Power Baseball 2020 Fall Tryouts Standouts Part 2
From August 14-16th, Power Baseball held their annual Fall Tryouts which saw over 300+ players ranging from the 2021-2024 classes who participated in a three-day event which consisted of bullpens at Turn 2 Sports and Performance Center on Friday night followed by pro-style workouts and live games on Saturday and Sunday at the Boombah Sports Complex.
With so many players in attendance, our scouting staff looked to find and identify some of the top standouts from over the weekend. Below is Part 2 of the Power Baseball 2020 Fall Tryouts Standouts which includes a brief player breakdown on each.
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2021s
2021 C/OF Easton LaPlaca (Barron Collier, FL)
Uncommitted. Showcased above average bat speed at the plate, making hard contact each time he barrels it up. The left handed hitter managed to get a hold of one and drive it deep into the right-center field gap for a double during gameplay. Up to 85 mph with his fastball on the mound. Makes the plays in the outfield, accurate arm to the bag. LaPlaca is a hard-nosed player who can make an impact in multiple ways in the lineup.
2021 OF/C Nik Mezzanotte (Bishop Moore HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Is a switch hitting machine. Drives the ball deep to all parts of the field from both sides of the plate. Generates loud contact, and has a good feel for the strike zone. Doesn’t chase out of the zone and hits the ball where it’s pitched.
2021 OF Khadin Bastian (The First Academy, FL)
Uncommitted. Above average athleticism. Hits for both power and contact from the left side, notably from the right side as he created hard contact. Plays center field well with range and a quick first step, above average arm strength. Quick on the base paths, swiped second and third easily during gameplay.
2022s
2022 LHP Landon Miller (Winter Springs HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Dominated in his outing, sitting low 80s with a lotta life on the ball, garnering a few strikeouts. His breaking ball buckled the knees of left handed hitters, leaving them waving their bats. Also mixed a good changeup into right handed hitters that induced ground balls.
2022 IF Trent Godawa (Spruce Creek HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Lean frame with present athleticism. Stood out during batting practice where he displayed loose, quick hands. Simple approach with some feel for the barrel. Drove the ball back up the middle with intent for multiple hard hit line drives. Above average defender in the outfield with accurate throws to 3B and home.
2022 OF Savian Loor (Lake Brantley HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Athletic frame that projects for additional power as he continues to fill out. Showed pull side pop with above average bat speed during batting practice as he drove the ball deep into left field and into the left-center field gap. Also went the other way a few times, allowing the ball to travel into the zone. Shows range and gets behind his throws in the outfield which are accurate to the bag.
2022 RHP/3B Ben Barrett (The First Academy, FL)
FSU commit. Strong, tall frame standing at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds. During bullpens on Friday night he sat 87-88 mph with his fastball that displayed riding life along with a 79-80 mph slider and 77-78 mph changeup. There’s plenty more in the tank as he continues to fill out. Stands out offensively as well as he can really barrel it up for loud, hard contact. Ball really jumps off the bat. Barrett possesses multiple above average tools and is a strong follow.
2023s
2023 RHP/1B Hunter Gressel (Lake Highland Prep, FL)
Uncommitted. Is a name to remember. Big 6-3 frame enables him to get full extension, helping him hide the ball longer and deceive the hitters. Ran his fastball into the low 80s with swing and miss off speed pitches changeup and curveball sitting 75 and 72 respectively.
2023 OF/IF Jaden Bastian (The First Academy, FL)
Uncommitted. Displayed multiple above average tools on the weekend. Quick hands offensively allowed him to drive the ball gap-to-gap. Uses his strong lower half to drive the ball, managing to record a few base hits including a triple over the head of the right fielder. Above average runner as well who can make his presence felt on the base paths.
2023 MIF/RHP Tanner Cullen (Olympia HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Impressed over the weekend, barreing the ball up with a short quick stroke and great extension. Moderate leg kick and good hip twist, utilizing his lower half to drive the ball. Power will come with additional strength. Sat low 80s on the mound with a sharp tight breaking pitch.
2023 MIF Bryce Gluckman (Bishop Moore HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Swings the bat with intent. Strong frame, very little movement at the plate, short quick action drives the ball hard to all parts of the field. Soft hands up the middle, able to make difficult plays and showcase above average arm strength.
2023 LHP/OF Hunter Key (East River HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Showcased fast hands at the plate. Drove balls hard to all parts of the field, including lacing a frozen rope through the right side of the infield. Also deals well from the bump, showcasing two-way potential, fills the zone with a three-pitch mix. Ran his fastball up to 78 mph.
2023 MIF Kevin Maffuz (Oviedo HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Has soft hands and runs well. Generates contact to where the ball is pitched and isn’t afraid to hit with two strikes. A gritty hitter, a tough out, and takes counts deep with great pitch selection. Additional strength to his frame will help secure more extra base hits. Projects long term at second base.
2023 RHP Skylar Stinson (Apopka HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Lean, athletic frame with room to fill out. Stinson ran his fastball up to 84 mph during bullpens, sitting 81-83 while mixing in a 69-70 mph curveball that showed depth and a 72-73 mph changeup. Quick arm and gets some extension out in front. Stinson has continued to see an uptick in velocity and more is coming.
2023 RHP/IF Nathan Seeber (The First Academy, FL)
Uncommitted. Projectable, athletic frame that currently stands at 6-1, 165 pounds. Seeber has impressed from an offensive perspective in the past, but he also showed potential on the mound as well, running his fastball up to 85 mph. Also threw a 71-72 mph breaking ball along with a 75-76 mph changeup. The arm works and there’s more in the tank. Good follow.
2023 MIF Darnell Parker Jr. (IMG Academy, FL)
Uncommitted. Lean frame with plenty of athleticism. Defensively, he shows above average range and a quick first step to the ball, fielding the ball under control and with confidence. Makes the tough plays as well, especially on diving stops. Offensively, the hands work quick through the zone and he looks to drive the ball gap-to-gap. Above average runner as well. Parker has the tools to stay up the middle and as he continues to strengthen his frame will only continue to see overall improvements in his game.
2023 C/IF Derek Lopez (Dr. Phillips HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Lopez continued to show his strong two-way potential over the weekend as he stood out in bullpens on Friday night and offensively during the workout portion. Ran his fastball up to 80 mph with a feel for his offspeed stuff. Offensively, he’s very comfortable in the box and looks for his pitch to drive. Quick hands through the zone and drives the ball back up the middle.
2024s
2024 LHP/OF Talan Bell (Hagerty HS, FL)
FSU Commit. Stood out during bullpens where he sat 83-84 mph with his fastball, touching 86 with life. Showed a plus change with sinking action away from right handed hitters which was at 75-76 mph. Throws lots of strikes and pounds the zone. Also showcased above average athleticism in the outfield, tracking down fly balls with above average range. Offensively, he drives the ball where it’s pitched and delivers multiple extra base hits. Bell is a strong two-way prospect at the moment, but his potential on the mound is big time. Very strong follow.
2024 LHP/OF Charley Bergsma (Barron Collier HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Dominated in his outing where he generated lots of swings and misses. He struck out 80% of the batters he faced, showcasing command of his off speed breaking pitches, buckling the knees of fellow lefties. Also showcased two-way potential, flashing above average bat speed at the plate.
2024 RHP/1B Jacob Sams (Winter Park HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Really stood out on the mound. Able to get full extension out of his tall 6-3 frame. Showed above average command of two pitches, able to bury his curveball into the hands of both lefties and away from righties. Sits between 76-77 mph. Recorded a pair of Ks. Projects as a potential two-way, hits well and plays 1B.
2024 C Andy Perez (University Orange City, FL)
Uncommitted. Does multiple things on the field at a very high level. An absolute wall behind the plate. Threw out multiple runners, had a 1.89 pop-time down to second. Fast transfer, quick feet, gets rid of the ball in a hurry. Strong defender up the middle as well where he displays range and an above average arm across the diamond. Showcased plus bat-speed, drove balls hard to both sides of the field. Collected a few RBIs in-game as well. Perez is another strong follow with plenty of athleticism.
2024 RHP/OF Dillon Smalley (Lake Highland Prep, FL)
Uncommitted. Projects extremely well with his long limbs and lean frame. Releases from a deceptive lower arm slot. Sits 79-80 mph his fastball, touching 81 with good late movement. Commands a hammer slider that drops under the bats and showcases a plus changeup at 73-74 mph with arm side run. Potential two way player, also drives the baseball hard with quick hands through the zone. As Smalley continues to fill out and strengthen his frame, the velocity will soon follow. Strong follow.
2024 C/OF Garrett Lorfano (Olympia HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Made loud contact in each of his rounds during batting practice, driving the ball to all parts of the field deep into the gaps. Drives it with intent and creates hard contact. During gameplay he drove a ball over the fence for a ground rule double. Big, durable frame that blocks well behind the plate and keeps the ball in front of him.
2024 LHP/OF Devin Loor (Lake Brantley HS, FL)
Uncommitted. Showcased strong two-way potential during the tryouts both on the mound and offensively. During bullpens he really filled up the zone with his full arsenal while also hitting the corners with his off speed pitches. Fastball mostly sat 74-75 mph while mixing in his curveball and changeup. Offensively, he consistently made hard contact during batting practice and drove the ball gap-to-gap. Plenty of upside as he continues to mature.
