Before serving as a College Recruiting Consultant for Baseball Factory, “Coach” Jim Spooner won 688 games at the University of West Florida, where he was the head baseball coach from 1983 until 2006. In August of 2008, the UWF baseball stadium was renamed Jim Spooner Field. A month later, in September of 2008, Coach Spooner passed away after a long battle with leukemia.

Jim Spooner Field, on the campus of the University of West Florida

On Sunday, December 7 the Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout tour made it’s annual stop at Jim Spooner Field in Pensacola. We saw a little bit of everything on the day – eleven velocities of 83 mph or higher, seven sub-seven 60 yard dashes, and one sub-1.9 pop time.

In December of 2013 at Jim Spooner Field, we saw 2015 C Michael Farnell (Spanish Fort HS – Daphne, AL) post a low pop time of 2.2 and touch 83 on the radar gun. One year later, he offered proof of significant improvement in both areas. His low pop time fell by more than three tenths of a second, down to 1.88, while his raw velocity jumped four ticks up to 87 mph. A left handed hitter at 6-foot and nearly 200 pounds, he’s got some raw power to go with his catch and throw ability.

Over the course of three events in the last ten months, 2016 LHP Kristopher Reber has shown a steadily improving fastball. At the February 2014 Mobile, AL UA National Tryout he topped at 77 mph. We saw him next in late June at the Omaha National World Series, where he touched 81 and didn’t throw a fastball below 77. Most recently, he reached 83 mph – completing a move of six mph up the ladder in less than one year. The quick armed lefty stands at 6-foot and 170 pounds, and has also shown an improving breaking ball.

The top tick on the radar gun belonged to Michael Farnell at 87 mph. Other top raw velocities included 2015 C Matthew French (Crestview HS, FL) at 85, 2016 1B Travis Ray (North Florida Christian – Tallahassee, FL) at 84, and 2017 SS Parker Baynes (Gulf Breeze HS – Pensacola Beach, FL) at 83 mph.

2016 right hander Chase Shell (Milton HS, FL) touched 85 mph for the top fastball of the day. A pair of 6-foot-3 2017 righties were close on his heels, both Donovan Benoit (Haleyville HS, AL) and Jacob Burke (Escambia HS – Pensacola, FL) touched 84 mph. 2015 RHP Dayton Cook (Spanish Fort HS, AL) also joined the group at 84 mph.

The Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout Tour is rolling through all 50 states. Tryouts are held for players ages 12-14 and 14-18. Don’t miss your opportunity to Be Discovered.

Find an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout near you and register online or call (800) 641-4487.