06/18/2021 - Baseball Factory All-State Tournament (HS)
James is an OF/LHP prospect who showcased his skills during the All-State Tournament. In the field, James shows active footwork and moves well to his glove side. He gets into an athletic position and fields the ball out in front of his body. His exchange is clean and he gains ground well on his throws, keeping them on-line to his target. At the plate, this LHH sets up in an open stance and works through a smooth swing, driving the ball from gap to gap. On the mound, James gathers over the rubber and separates his hands on time. He works with a quick arm and finishes with his chest over his front knee. James operates with a three pitch mix with his fastball topping out at 81mph with tailing action. Breaking ball sits from 61-64mph with 2-8 break. Changeup sits from 71-73mph with sinking action as he throws with deceptive arm speed. Overall, James is a solid prospect who has the potential to further build upon his skills on the field.
09/04/2020 - HS All-Region Tournament
James continues to show as a prospect on the diamond. In the OF, he takes proper routes / angles in tracking balls down. He works to get behind balls and plays through with momentum to his target. Range is a plus as he moves well laterally and covers ground. Throws are accurate but will benefit by building more arm strength through a long toss program. At the plate, he shows a squared setup. Hands are quick (82 mph exit velocity) and work through a level swing path. He stays inside the ball, utilizing all fields with gap-to-gap pop. On the mound, arm strength has improved as he threw his top velocity to date at 83mph. Breaking ball displays 1/7 shape with late/sharp break and displays as an outstanding pitch. Control is outstanding as he attacks hitters and throws strikes with all his pitches. Stock on the mound will continue to rise as he builds more arm strength through a long toss program.
10/06/2019 - National Tryout Plus - Trenton, NJ
James is an OF/LHP prospect who continues to showcase his skills on the field. In the OF, James shows active footwork and moves well to his glove side. He gets into an athletic position and fields the ball out in front of his body. He makes a clean exchange and gains momentum well on his throws, keeping them consistently on-line to his target. Catching fly balls at their highest point can help James improve defensively. At the plate, this LHH sets up in a tall stance and takes his stride on time. He is smooth getting into his load and drives through well with his lower half. He takes a level swing with fast bat speed, leading to consistent contact to all fields. James can improve as a hitter by consistently using his lower half more. On the mound, James shows a three pitch mix with his fastball topping out at 80mph with tailing action. Breaking ball sits from 68-70mph with 2-8 break. Changeup sits from 74-78mph with sinking action as he throws with deceptive arm speed. Gathering to a balance point over the rubber can help James improve as a pitcher. Overall, James is a solid prospect who has the potential to further develop his skills on the field.
02/10/2018 - College PREP - Palmyra (Harrisburg), PA
James is a long, 2-way player who plays 1B and LHP. Defensively, James has active feet, athletic actions, and he gets in a low fielding position. He gets behind the ball well, has a clean exchange, and a quick arm with carry to his target. Abilities at 1st base can improve with a higher arm slot and improved accuracy. On the mound, James has a loose/free arm action, he works in good tempo, and is in the zone with his pitches. More glove side pull and added arm strength will help mound effectiveness get better. At the plate, James has a tall set-up, a square stride, and he swings in good rhythm. He is an aggressive hitter with good balance, a short barrel to the ball, and he hits line drives. Improved extension and more lower body can help hitting spike.
07/24/2016 - Baseball Factory National World Series at Pirate City - Session 1
James is a lean left handed 2 way player, playing both 1B and P. Offensively he shows some pop to his pull side and good contact skills, starting with a balanced setup, a square stride, loaded hands and an excellent finish. At first base, he shows fluid actions and accurate throws, working effectively with his feet. On the hill, he throws his fastball/changeup combo from a 3/4 arm angle, which creates good glove side movement on his pitches. Mechanically, his windup is simple/repeatable that features balance and rhythm throughout. Keeping his front side strong toward the catcher will result in more consistent strikes. Offensively, James works from a balanced setup to get his hands into a load position followed by a square stride. Exploding his back hip to the pitcher will result in more power to all fields for him. Mechanically sound all around, James has the makeup of a next level player.