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Class of 2016 Open Showcase: Outfield Analysis

August 15, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

The Class of 2016 Open Showcase took place on Wednesday, July 23rd at Plunkett Park in Elgin, IL.  This year’s showcase featured several talented, uncommitted players in Illinois’ 2016 class.  We recently highlighted the Top Catching Prospects at the event, where Plainfield North’s Jake Dunham made a splash vaulting up the overall rankings in Illinois.  The Tigers will be a team to watch next season with a loaded 2016 class of prospects, including the top outfield prospect at the Class of 2016 Showcase: Justin Yeager.  Yeager impressed both on the mound and in the outfield with his arm strength and plus frame.  Dunham, Yeager, and Future Games standout Josh Garner give Plainfield North three legitimate Division-1 recruits that Prep Baseball Report has highlighted over the last two weeks.

Let’s take a look at the Top Outfield Prospects at this year’s Class of 2016 Open Showcase.

Top Outfield Prospects

1. Justin Yeager, OF/RHP, Plainfield North, 2016
6-foot-3, 170-pound lanky and athletic left-handed hitting outfielder/right-handed pitcher currently ranked No. 51 in Illinois’ 2016 class after impressing as the top two way talent in attendance at this year’s Class of 2016 Open Showcase.  Yeager hits from an open setup, hands load back smoothly, stride is short with a slight toe turn for torque, bat path is slightly uphill with extension creating line drives from gap-to-gap with 84 mph exit velocity.  Defensively, impressed with the top outfield velocity of the event at 88 mph from a long, loose, high ¾ arm slot.  Aggressively attacks the baseball with quick, fluid footwork, and soft hands on the transfer.  Ran a 7.20 60 and 4.58 from home to first.  On the mound fastball sat 83-85 mph with late, armside run for strikes.  12/6 curveball sat at 71-72 mph.  Did not throw a changeup, and utilized a glide step from the stretch.  Yeager has legitimate two-way potential at the next level, and is a prospect to follow over the next two years.

2. Alex Dorethy, OF/LHP, VIT, 2016
6-foot-1, 187-pound left-handed hitting outfielder/left-handed pitcher impressed with legitimate two-way ability.  Hits from a tall, balanced setup, hands load back smoothly, creating good separation, with plus lift especially with power to his pull side.  Produced 87 mph exit velocity off the tee.  Threw 79 mph from the outfield from long, loose, high ¾ arm slot with average hands, playing through the baseball aggressively when fielding.  On the mound, utilizes same arm slot throwing strikes with 79-82 mph fastball.  69-71 mph slurve has sweeping action and was thrown for strikes.  74-75 mph changeup displayed arm side run.  Also threw a 68-71 mph knuckleball.

3. Nicholas Figus, OF/SS, Lincoln-Way North, 2016
5-foot-10, 160-pound athletic outfielder/shortstop impressed with the second best outfield velocity at 85 mph.  Throws from a long ¾ slinging arm slot with some accuracy.  In the infield, threw 78 mph across the diamond from a short arm action, impressing with average hands and clean exchanges playing through the baseball.  Hits from an open setup, loading hands back smoothly with a good approach up the middle of the field.  Level bat path produced several line drives from gap-to-gap with 86 mph exit velocity.  Also ran a 6.98 60 yard dash and 4.34 from home to first.

4. Bryce Pahl, OF, Jacobs, 2016
6-foot, 180-pound right-handed hitting outfielder hits from a tall, open setup with a short stride and slightly uphill bat path creating 93 mph exit velocity, tops at the Class of 2016 Open Showcase.  Showed definite power to his pull side, with lift in his swing.  Defensively, threw 78 mph from the outfield from long, over the top arm slot with uphill shoulders.  Ran a 7.62 60, and 4.79 from home to first.

5. Kevin Ringlein, OF, Neuqua Valley, 2016
6-foot, 170-pound left-handed hitting outfielder hits from a balanced, crouch setup, hands load back smoothly creating level bat path with line drives from gap to gap and power to his pull side.  Exit velocity was up to 84 mph.  Defensively, threw 80 mph from long, loose, over the top arm slot with accuracy. Showed average hands fielding the baseball, with clean, fluid actions playing through the baseball.  Ran a 6.92 60 yard dash, and 4.68 from home to first.


Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Michael Beach, OF, St. Francis, 2016
6-foot-2, 175-pound right-handed hitting outfielder impressed running the Class of 2016 Open Showcase’s top 60 yard dash at 6.76 seconds.  Hit from a balanced setup with a short stride, slight leg kick, hands load back, creating slightly uphill bat path with 81 mph exit velocity.  Defensively, throws from a long, high ¾ arm slot at 79 mph from the outfield.  Also ran 4.47 from home to first.

Jake Beaton, RHP/OF, Lockport, 2016
6-foot-3, 185-pound right-handed hitting pitcher/outfielder hit from an open stance, utilizing a leg kick, raises hands to load, producing line drives up the middle with 74 mph exit velocity.  Threw 77 mph from the outfield from short, over the top/to high ¾ arm action with some accuracy.  On the mound fastball sat 73-76 mph from same arm slot, tall and fall delivery, easy effort, lower half stays in line with home plate, lands slightly closed.  Slows arm on 59-61 mph curveball with 12/6 shape that he throws for strikes.  62-65 mph changeup was thrown down consistently.  Ran a 7.39 60, 4.78 seconds from home to first.

Nicholas Bedtka, LHP/1B/OF, Plainfield North, 2016
5-foot-9, 150-pound left-handed hitting LHP/1B/OF impressed defensively at first with average hands and short, loose, ¾ slingling arm action.  On the mound threw 75-78 mph from short, quick, high ¾ arm slot with a solid feel for three pitches.  His 67-68 mph curveball showed slurvy, sweeping action and was thrown for strikes.  68-70 mph changeup was thrown for strikes with occasional arm side run.  Also threw a 70-71 mph slider that had shorter break, and was better from the stretch.  Hits from a wide setup with a short leg kick and level bat path producing line drives from gap-to-gap with 78 mph exit velocity.  Ran a 7.85 60.

Michael Cipriani, OF, South Elgin, 2016
5-foot-7, 160-pound right-handed hitting outfielder hits from an open stance, hitting line drives from gap-to-gap with a slightly uphill bat path and 75 mph exit velocity.  Threw 78 mph from the outfield from short, ¾ arm slot with accuracy while also showcasing average hands.  Ran 4.57 from home to first and a 7.11 60.

Jonathan Costain, OF, Reed-Custer, 2016
5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitting outfielder hits from an open setup, short stride, hands load back smoothly, producing line drives from gap-to-gap with 86 mph exit velocity.  Throws left-handed from the outfield from short, loose, high ¾ arm slot with accuracy and carry at 79 mph.  Plays through the baseball and showcased average hands fielding.  Ran a 6.96 60.

Tyler Leon, OF, Lakes Community, 2016
5-foot-10, 150-pound athletically built, right-handed hitting outfielder hits from an athletic, open setup with a short stride producing a long swing with above average bat speed and 83 mph exit velocity.  Threw 78 mph from the outfield from a long, high ¾ arm slot .  Also ran a 6.98 60.

Evan Liebau, OF/RHP, Jacobs, 2016
6-foot, 145-pound left-handed hitting outfielder/right-handed pitcher impressed more on the mound with fastball/changeup combination.  Works from a long, high ¾ arm action, stays over the rubber at balance point with toe down, throwing slightly across his body.  Fastball ranged between 78-80 mph with considerable arm side run.  Pairs fastball with a 72-73 mph changeup with good arm speed thrown for strikes that also displayed arm side run.  Slowed his arm on 67 mph curveball with 12/6 shape.  Fastball/changeup combination could make him a groundball machine.  Hits from a balanced setup, with a short toe-tap stride, showing average bat speed, and short, level bat path.  Showed clean actions fielding the baseball in the outfield, utilizing same arm action throwing 76 mph from the outfield.  Ran a 7.34 60 and 4.60 from home to first.

Joey Preusser, LHP/1B/OF, Brother Rice, 2016
6-foot-1, 155-pound lanky left-handed hitting LHP/1B/OF hits from an open, crouched setup with a long stride, level bat path, and above average bat speed with 87 mph exit velocity.  Hit several line drives to his pull side.  Defensively, long, high ¾ arm action was up to 83 mph from the outfield, 79 from the infield with significant arm side run on his throws, which will benefit him on the mound.  On the mound, fastball sat between 77-80 mph with cutting action.  Throws from a high ¾ to over the top arm slot, tall and fall type delivery, head pulls slightly towards third base when raising up arm slot.  Clears out front glove side early, and lands open at foot strike.  Slows arm on 65-68 mph breaking ball with 11/5 shape.  Threw strikes with 70-72 mph changeup with arm side run, and consistently threw it down in the zone.

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