Missouri Valley Preview: Infielder Analysis

March 3, 2016

By Brian Feekin
Prep Baseball Report Nebraska

The Missouri Valley Preview was an opportunity for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 prospects from Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota to showcase themselves and see where they were at before the spring season begins. Prep Baseball Report's Missouri Valley Preview event took place on Monday, February 15, 2016 at Ultimate Baseball Academy in Omaha, NE.

There were breakout performances, opportunities to see new players, and gave PBR Nebraska the opportunity to create an extensive follow list of prospects to see over the course of the spring and summer. Many individuals, as well, placed themselves into the fray for our 2017 and 2018 state-wide player rankings which will be released in the future.

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infield Prospects

Riley Beck, SS/RHP, Cedar Rapids Xavier, 2018
5-foot-10, 160-pound two-way player. Ran a 5.25 40-yard sprint. Showed an exit velocity of 80 mph off a tee. Simple easy load and stride, repeatable line drive swing. Long finish and follow through. Shows ability to make solid contact. Defensively, shows good feet and hands. Works down and up through the baseball towards target. 79 mph velocity across the infield.

Bradley Bourland, INF/OF, Homeschooled, 2017
6-foot, 165-pound Outfielder/Infielder ran a 5.03 40-yard sprint. Crouched stance. Hands start outside the body generating a long swing path. Avg. contact. 70 mph exit velocity off a tee. Avg. footwork. Heavy feet after fielding the ball. 63 mph infield velocity. Better actions in the outfield. Fields ball out front. Collapses lower half on throws. Outfield velocity of 70 mph.

Brenton Davis, C/OF/INF, Raymond Central, 2017
5-foot-11, 170-pound left-handed hitting 2nd basemen/catcher that ran a 5.03 40-yard sprint. Simple load and keeps arms and bat in good launch position. Short to contact. Shows barrel control and is able to use the whole field. 76 mph exit velocity off a tee. Short arm action from OT slot. Shows ability to make routine in the field. Aggressive to the ball with usable hands. 75 mph across the infield. Narrow set-up behind the plate limits movement to balls. Quick transfer makes up for velocity. Throws were made in the 2.07-2.15 range.

Jake Gish, 2B, Millard South, 2019
5-foot-11, 165-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder. 5.06 40-yard sprint time. Tall base. Pre-set hand load with short slashy line drive swing plane through contact. Stays on and through contact well for player his age. 75 mph exit velocity off tee. Short arm action with decent glove in field. Tends to want to funnel ground balls into body. Made accurate throws across diamond. Will continue to develop as he matures physically. 68 mph arm strength across infield.

Wyatt Hamer, SS, Battle Creek, 2018
5-foot-8, 180-pound right-handed hitting shortstop that ran a 4.97 40 yard sprint. Physical build. Stands tall in the box. Compact swing plane through contact with short finish. 73 mph exit velocity. Long arm action on throws. Works down to up with soft hands. Good use of front side and following throws across diamond. 71 mph arm strength across the infield.

Caiden Hill, SS/RHP, Papillion LaVista, 2018
5-foot-9, 165-pound two way player ran a 5.34 40-yard sprint. Squared stance. Toe raise triggers stride. Had a tendency to not get weight shifted through contact. 76 mph exit velocity. Above average actions in field. Good tempo with hands and feet, above avg. carry and accuracy. 80 mph across the infield.

Matyk Hilton, INF, Cedar Rapids Washington (IA), 2019
5-foot-8, 130-pound 2nd basemen ran a 5.5 40-yard sprint. Right-handed hitter with minimal load and in-line stride into contact. Low hands, flat bat path with short finish. 68 mph exit velocity. Shows average actions in field. Short arm action from ¾ slot producing 62 mph throws across diamond.

Ryan Jansen, C/INF, Millard West, 2017
5-foot-8, 175-pound compact catcher that ran a 5.38 40-yard sprint. Stiff lower and upper half in swing. Hands drop to the ball with slashy swing. 67 mph exit velocity off of tee. Lots of extra movement while receiving. Wide athletic base. Stiff on throws to 2nd base. Posted pop times between 2.19-2.25. Okay movements in the infield. Approach to ball was good but had a tenancy to stop foot movement at arrival. 69 mph across the infield.

Jared Jennings, INF, Elkhorn South, 2018
5-foot-11, 195-pound right-handed hitting third baseman. 4.94 40 time. Strong physical build. Open stance with good bat speed. Aggressively guides barrel through zone. Quite in load and actions. Wants to hit. Shifts weight through contact with gap to gap approach. 81 mph exit velocity. Short ¾ arm action slot. Good rhythm with feet and glove. Hands are solid and playable with average range on left side of diamond. 71 mph arm strength across.

Garrett Kocis, SS, Millard West, 2017
6-foot-4, 195-pound left-handed hitting shortstop. 5.03 40-yard sprint. Open set-up. Short leg lift closes stance. Showed mature barrel control and approach to all fields. Above average contact. 87 mph exit velocity off tee. Solid infielder. Above avg. range to left and right. Able to show athleticism on the run. Solid feet and hands. Long 3/4 arm slot. Throws have above avg. carry with accuracy to bag. 85 mph arm strength.

Collin Lefeber, 2B, Omaha Central, 2017
5-foot-8, 140-pound right-handed hitting second baseman ran a 4.93 40-yard sprint. Solid set-up in box. High leg kick triggers swing. Aggressive approach. Line drive swing plane with pull-side approach. Average pop in bat despite 70 mph exit velocity. Avg. glove with good footwork. Short arm action with average carry and accuracy across diamond at 67 mph.

Brandon McClintock, INF, Millard West, 2017
5-foot-8, 165-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder that ran a 5.09 40-yard sprint. Hits from a slightly upright setup. High hand position but they get to the ball smoothly. Short stride, slight leg kick, utilizes hips in swing. Short, slightly uphill bat path produced line drives from gap-to-gap, 72 mph exit velocity. Defensively, threw 73 mph across the diamond from short, ¾ arm slot with accuracy. Good hands fielding the baseball, showed athleticism fielding through the ball with momentum moving towards the target.

Billy Mount, RPH/1B, Vermillion (SD), 2017
6-foot-1, 220-pound two-way player. Ran a 5.57 40-yard sprint. Physical build. Produces good bat speed- 82 mph exit velocity of tee. Long barrel through the zone with uphill swing plane. Showed good hands and ability to make routine plays easily. Feet work well and threw 76 mph across the infield.

Isaac Nelsen, SS, Sioux Falls Roosevelt (SD), 2017
5-foot-10, 180-pound right-handed hitting infielder that ran a 5.1 40 yard sprint. At the plate, squared tall stance. Front leg kick triggers hands. Compact swing on a line drive plane. 78 mph exit velocity off a tee. Average actions in the field. Quiet feet and hands. Hands work out front and up through the ball. Tends to be stiff through throws. 69 mph velocity across the infield with accuracy.

Garrett Olson, SS/RHP, Lincoln Southeast, 2018
5-foot-10, 155-pound two-way player that ran a 5.06 40-yard sprint. Consistently squared up balls during batting practice round. Quiet stance. Slight toe tap triggers stride. Slight uphill swing plane with long follow through. 76 mph exit velocity off the tee. Good feet in the field. Quick ball transfer with accuracy on throws. 76 mph velocity across the infield from low 3/4 arm slot.

Dylan Phillips, LHP/1B/OF, Creighton Prep, 2018
5-foot-10, 180-pound two-way player ran a 5.22 40-yard sprint. Quiet body at the plate. Gap to gap approach with line drive swing plane. 78 mph exit velocity off a tee. Shows ability to make routine plays in both infield and outfield. Accuracy with throws with good carry.

Jake Reeves, C/INF, Seward, 2017
6-foot-3, 180-pound catcher that ran a 5.37 40-yard sprint. Pull approach. Flashes of solid contact to pull side. Sporadic top-spin and rollover contact. 84 mph exit velocity off tee. Solid set-up and hands behind the plate. Receives well. Big target. Will need to improve blocking quickness. Clean exchanges. Length in release. Tall body on release. 70 mph arm strength with 2.25-2.34 pop times.

Luke Schaben, INF, Harlan (IA), 2019
5-foot-6, 136-pound infielder ran a 5.37 40 yard sprint. Tall stance. Inside/Out approach. 70 mph exit velocity off a tee. Active feet in the field. Has a tendency to funnel ball rather than work from the ground up. Extra glove tap slows release. Throws from a low 3/4 arm slot with a 61 mph velocity across the infield.

Tyler Schatz, SS/RHP, Elkhorn South, 2018
5-foot-11, 150-pound two-way player ran a 5.25 40-yard sprint. Crouched stance. Short stride triggers swing. Short compact swing with long follow through. 74 mph exit velocity off a tee. Average feet in the infield. Has a tendency to funnel ball into his body. 76 mph across the infield.

Nate Whitehill, LHP/1B, Papillion LaVista, 2019
Physical 6-foot-1, 185-pound two-way 2019 graduate that ran a 5.53 40-yard sprint. Tall stance with solid rhythm in swing. Stiff finish after contact. Flashes pop in bat to gaps when extended through contact. 76 mph exit velocity off tee. Above avg. glove at first base. Soft hands. Moves well around bag. Short arm action with accuracy to target. 75 mph arm strength.