JL Mann vs Laurens

NicholsHank-balance14

NicholsHank-balance14Today was officially opening day for MLB which just makes life better. This spring has been horrible so far weather-wise, but today was about as picture perfect as one could ask for. Here in the upstate the sun was out and temperatures got up to almost 80 degrees. The remainder of the week looks good as well for a full slate of baseball to be played/made up. Tonight was a single game between JL Mann versus Laurens.

 -Game Recap-

Mann’s Hank Nichols (above left) squared off against Raiders Tanner Adair. The first couple of innings were not pretty and took an hour to play. Patrick Frick doubled in the game’s first run for the Patriots and an error allowed Mann to take a 2-0 lead. They opened the game up in the second frame plating four runs off three hits and three walks. Blake Brady knocked in two runs with is opo-double which ended Adair’s evening.

Laurens got on the board in the fourth inning. Trae Coleman brought in two runs with his double down the line and a fielder’s choice cut Mann’s lead to three. Cody Smiley relieved Thomas Jones in the second and started sitting down Patriots hitters from that point on. Nichols labored through a couple of innings but seemed to always get out of jams.

We go to the seventh. Jones led off with a laser single and Nichols walked the next hitter which would be his last of the evening handing the ball over to Mitchell Mikes. Mikes walked the first hitter to load the bases. Adair singled Jones in next AB cutting the lead to two but Mikes settled down and punched out the final two hitter to record the save.

Final: JL Mann 6 Laurens 4 WP: Hank Nichols LP: Tanner Adair SV: Mitchell Mikes

-Prospects-

Brady-Blake-stanceJL Mann HS – Junior LHP Hank Nichols (Citadel) looked better tonight than his previous outing that DP witnessed. He was more aggressive in the zone and pitched inside to RHH well. What was weird was the fact that he sat 84 MPH when he threw inside to RHH and 80-82 MPH the rest of the time. Every time he would go in, it was 84 MPH. Nichols had a sporadic solid breaking ball tonight that he could repeat. When he caught it out front, it was hard to pick up and had late/deep break to it. The fact that his breaking ball comes out of the same window and on the same plane as his fastball is what I see that projects him; not to mention his 6-4/180 frame. Stuff isn’t there just yet and Nichols still has a ways to go but once he figures his body out, he could be a guy at the Citadel. He needs to become more athletic! He was bad fielding his position. Sophomore 1B/C Blake Brady (left) showed bat speed and solid wheels (4.44) for a 6-2/210 kid. He still has some work to do in the box with his feet and lower half but raw power is present. FrickPatrick-stanece14Sophomore SS/3B Patrick Frick (left) plays a mature game that is fundamentally sound. Frick projects as an even keeled next level player. Still weak at the moment but also still a sophomore. Frick keeps his hands inside the baseball very well but needs to learn to keep weight back on breaking balls and drive the ball to right field. Defensively he is fine but footwork will need to improve to get major D1 interest. Third base might end up being his position if he hits with that power.

JonesThomas-on1B13Laurens HS – Sophomore OF/3B/RHP Thomas Jones (right) has got a very bright future ahead of him. He is extremely athletic and can play anywhere on the field with ease and poise. The sophomore in him will show up from time to time but his ceiling is about as high as you can get and with his athleticism he will have opportunities to do things other kids won’t. Jones will be showcased on the national circuit and with what my eyes tell me, he will draw a ton of pro interest out of high school if he continues to develop like I believe he will. 

-Notables-

Sophomore LHP Mitchell Mikes struggled with leaving his fastball up and away but arm worked quicker than 79 MPH and breaking ball is sneaky with depth.

– Sophomore Cameron Jenson showed plus speed (3.94 down line)

– Junior Grayson Bailes was 4.07 on a bunt.

– Senior Hammer Walker (USC Salk) is athletic and was 4.19 down line.

– Senior 3B/2B Cody Smiley (Francis Marion) did a nice job out of the bullpen tonight showing the ability to locate a solid bender for strikes.

– JL Mann has speed throughout lineup and six of their nine starters are sophomores.  

-Related Quote of the Night-

“People ask me what I do in the winter when there is no baseball. I tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring”. – Rogers Hornsby

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BarrysBytes-logo2“Over the past five years I have been trying to figure out a way to see every high school team in my area during the spring season. Unfortunately, I have been unsuccessful. Every year I seem to leave out a handful of schools which in essence, I am missing out on a large amount of players. I feel my job is to identify next level talent and relay it over to college/professional scouts so they can do their jobs. A collection of us have brainstormed and have come up with a way for me to try and lay eyes on as many players as possible, hence the introduction of “Barry’s Bytes”. This will be a blog that I will update daily/bi-daily for our subscribers. I will be bouncing around various high schools and instead of covering games; I will be on a talent search. The goal is to hit multiple spots on a given night. In this blog you will find everything from prospect info to my personal thoughts on an array of topics ranging from standout concession stands and peak performers to the most polite gate attendants and umpire gaffes, also any random thought that crosses through my brain will be fair game! Have an open mind and hope you guys enjoy my two cents. See you at the park!”