Covey is the pitcher the national level scouts want to see. Covey (Maranantha HS) was playing catch with his fastball at 91-92. Against Tony Wolters, he threw a 92-mph fastball with hard sinking life and a 91-mph fastball with rising action. He saved his best stuff for Dominic Ficociello. Batting left-handed, Ficociello saw a hard 76-mph curveball, Covey’s best breaking ball of a tidy stint. Covey came back with an 84-mph slider. He also threw a change-up at 79-81, finishing off Wolters, Mike Lorenzen, Connor Hoffman and Ficociello.  Covey showed both quantity and quality of stuff.

Right-hander Peter Tago (Dana Hills HS) pitched with his fastball at 90-92, sitting mostly at 91. His slider at 82-84 was harder and more consistent than when I last saw him and he struck out Vincent Velasquez with a 72-mph curveball, Tago’s best of the sequence.

Left-hander Griffin Murphy (Redlands East Valley HS) helped himself more than any other starting pitcher, striking out all four hitters he faced, including Derek Campbell and Angelo Gumbs. As I reported earlier, I said I wouldn’t be surprised to run into Murphy throwing 90-92 down the road. Well, the road hit 90-91. More importantly for Murphy, his curveball at 75-76 was better than any breaking ball he had last summer. He also threw his change-up at 80. Murphy was closed much better in his delivery, much trimmer, more coordinated, and landed well. When you walk off the mound and the scouts without attention spans are on their Crackberrys, you know you’ve helped yourself.

Right-hander Tyler Shreve (Redlands East Valley) also helped reestablish himself, hitting 92 with his fastball again after a below-average performance at the Aflac game. Shreve pitched at 88-91 and picked up speed as he progressed. His curveball at 75-76 was harder and sharper and his slider at 74-76 profiles as a third pitch in a power array. Austin Wilson, whose strong hands ripped an opposite field single, was the only hitter to touch Shreve.

Left-hander Kyle Richter (Santa Margarita HS) is probably going to develop more power than the 85-90 fastball velocity he showed. Tall and lean, Richter’s delivery has noticeably improved since fall. He was very smooth on Saturday, showing whippy torque, and a slider at 72-74. Against Wolters, Richter hit 90 for the first time, came back with a change-up at 75 and then struck out Wolters with another 90-mph fastball bearing down on his feet. Against Lorenzen, who is a strong right-handed hitter and created a good match-up to judge both, Richter attacked the inside half with his fastball and struck out Lorenzen looking with an 87-mph fastball. In this outing, Richter showed that he’s in the middle of physical development and also showed a good idea of how to pitch to both sides of the plate with the goal of cutting it in half.

Vincent Velasquez (Garey HS) separated himself more on the mound than he did offensively. Velasquez struck out all four batters he faced, throwing his first pitch at 92 and then recording strikeouts with a 74 curveball, 80 slider and 81 slider. Overall, Velasquez pitched with his fastball at 90-92, his curve at 73-74, a harder slider at 83, and a change-up at 80-81. A switch-hitter, Velasquez was noticeably better in BP from the left side, where he hit four consecutive authoritative line drives to right and center field in the best BP round I’ve seen from him.

Right-hander Jesus Valdez (Hueneme HS) pitched at 89-91, with his slider at 72-74 and his change-up at 75. He appeared a touch taller and more slender than he did in the summer, though he didn’t have additional power. He got a strikeout and a pair of softly-hit ground balls.  

Right-hander Aaron Sanchez (Barstow HS) helped himself. He was noticeably better than he was last September and looked more like he did at Area Codes and Aflac. Sanchez pitched at 91 with his fastball, also hitting 92 a few times. His curveball was 72-74, slider 78 and change 83. He commanded his fastball at 91 and lost it at 92. His best fastball was a 91-mph fastball on the outside corner to strike out Hahn. He also got ground ball outs against Stefan Sabol and Austin Wilson.

Right-hander Cody Buckel (Royal HS) might not have gotten much taller since last summer, but he may have added a touch, and he looks more slender than he did last summer. Buckel pitched with his fastball at 91 with good arm speed. His breaking ball was 73-75 with a change-up also at 75. I wasn’t sold on Buckel’s physical projection when I saw him last spring and summer, but what I saw Saturday was a leaner pitcher with more room to add power. He might be best served going to college to reach that point, but it’s hard to discount the possibility that he could pitch at 92-93 within three years.

Right-hander Gabriel Encinas (St. Paul HS) pitched at 90 mph with a breaking ball at 74-76 and recorded three strikeouts before giving up a well hit single up the middle to catcher Aaron Jones.

Right-hander Scott Frazier (Upland HS) pitched at 89-91, which has been the 6-6 right-hander’s regular velocity. His curveball was 72-74, slider 78, change 83, but his fastball command was below average in this outing and gave up Christian Yelich’s triple.

Left-hander Chase Johnson (Fallbrook HS) pitched at 89-91 with a slider at 75-77. He still looks like he is growing and could possess more power in the future.

Right-hander Zack Weiss (Northwood HS) is a big body type with broad shoulders. He lands well and has average arm speed. He invited contact with his fastball at 90-92 and got a pop-up out with a 92 fastball, a ground ball on a 79 change-up, a strikeout with a 72 curveball and a fly ball on a 91 fastball. He showed four pitches and could pitch at 93 in the future.

Right-hander Brandon Brennan (Capistrano Valley HS) pitched at 90-91 with a heavy fastball. Another burly body type with broad shoulders, he’s still learning balance and coordination but flashes hints of power. Brennan showed an 80-83 slider, a 79 change and a rarity in this game, an 81 split that had bite.

Right-hander Aaron Berglund (St. Francis HS) pitched at 89-90 with a slider at 78. Berglund has a big body and broad shoulders and is learning balance and coordination.

Right-hander Austin Reed (Rancho Cucamonga HS) looked a touch taller and stronger than last fall. He pitched at 90-91, striking out Yelich with a sweeping 90-mph fastball and striking out Brenton Allen with a harder 91-mph fastball.

Others (Pitchers and Position Players)

Right-hander Sebastian Santos (Murrieta Valley HS) pitched at 88-89, with a slider at 73 and a change at 79….Right-hander Cesar Aguilar (AB Miller HS) pitched at 85-87 and possesses hips and thighs that could help him generate more power in the future… Chris Wilson (St. Paul HS) pitched at 89-90 with a change-up at 72. At 6-5, 225, he could produce more power in the future. In BP he hit with some authority to right field… Kyle Hayes (Santana HS) pitched at 86-88 and also threw well at third base…Brando Tessar (Chaminade HS) has speed as his best tool and pitched at 86-89. Offensively, he’s a contact hitter and a good athlete who could develop into a better prospect as a middle infielder in college baseball… Brenton Allen (Gahr HS) is a left-handed hitter with a big body, long swing and some power potential. He hit a ball out to left field in BP…Jake Jelmini (Mira Costa HS) struggled offensively and defensively, but sped his hands up against two 90-mph fastballs and fouled them down the third base side later in the game. He has strength and power potential but as of now would be better suited to college baseball where he could catch up and make better use of his power…Catcher Will Swanner (La Costa Canyon HS) is best offensively when he goes gap-to-gap, as he did in BP, showing limited power but hitting consecutive line drives to each field…Brad Haynal (Rancho Bernardo HS) has an easy stroke and the ability to lift the ball from the right side, but is raw and is developing power…Stephen Wallace (Charter Oak HS) showed the ability to throw the bat head during BP and lifted a HR to left field, and later another in the quick round. He has strong hands but needs more wood at-bats…Humberto Tovalin (Otay Ranch HS) is a smooth defensive middle infielder with limited size, but sprays the ball and will be a very good college player.

These summaries have been compiled from personal scouting done this fall. In each case, the players have been seen multiple times. 

Be sure to come back Thanksgiving Thursday for the completion of the list.

Chad Lewis (6-3, 195, R/R, 3B-1B, Marina HS)
A power-hitting third baseman prospect, Lewis is well regarded among area scouts for his combination of size and power. He will be drafted out of high school for his bat. Lewis has the durable frame of a corner infielder (6-3, 195) and he will get stronger. In his final wood BP at Angel Stadium, the right-handed hitting Lewis got a ball out to about 390 feet to right field, a pretty good display of potential power to all fields. Defensively, he is adequate and will need polish upon signing. He has average arm strength and accuracy and is a below-average runner with a slow first step. He may end up at first base as a professional, and as he proceeds he will need to prove his hands are adequate enough to defend against velocity on the inner half while continuing to develop the right-handed power that will determine his future.

Mike Lorenzen (6-3, 180, R/R, OF, Fullerton)
Lorenzen is no secret nationally. We’ve covered him here before and will do so in the future. Lorenzen projects as an offensively-oriented corner outfielder. He has a long, athletic frame that has physical projection and should develop more power. He should develop into an above-average contact hitter. He won’t be a clogger, but he won’t be a burner, and as a zillion clueless sportscasters will note in the future, “He runs well for a big guy.” His arm is his secondary tool, which should grade out above-average down the road. Has a chance to be a multi-dimensional talent at the top level.
Watch Mike Lorenzen Video

Vincent Velasquez (6-3, 180, S/R, INF-RHP, Garey)
Gifted with a tall, athletic frame and long legs that indicate physical projection, Velasquez is an interesting case. He has the strongest arm among position players, evident in pre-game and in long-toss in the outfield. He throws with a nice and easy arm action, which makes one wonder if his future may be on the mound. As a hitter, Velasquez likes to get extended, which offers potential for power. But he didn’t really answer the question this fall if he will be prepared enough to sign as a hitter following the draft. As a switch-hitter with a big arm, the right body, and the chance to hit for power at a corner, he’s going to get the chance to find out how good he can be and what position he should play.

Cody Doyle (6-2, 202, L/R, C, South Hills)
Doyle should be a very good Division I college catcher out of the gate and could play his way onto more of a national level if he is offensively productive in college. He’s not from the Kyle Skipworth model of big-body catchers, but Doyle did show an understanding of doing what professional catchers need to do in order to hang around the game for a long time. He kept his wood stroke simple and straightaway. He did this with more frequency later in the season than he did earlier in the season, which is a positive sign for him. There’s not a lot of power right now, but he’ll get stronger in college. He’s very quiet behind the plate with soft hands and is very good at blocking balls in the dirt. He improved offensively from September to November.

Derek Campbell (6-1, 170, R/R, INF, Mater Dei)
Campbell is a wiry and lean middle infielder with lots of physical projection who has yet to develop the old-man strength that will help determine what kind of an offensive player he will become. At this stage, Campbell looks like a very good Division I candidate who could play every day from the start and put himself on the road to the Cape and find his pro path in college. But Campbell improved over the fall, showing the ability to shorten his stroke with a wood bat, and if that progress continues, his draft interest is sure to rise. Defensively, he has very smooth and graceful actions, which bodes well for staying at shortstop. His arm strength is average with projection to move up a grade, and he has a quick release paired with good range and athletic actions. Like Jiovanni Mier in 2009, Campbell is a shortstop with restless feet, which is a great sign. Overall, Campbell is a worthwhile player to keep tabs on this spring.

Phillip Evans (5-11, 185, R/R, INF, La Costa Canyon)
Evans is reminiscent of 2010 draft prospect Tony Wolters for his size and skills. Evans, a 2011 draft prospect, has a stocky body and strong features in his hands and shoulders. He will have to prove that he is not an early peaking player. He makes hard contact with wood and is an average runner on the pro scale, but it’s hard to envision much more speed available to him. Evans is a sure-handed infielder with soft hands and a nose for the ball. He transfers the ball and gets rid of it quickly and should develop an average arm on the pro scale. He has played his way onto the radar for the 2011 draft and will be followed.

Eric Snyder (6-0, 185, OF, Edison)
Another 2011 draft prospect who is no secret among area scouts, Snyder is a lanky left-handed hitter who is long way from physical maturity. That projection paired with a gap-to-gap swing that should produce some power from a wide stance is enough to keep him on the watch lists. He projects as an average to slightly above-average runner on the pro scale, which gives him a second weapon, and his arm qualifies as a third tool that could be above average on the pro scale. He’ll be a follow for the 2011 draft and will probably find his way onto the national lists. Snyder didn’t do anything to hurt himself this fall, and he looked a little gassed in November. That’s not a knock on him – he wasn’t the only one – they are prospects but they are still kids.

Austin Reed (6-4, 205, RHP, Rancho Cucamonga)
A right-hander with a good frame, Reed pitched at 88-90 with his fastball, 72 with his slider and 77 with his change-up. He battled through bouts of inconsistencies this fall. Reed doesn’t have the pure power to be considered a top player at his position right now, but his fastball does have some sink and movement on it, which will be a weapon for him. He’s a good candidate to be a Division I pitcher and will help his case as he increases his strength and learns how to maximize his fastball movement. He’s lined up to follow his brother, Addison, to San Diego State where three years of training and development could expand his ceiling.

Scott Frazier (6-6, 205, RHP, Upland)
Frazier is an interesting case. At 6-6, he should have more pitching power in his frame, but his fastball remained at 90-91 and his curveball at 71 during the fall. It’s hard to imagine that Frazier has additional height to come, but there is room on his frame for more muscle. Additional flexibility would also help him tap his potential. There’s a case to be made that Frazier could be a corner outfielder. In batting practice at Angel Stadium, the right-handed hitter with the wide stance muscled two balls out, including one to straight away center field, at the foot of the rocks. That’s about a 410-415 shoot with wood. It will be interesting to see what road Frazier takes, but you have to wonder if you took that frame, that power, and put it at first or right and gave him some at-bats, what you might have.

Austin Hedges (6-0, 175, C-INF, JSerra)
Hedges might be the best pure hitter from the 2011 draft class on this Angels Elite team. Hedges has a very solid hitting foundation with quiet hands that are strong and that he keeps back. His contact is consistently hard in batting practice and in games. He isn’t ready to grow into power yet, and his approach is basic and professional. His arm projects to be above-average on the pro scale. Third base is probably an unlikely destination for him based on limited range and a limited first step, but his soft hands could carry over behind the plate. His offense will punch his ticket and Hedges helped himself in Fall 2009 putting him on the right track to be a guy for 2011.

William Swanner (6-3, 185, R/R, C, La Costa Canyon)
Swanner has a durable frame for a catcher and should have a tad bit more physical projection and strength. Offensively, he hits off a sound and balanced foundation, with a firm front side and two-handed finish. He has a good offensive approach and has the potential for right-handed power from a premium position. On the pro scale, Swanner looks like a guy who would grade out as an above average defender and thrower with above-average power for his position. It’ll be interesting to see which route he chooses after high school, and he helped himself in the fall ball season.

(NOTE: I know that he has a pitching brother named Michael that I didn’t see. Not a slight – I just missed him. I’ll track him down in the future.)

CATCHERS
Greg Brodzinski, R/R, 6-2, 210 (Bishop Eustice, Turnersville, NJ)
South Carolina commit: solid frame, good balance, power potential, plus arm/release.

Brad Burcroff, R/R, 6-3, 200 (Redlands East Valley HS, Redlands CA)
Angels Elite member; durable frame; some RHH pop, worth follow.

Cody Doyle, L/R, 6-2, 202 (South Hills HS, CA)
Angels Elite member; right body for position, some LHH pop, worth a follow.

Bryce Harper, L/R, 6-3, 195 (Las Vegas, NV)
LHH power and plus arm; some scouts have no doubts; some express concerns about early-peaking, stiff body and a lack of smooth athletic actions.

TC Mark, L/R, 6-1, 210 (Pinnacle HS, Phoenix, AZ)
Varitek-type in LHH power potential; similar frame; developing defensively.

Connor Narron, S/R, 6-3, 187 (Aycock HS, Pikeville, NC)
Lean and lanky college type right now; UNC commit, follow

Shane Rowland, L/R, 5-10, 175 (Tampa Catholic HS, Tampa, FL)
Plus arm, arm accuracy and fielding; needs to prove he can hit.

Stefan Sabol, R/R, 6-1, 195 (Aliso Niguel HS, Aliso Niguel, CA)
Popular among local scouts for versatility; modest offensive projection

William Swanner, R/R, 6-2, 185 (La Costa Canyon, HS, CA)
Angels Elite member; good body, offensive potential from RH side

Covey was outstanding. He only threw a bullpen at the Area Codes and pitched well at Aflac, but he was better here, specifically because his good curveball was great.

Covey pitched with his fastball at 92-94 with bumps to 96 on some guns. His curveball is his best weapon, at 81-86. The faster, harder curveball is the pitch of a definite first-rounder. There is no slop to this curveball, it is hard, sharp, it changes planes so quickly that the poor kids he faces this spring pitching for Maranatha are going to ask for sick days. And I wouldn’t blame them. Covey’s confidence in his curveball is evident. Find me another high school pitcher who will throw a curveball for a strike when behind in the count.

Covey’s got a third pitch, a change-up, at 81-83, which is also good and ten miles off his fastball. When you break down Covey, you have a guy for which you better not be afraid to take out the big grades on.

Covey is this team’s top pitching prospect and might be the highest drafted player in 2010 off this Angels Elite squad, but he wasn’t the only pitcher who attracted notice.

Left-hander Kyle Richter didn’t pitch much last season at Santa Margarita High School, despite the fact that scouts lived there while sitting on outfielder Trayce Thompson, who became a second-round pick of the White Sox. For Orange County scouts who beat a path to see Tyler Matzek in 2009, their spring 2010 footprints will be to Santa Margarita to see Richter.

A 6-4, 200-pound lefty with a good pitcher’s frame, Richter has some nice foundations for a pro career. He topped at 93 and pitched at 88-92, with a good number of strikes in the 90-91 range. His fastball command will probably gain some polish in the future as he gains experience, begins to eliminate some rushing and becomes more comfortable with his power-type delivery. He has a fast arm with room for another mile or two on his fastball in the coming years. Richter is pretty well balanced and generates drive. He threw a change-up at 72-74. Big body left-handers who pitch with velocity won’t be going away any time soon.

Taijuan Walker (Yucaipa) is a new pitcher, having played basketball. At 6-5, he’s short for a forward, but great for a right-hander. He pitched at 90-92 with a bump to 93. He threw his hardest true slider at 81, with softer sliders with less hard action at 76-78. Walker showed a concept of being able to throw strikes at 90-92. His pure arm strength was evident in pre-game, when he airmailed a throw from right field over third base and above the dugout. He’s a pure thrower now with plus arm speed, a frame that has room for muscle maturity, and the start of hard downhill, sweeping fastball action.

Peter Tago (Dana Hills) is no secret, but hasn’t pitched as well as he did at the Area Codes. He appears to be looking for his slot again from this point of view, and he as was wild as he was in Aflac. Tago still pitched at 90-92 with a slider at 74, but he’s throwing too many pitches and not enough strikes. Tago is still going to be a drafted pitcher. His fastball gets hard run against right-handers. There’s a lot to like with Tago, in terms of arm speed, but he’s got a little bit of polish to add in the coming months.

Another Orange County pitcher with a good arm who is looking for some mechanical consistency is left-hander Henry Owens (Edison). He’s a junior, so there’s plenty of time. Owens pitched at 88-90 with his curveball at 75-76, but his body was not consistent to the target in his outing. He still has a long way to go before he fills out his 6-5, 185 frame. Owens is a good prospect with polishing required in the future.

Right-hander Scott Frazier (Upland) should have more power at 6-6, 205, but he’s doing pretty well for a pitcher who looks like he’s just scratching the surface. He pitched at 89-91 with a bump to 92, a breaking ball at 73-74, and a change-up at 79. Frazier needs to pin down a little more downhill action and create a little more movement. He’s got the arm and the body you want, and he’ll be worth following.

Right-hander Austin Reed (Rancho Cucamonga) has the right frame for a right-hander (6-4, 205), but he’s another guy who would need to create a little more power if he turned pro after high school. Reed has it in him – his brother, Addison – is going to make San Diego State baseball followers forget that other guy who couldn’t field the bunt at Irvine last year. Austin Reed was 88-90, slider at 72, change at 77. He throws with an across-the-body action that creates run against right-handers. I like Reed, and I think as he adds more power, he’ll develop into a fastball-slider closer type.

Right-hander Aaron Sanchez (Barstow) pitched at 88-89 with a breaking ball at 72-75. He’s got a lot of room for physical maturity, which is promise for more power, but in the last two outings I’ve seen (at the Urban Academy and here), he continues to fight himself mechanically, resulting in below-average fastball command.

Position Players
The two hardest hit balls in the game belonged to Austin Hedges and William Swanner. Hedges, a 2011 prospect from JSerra, hit a hard double to right-center field against Tago. Hedges (6-0, 175) showed good hands and pull power in BP, though he uses a one-hand finish.

Swanner (La Costa Canyon), another right-handed hitting catching prospect, also showed some right-center pop with a hard hit double against Sanchez. During BP, Swanner (6-2, 185) showed some skills to like. He has some power projection, good balance and rhythm, a two-handed finish, and a consistent approach.

Phillip Evans (La Costa Canyon) is a 2011 prospect that scouts are going to like. He’s stocky, at 5-11, 185, but he made hard contact in BP, showed 4.3 (50) speed to first base, has enough arm for short or second. Scouts will watch Evans to see that he is not an early-maturing player, though his arm action and athletic actions reminded one scout of Cal State Fullerton shortstop Christian Colon.

Cody Doyle (South Hills) will be worth seeing more of. His BP was marked by power, but he needs to show what kind of hitter will be in game action.

Mike Lorenzen (Fullerton) is another no-secret guy, who made the showcase circuit this summer. He’ll be a guy we break down here in the future because he will be a top-100 national talent in the 2010 draft. Lorenzen did what he does – a gap to gap hitter, who will hit some home runs but not be what we would call a power guy – who can run you a 50-55 to steal a base, and adds a fourth weapon, a rare 45 arm with an upgrade to 60 in right field. Lorenzen gets the Jake Marisnick comparison, but the take here is that Marisnick gets the edge athletically and Lorenzen is a better pure hitter.

Jake Jelmini (Mira Costa) is a big-bodied left-handed hitting first baseman with a straightaway approach. He’s got the South Bay swing — I know it when I see it. He pulled a ball into the air against Fraizer for a double.

Watch Dylan Covey November Video
Watch Dylan Covey Video
Watch Dylan Covey October Video
Read Dylan Covey Scouting Report
Watch Peter Tago Video
Watch Taijuan Walker Video
Watch Kyle Richter Video