MN Winter Open: Pitching Analysis

March 31, 2016

By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

Prep Baseball Report's MN Winter Open event took place on Saturday, February 27, 2016. The event was held at Pitch2Pitch in Chanhassen, MN. The event featured prospects from Minnesota and North Dakota in the 2016-2017-2018 and 2019 classes who showcased their talents in front of our scouting staff and coaches in attendance.

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top pitching Prospect

Sam Hanson, 1B/OF/LHP, St. Cloud Cathedral, 2018
6-foot-4, 230-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player. Solid 4.59 home-to-first time for player his size. Hitchy front leg trigger. Quality mid-away approach. Short to contact. Ball explodes off bat when he gets back side through contact. Some lift to swing through contact. 92 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows good hands and feet in outfield. Longer arm action with solid carry and accuracy to target. Moves well for frame. 85 mph arm strength from outfield. Solid tempo to delivery. Good balance point and controls body well. In-line direction to catcher. Finishes with extension to plate on release. Shows arm-side life on fastball with avg./ok command of the zone at 81-84 mph. 1/7 breaking ball has tight rotation and lands consistently in zone. Shows appropriate fade on changeup with above avg. command to arm-side of plate. Strong follow for 2018 class.

pitching Prospects

Jacob Bordewick, SS/RHP, Albert Lea, 2017
6-foot-2, 165-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. High back elbow set-up in box. Length to contact. Inverted swing plane. Below avg. balance in box. Pull approach. 80 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows average carry on throws in field. Has some quickness and range to 6-hole. Fields deep and underneath. 77 mph arm strength. Uncontrolled lower half in balance point with collapse. Short clean arm action. Lands slightly across body. Shows avg./ok life on fastball for strikes at 76-78 mph. Inconsistent breaking ball with loose spin and 12/6 shape. Curveball at 54-58 mph.

Drew Bump, RHP, Chanhassen, 2018
6-foot-3, 200-pound right-handed pitcher. Slower paced delivery. Short balance point with good direction to plate. Has decent extension and finish on release. Short clean arm action with some life and cut action on fastball at 80-82 mph. Curveball was 71-73 mph with “cutter action”- 11/5 shape with small break and depth in zone. Changeup had flat action and was firm at 74-76 mph.

Jack Christensen, RHP, Edina, 2018
5-foot-11, 190-pound right-handed pitcher. Some rhythm and tempo to delivery. Turn and turn into balance point. Short clean arm action. Works mostly in-line to catcher. Upright finish on release. Slight cut action on fastball at 72-75 mph. 11/5 curveball shows solid shape with avg/ok depth on break. Flat action on 68-71 mph changeup with avg. fade.

Ty Hannesson, 2B/RHP, Holy Family, 2018
6-foot, 165-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. Open stance with long stride. Short finish after contact. Uses middle of field with avg. pop in bat. Raw actions in field. Funky arm action affects accuracy. Needs to improve on footwork and hands in middle infield. 67 mph exit velocity. 73 mph arm strength. Some collapse at balance point in delivery. 2-piece arm action. Shows good command on fastball to glove side of plate. Upright finish and falls down mound. Cut action on fastball at 69-71 mph. Curveball is 59-61 mph with 11/5 shape. Tends to push changeup to plate with flat action at 61-63 mph.

Keenan Hodgkin, RHP/SS, Providence Academy, 2018
5-foot-10, 142-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. Higher balance point with some body control. Good direction to plate. Longer arm action that is clean. Cut action on fastball at 70-71 mph; topping out at 75 mph. 11/5 breaking with good shape and spin. Ok fade on changeup. Overall good feel for zone with 3 pitches for 2018 grad. Open stance. Strides to square. Slight uphill plane and length to contact. Underneath baseball at contact. Avg. pop in bat. 71 mph exit velocity off tee. Plays through the ball well if good feet and hands for age. Clean arm action. Accuracy to bag. Follow player with physical growth and maturity. 72 mph arm strength.

Dylan Hoffman, LHP/OF, St. Michael-Albertville, 2019
5-foot-6, 115-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. Short balance point. Crouched posture in delivery to plate. 2 piece arm action with some stab down on backside. Effort on release. Throws fastball for strikes at 64-66 mph. 1/7 breaking ball has loose spin- tends to back up to arm-side. Avg./ok fade on fastball. Good set-up in box with quality swing plane. Front foot hitter. Contact hitter with ability to make consistent solid contact. 72 mph exit velocity off tee. Tailing action on throws from low ¾ slot with limited carry. Will need to improve feet and hands in outfield. 67 mph arm strength from outfield. Young player who should make strides with additional growth and maturity.

Alec Holcomb, C/RHP, Owatonna, 2016
6-foot-2, 210-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player. Wide receiving stance. Sits on toes with weight out front. Shows usable hands; slow at times to receive pitches. Slight length to release with above avg. arm strength at 79 mph. 2.1 pop times with solid accuracy to bag. Choppy rhythm in load. Strength in swing. Gap to gap approach with short finish after contact. 87 mph exit velocity off tee. Up tempo-slightly uncontrolled delivery. Pie arm action. Balls comes out of hand clean. Mostly straight fastball with occasional cut action at 82-84 mph; touching 87 mph. Tight spin on breaking ball for K’s- small break with depth. Avg. fade on changeup; keeps ball in bottom of zone for K’s.

Charlie Hutchinson, LHP, Maple Grove, 2017
6-foot-2, 175-pound left-handed pitcher. Projects to get stronger in lower half and continue to develop physically. Solid tempo. Uncontrolled front leg. Good direction to plate. Some deception on front side, hides baseball, with longer clean arm action. Fastball is 77-79 mph with arm-side life and late sink. 1/7 breaking ball has small break with depth for strikes. Shows above avg. action and command of 72-73 mph changeup. Follow in 2017 class.

Chris Isensee, LHP, Shakopee, 2017
6-foot-1, 205-pound left-handed pitcher. Thicker strong build. Short balance point with back turn delivery. Slower tempo, hides baseball, and baseball comes out relatively clean out front. Flashes occasional late sink on fastball at 76-78 mph. Is able to land breaking ball for strikes with 1/7 shape and avg./ok depth. Avg. fade on changeup with solid command to arm-side of plate at 6667 mph.

Jack Jahnke, RHP, Waconia, 2018
6-foot-1, 160-pound right-handed pitcher. Good balance point and direction to plate. Some collapse in stride causes him to lose leverage to plate. Short arm action with solid life on fastball and downhill plane at 80-83 mph. Breaking ball above avg. with short sweeping break, 10/4 shape, and some depth. Changeup needs improvement with flat action and avg. feel for pitch.

Cal Kellner, OF/RHP, East Ridge, 2016
6-foot-5, 220-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. Powerful athletic frame. Explosive actions. 4.03 home-to-first time and ran a 4.53 40-yard dash. Line drive swing plane and short to contact producing hard contact to the gaps. Gap to gap approach. Projectable above avg. power in bat. 97 mph exit velocity off tee. Short arm action with solid actions in outfield. Proto-right fielder at college level. 86 mph arm strength from outfield. Short balance point. Slight tuck and turn. Leaks out early at times. Pitches with intent. Clean arm action. Aggressive-explosive actions. Fastball is downhill at 81-83 mph. 12/6 breaking ball flashes sharp break in zone. Heavy feel to changeup with above avg. fade.

Mathew Nicklay, RHP/2B, Hastings, 2017
6-foot-3, 185-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. Travels across rubber in delivery. Uncontrolled front leg. Maintains good direction to plate. Some tilt in delivery. Clean arm action producing fastballs in 77-80 mph range with flat cutting action. Early break on 11/5 curveball with side spin. Changeup is heavy with firm flat action. Wide stance. Length to contact. Inconsistent contact. Lacks weight shift through baseball. Spray contact. 80 mph exit velocity. Average feet and glove in field. Raw actions defensively. Fields underneath occasionally. Long release on throws. 76 mph throws across infield.

Eathan Soeffker, SS/RHP, Buffalo, 2018
6-foot-1, 180-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. Above avg. set-up in box. Long through the zone with good hands and gap to gap approach. Flashes pop in bat to pull-side of field. 84 mph exit velocity off tee. Third base actions and body. Creates good direction with feet on throws. Arm action is clean with accuracy to bag. Solid glove and feet on groundballs. 74 mph arm strength across infield. Sound mechanics with relatively clean arm action. Lands across body in stride. Cuts off lower half. Fastball is straight at 79-81 mph. Will need and should continue to improve on secondary pitches. Currently lacks feel for curveball at 55-58 mph and changeup at 65-66 mph.