09/03/2021 - Baseball Factory's All-Region Tournament (HS)
Cole is a 2024 OF/LHP prospect out of Kokomo, IN who showcased his skills at the All Region Tournament. In the OF, active/efficient feet enable him to create good fielding angles in all directions. Fields from an athletic fielding position with hands out front and clean gather off right foot. Tries to work behind and through baseball with accurate throws into the infield and an arm velocity up to 79mph. On the mound, he works exclusively from the stretch with his glove centered. Separates his hands on-time, with a clean arm in the back, and accelerates out front. Does a good job of keeping ball out of the middle of the plate. He attacks hitters with a FB that sat 70-75mph with some cutting action, a 2/8 shaped breaking ball, and a changeup that has same sinking action as FB that he throws with FB arm speed. CH is a swing and miss pitch for Cole. At the plate, quiet head and level eyes enable him to track pitches well. Level bat angle at contact enables him to make contact to all fields. In live game action, Cole reached base 4 times with 2 singles and 2 base on balls. With 3 years of continued growth and development, we foresee this 2-way prospect making huge strides on the baseball field.
02/12/2021 - Baseball Factory Opening Day Classic (HS - East)
Cole is a 2024 OF/LHP. Medium frame with great projection and plenty of room to fill. Primary OF, deliberate approach, creates good angles and works behind/through the ball. Accurate arm from a 3/4 arm slot with good carry on throws. Secondary left-handed pitcher, gets down the mound well, short arm circle in the back, some angle to the over the top release. Repeats delivery and mixes fastball and curveball well. CB has 1/7 shape with medium break. Left-handed hitter, square/athletic stance, who loads well with some quickness to the hands. Creates line drive contact to all fields. Four years of continued growth and development will bode well for his career at the next level.
01/15/2021 - 2021 Baseball Factory Rookie Pre-Season All-America Tournament
A nice versatile performance at the Rookie Pre-Season All America for 2024 Lefty Cole VanNatter. Athletic OF/LHP, defensively showed good range, an ability to make plays and keep the ball in front of him. Plays through the ball well, has a very good glove and throws with good arm carry to his targets. On the mound, a clean left handed delivery with a good mix of pitches. FB tails a bit and misses barrels and his CB proved to be a solid out pitch with high swing and miss rates. Offensively, he can drive the ball to all fields given his nice calm, collected hitting approach. Hits it where its pitched, doesn't get cheated at the plate and has a very good feel for the strike zone, he doesn't chase pitches. Going to be a valuable asset to someone at the next level.
03/01/2020 - National Tryout Plus - Indianapolis, IN
Cole is a talented and hardworking 2-way player who has made great strides in his game. On the mound, this lefty continues to fire a 2-pitch mix (FB, CB). He maintains sound mechanics, keeps his eyes on his target and stays directional. FB has slight movement while curveball shows 12/6 shape. In the OF, Cole has quick/active footwork and takes good routes to track down fly-balls hit to his right and left. He works behind and through the ball, firing strong/accurate throws into his target. At the plate, this lefty steps into the box looking to do damage. He has fluid rhythm to load, whips the barrel on a level path and connects with pop (exit velocity = 77 mph). Only a 2024 grad - Cole has a ton of upside with a bright future ahead of him in the game.
07/21/2019 - Baseball Factory National World Series at Pirate City - Session 2 (Ages 12-14)
Cole continues to show improvements in his baseball abilities and has a promising future on the diamond. Foot speed has improved as he ran his best 60 time to date, now a 7.44 runner. In the OF, defensive abilities have improved as he displays smooth actions. He takes proper routes / angles in tracking down balls. 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 a lot of ground. At the plate, hitting abilities have improved through a squared setup. Hands are quick (80 mph exit velocity) and work through a level swing path. He stays inside the ball, utilizing all fields through a line drive approach. On the mound, arm strength has improved as he threw his top velocity to date at 68 mph. Fastball showed a range of 67-68 mph with sinking action. Breaking ball displays 2/8 shape with gradual break. Getting on a long toss program to develop more arm strength will aid in improving abilities on the mound. Mental makeup is a plus as he has a positive attitude, works hard, and is very coachable.
03/03/2019 - National Tryout Plus - Indianapolis, IN
Cole ran his fastest 60 to date (7.51 seconds), and raised radar velocity (63 MPH) during his last workout with The Factory. In the OF, Cole works well behind the ball, he has efficient footwork, and he fields with a low approach. He has athletic actions, soft hands, and he throws with consistency, carry, and momentum toward his target. On the mound, Cole has good balance, he separates on time, and he keeps his eyes on target. He works at a good pace, repeats his delivery, and competes in the zone. Offensively, Cole has a tall set-up, he loads well, and stands in well balanced. He swings in good rhythm, on plane, and hits line drives gap to gap.
11/15/2018 - Baseball Factory Select Training & Competition at Pirate City (Ages 12-14)
Cole is a coachable LHP/OF prospect who worked hard on his skills during his time at the Select Training & Competition at Pirate City. On the mound, Cole has a good set up and an athletic delivery. He shows a two pitch mix with his fastball topping out at 60mph with tailing action. Breaking ball sits at 53mph with 3-9 break. Gathering to a balance point over the rubber can help Cole improve as a pitcher. In the field, Cole shows efficient footwork and flashes good range to his backhand side. He makes a clean exchange and gets rid of the ball quickly, keeping his throws accurate with good carry through his target. Cole can improve defensively by getting into a lower fielding position. At the plate, this LHH sets up in a closed stance and flashes a smooth rhythm. He works to barrel up the baseball and makes solid contact. Taking a square stride can help Cole improve as a hitter. With six more years to develop, Cole has the time and potential to further progress his skills on the field.
09/16/2018 - Interactive Video Program - Indianapolis, IN
Cole is an athletic, 2-way player who plays OF and LHP. Defensively, Cole has efficient footwork, athletic actions, and he makes plays on balls hit his way. He presents his glove well, his exchange is clean, and he throws with consistency and momentum toward his target. On the mound, Cole keeps his eyes on target, he separates on time, and has good direction toward home; competing in the zone. At the plate, Cole has an athletic set-up, a short/square stride, and he makes consistent contact. He can hit to all fields and he uses some lower body. Overall skills can improve if Cole can work on the following.
Outfield
1. Lower approach
2. Quickness
3. Arm strength
Pitching
1. Finish
2. Arm action
Offense
1. Finish
2. Rhythm/timing
3. Lower body