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Boomer's Scout Book (Posted August 21st)

Program: 2026 Fire55
Date: Wednesday, August 5th - Friday, August 7th
Location: Dunkin Park; Hartford, CT
College Coaches Present: 33
Total Players: 58

The first week of August signified the last week of Firecracker Sports’ summer schedule, but we would not end the summer on a low note. We held our 4th annual Fire55 and Jr. Fire55 showcases at the beautiful Dunkin Park, home of the Hartford Yardgoats, AA affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The event was the result of a summer of hard work from players, and 115 of the best from the classes of 2027-2030 that competed this summer at our tournaments and showcase circuit, once again joined us in Hartford. 

Players participated in a pro style workout, getting metrics collected on all aspects of their game. From 60 yard dash times to pitching velocities and spin rates, players’ performances were measured throughout the event. They also split into teams and played two games each. TrackMan was on the field for these games, collecting even more data. Games were competitive, high energy, and fun to watch, making the showcase feel like a series of tournament championship games.

We had nearly 30 coaches in attendance throughout the course of the event from all levels of college baseball. They were a huge help at the stadium, leading the skills and drills portion of our showcases, and managing dugouts during the games. They were an invaluable asset to the players, sharing their insights and knowledge. We hope all players left the event learning something new. The night before the event began, August 5, players gathered in the ballroom of the Hartford/Windsor Marriott hotel to check in and listen to panels of college coaches. They discussed topics such as the recruiting process, the differences between D1 to JUCO, and the landscape of college baseball. Thank you to Coach Eric Degre from Coast Guard for leading the reception with his presentation about discipline, and all of our panelists: Josh Kieffer from Bucknell University, Alex Luccini from UMass Amherst, Alex Denoyelle from Quinnipiac, Dan Tucker from Georgian Court, Ed Bethke from Southern Connecticut State, Josh Parrow from Hudson Valley CC, Tran Hennessy from St. Joseph’s Brooklyn, Jacob Goodreau from Springfield College, Justin Miller from Elms College, and Mike Odenwaelder from Eastern Connecticut State.

All data from the event has been posted to player profiles, from both the showcase, and updated from the live data. We wanted to highlight a few players and performances from the event. As an invite only event, there was a lot of talent on display and these choices were very difficult to make. Both showcase and games were considered in the decisions. Over the years, the talent has only gotten better at Fire55 and Jr. Fire55, meaning this year’s is the most difficult group to choose from. Everyone impressed in some way, but we narrowed it down to 5 hitters and 5 pitchers per event, in no specific order.

Fire55 Top Hitters

    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/eric-graves
    2. Behind the plate, Eric showed a quick release and strong, accurate throws. Threw 73 mph down to second base with a 2.03 pop time. Offensively, he has a clean path to the ball and controlled finish from an athletic, slightly open stance. Hits the ball hard and on a line with easy power to the pullside. Swing speed is average but is very controlled and gets the ball out in front. He could benefit from better controlling his forward move to improve consistency and timing. Has the physicality to play at the next level, with more room to grow, and the bat is extremely promising.
    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/luke-mootz
    2. Moved well for size. Showed above avg arm strength from behind the plate with accurate throws. Nearly 80 mph down to second with a sub two second pop time put him at the top of the leaderboards in both categories at the position. Received well during the game and handled pitchers with higher velo. Continue to work on receiving and blocking to add to the throwing skill set. At the plate showed a big leg kick in BP. Leg kick is a big move and needs to be started early so not late on pitchers with high velo. The bat path was flat leading to line drives in BP and Game. Uses the middle of the field in the air, which leads to a lot of success. Quick barrel through the zone and is short to the ball. Continue to work hard in the weight room which will lead to strength and increased exit velos and distance. Can play in college.
    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/liam-correa
    2. A left handed hitter with Impressive bat speed, Liam left an impression at the event. He possesses a strong arm and lower half as seen in his ability to make strong throws and do damage to the middle and pull side of the field. Threw 85 mph from the outfield and ran a 6.67 60 yard dash, meaning he has a high ceiling as an outfielder. He gets the barrel through the zone with a flat to slightly uphill swing, and stays on the plane with the pitch well. Very pull heavy swing, so the next evolution of development can come from using all fields when hitting.
    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/joshua-albizu
    2. Very athletic, and good physically. Slow load, short swing with fast hands. Set up can be quieted down, specifically his hands. Makes solid contact, lifting the ball with power. Attack angle is in the “ideal” zone at 17 degrees, showing his intent to lift the ball. Hit a long home run during BP over the bullpen in left field. Athleticism and bat will play at the next level. As a 2028 gard, he still has time to keep growing and maturing as a player, and will be a great follow heading into the fall and next summer.
    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/austin-taliaferro
    2. Where Austin really shined at Fire55 was his athleticism. He ran one of the fastest 60 yard dashes and flashed the leather in the outfield during the games. He ran down several balls in the gaps and some diving grabs on the warning track. Threw 84 mph during the showcase, one of the strongest arms of the position group. He showed a lot of accuracy as well. At the plate, he displayed a flat swing with above average bat speed and power. Uses the middle of the field well, but needs to work on elevating the ball more, as he has a tendency to hit ground balls. With his speed, ground balls create opportunities to get on base, but elevating the ball may turn the chance of an error into a base hit, or extra base hit. Lots of potential with his athleticism and bat to ball skills that any college coach would take a chance on.

Fire55 Top Pitchers

    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/gaighe-debella
    2. Gaighe is a really athletic RHP/INF. On the mound, he was 84-86, with plus command of his FB, especially to his glove side. He has a crossfire delivery with his stride, making him an uncomfortable AB for RHHs. Had a 76-79 mph CB with tight spin and above average command of the pitch. He also features a changeup that plays very well off the fastball. They are thrown from identical slots, with the changeup having more horizontal break. They look the exact same until the changeup starts to break. Can be used as a very good out pitch against LHH. The CB is thrown from a slightly lower slot which may lead to some tipping, but is a very good pitch.
    1. Featuring a FB. CT, and CB, Lima showed great command on the mound with a good FB that he located very well. He stayed out of the middle of the zone during his outing, leading to only one piece of contact, which was a foul ball. The FB sits at 86 and tops at 88 mph, one of the firmest fastballs at the event. The CT was not much slower at 85 mph, but did not have a lot of movement. More of a gyro cutter with just enough bite at the end to differentiate it. CB is about 20 mph slower and is a little slower. Throwing it with more conviction would help it have more bite. One improvement would be to introduce a pitch that moves armside and in on RHH. A Changeup or 2-Seamer would be beneficial to round out the arsenal.
    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/will-chyra
    2. Will is an intriguing arm for the 2028 class. He has more room to gain strength and add muscle, which should help increase his stuff and velocity. His extension helps his FB play up more, as it gets on hitters, especially RHH. He has an over the top arm slot with a shorter arm action. His FB has slight arm-side run and sink. He showed average command for the FB. His SL has a rounder shape, making it more of a get-me-over pitch right now, but should get better as he gets stronger. Displayed average command of the SL. Was 1.55-1.6 to the plate with a runner on 1B. He should work to lower that to a 1.3-1.4 to improve his ability to hold runners and stop would-be base stealers. Will has the size and lankiness for a pitcher and some added strength will help him develop. Already running the FB up 85 mph, he can only keep improving and could become a very good arm at the next level.
    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/sean-durham
    2. Sean has a good frame for a pitcher as he is tall and lank, creating good extension by further down the mound. Arm action is excellent from a high 3/4 slot. Has really good balance at the top of his leg lift setting up for good power down the mound. Good direction towards the plate, but tends to pull off slightly at the end of the delivery. Gets rotational rather than staying linear. His front side could be stronger, which would increase velocity. His velocity is already very good at 85 mph, but can improve. The FB also plays up because of his high spin rate at nearly 2400 RPM. This creates a lot of ride on the FB, making it very hard to square up. Overall, a good pitcher with plenty of improvements to make that could take him to elite status.
    1. GameRun AI Evaluation: https://events.gamerun.ai/cole-scully
    2. Cole has good size for his age and plenty of room and time to fill out. Cole does not overpower hitters as his FB is only about 80 mph, he can locate it well. He stays out of the middle of the zone and does not give up hard contact. Multiple balls were put in play, but none were hit harder than 80 mph. He compliments the FB with a sharp SL. The SL does not have a lot of break, only 7 inches horizontal and down 1 inch vertically, but it is sharp and breaks late. Cole’s arm is loose on the mound and has the potential to throw harder and develop new pitches.

Huge thank you to the Yardgoats for allowing us into Dunkin Park and assisting with everything we needed, but more importantly, giving the players a great experience. We also want to thank two companies that helped us run the event. SQAIRZ shoes provided each athlete with a brand new pair of turf shoes for the event. SQAIRZ makes shoes that are comfortable and built for performance, with a wider toe box so athletes are more stable and grounded. GameRun came to the event and gave each player a free AI evaluation. Players were recorded at the plate and on the mound, and GameRun’s AI provides feedback in just minutes. As you can see above, you can access your report through the link on your evaluation on your player profile. The 2026 Fire55 and Jr. Fire55 were a complete success this year, and that is in large part to the players. Everyone was eager to be there and eager to learn, and was ready to play baseball. We are already excited for next year’s event. We hope to see you there!

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Are you interested in hosting your own Team Scout Day for your program(s) with skills and drills, evaluations from colleges and pro scouts, live data testing with Trackman, t-shirts and much more?  Reach out to us today!  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact joey@firecrackersports.com for more information.

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