On Sunday, April 12 at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa we saw seven sub-seven 60 yard dashes, four raw velocities of at least 86 mph, four fastballs of at least 85 mph, three bat exit velocities of at least 87 mph, and two pop times at 2.00 or better.

The Vanguard Lions — of the NAIA Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) — split a Saturday doubleheader with Westmont College to wrap up their weekend series, leaving the baseball field available for the Sunday Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout stop.

2018 SS/RHP Connor Neves

2018 SS/RHP Connor Neves (Huntington Beach HS – Huntington Beach, CA) posted 6.86 in the 60 yard dash, just narrowly ahead of the 6.87 turned in by 2016 SS/RHP Jack McCarthy (San Juan Hills HS – San Juan Capistrano, CA).

When we first saw Connor Neves in December 2013, he ran 7.25. The following summer he posted 7.38 in Bradenton at Pirate City. His 6.86 in March 2015 marks an impressive improvement of nearly four tenths of a second in about sixteen months.

Jack McCarthy was among the best hitters at the event. The 6-foot-1 / 178 pound right-handed hitter featured rhythm to hit, along with good hands and hand-eye coordination for hard contact back up the middle of the field. He showed as a solid defender in the infield, and featured two advanced secondary offerings on the mound to go with a low 80s fastball.

Jack’s cousin Michael McCarthy, a 6-foot-2 right-handed pitcher, participated in numerous Baseball Factory events — including the 2006 Pre-Season All-America Tournament — before starting his college career at the University of Redlands. He transferred from there to Cal State Bakersfield, and was selected in the 14th round of the 2011 draft by the Boston Red Sox. He reached the AAA level with the Red Sox in 2014, and started the 2015 season with the AA Portland Sea Dogs in the Eastern League.

2018 SS/RHP Jeff Bruyntjens

Also among the top hitters were 2016 OF/1B Conner Bock (Sage Hill HS – Newport Coast, CA) and 2018 SS/RHP Jeff Bruyntjens (Laguna Beach HS – Laguna Beach, CA) — a 2015 Baseball Factory All-America Pre-Season Rookie Tournament participant.

A left-handed hitter listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Conner Bock featured an aggressive move with strength through contact and the ability to drive the ball from gap to gap. He has a chance to be a standout defender at first base, though he is versatile and athletic enough to be a very effective defender at a corner outfield position.

Jeff Bruyntjens stands 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds with a strong and broad build. He produced raw power from a stroke that will also give him a chance to hit at a high level. His move was short and direct to the ball, at which point he was able to accelerate the barrel through the zone to generate hard contact all over the ballpark. Though he showed the makings of a solid glove, he doesn’t seem a likely candidate for a middle of the field profile.

2018 OF/LHP Branden Boissiere

Five more runners posted sub-seven 60 yard dashes. That group included 2018 2B Daniel Johnson (Trabuco Hills HS – Foothill Ranch, CA) at 6.92, 2018 OF/LHP Branden Boissiere (Woodcrest Christian HS – Riverside, CA) at 6.93, and 2016 SS Julian Caravantes (La Jolla Country Day – San Diego, CA) at 6.95.

Both 2018 OF Grant Burton (Mater Dei HS – San Juan Capistrano, CA) and 2018 OF Jacob Allred (Cathedral Catholic HS – San Diego, CA) posted 6.99 in the 60 yard dash, and both showed advanced tool sets for current high school freshmen. Mater Dei and Cathedral Catholic are among the perennial best high school programs in Southern California, so it should come as no surprise that they have talented young players on their rosters.

2018 1B Cade Brown (Cardiff, CA) is another promising young player from Cathedral Catholic. He stands at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, and showed the makings of a well-rounded set of tools. Mater Dei 2016 3B/RHP Alec Telles (Orange, CA) stands at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds and featured four strong tools as a position player. He was a solid defender at 3B, and showed a strong and accurate arm across the infield. His hands were quick to the zone, and he showed the feel and barrel accuracy necessary for hard contact all over the field.

2016 LHP David Barta

In January 2015, LHP David Barta earned top 10 honors among 2016 graduates at the Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament. Below is an excerpt from that scouting report:

He commanded his fastball up to 89, and got late arm side run when he worked it away to right-handers (or in to lefties). He showed similar command with his breaking ball, which he threw in the low 70s and with 2-8 shape down and across the zone. Though he didn’t use it much — and frankly, he didn’t need to — his change showed promise as a third pitch that could get to the level of his fastball and breaking ball. 

A few months later in Costa Mesa, he showed much of the same. He threw a high volume of fastball strikes at 84-88 mph with tailing arm side life. His breaking ball had 2-to-8 shape with some depth at 72-73 mph, while his change was a 75-77 mph offering with arm side life and some sinking action. He stands a strong framed 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, and featured a loose and easy arm stroke. Barta has committed to Loyola Marymount University.

Three pitchers touched 85 mph, including 2018 OF/LHP Branden Boissiere (Woodcrest Christian HS – Riverside, CA) — who was also among the top runners.

2018 RHP/1B Chandler Champlain (Santa Margarita Catholic HS – Coto de Caza, CA) threw his fastball 84-85 mph, and spun a mid 60s breaking ball with sharp downward action. His arm worked well, and his delivery was more than functional to allow for a high volume of strikes with his best two pitches. He has real two-way potential, though his main upside at this point (and it’s early) appears to be on the mound.

2016 RHP/C Braydon Salzman

2016 RHP/C Braydon Salzman (Ocean View HS – Huntington Beach, CA) was among the leaders in several measurable categories — including fastball velocity. His fastball was 83-85 mph with tailing arm side life — but it wasn’t his best pitch. He spun a sharp breaking ball with defined 11-to-5 shape in the low-to-mid 70s, and showed advanced feel for an upper 70s changeup.

As a position player, Salzman posted 85 mph raw velocity, and was the only catcher to record a sub-two second pop time at 1.97. He showed well-rounded defensive skills, and has a chance to hit thanks to a loose right-handed stroke with good feel for the barrel.

2016 C JJ Duarte

2016 C JJ Duarte (San Pedro HS – San Pedro, CA) was just on the outside of the Honorable Mentions at the January 2015 Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament.

A few months later in Costa Mesa, he showed better catch and throw skills along with about a half-grade better hitting ability. His pop times ranged from 2.00 to 2.09, down from the range of 2.06-2.18 we saw previously. He whipped the barrel through the zone, and used strong hands (he recorded 147 psi grip strength) to make hard contact with a wood bat.

Most players go through the bat exit velocity station with a metal bat, but Duarte used a wood bat to generate an 83 mph reading.

At the top of the bat exit velocity category was 2018 OF/LHP Branden Boissiere (Woodcrest Christian HS – Riverside, CA) — a name you should be familiar with by now. After running 6.93 in the 60 yard dash and touching 85 mph with his fastball, he notched 89 mph off the bat (using aluminum).

2016 1B Garrett Henkel

At 87 mph bat exit velocity were 2017 3B Rene Palacios (La Habra HS – La Habra, CA) and 2017 OF Derek Park (Santa Margarita HS – Aliso Viejo, CA). 2016 OF Jacob Boney (Temecula Valley HS – Winchestor, CA) posted 86 mph, followed by  2016 1B Garrett Henkel (Carlsbad HS – Carlsbad, CA) at 85 mph — a talented left-handed hitter with a 6-foot-3 and 190 pound frame.

2018 OF Caleb Turner (Centennial HS – Corona, CA) reached 88 mph raw velocity, as did 2016 OF Gabriel Barthelmass (Laguna Hills HS – Laguna Beach, CA). Since June 2014 when we first saw him, Barthelmass has increased his raw velocity from 80 to 88 mph, while his 60 yard dash has gone down from 7.20 to 7.07. He’s shown as a naturally talented right-handed hitter each time we’ve seen him, with excellent quickness to the zone along with a strong and aggressive move through contact.

2016 3B Gavin Garcia (El Toro HS – Lake Forest, CA) posted 87 mph raw velocity, with 2016 OF Derry Williams (Citrus Hills HS – Riverside, CA) right behind him at 86 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.