Team
Northwest 2105 and Dbacks Elite Scout Team showed off their loaded
rosters on Day 1 of the 4th annual 18u Perfect Game MLK
Championship in Glendale, Ariz.
Team
Northwest displayed a stacked left side of the infield, highlighted
by 2015 shortstop Ethan Paul (Bellevue, Wash., Newport High
School), who showed off his advanced defensive prowess. The
Vanderbilt commit made routine plays look very easy with fluid
actions, solid footwork and a quick release with plenty of arm
strength to stay on the left side of the infield. Paul
also showed the ability to range left and make strong, accurate
throws from different arm angles and on the run.
Washington
commit and 2015 infielder Jack Johnson (Seattle, Wash.,
Roosevelt HS) made his presence known at the plate. Johnson
demonstrated a quiet, quality approach at the plate with good barrel
awareness and ball-to-bat skills. He was able to turn on a fastball
up and in squaring it up for a two-run double, and found barrel in
the next at-bat for a single.
2015
catcher/righthanded pitcher Parker Kelly (Portland, Ore.,
Westview HS) got an inning of work on the mound in the seventh. The
PG All-American retired the side in order fanning one. The future
Oregon Duck worked with a mid-80s fastball, showing a fluid delivery
with easy three-quarters arm slot/action and arm-side run.
Not
to be out done, Phenom Florida ran out a quality shortstop as well.
Raul Cabrera (Orlando, Fla., Lake Nona HS), who is
uncommitted, flashed some tools defensively with quality glove work
and showed he can make all plays at the position. With the bat
Cabrera is an aggressive
hitter with a healthy hack who possesses good bat speed and balance.
Barrel gets in the zone early, stays in zone and has some lift in his
swing. Cabrera displays pull-side pop connecting on a two-run double
down the line that sounded well off the bat. Cabrera
also looks a little bigger that his listed 5-toot-10, 175-pound
stature.
The
Dbacks Elite Scout Team attracted the biggest gallery of scouts on
Day 1. One reason was 2015 righthander Javy Medina (Tucson,
Ariz., Sahuaro HS), a University of Arizona commit. Medina
showed a good three-pitch mix, including a fastball that lived 86-89
while topping out at 90 mph. His delivery had good tempo, torque and
balance, and he also displayed a nice arm action, arm speed and run
that gets in on righthanded hitters. Medina showed great feel and
command for his deceptive 74-78 mph changeup in which he maintained
his arm speed, which faded away from righthanded hitters. His
curveball has 11-to-5 tilt with some bite, and he was able to front
door it to righthanded hitters as a get-me-over strike and also used
it as an out-pitch in changing eye levels.
The
other reason for the 30 plus professional scouts in attendance was
2015 outfielder Tyler Williams (Peoria, Ariz., Raymond Kellis
HS). Williams, an Arizona
State commit, is built like a collegiate linebacker and flashed some
raw power potential by hitting a broken bat, opposite field triple,
showing off his 6.54 speed as he dashed around the bases.