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On Saturday, Feb. 28, a highly-anticipated preseason pitching matchup featured two top prospects for the June 2009 draft: Righthander Chad Thompson of El Toro High and lefthander Tyler Matzek of Capistrano Valley High.

Saturday’s game received an unusual and elevated amount of attention and hype. The Los Angeles Times trumpeted the duel in two separate articles, and approximately 50 scouts were packed into El Toro’s cramped stands.

It was also perhaps the first preseason scrimmage game in Southern California high school baseball history to attract local television coverage.

Thompson took center stage first. Scouts have had mixed feelings about the towering 6-foot-8 righty. Some questioned the validity of readings in the Metrodome during a summer showcase, where Thompson reportedly touched 94 mph. Recent performances by Thompson were unimpressive as he showed a pedestrian 86-89 fastball combined with what could be charitably called questionable mechanics.

Thompson quickly dispelled the doubters Saturday by firing a blistering fastball that sat between 91 and 93, peaking at 94. He mixed in an intriguing change at 78 that exhibited nice arm side movement and dip.

Comparisons between Thompson and righthander Chris Tillman (Orioles No. 2 prospect) are apt. However, Tillman’s curve and mechanics were more advanced than Thompson at a similar stage. The latter’s curve is barely a wrinkle, thrown at 75 with virtually no two plane break.

Thompson’s mechanics prompt red flags from scouts. His arm action is improving noticeably, but Thompson throws across, if not around, himself, due to his habit of landing his front left foot in line with the righthanded batters box and not home plate.

In the bottom of the first, Tyler Matzek was, well . . . Tyler Matzek. He comfortably blew away the strong El Toro hitters, including Nolan Arenado, who is No. 92 on Baseball America’s High School Top 100. BA will have more on Matzek (and lefthander Tyler Skaggs) when they make their season opening starts next weekend.

Suffice it to say that Matzek painted the corners like Monet with his fastball, which ranged from 90-93, peaking at 94. His curve was a tad rusty at times, but he snapped off a few beauties at 76-77.

Saturday’s game was no doubt more important to Thompson than it was to Matzek. Matzek has little to prove to scouts, for he is possibly the finest Southern California prep lefthander since Cole Hamels.

Despite his weak curve and technical difficulties, Chad Thompson finally “arrived” Saturday—exhibiting the frame and raw arm strength scouts look for in a premium righthanded pitching prospect.

I don’t want to take anything away from Tyler Matzek. He is and was phenomenal at times on Saturday but to say he blew away the strong hitters including Nolan Arenado is an overstatement. Arenado only saw one fastball, which he fouled off and the umpire rung him up twice on two curve balls that were clearly bad, one at his shoulders and one that bounced in the dirt outside.

Posted by Baseball Mom | March 2, 2009 at 4:41 pm | Shortcut

I dont want to take anything away from Thompson, but did he not give up a bomb home run and a double off the wall consecutively?

Posted by anotherbbmom | March 2, 2009 at 7:34 pm | Shortcut

Thompson did but, didn’t Matzek also give up a bomb?

Posted by Fan | March 3, 2009 at 6:27 pm | Shortcut

Yes, Matzek did. But not to Arenado who Matzek struck out. Which was the point of my first comment.

Dont knock another teams pitcher.

The plate umpire did stink. Up, down, in and out. Inconsistent. But I dont think they are used to hs guys throwing in the mid 90s either.

So lets not take away from out pitchers and make comments about how a batter got robbed.

I will tell you how a batter of Arenado’s quality can not get cheated by the umpire…SWING

Posted by anotherbbmom | March 5, 2009 at 10:14 am | Shortcut

I don’t think the point is who gave up bombs or even who is the better pitcher, Thompson or Matzek. They’re both obviously very good. The point is the article singles out Arenado as having been “blown away” by Matzek. Both pitchers struck out many batters and to single out Arenado in this way is just not fair. Arenado is a very good hitter.

Posted by onemorebbmom | March 5, 2009 at 6:01 pm | Shortcut

How was the point of your first comment the fact that Matzek struck out Arenado when your original post only talked about the hits off Thompson? That seems to be contradicting your statement to not knock another teams pitcher.

P.S. Being forced to swing at bad pitches because of a terrible umpire is still considered getting cheated by the umpire.

Posted by Jeters Never Prosper | March 5, 2009 at 6:32 pm | Shortcut

My point was dont take down another team’s pitcher. The other team’s gonna take offense.

Did you ever hear the proverb about not listneing to the statement before the BUT,

The only statement I ever listen to is after the word BUT,

I dont want to take anything away from Matzek but,

…….. start listening now.

Arenado is one of high schools best hitters this year. He got singled out because the first poster whined about how he got robbed. He did not get robbed.. He did not swing. He is too good… just too good. He could easily swing and foul something off at least.

Matzek is great, Thompson is great, Arenado is great.

Quit whining about one game by one ump.

Arenado will probably hit close to .500 this year and win another CIF, but the first poster will dimish that by whining about how the kid got robbed here and there by overstatement, by a bad ump, by cookie selling girl scouts, who knows.

Let Arenado swing it and speak for himself.

Posted by anotherbbmom | March 6, 2009 at 11:30 pm | Shortcut

BTW, Jeters never prosper is the best username I have ever seen.

Posted by anotherbbmom | March 6, 2009 at 11:48 pm | Shortcut

Both Matzek and Thompson were clearly dominant at times. But on this day El Toro was better offensively than Capo. Thompson hung a change up that Clark hit out (for Capo’s only run off Thompson in 4 innings pitched) followed by a deep fly ball to center that the ET center fielder lost in the cloudy sky which should have been caught. Matzek gave up a rope double down the LF line by Penprase followed by a RBI single by Donohoe in the 4th, a tape measure HR over the scoreboard by Jensen in the 5th and another earned run later that inning. The pitching was great but the baseball was better, Matzek and Thompson were the big story but not the whole story. This was El Toro versus Capo, this was a big time “scrimmage”, El Toro outscored Capo 5-1 and neither Matzek or Thompson accounted for any of those runs. Even with the outstanding pitching both of these teams displayed, 1 run will not likely win 25+ games but 5 probably will.

Posted by playn2win | March 8, 2009 at 11:00 am | Shortcut

Wow! I can not believe what I just read. I was at the game watching two outstanding pitching propects, two young men that you could very well project to pitching in a major league stadium someday! It was the first time that I saw Mazek pitch, he is the real deal and did not disappoint!!!
However some of the comments made about Thompson I felt were irresponsible and overly critical. To use the words “red flag” attached to his mechanics is ridiculous, at 6’8″ he repeats his mechanics, his head and glove travel over his front foot, he releases the ball with what looks like to be about 8-9′ closer to the plate from the rubber. All the while maintaining his balance at the end of the delivery!
Thompson actually threw 95 twice. 95 thrown from about 51 feet, pretty hard to do if you are throwing across your body. Somebody should do the math on that! That would be about 2 or 3 tenths of a second to react!!!!

Posted by gpz100 | March 13, 2009 at 2:17 pm | Shortcut

GZ, that particular writer is often overly critical. But, you are 100% correct…Both Matzek and Thompson are in for a great career!

Posted by anotherbbmom | March 16, 2009 at 2:06 pm | Shortcut

“1 run will not likely win 25+ games but 5 probably will.”

playn2win, you have the best post of the string.

Posted by anotherbbmom | March 16, 2009 at 2:08 pm | Shortcut