Underclass Invitational: 2017 Pitchers Analysis #1
February 24, 2015
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By John Nolan
Assistant Director of Scouting
On Sunday, February 15, Prep Baseball Report Virginia/DC hosted its first event of 2015, the Underclass Invitational for members of the 2017 and 2018 graduating classes. Over 70 players showcased their skills for PBR staff at Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, Virginia. Here is our analysis of the pitchers from the Class of 2017. (Listed Alphabetically)
Pitchers analysis: 2017 Graduating class (Baird-Luke)
+Kyle Baird, RHP, Deep Run
Baird has a lanky frame and throws from a low three-quarters slot. He is hunched over at high balance and has long arm action. He stays on line through release to an athletic finish. Baird’s fastball sat 72-75 mph, touching 76 mph with late heavy run and sink on it. His slider has 10/4 action with gradual break to it and ran 61-63 mph. Baird threw a fading change-up that ran 61-65 mph.
+Matt Brubaker, RHP, Fairfax
Brubaker has an athletic frame and throws from a three-quarters slot. He has a long arm action and throws with max effort. He has a short stride that is online and falls off after release. Brubaker’s fastball command was inconsistent, sitting 71-73 mph with slight movement. He slows his arm down on his curveball, which came in at 63-64 mph and has 11/5 break but was up. Brubaker slowed his arm down on his change-up as well, and it sat 67-70 mph with arm side run to it.
+Luke Burton, RHP, The Covenant School
Burton has a lanky frame and throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. He starts his wind-up with the bent knees and has a long, loose arm swing. His hips are slightly open at footstrike and his shoulders are online and slightly uphill. He finishes square and in an athletic position. Burton’s fastball ran 71-73 mph, touching 75 mph with movement. He did throw a two-seamer with more action to it that came in at 69 mph. His slider had sharp 10/4 downer action to it, sitting 64-66 mph. Burton also threw a fading change-up that ran 68-70 mph.
+Hunter Cochrane, RHP, Glen Allen
Cochrane has a strong frame and throws from a high three-quarters slot. He throws with a short, wrapped arm action and uses a bit of effort to generate his velocity. His mechanics are rushed and he has a short stride and finishes upright. He does stay online and his shoulders are level at footstrike. Cochrane’s fastball had slight run and sink to it and sat 76-77 mph. He threw a curveball that he slowed his arm down on that ruan 56-60 mph. Cochrane’s change-up slight movement, with decent armspeed, and ran 62-65 mph. He commanded all three pitches very well.
+Michael Crosson, LHP, Hickory
Crosson has an athletic frame and throws from a high three-quarters slot. He wraps his wrist and has a short, stiff arm action. His shoulders are on line and uphill and he has good direction toward his target. He has a short stride and finishes walking towards the plate. Crosson’s fastball had some movement, sitting 74-75 mph and touching 76 mph. He threw a good late breaking, sharp slider with 2/8 action that ran 59-66 mph. Crosson also threw a sinking change-up that came in at 63-67 mph and he slowed his arm down a bit to throw. He commanded all three pitches very well.
+Jack Darden, RHP, Smithfield
Darden has a strong, athletic frame. He throws from a three-quarters slot. He has a shorter arm action but has a quick arm stroke. He stays on line throughout his delivery and his shoulders are also level at footstrike. Darden’s fastball had heavy sinking action to it and ran 77-80 mph, touching 81 mph. He threw an 11/5 curveball with little break that he slowed his arm down on that ran 60-64 mph. Darden’s threw a fading change-up with decent armspeed that ran 65-69 mph. He did a good job of commanding the bottom of the zone with all three of his pitches.
+Chris Day, RHP, West Potomac
Day has an athletic frame and throws from a low three-quarters slot. He has a very short backside arm action due to a wrist wrap, but his armstroke is quick. He has good rhythm and his shoulders and stride are on line. He comes to an athletic finish. Day’s fastball sat 75-77 mph, touching 78 mph, with heavy run to it. He threw a 10/4 sweeping slider that had sharp, late break to it and ran 65-69 mph. He threw a sinking, running change-up with decent armspeed that ran 68-72 mph. He had good command of all three pitches.
+Gary Fuller, RHP, Stone Bridge
Fuller has an athletic frame and throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. He hitches his arm on the backside and has a quick armstroke. He stays online to the target and has good rhythm to his simple delivery. Fuller worked in the low-80s, touching 85 mph once with his fastball that had running action to it. He slowed his arm down on his breaking ball, which was 11/5 and came in at 60-61mph. His change-up was good at the bottom of the zone and ran 70-72 mph with some cutting action.
+Patrick Fyvie, LHP, Patriot
Fyvie has an athletic frame and throws from a low three-quarters slot. He has a long, loose arm action. He stays on line throughout his delivery, his hips and shoulders are open at footstrike. He falls off a bit after release. Fyvie’s fastball sat 72-74 mph, touching 75 mph, with good late run. He threw a slider with gradual 2/8 break that ran 62-65 mph. Fyvie threw his fading change-up with full armspeed and it sat 67-70 mph. Generally, he commanded all of his pitches very well.
+Stephen Gerade, RHP, T.C. Williams
Gerade has a strong frame and throws from a low three-quarters slot. He has a loose arm action that is a bit shorter on the back side. He has good rhythm and his shoulders are closed and level at footstrike. He lands a bit closed but finishes in an athletic position. Gerade’s fastball had late run and sink to it and sat 74-76 mph. He threw a 10/4 slider with little action to it that came in 70-73 mph. Gerade threw a fading change-up with decent armspeed that ran 70-72 mph. He commanded his fastball and change-up very well.
+Jason Hartline, LHP, Greenbrier Christian Academy
Hartline is a drop and drive pitcher with an athletic frame and a strong lower half that throws from a three-quarters slot. He has a short arm action but a quick arm. His shoulders are slightly closed and slightly uphill at footstrike. Hartline’s fastball sat in the upper 70s with his fastball, touching 80 mph once with some cut to it. He threw a good 1/7 power curveball that ran 65-69 mph. Harline threw a sinking change-up that ran 70-72 mph. He had outstanding command of all three pitches.
+Ben Kimberlin, LHP, Osbourn Park
Kimberlin has an athletic frame and throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. He has a short, loose arm action. His shoulders are uphill and online and he mostly stays on direction until he falls off a bit after release. Kimberlin’s fastball had slight running action to it and sat 60-62 mph. His slider had late 2/8 break and ran 50-54 mph. He slowed his arm down on his change-up, but threw it with fading action in the 49-53 mph range. Kimberlin had pretty good command of his fastball and change-up, working down in the zone.
+Austin Landrum, RHP, Battlefield
Landrum has an athletic frame and throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. His arm action is bit short and stiff, but he has a quick armstroke. He has a loaded balance point and his shoulders are elevated and on line at footstrike. He stays on direction with a slight fall off to his finish. Landrum’s fastball sat at 79 mph with slight sinking action to it. He commanded it well and has good downward plane to it. He also threw a sinker that ran 72-74 mph. Landrum’s curveball had late, hard 11/5 action to it and ran 69-71 mph. He commanded his sinking change-up well and threw it with decent armspeed, sitting 64-69 mph with it.
+Will Liverpool, RHP, McLean
Liverpool has an athletic frame and throws from a three-quarters arm slot. He has a bit of wrap to his arm action, but otherwise his action is loose and he has a lightning quick arm, generating easy velocity. He has simple mechanics and his shoulders are closed and slightly downhill at footstrike. He has good direction and comes to an athletic finish. Liverpool’s fastball hit 86 mph repeatedly and ran 83-86 mph with late sink to it. His slider needs work, but had 10/4 action to it and ran 69-71 mph. His change-up was inconsistent and he slowed his arm down on it a bit, but it has potential and ran 68-70 mph.
+Brandon Luke, RHP, Centreville
Luke has an athletic frame and throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. He has a long arm action and quick arm stroke. He has drop and drive mechanics, and stays on line throughout his delivery. His shoulders are slightly uphill and on line at balance point and he comes to an athletic finish. Luke’s fastball had some late sinking action to it and ran 75-78 mph, touching 79 mph. He threw a loopy 11/5 curveball in the 61-63 mph range that he kept down. He slowed his arm a bit on his change-up, but threw it with fade in the 68-70 mph range.
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