Right-hander Ryan Randel has signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Angels.
An Angels scout who scouted Randel quite a bit offered some things that he and the Angels liked about Randel . . . On Randel’s physical attributes, the scout noted that Randel is a “tall guy . . . with a nice pitcher’s frame” and he noted that Ryan “comes from a good angle.”
About Randel’s baseball skills, the scout noted that Randel “pitches to contact” and his change-up has a chance to be a swing and miss pitch” . . . The scout further added that Ryan is “very coachable.”
On the things that cannot be taught, the scout said Randel is “a hard worker . . . he brings a good work ethic . . . going to be very professional about his business” . . . the scout added that Randel will be a “great teammate.” –
The Argyle Eagles claimed the 2019 4A Texas state championship at Disch-Falk Field Thursday night with a 6-3 win over the Sweeny Bulldogs.
Cougars commit Bo Hogeboom continued to bat as the designated hitter for the Eagles . . . Argyle scored a run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead . . . They would not get on board again until the fourth, when, still leading 1-0 they put together an inning in which they plated three runs.
Hogeboom helped lead the fourth inning attack when he hit a one-out single to left-center to score a runner from second and put the Eagles up 3-0 at that point . . . When Hogeboom reached base, a courtesy runner took Hogeboom’s place at first base, and the runner would score a few batters later on a single to put Argyle up 4-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth.
Hogeboom walked in the fifth with two outs and runners on second and third . . . The next batter would be hit by a pitch which walked in another run to make the score 5-0 . . . Sweeny closed the gap in the fifth when they scored three runs to cut the lead to 5-3.
Hogeboom completed his night at the plate with a two-out walk in the seventh inning, his second walk in as many plate appearances . . . Hogeboom started the at-bat with a runner on second, but two wild pitches scored the runner and left no one on for Hogeboom . . . Given the situation, it was a disciplined plate appearance for Hogeboom and his patience at not chasing out of the strike zone was rewarded with a free base after Argyle took a 6-3 lead.
Argyle ends their season with a 40-1-1 record . . . The Cougars commit comes from a program that does not know losing. –
Right-hander Fred Villarreal was drafted by the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday in the 25th round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft.
Villarreal was electric on the mound this season for the Cougars, he stayed healthy this year and was mostly automatic when he entered a game, many times he was asked to go more than one inning to close out a game . . . In the process, Villarreal picked up ten saves in thirty-three appearances with a 2.29 ERA.
Seattle Mariners director of amateur scouting Scott Hunter had these things to say about their evaluation of Villarreal, “He has what our guys call a ‘real’ slider and his velocity is in the 88 to 91 range and they think if he can come in and start gaining a few more miles per hour, he could have the real potential to move in our system.”
Hunter added, “We identify guys that can throw a ton of strikes and have really good breaking balls. We think over the last few years we’ve really been able to start developing velocity for guys in what we call our “gas camp.” We try to identify a few of those guys that we can build upon where if we can increase their velocity just a little bit, they can become real prospects.” –
Argyle Eagles designated hitter Bo Hogeboom and his team had little trouble on Wednesday advancing to the state championship game on Thursday against the La Vernia Bears.
Hogeboom, a Cougars commit after next season, got his first at-bat with two outs in the second inning . . . He hit a ball toward second that took a while for a defender to field . . . Hogeboom was racing up the line and forced a bad throw to first, but the throw was not errant enough so that Hogeboom was able to advance to second . . . Hogeboom would score from first when the next batter tripled to right field and Argyle took a 2-0 leading into the third inning.
Hogeboom got another at-bat in the fourth and reached base on a shot to third that was too hot to handle and the third baseman booted the ball into foul territory . . . A courtesy runner took Hogeboom’s place at first base, the La Vernia pitcher balked on his next pitch attempt, and just like that Hogeboom’s runner was standing at second base . . . The runner would eventually score the first of thirteen Argyle runs in the fourth inning.
Hogeboom got another at-bat in the fourth inning, with the bases loaded and two outs, on the first pitch he saw he hit a single to right field, going the opposite way . . . The single drove in two runs to give Argyle a 10-0 lead . . . Hogeboom crossed the plate again, for the second time in the inning, he was the twelfth run of the game . . . Argyle would score thirteen runs in the inning, tying a state record for runs in an inning, and they sent eighteen batters to the plate in the inning . . . The game ended after the fifth because of the ten-run rule when La Vernia did not score in the top of the fifth.
Argyle advances to the state 4A championship on Thursday at 6:30pm at Disch-Falk Field in Austin. –
Jared Triolo was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. (Photo via Pirates Twitter account.)
Major League Baseball’s amateur draft got underway on Monday and will finish up late on Wednesday . . . Cougars third baseman Jared Triolo was drafted late in the evening on Monday with the 72nd overall pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates, toward the end of the second of forty rounds.
There is debate about what position eventually fits Triolo best, some suggest shortstop is his destination, while others maintain he can be a third sacker at the next level . . . His arm and his fielding tell us it could be either position, but it may be his hitting that determines where he ends up.
The Pirates amateur scouting director, Joe DelliCarri, offered these thoughts on Triolo’s plate discipline, Jared is, “Comfortable deep in at-bats,” DelliCarri said. “Maybe a little upside, too, in his approach. He’s very comfortable going deeper. He sees the ball and looks to us to have processing. Just the overall look to Jared is hitter-ish in all counts, early and late, and there’s definitely some stuff we believe we can help him get to – upside in his approach a little bit more, then his impact as well. Even though he’s shown some things in samples and at times, there’s more there.” –
Samuel Tormos #7 (Photo via Van Alstyne baseball Twitter account.)
The Van Alstyne Panthers became the last team in the state of Texas to advance to the state baseball tournament in Round Rock next week by virtue of the fact their game started last on Saturday night, by which point every other slot in the state had been determined.
Houston Cougars commit Samuel Tormos has led the Panthers all year long and Saturday was no exception . . . Batting in the bottom of the first inning with one out, Tormos doubled to score a runner from second base, the RBI gave Van Alstyne an early 1-0 lead . . . In the third inning with a runner on third, Tormos put a ball in play on the infield and an error allowed Van Alstyne’s second run to score to make it 2-1 as Tormos reached first base.
Tormos was playing great, error-free shortstop . . . Things got dicey in the fifth for Van Alstyne, and after two walks put runners on first and second with one out, Tormos was called upon to take the mound, leaving his shortstop position . . . Tormos got two strikeouts to end the inning and preserve the Panthers 4-3 lead.
Tormos returned to shortstop in the sixth inning as a collection of pitchers took turns finishing off the Harmony Eagles . . . With the 6-5 victory, Van Alstyne advances to the Texas 3A state baseball playoffs in Round Rock next week. –
Houston Cougars Baseball Beat 