Class of 2016 Showcase: Top Overall Prospects

November 9, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

The Prep Baseball Report’s Class of 2016 Showcase took place on Sunday October 19^th indoors at the MAX in McCook, IL. The event featured 100 uncommitted prospects in the junior class and also saw several Division-I coaches in attendance.

CLICK HERE to see complete statistics from the event in PDF format.

Over the past several days we highlighted individual positions, ranking the top prospects. Today we will take all of that into consideration and rank the Top Overall Prospects from this October’s Class of 2016 Showcase.

Morgan Park’s Christian Bullock takes home top honors due to his overall talents defensively and at the plate. Bullock impressed running the top 60-yard dash of the event, while also showing some of the most explosive bat speed.

Evanston’s Dylan Mulvihill ranks second thanks to his impressive jump in velocity, going from 78-81 mph in June to 84-87 mph in October. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound projects to add even more velocity as well.

Waubonsie Valley southpaw Brandon Petersen showed off a polished three-pitch mix with an 83-84 mph fastball.

Glenbard East’s Michael Sebby is a projectable lefthander with a clean and aggressive arm action that sat 82-84 mph with late life.

Stevenson’s Patrick Loeffler rounds out our top five, impressing with his left-handed hitting power potential. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound muscular third baseman also surprised by running a 6.91 60.

Let’s take a look at October’s Class of 2016 Top Overall Prospects.

Top Overall Prospects

1.Christian Bullock, OF/1B/LHP, Morgan Park, 2016 Christan Bullock
6-foot, 170-pound lanky and athletic left-handed hitting outfielder, first baseman, and left-handed pitcher, committed to Michigan impressed as the top overall player at the Class of 2016 Showcase. Hits from a tall, open setup, hands load smoothly, utilizes a leg kick stride, lower half is aggressive with hips, explosive bat speed, level bat path gets extension, slightly uphill at times, showed off gap-to-gap power, particularly to the opposite field gap with several line drives, overswings at times, 84 mph exit velocity off the tee. Defensively, threw 79 mph from long, loose, high ¾ arm slot with carry. Arm action is clean and smooth, projects to have at least an average arm as he gets stronger. Impressed attacking the baseball, soft hands, quick footwork, clean and quick exchanges fielding. At first base, could be a premium defender as well, turns double play quickly, hands work clean scooping baseball. On the mound fastball sat 76-79 mph with slight run. 11/5 breaking ball has slurvy action at 65-67 mph. Cuts changeup at 67-69 mph. Delivery is clean, flies open a bit, lands slightly open, athleticism evident. Bullock also ran the top 60-time of the event at 6.75 seconds.

2. Dylan Mulvihill, RHP, Evanston, 2016
6-foot-5, 220-pound lanky, wide shouldered, and athletic right-handed pitcher currently ranked No. 143 in Illinois’ 2016 class; works from a long, loose, high ¾ to ¾ arm slot, loads knee/coils over the rubber at balance point, lead leg straightens out, lands in line with home plate, shoulders stay level throughout. Fastball sat 86-87 mph from the windup, 84 mph from the stretch for strikes with arm side run. Throws 71-74 mph slurve for strikes with 10/4 shape, horizontal action across the strike zone. Drops arm slot slightly on 76-79 mph changeup that displays occasional plus run to his arm side. Mulvihill is highly projectable with a prototypical workhorse pitcher’s frame.

3. Brandon Petersen, LHP, Waubonsie Valley, 2016
6-foot-2, 220-pound physical, wide shouldered, strong lower half left-handed pitcher currently ranked No. 46 in Illinois’ 2016 class; works from a short, quick, loose, high ¾ arm slot, toe up at balance point, closes off shoulders to load over rubber, foot stays under knee, compact delivery, lands slightly closed, throws slightly across his body, but creates deception hiding the baseball. Fastball sat 83-84 mph for strikes with heavy action. Curveball thrown hard with 1/7 shape with depth at 71-72 mph from the wind, 67-69 mph from the stretch. Also threw strikes with 76-79 mph changeup with late cutting action. Keeps ball down in the zone and has a feel for three pitches.

4. Michael Sebby, LHP, Glenbard East, 2016
6-foot, 155-pound lanky left-handed pitcher works from a quick, loose, long, high ¾ arm slot, slight stab in the back of arm swing, coils/loads over the rubber, drop-and-drive type delivery, shoulders are closed at balance point, lower half stride direction opens up towards third base side, lands open, athletic delivery, hips get through. Fastball sat 82-84 mph both the two seam, and four seam variety flashing arm side run. Slurvy breaking ball flashed 2/8 shape, thrown with power and late break 73-74 mph. 76-79 mph changeup exhibited arm side run and occasional plus sinking action, thrown aggressively off his fastball. Sebby is one of the better left-handed arms available in the 2016 class that projects to throw harder.

5. Patrick Loeffler, 3B, Stevenson, 2016
6-foot-1, 195-pound physically strong and athletic left-handed hitting third baseman hits from a balanced setup, short stride, hands load back smoothly, short bat path, feel for barrel, impacts the baseball, impressed with several line drives during batting practice, especially to left-center field, 90 mph exit velocity off the tee, second highest recorded at the Class of 2016 Showcase. Defensively, threw 79 mph across the diamond from short, high ¾ arm slot with accuracy, hands are soft, exchange takes some time, moves well for physical size, ran a 6.91 60.

6. Tom Szczasny, 3B, Lincoln-Way North, 2016
5-foot-10, 180-pound athletic, left-handed hitting third baseman impressed both with his bat and defensively. Hits from a slightly open stance, hands load back smoothly, short stride, above average bat speed, advanced approach, short path to the ball gets extension, showed gap-to-gap power, 81 mph exit velocity off the tee. Impressed with up the middle approach during batting practice with several line drives off the screen. Defensively, threw 77 mph across the diamond from short, loose, high ¾ arm slot with carry and accuracy. Hands are soft, fluid footwork, clean exchanges, solid defender. Ran a 7.33 60. Szczasny should make an immediate impact for the Phoenix next year as they attempt to duplicate the success they had during the spring 2014 season.

7. Brady Huebbe, RHP/SS, La Salle Peru, 2016
6-foot, 165-pound strong, lanky, and athletic right-handed pitcher/shortstop impressed both in the field and on the mound as one of the top prospects in attendance at the Class of 2016 showcase. Offensively, hits from an open setup, high back elbow, hands load back smoothly, toe tap/rock back stride, took a solid round of batting practice with several line drives to right center field, 81 mph exit velocity off the tee. Defensively, threw 87 mph across the infield from short, loose, high ¾ arm slot, highly athletic arm. Average hands, fluid footwork, exchange takes time to get rid of baseball due to gearing up to throw. On the mound, fastball sat mostly 84-85 mph from short, quick, high ¾ slot, simple up and down leg lift to toe up balance point, tall/fall delivery, regular effort, shoulders stay level throughout, lower half stride direction is in line with home plate, lands square. Spike curveball shows sharp 11/5 shape at 68-70 mph. Slowed arm slightly on 69-70 mph changeup with sinking action. 69-71 mph knuckleball is a true plus pitch with unpredictable, late, hard downward action. The PBR scouting staff sees below average knuckleballs from younger prospects all the time, but Huebbe’s drew audible gasps and comments from us as well as college coaches in attendance. It’s a legitimate out pitch. Ran a 7.21 60.

8. Jack Cavanaugh, OF/3B/RHP, St. Laurence, 2016
6-foot-1, 195-pound two-way player, lean build with strength. Hits from a wide base, short stride, above average bat speed with right center field approach during batting practice, slightly uphill bat path produced 81 mph exit velocity. Defensively, profiled better in the infield throwing 81 mph across the diamond at third base from short, loose, high ¾ arm slot with accuracy and carry. Possesses soft hands, fluid footwork, and clean exchanges. Threw 82 mph from the outfield. Ran a 7.41 60. On the mound worked from a stretch only delivery, slightly across his body, athletic delivery. Arm action is loose, ¾ slot. Fastball has running action, showed feel for the zone, worked at 82-84 mph, touched 85 mph. Curveball has 11/5 shape, 64-66 mph. Changeup has fading action, throws aggressively with fastball arm speed, 73-75 mph. Splitter has downer action, mostly arm side, 68-70 mph.

9. Andrew Hennings, SS, Oak Park-River Forest, 2016
6-foot, 175-pound athletic shortstop impressed as one of the top middle infield prospects at the Class of 2016 Showcase. Hits from a balanced, crouch setup, short stride, above average bat speed with lift, short, level bat path gets extension, pull tendencies, 81 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively, threw 82 mph across the diamond from short, loose, high ¾ arm slot with accuracy. Hands are soft, fields ball out front, fluid footwork. Ran a 7.18 60.

10. Jimmy Day, SS, Barrington, 2016
6-foot-1, 190-pound muscular and athletic right-handed hitting shortstop currently ranked No. 82 in Illinois’ 2016 class. Hits from a balanced slightly open setup, quiet hands load smoothly, short stride, simple approach, short path feel for barrel, line drives from gap-to-gap, one of the top rounds of batting practice at the event, 84 mph exit velocity. Defensively, threw 80 mph across the diamond from short, high ¾ slot with accuracy. Profiles at third base, but hands work fielding the baseball, fluid footwork. Ran a 7.17 60.