Catching the attention of executives at the highest levels of baseball, the Blue Jays put together a splendid performance versus the Astros on Sunday, April 29, at Ritchie Park Elementary School.
This was a team effort for the ages!
The Blue Jays exceeded their goal of completing nine put-outs per game in the second inning and collected a team record 13 outs before the day was done!
Dads marveled in amazement!
The coach could barely keep up with the succession of amazing plays!
The development of these young players caught the eye of Chicago Cubs General Manager Theo Epstein. Above, the architect of World Series Championship teams in Boston and Chicago reviews the Blue Jays blog with Coach Eric Delgado in the Windy City last week. Impressed, Theo shared his scouting reports below!
April 29 Game Report
Dominic Delgado delivered pop from the plate despite not getting many good pitches to hit. Dominic delivered a line drive, a well hit fly ball, and a searing grounder in quick succession. He also scored after each plate appearance.
Dominic had a role in five of the Blue Jays' 13 put-outs. He started and ended a triple-play in the bottom of the first, making a running catch on a fly ball at left pitcher's helper, throwing immediately to 1st base to double the runner who had not tagged up, and grabbing the ball and stomping on 2nd base to triple yet another runner who had not tagged up. Dominic remembered what he had learned at practice a week ago and applied it in the game on Sunday. He added an infield assist from LPH on an out at 1st base later in the first inning. In the bottom of the second, he assisted on a force out from the outfield for the second consecutive week. Dominic's day ended with an unassisted force out on a ground ball at 3rd base in the bottom of the third.
Peter Herdman capped the top half of each inning by clobbering a solid hit up the middle. Fans enjoyed watching Peter turn on the jets and chase his teammate all the way to home plate following his blast to center field in the top of the second inning. Peter's hits were simply too hot for the opposition to handle.
Peter again led the way defensively with outstanding glove work. He completed three assisted put-outs at 1st base in the bottom of the first inning. Playing at 3rd base in the bottom of the second, Peter hauled in throws from various teammates to complete four more assisted put-outs. In all, Peter was on the receiving end of all seven of the Blue Jays' assisted put-outs in the game with the Astros. Learning to catch is fun. Making outs is fun. Peter appeared to have LOTS of fun in Sunday's game.
Theo Says: "The most polished glove man we've ever scouted at age six; teammates love throwing to him because he can catch everything; outstanding between the ears - composed, quietly confident, good decision-maker; excellent contact man at the plate who also packs some serious pop; projects as a high draft pick in 2034."
Noah Solovey awakened the Blue Jays' offense with one swing of the bat! The lineup lacked its typical efficiency in the top of the first inning - probably due to practice having been rained out on Friday - before Noah stepped to the plate. He uncorked a bomb to left field that brought fans and teammates to their feet. Thus commenced the hit parade. Noah slammed another line drive to left field in the top of the second and grounded a solid base hit to the left side in the top of the third.
Noah's focus on defense has improved by leaps and bounds in recent weeks. Above, he shows that he's ready in left field in the bottom of the first inning. Noah's increased awareness and quickness to the ball have earned him opportunities to play "up front" in the weeks to come.
Theo Says: "Added big-time pop to his swing this season; fundamentally sound hitter who consistently makes contact; seems to be figuring out that power is about leverage; getting more assertive and confident in the field; good attitude and make-up for the game; a rising prospect."
The coach has taken to calling Evan Phillips "Hit Machine" due to his outstanding consistency in the batter's box. The Machine cranked out three more hits - a liner and two well hit grounders up the middle - in the game with the Astros. His offensive exploits required a total of four pitches, which is what we've come to expect when Evan is at bat. Evan's focus and contact skills are likely to pay off handsomely when the Blue Jays move to machine-pitch, where strikeouts become part of the game.
Evan earned opportunities to play at 2nd base and right pitcher's helper thanks to his keen field awareness and improved quickness to the ball. Manning the bag at 2nd in the bottom of the first, Evan made excellent decisions, going for the ball when it was hit near him and covering the base on force plays when the ball was hit to others.
Theo Says: "Cerebral player who consistently makes good decisions; been practicing with his dad and brother - and it shows; aggressiveness on defense vastly improved this year; natural contact man who sees the ball better than most kids his age; up-the-middle approach gives him an On Base projection that our Sabermetrics guys love."
Henry Goldstein made great progress with his swing this week. Above, Henry works to keep his hands back to allow for maximum power. Finding the balance between contact and power can be challenging; it's all about timing. Henry's timing is improving every time he picks up a bat. His hit in the top of the second inning on Sunday was a scorcher to the left side of the infield. With his natural speed, Henry just needs to put the ball in play and let his feet do the rest!
We love the way that Henry has shown determination to be aggressive in the field. A player who remembers and thinks about what he's been taught, Henry doesn't wait for the ball to come to him. Making infield assists as a lefty thrower is difficult; getting to the ball quickly can go a long way toward providing the necessary time to make the 180 degree turn and deliver a good throw. Henry is earning opportunities to do that going forward.
Theo Says: "Coachable; just scratching the surface of his potential; five year old who has played the game for four weeks; contact rate is improving; flashes plus-speed on the base paths; nobody has to tell him to hustle; lefty thrower with accuracy to about 30 feet - solid foundation for his age; shows significantly improved quickness to the ball; can't wait to see what he can do a year from now."
Niara Gupta attracted attention when she lined a hot shot past the left shortstop and into left field in the top half of the second inning. With her quick wheels, Niara is virtually impossible for fielders at this level to throw out when she puts the ball in play on the left side of the field. That's exactly what she did in the top of the third.
Niara contributed to the Blue Jays' 13-out performance in the bottom half of the second inning. A seasoned player at 2nd base, Niara knew that she had a force out opportunity. She fielded a grounder near the bag and calmly stepped on the base to tally the third out of the inning. If we had been playing in machine-pitch, Niara's play would have ended the frame.
Theo Says: "Fundamentally sound, fast, and smart; dedicated - works on her own to get better; underrated with the glove; extremely quick feet; shows good footwork at 2nd base; knows when to go for the ball and when to cover the bag; consistent contact and developing power at the plate; gets good leverage on her swing due to solid fundamentals and practice; projects as a middle infielder and top of the order hitter in 2034."
Adam Farber sent fielders scrambling with three excellent hits in the game with the Astros. Here, he eyes the pitch and unleashes a swing that would send a hard grounder all the way to center field. Batting in the eleventh spot in the order, Adam also lined a base hit to right field and a hard ground ball up the middle that was too hot to handle.
Adam contributed an unusual put-out to complete the Blue Jays' 13-out day in the field. Above, he stands ready at 2nd base prior to the start of the third inning. Later, he misplayed a throw from an outfielder on a potential force out; however, keeping his wits about him, Adam noticed that the opposing runner had stepped away from the base. Remembering what he had learned at practice, Adam knew that the runner was fair game. He completed the tag-out with physical authority!
Theo Says: "Has the frame of a classic power man; outstanding exit velocity when he gets hold of one; contact rate has improved considerably in recent weeks; good head on his shoulders - knows what he'll do before the ball is hit; capable of playing multiple positions in the field; a solid addition to any team."
Milen Hukmani kept the line moving from the middle of the batting order. Above, Milen demonstrates his consistently sound batting stance in the top of the first inning. Improving his focus on the ball with each plate appearance, Milen delivered three hard grounders to the left side of the infield and demonstrated the hustle that we've come to expect on the base paths.
Milen is ready to take the next step as a 1st baseman. A naturally gifted glove man, Milen is working on his backhanded, "fingers-up" technique. Most 1st basemen use backhand to catch a majority of throws from their infield teammates. It's a difficult technique to master. Milen is making good progress.
Theo Says: "A key foundational piece; great temperament and focus; can't remember him ever being out of position or not ready for the ball; solid knowledge of the game - a coachable prospect; demonstrates natural power and a good contact rate; has leadership qualities - good clubhouse guy that any team would be lucky to have."
Brody Gottfried has become a dependable on-base man for the Blue Jays. Above, he watches the ball and prepares to rifle a single up the middle in the top of the first inning. Brody collected three clean base hits and ran the bases with gusto, scoring three big runs in the game with the Astros.
Brody earned an opportunity to play at right pitcher's helper thanks to his work at practices this season. Growing into the position, he showed quick feet when moving to grounders on the right side of the infield in the bottom of the third inning. Brody made an excellent stop on a well hit grounder and delivered a solid throw to 1st base, very nearly completing his first infield assist.
Theo Says: "Young prospect who has taken a significant leap forward this season; has become aggressive to the ball as a matter of routine; arm strength and accuracy are top tier for a five year old ball player; contact rate has been solid since Day One; power will come with age and physical development; shows vastly improved understanding of the strike zone; a competitor who takes pride in his game."
Wyatt has shown real potential with the glove. Catching a baseball is a skill that does not come naturally to many people. It can be difficult and even scary at times. Wyatt does not appear to be afraid. He's working to maintain focus on the batter so he can be ready for the ball every time it's hit.
Theo Says: "Flashes multiple tools despite playing the game for a total of four weeks; good fundamentals at the plate; contact rate has risen with each passing week; arm strength appears to be in plus territory; has caught some thrown balls in practice - rare for a beginner; gaining confidence on the base paths - runs hard when he's sure that he knows what he's doing; potential plus speed as he gains experience."
The opposing coach asked that we limit hitters to singles unless the ball were to reach the outfield grass on the fly. That's a tall order when you consider that the grass is more than 100 feet from the plate in almost every direction and the baseballs are designed to absorb energy. Jacob Carle crushed two liners that really should have been doubles. When we go to machine-pitch, those will in fact be extra base hits.
You know you're playing well when a three assist day in the field does not surprise anyone. Playing at left pitcher's helper in the bottom of the second, Jacob delivered three awesome throws to assist on force outs at 3rd base. On a day when the team completed a triple-play, Jacob's last assist was still a huge highlight. After fielding a grounder, he had thoughts of trying to chase down a runner who was trying to score. Jacob thought better of that idea, turned and delivered a perfect dart to the 3rd baseman to complete a force play that was not close. We could literally see Jacob thinking, "Nope, can't get that guy. I think I'll get the other guy."
Theo Says: "Loves baseball and plays with great energy and attitude; has worked to increase his power over the last few months; hits hard line drives versus slow and inconsistent underhanded pitching, which is not easy; runs through the base at 1B and turns the right way - knows the game; quick to the ball in the field, good glove, solid arm; big-time out producer; a keeper."
Clark Roggie delivered the day's best tape measure shot in the top half of the second inning. Getting a pitch to hit, Clark flexed his muscles and drilled a line drive that landed beyond 2nd base and bounded an estimated 170 feet in center field. We held him to a single; some day soon he shall run free! We look forward to seeing that.
Clark notched an assist on the Blue Jays' first 5-3 put-out of the season in the bottom of the first. For those who do not know, 5-3 means 3rd baseman to 1st baseman; that's a long throw for kids this age. Clark fielded a grounder and got rid of the ball quickly, allowing the 1st baseman to adjust and make the clean pick on a single hop. That was a huge play! Clark also chipped in with an unassisted force out at 3rd base that gave the Blue Jays six put-outs in the first inning.
Theo Says: "Took a huge step during weekends in March, working on his catching despite wind chills in the 30s; possesses a plus power arm and above average quickness to the ball; flashes line drive power to the gaps from the left side of the plate; at his best when he takes an up the middle approach; sees the ball well and makes quick contact despite corrected vision; good frame; has big-time upside."
Theo was also pleased to see the Blue Jays' collective sportsmanship. After the game, they
congratulated the Astros, a nice team that played hard.
Deep Organization
Coach Eric Delgado served as catcher, infield and outfield instructor, and bat collector.
Theo Says: "Guys like Eric are key to a championship operation; conveys expectations in a positive way; teacher and mentor who keeps the trains running on time; enjoyed discussing the team with him; good dude."
Eric Carle coached at 1st base.
Theo Says: "Behind good baseball players, you'll find great parents; difficult game to learn on your own; kids need help and encouragement; baseball isn't much fun if you don't know what you're doing; this guy gets it - I like the Red Sox cap; fond memories."
Navin Hukmani coached at 3rd base.
Theo Says: "Impressive; steps up wherever and whenever needed; unselfish - the guy's a winner; adapts to different ground rules every week; explains the game clearly; we like him."
Lori Solovey provided the postgame snacks.
Theo Says: "Clubhouse food is an underrated performance factor; this was well planned and executed - combined traditional ballpark snacks and new age healthy stuff; game has changed in that way - kids today eat dried seaweed and seem to think they like it - I don't get it, but okay; options were provided for varied tastes and lifestyles; baseball cupcakes always a winner; well done."
Theo told us that clubhouse comradery is important. Yes, the players must develop skills. But they also must love baseball and enjoy each other's company.
He added that every organization needs to have all hands firmly on deck. Everyone must be on the same page, working toward the same goal.
These kids are working hard, having fun, and capturing the attention of baseball minds far and wide.
Theo Says: "Outstanding group; having fun while learning and improving; that's the name of the game; we'll keep our eyes on them; can't wait to see what they do next!"
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