Baseball Beginnings

Posted By John Klima on March 24, 2009

There was probably more interest in how tools-oriented center fielder Jacob Marisnick would look against a good high school pitcher than in how Matt Hobgood would look against a good high school hitter Tuesday afternoon at Riverside (Calif.) Poly in a match-up of probable No. 1 draft picks out of Southern California.

The two exchanged a handshake while Hobgood was running poles in the outfield before the game, and during the game, Marisnick ran into a hitting prospect’s worst nightmare: how to speed up his hands against a real pitcher when he hasn’t seen one in a while.  

The end result was three at-bats in which Hobgood didn’t hurt himself, Marisnick fought to adjust but didn’t hurt his value, and a complete game shutout for the 6-4, 250 Hobgood (Norco High), who held Marisnick (Riverside Poly) hitless.

The visiting bullpens at Riverside Poly are basically sand traps and Hobgood was pitching into the wind during the game. But he still showed why some clubs think he might go between the 10^th and 20^th picks and other clubs speculate he’ll be gone between the 30^th-40^th picks. 

Playing around with a new version of his change-up, Hobgood dropped one in with splitter action for an 81-mph strike against Marisnick in the first inning, then jammed him with a 93-mph fastball. Marisnick nearly got enough off the pitch, bouncing it through the middle, but Hobgood fielded for the out. (Hobgood admitted after the game that it was a lucky grab, but luck only counts in horseshoes, not scouting horses.)

In their second at-bat, Marisnick grounded out, and was clocked at a 4.3 to first base, which is an even 50 grade for a runner. He’s still on target to be drafted in the first round, because most clubs have his arm and speed at 45/55 and his lanky frame projects for power. It’s hard to find domestic players with two tools, much less tools that happen to be arm and speed, which in the old days before power meant more than anything else, used to be a highly coveted two-tool set. Marisnick hit for the remainder of the approximately 30 scouts on hand Tuesday, a group that included three scouting directors and several national scouts.

Hobgood’s third and final encounter with Marisnick was most telling and summarized the afternoon for both players in this showcase match-up. Hobgood went with a pair of change-ups (81-80 mph) that Marisnick took outside. Hobgood then attacked Marisnick with a 91-mph two-seam fastball that Marisnick foul tipped. Hobgood came right back with another 91-mph two-seam special that Marisnick again tipped.

Finally, Hobgood struck out Marisnick with one more two-seamer at 92, tailing down and away, showcasing the nice downhill plane Hobgood had working Tuesday afternoon.

It probably wasn’t the best day for Marisnick, but certainly not a day to bury him. It’s tough for high school hitters facing inferior competition in the school season to know how to speed their bats up and adjust to a horse like Hobgood, whose command was working.

Hobgood saved his best velocity for the last batter of the game when he unloaded six consecutive fastballs, clocking 92-93-94-93-91-92. His two-seam fastball had great life and plus command. Hobgood showed the horse-like tendencies that project him in a major league rotation. He is mechanically sound for a high school power pitcher, and frankly, a cleaner mechanical sample than many other higher-profile power pitchers with less risk of an arm injury.

Read Matt Hobgood Q&A
Watch Matt Hobgood Scouting video
Read Matt Hobgood Scouting report
Watch Matt Hobgood vs. Jake Marisnick Video
Watch Matt Hobgood’s Camden Yards bullpen session
Catching up with Matt Hobgood
Read Jake Marisnick Q&A
Read Jake Marisnick signs
Read Jake Marisnick Catchup
Watch Jake Marisnick Scouting video
Read Jake Marisnick Scouting report
Jake Marisnick Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays

Categories: 2009 Draft
Tags: Jacob Marisnick, Matt Hobgood