Someone who simply dominated and struck fear into their opponent? I'm talking about you watched them in person and instantly knew/know they are going to go far. I have two that come to mind in Kerry Wood (played at Grand Prairie High School TX) and Todd Van Poppel (played at Arlington Martin HS TX). They were complete flame throwers in HS.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Rich Troedsen, Camden HS(freshman) 1967 left handed pitcher throwing 90 plus(with freshman lefty control or not so much). Pitched in MLB for the Padres.
Erik Davis, Mountain View HS.
Freddy Avis, Menlo HS;
Chuck Lofgren following his freshman year at Serra HS in 2000. (Amazing!)
Best HS game: Los Gators vs Soquel, 2007 CCS championship game(watched with justbaseball) Kyle Blair vs Kevin Eichorn who both went into the 8th and left with the score tied 0-0.
Jake Odorizzi. Believe he is battling for a spot on the Rays starting rotation. He was year younger than me. Led his team to state championship his senior year. Kid could have easily gone to big time college in football or baseball. Threw consistently in 90s as a junior.
I got to see how he threw.... From the batter's box!
Rick Porcello
Jessie Biddle (Friends/Philadelphia).He'll be in AAA (Phillies) as a 22yo this year. He's a 2014 Top 100 MLB prospect. The best I ever faced in Legion was Bert Roberge (Edward Little/Auburn Me) He was an even better hitter. He pitched six years for the Astros and Expos.
I had two Legion teammates I thought had a shot to make it. Both injured their arms in college and it was over. Both threw hard and had nasty temperaments. One was 6'7" and threw 90 in high school. I had to face him in college summer ball when he was throwing 94. At that size and velocity it felt like he was shoving the ball down your throat. After getting two hits off him he decided to drill me in the ribs. The other guy was one of my best friends growing up. And he had no problem drilling me in college summer ball after I nearly undressed him with a shot up the middle.
Rick Porcello
Ditto.
Best I ever faced was Mike Mussina - tough tough tough
Mark Fidrych, Justin Verlander, Sean Marshall come to mind. All were dominant. Fidrych was older than me so my perspective was different as a young boy. The guy threw gas.
My son, of course.......................
Seriously though, I dont have the long history some of you guys have so I would have to go with a guy named Devin Williams, who was drafted in the second round by the Brewers last year.
The only major leaguer I saw pitch in high school was Steve Colyer back in the 90's. Played a bit for the Dodgers
Pete Schourek, Marshall HS (Northern VA) in 1987
...of course went on to have very nice MLB career (2nd in Cy Young voting one year)...but in 1987 this is a 6'3" lefty throwing 92+ with filthy slider
Though he is not a pitcher in MLB, Buster Posey. He sat 90-93 in high school but the kid could pitch. Not just a flame thrower. He had at least 3 quality pitches that he could throw at any point. I have NO doubt that if Buster wasn't such a great hitter he could very easily pitch in MLB.
Though he is not a pitcher in MLB, Buster Posey. He sat 90-93 in high school but the kid could pitch. Not just a flame thrower. He had at least 3 quality pitches that he could throw at any point. I have NO doubt that if Buster wasn't such a great hitter he could very easily pitch in MLB.
I too saw Buster pitch while in HS. He and our older son were on USA 18U team together and Buster (then an INF/RHP) was used much more as a pitcher than a hitter/INF. And you are right - he was good. Really good on the bump.
Saw John Hope pitch when I was in HS. He was somewhere in the mid-90's at the time and would add in this curve that was so slow it looked like an ephus pitch. You almost had time to swing at it twice.
He went to Pittsburgh in the 2nd round, blew up his arm in the minors and never really was the same. He had a couple of unsuccessful seasons in the majors and then hung it up.
My son ended up going to him for a while for pitching lessons a couple of years ago.
Son batted against Tajuan Walker and a Perfect Game event, had no idea who he was except that there 50 radar guns behind home plate. :0
Lucas Giolito (who's dad is a member here)
Trevor Bauer.
Saw Bryce Harper at the USA 16U Championships.
Midlo Son.
And no, I am not joking.
Son is young, so haven't seen too many high school games, but Dakota Mills in 2013. He went on to WVU. My son is zoned to same high school.
Midlo Son.
And no, I am not joking.
Knowing a little bit about your son - I think that's very probably a fair assessment. 
infielddad said something nice about one of our sons up above - I'm not really sure I agree with him. That son was a 'scary' HS pitcher in that he threw very hard and struck out a lot of kids, but I wouldn't put him in the category of 'best' HS pitcher I ever saw. His younger brother was a better HS pitcher than him - lower ceiling (less size and velo), but more refined and better coached in HS and won an awful lot of games.
Anyways, I do agree with infielddad about that Kyle Blair/Kevin Eichorn game, both pro prospects, that went into extra innings tied at 0-0. That game wasn't won until one of them was lifted after 7 (Blair) which was the right thing to do. If I remember right, Eichorn won it himself at the plate with a walkoff double.
I'll give you one that I think you'll see in the big leagues late this year - September callup I believe - Robert Stephenson (Reds). He played with our younger son in travel ball, was the Reds 1st round pick in 2011. Big frame, loose, mid 90s with 3 pitches and that was in HS. He's progressed well in the minor leagues and is in big league camp this year. If he stays healthy, he's gonna be a special pitcher for a long time. Also one of the nicest kids and family I've met along the way. Very easy to root for this young man.
John Wetteland, Cardinal Newman HS, Santa Rosa, California. Played on our Legion team, traveled with our American team to Japan in the 1984 Goodwill Series, later played with the Dodgers and the NY Yankees. MVP in the 1996 World Series.
Bob Williams
similar story to JBB's...
Two years ago, our league had a particularly strong crop of P's. Ryan McNeil was the one that got most of the attention, sitting 92-93 with good movement, Aflac All-American, ended up drafted 3rd round out of HS, quite the scout/media circus for our neck of the woods. He was 6'3" 210, MLB prototype pitchers body. We prepared for him by throwing hard (for us old coaches) from about 45 ft for several nights and were able to pull off a W - VERY exciting for our boys. He also had a teammate that sat 86-87.
But another team had a smooth throwing lefty named Lucas Martin who didn't get the scout love and looked so hittable but was effortless in the 84-85 range and could really pitch. He went on to have a dominant frosh year at a JC but I think currently battling arm issues as is McNeil after a good start in the Cubs organization.
Son hit against a bunch of guys who could be listed but the two who stand out are #1-Matt Latos. Just dominant in HS. Son had to hit against him as a freshman. #2 would be Juan Carlos Sulbaren. Just nasty stuff in HS.
Son's teammate, Damion Carroll, was our ace pitcher. Damion was drafted in the 6th round by the Rays in 2012. The day he was drafted the HS team was en route to the state quarterfinals.
Midlo Son.
And no, I am not joking.
I'm adding Midlo son to my list. I saw him pitch a few times. If you wanted to see the ball, you couldn't blink.
John Wetteland, Cardinal Newman HS, Santa Rosa, California. Played on our Legion team, traveled with our American team to Japan in the 1984 Goodwill Series, later played with the Dodgers and the NY Yankees. MVP in the 1996 World Series.
Bob Williams
Consultant, I have a very good friend who pitched with Wettleland at CSM and also pitched in Legion at that time. He would support everything you said about Wettleland. Also has talked about Legion games in the Bay Area when Randy Johnson and Wetteland were both on the mound. Sounds like Johnson would have to be on this list, too, for sure.
Madison Bumgarner
Bill Gullickson, Joliet Chatholic. Graduated@1977.Played for Gordie Gillespie!!!!!!!!
John Danks and Kyle Drabeck. Each during thier Texas State ChampionshIp run.
Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley. Too bad they did not get to pitch against each other their senior year.
Joe Mauer. Senior year at the state tournament he topped out at 96.
Lucas Sims, Now with the Braves. Son had to face Ty Buttrey at WWBA.
Robert Stock. I saw him as a 16 year old at a PG showcase. He was a catcher/pitcher at that point. The guns had him cruising at 95.
Could someone post another pitcher from the 1960's so I don't feel so alone...and old? 
Ron Perranoski from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, later MSU teammate and LA Dodgers.
Infield Dad, you will enjoy this story. John Wetteland in his rookie year with the Dodgers, Ron is the Pitching Coach and it is the 9th inning at Dodger Stadium.
Ron is at the mound to remind John that the bases are loaded, no outs and 55,000 fans in the stands. John said "do you see the space ship in the sky".
He had "no worries"
Bob
Just remembered another one (two). Around 2006 I believe, our high school played a team out of Seale,AL. That team had the Rasmus brothers and a kid named Kile Kiker, and was coached by the Rasmus' father. The previous year the team was the mythical national champs I believe and had something like a TEAM era of 0.7. Those guys could flat pitch. I think the Kiker kid is in the Rangers organization but I'm not sure what level. Every pitcher that the team trotted out threw 90-95, righties and lefties. Was a pretty spectacular display of pitching talent on one high school team.
edit to above post. That was Kasey Kiker
Bob,
did you ever coach Legion with or against a pitcher from Serra named William "Butch" Seuberth? He and Wettleland had to keep their great CSM coach on "edge!"
For fun, drafted in 1991. (I never saw him)
[Brien] Taylor attended East Carteret High School in Beaufort and played on the school baseball team. In high school, Taylor had a record of 29-6 and an earned run average of 1.25.[2] He also struck out 213 hitters in 88 innings pitched while walking 28. His fastball often hit 98 and 99 mph. In 2006, Scott Boras claimed that Taylor was the best high school pitcher he had seen in his life.
For fun, drafted in 1991. (I never saw him)
[Brien] Taylor attended East Carteret High School in Beaufort and played on the school baseball team. In high school, Taylor had a record of 29-6 and an earned run average of 1.25.[2] He also struck out 213 hitters in 88 innings pitched while walking 28. His fastball often hit 98 and 99 mph. In 2006, Scott Boras claimed that Taylor was the best high school pitcher he had seen in his life.
How in the world did he lose 6 games is what I'm wondering?
Dwight Gooden !
Infield Dad
yes I remember Butch.
Gregg Jefferies was also on the San Mateo Legion team. John Noce the CSM Coach introduced me to International Baseball In 1983.
Bob
For fun, drafted in 1991. (I never saw him)
[Brien] Taylor attended East Carteret High School in Beaufort and played on the school baseball team. In high school, Taylor had a record of 29-6 and an earned run average of 1.25.[2] He also struck out 213 hitters in 88 innings pitched while walking 28. His fastball often hit 98 and 99 mph. In 2006, Scott Boras claimed that Taylor was the best high school pitcher he had seen in his life.
How in the world did he lose 6 games is what I'm wondering?
Aha! Good question that I used to wonder about these types of pitchers too!
Lotsa things enter in - defense goes to sleep after all the K's, weak HS team can't field or score runs…others…but also I've seen HS-level umpires overmatched by these types of pitchers resulting in more walks and a lucky swing…and a loss of 1-0, 2-1, etc...
No, I'm not criticizing HS umpires - just stating its tough to call balls/strikes from 82/84 to 98 in one day.
I've been blessed to see many great HS pitchers, including most that have been mentioned in this thread. It's really hard to pick just one. Scott Kazmir was one of the very best HS pitchers I ever saw. Maybe the best single game performance was by Jose Fernandez only a couple years ago in the Jupiter WWBA Championship. He was so good that night that scouts thought he could have pitched in the World Series, which was being played at the same time. Fast forward he was the National League Rookie of the Year last season.
Also seen amazing performances by Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Harvey, Chad Billingsley, and many others. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to know they were all very special. The best part is I get to keep seeing the best HS pitchers in the country every year.
Another of the very best HS pitchers I had the pleasure to watch will never be a household name. He was drafted in the first round but battled a serious drug addiction. But as a HS pitcher, Jeff Allison was one of the best ever.
Did anyone see David Clyde?
Austin Wood at Niceville HS, Florida. Started at FSU, but ended college career at USC. Unconfirmed reporting says he broke minor league pitching record with a velocity of 103 mph.
I can't remember any of the pitchers I faced in the late 70's.So long ago and none of them or my teammates were next level players.
My son on the other hand is a different story He has faced a number of really good pitchers in HS and in the summer leagues/tournaments.Here is a short list of the best ones he's faced :
Troy Conyers 2012 LHP El Capitan High School,University of San Diego
Jake Newberry 2012 RHP Mira Mesa High School,Kansas City Royals organization
Stephen Gonsalves 2013 LHP, Cathedral Catholic High School,4th round pick Minnesota Twins
Ian Clarkin 2013 LHP Madison High School, 1st round pick New York Yankees.
But the best of them all is :
Brady Aiken 2014 LHP Cathedral Catholic High School,UCLA commit,and probable top 5 pick in this June's draft. I'm not a pitching guy so I won't try to break down his mechanics etc. All I know is he's definitely the best 17-18 year old I've ever seen pitch.Lots of people around here say the same thing.
* Conyers change up is nasty.His best pitch
* Newberry classic big strong right handed power pitcher.92-93 and would pitch inside.Not afraid to hit you .Haha.
* Gonsalves big curve ball and can locate the fastball.Very athletic
*Clarkin hard throwing lefty 92-93 with the best curveball my son has ever seen
* Aiken locates the fastball just below the knees off the plate.Hard to pick up his off speed stuff.Very deceptive.Mechanics are the same on every pitch from the 1st inning to the 7th inning.Doesn't tip off pitches.Very athletic.We will face Aiken's team 3 times this season during league play.I'm sure he will pitch against us at least twice.Maybe all three games.It should be fun.
I have video of all of my son's at bats against these players.He had success against each one of these pitchers and he got schooled by each of these guys too.Lots of great memories 
Sidd Finch. He threw 168.
Forgot all about him.Had a 100 mph CB.I can still remember the april of 82? issue of S.I.It was really too bad how things turned out for him.
PG I concur on that.
Blake Beaven, currently with the MLB Seattle Mariners.
Played for Irving Tigers in Irving, TX, originally drafted by Rangers then traded to Seattle to get Cliff Lee. HS FB sitting around 95 mph. Probably 10 or more radar guns behind home plate each time he started. Committed to OU but instead went straight to minors. Kinda struggled last year. I hope he can turns things around this year.
Infield Dad and Old Man Moses;
Yesterday, a Newsday reporter called and asked me about the 2006 Goodwill Series in Cooperstown at the Hall Of Fame Field. This game - Japan National HS Team vs our American team in Goodwill Series XXII.
Matt Harvey now Mets pitched against Mashiro Tanake now Yankee in a Classic match up. Our American Coaches were Pro Scouts from the Red Sox and Reds.
A "once in a lifetime" event happened that only a Hollywood Movie could have described.
Our 2 catchers were injured during the game. I requested on the PA during the "time out" for a volunteer. A young Cooperstown HS junior walked down from the Hall of Fame stadium seats and "said I can catch".
He was outstanding [no fear] and two years later attended a Carolina college and signed professionally.
"That is a true story"
Bob
<www.goodwillseries.org>
Roy Halladay - saw him pitch in CO State semi-final. Gave up a couple of singles but Kd about 12 kids. Low 90s fastball at time and devestating knuckle curve.
My wife's cousin's kid was catcher for HS and grew up playing on same youth team as Halladay. By the time he was in HS - catching every other pitcher was pretty easy for him.
I have fortunate to see several over the years. I coached one that I saw strike out 15 in row and not one ball was even fouled off. Matt Harrison who is with Texas. Others that come to mind are Jason Neighborgall who sat in the upper 90s and routinely hit three digits in HS. I saw him hit 105 in HS. He had the most electric arm I have ever seen. He simply never could harness it at the college or pro level. I have seen several more over the years but the guy that was the most intimidating HS pitcher I was saw was Josh Hamilton. Athens Drive used him as a closer. Imagine a guy that big and yes he was a monster in HS from the left side that brought it mid 90s? He absolute struck fear in hitters eyes. Almost as much fear as he struck in pitchers.
Lynn Pinkston - in the 1970's - Ramapo High School - Ramapo, NY
Signed with the Cardinals - they tried to turn him into an outfielder - end of story.
David Price, Sonny Gray, both dominated hs ball
Zach Jackson- former MLB pitcher with the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers...now in the Washington Nationals minor league system.
True 90+ heat as a HS pitcher......dominating size 6'5"...felt like he was releasing the ball from the LL mound distance....
http://www.newsday.com/sports/...connection-1.7541512
This article appeared Sunday in Newsday.
Goodwill Series XXII - Tanaka and Harvey 2006 in Cooperstown.
40 million Japanese watched the Goodwill Series games on TV in Japan.
Bob
<www.goodwillseries.org>
http://www.newsday.com/sports/...connection-1.7541512
This article appeared Sunday in Newsday.
Goodwill Series XXII - Tanaka and Harvey 2006 in Cooperstown.
40 million Japanese watched the Goodwill Series games on TV in Japan.
Bob
<www.goodwillseries.org>
I'll go the opposite way. I've seen a number of eventual MLB'ers as high school pitchers and not a one did I think would accomplish what they have. The one I probably had the most contact wiht was Travis Wood. I never saw him as a great pitcher. However, I would not have been surprised to see him in the majors as a position player. That kid could hit the ball.
roothog66,
We liked Travis a lot as a pitcher. He was very athletic so I can see hy you might think he would be an outfielder. Scroll down and read the short report from the National Showcase he attended.
roothog66,
We liked Travis a lot as a pitcher. He was very athletic so I can see hy you might think he would be an outfielder. Scroll down and read the short report from the National Showcase he attended.
Don't get me wrong. From LL up, he was always an overpowering force on the mound. I just never looked at him and saw him as a pitcher at this level. What many don't get, though, is that he was probably a better hitter than pitcher. Good kid, too.
I've seen, coached and coached against some great HS pitchers. I hit off of Nick Baltz who would end up pitching for the Montreal Expos. Ok so I'm old. I have coached some that have made it to MLB. Jason Boyd (Several MLB teams), Justin Hampson (Padres and Mets), Tommy Price, Joe Blasingim were all tremendous. David Crouthers would only come in relief and do so sparingly and yet, he is the pitcher that the Cubs traded Sammy Sosa to the Orioles for. I coached against Jake Odorizzi. Max Scherzer was a major stud. I had to see him pitch because he had so many strikeouts in a short amount of innings that it was hard to believe. I coached against Jason Isringhausen as well but he was a catcher then. In short, it is a treat to get to see high quality arms at the HS level even if they aren't on your team and so, I would highly recommend that if you get the chance to see some of these guys pitch go do so.
Roy Halladay - saw him pitch in CO State semi-final. Gave up a couple of singles but Kd about 12 kids. Low 90s fastball at time and devestating knuckle curve.
My wife's cousin's kid was catcher for HS and grew up playing on same youth team as Halladay. By the time he was in HS - catching every other pitcher was pretty easy for him.
Up until a few months ago, I lived a couple of blocks from Arvada West and they still tell Roy Halladay stories around the campfire.
Anyone notice what Travis Wood did in his last start? Cubs win 5-1, Wood gets the win and also hits a homer, a double and drives in 4 of the 5 runs. When he was 15/16 I saw him as a 3B/outfielder prospect more than a pitcher (although he was definitely a shut-em-down F1).
Goose Gossage. My big brother got 2 abs off him, he enjoyed telling how he fouled off 2 pitches and nearly killed everyone in the 3 rd base dugout, batting lefty.
roothog,
I'm guessing the 3B was a typo?
roothog,
I'm guessing the 3B was a typo?
Yeah. Uggh. 1B (thinking F3 and 1B at the same time). He was one of those kids at 14/15/16 that was a good outfielder, but not necessarily fast enough. He didn't play first with the Blacksox in Legion ball, but I figured if he had gone to Arkansas, he would have been molded into a dh/1b kind of guy. He could absolutely rake as a kid.
Saw a lot of good ones around the State of Florida. I guess I'll go with Zach Greinke, Apopka HS 2002, I think.Very good command and cruised in the low 90's and could touch 94-95 when he felt like showing off for scouts.
