Tyler Stuart looked really good, getting weak ground outs
Colin Houck looks neither like a SS nor a guy drafted out of HS
Kevin Parada had good actions behind the plate but made a wimpy throw
Drew Gilbert showed an arm that definitely plays in RF
Even in this setting, pitchers didn’t want to throw Alex Ramirez a ball in the strike zone
Ryan Clifford looked good in the box
Nolan McLean‘s slider looked very sharp
Luisangel Acuna has a solid build
Ronald Hernadez has a Quaker beard with no mustache
Jeremy Rodriguez looks like a shortsop. Jesus Baez does not
Brandon Sproat showed 98 mph fastball and sharp breaking ball
Marco Vargas exudes confidence in the batter’s box, like he knows he belongs
Calvin Ziegler has a smooth, seemingly effortless delivery. Consistent 95-97 mph
They used the challenge system, with a replay showing on the scoreboard, with the a strike zone and where the ball crossed the plate. It was very quick and it’s hard to imagine that it won’t be incorporated in MLB within three years. My preference would be to have all pitches called by the robot umps but the path of least resistance seems to be a challenge system.
The Spring Breakout game is a great idea and my hope is that it not only continues but perhaps expands in future seasons.
Is it just me or can every pitcher in the minor leagues dial it up to 100 these days. How any hitter ever makes contact off some of these guys is beyond mind boggling.
Teams hunt velocity. The Nats today had a pitcher who hit 102. He didn’t have anything else and the Mets scored the winning runs against him.
Velocity has risen across the sport as teams value it, draft it, and pay it. Sports medicine, nutrition, and now technology provide avenues for more athletes to maximize velocity. Even so, they named it pitching instead of throwing for a reason.
I didn’t see it, but thanks to the wonderful recap above, it feels like I did. That list of minor leaguers is quite impressive and gives us quite a bit to look forward to in addition to the varsity squad in Flushing.
I didn’t see it either, but did read something on the internet that made an impression:
Keith Law saw yesterday’s Rangers prospects and said they “vomited velocity”. Some guys threw over 100, some threw at 96-99.
Can I get a little more info on Houck? I can’t tell if that was a good impression, a bad, or a little of both.
I caught just a bit of the game. What really stood out for me was how dominant McLean and Sproat were. They both can bring the heat (97-98 yesterday with reports that each have done 100+) but what was impressive was how polished and poised they both looked. They will be knocking on the door soon and could be legit top of the rotation guys.
Obviously, it was just one inning and I don’t have a trained eye, per se. The 2023 draft looks like it holds a lot of promise. I didn’t get to see Houck and I couldn’t fine a replay but hopefully he’s another solid IF prospect.
Excellent summary, Brian.
I also liked young Rodriguez at the plate. How old was he—12?
Wished McLean had batted though! But loved his stuff on the mound!