Sept. 25, 2010
Indian summer continues to blanket Nashville or maybe it just seems like every time you go outside it feels like you have walked face-first into a sodden hot blanket. The boys of summer (albeit late summer) don’t seem to mind the heat, particularly some of the Commodores’ young arms.
Left-handers were not in short supply during Friday’s scrimmage including newcomers Kevin Ziomek (Amherst, Mass.) and Steven Rice (Crawfordsville, Ind.). Ziomek is widely known as the Diamondbacks selected him in the 13th-round of the Major League Draft in June, but Steven Rice was equally impressive with a fastball-breaking ball arsenal. The Vanderbilt coaching staff may have found another undersized (6’0″ or less) competitor in Rice; after all, Sonny Gray has worked out pretty well. Corey Williams made a triumphant return to the mound in his first live action scrimmage since his successful rehab of a shattered kneecap. I just missed Sam Selman in what must have seemed to many a southpaw showcase. Add Grayson Garvin and Keenan Kolinsky and there are now six left-handers on the roster.
Another freshman, Robert Hansen (Hendersonville, Tenn.), really aired out a good fastball and matched his left-handed teammates. A 45th-round pick by the St. Louis Cardinals, Hansen looks to be yet another local high-end arm that have become synonymous with the Corbin era.
And I wouldn’t be doing this fall update justice without mentioning the two innings stint of Navery Moore. After being named as the Prospect League’s #1 prospect by Baseball America while playing for the Nashville Outlaws in Hawkins Field this summer, Navery seems to be realizing his full potential as a pitcher rather than a thrower. He used mostly off-speed stuff to keep his teammates off balance and remains one of the best athletes on the team. Navery used an incredible vertical leap off his follow through to jump up and snare a high chopper destined for centerfield only to complete the play to first while getting props from his teammates.
More arms for Derek Johnson to mold into pitchers. Look out.
