Unsigned Senior Showcase: Top Overall Prospects

Seth Nager OF / RHP / Ironwood Ridge, AZ / 2019

Athletic, long-limbed 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. Nager was our top-rated uncommitted prospect in the state coming in to the event and that doesn't seem likely to change. Coming off of Tommy John surgery, Nager is just starting to round back into form (84 mph OF Velo), despite not throwing at full strength yet. Some rust remains apparent, but the toolset is undeniable as he posted a 6.81 60-yard dash on a slow track and 90 mph exit velocity, with a frame that offers elite projection. There’s significant power potential as he adds strength and improves his swing rhythm and Nager should be able to provide above average defense in an outfield corner as he gets more reps out there. Currently handles the ball in the air better than on the ground, stopping his feet at times.

Tyler Cotto C / 3B / Valley Vista, AZ / 2019

6-foot-3, 185-pound frame with some strength in lower half and tons of room to add strength in upper body. The athletic receiver/blocker really shined throughout the night, showing outstanding flexibility in his hips and absolutely stood out when throwing from behind the plate. Cotto posted pop times from 1.86-1.94 with 82 mph velocity with every throw he made right on the bag. He showed athletic feet, and a quick release/transfer and there's very little question in my mind he could catch just about anywhere in the country. There's some refinement to come offensively, but he seems to show better in games than BP as the hand-eye coordination is advanced. Possesses all the tools to have offensive impact if he can flatten out the swing plane some and keep the barrel in the zone longer. Solid athlete posted 7.13 60-yard dash.

Justin Flebbe 1B / LHP / Raymond S Kellis, AZ / 2019

6-foot-1, 180 pound frame. Flebbe is clearly the top power bat available in AZ and is set for a significant bump when rankings are updated. His swing mechanics are very simple, with a strong, wide base and slight leg lift trigger. Flebbe does an outstanding job creating separation with a strong coil and consistently gets his foot down on time unload lower half and drive the ball. He stays through the baseball, getting excellent extension and generates hard line drive and fly ball contact from CF to the LF foul pole; 93 mph exit velo was tops at the event. There's absolutely no question he is a D1 bat and shows the type of present strength, combined with an advanced swing and approach that could make him an early contributor. In addition, he's a polished, college-ready defender at first that moves comfortably and excels on picks. Posted 84 mph across the infield. He's also shown himself to be a mid-80's LHP on previous looks, but his future is likely in the batter's box. Posted 7.39 second 60-yard dash.  

Cameron LaLiberte C / 1B / Basha, AZ / 2019

Athletic, defined 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame with broad shoulders. LaLiberte isn't nearly as advanced defensively (74 mph velocity/1.99-2.07 sec POP) as some other catching prospects at the events, but shows the tools to develop there and the type of bat that could force him intot h lineup at a number of positions. He was clearly the top offensive catcher at the event and registered an 88 mph exit velocity with a short, on-plane swing and real bat speed. The combination of strength and fast-twitch ability makes for a really solid offensive prospect that’s very likely to translate to the college level. Posted the top 60-yard dash at the event with a 6.79 and could certainly handle the outfield if the defense behind the plate never fully develops. 

Jacob Alexander SS / RHP / Queen Creek, AZ / 2019

6-foot-4, 175-pound frame with enough broadness in shoulders to pack on significant mass as he matures. Two-way prospect is intriguing in both spots although I’d currently lean more towards the mound as the arm is ahead of the bat. Does not take a very direct path to home plate, swinging his stride leg around, creating a rotational lower half. Lands closed at times. Slight hook in back of arm action doesn’t seem to cause him any issues, as he’s able to get out front consistently. Fastball 84-85 mph, touching 87 with downhill plane and lots more velo on the way. Curveball was thrown in the zone with varying shape at 68-73 mph. Appears that it could benefit from being thrown harder as more of a mid-70’s slurve to eliminate the sometimes early break. Delivery isn’t overly conducive to a quality changeup, but he did show a couple at 73-74 mph. Top pitching prospect at the event due to combination of present arsenal/ceiling.

Recent Central Arizona commit. Rangy 6-foot-4, 175-pound frame with significant projection remaining. Alexander put on by far his best performance in front of PBR, showing some added strength that is allowing him to drive the ball with more authority; 88 mph exit velo. Has also improved his rhythm in the box, starting slower and earlier and getting his foot down on time instead of early. Alexander is now taking advantage of his long limbs to leverage the baseball and some of the projectability we’ve always talked about is starting to show up. Posted a 7.16 60-yard dash. Also posted 86 mph infield velo and while he’s currently comfortable up the middle is likely to project best at 3B when his body reaches maturity. There's no doubt he's a terrific get for CAC and has a chance to become a high-D1 prospect on either side of the ball after his junior college career.

Peyton McGregor OF / RHP / Cactus Shadows, AZ / 2019

Very physical 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame with proportional strength. McGregor is another tremendous student (33 ACT) and physical specimen with the type of tools that could really pay off for a program willing to invest in his development. The combination of MLB body, arm strength (90 mph OF velo), raw pop (91 mph exit velo) and athleticism (7.1 60-yard dash) combined with his academic prowess should make McGregor a fit for a number of places and good provide them with a very big reward down the road. Continued to show the same type of swing improvement and ability to tap into the always present raw power we’ve seen throughout the fall.

Travis Higdon LHP / Canyon Del Oro, AZ / 2019

High-waisted 6-foot-2, 160-pound frame. Broad shoulders, and long levers combined with fast twitch ability give Higdon a potentially very high ceiling. Fastball sat 85-86 mph with heavy sink. Uses a very low front side and deceleration phase of arm action is very violent. Flashed a sharp curveball at 72-74 mph that should really improve once he can firm up and raise the front side. Has the makings of a true swing-and-miss pitch. 78-79 mph changeup is more of a developing offering and may not be needed much as Higdon has more of a relief profile at the next level.

Alec Acevedo OF / 1B / Nogales, AZ / 2019

6-foot, 185-pound frame. Acevedo took one of the top rounds of BP at the entire event and posted a strong 92 mph exit velocity. With a leg-kick that he really makes work and low hand load, Acevedo drove the ball with authority to all fields, even banging one off the top of the batter's eye in CF. He's likely to end up at 1B, but has been a consistently elite offensive producer and you see no reason that won't continue at the college level.Acevedo does show confident actions and solid footwork in the outfield and could handle a corner spot if the 7.49 run time improves, although his body is likely to continue to mature and the bat will play plenty at first. Also posted 81 mph outfield velo.

Mason Kokodynski 1B / RHP / Brophy Prep, AZ / 2019

6-foot-3, 205-pound frame that could develop into an imposing physical presence. Future could very well be on the mound, despite his raw power as his only defensive home is at first base. Could offer two-way value to the right program. Stuff was significantly improved across the board from our last look in late June. Could benefit from cleaning up his arm circle and creating a more consistent release point. Fastball sat 83-85, T86 with significant heaviness. 73-75 mph curveball showed some inconsistency but was a true 12-6 hammer at times. Also flashed a 76-77 mph changeup with fade. More mound time will be key for Kokodynski as he continues to find a repeatable delivery and arm action that allows him to maximize his potential.

6-foot-3, 205-pound 1B/RHP. Kokodynski put on by far the best performance we've seen from him. The elite student (31 ACT, 1410 SAT) should have no trouble finding a home after taking an impressive batting practice where he left the yard and registered 89 mph exit velocity. Kokodynski hits from a wide, balanced setup with a short, reaching stride. Showed a quiet approach with a short load and flat bat path. Gets started late at times and could benefit from more rhythm and an earlier trigger. Posted 7.76 second 60-yard dash. Moves comfortably around the bag at first base, plays low on groundballs and has found a defensive home after previously spending significant time in the outfield. 80 mph velocity across the diamond isn’t indicative of arm strength as we found out when he hopped on the mound.

Jesus Lopez 3B / 2B / Nogales, AZ / 2019

6-foot-2, 195-pound frame. Body is still somewhat young with plenty of room to mature and add strength. Showed very solid 86 mph arm strength across the diamond with impressive carry. Feet will dictate whether he can stick at 3B or has to move across the diamond to first.  Lopez’ swing has gotten slightly longer and steeper since the last event he attended, with his hands now held significantly higher. The barrel was in/out quickly at times, working to a high two-handed finish.  He also made some serious loud contact when he squared it up and posted an 89 mph exit velocity. Posted 7.68 second 60-yard dash.