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Kansas Underclass Games: Middle Infield Analysis

July 15, 2014

By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas

On Wednesday, June 18th Prep Baseball Report Kansas hosted the inaugural summer Underclass Prospect Games an invite-only event for class of 2016 and 2017 prospects at Trusler Sports Complex in Emporia, Kansas.

Below are the scouting reports on the middle infielders that participated in the event.  We had several two-way players (pitcher + position player) at this event, but keep in mind that the evaluations below are based on the position player side only.

In the next few days we will be reporting on the pitchers in this event, a group that also includes the two-way players.  When we do our state player rankings we take the overall player into account. 

Click on the player's headline link to be directed to their profile with video from their performance.

 Top middle infield prospects

1. James Cosentino, IF, St. Thomas Aquinas,  2016
Cosentino is an athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound left-hand hitting infielder.  During infield drills he showed quick hands and feet, made clean exchanges and made one strong accurate throw after another using an easy three-quarters throwing motion. His top throwing velocity was clocked at 80 mph.  At the plate, Cosentinto has a tall set-up and slightly closes stance.  He uses a leg kick stride and has a fluid, minimal hand load.  He delivers the barrel with bat speed, has balance and extension.  A very simple, repeatable swing and gap-to-gap approach.  His top exit velocity was clocked at 86 mph.  He ran a 4.15 home-to-1B from the left side.  In the games Cosentino hit two triples to right field and stole a base.

2. Tanner Fox, IF, Blue Valley, 2016
Fox is an athletic 5-foot-11, 165-pound right-hand hitting infielder with strength.  During infield drills he showed quick hands and feet and made all accurate throws from a three-quarters slot.  He has quick, clean arm action.  His top throw registered at 80 mph.  At the plate he has a tall, athletic set-up and slightly open stance.  Fox has a fluid hand load and a short inline stride.  His hands are strong and he took one of the more impressive rounds of batting practice on the day – peppering the middle of the field with line drives.  He ran a 4.38 home-to-1B from the right side.  Fox is one of the top class of 2016 prospects in Kansas and does a lot things well on the baseball field.  In the games Fox reached base once and stole a base.

3. Jared Hasik, IF, Hays, 2016
Hasik is a sturdy-framed 5-foot-8, 165-pound right-hand hitting infielder.  At shortstop he showed quick feet and sure hands making all accurate throws using quick, low three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 76 mph.  He also stood out defensively at second base during the games.  At the plate he has an athletic set-up, slightly open stance and lays the barrel on his shoulder.  He takes a short inline stride, lifts the bat as part of his backward hand load and delivers the barrel with bat speed using a short, compact line-drive swing.  His exit velocity high was 80 mph.  He ran a 4.54 home-to-1B from the right side.  Hasik has shown improvement in every category since we saw him in the winter.  He has a high motor and is an aggressive baseball player.  In the games Hasik had three hits including a home run to left field and also stole a base.

Best of the rest (listed alphabetically)

Nolan Beets, IF, Gardner-Edgerton, 2016
Beets is a very athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-hand hitting infielder.  In the infield he fielded everything cleanly and showed a fast arm from a slightly-uphill high three-quarters throwing motion.  He made accurate throws and had a top throwing velocity of 81 mph.  At the plate he has a tall, athletic set-up, inline stance, uses a minimal hand load and short inline stride.  He has rhythm and a simple line drive approach with bat speed.  His top exit velocity was clocked at 85 mph. He also ran a 4.18 home-to-1B – the top time in camp for a right-hand hitter.  In the games Beets reached base twice including a home run to left field. 

Cole Emerson, IF, Shawnee Heights, 2017
Emerson is a thin, athletic 5-foot-11, 145-pound right-hand hitting infielder.  At shortstop he showed sure hands and made mostly accurate throws from a loose three-quarters throwing motion.  His top throwing velocity was clocked at 69 mph.  During batting practice he showed a tall, athletic set-up.  He uses a mini-leg kick stride and short backward hand load.  He has loose hands, rhythm and maintains balance throughout.  His exit velocity high was clocked at 73 mph.  Emerson ran a 4.53 home-to-1B from the right side.  He’s trending up – improving in every category since last fall – and is significantly taller.  As he gains strength and size his number will continue to climb.

Grant Lathrop, IF, Olathe East, 2017
Lathrop is a thin 5-foot-9, 135-pound left-hand hitting infielder.  At shortstop he fielded everything cleanly and made mostly accurate throws using a short, quick three quarters motion.  His top throw was clocked at 75 mph.  At the plate he has an athletic set-up and slightly open stance.  He presets his hands and stride foot and has a short swing.  Lathrop’s top exit velocity was 79 mph - an improvement from when we saw him in the winter.  He ran a 4.66 home-to-1B from the left side.  Just a rising sophomore, he’s a long way from filling out physically and maximizing his potential.

Cole Schumacher, IF, Hays, 2016
Schumacher is a 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-hand hitting infielder.  During infield work he showed athletic hands and feet and made all accurate throws using short, quick high three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 75 mph.  At the plate he has an athletic set-up and slightly open stance.  He presets his hands and stride foot and has an easy, simple line drive swing.  His top exit velocity was 80 mph.  He ran a 4.72 from the right side.  In the games, Schumacher singled once in two at-bats. 

Brenden Shutt, IF, Mill Valley, 2016
Shutt is a 5-foot-10, 152-pound right-hand hitting infielder.  At shortstop he showed sure hands and made all accurate throws using a quick, three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 76 mph.  At the plate he has an athletic set-up, uses a short stride and minimal hand load.  He has loose hands, an upper half dominant swing and middle-oppo approach.  His top exit velocity mark was 77 mph.  He ran a 4.39 home-to-1B from the right side.  Shutt plays the game with energy and loves to compete.  In the games he went 3-for-3 and stole three bases.

Maison Stites, IF, Lee’s Summit North (MO), 2016
Stites is a strong 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hand hitting infielder.  In the infield he showed quick hands, made clean exchanges and accurate throws using short, quick high three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 80 mph.  He hits from a slight crouch with an inline stance.  He uses a minimal hand load and very short stride.  Stites showed strong hands, some bat speed and a middle-oppo approach.  He maintained balance throughout and has extension through the baseball.  He ran a 4.97 home-to-1B from the right side – an area of his game that needs improvement.  In the games Stites collected two hits in three at bats.

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