SoCal Catch Prospects: Summer CCL Game Notes, July 17

SoCal Catch Prospects — Game Notes

Date: July 17, 2018
Team Name: SoCal Catch
League/Level: California Collegiate League
Opponent: Academy Barons
Location: La Mirada, Calif.
Ballpark: Biola University Eagles Diamond
Result: W, 9-4
Box Score: N/A

Position Players

Prospect, Pos.

Notes & Comments

Daniel Jung, LF, Notre Dame

4.76 on the turn at first base out of the LHH box tonight; tracks with previous readings over the summer, he’s about a 4.3 runner up the line from the LHH box … Hit two absolute ropes in his first two at-bats, both pulled, both right at the first baseman; then got sawed off and hit a bloop single that fell for his first hit in at-bat three; weird randomness of baseball aside, kid really just finds a way to get it done; advanced approach, all fields, barrels up nearly everything, dictates at-bats better than most amateurs I’ve seen this year. Relative lack of projectable power may hold him back long-term in pro ball, but he’s a pro hitter and should get a shot in a few years.

R.J. Lan, DH, TCU

Late add from TCU, coming off injury; been with the Catch for maybe four games now. DH’d tonight, looked OK in first few at-bats and then got lifted in the seventh. Will post video soon.

Jacob Rogers, 3B, UNLV

Really improved at third base as the summer has wore on; tall, lanky, projectable body with real size, likely some raw power coming at the plate, but defensively he really needed reps and he’s getting them. Made a couple routine plays look easy tonight, also made a very nice play backhand on a hard-hit ball down the line, turned and fired to second for a fielder’s choice; great arm, good accuracy, plays better when he moves quickly and doesn’t have to think. Long-term feels like a guy who will stick at third; probably not enough power to play first, but he should wind up a decent third baseman with a pro shot in a few seasons. Starting third baseman at California Collegiate League showcase/All-Star Game on Wednesday evening.

Jake Boone, SS, Princeton

Big league family pedigree; hard-nosed guy who knows how to play the game, does a lot of the little things right. 4.30 up the line tonight from the RHH box, also showed out 4.59 on the turn at first and 8.14 into second. Good barrel control, plate discipline to all fields; late in the game, hit a 91 mph exit velocity line drive single off the barrel the other way.

Omar Ortiz, 1B, Undecided (Cochise College)

Dead-red pull power guy. After putting on shows all year long in BP, finally hit one out in game action tonight, a real bomb early in the game to his pull side, straight-away left field. Serious physical strength, great hand and wrist strength, ball really jumps off his bat. Ortiz has really grown on me the more I’ve seen him this summer; a little limited both offensively (in his pull approach) and defensively (OK at first base at best, nothing spectacular), but if you’re looking for real power at 1B to sit in the middle of the lineup, he for sure fits the bill there.

Kristian Franklin, 2B, Grambling

Tough summer at the plate overall but showed out OK today; no power to speak of, but decent contact skills and really good barrel control; exceptional/ideal situational hitter, knows how/where to hit the ball as it’s pitched and as the situation dictates. Love to see him a little faster; had him 4.42 up the line tonight and consistently in the mid-4.4s all summer; needs to be a little quicker to really take note as a Division I middle infielder, especially undersize at that.

Anj Bourgeois, C, Biola

Versatile player; caught most of the game tonight, played nearly every position on the field elsewhere throughout the summer. Probably not projectable pro skills — really going to bear down on him, go back and get a longer look at the videos from across this summer, etc. — but real athleticism and feel for the game of baseball here. Admirable. Not a bad ballplayer; should help Biola quite a bit in 2019.

Pitchers

Pitcher, Pos.

Notes & Comments

Tayt Smith, LHP, Azusa Pacific

Fastball 83-87; Changeup 76-78; Curveball 66-69; Slider 71-74; 1.37 – 1.41 to the plate. Not afraid to go to off-speed, went to both breaking balls quite a bit as the game wore on. Real long, loose arm action, high three-quarters release with some plane, great extension out front; horizontally rotational with the long arm swing, though, and hitters will pick him up pretty early on back swing, particularly RHH. Not a bad arm, some sneaky strength with good pitch life across the board, distinct curve/slider; ability to throw all of his pitches for strikes and will trust his stuff enough to pitch backwards, particularly to RHH based on this look. Been buried on depth chart at Azusa, wonder about opportunities elsewhere.

Taed Heydinger, RHP, Scottsdale Community College

Fastball 83-87; Slider 75-80; Changeup 75-76; 1.42 – 1.45 to the plate. Good-looking slider today, real two plane look with late dive, throwing it hard and allowing it to be sharp and late at the plate; will miss bats there. Interesting kid; took a gap year after Scottsdale to build arm strength, now looking for a place to play out his last couple years, reportedly been up to 91 this summer (I’ve only personally had him up to 88). Maybe worth a look as a relief arm somewhere, middle reliever-type guy who might be able to over-achieve with some development.

Matt Reitz, RHP, Covenant College

Fastball 81-83; Slider 69-73; Changeup (never showed); 1.28-1.30 to the plate. Had him throwing harder earlier in the year, but he was coming off a Saturday night start, getting mid-week work in last night for an inning as his bullpen, maybe just down in velo there because of it. Regardless, serious feel for breaking ball, will throw it in any count, fill up the zone, work side to side; great command of both breaking ball and fastball, really in control of himself and his body there. Lacks power/velo, stuff OK at best, but real command profile to max it out.

Caleb Bly, RHP, Oklahoma Baptist

Fastball 79-83; Changeup 72-74; Curveball 70-72; 1.31 – 1.35 to the plate. Overhand release, real overhand curveball with 12-to-6 break, some ability to miss bats with depth at the plate. Big kid; OK frame, but not a ton of velo; high-effort mechanics look, too. Relief future?

Anthony Mayorga, RHP, Azusa Pacific University

Fastball 82-85; Curveball 71-73; Changeup 76-78. Cochise College transfer to APU, been closing this summer for the SoCal Catch. Some sneaky velo at times, OK feel for curveball. Strike-thrower, will challenge hitters, but really needs to pick up a little velo to pitch consistently in key/high-leverage situations for APU.

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