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Tournaments  | Story  | 9/8/2018

East Labor Day Scout Notes


A talented collection of experienced ball players journeyed to Fort Myers over the Labor Day weekend to battle for the Perfect Game/WWBA East Labor Classic championships. Even with the prospect of Tropical Storm Gordan zeroing in on Southwest Florida, teams and players stayed focused and played at a very high level.

The Cape Coral-based Florida Sox were paced by a number of quality players as the local nine played fundamentally sound baseball all weekend. The Sox leadoff hitter and shortstop Kevin Reyes (2021, Fort Myers, Fla.) swung a great bat and flashed consistent leather for the entirety of the tournament. The 5-foot-10, 140-pound Cypress Lake HS sophomore showed soft hands, quick feet and advanced arm strength in holding down the key middle infield position. He also proved to be a sound top-of-the-order hitter for his club. He used a patient approach and a quick, compact swing to spray line drives from gap-to-gap.

Travis Ronco (2019, Alva, Fla.) toed the rubber in the Sox first game on Friday evening and was solid from the first pitch on. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound righthander used a solid three-pitch mix and masterful command and control to turn in a commendable performance. He was relived late in the ball game by the Sox bulldog of a closer, Jean Espinal (2019, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic). The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Espinal is a gamer who works fast and with a purpose. He used a sound two-pitch mix that was highlighted by an 84-86 mph fastball that showed both arm-side run and sink. His breaking ball was a deceptive 11-to-5 spinning slider that was a solid out-pitch.

The Sox three-hole hitter, Juan Javier (2019, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), flashed pull-side pop and advanced bat-to-ball ability in pacing the Cape Coral club offensively. The lefthanded hitting Cenapal HS senior used a patient approach and a flat bat path to consistently drive the ball to the pull side.

Playing out of Cayey, Puerto Rico, was the SBO 18u club. The fundamentally sound SBO team was paced by their No. 1 pitcher, Keniel Cruz (2019, Cayey, Puerto Rico), and their three-hole hitter and third baseman, Luis Miranda (2019, Cayey, Puerto Rico).

The righthanded tossing, 5-foot-10, 170-pound Cruz used a low three-quarters arm slot and a long, whippy arm action to dominate the action. His lower arm slot was very deceptive and led to a lot of poor swings. His very heavy two-seam fastball was consistently clocked in the 82-84 mph range and appeared to have much more velocity because of the late sinking life this pitch showed at the plate. His complementary slider (71-73 mph) was a knee-buckler that produced a lot of bad swings.

Miranda was a tough out hitting in the three-spot. He used a short and quick swing path and confident bat-to-ball ability to drive the ball from gap-to-gap. He also flashed a very sound glove and a strong, projectable arm at the hot corner.

Pacing BAM Baseball 17u were Andre Vidal (2021, Miami, Fla.) and William Garcia (2020, Miami, Fla.). Vidal is a very accomplished shortstop who shows projectable abilities defensively. His feet are very quick and he shows outstanding anticipatory skills in getting into position to routinely make each play. His glove and arm will play at the next level and his baseball IQ is that of a player much his senior. Garcia handled the BAM pitching staff like an accomplished veteran. He sets low in his stance and ably presents each pitch for the umpire. He has very quick feet and gains ground to throw with confidence. His quick trigger and strong arm get the ball on its way and on target in under two seconds.

The Grizzlies Baseball Club left fielder and two-hole hitter, Justin Farmer (2019, Middleburg, Fla.), was sound both offensively and defensively. The righthanded swinger used a patient approach and a flat, inside-out path the drive the ball up the middle and to the off field with consistent confidence. He is also an advanced baserunner who flashed plus speed. Defensively, Farmer is athletic enough to play center field and has a strong enough arm to play right field.

Central Florida Play Hard 18u played outstanding baseball all weekend. Their roster was comprised of a number of fundamentally sound players and they were paced by two standouts.

Gabriel Cruz (2020, Orlando, Fla.) was their gifted third baseman and two-hole hitter. The 5-foot-11, 155-pound Timber Creek HS junior is a mature hitter who really understands the expectations hitting in that spot in the order. He is patient and has a great understanding of the strike zone. He has a flat path and shows the ability to hit the ball to all parts of the field. His bat path is quick enough to pull the ball and disciplined enough to hit behind the runner. He is very sound at third base and shows excellent footwork and outstanding lateral movement, especially to his glove side. His arm is strong and consistently accurate.

Tanner Oakley (2020, Lakeland, Fla.) proved to be one of the top catchers in the tournament. The solidly built 6-foot-1, 175-pound backstop is an excellent catch-and-throw receiver. He calls an advanced game and keeps his fielders involved and his pitchers focused. His consistent 1.95 pop times limited opponents’ running game.

South Florida Select ran Matthew Varela (2020, Hialeah, Fla.) out to the mound on Saturday and he certainly did not disappoint. The 6-foot, 180-pound righty used almost perfect mechanics, pinpoint command and control and a very accomplished three-pitch mix to get his team off the field in short order every inning. His 82-85 mph fastball showed late life up in the zone and consistent run and sink down. His 12-to-6 breaking curveball was thrown with tight spin and was a sharp, late breaker. His changeup was a very sound and advanced pitch that was thrown with the same action and out of the same window as his fastball. His change was a great equalizer and a go-to out-pitch against lefthanded hitters.

No club showed as well as the Ostingers team out of Lithia, Florida. Just about every player who took the field for the green-and-black-clad Florida club was worthy of recognition.

Sean (Grady) Maguire (2020, Tampa, Fla.) is the smooth fielding shortstop for Ostingers and his glove will certainly play at the next level. His arm is sound and shows consistent carry and accuracy. He is a very accomplished and mature lefthanded swinging two-hole hitter who truly understands his role in his team’s relentless offense. He is very disciplined and never chases out of the zone. He takes a lot of pitches which allows his team to aggressively run the bases.

Maguire’s mate at the top of the order is Ostingers leadoff hitter Bryce Hazzard (2019, Valrico, Fla.). The Bloomingdale HS senior is a sound, switch-hitting stick. He hunts fastballs and uses an aggressive, inside-out path and a keen eye to drive the ball consistently up the middle and to the off field. When on base, he is a gifted baserunner who will steal a bag and take the extra base. He is also a very solid center fielder who takes charge of the outfield and make all the plays in either gap allowing his corner outfield mates to play closer to their respective lines.

Manning the hot corner for Ostingers was their three-hole hitter Brock Wilken (2020, Valrico, Fla.). Athletically built at 6-foot-3, 202-pounds, Wilken is a gifted slugger who can drive the ball with authority to either gap. He incorporates a solid lower half in every pass and has a slugger’s lift at contact. He is also a very capable third baseman who has plus lateral movement and a sound and true throwing arm.

Zachary Devito (2020, Lithia, Fla.), while not a high velocity thrower, knows how to pitch. The Newsome HS sophomore mixed and matched his well-commanded fastball, with a sharp-breaking curveball and an ability to work both edges and pitch backwards. No opponent had a comfortable at-bat against the poised righthander. He missed a lot of barrels for the duration of his outing.

The Ostingers club had a complete staff that helped pace the club throughout the weekend. Durant HS righthander Nathan Hood (2019, Lithia, Fla.) used a high three-quarters arm slot and smooth, easy, repeatable mechanics to dominate his outing, His fastball, which showed riding life up and to the glove side and running, sinking life down and to the arm side, was consistently clocked in the 84-86 mph range. His 11-to-5 breaking slider was a dominant out-pitch that was thrown between 72-74 mph.

Trevor Finan (2020, Lithia, Fla.) was a picture of poise and composure as he turned in a solid performance on Saturday. The 6-foot, 155-pound righty used a quick and strong arm action to consistently pound the zone with an 84-86 mph fastball, a 72-73 mph slider that showed frisbee-like break at the dish, and a bat-missing 76 mph tumbling changeup that was thrown out of the same window as his fastball.

– Jerry Miller



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