C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
--CJ Weins threw for the second time of the fall Friday, struggling early with his command. He’d walk the bases loaded and give up a bloop two-run single to Jalen Vasquez before the inning ended. He’d look much better in his second inning, going 1-2-3 with two strikeouts against freshmen Dariyan Pendergrass and Elijah Lambros.
Weins was sitting in the low-90s—topping 92/93—with a breaking ball I saw at 78 miles per hour. He’d strike out Michael Braswell and Lambros both on a breaking ball.
--The other starter on Friday, Noah Hall, had a similar outing where he battled issues in the first before a solid second inning. Hall would put a runner on third after a leadoff single, a stolen base and throwing error before striking out Braylen Wimmer and Josiah Sightler to get out of it unscathed. He’d give up a single and a walk in the second but a runner got caught stealing then Hall got out of the inning with a strikeout and groundout to short.
He’s another guy who will compete for weekend innings, sitting 91-93 right now on his fastball with a slider in the low-80s.
--One of the more impressive hitters so far has been transfer Brandt Belk, who has started off really hot this fall. He’d rope a first-pitch single to the opposite field against Hall before lining a RBI double in his next at-bat. He’s a veteran bat on the roster and adds more value because he’s a left-hander.
--The freshmen class continues to impress me through the first few scrimmages with a few guys showing some offensive potential. Carson Hornung drew two walks Friday and made a fantastic diving stab at third base and threw a bullet across the diamond to gun out Andrew Eyster.
Cole Messina had a walk and a single as well while Thad Ector walked once Friday and stole second before coming around to score on Vasquez’s single.
--In terms of situational hitting, it is very, very early but things seem to be a little bit better there compared to what it was last year. Hitters seem to be using the opposite field a little more, including having two RBI singles to the opposite field by Braylen Wimmer and Evan Stone Friday and Connor Cino having an opposite field home run Saturday.
--John Gilreath had two innings of work, giving up two hits and a walk but did get a strikeout and fly out to end the inning. He’d have a better second inning with a flyout, groundout and strikeout with a fastball sitting in the high-80s, touching the low-90s.
--One thing needing to improve is things defensively behind the plate with Colin Burgess still sidelined with a shoulder injury that’ll keep him out for some of the fall. Both Messina and Talmadge LeCroy are shouldering catching duties and had a few errant throws to second with runners stealing and need to be better there. It’s still very early in their careers and it should get better, but the throws haven’t been consistently good down there.
--Junior college transfer Michael Esposito threw an inning as well, getting up to 92 miles per hour from the left side in a perfect inning to end Friday’s scrimmage. He’d get two strikeouts—one on Kevin Madden and Vito Valincius—then was helped by Hornung’s play at third base.
--I wasn’t at Saturday’s scrimmage (football duty called) but the feedback I got was it was a sloppier scrimmage (seven errors) with not much offense (seven hits in 5.5 innings). Connor Cino did have three of those, one of those a home run. James Hicks pitched two innings, sitting 92 to 93 miles per hour and didn’t allow a run either. Michael Braswell also pitched some and was sitting 90 to 92 as well.
Weins was sitting in the low-90s—topping 92/93—with a breaking ball I saw at 78 miles per hour. He’d strike out Michael Braswell and Lambros both on a breaking ball.
--The other starter on Friday, Noah Hall, had a similar outing where he battled issues in the first before a solid second inning. Hall would put a runner on third after a leadoff single, a stolen base and throwing error before striking out Braylen Wimmer and Josiah Sightler to get out of it unscathed. He’d give up a single and a walk in the second but a runner got caught stealing then Hall got out of the inning with a strikeout and groundout to short.
He’s another guy who will compete for weekend innings, sitting 91-93 right now on his fastball with a slider in the low-80s.
--One of the more impressive hitters so far has been transfer Brandt Belk, who has started off really hot this fall. He’d rope a first-pitch single to the opposite field against Hall before lining a RBI double in his next at-bat. He’s a veteran bat on the roster and adds more value because he’s a left-hander.
--The freshmen class continues to impress me through the first few scrimmages with a few guys showing some offensive potential. Carson Hornung drew two walks Friday and made a fantastic diving stab at third base and threw a bullet across the diamond to gun out Andrew Eyster.
Cole Messina had a walk and a single as well while Thad Ector walked once Friday and stole second before coming around to score on Vasquez’s single.
--In terms of situational hitting, it is very, very early but things seem to be a little bit better there compared to what it was last year. Hitters seem to be using the opposite field a little more, including having two RBI singles to the opposite field by Braylen Wimmer and Evan Stone Friday and Connor Cino having an opposite field home run Saturday.
--John Gilreath had two innings of work, giving up two hits and a walk but did get a strikeout and fly out to end the inning. He’d have a better second inning with a flyout, groundout and strikeout with a fastball sitting in the high-80s, touching the low-90s.
--One thing needing to improve is things defensively behind the plate with Colin Burgess still sidelined with a shoulder injury that’ll keep him out for some of the fall. Both Messina and Talmadge LeCroy are shouldering catching duties and had a few errant throws to second with runners stealing and need to be better there. It’s still very early in their careers and it should get better, but the throws haven’t been consistently good down there.
--Junior college transfer Michael Esposito threw an inning as well, getting up to 92 miles per hour from the left side in a perfect inning to end Friday’s scrimmage. He’d get two strikeouts—one on Kevin Madden and Vito Valincius—then was helped by Hornung’s play at third base.
--I wasn’t at Saturday’s scrimmage (football duty called) but the feedback I got was it was a sloppier scrimmage (seven errors) with not much offense (seven hits in 5.5 innings). Connor Cino did have three of those, one of those a home run. James Hicks pitched two innings, sitting 92 to 93 miles per hour and didn’t allow a run either. Michael Braswell also pitched some and was sitting 90 to 92 as well.
