 4/4
2023 MLB Draft - Mock Draft 3.0
Introduction to DIGS and BaGS College Baseball Metrics
An introduction to BaGS and DIGS college baseball stats and leaderboards developed and produced courtesy of Kyle Goings (@DigsPitcher). We are thrilled to be hosting the BaGS and DIGS as we believe they’re some of the best descriptive stats of college performance publicly available.
Live Looks: UGA @ Vanderbilt 3/31 - 4/1
Deep Drives: Rocky Top Fun
Smitty’s Standouts Volume No. 2 - College of Central Florida is a FORCE
The state of JUCO baseball in Florida couldn’t be stronger. Everywhere you look throughout the state there’s a squad with multiple D-1 or draft hopefuls, or both for that matter. College of Central Florida fits that description to a tee.
This has been my third time seeing the Pats this spring, and there have been multiple reasons why this squad is the best JUCO baseball team in the country. Potent, quality bats throughout the lineup and one of the deepest pitching staffs in the state. Let’s talk about a few of the roster that really stood out.
2B Bradke Lohry, College of Central Florida
Lohry has been the most impressive bat that I’ve seen on the JUCO circuit this spring by a good margin. It’s a strong hit tool out of leadoff with a compact load paired with both electric hand and bat speed. Shows a strong ability to manipulate the barrel throughout the zone and will use the entire field. Flashed an impressive ability to turn on the ball into stiff headwind and can tap into above-average raw power at times in a smaller frame. Likely a 55 runner at worst with a sneaky first step and ability to reach top speed quickly. 4.0 home-to-first on an infield knock as well. Defensively, Lohry can stick at second base long term with good positioning and smooth transfers out of the glove. The Vols commit is the definition of a gamer on the diamond, and can bring instant impact to a lineup. I’m not outside of thinking that Lohry can be one of the rare JUCO bats drafted in the first 150-200 picks.
1B/OF John Marant, College of Central Florida
A Georgia Tech transfer, Marant brings both imposing size and strength to the field. An XL 6-6, 230lb. with above-average athleticism for his size. Showed both impressive opposite-field pop with an effortless flick into a headwind for a home run and ability to show pull-side juice as well with above-average bat and strong lower-half. Easy plus raw power long term. Advanced approach at the plate with a good eye for spin and ability to do damage throughout the zone. Elevated fastballs got Marant to whiff a few times but adjusted in later at-bats. Defensively, athletic enough to play in either corner but likely will make a long term home at first base. Still uncommitted, and could be a very valuable power bat to plenty of D1 teams.
RHP Cam Schuelke, College of Central Florida
Fresh off of a brand new commitment to Mississippi State, Cam Scheulke continued to show why he’s one of the most unhittable relievers in the country, regardless of level. Mixing between a high three-quarters and submarine arm slot, Schuelke shows a very deceptive pitch mix from both slots with an immense feel to spin. Fastball from over the top was up to 89 with carry, and mid-80s with some sink and run from the submarine slot while missing bats with both. Slider can be a real weapon from both slots at anywhere from 72-77 with tight break and ability to tunnel off the fastball from both slots. Schuelke will show a 11/5 curveball with consistent shape from the three-quarters slot as well. Avoids barrels at all costs, and will keep hitters off balance seemingly his entire outing. Just one earned run allowed across 23+ innings, and it’s easy to see the transition to the SEC next year.
Others to note:
3B Edwin Toribio and CF Carson Bayne are two uncommitted middle of the order bats for the Pats who have hit in every look for me this spring. Toribio has really leaned out since his prep years while maintaining impressive strength throughout the frame. Seemingly triple digit exit velocities on every barrel. Bayne shows an above-average glove in centerfield with a clear plus arm and ability to cover ground with ease. At the plate, creates leverage while using his lower half extremely well. A willing runner as well with sneaky foot speed, and will consistently pad the extra base hit numbers. Both bats can be quality pieces on a multitude of rosters.
Smitty’s Standouts Volume No. 1 - Viera/Melbourne; ACC commits Stand Out
This is introducing my new weekly, sometimes multi-week series of live looks that I’ll be conducting this spring and summer where I touch on a few players from either a game, showcase or even weekend series.
We start off with a quality high school matchup featuring Viera and Melbourne high that had multiple D1 commits and underclass that could be among the best in their classes.
EARLY RELEASE - 2024 MLB Draft - Top 200 Prospects
We're 16 months out but the hype surrounding the top of the 2024 MLB Draft is percolating. Jac Caglianone fever has run rampant. Our team has been at ballfields for the better part of two months now and we’re constantly digging into the analytics we can get our hands on. You can find a lot of our film and live looks in each player’s blurb below. As always, our boards are built on three pillars:
Our team’s Live Looks.
Trackman, Rapsodo and data evaluation.
Conversations within the industry. What are scouting executives, cross-checkers and area scouts seeing at the ballfields?
This far out, this Top 200 really establishes a few things:
We're leaning on "potential" and "stuff" when it comes to college arms and bats. There's still enough time for "polish" to take a back seat in evaluations.
The high school bats appear a bit more impactful and potent than what the 2023 class is providing.
We are excited to be offering a new benefit to our Patreon: one week early releases of our MLB Draft board updates and mock drafts! This is our first step in a journey to bring MLB Draft content to Patreon and even more value to your subscription! These releases will be accessible through the 55 Tier ($5 /mo).
With this release of the Top 200 we are also launching the Draft Database, an online application that will be a Patreon exclusive, housing all of our MLB Draft lists in one place. You'll be able to easily filter through positions, schools, class and easily see the list view or all the blurbs for each player. Additionally we'll have links to our MLB Draft Show interviews and film where available.
If you’re considering joining our Patreon, know that we offer a lot more than just these early releases!
The 55 Tier ($5 /mo) provides:
Access to our 900 scouting reports made up from our Top 30’s from each team
The MiLB daily sheet where we cover all the action from around the minor leagues. 3,000+ words six times a week to make sure you don't miss a beat!
Semi-daily sheets for spring training and the WBC
The Prospects Live Dynasty Podcast
Top 100 FYPD rankings
Exclusive articles
The 60 Tier ($10 /mo) provides access to more dynasty content:
The Top 500 fantasy prospect list
The Top 1000 dynasty list
In-season tool for evaluating and identifying prospects
The Prospects Live Dynasty Mailbag podcast
The 70 tier ($15 /mo) gets you a private Discord channel to access our dynasty team and any other member of our staff to answer your questions within 24 hours (although we usually within a couple of hours)!
We also have the 80 tier ($25 /mo) which gives you polling power of our Twitter account and 4 different 30 min 1-1 calls throughout the year to go through your dynasty teams.
Deep Drives: Wake Forest/Duke Series
2023 MLB Draft - Top 400 Prospects
A new year, a new board and new ranks. The Top 300 is here. With the summer showcase circuit behind us and college fall ball in the rearview mirror, we’re ready to re-rank the 2023 draft class. Our team has taken in 9 showcase tournaments and been closely monitoring fall scrimmages. We’ve collected data and pitch metrics from guys showcasing their summer gains and, boy, do things look promising. Some guys are breaking out.
What Wins in MLB Draft War Rooms? Here Are Usually The Tiebreakers...
It's not just the one-on-one interviews that catch your eye. It’s the laidback nature and willingness of these decision-makers to talk about their journey and the processes in their profession. Of course, they don’t spill all the secrets but the insight to be gained from these conversations is second to none. Dipoto dove into a number of things in the hour-long interview but what caught my attention was what he had to say about how tiebreakers in draft decisions take place. How those sometimes heated conversations get resolved. Let’s dive in.
EARLY RELEASE - 2023 MLB Draft - Top 400 Prospects
College baseball is BACK, baby! The Top 400 is here. With high school ball roaring nationwide and college ball in high gear, we’re ready to re-rank the 2023 draft class. Our team has been at ballfields for the better part of two months now and we’re constantly digging into the analytics we can get our hands on. You can find a lot of our film and live looks in each player’s blurb. As always, our boards are built on three pillars:
Our team’s Live Looks.
Trackman, Rapsodo and data evaluation.
Conversations within the industry. What are scouting executives, cross-checkers and area scouts seeing at the ballfields?
This Top 400 really establishes a few things:
This year has a reasonably established Top 10-12 names. There’s value in the 20-50 range too.
This class is led by a strong and deep crop of college talents.
We are excited to be offering a new benefit to our Patreon: one week early releases of our MLB Draft board updates and mock drafts! This is our first step in a journey to bring MLB Draft content to Patreon and even more value to your subscription! These releases will be accessible through the 55 Tier ($5 /mo).
With this release of the Top 400 we are also launching the Draft Database, an online application that will be a Patreon exclusive, housing all of our MLB Draft lists in one place. You'll be able to easily filter through positions, schools, class and easily see the list view or all the blurbs for each player. Additionally we'll have links to our MLB Draft Show interviews and film where available.
If you’re considering joining our Patreon, know that we offer a lot more than just these early releases!
The 55 Tier ($5 /mo) provides:
Access to our 900 scouting reports made up from our Top 30’s from each team
The MiLB daily sheet where we cover all the action from around the minor leagues. 3,000+ words six times a week to make sure you don't miss a beat!
Semi-daily sheets for spring training and the WBC
The Prospects Live Dynasty Podcast
Top 100 FYPD rankings
Exclusive articles
The 60 Tier ($10 /mo) provides access to more dynasty content:
The Top 500 fantasy prospect list
The Top 1000 dynasty list
In-season tool for evaluating and identifying prospects
The Prospects Live Dynasty Mailbag podcast
The 70 tier ($15 /mo) gets you a private Discord channel to access our dynasty team and any other member of our staff to answer your questions within 24 hours (although we usually within a couple of hours)!
We also have the 80 tier ($25 /mo) which gives you polling power of our Twitter account and 4 different 30 min 1-1 calls throughout the year to go through your dynasty teams.
2023 MLB Draft: Week 2 Stock Watch
This article is brought to you by Nick Johnson, one of the newest contributors at Prospects LIve
LHP Sean Sullivan, Wake Forest
Performance: 6 IP, O R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 11 K
Talk about starting out with a bang! I’m not sure even Sean Sullivan could have scripted a better beginning to his Wake career. Through his first two appearances the 6’4 lefty has thrown 10 innings allowing only 2 hits, 1 walk, while striking out 21 batters!
As I wrote in January I thought Sullivan was one of the most under-the-radar transfers in all of D1. A Northwestern transfer, Sullivan had an impressive freshman season as the Wildcat’s Friday night starter throwing 64.2 innings, striking out 78 while sporting a 4.45 era. After the collegiate season he pitched an additional 28 innings in the Cape League where he struck out 29 in 28 innings while only giving up 22 hits and walking 9.
If you’ve never seen Sullivan pitch he throws from a funky low 3⁄4 slot that is super deceptive. He works quickly and pounds the zone. He has a 3 pitch mix (FB,SL,CH) but is super FB heavy. In his start Friday against Mount St. Mary’s he threw 77 pitches and a staggering 66 of them were fastballs (85%). He had a crazy 25 swing and misses on the day. The fastball had 55% miss and 41% chase. Sullivan’s FB sat 88 and topped out at 90. If he can tap into his big frame and gain velocity you could watch his stock soar. With the news that Teddy McGraw may be out for an extended amount of time it will be interesting to see if Sullivan sticks in the starting rotation. My bet would be yes.
RHP Ryan Hawks, Louisville
Performance: 7.1 IP, 1R, 4H, 0BB, 8K
After missing all of 2021 due to injury Ryan Hawks became Louisville’s go to arm out of the pen in 2022. In 27 appearances (1 start) Hawks threw 49 innings allowing 54 hits, walking 16 and striking out 65.
This year Hawks becomes arguably the most important piece of a Louisville staff that is coming off an underwhelming 2022. The former Kentucky Gatorade player of the year has certainly looked the part of a Friday night starter through his first two games. In 13.2 innings he has only given up 7 hits, 1 walk, 1 ER, while striking out 17.
This Friday against Bowling Green he looked really good. He tossed 7.1 innings of 4 hit ball without allowing an earned run and striking out 8. He threw 88 pitches and was primarily FB/SL while mixing in 6 CH. Despite it being a brisk 45 degrees the fastball sat 92 and topped 93. I expect the velocity to tick up as it gets warmer and he builds back up. The slider looked really impressive with 56% whiff/31% chase. I hope he mixes the change in more because it had good fading movement and induced some funky swings.
Through two starts Louisville has to be extremely happy with what they’ve seen from Hawks as he will be a pivotal piece in their push to Omaha.
RHP Hurston Waldrep, Florida
6 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3BB, 13K
When Florida went and got Hurston Waldrep out of the transfer portal I imagine this was exactly what they thought they were getting. The RHP Southern Miss transfer was absolutely electric Saturday afternoon. The 6’2 Thomasville, GA native shoved against Cincinnati going 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 13 K (tied career high). He threw 100 pitches (62% strikes) and featured a FB,CB,SP/CH mix. The fastball sat 95 and topped 98. He held 96 into the 6th inning. The Split-Change was absolutely nails at 87 mph with 71% whiff/64% chase.
After facing Charleston Southern and Cincinnati, Waldrep will get his first real test of the season this weekend as he faces a talented and nationally ranked Miami offense highlighted by projected first rounder Yoyo Morales.
Honorable Mentions:
RHP Jackson Baumeister, FL St.
5.2, 1H, 0 ER, 2BB, 8K, 81 pitches (50 strikes) at #10 TCU
RHP Noah Hall, South Carolina
8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 12 K, 99 pitches (71 strikes) vs UPENN
RHP Jason Savacool, Maryland
7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K, 101 pitches (67 strikes) at #4 Ole Miss
HITTERS
C Luke Shliger, Maryland
Performance: 6 for 12, HR, 2 2B, 7 RBI
In what was billed to be one of the best matchups of the weekend #13 Maryland traveled down south to take on the #4 Rebels of Ole Miss. It was a great early season test for the Maryland offense to go up against some great SEC arms. While the series didn’t go the way Maryland would have hoped, Jr. catcher Luke Shliger really stood out. In the 3 game series the 5’9 LHH went 6-12 with a 2B, HR, 5 RBI’s, 2BB and 3K.
Shliger really burst onto the scene as a sophomore slashing .357/.500/.643 with a 1.143 OPS. He had 22 doubles, 2 triples, and 12 homers. He followed up his sophomore campaign with an All-Star season on Cape.
With a hit > power approach, good swing/take decisions, strong bat-to-ball skills, and limited physical projection remaining, the Maryland backstop profiles as a high-floor, low-ceiling type player. The question he will have to answer this spring is just how much impact the bat carries. The power production will dictate how high he goes but he currently projects as a Top 100 pick.
C Devin Burkes, Kentucky
Performance: 8-13, 7 2B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 2 BB, 3HBP, 2 SB
I’m not sure anyone in the country had as good of a weekend as RS SO catcher Devin Burkes. Burkes went crazy against Wright St. going 8 for 13 with 7 doubles, 1 homerun, 11 RBI, 2 walks, 3 HBP, and 2 stolen bases. Including his midweek game against Indiana St. Burkes slashed .563/.667/1.188 with a 1.855 OPS. The Bradenton, Florida native is enjoying his first year as Kentucky’s everyday catcher and has a 20 game on base streak dating back to last season. He currently leads the nation in doubles. Burkes is making his case to fly up draft boards this spring.
3B Jack Costello, San Diego
Performance: 5-9, 5R, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 1BB, 1K
Not even a historic Southern California deluge could cool off JR RHH Jack Costello. The third baseman only got two games in this weekend due to heavy rain but did wreak havoc in both.On Friday night against Hawaii he went 3-4 with 2 HR and 6 RBI. On Sunday against UNLV he went 2-5 with a HR and 3 RBI.
Costello is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign where he slashed .307/.369/.487 with a .856 OPS. He had 15 2B, 2 3B, and 8 HR. He spent 18 games in the Cape Cod league where he hit .270 in limited at bats.
The Terero’s are off to a hot 5-0-1 start and a lot of their future success will rest on the success of their star 3B.
I-85 to I-75: Live Looks Edition #2
Deep Drives: Campbell/Rutgers Series
2023 MLB Draft: Week 1 Stock Watch
Kicking off "Spring" Baseball: Live Looks on Seven Draft-Eligible Arms in the Southeast
While Spring is still more than a month away on the calendars, “Spring baseball” is underway in both Florida and Georgia. The first two weeks in February have seen a number of intriguing arms take the mound in JUCO and high school action. Ergo, for this first edition of Live Looks, we will cover seven draft eligible arms in the Southeast that grabbed attention in their season debuts.
Carson Dorsey, LHP - Gulf Coast State College
Performance: 5 IP, 3 K, 1 BB, 0 H, 0 R
Carson Dorsey put together a stellar start for Gulf Coast State to open up the tournament, pitching five hitless innings vs. a tough San Jacinto lineup. Operating with a big arm swing, over the top armslot and exhibiting hard falloff to third base, Dorsey’s ability to throw strikes is a testament to his athletic ability. He carries his low 90s fastball very well at the top of the zone, and gets varying levels of two plane shape on a low to mid 70s curveball and high 70s slider. The Dores’ ace also flashed a changeup at 76 with fading life. A 17th round pick for the Rangers last year, scouts are still anticipating an uptick in stuff from the long and lean lefty. However, the pitchability and above average starter’s arsenal was on full display in his season opener.
Ramsey David, RHP - Northwest Florida State
Performance: 4.1 IP, 5 K, 2 H, 1 R
Ramsey David got the ball on Friday night for NWFL State and put together a strong outing for the Raiders. The physical right hander operates with tempo and has a really quick arm, moving downmound well to get the ball on hitters in a hurry. To right-handed hitters, David used a 90-94 MPH four seam fastball with good carrying life and a sweeping 79-80 MPH slider. To lefties, David went to a two seamer with good tail and similar velocity, and pitched off that with a 84-86 MPH changeup with good depth. The well-traveled (Auburn, Gordon State) 22 year old executed his plan well and even went to a quick pitch for one of his strikeouts, demonstrating some advanced pitchability that has developed over the fall in Niceville.
Christian Oppor, LHP - Gulf Coast State College
Performance: 5 IP, 9 K, 1 H, 0 R
The top JUCO prospect on our board at press time, Christian Oppor dominated a good Delgado lineup with almost nothing but fastballs over five innings. The lean and athletic left hander sat 92-96 MPH with his two seamer from a low 3Q armslot, flashing plus tailing life and touching 97 early on. Oppor flashed a solid 84 MPH changeup with late depth in the first inning, and showed a decent low 80s slider in warmups. However, 69 of his 70 pitches in game were fastballs, and all the Delgado Dolphins could muster was a single infield hit. Operating with low effort and not even needing to go to his secondary offerings, the A’s draft and follow pick put together a loud performance that is eclipsing the $225,000 that Oakland could offer him, shooting him up boards across the league into Day 1 consideration.
Francesco Capocci, RHP - Denmark HS (GA)
Francesco Capocci put together a solid outing to start off the Denmark Danes’ 2023 season, surrendering two runs over four innings of work. The UNC commit worked off an improved four seam fastball at 89-93 MPH, which seems to have exchanged some natural cut for more armside run and carry. Capocci was able to get whiffs on it up in the zone, but did have issues locating it early on. The main secondary offering was a curveball in the 75-78 MPH range with above average two plane shape. With a 6-4, 210 lb. frame straight out of central casting, Capocci moves well and has a quick arm--but the stiffness of its action may be causing the timing issues that has led to him losing his fastball release point. However, Capocci was able to quickly go to his curveball and pitch backwards off it to get the outs he needed, showing some of his strong pitching aptitude.
Tate McKee, RHP - Mt. Paran Christian HS (GA)
Tate McKee got the start for Mt. Paran in their scrimmage against Houston County, and struck out 4 batters over two innings. McKee has a long wrapping front leg that he is able to keep on time with his short arm action, which hides the ball behind his head for a substantial portion of his delivery. The 6-2 Kennesaw native worked off a 90-93 MPH fastball with good armside life, and put a bevy of batters away with his sweeping slider at 79-81. The slider has the potential to be a plus pitch for the Georgia Tech commit, who could elicit serious draft interest if he shows a good third pitch and makes velocity gains as the weather heats up.
Luke Dotson, Mt. Paran Christian HS (GA)
Coming on in relief, Luke Dotson pitched two scoreless innings against Houston County, including a strikeout of Drew Burress, one of Georgia’s best hitting prospects. The big left hander has a fairly unique drop and drive delivery, which allows him to keep his release point low on the overhead slot in which he fires his 88-92 MPH four seam fastball from. There were early command issues, but once Dotson settled in no one could touch his heater. Complementing the shallow angle of his fastball was a sweepy slider at 75-77 MPH that lacked sharpness, but was still effective when Dotson finished it at the knees. Committed to Mississippi State, Dotson’s two pitch mix feels tailor made for late relief in Starkville, but he will continue to be monitored throughout the spring for any developments in his stuff and/or command.
Andrew Dunford, Houston County HS (GA)
Andrew Dunford pitched a scoreless first inning for Houston County in their scrimmage against Mt. Paran Christian, with his fastball flummoxing hitters. The heater sat 89-92 MPH, touching 93 and possesses good running life that jams hitters on the inner third and can paint on the outer third. Dunford mixed in a few curveballs at 75-77 MPH, though the feel for spin is below average and the shape is soft. The 6-6 righty shows very strong athletic ability in his drop and drive delivery, though the maintenance of getting his long arm swing and involved lower half on time can lead to command issues. Nevertheless, athletes of this caliber at this size are viewed as great clay, and as such an eye should be kept on the Mercer commit to monitor velocity gains throughout the Spring.
