Portal Transfers & Recruits

[Chop]

Now here's one to pursue with purpose:

Hurston Waldrep
Southern Miss.
RHP

3.20 ERA
1.16 WHIP
140 Strikeouts
33 Walks
in 90 innings pitched
6-2 record
0.213 - opponents' batting avg against him
Sunday starter for So. Miss. last year
Fastball in the mid-90s
Good breaking ball and Slider


https://www.sunherald.com/sports/co...of-southern-mississippi/article263041133.html

A week in the life of Southern Miss' starting pitching rotation – Sunday starter Hurston Waldrep

"...his standard breakfast of eggs, sausage and pancakes ..."
"Come 12 p.m., it’s lunchtime, and ... Waldrep will choose between Qdoba or Chick-fil-A..."

“I’m very strict with what I eat,” Waldrep said. “It’s a very clean diet. I think I can accredit it to what I have done."

[gotta like this guy]

So. Miss. Pitcher Hurston Waldrep (3.20 ERA, 6-2 record) to the U. of Florida.

 

[aUTfan]

not sure how im seeing these before anyone else, figured this would already be posted.

Charlie Hurley 6'8" RHP transfers to UT from USC, with 16 appearances, 4.19 ERA.

USC baseball pitcher Charlie Hurley enters transfer portal

I didn't see a good link to his commit but i saw it on Twitter, link is just info on him.

 

[Chop]

Elijah Trest
Arkansas
RHP
Reliever
3.77 ERA
1.28 WHIP
14.1 innings
17 strikouts
12 walks
0.125 opponents' batting avg
95 mph fastball

is in the portal. He'll have 2 years eligibility left, but has indicated that he'll only stay in college 1 more year. His numbers were even better in 2021 and 2020. 1.93 ERA in shortened 2020 season. 3.14 ERA in 2021 season.

***He's from Texas***




Report: UA pitcher Trest will transfer

https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/stats/baseball/2022/overall.pdf

Zack Gregory, Elijah Trest latest Arkansas baseball players to enter portal

 

[Chop]

not sure how im seeing these before anyone else, figured this would already be posted.

Charlie Hurley 6'8" RHP transfers to UT from USC, with 16 appearances, 4.19 ERA.

USC baseball pitcher Charlie Hurley enters transfer portal

I didn't see a good link to his commit but i saw it on Twitter, link is just info on him.

A solid take.

Sounds like he had an excellent 1st half of the year, and a decent enough 2nd half of the year. Not an all-conference sort of guy, but a guy you'd feel comfortable handing the ball to when you need a few scoreless innings in relief. Likely a middle reliever or set-up man.

We could use a heapin' handful of pitchers like this.


"The towering 6-foot-8 second-year right-handed pitcher started the season on fire, allowing one run in 13 innings over his first five appearances. He followed that up with six solid innings at UCLA to help the Trojans lock up the series win over their rivals in the Crosstown Showdown. Through the first weekend of May, Hurley had allowed more than two earned runs only twice on the season and he sported a 2.58 ERA.

He had allowed only 49 hits with 24 walks through his first 59.1 innings this season before not being as sharp in final three starts of the season and watching his ERA and WHIP rise as the Trojans' campaign came to a close. Hurley's ERA finished at an almost identical number to his freshman season when he sported a 4.29 ERA with opponents hitting .273 against him. He finished the season 0-3 in 17 relief appearances."

 

[Chop]

not sure how im seeing these before anyone else, figured this would already be posted.

When it comes to the portal, I'm mostly just good for finding the low-hanging fruit. There's just so many guys in the portal, and they're getting signed so fast...

 

[aUTfan]

When it comes to the portal, I'm mostly just good for finding the low-hanging fruit. There's just so many guys in the portal, and they're getting signed so fast...

I was just surprised, I actually saw his commitment earlier in the day and came here to see what anyone may know about him only to find out no one posted. Guess everyone is gearing up for football.

I would like to see what woody can do with him, he’s going to be a major contributor for sure one way or the other.

Duplantier is getting a lot of innings I think, he had a good outing this week.

this is the deadest part of the year, I like summer but the absence of sports in July and august are almost insufferable lol

 

[Chop]

Duplantier is getting a lot of innings I think, he had a good outing this week.

IMHO

DuPlantier always had some nasty stuff. His breaking stuff really drops--and right over the plate. He was really good before his injury/surgery. He struggled coming back from surgery early last season--often walking batters and sometimes getting shelled, including giving up grand slams (this caused much consternation among posters on these boards...). Later in the season, he seemed to find his path, and was pitching pretty well by the end of the season. I think he'll be good next year.

Next year, DuPlantier, depending on his progress, might be anything from a weekend starter, to a weekday starter, to a middle reliever, to a closer. If he comes in throwing consistently well, that would go a long way towards a solid pitching staff. We've got Gordon back, we need a couple more reliably good starters. DuPlantier could be one.

 

[Chop]

Austin Temple
Notre Dame
Grad Transfer- will have 1 year eligibility remaining
RHP
6'4"
180 lbs
3.50 ERA
1.24 WHIP
4-1
87 Strikeouts
37 Walks
0.200 opponents' batting avg against him

 

[STHAustin]

Gavin Kash entered the portal last month, but I haven't seen an announcement for another school. Just wondered if there was a chance he might decide to stay at Texas. Anyone have an update?

 

[HomeBrewHorn]

Gavin Kash entered the portal last month, but I haven't seen an announcement for another school. Just wondered if there was a chance he might decide to stay at Texas. Anyone have an update?

He landed at TxTech I think.

 

[STHAustin]

Thanks for the information.

 

[utahorn]

Chop - Two things:
What is it about UConn and Nutmeg?
Do not ever post the Fat Leprechaun for ND again. As I say to some of my students, You Can Do Better.

 

[mchammer]

Chop - Two things:
What is it about UConn and Nutmeg?
Do not ever post the Fat Leprechaun for ND again. As I say to some of my students, You Can Do Better.

Chop is doing the nutmeg thing at my insistence. Folks from Connecticut are called Nutmeggers. It is the nutmeg state. Agreed on the fat Irish bastard.

 

[utahorn]

the guys who are the best MLB prospects are not necessarily going to be the best college players.

I found this to be a very interesting statement. Why do you think that the best MLB prospects might not be the best college players? Less emphasis on academics and all on baseball?

Not disagreeing, just curious.

 

[Chop]

I found this to be a very interesting statement. Why do you think that the best MLB prospects might not be the best college players? Less emphasis on academics and all on baseball?

Not disagreeing, just curious.

Pitching—-nastiest stuff = good MLB prospect; good pitching and control and ERA in college with good but not great stuff = lower rounds prospect.

I think most MLB scouts’ thinking is that while someone can throw good enough stuff (low 90s fastball, decent break on breaking stuff, with good control) in college and do real well in college, they’re worried that MLB hitters will shell them without really nasty stuff. Still, there’s a place in the majors for Rembrandts who throw in the low 90s. But I’m no MLB scout…

I think the trend in recent years has been for the MLB scouts to just break out the radar guns and only take interest in the guys throwing 95+. I don’t agree with that philosophy, but I think that’s what’s happening a lot.

 

[Chop]

I found this to be a very interesting statement. Why do you think that the best MLB prospects might not be the best college players? Less emphasis on academics and all on baseball?

Not disagreeing, just curious.

Also, a pitcher with nasty stuff but poor control in college could master his control in the minors. That’s why Nixon and Stewart could possibly get there someday—even though both were awful this year.

 

[utahorn]

Thank you for the reply. Never looked at it from that perspective. What about hitters and fielders? I am asking about development of non-pitchers between College and the Minors. Do you see a difference?

 

[aUTfan]

A pitcher can peak or perceive to peak later in life. Some kids peak in 8th grade, some don’t peak till they are 33. Trick is seeing and knowing the difference. A good college pitcher may have been great in high school, successful in college but he’s at the end of his abilities and will never contribute in the majors.

 

[aUTfan]

I would suggest you read moneyball, it’s kind of surprising for a little insight into major league scouting.

 

[aUTfan]

Also, apparently we picked up another infielder, Cade O’Hara.not a transfer, actual 2022 recruit flipped.

Texas flips 2022 2B/SS Cade O’Hara from Texas Tech - Burnt Orange Nation

 

[utahorn]

Thanks for the poop aUTfan. Didn't know I was not supposed to be curious. I will read Moneyball though.

 

[SabreHorn]

There are multiple examples for every side of the thoughts. Just some of what I've seen:

1) Roger Clemens had no offers out of HS. He accepted an offer to play DL for North Texas State. Wayne Graham saw him pitch in summer league, asked which he preferred, and told him to spend a year with him at San Jac and he would make a pitcher out of him. Roger was not a flame thrower in HS. I asked Coach Graham once why he wanted Roger, and he said, "the kid is always on or around the strike zone". He didn't walk people. Coach Graham got his speed up in the 90s, and the rest is history.

2) Rick Lueken (sp) was a can't miss. Great kid, 6'7", fastball in upper 90s. It took the Royals nine years to undo the damage that Chandler did.

3) Randy Pryor hitting high 90s at Pearland HS, but did he ever throw a pitch for the Aggies? Another product of Chandler's superb coaching.

4) Gene Nobles was a great HS player, but his arm went dead before he graduated from HS. Signed with Astros out of HS. Bounced around the minors for a dozen plus years.

5) Nolan Ryan had the pros salivating with that fastball, but control was a big issue. The Mets gave up on him and sent him to SoCal.

6) Tommy Harmon was arguably the best catcher we ever had and is an incredible baseball mind. Another can't miss. The jump from Omaha to KC appeared to be a mental hurdle. He was outstanding in AAA, but couldn't transfer it to KC. The Royals loved him, he was great with the young players, particularly the pitchers, so he stayed in Omaha for years before they made him a AA manager.

The list can go on and on, but I hate "select ball" because I think baseball is the most fickle sport a kid can participate in. Such a small percentage make it to the bigs, and spotting those guys when they are 17-18 years old is far from science.

 

[aUTfan]

Thanks for the poop aUTfan. Didn't know I was not supposed to be curious. I will read Moneyball though.

Sorry if I came across brash. Wasn’t intended.

 

[utahorn]

NP. I will read Moneyball. What is different from the movie version?

 

[aUTfan]

NP. I will read Moneyball. What is different from the movie version?

One aspect of the book is much more detailed about how boneheaded and set in their ways of tradition the scouts are. It’s mind numbing or at least it was to me. It’s a short read.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

there’s a place in the majors for Rembrandts who throw in the low 90s.

Greg Maddux did okay.

 

[Chop]

Greg Maddux did okay.

Yep. That’s what I’m saying.

MLB scouts these days seem to go for the guys who throw 95+, above all else.

 

[Chop]

Chop is doing the nutmeg thing at my insistence. Folks from Connecticut are called Nutmeggers. It is the nutmeg state. Agreed on the fat Irish bastard.

Folks from Connecticut have butlers and are members of yacht clubs.





Sort of like how we Texans ride horses to work and have oil wells in our front yards.

 

[Chop]

Thank you for the reply. Never looked at it from that perspective. What about hitters and fielders? I am asking about development of non-pitchers between College and the Minors. Do you see a difference?

Someone with more baseball sophistication than I should weigh in on this. Personally, I think a lot of MLB scouts get all giddy over the mechanics of a batter’s swing, bat speed, etc, rather than looking at a player’s actual proven production in actual baseball games.

MLB scouts seem to care most about how high of a ceiling a prospect has. They have lots and lots of aspiring players in their minor league system. I guess they figure they’ll grab the players with the most potential/highest ceiling, and some of them will pan out and make it to the majors.

 

[Chop]

For a football analogy, I know a guy very well who was all district at both DT and OT in high school. A really good player for high school ball but he was slow as molasses and under 6’ tall. Other than Angelo State, colleges were not interested. Meanwhile, a 6’3” 280 lb lineman who only played OL and, while also all district, didn’t contribute as much to his high school team winning, ended up playing football at a D1 school.

While the first player (the sub 6’ slow guy) was actually a better HIGH SCHOOL football player, no D1 college wanted a 5’11” lineman who was slow as molasses. The 6’3” 280 lb guy had a higher ceiling and more potential to develop into a D1 starter.