Anyone seen pitchers like Josh Beckett, Jeremy Sowers, etc. in HS? What were they like?
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Best HS pitchers I've personally seen were Jeff Stimpson of Redondo Union High School (Redondo Beach, CA) (son of 123kmom) now at Stanford and Steve Taylor of San Pedro High, now at Nevada Reno. Best pitcher I've seen in a college game, hands down, Mark Prior at USC.
Best I have seen would be Adam Loewen. He had the best stuff as far as fastball and curveball. Jeff Francis was the best pitcher I had seen at the college level. Wasn't very good in high school but became very good in college. Also saw Rich Harden in HS but he wasn't much of a pitcher then, could just throw hard.
Wayne Gomes at ODU - 2 cross checkers said he had a Top 3 breaking ball (slider) in all of baseball to go with a 90-93 mph FB
Mike Mussina in HS
Willie Banks in HS - 94-96 mph FB. 1st round pick of Twins
Lenny DiNardo at Stetson - not overpowering but very effective
Justin Verlander at ODU - durty
Mike Mussina in HS
Willie Banks in HS - 94-96 mph FB. 1st round pick of Twins
Lenny DiNardo at Stetson - not overpowering but very effective
Justin Verlander at ODU - durty
Recently - Nieman (sp?, Rice) was pretty darn good. Most dominating performance I've seen in the past few years was Casey Fossum (A&M) in the Super Regional.
Best performance I ever saw was by AJ Shappi-now with DBacks org-at The National
Classic at Cal State Fullerton 2001. Absolutely unhittable in relief. They knew the heat was coming but couldn't do a thing about it.
Classic at Cal State Fullerton 2001. Absolutely unhittable in relief. They knew the heat was coming but couldn't do a thing about it.
Zach Greinke in HS playoffs a month before he was drafted. It reminded me of a cat playing with a bug before he kills it.
Matt Harrison LHP that pitched for me that is now with Atlanta Braves Single A. He currently has pitched 32 innings with 1 er. Matt had a game his Sr year in which struck out the first guy walked the second and then struck out the next two. He walked the lead off in the second and then went on to strike out the next 17 in a row and last kid grounded out to first. He was 89-93 in High School with a great cb. Not that he needed it very often. He is the best HS pitcher I have ever seen in person. Oh by the way his Freshman year he was 75 mph on a good day.
Dad04,
You beat me to it, but Zach Grenke is the best high school pitcher I have ever seen. He was amazing. It was like children playing against a man.
He is also a great power hitter too.
You beat me to it, but Zach Grenke is the best high school pitcher I have ever seen. He was amazing. It was like children playing against a man.
He is also a great power hitter too.
Denny McLain, Mount Carmel High School, Chicago, IL.
He pitched for Carmel when I played for St. Rita. (1959-1962)
Wound up winning 30 games one year for the Detroit Tigers and the Cy Young award but had a tragic personal life.
He pitched for Carmel when I played for St. Rita. (1959-1962)
Wound up winning 30 games one year for the Detroit Tigers and the Cy Young award but had a tragic personal life.
Scott Kazmir is HS
Kris Benson in College
Kris Benson in College
Jon Rauch - Morehead St., currently a Washington National. I saw this 6,11" kid when he was pitching in the Valley League for the Harrisonburg Turks. Back then he could throw upper 90's gas. Arm trouble has him down in the low 90's now and he is learning how to "pitch", not just throw. I was sure he would be the next Randy Johnson.
I am fortunate that I get to see really good pitchers every week, but my two favorites are Greg Maddux in High School and Mike Mussina in College.Great stuff from both and nothing but strikes. About 520 big league wins between the two of them. 
Mike Scott in HS. Won CYA w/ Houston in '86.
Jared Weaver, Long Beach State. Most impressive was his 10 stikeouts in 3 innings against Arizona State
This year it's Luke Hochevar, University of Tennessee.
High school would be Kyle Waldrop (Farragut HS 04). He's now playing for Class A Beloit in the Twins organization.
High school would be Kyle Waldrop (Farragut HS 04). He's now playing for Class A Beloit in the Twins organization.
Ian Kennedy (now at USC) for Westminster/La Quinta. Absolute gas, super control, and not a very big player. Super mechanics.
BB02,
I did see Josh Beckett and Jeremy Sowers in High School. Surprisingly they are both similiar to how they threw in high school. Beckett was more a power guy who could really pitch. Sowers had a good live fastball, but was very much a craftsman on the mound with outstanding control.
Because of what we do I've been lucky enough to see most every top college and high school pitcher over the past 10 or more years. As a high school pitcher, I can't think of anyone better than Scott Kazmir Cy Falls HS, Houston.
Usually the great pitching prospects absolutely dominate in high school. So there's been a lot of them who could be mentioned.
The best college pitcher I've ever seen is Mark Prior. There's a tall Soph. lefty at North Carolina that might end up giving him a battle before he's done.
I did see Josh Beckett and Jeremy Sowers in High School. Surprisingly they are both similiar to how they threw in high school. Beckett was more a power guy who could really pitch. Sowers had a good live fastball, but was very much a craftsman on the mound with outstanding control.
Because of what we do I've been lucky enough to see most every top college and high school pitcher over the past 10 or more years. As a high school pitcher, I can't think of anyone better than Scott Kazmir Cy Falls HS, Houston.
Usually the great pitching prospects absolutely dominate in high school. So there's been a lot of them who could be mentioned.
The best college pitcher I've ever seen is Mark Prior. There's a tall Soph. lefty at North Carolina that might end up giving him a battle before he's done.
PG
We did not face Kazmir but I saw him throw twice and he has to be one of the best , if not the best, HS pitchers I have ever seen.
But then there are a load of great HS pitchers-- the key is the next step whether it is College or pro--- can they take it the next level(s)
We did not face Kazmir but I saw him throw twice and he has to be one of the best , if not the best, HS pitchers I have ever seen.
But then there are a load of great HS pitchers-- the key is the next step whether it is College or pro--- can they take it the next level(s)
Not necessarily the best college pitchers but two of the best pitched college games I have seen:
1. Jeremy Guthrie from Stanford: 13 inning 3-2 win against Fullerton in the Regionals his junior year. Pitch count...
2. Mike Frost from Trinity University who pitched a complete game win in a 2002 West Region elimination game...about 8 hours of grieving after learning his pitching coach and dear friend died during the night in his sleep. Remarkable and unforgettable.
1. Jeremy Guthrie from Stanford: 13 inning 3-2 win against Fullerton in the Regionals his junior year. Pitch count...
2. Mike Frost from Trinity University who pitched a complete game win in a 2002 West Region elimination game...about 8 hours of grieving after learning his pitching coach and dear friend died during the night in his sleep. Remarkable and unforgettable.