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Tournaments  | Story  | 12/11/2023

Scout Stories: Part 5

Steve Doherty      Joey Cohen     
This year's baseball season delivered unforgettable breakout performances, showcasing an impressive display of talent and aptitude at all levels. Standout moments included clutch home runs, wipeout pitching, and remarkable defensive plays. The athleticism and skill exhibited by both seasoned upperclassmen and emerging talents were truly exceptional, leaving a lasting impression on the California baseball community. The season became a canvas for extraordinary feats, highlighting the diverse strengths of players and contributing to baseball’s timeless appeal.

Best Game I Saw:

Harvard Westlake Vs. Notre Dame | March 15, 2023
I witnessed an unforgettable clash between two fierce rivals that left fans on the edge of their seats. The game unfolded with a nail-biting pitching duel between ‘23 Justin Lee of Notre Dame HS, and current UCLA Bruin who was up to 94 on this night, and ‘24 Tommy Bridges of Harvard Westlake HS, TCU commit. There were breathtaking offensive displays all-around and tensions escalated as both teams vied for supremacy. The defining moment was delivered by ‘24 Bryce Rainer of Harvard Westlake HS, a Texas commit, with a dramatic home run that echoed through the stadium and landed on top of the parking structure in right field. However, Notre Dame sealed the victory 2-1 and etched this game into baseball lore. The atmosphere, the skillful plays, and the sheer unpredictability made it a standout, solidifying its place as the best baseball game I saw in 2023.



Best Tournament Performance I Saw:


Donald Murray | PG Showdown | March 10, 2023
Donald Murray’s pitching performance in the annual PG Showdown tournament at Great Park was nothing short of mesmerizing. Murray, out of La Mirada HS, CA. dominated the game with pinpoint accuracy, striking out eighteen (18) opposing batters from a stacked Oaks Christian HS squad and flawlessly executed crucial pitches in high-pressure situations, showcasing a mastery of the craft that etched an unforgettable chapter in the tournament's history.

Favorite Single Game Moment:
PG All-American Raffaele Velazquez Home Run @ Boras Classic - South | April 12, 2023
Velazquez’s dramatic, clutch home run in front of an abundant amount of MLB decision makers not only secured the lead and put the game out of reach, but also etched his name in the annals of unforgettable moments at the Boras Classic, South tournament. Three months later, Velazquez was selected by the Cleveland Guardians in the 1st round (16th pick) in the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft.

Biggest Showcase Breakout Performance:

Ty Southisene | PG All-American Game | August 20, 2023
Ty Southisene's breakout performance in the All-American game was nothing short of spectacular, eclipsing all others with his exceptional defensive chops on display (seen here). His timely hitting and precision in the field, showcased a level of talent that left spectators in awe. Ty's outstanding showing undoubtedly marked him as the standout player of the All-American game, making a lasting impression on scouts and fans alike.

Pick to Click:
Braylon Doughty’s consistent performances this summer have solidified in my mind that he belongs in MLB draft discussions. Strong pitching mechanics combined with two MLB ready pitches in the fastball and slider scream there's more in the tank and potential for future growth. Evaluating his track record, scrutinizing his adaptability on the mound, and weighing the overall impact he could bring to a MLB team are all factors that will aid in making a well-rounded assessment of Doughty's draft consideration.

-Steve Doherty

Best Game I Saw 

The best tournament game I saw this year was also the game that I felt had the best collection of talent on one field, which was the playoff matchup of 15u Canes National vs. USA Prime 15U at the WWBA Freshman World Championships out in West Palm. This matchup included close to twenty players that are ranked nationally in the ‘27 class, many I’ve already seen out at some regional tourneys in Arizona and others I was just seeing for the first time. Some of the bigger names included Chase Fuller, Jordin Griffin, Landon Green, Conor Rae, Griffin McKain, Christopher Wall, Colton Christman and I could go on and on. The game had a bit of everything whether that was high octane pitching, some exciting clutch hitting, and probably the most dramatic home run I saw during the tournament circuit by Chase Fuller. The competitive energy from the players was palpable throughout and there was this feeling that whoever won that game was going to end up winning it all, which USA Prime ended up doing. 

Best Tournament Performance I Saw 


The best tourney performance I took in this year was Derek Wilson’s MVP run at the 15U AZ Fall State Championship. I hadn’t seen Wilson before then and he made his presence known in a big way where he was an absurd 9-for-14 which included six XBHs and thirteen runs batted in. His performance stands out to me because I took in almost all of those nine hits and there were no cheapies mixed in there as all of them were loud barrels. The type of hitterish confidence he was exuding in the box that whole weekend was something I haven’t seen many times before. Wilson is now very much on our radars in Arizona and I’m excited to see his continued development. 

Favorite Single Game Moment 

My favorite game moment wasn’t anything that pertained to a single clutch moment, but it was simply something I had never seen before, an incoming freshman touching 94 mph on the mound. In Landon Green’s start at the WWBA Freshman World Championships against R3 2027 there wasn't a single open seat as players and parents collected from all over to watch him pitch. He ended up throwing four shutout innings and besides his electric low 90s fastball it was his low 80s slider that just made it unfair for opposing hitters. Younger players are continuing to throw harder and harder nowadays, but I think Green’s sheer arm talent at that age will continue to hold as an outlier moment many years down the road. 

Biggest Showcase Breakout Performer 

I’ve written about Colten Bott a couple times now but the unique backstory of how he got on our radar which allowed him to have his breakout showcase performance is why I chose him here. It was at PG National where we had a couple pitchers drop from the event late. I was going through my social media feed at the time, and I had seen a recent UCLA commitment announcement from CJ. Roch Cholowsky (UCLA) was sitting next to me, and I decided to ask him about CJ. Roch said he had heard some really positive things and that he was a guy that would be an intriguing emergency addition. Long story short we were able to get him to Chase Field on a whim where he ended up impressing in his one inning of work running his fastball up to an easy 92 mph while mixing in a depthy fading changeup he has advanced feel for and also landing his larger breaker. Since that outing CJ has really exploded onto the national scene and has made himself an intriguing draft follow headed into next spring. 

Picks to Click

When looking at players that I think could really elevate their stock in 2024, ‘25 Ethan Porter and ‘25 Jack Lafflam are the first two that come to mind. I got eyes on Porter early in his HS career where he checked a ton of early boxes. He then had an injury setback that cost him his freshman year and part of his sophomore year but after seeing him a bunch this past summer and fall I think he’s going to have a monster 2024 spring and he will take it into the summer circuit. It’s a sneaky athletic profile, real hitterish traits and impact along with serious arm strength. 

With Lafflam, I just don’t think there are many other arms in the class with his type of upside. It’s simply a combination of the considerable projection in his 6-foot-4 170-pound frame, the ease of the operation where it generates a minimal effort low 90s fastball, and his outlier ability to really spin a breaking ball. A year from now I think we will be looking at a Top 15 type arm in the class. 

-Joey Cohen
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