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Kansas Underclass Games: Outfield Analysis

July 19, 2014

By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas

On Wednesday, June 18th Prep Baseball Report Kansas hosted the first ever summer Underclass Prospect Games an invite-only event at Trusler Sports Complex in Emporia, Kansas.

Below are the scouting reports on the outfielders 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 OUTFIELD PROSPECTS 

1. Will Brennan, OF, Blue Valley, 2016
Brennan is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  During outfield evaluations he showed quick feet, clean exchanges and a quick arm throwing from a high three-quarters slot.  He threw as high as 85 mph.  At the plate, he has a balanced set-up and slightly open stance.  He uses a fluid hand load and controlled, inline stride.  Brennan has an easy, simple swing with balance throughout and an overall middle-oppo approach.  His top exit velocity mark was 88 mph.  He ran a 4.17 home-to-1B from the left side.  He’s improved in all areas since attending our winter underclass event.  In the games, Brennan with 1-for-3.

2. Nolan Beets, OF, Gardner-Edgerton, 2016
Beets is a very athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-hand hitting outfielder. In the outfield he showed quick hands/feet, made clean exchanges and threw with quick three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 83 mph.  At the plate he has a tall, athletic set-up and 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 best right-handed time we’ve ever recorded at an event.  In the games Beets reached base twice including a home run to left field.

3. Blake Lillis, OF, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2016
Lillis is a tall, athletic 6-foot-3, 175-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he showed quick feet, clean exchanges and quick three-quarters arm action making all accurate throws.  His top outfield throwing velocity was clocked at 85 mph.  At the plate, he has a tall set-up and open stance.  He has a long fluid hand load and strides inline.  Lillis generates bat speed, maintains balance and his swing has rhythm and flow to it.  His top exit velocity mark was 88 mph.  He ran a 4.31 home-to-1B from the left side.  Lillis is an impressive athlete as an outfielder but he’s also one of the top class of 2016 left-handed pitching prospects in the area which is likely to overshadow his work as a position player.

4. Lucas Krull, OF, Mill Valley, 2016
Krull is an athletic, projectable 6-foot-4, 190-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he showed quick feet and exchanges and threw with clean three-quarters arm action.  His top throwing velocity was clocked at 80 mph.  At the plate he has an athletic set-up and open stance.  He uses a leg kick stride and has a fluid hand load.  Krull takes an aggressive hack and generates serious bat speed spraying balls all over the yard.  His approach is somewhat raw but when you are a 6-foot-4 athlete and the ball flies off your bat – people notice.  He's also a talented 6-foor-4 left-handed pitching prospect and is likely to get more attention on that side but with his projectable frame and bat speed you can't rule out the possibility he could develop into a power bat at the next level.  His top exit velocity was a camp-best 93 mph.  He ran a 4.56 home-to-1B from the right side. 

5. Corey Thomas, OF, Topeka, 2017
Thomas is an athletic 5-foot-10, 170-pound right-hand hitting outfielder with some strength.  In the outfield, he made clean exchanges and threw with short, quick three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 78 mph.  During batting practice he showed an athletic, balanced set up with a slightly closed stance.  He takes a very short stride and has no hand load.  He maintains balance throughout and finishing with extension.  It’s a very simple, line drive approach.  Thomas ran a 4.29 home-to-1B time, the second best right side time at the event.  Thomas was one of the top performers in the games as he collected three hits, including two doubles, and stole a base.  He’s a strong athlete and one of the top 2017 prospects in Kansas.

6. Daonte Lowery, OF, Lawrence, 2016
Lowery is a thin, athletic 5-foot-11, 150-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  In outfield drills he showed athletic footwork, clean exchanges and made accurate throws from a high three-quarters throwing motion.  His top throwing velocity was gunned at 81 mph.  At the plate, he has a wide inline stance uses a mini-leg kick stride and no hand load.  His hands work and he has an advanced middle-oppo approach.  He showed the ability to flatten a ball out to left field in a game at-bat, something you don’t see a lot out of in young left-hand hitters.  His top exit velocity was clocked at 78 mph.  He ran a 4.28 home-to-1B from the left side.  He’s improved in all categories since attending an event this winter.  In the games, Lowery collected two hits in two at bats and stole a base. 

7. Ross Cappo, OF, Blue Valley West, 2016
Cappo is a 5-foot-9, 160-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he showed athletic actions, clean exchanges and threw with free and easy high three quarters arm action making mostly accurate throws.  His top throwing velocity was 82 mph, an improvement since the winter.  At the plate he has a balanced set-up and inline stance.  He uses an early backward hand load and very short inline stride.  He showed an explosive lower half and excellent balance throughout.  He has a simple, repeatable swing built to deliver gap-to-gap line drives.  Cappo’s top exit velocity was clocked at 83 mph.  He ran a 4.30 home-to-1B – one of the top times from the right side at the event.

Best of the Rest

Clayton Hale, OF, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 2016
Hale is a 5-foot-10, 175-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he showed sure hands, clean exchanges and three-quarters throwing motion.  His top throw was clocked at 74 mph.  During batting practice he showed a tall set-up and narrow/open stance.  He creates some length with his hand load and strides inline.  His has strong hands and generates some bat speed.  Hale has an uphill bat path.  His top exit velocity was clocked at 86 mph.  He ran a 4.56 home-to-1B from the left side. 

Jared Haynes, OF, Hays, 2016
Haynes is an athletic 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-hand hitting outfielder with some strength.  During outfield evaluations he showed athletic footwork, clean exchanges and quick, three quarters arm action with some effort.  His top throw was clocked at 74 mph.  At the plate, Haynes showed a tall set-up and inline stance.  He sets his hands early and uses a very short stride.  He showed an upper-half dominant swing with a slight pull approach.  His top exit velocity was clocked at 80 mph.  He ran a 4.43 home-to-1B from the right side.

Jacob Katzfey, OF, Lee’s Summit West (MO), 2016
Katzfey is a wiry 6-foot-1, 165-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he showed average feet and threw with short three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 70 mph.  At the plate, he has a tall, athletic set-up and slightly open stance.  Katzfey strides inline and has a minimal hand load.  His hands work well and he generates bat speed.  He maintains balance throughout, has extension and middle-oppo approach.  His top home-to-1B time was 4.41 from the left side.  He went 1-for-2 in his game at bats. 

Marshall McCarl, OF, Blue Valley, 2016
McCarl is an athletic-framed 5-foot-9, 155-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  During defensive evaluations in the outfield he fielded everything cleanly and threw with long three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 79 mph.  At the plate he has an athletic set-up and inline stance.  He uses a reverse toe tap, followed by a mini-leg kick stride and has no hand load.  McCarl maintains balance throughout and has a simple swing with rhythm and flow to it.  He has a middle-oppo approach.  His exit velocity high was 81 mph.  He ran a 4.63 home-to-1B from the left side.

Jacob Pavlyak, OF, Lawrence Free State, 2017
Pavlyak is an athletic 6-foot, 160-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he showed athletic actions and quick hands/feet.  He throws with quick, short arm action from a three-quarters slot.  His top throw was clocked at 79 mph.  At the plate he has a balanced set-up and wide, inline base.  He uses a leg kick and has a fluid hand load.  He has rhythm, an explosive lower half, maintains balance and finishes with extension.  Pavlyak’s exit velocity registered at 79 mph.  He ran a 4.47 home-to-1B from the right side.  He collected one hit during the games portion of the event.  Of note: Pavlyak is one of the few freshman to start for a Kansas 6A high school this past spring.

Dylan Powell, OF, Belle Plaine, 2016
Powell is a 6-foot, 165-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  In defensive drill work in the outfield he made clean exchanges and threw from a three-quarters arm slot.  His top throw was clocked at 72 mph.  At the plate, he has a tall set-up and open stance.  He has fluid load and strides slightly open.  Powell has a middle of the field approach, maintains balance throughout and finishes with extension.  His exit velocity was 81 mph.  He ran a 4.97 home-to-1B.

Zach Reeder, OF, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 2017
Reeder is a 5-foot-7, 150-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he throws with high three-quarters arm action.  His top throw was clocked at 78 mph.  At the plate, he starts with an open stance, has some length to his hand load and strides inline.  He takes an aggressive, somewhat uphill swing and generates bat speed.  His top exit velocity mark was 84 mph.  He ran a 4.59 home-to-1B from the right side.  Reeder has two hits in the games, including a double and also stole a base.

Alex Renfrew, OF, Shawnee Mission South, 2016
Renfrew is a 6-foot, 160-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  During outfield drills he fielded everything cleanly and threw from a three-quarters slot.  He has quick, clean arm action and he throws out-in-front as well as any of the outfield group.   His top throw was clocked at 75 mph.  At the plate he has a tall set-up and slightly open stance.  He uses a toe tap and strides inline.  Renfrew showed balance throughout and a line drive, middle of the field approach.  His exit velocity high was 80 mph.  He ran a 4.50 home-to-1B.

Edward Scott, OF, Manhattan, 2017
Scott is a 5-foot-6, 134-pound switch-hitting outfielder.  In the outfield he showed quick hands/feet and threw from a high three-quarters slot.  His throws had carry to them in the pre-game workouts and in the games - his top throw was clocked at 79 mph.  At the plate, from the right side he starts with a wide base and slightly open stance and strides inline.  Scott takes a very aggressive, slightly uphill swing and maintains balance in doing so.  From the left side he starts with a wide base and open stance.  He strides inline and takes a similarly aggressive swing as he does right-handed.  His lower half has some explosiveness and is in sync with his upper half.  His top exit velocity was clocked at 72 mph.  He ran a 4.70 home-to-1B from the right side.  He’s a skill guy with a wiry, athletic frame that is nowhere close to being done physically.

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