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According to major league baseball scouts we have the number one pitching prospect in high school baseball playing high school baseball right here in Columbia, SC in Taylor Guerrieri at Spring Valley High School. I have not seen him pitch yet but I am hoping to get out and personally watch him. Guerrieri has been clocked in the 96-98 mph range on his fastball.

In his last start against Lexington he took a little off his fast ball to show he can locate his pitches. He was mostly in the 91-93 mph range but dialed it up to 95 mph in the later innings. According to the scouts and baseball executives in attendance he had great sink to his fast ball. His location of his pitches was excellent and resulted in a lot of ground balls and weak hits.

“He has all the weapons,” a scout in attendance said. “When you look at what big leaguers do, he does that already. He’s a lot of fun to watch and I like him a lot, but he’s the kind of pick that’s not up to an area scout.”

Guerrieri stands at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. So he has good size for a power pitcher. The scouts like that he has long arms, broad shoulders and strong legs. The velocity on his pitches is generated by his strong legs. He has problems with his curveball being consistent but when it’s on he is very hard to hit. His curveball was clocked in 81-83 mph range during the game.

Taylor is considered to be the top high school pitcher in the nation by many and is expected to go in the top 15 in the draft this June. He has committed to the Gamecocks but it is unlikely will he will play college baseball, especially with his stock rising among major league scouts. His signing bonus as a top 15 player will be too much to turn down. I have got to go watch him pitch.