PDP LEAGUE HITS THE GROUND RUNNING
When Gregg Ritchie watches Pennsylvania high school outfielder Austin Hendrick hit, he sees a lot.
The hitting coach for USA Baseball’s 18U National Team for the third straight year, Ritchie has become familiar with Hendrick and his elite bat speed over the years. He has watched the Mississippi State commit and No. 6 high school prospect for the 2020 draft at a number of USA Baseball identifying events.
Hendrick’s offensive talent is obvious from the second anyone—whether a seasoned hitting instructor or not—lays eyes on his batting practice. His hands whip through the zone, and Hendrick is capable of sending balls deep over the fence to any part of the field, with ease that reminds Ritchie of another powerful lefthanded hitter.
“He’s like a (Bryce) Harper in waiting, huh?”
But what’s also obvious when watching Hendrick hit, is the amount of movement and noise in his swing. You can pick him out of a batting practice easily thanks to the way his bat waggles and flails and dances around his head as he waits
