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Five Tool Scouting Staff Notes (April 11-15)
04/19/2022

Five Tool Scouting Staff Notes (April 11-15)

Over the course of the 2022 high school baseball season, Five Tool will have scouts to go alongside video coverage at select games throughout our regional areas. The Five Tool Scouting Staff Notes this week include Southern California and Texas. Our staff has been tasked to look at all sorts of players who perform at a high level as well as players who have 2022 MLB Draft potential.

There will be a wide variety of players in these notes from uncommitted players to Division 1 commits to Division 3 commits and to junior college commits. Some games may have a few players noted while others may have a plethora, all dependent upon performances during the games.

Listed below is the Five Tool Scouting Staff Notes.

California

Scout notes from the NorCal Boras Classic categorized by team.

Archbishop Mitty

Jarren Advincula, the 2023 San Diego State commit, flashed some leather and proved to be a plus defender at shortstop. Advincula also has a nice bat to go along with the defensive abilities. The LHH has a leg-lift load with quick hands. Also showed some speed on the bases. There’s a lot to like about this 2023 shortstop.

Matteo Blandino is a physical uncommitted 2023 catcher with some pop. I didn’t get to see him behind the dish, but he handles the bat well. Barreled up the baseball numerous times throughout the week. An uncommitted catcher that is sure to catch some eyes with his offensive capabilities. 

Cardinal Newman

Anane Wilson, a switch-hitting uncommitted 2023 outfielder, was a fun player to watch and was a key piece to Cardinal Newman’s 2-0 start at the event. Wilson has very similar swings from both sides of the plate. Balanced stance with flat and short bat path which translates to line drives. Right-handed hitting side looks to be his more powerful side. Intriguing player to keep your eyes on moving forward.

Gavin Rognlien, a tall and athletic 2022 Santa Clara signee, is a quality RHH bat who makes loud contact. Pretty swing and projects strength, will hit for more power as he fills out his frame. Exciting bat who has the swing and abilities to be an impact player at the next level. 

Nate Phelps, the 2022 Lewis & Clark College signee, is a physical RHH who displays strength and aggression in the box. He consistently barreled up the baseball and showed the ability to hit the ball to all fields. Compact swing and get extension. Having a solid spring so far, leadoff man who sets the tone for a quality Cardinal Newman team. 

Jack Lazark, a 2023 uncommitted SS/C/P, had a good week at the plate. The RHH starts almost pre loaded with his hands, has an open stance but closed front shoulder, creating a more rotational swing. Athletic and versatile. Did not get a chance to watch him pitch but, reports show that he has been upper 80’s off the mound in the past.

Franklin

Nolan Stevens, a 2023 Mississippi State commit, excels both at the plate and on the mound. Standing at 6-3, Stevens has a big frame with muscle.  His primary position is outfield, but he’s also Franklin’s ace. In the two starts I’ve seen him this spring, he has thrown 13 innings while giving up 0R and has racked up 13K against two of the best teams in the region. As an LHP, he features a FB that is 88-91 MPH and a hard slider at 77-80 MPH. Attacks the zone and throws his SL often for strikes. At the dish, the LHH takes big swings and looks to attack. Has pop and is a great athlete. Trending way up for the ’23 draft in over a year.

Jordy Lopez is a 2024 uncommitted OF who hits leadoff for a solid Franklin side. Lopez is a spark plug for the team and brings the energy. Flat-bat contact hitter with bat speed, Lopez has the ability to spray line drives to all fields. Has looked comfortable against high-quality pitching. Also a LHP who sits 83-85 MPH and features a 12-6 CB with good break and depth. Intriguing ballplayer with good tools. Should have a chance for some quality offers as he grows and matures.

Stockdale

Austin Charles, a 2022 UC Santa Barbara signee, plays SS and pitches for Stockdale. Charles is a physical presence standing at 6-6. Good athlete with quick hands and pop. Plenty of hard hits from the RHH this week including a home run well beyond the LF fence. Also a high-end talent on the mound. Charles has been up to 93-94 MPH and features a plus slider.

Matt Torres, a 2023 uncommitted INF/OF, was really impressed with solid defense and consistent hitting to all fields. Torres has a medium, athletic frame. At the plate, has a line drive approach with the barrel staying in the zone. According to most recent stats, Torres is also leading a highly talented Stockdale lineup in batting average, hitting .526 through 19 games. Just a solid all-around ballplayer who seems to do everything well.

Adam Enyart, a 2022 Saint Mary’s signee, is another physical bat in the Stockdale lineup. Wide set up with a leg-lift load, Enyart generates a lot of bat speed and produces some loud contact. Standing at 6-3, Enyart has a power-hitter profile and takes aggressive swings. Fun player to watch in the box and also has the potential to pitch at the next level. I didn’t get to chance to see him on the mound, but the physicality is there and velo is reported to be in the upper 80’s with room for growth. 

Ruben Rodriguez, a 2023 San Diego State commit MIF,  is a great player with plenty of tools to be a high-caliber D1 shortstop. Clean defensive actions with a good bat. He has extremely quick hands and generates bat speed. Also has some pull-side pop. All-in-all, Rodriguez is a solid defender who presents a very high offensive upside. Fun player to watch and a guy I expect to continue to impress.

Granite Bay

Preston Fondren, a 2022 uncommitted catcher, is hard-nosed ballplayer who does everything well. Medium, athletic frame, has a line-drive approach and the ability to spray line drives gap to gap. Also showed some speed and base stealing abilities as he swiped a couple of bags over the week. Defensively, he caught a quick runner stealing while also doing a nice job blocking and receiving. Currently leads the team in average at .453. Clear ability to play at the next level.

Chase Bentley, an uncommitted 2025 INF/RHP, is an interesting two-way player for Granite Bay. He is physical, yet still maturing. On the mound, Bentley was up to 87 MPH while flashing a curveball with depth. Offensively, the freshman has pop and will continue to improve as he sees more varsity level pitching. Big-time prospect who will surely be a name to follow for years to come.

San Ramon Valley

Jordan Lewis, a 2022 USC signee, is a top-tier athlete and it shows when you watch him play the game. Good reads off the bat in CF and uses his speed to track down the baseball. Quick-twitch athlete, short swing and has line drive approach. Showed off his wheels on a triple to RCF with an 11.57s home to third time. Exciting player to watch and bright future ahead of him. 

Nick Putnam, a 2022 UC Santa Barbara signee, has a large, lean build and certainly stands out when he’s on a baseball field. Wide base in the box with an uphill attack angle. Projects power and showcased it with a home run to left field in the tournament. A lot of room left to mature and fill his frame. 

Blake Jacobs, 2023 UC Santa Barbara commit, has a big frame with strength. He can do some damage at the plate. Has a large yet controlled leg lift which helps him generate some exit velocity off the bat. Interested to watch Jacobs progress as he has strength and clean swing mechanics.

Clovis West

Cayden Munster, a 2023 Fresno State commit, is a physical presence on the field who straight up mashes the baseball. Big and physical LHH bat who can drive the baseball pull side and to the opposite field. Really liked what I saw from the first baseman as he hardly missed a barrel all week. Quality power bat and fun player to watch.

Kaleb Latimer, a 2022 Cal State San Bernardino signee, is a great athlete who has a good feel offensively and defensively. The third baseman made a couple of nice plays on defense and found the barrel multiple times over the week. Quick acceleration out of the box and plays with speed. Clean swing mechanics with good hands. 

Liberty

Cutter Coffey, a 2022 University of Texas SS/RHP signee, is a top-end two-way talent in the 2022 class. Coffey is a supreme athlete who excels at the dish and in the field. Clean play at SS all week with good footwork. On the mound, Coffey featured a fastball up to 92 MPH with a low-80s slider and changeup. Probably most impressive is how he handles the bat though. Coffey has a large leg-lift load with extremely fast hands. Homered against a top-caliber D1 arm and had plenty of hits and loud contact throughout the week. Maybe my favorite player to watch at the tournament, Coffey has an extremely high ceiling.

Brady Reynolds, a 2023 Stanford OF signee, is a sweet-swinging LHH who hits a top the Liberty lineup. He has pop and generates bat speed and lift with a slightly uphill bat path. Has gap-to-gap power and easy athleticism which shows in his game actions. Had high-quality and mature ABs with a good feel for the strike zone — showcased his ability to hit top-end pitching.  Really exciting talent to watch. 

Owen May, a 2022 Point Loma Nazarene University MIF signee, is a quality RHH bat who has a simple and compact swing. Medium athletic frame with good bat-to-ball skills. He has the ability to hit the ball to all parts of the field. Very smooth and clean actions at second base. Someone who is fundamentally sound at both ends of the field, and someone who can make a quick impact at the collegiate level. 

Brock Thompson, an uncommitted 2024 IF, is a big-time prospect with a pretty LHH swing. Has a lean frame with a lot of room to mature and fill out. Very loose and fluid swing that works to lift the baseball. Generates good whip and bat speed with a power approach. His hit tool stood out, and I expect he will raise some eyebrows as he adds strength to his already advanced skillset.

Woodcreek

Conner Barth, a 2024 Oregon State commit, was destroying baseballs all week and was one of the most impressive hitters at the tournament — even with the tremendous talent on display. The third baseman has a lot of pop to the pull side of the field and looked comfortable against high-end pitching. Very mature hitter for his age and has one of the prettiest swings from a RHH you will see. Excited to see him progress as a ballplayer as he has an extremely bright future ahead of him.

Austin Nye, a 2024 Vanderbilt commit, is a great two-way prospect with the ability to excel as a position player and pitcher. Nye is the starting C for a stacked Woodcreek team but where he really stood was on the mound. The RHP was up to 92 MPH and was able to locate his fastball on both ends of the plate. He also flashed a filthy curveball (70-74 MPH) with bite and depth and a quality change up (79-81 MPH). He is a bulldog on the mound and goes right after hitters attacking with his fastball. He finished his lone outing of the tournament going five innings with eight strikeouts and no runs allowed. Huge ceiling for this RHP/C. 

Braeden Sloan, a 2022 USC signee LHP, threw a gem for Woodcreek in their win over Clayton Valley. The tall LHP went 5.2 IP with 10K. Touched 93 MPH and featured a sharp 12-6 curveball (73-75 MPH) which was virtually unhittable. Clean and repeatable mechanics with great quality stuff. There were a lot of radar guns and eyes on Sloan this week, and if he continues to have outings like this you will see his name potentially called in the early rounds of the 2022 MLB Draft.

College Park

Michael Barnett, a 2022 UCLA signee RHP, was impressive in his outing against a talented Liberty (Bakersfield) team. He faced some adversity early in his start, giving up two runs in the 1st inning, but from there settled in and threw a gem. The RHP was sitting 88-89, topped out at 91 MPH and maintained velo through 6.2 innings of work. He finished with 11 strikeouts. Barnett is tall and lanky. Has clean, repeatable mechanics. I have no doubt that he will continue to gain velocity as he matures and become a top-end SP at the next-level.

Clayton Valley Charter

Jacob Krieg, a 2022 Oregon State signee, has a large frame with strength. Standing at 6’5, the third baseman is everything you would want out of a corner infielder — big bat, athletic and has a strong arm. Krieg impressed on both offense and defense making some athletic plays at 3B while also hammering baseballs in the middle of the lineup for Clayton Valley. Like many of the talented position players at the Boras Classic, Krieg can also get it done on the mound. He features a fastball that sits upper-80s but can reach the low-90s while also mixing in low-70s breaking ball. 

Isaiah Landry, a 2023 Alabama State commit OF, is a speedy OF who does well in a top-of-the-lineup role. Good bat-to-ball skills and a menace on the bases. Although Landry has a smaller, lean frame, he does have the strength and bat speed to make consistent hard contact to compliment his speed. 

Jordan Bolden, a 2022 Concordia University Irvine OF signee, swung the bat well over the week hitting in the middle of the lineup for a quality Clayton Valley side. He has a very simple swing being short to the baseball with a linear bat path. He has strength, but looks to be more of a gap-to-gap hitter rather than a power bat. Good athlete and feel for the barrel. Overall, I really liked what I saw from Bolden. 

Ryder Helfrick, 2023 Arkansas signee, is an extremely athletic catcher with a big-time arm. Helfrick had a big week at the plate especially in his matchup against Granite Bay where he finished 4-for-5 with three triples. The ball really jumps off Helfrick’s bat and he has the speed and athleticism to cause opposing teams problems on the bases. Helfrick is a very aggressive baserunner and stole numerous bags over the week. Although he struggled at times receiving and blocking, he is a top-tier athlete who will only get better at the position with time. I’m excited to see him to progress over the next year and what he could become his senior season.

Palo Alto

Henry Bolte, a 2022 University of Texas OF signee, is a physical player with high-end speed and athleticism. Bolte had a slow start to the tournament, but showcased his power against Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep by homering twice. Also showed the speed tool by stealing a handful of bases throughout the week. Bolte has all the tools to be an explosive player at the next-level.

Charlie Bates, a 2024 Stanford commit, has great feel for the barrel and the ability to hit the ball to any part of the field. The sophomore second baseman put together some mature at-bats and was able to consistently barrel up the baseball and find space. Did not hit for a lot of power, but strength will come as he physically matures. Great ballplayer who can straight up hit. Going to be a fun prospect to follow. 

Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep

Lucas Kelly, a 2022 Texas A&M signee, put together the most impressive week of any hitter, in my opinion, which says a lot with the talent that was on display at the Boras Classic. The 6-3 RHH has a ton of power which he showcased by clobbering two home runs and nearly hitting two more. He made loud contact all week long and even his outs were often barreled. Kelly also showed a good feel for the strike zone, rarely chasing.  Very physical RHH with the potential to be a big-time power bat. Didn’t pitch this week.

Colin Spear, a 2022 Nevada Reno signee, had a great week at the plate as well, showcasing his ability to hit for power gap-to-gap. Spears is a physical RHH 1B who has pop to the pull side. Homered once during the week. Large frame — standing at 6-2, 205 pounds — but still has room to mature and put on muscle which will only increase his power potential. Should be an impact player at Nevada-Reno once he progresses physically. 

Justin Tapia, an uncommitted 2022 OF, hit 3-hole for a talented Sacred Heart team. He has a medium, athletic frame with strength. Quick hands. Played well in CF — had good reads off the bat. Good ballplayer who possesses the talent and abilities to play at the next-level.

– Adam Yacek, Five Tool California

Texas

Legacy Christian vs. Prince of Peace (April 11)

Uncommitted senior infielder Luke Embry will have a shot to play at the next level. Left-handed hitter who has big time exit velocity. We had him at 94 MPH in the summer, and I don’t see anyway in which this hasn’t improved since then especially with the RBI single he had to right. Didn’t get much to see to hit during this game, but found his way on base out of the 4-hole and scored three times.

Hunter Ladd out of Legacy Christian (TX) looks to have put some work into his swing since the summer. There’s noticeable bat speed present as the RHH catcher starts with his hands up high and gets good separation before the swing takes off. Uses a high leg kick for timing while having a small coil before taking the stride.

Phillip Smith had three hits in this game. The senior first baseman for Legacy Christian (TX) looks mostly up the middle with a toe-tap approach. Showed some power with a deep ground-rule double and hits out of the 5-hole. Looks to be someone who can go with the pitch as he does possess the ability to hit to all parts of the park.

– Jeffrey Kahn, Five Tool Texas

San Marcos vs. Bowie (April 12)

Johnny Pardo is the lone senior on a scrappy San Marcos (TX) varsity team. Mainly plays third and was 6-for-6 on plays Tuesday night. with two diving plays, he showed off range, arm strength and accuracy. Also had a big two-run double. Came in to pitch, not a big velo guy, but hits his spots and effectively used a FB/SL combo to eat up some innings. An uncommitted 2022.

Patrick Collopy, a 2022 ULL signee for Bowie (TX), came in for one batter and only need three pitches — two fastballs at 87 and 88 MPH and a pretty good change up that had great movement at 77 MPH. From the quick three pitches, had great tunnel and attacked the zone with that high 80s FB. Tall kid with a lot of potential especially being a LHP.

Brody Miller played hero in this one. The uncommitted 2022 drove the go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the 9th inning. Very calm approach at the plate standing stoic with his hands down low just above the belt. Great composure and was obviously clutch in this moment. Gets great extension and drove the pitch to dead center. Although the wind helped, he still hit the ball hard which would have been for extra bases or off the wall without wind (potentially still out).

– Tracy Warren, Five Tool South Texas

Klein Cain vs. Klein Oak (April 14)

Klein Cain (TX) 2022 RHP Ryan Hanks was dominant in the middle innings, only making one mistake to a really good hitter. Line is not representative of how well he threw. The Arizona State signee’s fastball sat 88-91 MPH with both a curveball and a slider at 80-81 MPH. Struck out 10 through the first 5 innings. Also had a curveball at 75-76 MPH. Fatigue set in in the 6th and some runners left on came around to score. But nonetheless, still a competitive showing.

Shane Connell was really impressive. The uncommitted 2022 RHP for Klein Oak (TX) sat 89-91 MPH with the fastball and had a curveball at 74-76 MPH. Threw the both pitches for strikes. Also presented the CB for a strike to get swings and misses. Elevated the FB to keep hitters off balance. Dude is a gamer. Wants the ball in his hand. Scary moment in the middle innings taking a line drive off the bill of his cap. Didn’t phase him one bit. Went 6.1 IP striking out 8 and allowing a lone run. Velo held well throughout the game. 96th pitch of the game clocked in at 89 MPH.

Bret Deegan, Klein Oak, 2023, Uncommitted

Uncommitted 2023 Bret Deegan of Klein Oak (TX) put on a show at the plate. The RHH hit a two-run shot in his second at-bat that might still be in flight. Hit a ball on the screws to center for a double later in the game. Came on in the 7th to record the final two outs of the game, striking out both hitters while only needing seven pitches. Fastball was 81-84 MPH coming in semi cold from 3B. Very athletic.

– Nick Thames, Five Tool Texas

Frisco Lone Star vs. Frisco Heritage (April 14)

It was Dominick Reid night at the S2 Cognition Five Tool Texas DFW Game of the Week. The right-handed Oklahoma State signee for Frisco Lone Star (TX) struck out 14 batters in 5.1 innings of work with no earned runs. There were some rough spots early on, but mostly domination using four pitches for strikes with a loose arm. Reid’s fastball topped 92 MPH multiple times in the first two innings, but he mostly say 89-90. It seemed like he used the first inning to find control (started off with a first-pitch breaking ball) and see what was working and then gained confidence as the game went on. He flashed a change up at 82-84 MPH early on as well. After that, it was a healthy dose of sliders (79-81 MPH) with the curveball (75-77) used in certain situations to set up the aforementioned pitch. Reid is very fiery on the mound and pitches with a lot of emotion. It seems to help him maintain confidence which he wasn’t lacking much of on Thursday night.

Reid’s counterpart was Andrew Hickey of Frisco Heritage (TX). The RHP was mostly low 80’s on his fastball, but mostly threw breaking balls and change ups through his outing. With only one rough inning, the RHP pitched up mostly zeros on the board (5) as he showed his ability to compete at a high level against a solid lineup. Went all six innings for his team striking out four. Could see him as someone who can go deep in games and eat up innings at the next level.

Tyler Bogusz of Frisco Lone Star (TX) retired five straight batters to get the save striking out two along the way. The Grayson signee used mostly offspeed, but had a fastball that ran in to RHH at 85-86 MPH. I’ve always been a really big fan of Bogus and I personally see him blossoming into a Division 1 talent when he gets to junior college. Body seems to be able to support a velo jump that should come and works from an effective low 3/4 arm slot.

– Jeffrey Kahn, Five Tool Texas

North Dallas vs. Dallas Carter (April 14)

Esteban Toscano can definitely play. The RHH ’24 shortstop went 3-for-4 with a triple and four runs batted in out of the leadoff spot in this game. Aggressive baseball player who gets out of the box and is thinking extra bases. Looks confident in the box with a slow load and small leg kick. Line drive hitter who looks to the gaps.

Logan Moreno is a left-handed hitting catcher who has some pop in the bat. Compact swing and another guy who gets out of the box hard. Was 4.83s on the turn home to first. Caught one runner sleeping with a hose on a back pick and threw out another runner as well with a 2.19s POP time. Class of 2023.

’24 Caleb Richardson out of Dallas Carter is an interesting prospect for me out of Dallas I.S.D. Has athleticism in the box and makes hard, square contact. Needs to use his hips more to swing which will help increase exit velocity. But gets really great extension and still ends up getting the backside through. Plays multiple positions including third where he was at later in the game. Will be one to follow up with over the next couple years.

– Jeffrey Kahn, Five Tool Texas

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