2016 NHSI: Day Two Notebook

On Day Two of the National High School Invitational, some of Southern California’s top prospects shined the brightest.

Mater Dei senior outfielder Josh Stephen has torn the cover off the baseball over the first two days of the event. He went 3-for-4 in Mater Dei’s win over Liberty Christian on Thursday. Stephen has been the top performer at the event so far and should see his stock rise significantly if he keeps up his hot hitting. Here’s how Stephen’s day went:

• PA1: Bloop single up the middle.
• PA2: Line drive to right field, single.
• PA3: Line drive to left-center field. Stephen hustled out of the box, around the bag and took second base for a double.
• PA4: Swung and missed at a 1-0 fastball, than, in a 1-2 count, chased a curveball low and inside.

Stephen is now 7-for-8 at the tournament. He has a compact swing and plays with a competitive edge to him. He showed power on Wednesday, smacking two balls off the wall and pulling out a home run. Stephen will be highly monitored in the coming days and weeks.

In the final game of the day, Chaminade College Prep prospects Blake Rutherford and Nick Kahle showed well. Rutherford had a strong day at the plate:

• PA1: Watched his way to a 2-0 count, then pulled a fastball hard into foul territory to right field. He worked his way to 3-2, then popped a fastball above his hands into foul territory, but the opposing catcher dropped the ball. On the next pitch, Rutherford went with an 85-mph fastball on the outer half, lashing a line drive over the shortstop’s head. He rounded first base 4.19 seconds after the ball left his bat.
• PA2: After falling behind 0-2, Rutherford worked his way back to 2-2, then got a bit underneath a fastball high and outside, sending a high-trajectory fly into left-center field. The ball landed and Rutherford had himself a bloop double.
• PA3: Rutherford punched a 1-0 fastball hard on the ground through the right side of the infield for a single.
• PA4: The UCLA commit had the green light in a 3-0 count, and he took advantage of a fastball left up on the outer half, rocketing a line drive to left-center field. Rutherford glided around the bases, showing off his athleticism, and rounded second before tripping on his way to third. He trotted back to second for a double.

In the outfield, Rutherford made several routine plays, and made one running grab going back and to his right, taking an outstanding route to the baseball. Many upper level scouting executives were on hand for Rutherford’s game, including Hall of Famer Pat Gillick, the president of the Phillies, who pick No. 1 overall.

Kahle is also having himself a strong showing this week. During batting practice on Day One, his timing was a little inconsistent, as he ripped a hard foul out to left field before hitting with top spin and getting a little cagey at the end of the round. In game action, he’s had a very strong tournament so far, going 3-for-8 and pulling a home run in each game.

Behind the plate, Kahle is a sound receiver with the ability to manage the game and catch the ball. He is committed to Washington.

Facing Chaminade in a 9-8 loss, Walton shortstop Carter Kieboom continued his impressive week. While Kieboom is known for his patient approach and elite timing at the plate, his defense at shortstop has stood out this week. Kieboom has shown smooth actions and range to his left, with significantly improved body control and a strong internal clock.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Kieboom’s quick feet got him to a ball that was hit just behind the second base bag, and he stepped on the bag, shifted his feet, transferred the ball to his throwing hand and fired to first for a double play. Kieboom is not perfect over there; after making an impressive scoop on a ball that he charged in the bottom of the fifth, Kieboom dropped the ball as he transferred for an error.

At the plate, Kieboom’s impressive approach stood out on Thursday:

• PA1: Walked on five pitches. Did not swing.
• PA2: Watched his way to 3-0, then took two fastballs down and away before taking a ball high and outside, walking for the second time.
• PA3: After watching his way to 2-2, Kieboom got a soft curveball down and over the plate, and he smacked a line drive to the wall in left center field for a double. It was his first swing of the day.
• PA4: On a 2-1 fastball down in the zone, Kieboom launched a missile right at the third baseman, who dropped the ball after impact. Kieboom reached first base in 4.54 seconds, though he may have slowed down thinking the ball struck the third baseman’s glove.

Kieboom has all the materials to develop into quality major league hitter, with strong strike zone awareness, pitch recognition, timing and bat speed. His improvements at shortstop could push him up draft boards, and scouts will get to see him compete in one of the most competitive high school regions in the country over the next few months.

On Day Two, most teams used the second pitcher in their rotation, and many of those pitchers showed promise. Florence (Ala.) High sophomore Cole Henry was perhaps the most exciting of the bunch, showing off a lightning-quick arm as he tossed five innings for the Falcons.

Henry’s fastball sat mostly at 89-91 early on, but he touched 92 and 93 on multiple occasions, and reached 94 on at least one radar gun. Henry also mixed in flashes of a solid changeup and a 12-to-6 curveball. His command wasn’t great on Thursday, but he has the raw materials to develop into a significant prospect for the 2018 class.