06/14/2015 - College PREP - Hoover (Birmingham), AL
Austin showed as a RHP/OF at the event and continues to show steady play in his baseball abilities. In the OF, feet are active as he takes proper routes / angles in tracking down balls as he makes the routine plays and utilizes two hands well through the fielding process. Defensive grade will continue to improve as he works to play through with momentum to his target. At the plate, he shows a squared / balanced setup. Hands are loose and work through a level swing path. He makes consistent contact as he works to stay inside the ball, utilizing all fields. Power numbers will continue to improve as he works to utilize his lower half more aggressively. On the mound, he threw his top velocity to date, topping out at 79 mph. Fastball showed a range of 74-79 mph with arm side run. Slider is best off speed pitch, displaying tight spin with sharp break. Breaking ball displays 11/5 shape with gradual break. He maintains arm speed on his changeup but needs to develop more movement on pitch. Control is solid as he throws more strikes with all his pitches. Stock on the mound will continue to improve as he builds more arm strength through a long toss program.
10/12/2014 - National Tryout - Hoover (Birmingham), AL
Austin showed on the mound and in the OF for the first time where he projects best for the next level. Foot speed has improved as he ran his best 60 time to date. In the OF, defensive abilities are well above average, displaying clean / smooth actions. He takes proper routes / angles in tracking down balls and works to get behind balls, playing through well with momentum to his target. Throws display life, carry, and accuracy through his target as he gets rid of the baseball quickly. At the plate, he has improved his hitting / power grades through and athletic setup. Hands are quick, flashing bat speed through a level swing path through an aggressive approach. He has pop in his swing with baseball jumping off the bat when centered, mainly to the pull side. Hitting grade will continue to improve as he works to keep hands inside the ball to utilize all fields. Power numbers will continue to improve as he learns to use his lower half more efficiently. On the mound, fastball showed a range of 75-76 mph. Breaking ball displays 11/5 shape with gradual break He maintains arm speed arm speed on changeup with sinking action. Stock on mound will continue to rise as he builds more arm strength and throws more strikes.
07/30/2014 - Baseball Factory National World Series at Pirate City - Session 1
Austin is a hard worker who brings his all to the field. Defensively, he shows active pre-pitch footwork moving around the ground ball well. He presents his glove out in front and fields the ball cleanly. He plays through the ball well and works in-line toward 1B. With the bat, this RHH remains selective waiting for his pitch. Barrel delivery is level as he connect and puts the ball in play. On the mound, Austin works quickly and keeps hitters off balance. He throws strikes and fills up the zone. A gamer - Austin is a coachable player who has a willingness to learn.
06/15/2014 - College PREP - Hoover (Birmingham), AL
Austin continues to show improvements in his baseball abilities. Foot speed has improved as he ran his best 60 time to date, now a 7.68 runner. At the plate is where he has improved the most, through an athletic setup. Hands are loose and aggressive and work through a level swing path. He tracks the ball well and makes consistent contact, mainly to the pull side. Hitting grades will continue to improve as he works to keep hands inside the ball, utilizing all fields. Power numbers will continue to improve as he learns to use his lower half more.
At SS, defensive grade are now slightly above average as he displays smooth / clean actions. Feet are active / aggressive as he works to square balls up. Hands are clean but needs to presents more out front to improve defensive grade. Throws are accurate but will benefit by building more arm strength through a long toss program. On the mound, he showed his best velocity to date, topping out at 717mph. Fastball showed a range of 76-77 mph with arm side run. Breaking ball displays 11/5 shape with gradual break. He maintains arm speed on his changeup showing a feel for but needs to develop more movement on pitch. Stock on the mound will continue to rise as more arm strength is gained and works to throw more strikes.
07/17/2013 - Cape Cod Select Training & Competition - Session 2
Austin is a great kid and a hard working ball player. At short, he has good pre-pitch footwork, good actions, and a fluid arm. His focus for the week in Cape Cod was to play lower in his fielding position with his hands out in front - which he did a tremendous job to achieve. Offensively, he has a good setup, short swing path, and showed an ability to put the ball in play. He is aggressive early in the count and has some sense for barrel accuracy. Eliminating stepping open will allow for more plate coverage and overall increased hit-ability. Austin also jumped on the bump for an inning, hitting 71 MPH with an ability to throw strikes. Overall, Austin brings life and energy to the dugout, is a good teammate and a solid young player.
06/16/2013 - College PREP - Hoover (Birmingham), AL
Austin is an athletic, 2 way player who plays SS and RHP. Defensively, Austin has active feet, playable hands, and he keeps the ball in front. He has a clean exchange, and throws with accuracy from a long arm action. Softer hands, fielding more out front, and added arm strength will improve defense. On the mound, Austin has a short arm action, a controlled balance point, and good direction toward home. Improved mechanics, and a longer arm action can improve mound effectiveness. Offensively, Austin has a square set-up, he tracks the ball well, and his balance is solid. He will need to improve his timing, shorten up, and use more lower 1/2 for hitting numbers to rise.