Chase De Jong

DeJong shined in front of a huge crowd at Blair Field in a matchup against Shane Watson of rival Lakewood on March 30, striking out 12 batters and allowing just one run but losing 1-0. He threw 8 2/3 shutout innings in the rematch a month later, a 3-0 Wilson victory. DeJong isn't quite as electric as Watson and doesn't have as clean a delivery, but he has more advanced feel for pitching. His fastball sits comfortably in the 87-91 range but can reach 92-93 at times, and his downer curveball is a plus pitch at times. He also has good feel for a changeup that has a chance to be better than average. DeJong has a physical 6-foot-5 frame, but scouts don't care for his one-piece arm action and head movement. He has cleaned up his delivery somewhat, not throwing across his body as much and softening his landing, which has freed him up a bit. DeJong's toughness and moxie are among his best assets. The Southern California recruit could be drafted between the second and fourth round.