Area Code Games/AFLAC All-American Classic

[colbyjack]

The Area Code Games started today, with a game between the Brewers Blue & Grey teams. The Brewers are hosting all players from California, Nevada & Hawaii this year. Reports from Baseball America likely will be starting in the next day or two.

 

The AFLAC All-American Classic is this Friday, with practices taking place all week long. Here is a link to find out how & when you can watch the event, covered by Fox Sports Net:

 

www.aflacallamerican.com/....cfm?id=10

 

Last year Mark Rogers pitched in the game, along with guys that were talked about quite frequently on this board this past spring like Nick Adenhart, Chris Nelson, Matt Bush & Homer Bailey. It's a great opportunity to see some of the top prospects for the 2005 draft in action.

[jwaltz]

Thanks for the heads up!!

[colbyjack]

Here's BA's recap of the game:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...aflac.html

 

I'll be sure to add my thoughts on players once I have the chance to see the broadcast.

 

Also, it seems that BA spaced on the Area Code Games. They usually have coverage on the event each & every year. Last year it was covered by Josh Boyd, who had moved on to pursue a career as a scout. Not sure if they just dropped the ball on this one or not, but the lack of coverage is disappointing.

 

With the AFLAC event, I do wonder if there is some competition since this year it was held the same week as the Area Code Games. Certainly the AFLAC game has the advantage of being nationally televised, which has to be a huge draw for the players involved.

[MassBrew]

From mlb.com:

 

mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/ml...;fext=.jsp

[jwaltz]

That Scott Moviel is 6'9" 247lbs and he will be a sophmore in high school this upcoming school year!!! He's huge!! The NBA scouts have to be drooling over him as well. He might end up being close to 7' 300lbs. Reminds me alot of Paul Wight. He was a pitcher in high school too.

[colbyjack]

Baseball America finally chimes in with their top prospect list & some notes from the Area Code Games. Still not nearly as detailed as what they have done in the past, but like the article states, I've heard that the event really was watered-down talent wise. Not because the '05 draft class is considered weak, but the timing of the event wasn't the best as it went against the AFLAC game & the fact that summer travelling teams are still competing in tournaments across the country.

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...codes.html

 

Top prospect Henry Sanchez likely played for one of the Brewers teams. Look out for those "Prince Fielder" comparisons.

 

And while not HS baseball, BA also released their top college prospect lists from the Cape & other summer leagues:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...3cape.html

 

www.baseballamerica.com/t...ummer.html

 

Madison native Ryan Zink #3 & former UWM Panther & current H-Brewer Ben Stancyzk #9 in the Northwoods League.

[colbyjack]

Team One actually has a few nice write-ups on prospects that attended the Area Code Games this year. Since their coverage has been rather crappy all year long, I don't feel bad copying & pasting their write-up on the Brewers' Blue & Grey teams:

 

LONG BEACH, CA ? This is the second of four team reports from the just concluded Area Code games. Today's report highlights the top players from the Milwaukee Brewers Blue and Grey teams, made up primarily of California players and only includes players that I saw play.

 

The Blue team was comprised mostly of Southern California players and the Grey team was made up of mostly Northern California players. Each team was loaded with top Division I players and future top round draft picks.

 

BREWERS BLUE TEAM

Justin Sellers SS, R/R, 5-10, 150, Marina (CA) HS

Plays much bigger than his physical size. Active player with range and a strong throwing arm, he will be an immediate defensive contributor for a college program. He can flat out do it at shortstop. Best attributes are his energy and hands. Offensively he has decent bat speed and is a contact guy with near average speed home to first.

 

Matthew Daly RHP, R/R, 5-11, 177, Esperanza (CA) HS

Power RHP without the power body. Showed the ability in his third inning of his second outing to sit in the 90-92 mph range. He possesses a quick arm and an aggressive approach, not to mention a strong 74-78 mph curveball with depth and action.

 

Chase d'Arnaud SS, R/R, 6-1, 175, Los Alamitos (CA) HS

Smooth actions at shortstop, he can make all the plays a professional shortstop prospect needs to make, except the ones requiring a big arm. Offensively he needs to polish his game but he someday he is going to be an adequate offensive contributor. He plays with good energy and is being recruited by some of the top DI programs on the West Coast.

 

Sean O'Sullivan 3B/RHP, R/R, 6-2, 205, Valhalla (CA) HS

One of the top two way prospects in the nation, some felt that had he been draft eligible last year that he would have gone in the 1st round. I did not see him pitch, which is too bad because he is the top guy in SoCal, but offensively he has plus power potential and a solid approach of being able to stay back and trust his ability. Defensively he showed great desire to make plays at 3rd base, including aggressively running down a foul ball on the edge of the dugout. He is a 1st round talent.

 

Nicholas Akins CF, R/R, 6-0, 170, Los Angeles (CA) HS, 2006 graduate

First thing you notice is his body because he is built the way you would expect a future professional centerfielder to be built. Possesses a full set of tools, including a quick bat, aggressive hitting approach, and MLB average speed home to first. Look for Akins to be a high draft pick in June 2006.

 

Robert Dickman LHP, 5-10, 175, Notre Dame (CA) HS

He has a smooth delivery and a features a good combination of fastball and curveball. His fastball was 87-90 mph and he moves it all around the zone; up, down, in, and out. His breaking ball is a big 67-68mph 12/6 curveball that breaks below bats.

 

Hank Conger C/3B, 6-0, 205, Huntington Beach (CA) HS, 2006 graduate

One of the nation?s top power prospects in the 2006 graduating class. Conger combines big time bat speed, plus power and a good hand path with an aggressive nature. When he gets better at pitch recognition, he will leap to another level of hitter.

 

Trevor Bell OF, L/R, 6-1, 185, Crescenta Valley (CA) HS

A two way prospect who reached 92 mph on the mound. Bell is a plus thrower from the outfield and shows the ability to close well on the ball. Offensively he has an idea of the swing path he needs to have, but at times gets away from it by reaching. He is strong and athletic with explosiveness in his body.

 

Brian Kirwan RHP, 6-4, 192, Christian (CA) HS

The ball leaves Kirwan?s hand easily and his fastball comes out at 87-92 mph. He is a physically imposing pitcher with good body control. Look for his 78-81 mph slider and mid 80s cutter to become plus pitches by the end of the spring.

 

Brett Wallace 3B, L/R, 6-2, 205, Justin-Siena (CA) HS

Wallace is well known now as one of the top power prospects in the nation. He put on an impressive display at the Area Code tryout at USC that had some coaches in awe. He is short to the ball and seems to always put good wood on the ball. He moves ok for a big man and has a strong arm, but some still wonder what position is best for him.

 

Henry Sanchez 1B, R/R, 6-3, 210, Mission Bay (CA) HS

Henry Sanchez was the most impressive hitter at the 2004 Area Codes. He hits absolute missiles seemingly each at bat. More impressive than his plus bat speed, physical strength, and raw power is that he hits everything in the middle of the field. In addition to his hitting ability, he is an adequate 1st baseman with an above average arm. Likely to be a 1st round pick.

 

BREWERS GREY TEAM

DeSean Jackson CF, R/R, 5-11, 175, Long Beach (CA) HS

He is an absolute disruptive presence for any opposing team. Jackson is a solid contact hitter who keeps his swing short to the ball. He is a plus runner, going home to first in 4.03. His speed is ELECTRIC and it plays for him in centerfield as well. He is sure to be a high round pick and highly sought after player by top DI programs.

 

Jared Lansford 2B, R/R, 6-1, 185, St. Francis (CA) HS

Lansford can flat out play the game. He has strong instincts and really understands how to play. Offensively he is very efficient to the fastball and has near average power, including gap to gap. On defense he is a little stiff at times, but he makes all the plays and has a plus arm.

 

Diallo Fon OF, L/L, 6-1, 195, Las Lomas (CA) HS

If he is pitched anywhere but hard in, Fon wrecks the ball. He has good juice to all parts of the field and when he drives the ball the opposite way he is a premier hitter. Strong and athletic kid, he is a good player whose game is continually getting better. He is loved by the pro guys.

 

Brandon Crawford SS/3B/2B, L/R, 6-1, 180, Foothill (CA) HS

Versatile infielder capable of playing anywhere in the infield. He has instincts and good feet, able to make plays on the move. Offensively the better the pitching, the better Crawford is. He has good timing and some lift in his smooth and easy swing. He projects to have average future power.

 

Vance Worley RHP, 6-2, 195, McClatchy (CA) HS

Worley had the most dominant combination of stuff and aggressive demeanor at the 2004 Area Codes. His fastball is heavy and hard, 89-91 mph. He will occasionally turn it over to left hand hitters and can get plus sink on the arm side. His curveball has plus depth and he throws his change with feel. Strong body and the positives go on and on.

 

Michael Bugary 1B, L/L, 6-3, 205, Monterey (CA) HS

Bugary might have had the most hits of any player on this team. He kept finding green grass. He is a physically strong player with an easy stroke. In the future he will hit with more power than he does now and it will play to all parts of the park. Soft hands at first too. Some may see him as a two way guy, but his future is with a bat in his hands.

 

Charlie Cutler C, L/R, 6-0, 180, Lowell (CA) HS

Cutler opened the country?s eyes at the 2004 Area Codes. He showed one of the most polished hitting approaches and swing at the event. He is efficient to the ball and makes consistently hard contact by staying back well. He is an above average baserunner too. Behind the plate he moves well and has near average arm strength. He went from relative unknown (except by a few of us who live in the Bay Area who have known of him for a few year) and is now at or near the top of anyone?s list who has need for a catcher.

 

Austin Hogans OF, R/R, 6-3, 190, Rocklin (CA) HS

Hogans is a physical hitter with power to the middle of the field. He stays patient at the plate and has a nice quiet approach and set up. He is short to contact and long through the ball.

 

Steve Masten LHP, 6-2, 196, Spanish Springs (NV) HS

He has a quick arm and gets lots of action on all of his pitches. His fastball (86-87 mph) has plus run on the arm side. He throws both a slider (77-78 mph) and a curveball (68-69 mph) and both are playable right now. Strong body, good stuff, and pitchability make him one of the top lefties out there.

 

Michael Colla RHP, 6-2, 210, Clovis West (CA) HS

Colla comes at hitters like a power pitcher. He wants to get ahead by attacking the strike zone with his 88-91 mph fastball. When he gets ahead, he can finish hitters with his hard slider. He has a powerful body and will be durable.

 

Preston Guilmet RHP, 6-2, 180, Oakmont (CA) HS

A new name for me. Guilmet turned on a lot of college coaches with his quick arm, good mechanics, and sinking fastball (86-88 mph). He also throws a slider and split finger fastball and both are usable pitches. The slider can be a plus pitch for him. Guilmet will make a very good weekend guy early in his college career.

 

I'll have to remember to dig up this post next June to see if the Brewers targetted any of the players they got to watch so closely for more than a week.

[batman]

I got a chance to watch the AFLAC game and it was very cool. Cal Ripken obviously puts a lot of himself into the whole production, from the wonderful stadium to the off-the-field activities to the commentating, and his enthusiasm was very apparent.

 

I kept some notes while I was watching but didn't record it, so I missed bits and pieces. Here is an attempt to organize them into something readable. In a lot of cases this is based only on one inning pitched or two or three at-bats, so take it for what it's worth... I reserve the right to change my mind if I see more of these guys. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

- Jonathan Egan, a catcher from Hephzibah Georgia, was impressive behind the plate. I was somewhat surprised that Baseball America didn't include at least a brief write-up of him in their recap, 'cause he looked fantastic defensively. In the first inning, he fired a strike to second on a tough pitch to throw on and should have had the runner easily (the second-baseman covered late, so the runner was safe even though the ball beat him by several feet). He nearly threw another runner out a few innings later, again making a strong throw right on the money. He blocked pitches well, showing solid footwork, and was a very wide, "quiet" receiver. Impressive, to say the least. He's also a good hitter, sporting a slightly open stance and real quick, loose hands. His swing (but not stance) looked a bit Chad Moeller-esque, but in a good way (I think http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif ).

 

- Justin Upton, who I presume was the best (or at least most highly-thought-of) player there, showed nice plate discipline and good mechanics at the plate. He has a bit of an odd trigger to his swing, pivoting his front knee in kind of like Jim Edmonds, but he kept his weight back nicely.

 

- I didn't like Miers Quigley, a big lefty from Roswell Georgia. He throws across his body and falls of the mound toward third-base, reminding me a little bit of Mitch Williams (not quite that extreme, but the same off-balance delivery). He gave up a wind-aided home run to Ike Davis, a left-handed hitter from Arizona whose dad was a big league pitcher, on a high-and-inside fastball. Davis was impressive, with a really quick stroke (there were a lot of long swings, so he stood out quite a bit). He struck-out in his two other at-bats, but I was more impressed with his mechanics with the stick than just about anybody else.

 

- Beau Jones is a big dude. A LHP from Louisiana, he throws a bit like Quigley, 'cept he falls more off toward first than third (but that varies, as he was pretty inconsistent with his delivery). Both guys have good fastballs that seem to be max-effort, but neither threw a whole lot of breaking pitches. The commentator described them as "funky southpaws," which I thought was very accurate.

 

- Cameron Maybin (North Carolina) looks *a lot* like Billy Hall. He's tall, lanky, and I guess "wiry" but obviously very strong. His swing is kind of long, but he definitely looks like he could be really good.

 

- Iain Sebastian (Georgia) looks like Adam Dunn or, as the commentator (not Ripken) said, Lyle Overbay. He's a big thick dude with an open stance, very quiet hands, and a mighty quick inside-out stroke.

 

- Chris Volstad (RHP Florida) is really, really tall and throws a wicked sinker in the mid-80s. His delivery is silky smooth and looks like a more polished version of Roy Halladay in terms of his windup/delivery. The ball comes out on a downward plane from a high arm slot and sinks like crazy... very, very impressive. He also threw a nice breaking ball that moved quite a bit horizontally but not much vertically.

 

- Eric Massingham (RHP California) has sort of a Trevor Hoffman, start-delay-stop delivery from straight over the top... not sure why BA described him as throwing from 3/4s. He's a nice pitcher, but I wouldn't want to be his elbow or shoulder, as the torque he puts on his arm is waaaay too much. He's got wicked stuff, but his max-effort delivery makes me think "Nick Neugebauer" and not in a good way.

 

- Andrew McCutcheon (OF Florida) looks like quite a powerful hitter, with a long-but-quick swing. He reminded me of Maybin... very fast and a good hitter.

 

- Bradley Clark from Tampa has a slow, methodical delivery. I would love to see more of him... not sure what to think at this point.

 

- They interviewed Zach Putnam (Michigan RHP) and he said his pitching coach is Tom House. He got his mechanics evaluated with the advanced biomechanical cameras and got his delivery compared with Prior, Clemens, etc. He seemed like a really good kid.

 

Those were the highlights. Did anybody else (Patrick?) get a chance to watch this, yet? Any thoughts?

 

~Bill

[colbyjack]

Thanks for your observations Bill. I taped the re-broadcast yesterday, but I have no clue when I'll be able to watch it.

 

Egan is very highly thought of, and one of the players I am anxious to see. I am also anxious to see Quigley, although given your write up it sounds as though he has some mechanics issues. Georgia has another very strong prep class next year.

 

Upton has been the #1 prospect for the 2005 draft for the past 2 years. He has played quite a bit this summer in just about each & every major showcase event. He has played both CF & SS, and while he has all of the tools to play SS, many think because of the way the ball carries off of his throws, that he may be better suited for the OF. Of course, he's still plenty young, and would benefit from more & better instruction. Like his big brother BJ, his tools are off the charts, and is a true 5-tool athlete. Unless he falls, someone else rises or money plays a part, Justin Upton should be an Arizona Diamondback next June.

[colbyjack]

I finally had the chance to finish watching the AFLAC game in bits & pieces over the past week. Here are some of my thoughts, starting with the pitchers:

 

Miers Quigley: His delivery actually reminded me of Mark Rogers from the same game last year, except from the right side, and Quigley didn't fall off to the base as hard as Rogers did. Big, strong lefty, and while he will have to correct falling off to the 3rd base side, I felt his arm action was rather smooth. Very strong body, and a well-proportioned lower half. I wasn't a big fan of his windup, as he lifts his leg and stops it on it's way down before continuing with his pitching motion. A big, strong lefty with his stuff will get a lot of looks.

 

Bradley Clark: Straight, over the top delivery, and their seemed to be some pressure on his shoulder with that delivery, somewhat max effort. Lowering his arm slot a little may help with that. However, he has an awesome curveball, a true curveball that registered in the low-80s, something you just don't see outside of Ben Sheets. He could be the top prep arm.

 

Chris Volstad: Like Bill, I really liked Volstad. He has the perfect, projectable pitcher's frame with broad shoulders, lean arms & legs and strong through the hips & backside. Again, as Bill said, he had a great sinker. Very good balanced delivery, and he repeats it well. Good composure on the mound as well.

 

Jeff Lyman: A shorter, stockier righty that is very thick through the shoulders & chest. He reminded me of Jay Rainville from a year ago. He turns his back to the hitter as part of his delivery, and his arm action is similar to Roger Clemens' (and Rainville's), kind of short-arming the ball to the plate, which creates a fair amount of deception. Great changeup, good slow curve and good movement on his fastball. He hit his spots well too.

 

Jeremy Hellickson: Give it up for the Northern kid (Iowa). Hellickson is another shorter yet lean pitcher with very good, clean arm action, balanced, and showed an advanced knowledge of pitching, changing speeds and hitting his spots. Right now he has a big sweeping slurve, that likely will need to be tightened up at the pro level, but he threw the pitch well for strikes.

 

Eric Massingham: Another strong, sturdy pitcher. Very high leg kick, over the top delivery. Looking at his size & demeanor on the mound & he's the type of pitcher you label a bulldog. Hard boring sinker and a nice consistent delivery. Built & pitches kind of like Sheets, but for a more modest comparison I'll toss out Chad Billingsley, a highly touted prospect in the Dodgers system.

 

Matt Lea: Greast pitchers frame, and has some deception to his delivery. Slows his arm down considerably when throwing his curve, but the pitch shows nice break.

 

Ryan Tucker: The announcers gave him a lot of praise for getting out of a first-inning jam, but he's the one that put himself in that situation. Weird, slinging side-arm delivery. Deceptive, but I can see that motion putting a lot of unnecessary stress on his elbow.

 

Josh Zeid: Nice repertoire of pitches. Good size with strong lower half. Falls off to the 1B side pretty hard, and throws over the top. His arm is rather stiff, as it looks as though he doesn't even bend his arm as part of his delivery. He'll have to clean that up methinks.

 

Beau Jones: Like Bill said, another big lefty. He has a classic, old-fashion roundhouse delivery that creates a fair amount of deception.

 

Steve Johnson: High energy delivery with a high leg-kick and somewhat of a max-effort delivery. He does have pretty good deception, hiding the ball well out of his delivery, and he has a good curveball.

 

The 2-way guys:

 

Zach Putnam: Looked like an infielder throwing mopup duty. He just doesn't look like a pitcher, but he did a good job.

 

Iain Sebastian: Kind of a stiff delivery, not really fluid, and didn't look like a pitcher to me. He threw strikes, and kind of reminded me of Micah Owings. I think his future in at the plate. As Bill noted, he looked almost exactly like Lyle Overbay stance-wise. Big build, but not much athleticism, and might be limited to 1B as a pro. Not a bad thing, as he has plus power potential.

 

Buster Posey: Great sinker. Slight build, like Putnam, he looks like an infielder. Very good changeup, smooth, athletic 3/4 delivery and he's fearless.

 

Ryan DeLaughter: Pitched himself into quite a jam in the 9th, but he got out of it eventually. Kept going back to his curveball, with almost zero confidence in his fastball. Probably for good reason, as it was all over the place for the most part. Can't blame him for his nerves, but I liked him better at the plate and in the OF. Good athletic with solid swing mechanics. Reminded me of Tigers OF prospect Brent Clevlen, and the long neck & sloped shoulders even reminded me of Marlins OF prospect Jeremy Hermida.

 

Sean O'Sullivan: Big, strong kid. Probably not much room for more growth, but he doesn't need it. He was listed at something like 6'2", 190 pounds, but there is no way he's under 220. Went right after hitters with a very good, boring fastball and I was very impressed with his curveball, which complemented his fastball perfectly. Fearless on the mound, and somewhat intimidating. Also a very good power hitting 3B or OF prospect, and might start drawing comparisons to another Cal native & 2-way talent, Mark Trumbo. O'Sullivan will rank very high on my top HS list (and he played for the Brewers at the Area Code Games).

 

The positional prospects:

 

Justin Upton: His athleticism is unreal, just like his big brother. Great speed. Made a few errors, but walked twice. I think most expected him to be the star of the game, atlhough he didn't have a big hit or a big defensive play. He still should be the #1 overall pick next June.

 

Andrew McCutchen: Great speed, nice inside out swing, and hits well the opposite way. I thought he would be more of a toolsy guy, but I was impressed with his swing & approach at the plate. Had 4 hits, 2 IF, one to RF and one up the middle.

 

Justin Bristow: Didn't do too much, but I was impressed with his size, athleticism & arm. A cannon from 3B.

 

Austin Jackson: One of the talented 5-tool prospects available for next June. Very confident, and plays the game like he deserves to be there. Good to great speed, nice size, but needs some work at the plate.

 

John Drennen: I loved this guy. Great approach at the plate, played hard, hit the other way with solid contact, and the perfect build for a pure hitter with sloped shoulders, strong wrists and forearms. No tool stands out, but he's solid across the board.

 

Brett Wallace: Very soft body, with a wide lower half. But he plays hard, and is faster than you think. Very good eye at the plate with exciting power potential from the left side. He has the perfect sloped hitters shoulders. Be prepared for scouts & scouting publications constantly ragging on him for his size & weight, but I like the way he plays & hits.

 

Ike Davis: I really didn't see too much of Davis. His HR actually looked like a popup to RF, and the ball kept carrying. He is praised for his power potential, but I didn't see it that much, at least not compared to guys like Sebastian, O'Sullivan, Dominguez & Wallace.

 

Jonathan Egan: As Bill noted, he's great defensively behind the plate. Didn't see too much of him as a hitter.

 

Ben Booker: Very, very fast. Played SS, but he shouldn't have. He has a very weak arm. Wasn't a big fan of him at the plate either. Has quick hands, but not the greatest bat speed, and he swung with his entire upper body, similar to Ralph Santana if you ever got to see him hit at Beloit. A 2B or CF down the road.

 

Chris Dominguez: A very big, physically mature young man. Didn't see too much of him, but his presence reminded me of Frank Thomas.

 

Cameron Maybin: Built like Daryl Strawberry & Eric Davis. Long & strong limbs, with plenty of room to get bigger. A free-swinger right now, but you can see the power potential & the overall toolset. Very fast, with a very good arm.

 

Jordan Danks: Didn't see much of Danks either, but he has very long & rangy limbs that reminded me of Chuck Lofgren from a year ago.

 

Overall, I thought the talent was a little down from a year ago, when the game was highlighted by 2 very talented 2-way shortstops in Chris Nelson & Matt Bush. Nick Adenhart, Jay Rainville, Homer Bailey, Andy Gale and Mark Rogers among others might all have an edge on almost all of the pitchers from this year, although I do think we're going to hear more about Clark, Volstad, O'Sullivan & Lyman. There was definitely more power potential with this group, but the infielders outside of Upton weren't that impressive. While I like Egan, I don't think he's as good as Neil Walker from a year ago. I think the prep catching class for next June is going to be especially thin.