UPDATED RESEARCH - Mack's Mock Pick: 1.15 - RHP - Travis Sykora

 Travis Sykora 

RHP      Round Rock HS (TX)

 

https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/PBR/2023-Overall-Rankings-Update-7531924608?s=03  

No pitcher in the class can match the raw arm talent that RHP Travis Sykora (Round Rock HS, TX) brings to the mound. Routinely touching triple digits with a bullying fastball that challenges any and every hitter, the Texas recruit is as big as they come in a state that prides itself in being so. 

The 6-foot-6, 220-pound right-hander is hardly all heat, and routinely has demonstrated the ability to drop in each of his secondary offerings for strikes with the slider standing out as a potential plus-offering in the future. 

A gifted athlete who carries nearly equally as impressive power at the plate as he does on the mound, the idea of Sykora one day blossoming into a frontline guy with premium stuff is likely going to be at the forefront of many meetings within scouting departments over the next year. 

 

9-6-22 - UPDATED 2023 TEXAS PLAYER RANKINGS

https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/TX/Updated-2023-Texas-Player-Rankings-7591230864  

#2 Travis Sykora - RHP - Round Rock - Texas Commit 

Sykora has cemented his status as the hardest thrower in the country. He touched 100 regularly this spring/summer and his secondary pitches continue to get better.  Here is Shooter Hunt on Sykora at Area Code Games: 

As RHP Travis Sykora (Round Rock HS, TX) took the hill to warm up, the stadium fell silent in anticipation. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound Texas recruit didn’t disappoint. He sat 99-100 in the first inning before settling in at 94-98 for the next two. He used his 85-87 slider heavily at first, then went to an 84-87 splitter that the bottom drops out of. There have been a lot of hard throwers at Area Code Games--Tyler Kolek, Riley Pint, Hunter Greene, Jared Kelley and Chase Petty in the last 10 years. Petty and Sykora are the only two to hit 100 in that time. In three innings, Sykora allowed one hit and struck out five. 

 

8-28-22 - Dick’s Sporting Goods All-American Classic 

(@PGAllAmerican) 

Travis Sykora ('23, TX) has overwhelmed hitters w/ the heater. Topped out at 100 mph. Offering sat in the upper-90’s throughout. Paired it w/ a tight SL at 85-87 mph. 

https://t.co/ng40xWJhFi 

 

8-3-2022 -

Ranking the Top 30 2023 MLB Draft Prospects - 

https://www.oddschecker.com/us/insight/baseball/mlb/20220803-2023-mlb-mock-draft-ranking-the-top-30-2023-mlb-draft-prospects - 

19. Travis Sykora, RHP, Round Rock HS 

 

7-28-22 - 2023 MLB DRAFT - TOP 150 PROSPECTS 

https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects  

34 RHP Travis Sykora Round Rock, TX 

Sykora is an unbelievably powerful athlete with two-way potential, though almost everyone believes he's an arm at the next level. Locked and loaded with a high leg kick and massive velocity potential, Sykora is already well into the upper 90s, approaching triple digits with a fastball that varies in shape. At it's best, Sykora can produce a ton of vertical riding action. 

He throws a shorter, cutterish slider in mid-80s, though it lacks spin. Skeptics are unsure if he'll ever be able to supinate enough to develop a breaking ball that's a true weapon. His best pitch secondary is a tumbling changeup that, when harnessed, acts as an out-pitch for the lanky righty. 

The arm talent here is really significant and the projection is huge. If Sykora ends up on campus, he could be the Longhorns next unhittable ace. If he stays healthy and keeps on this development track, he'll be extremely enticing to teams in July. 

 

7-20-2022 -

2023 MLB Draft mock

https://www.mlb.com/news/2023-mlb-draft-mock - 

8. Royals: Travis Sykora, RHP, Round Rock HS (Round Rock, Texas) 

The top high school arm in the class as of right now, Sykora is big (6-foot-5) and strong with plenty of arm strength to go along with some feel for pitching. He was throwing 94-98 mph in the PDP League, missed bats with an upper-80s slider and mixed in some good splitters as well.

Mack - 

Sykora fell to 1.45 in the latest Prospect Live mock, but it seems it was only due to the fact others passed him on their merits.

I still have this firecracker going in the top 20 picks.