09/12/2010 - College PREP - Adrian (Detroit), MI
Troy showed similar skills in Adrian, MI as he has done in previous workouts. In the INF, Troy has good hands and feet and he makes plays on balls hit his way. He presents his glove, stays down on the ball, and has an okay exchange from glove to hand. If Troy can lighten his feet and attack the ball more aggressively, skills at SS can get better. On the mound, Troy has good balance and he repeats his delivery well. He has a still head, decent off speed pitches, and is around the zone. Mound effectiveness can get better with more explosion, a longer arm action, and a more consistent release point. Offensively, Troy is a better hitter from the right side. He has high hands, stays behind the ball, and he uses all fields. Troy has a line drive approach and if he can keep his hands high, and add strength, righty numbers can get better. From the left side, Troy has a quiet load and is direct to the ball. He has average balance and bat speed, and will need more extension and use of lower 1/2 in order to get better from the left side.
06/17/2010 - Omaha Pro Select Training and Tournament - Week 1
Troy continues to show us solid baseball abilities. In the INF, Troy has athletic movements, good balance, and active feet. He gets to the ball well, has soft hands, and a smooth exchange. Troy has an accurate arm, with carry across the diamond. If Troy can avoid rushing, and work to field the ball more consistently out in front of his body, defensive grades can further improve. On the mound, Troy is a smart Pitcher with a good delivery. He works down in the zone, he gets good extension, and he fields his position well. If Troy can avoid cutting off his stride, not rushing to the plate, and changing speed better, we could see his mound effectiveness improve. Offensively, Troy is a strong, patient hitter, with quick hands. He knows the zone, can work gap to gap, and he puts the ball in play. If Troy can get his front foot down sooner, and not collapse his back side, offensive numbers can continue to improve. He is a very coachable player and a hard worker. Currently, we like him more as a SS for the next level, but his versatility as a pitcher is a plus.
12/27/2009 - Christmas Camp and Tournament #2
Troy is an athletic two-way player in the MIF plus on the mound. He currently projects best in the MIF for the next level, though he showed very solid mechanics on the mound. Defensively, he also shows good instincts, reading balls well, and flashing good range. He will benefit by being more aggressive in his approach to and through the baseball with both his feet and hands. His arm works and is playable but he needs to get on a long toss program to develop more strength. Offensively, Pickard demonstrates a great understanding of the strike zone as he is patient at the plate, taking a lot of pitches. Swing path is level showing a line drive approach with power numbers improving with overall body strength. On the mound, fastball has a range of 68-74 mph with running action on a downhill plane. Breaking ball displays 10/4 shape with hard break. He attacks hitters throwing strikes with all his pitches displaying good rhythm and tempo. As noted earlier, his mechanics are very good and with added velocity and further development of his offspeed pitches, he could develop into a good pitching prospect. Troy has abilities with room to improve.