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6.17 2016 Top Prospect Games: Pitchers Analysis

July 20, 2014

Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

On Tuesday, June 17 at the University of Central Missouri, Prep Baseball Report-Missouri held the 2016 Top Prospect Games.  With several college recruiters in attendance, the pitchers took the mound to pitch in a scrimmage type setting.  In upcoming weeks, we will break down the position players, but today we will look at the pitchers.  Many pitchers were two-way players, this is just a look a their pitching performance.  

Top Prospects

Erik Miller (DeSmet, LHP, 2016) 
Miller is an athletic, wide shouldered 6-foot-4, 190-pound LHP,  He hit the top vela of the day at 91 MPH, sitting 84-86 MPH.  He has a high 3/4 release with run on his fastball.  His curveball had 1-to-7 shape with sharp late break at 68-72 MPH.  During the scrimmage, Miller had command of his change-up thrown with near fastball arm speed and arm side release at 71-73 MPH. Miller is a pitcher to watch in the 2016 class, and keeps continuing to improve in mechanics and velocity. 

Braydon Cook (Francis Howell, RHP, 2016)
Cook is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound RHP with top vela of 85 MPH on his fastball.  Cook worked in the 81-83 MPH with his fastball thrown from a high 3/4 slot.  He has a repeatable delivery, with easy effort.  His curveball has an 11-to-5 shape with late break at near fastball speed.  Cook’s curveball was clocked at 75-77 MPH.  He showed a change-up at 72-75 MPH with sink.  He had command and feel of all three pitches, with a heavy fastball that resulted in groundouts during the scrimmage.  

Hunter Dame (Conway, RHP, 2016)
Dame is a physical 6-foot-1 190-pound RHP and posted one of top velos of the day.  His fastball was clocked between 83-86 MPH.  He showed excellent command of an 11-to-5 slider at 74-77 MPH with late movement at fastball arm speed.  Dame has an above average change-up with late sink at 74-75 MPH.  Dame has a quick, loose arm action and throws with regular effort.  He has smooth rhythm during his delivery and throws strikes with three pitches.  Look for his velocity to increase as he continues to develop. 

Tristan Stevens (Kickapoo, 2016)
Stevens was very efficient with his pitches working an extended inning during his outing.  He is a 6-foot-1 162-pound righty with command for four pitches in the zone.  Stevens had a fastball between 78-81 MPH and showed an 11-to-5 curveball with late movement at 69-72 MPH.  He threw his change up at 70-71 MPH with armside release and showed a slider at 70-71 MPH.  Stevens has a quick, loose arm with a high ¾ delivery.  He throws with easy effort and kept hitters off balance, mixing his pitches.

Jacob Gonzales (Timberland, 2016)
Gonzales, a 5-foot-11 165-pounds LHP had a fastball at 75-81 MPH with slight run.  He has a high 3/4 release and a 1-to-7 curveball at 66-70 MPH.  He has a change up with some arm side release at 68-72 MPH.  Gonzales has a quick arm with smooth rhythm during his delivery.  He throughs with regular effort and shows good command for three pitches in the zone. 

The Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Aaron Ashby (Park Hill, 2016)
Ashby is a 5-foot-10, 160-pound southpaw.  He showed command of his curveball at 62-69 MPH with a 1-to-7 shape and sharp, late break.  Ashby’s fastball had slight run at 75-80 MPH and a plus change up at 65-71 MPH with sink.  He has a high ¾ release and a loose arm.  He has a repeatable delivery and has shown signs of improvement since his last showcase.  Look for Ashby to make strides as the season continues.  

Eric Downing (Timberland, LHP, 2016)
Downing is a lanky 6-foot-1 145-pound LHP.  Downing has a fastball at 73-79 MPH.  He has an 11/5 curveball with gradual break at 63-64 MPH and  a change up at 64-65 MPH.  Downing threw strikes with all three pitches and has a smooth, repeatable delivery.  He throws with easy effort and a loose arm at a high 3/4 release.    

Kyle Giefer (Kickapoo, LHP, 2016)
Giefer is a 6-foot 184-pound LHP with a high leg kick and loose arm. He worked a quick inning at the Top Prospect games with a fastball in the 77-80 MPH range.  He had slight run on his fastball thrown in a high 3/4 arm slot.  Giefer showed a 1-to-7 curveball with sharp break at 68-70 MPH, getting left handed hitters to buckle.  He throws a 68 MPH change at near fastball arm speed with some sink.  

Jared Gillen (Barstow, RHP, 2016)
Gillen is a physical 6-foot-1, 190-pound RHP.  He showed a fastball with slight run at 73-78 MPH and an 11-to-5 curveball at 64-65 MPH.  Gillen threw his change-up at near fastball arm speed at 67-68 MPH.  He has an over-the-top release point, and has a loose arm action that creates good arm speed.   Gillen throws with regular effort and finishes in an athletic position.  

Alex Hackworth (Parkway South, RHP, 2016)
Hackworth is a 5-foot-9 140-pound RHP.  Hackworth worked a quick inning at the Top Prospect Games, throwing his fastball at 80-81 MPH with late run.  His best pitch was a 12-to-6 curveball with sharp, late break at 68-69 MPH.  Hackworth also showed feel for his change-up at 72 MPH at near fastball arm speed.  Hackworth throws strikes and works quick.  He has a high 3/4 release with a simple, repeatable delivery. 

Riley Herron (Kickapoo, LHP, 2016)
Herron is a projectable, long-legged 6-foot-2 175-pound LHP with some deception in his delivery.  He sat at 74-76 MPH with his fastball, touching 78.  Herron’s fastball has hard run, with a 3/4 release.  His curveball is a 2-to-8 in shape and thrown with fastball arm speed at 60-63 MPH. He has a quick arm and throws with regular effort.  He lands square and has an athletic finish.  Herron has the athletic ability and frame to add velocity as he continues to develop.    

Avery Jennings (Rock Bridge, RHP, 2016)
Jennings is a 5-foot-11 175-pound RHP with slight run on a fastball thrown at 78-81 MPH.  He showed good command of an 11-to-5 curveball with sharp, late movement at 71-72 MPH and a change up at 71 MPH.  Jennings had command of the zone with his fastball and curveball, pumping strike after strike.  He has a simple, repeatable delivery with smooth rhythm as he gets down the mound.    

Alex Moore (Mountain Grove, RHP, 2016)
Moore is a thin 6-foot-6 204-pound RHP.  Moore works with regular effort with a high 3/4 release.  His fastball has slight run at 79-83 MPH.  He showed an 11-to-5 shaped curveball at 67-65 MPH with sharp, late break at near fastball arm speed.  Moore’s change-up was clocked at 57 MPH.  Moore has a long, loose arm that has the ability to add velocity and command as he continues to develop.  

Isaac Olson (Chaminade, RHP, 2016)
Olson is a projectable, athletic 6-foot-6, 187-pound RHP.  Olson was clocked at 77-79 MPH with his fastball, and had a 12-to-5 curveball at 65-69 MPH.  His curveball has sharp, late break can produce batters to swing and miss.  Olson’s change-up is thrown at 70-72 MPH and has late sink.  Olson worked a quick inning in the scrimmage and pounded the strike zone with strikes. He gets good tilt on his fastball and works with an over-the-top release.  Olson works with regular effort and has the athletic ability to add velo to an already loose arm action.  

Ryan Perkins (Francis Howell, RHP, 2016)
Perkins is a physical 6-foot-2 200-pound RHP, and worked a quick inning during the scrimmage of the Top Prospect Games.  His fastball was clocked at 80-85 MPH with late run.  He showed an 11-to-5 curveball with sharp break at 66-68 MPH.  Perkins has a splitter with hard sink at 68-71 MPH.  He threw all three pitches for a strike with a loose arm action and high 3/4 release.  Perkins has a smooth rhythm throughout his delivery with repeatable mechanics.

Billy Rice (CBC, 2016)
Rice is a 5-foot-9, 170-pound RHP with a fastball touching 81 MPH.  He sat at 77-79 MPH with consistent strikes.  He showed an 11-to-5 curveball with gradual break at 60-61 MPH and a change-up with near fastball arm speed at 66 MPH.  He has a high ¾ delivery with a hip-turn in his wind up, and a fluid rhythm in his wind up. 

Kaleb Schmidt (Kickapoo, RHP, 2016)
Schmidt is an athletic 5-foot-10 160-pound RHP.  His fastball had hard run and was clocked at 81-85 MPH, one of the highest of the event.  Schmidt’s curveball has 11-to-5 movement with sharp, late break.  He has a 3/4 release, which can allow his curveball to have more of a slider action.  He throws with some deception, hiding the ball from batters.  Schmidt has a quick arm and gets down the mound with regular effort.  Schmidt still has the ability to add velocity to his fastball as he develops.  

Dusty Stroup (Lee’s Summit West, RHP, 201)
Stroup is an athletic 6-foot-2 175-pound RHP with command of three pitches.  His fastball was thrown with a high 3/4 release at 79-81 MPH to both sides of the plate.  Stroup’s curveball has a 12-to-6 shape thrown with fastball arm speed at 66-68 MPH.  During the scrimmage, he was effective with the change up at 69-70 MPH that had good sink.  He has a smooth, simple delivery that easily repeated.  Stroup throws with regular effort and has a quick arm that will add velocity as he develops.   

Hunter Swift (Staley, 2016)
Swift is stocky 5-foot-7 165-pound LHP with more room to grow.  He attacked hitters with a 80-82 MPH fastball that showed late life down in the zone.  He used a 1-to-7 curveball with a late break as his out pitch and showed command of a 68-72 MPH change-up with late arm side release.  He has a quick arm and throws with some effort.    

Colton Van Vleck (Liberty, RHP, 2016)
Van Vleck is an athletic 6-foot 160-pound RHP.  VanVleck worked two innings in the Top Prospects Games with a fastball ranging from 70-75 MPH, with slight run.  His curveball has 11-to-5 shape at sharp, late movement a6 60-61 MPH and his change-up is thrown with near fastball arm speed with some arm side release at 66-67 MPH.  VanVleck he was in the zone with all three pitches and has a simple delivery that is easily repeated.  

Jon Wemhoff (Rockhurst, RHP, 2016)
Wemhoff is a projectable 6-foot-4 170-pound RHP.  Wemhoff worked in the 76-81 MPH range with his fastball over two innings in the Top Prospect Games.  His fastball was thrown with a high 3/4 release and has slight run.  Wemhoff has an 11-to-5 curveball thrown at near fastball arm speed at 66-69 MPH.  He showed command of a change-up with sink and arm side release at 65-70 MPH.  Wemhoff has easy effort in his simple delivery that will allow him to add to his velocity.  His arm has loose actions and his mechanics are easy to repeat.  


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