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Grant and Will's SoCal Scout Notes (July 7-10)
07/25/2022

Grant and Will’s SoCal Scout Notes (July 7-10)

Over the course of the 2022 Five Tool California Summer Season, staff members Grant Carver and Will Bonn will be at select games to provide extra scouting coverage for select games. Scout notes have no bias and players of note in no particular order from the Five Tool California SoCal events will be highlighted.

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 and events.

Listed below is the Five Tool Scouting Staff Notes from the Five Tool California Freshman & Sophomore AZFC Qualifier.

1) Anthony Montez, Canes West 2025:

Canes West 2025’s Anthony Montez stood out this weekend at the Freshman and Sophomore AZFC Qualifier in San Diego. During the game I caught, the right handed hitter collected a single and a triple. He also showed quality glove work and smooth mechanics when fielding ground balls at shortstop. He flashed impressive range on one play where he was going to his left and made a difficult throw on the run. Montez had another play to his backhand and made a strong throw off his back leg to get the runner. At the plate, the uncommitted 2025 dude from Cienega (AZ) showed an impressive mid to opposite field approach. He is able to keep his hands inside the ball extremely well and go the other way with any pitch middle to away with pop. For one of his hits, Montez was able to go with an up and away fastball and smoke the ball over the right fielder’s head. Montez is exactly the kind of shortstop you love to watch and has all the tools he needs to continue his success at the position.

— Will Bonn, Five Tool California

2) Ace Hansen, Canes West 2025:

Canes West 2025’s Ace Hansen put together quite the outing over the weekend during the Freshman and Sophomore AZFC Qualifier in San Diego. The 6’3 right hander went four quality innings, striking out seven batters and only allowing one hit in the process. The uncommitted 2025 stud racked up six strikeouts through the first three innings he pitched. Hansen was able to shut down the opposition using his fastball and curveball mix. The fastball sat 79-81 MPH and hit 82 MPH, and the curveball sat around 72 MPH with a nasty 12-6 break. He is able to spot his heater well and pounds the zone with both pitches. The impressive product out of Faith Lutheran (NV) has a long and whippy arm motion that makes it difficult for hitters to time up and makes for an uncomfortable at bat. He also creates a good amount of drive off of his back leg, creating a larger stride and in a sense shortening the amount of time the batter has to react to his pitches. Hansen is an uncomfortable at bat for the opponents and has the stuff for that to continue.

— Will Bonn, Five Tool California

3) Kibru Pam, Birds Baseball Academy:

Birds Baseball Academy Kibru Pam did a bit of everything in San Diego this weekend. During the game I caught,  Kibru Pam started on the mound and went two strong innings with four strikeouts and no runs. The fastball sat between 79-83 MPH and touched 84 MPH, the curveball sat between 68-70 MPH, and his changeup sat around 73 MPH. The right handed pitcher mixes speed quite well, creates good power with his back leg, and shows a short arm delivery. The 2025 dude from St. Francis (CA) is able to spot up his fastball well and mess with the batter’s timing by hitting the corners with his fastball and then dropping in a 12-6 curveball. On the hitting side he crushed a double that brought in an RBI to help himself out. He has a spread out stance and uses a toe tap to begin his load. The uncommitted right handed hitter has a simple and smooth swing and has the ability to drive the ball line to line by keeping his hands inside the ball, driving the ball the way where it was pitched. Pam has been impressing all summer and this event was no different.

— Will Bonn, Five Tool California

4) Beau Schaffer, Top Tier Dudes 2025:

Top Tier Dudes 2025’s Beau Schaffer got it done from both sides of the ball during the Freshman and Sophomore AZFC Qualifier in San Diego. The right handed pitcher went three innings and struck out five while only allowing one hit in the process. The 2025 dude showed a fastball and curveball mix, with his curveball being his go to out pitch. He was able to spot up the fastball early in the count and in a leverage count he would throw a sharp 12-6 curveball with late break. The difference in velocity between pitches made batters uncomfortable and off balance at the plate. At the dish he went two for four, racking up three RBI’s in the process. The right handed hitter reacts well to the inside pitch and is able to keep his hands inside and throw the barrel at the pitch. Schaffer flashed skills on both sides of the ball that makes him a very exciting player to watch.

— Will Bonn, Five Tool California

5) Charlie Werts, 310 Baseball:

310 Baseball’s Charlie Werts had his stuff working during the outing I watched this weekend in San Diego. The right handed pitcher racked up nine strikeouts during his day of work. A product of Palos Verdes (CA), Wertz shows a very smooth delivery and mechanics that are repeatable throughout an outing. Showing an over the top arm angle, he is able to get on top of his fastball and create downward movement. The 2025 uncommitted stud showed a fastball ranging from 76-79 MPH and touched 80 MPH, as well as a 12-6 curveball sitting between 69-71 MPH. Going along with the almost over the top arm angel, the right handed pitcher strides towards the right handed batters box. This causes him to have to come across his body while maintaining the over the top arm motion, creating cutting action to his fastball while keeping downhill movement. Later in the tournament he struck out seven batters in three innings. Werts was on his “A” game during this tournament and has the tools to do it consistently.

— Will Bonn, Five Tool California

6) Braden Annett, Canes West 2025:

Canes West 2025’s Braden Annett had quite the weekend on the bump, pitching a combined six and two thirds innings while striking out a total of eleven batters and not allowing a hit during each of his outings. The right handed pitcher showed a very sharp curveball that has a good late break and looks like a fastball coming out of the hand. The Roosevelt (CA) product has a high leg kick that assists in him producing a long stride to the plate. The long stride shortens the time the batter has to react to a pitch, making him a difficult and uncomfortable at-bat. The 2025 kid had his fastball sitting between 83-85 MPH and his curveball at 69 MPH. He looked comfortable throwing both his fastball and curveball in any count and was able to command the zone well with both pitches. Annett was stellar in his two outings during the AZFC Qualifier and is a guy to watch going forward.

–Will Bonn, Five Tool California

7) Christopher Romo, California Baseball Gold:

California Baseball Gold’s Christopher Romo had a successful the weekend at the plate during the AZFC Qualifier in San Diego, collecting three doubles and a triple over the weekend. The right handed hitter has a compact and explosive swing and is able to drive the ball gap to gap. He is able to keep his hands inside pitches very well and using a leg kick he can explode through the zone keeping his barrel in plane with the pitch and keeping his weight back. The 2025 prospect has some pop to go along with his good bat speed, as he was able to beat the center fielder with a one hop to the center field all for a double and also splitting the left center gap for a triple. A product of Eleanor Roosevelt (CA), Romo put up some impressive numbers during the tournament and caught my eye quickly.

— Will Bonn, Five Tool California

8) Spencer Groff, TC Baseball 2025:

TC Baseball 2025’s Spencer Groff came through in the clutch during the AZFC Freshman and Sophomore Qualifier. The right handed hitter went two for four with a single, two runs driven in, and a walk off double. While catching he threw out a runner at third in the latter innings, stopping the go ahead run from advancing any further. He was able to clear the right handed batter well, creating space for him to get this throw off to third in time and getting the ball to the thirds baseman right in time. At the plate the uncommitted 2025 dude from Pacifica (CA) has good rhythm and timing during his set up. When striding he has a small leg kick, as he loads he simply drops his hands from his ears to his shoulder to get the bat into the slot. From there he reacts to the pitch, and he does so well by keeping his hands tight to his body for an inside out swing approach. For the walk off hit he was able to take a fastball shoulder height and rope it to center for a walk off double. Groff showed up when it mattered most, making it almost impossible for him not to catch my eye.

–Will Bonn, Five Tool California

9) Brody Smearer, Vortex:

Vortex’s Brody Smearer is another dude that impressed this weekend when I caught him playing. The right handed bat has a lanky body that he controls well in his swing and power should come as he continues to grow into it. He was smart at the plate and found himself in favorable accounts in almost every at bat because of it. Smearer keeps his balance on his back leg while loading up before exploding to the ball and was churning out hits when I saw him. The 2025 uncommitted stud from Paloma Valley (CA) went 2-3 with two massive RBI’s in the game I caught. This is a ballplayer that has the mental part of the game down and should only improve as he gets older.

— Grant Carver, Five Tool California

10) Logan Washizaki, Vortex: 

Another player on Vortex that caught my eye was Logan Washizaki. The righty keeps his hands centered in his stance, before loading back and getting to the ball quickly. His hands get to the zone fast and his leg kick helps provide some thump to his swing. He stays through his swing well and gets every ounce of strength from his frame, helping him drive the ball hard. He also showed the ability to get hits in big spots. The 2025 uncommitted dude from Great Oak (CA) went 3-4 when I was at his game and was spraying balls to both right and left field. I liked what I saw out of his swing and it was producing results this weekend.

— Grant Carver, Five Tool California

11) Andrew Ramirez, Canes San Bernardino 14U:

Andrew Ramirez from Canes San Bernardino 14U had a nice swing from the left side and was getting results this weekend. The left hander has a quick and flat swing that connects with the ball and his powerful body does the rest. He uses his lower body well through the swing, keeping it relatively quiet as his hands go towards the ball. The 2026 uncommitted lefty got two singles and an RBI when I was watching and had some more success on other days this weekend. This is a guy that has good plate coverage and should produce even more as his power comes more and more into play.

–Grant Carver. Five Tool California

12) Wyatt Rosales, CBA Bears:

CBA Bears’ Wyatt Rosales is a bonafide stud who can do it on both sides of the ball. At the plate, the left hander has a smooth swing that engages his lower body well. He showed the ability to shorten up and go up the middle with the ball in a run scoring citation too and those kinds of adjustments are always a thing of beauty. Rosales also showed power to all fields with a triple to left field and extra bases to right field as well. The 2025 uncommitted lefty from Cypress (CA) also knew his way around the mound, striking out seven in three shutout innings in one outing. He throws across his body a little bit, which is always a tough angle coming out of a lefties hand. This dude has advanced abilities in so many different areas on the diamond and is certainly one to watch every time he plays.

— Grant Carver, Five Tool California

13)  Wyatt Joyce, CBA Bears:

Another player from CBA Bears that impressed all weekend was Wyatt Joyce. I saw him go 1-1 with an RBI single and a walk in the game I attended. The walk was an extremely impressive at bat and he earned each and every ball that he got. Joyce has basic mechanics, keeping his bat vertical and sort of floating his body back while he gets ready to explode to the ball, taking advantage of some quick hands. The 2025 uncommitted prospect from Los Alamitos (CA) loved to pull the ball for base hits and was always finding outfield grass. Joyce just looks comfortable at the plate and the hits kept coming because of it. 

–Grant Carver, Five Tool California

14) Sky Donaldson, EBC-Patito:

EBC-Patito’s Sky Donaldson had a classic swing from the left side that was producing results all weekend. I caught him in a game he went 2-3 in with two runs driven in. Sky has a little bit of an open stance that helps him pull the ball with authority, which he clearly loves to do. He also flashed the ability to go the other way multiple times this weekend though, showing a versatile approach that every hitter needs. The 2025 uncommitted dude from Roosevelt (CA) has a big frame and has the perfect swing for his power to improve even more as the strength continues to come. He even had an outing on the mound where he went six shutout innings and racked up seven strikeouts. Donaldson has the feel of a natural ballplayer and will be interesting to see play as he matures further.

–Grant Carver, Five Tool California

15) Isaac Estrada, Canes San Bernardino 14U:

Canes San Bernardino 14U’s Isaac Estrada proved to be a tough out in his event this weekend. The right hander got a hit in all three at bats I saw him take and drove in two RBI’s while doing it. Estrada has advanced feel at the plate and works the counts well before taking advantage of getting his pitch. His bat to ball skills were impressive and he knew how to translate that into hits. The 2026 uncommitted stud from Kaiser (CA) has a short stroke and looks comfortable in the batters box as he loads up and slaps at the ball for hits. This is a bat that every lineup would love to have at the top of their order.

–Grant Carver, Five Tool California

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