C
Collyn Taylor
Guest
Gamecocks scrimmaged for eight innings today, going and simulating a lot of in-game situations. Pitchers went a little bit longer than last week (everyone went at least two innings, starters went three) and each pitcher in his final inning faced bases loaded, no outs to start.
Before all of it, some injury updates: Ian Jenkins hurt his knee and was on crutches Friday. Extent of the injury isn't known right now but Kingston will go through a full update on injuries Sunday. Quinntin Perez didn't play either and neither did George Callil despite being listed in the starting lineup.
A few pitchers looked real good in their outings and here are some observations from all of it:
Pitching:
--Carmen Mlodzinski started and went three innings and looked like the ace of this staff. He was up to 92 on his fastball and his cutter looked as sharp as I've seen it, sitting between 85-88 mph. He was also hovering in the low 80s on his slider. He pitched around two walks in his first inning and in his final inning went 1-2-3 with the bases loaded against Jacob Olson, Andrew Eyster and Josiah Sightler. He struck the final two hitters of the inning out and looked really good doing it.
--Dylan Harley started opposite Mlodzinski and looked solid in his outing as he competes for that Saturday spot. He was up to 91 on his fastball from the left side and showcased a changeup at 85 and a curveball around 77/79 with a lot of break to it. In three innings he didn't allow a hit, put just two base runners and struck out two. He's shown the ability to pitch to contact and get guys out and he navigated his way around a couple big hitters like Brady Allen, TJ Hopkins and Chris Cullen.
--Another bullpen arm that threw was Wes Sweatt, who showed some stuff but also got knocked around a little bit. He gave up three straight hits to open his outing but struck out the side after that (Olson-Sightler-Campbell). He struggled a little bit in his second inning giving up three extra base hits in his next two innings, though. Sweatt was up to 91 mph on his four seam and threw a slider and changeup in the low to mid 80s. There was a lot of movement to his slider that can get swings and misses but sometimes leaves his pitches up.
--Reid Morgan also came out of the pen and threw three innings, getting up to 90 mph on his fastball from a pretty deceptive arm angle. He was also around 80-83 on his slider and it looked really good. He gave up a few hits, including four singles in his second inning, but nothing was really smoked. He also got out of his bases-loaded jam, giving up just a sac fly to Chris Cullen.
--The guy I left most impressed with outside of maybe Mlodzinski was Sawyer Bridges. In two innings he gave up one hit, an Eyster single, and a strikeout. His fastball was hovering from 83-88 mph from his angle with a lot of movement and was up to 77 mph on his changeup. The biggest thing was his velocity didn't dip heading into his second inning and he topped out in the high 80s late in his pitch count.
--Parker Coyne also pitched and looked solid as well, getting up to 90/91 mph, a 81 mph changeup and a breaking ball at 77/78 mph. He pitched through a 1-2-3 inning his first time out and in his bases loaded inning got a double play and strikeout to end the scrimmage.
Offense:
--I continue to be impressed with Josiah Sightler, who hadn't gotten a lot of hits but smoked a few balls last weekend. He had a double Friday that went off the right field wall (pull-side) at 99.4 mph off the bat. He's got the build of a power-hitting first baseman and it looks like it's continuing to develop.
--Noah Campbell also looks refined at the plate, drawing a walk in his first at bat and notching a hit (a RBI double) and hitting a balls on the screws.
--Luke Berryhill and Nick Neville had back-to-back doubles with Berryhill's registering at 103.7 mph off the bat. Both have really good power and play solid defense. I would expect both players to factor into the starting lineup on opening weekend. Berryhill also had another double later off Sweatt again.
--Joel Brewer also notched a hit right after that, a single 102.3 mph exit velocity. He's a guy that's come on lately since a hand injury hampered him in the fall. TJ Hopkins is the starting centerfielder, but I could see Brewer seeing some time out there as a sub or getting some at-bats this season as well.
--Chris Cullen looks a lot better at the plate this spring and looks like a mature hitter. He had a single in one at-bat, hit a sac fly to centerfield in another.
Defense:
--Sticking with Cullen, he looks every bit of a SEC catcher right now defensively. His arm behind the plate looks talented throwing out runners. He's also better at blocking pitches in the dirt and framing things.
--Nick Neville looks solid defensively as well as Jonah Beamon, who saw his first action at third and played solid Friday.
Starting lineup:
Garnet: 2B, Noah Campbell; 3B, Jacob Olson; RF, Andrew Eyster; 1B, Josiah Sightler; C, Luke Berryhill; SS, Nick Neville; CF, Joel Brewer; SP, Dylan Harley
Black: LF, Brady Allen; CF, TJ Hopkins; C, Chris Cullen; 1B, Jordan Holladay; DH, Wes Clarke; 3B, Jonah Beamon; 2B, Jacob English; SP, Carmen Mlodzinski
Before all of it, some injury updates: Ian Jenkins hurt his knee and was on crutches Friday. Extent of the injury isn't known right now but Kingston will go through a full update on injuries Sunday. Quinntin Perez didn't play either and neither did George Callil despite being listed in the starting lineup.
A few pitchers looked real good in their outings and here are some observations from all of it:
Pitching:
--Carmen Mlodzinski started and went three innings and looked like the ace of this staff. He was up to 92 on his fastball and his cutter looked as sharp as I've seen it, sitting between 85-88 mph. He was also hovering in the low 80s on his slider. He pitched around two walks in his first inning and in his final inning went 1-2-3 with the bases loaded against Jacob Olson, Andrew Eyster and Josiah Sightler. He struck the final two hitters of the inning out and looked really good doing it.
--Dylan Harley started opposite Mlodzinski and looked solid in his outing as he competes for that Saturday spot. He was up to 91 on his fastball from the left side and showcased a changeup at 85 and a curveball around 77/79 with a lot of break to it. In three innings he didn't allow a hit, put just two base runners and struck out two. He's shown the ability to pitch to contact and get guys out and he navigated his way around a couple big hitters like Brady Allen, TJ Hopkins and Chris Cullen.
--Another bullpen arm that threw was Wes Sweatt, who showed some stuff but also got knocked around a little bit. He gave up three straight hits to open his outing but struck out the side after that (Olson-Sightler-Campbell). He struggled a little bit in his second inning giving up three extra base hits in his next two innings, though. Sweatt was up to 91 mph on his four seam and threw a slider and changeup in the low to mid 80s. There was a lot of movement to his slider that can get swings and misses but sometimes leaves his pitches up.
--Reid Morgan also came out of the pen and threw three innings, getting up to 90 mph on his fastball from a pretty deceptive arm angle. He was also around 80-83 on his slider and it looked really good. He gave up a few hits, including four singles in his second inning, but nothing was really smoked. He also got out of his bases-loaded jam, giving up just a sac fly to Chris Cullen.
--The guy I left most impressed with outside of maybe Mlodzinski was Sawyer Bridges. In two innings he gave up one hit, an Eyster single, and a strikeout. His fastball was hovering from 83-88 mph from his angle with a lot of movement and was up to 77 mph on his changeup. The biggest thing was his velocity didn't dip heading into his second inning and he topped out in the high 80s late in his pitch count.
--Parker Coyne also pitched and looked solid as well, getting up to 90/91 mph, a 81 mph changeup and a breaking ball at 77/78 mph. He pitched through a 1-2-3 inning his first time out and in his bases loaded inning got a double play and strikeout to end the scrimmage.
Offense:
--I continue to be impressed with Josiah Sightler, who hadn't gotten a lot of hits but smoked a few balls last weekend. He had a double Friday that went off the right field wall (pull-side) at 99.4 mph off the bat. He's got the build of a power-hitting first baseman and it looks like it's continuing to develop.
--Noah Campbell also looks refined at the plate, drawing a walk in his first at bat and notching a hit (a RBI double) and hitting a balls on the screws.
--Luke Berryhill and Nick Neville had back-to-back doubles with Berryhill's registering at 103.7 mph off the bat. Both have really good power and play solid defense. I would expect both players to factor into the starting lineup on opening weekend. Berryhill also had another double later off Sweatt again.
--Joel Brewer also notched a hit right after that, a single 102.3 mph exit velocity. He's a guy that's come on lately since a hand injury hampered him in the fall. TJ Hopkins is the starting centerfielder, but I could see Brewer seeing some time out there as a sub or getting some at-bats this season as well.
--Chris Cullen looks a lot better at the plate this spring and looks like a mature hitter. He had a single in one at-bat, hit a sac fly to centerfield in another.
Defense:
--Sticking with Cullen, he looks every bit of a SEC catcher right now defensively. His arm behind the plate looks talented throwing out runners. He's also better at blocking pitches in the dirt and framing things.
--Nick Neville looks solid defensively as well as Jonah Beamon, who saw his first action at third and played solid Friday.
Starting lineup:
Garnet: 2B, Noah Campbell; 3B, Jacob Olson; RF, Andrew Eyster; 1B, Josiah Sightler; C, Luke Berryhill; SS, Nick Neville; CF, Joel Brewer; SP, Dylan Harley
Black: LF, Brady Allen; CF, TJ Hopkins; C, Chris Cullen; 1B, Jordan Holladay; DH, Wes Clarke; 3B, Jonah Beamon; 2B, Jacob English; SP, Carmen Mlodzinski
