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Bullpen Fall Classic - Quick Hits

September 12, 2023
Cooper Trinkle
Lead Scout

To begin our fall coverage, our staff was at the Bullpen Fall Classic to see prospects ranging from the 2024 class to the 2027 class. Read along for notes on prospects that stood out throughout the weekend.

 

 

Count me in as a fan of '25 RHP Austin McNabb (Perry Meridian HS). The lanky, athletic 6-foot-2, 170 pounder showed an up-tick in his fastball velocity, touching 88 mph. A Dayton recruit - McNabb always fills the zone, offering advanced pitchability, but the uptick in his velocity adds some electricity to the operation. McNabb has a well-sequenced delivery along with a loose, quick arm coming from a 3/4 arm slot. The fastball jumps out of his hand with some ride/run properties and pairs well with a sharp, mid-70s breaking ball. 

 

 

'25 OF/1B Mason Braun (New Prairie HS) was his usual-self, providing a big presence in the left-handed batter's box. One of the premier uncommitted prospects in the country - Braun scolded a ball back through the middle of the diamond early in the game and followed that up with a drag bunt single when the opposition attempted to shift on him. The bat speed he produces is special, and when it is combined with his baseball IQ, instincts, and high-motor playing style, it is easy to project that Braun will play this game for a long time. 

 

 

I liked the swings from '26 SS/RHP Beckett Suh (University HS). A switch-hitting shortstop, Suh has added strength to his 5-foot-11, 175 pound frame and is beginning to impact the baseball at the dish. The swing is becoming more athletic, and I have always been a fan of his ability to pick the baseball at shortstop. A two-way prospect, Suh also offers strike-throwing abilities on the bump to go along with a low-to-mid 80s fastball and sharp slider.

 

 

'27 OF Lincoln Hoffman (Westfield HS) has begun to pack on strength to an already-athletic, 5-foot-10, 175 pound frame and he is a young bat that I am excited about. The left-handed hitter coils forward, allowing the back hip to ignite the swing, and is short to the baseball with a clean bat path. Hoffman was on the barrel in multiple trips to the plate throughout the weekend. A very good runner for the class, I was impressed with the development that Hoffman has made since looks in the spring/summer. 

 

 

'26 C Sean Dunlap (Crown Point HS) played up an age group, but he showed no problem stepping in against older competition and looking the part. A physical, 6-foot-2, 180 pounder - Dunlap has present strength in his barrel and showed budding pull-side power that should continue to improve as he matures. The swing works uphill with bat speed and he had no problem catching up to velocity. Behind the dish, Dunlap is an above-average receiver with solid arm strength and shows instincts for the game.

 

 

'24 C Gabe Wilke (Evansville North HS) in an uncommitted name-to-know for programs still looking to add a backstop to their 2024 recruiting class. A projectable, 6-foot-3, 175 pounder - Wilke's catch & throw abilities are second-to-none in terms of Indiana '24s. The Evansville North product routinely turned in sub-2.00 pops between innings, reaching as low as 1.86. Gabe is a quiet receiver with soft hands and offers very good flexibility despite having a long frame. Offensively, Wilke still needs to add strength to become more impactful, but the path is loose & level and the bat speed should improve as he adds strength. 

 

 

A pair of division one commits stood out over and over throughout the weekend in '24 OF Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe (North Central HS) and '24 SS Logan Crock (Lawrence North HS). Rienstra-Kiracofe, a Kent State recruit, showed some of the loudest tools of any prospect at the event. A 6.40 runner, Micah locked-down CF, making multiple athletic plays, including an outstanding diving catch in LCF. His plus arm strength showed up in-game and he showed tons of strength in his barrel with a middle of the field approach. Crock, a Butler recruit, did what he did all summer - produced. Crock did not get out until the fourth game of the weekend and used his foot-speed to leg out triples, along with creating havoc on the base-paths. The undersized SS made play-after-play in the middle of the infield with outstanding footwork and glove actions.

Rienstra-Kiracofe

 

Crock

 

'25 OF Brandt Kendall (Scottsburg HS) is an up-and-coming prospect that offers impressive abilities in the left-handed batter's box. The 6-foot, 180 pounder generates major bat speed, allowing for present pull-side strength. The swing works slightly uphill to match plane and his lower-half works in an efficient manner. A 6.69 runner - Kendall has two tools that jump out (run & hit). The speedy outfielder offers above average arm strength (88 mph OF Velocity).

 

 

'25 INF/RHP Luke Neiswonger (Homestead HS) had a massive weekend and is a must-see '25 this fall. The physical, 6-foot-2, 200 pounder has a simple, well-sequenced swing with present pull-side power. Neiswonger shows repeatability within the swing and the simplicity allows for consistent timing. The physical infielder showed fundamental actions in the dirt with ample arm strength. A high school shortstop, Neiswonger fits more of the mold of a power hitting 3B, but could stick at SS if the foot-speed improves. Luke also toed the rubber on Sunday morning, sitting 83-87 mph on a fastball with arm-side run. Neiswonger has a 70-73 mph slider that showed flashes of out-pitch potential, along with flashing an above average change at 75-77 mph. The delivery is athletic and the arm action is uninterrupted, however is it a bit deep causing inconsistencies in the slider and some arm-side misses with the fastball. 

 

 

 

 

'25 RHP Aidan Micinski (John Adams HS) showed well in his start, another '25 that college coaches should become familiar with. Micinski has a lanky, 6-foot-3, 165 pound build and moves with fluidity throughout a well-sequenced delivery. The arm is clean and his fastball ranges from 83-86 mph, but that number will tick up as he adds strength. His 69-71 mph curveball shows 11/5 shape and has the potential to turn into a quality pitch as the velocity trends upwards. 

 

 

I am all in on '27 RHP/OF Jaylen Wells-Henderson (New Albany HS). An ultra-athletic, 6-foot-3, 165 pounder - Wells-Henderson shows superstar potential on the mound. He sat 81-84 mph on a fastball with easy jump out of the hand, and that number should sky-rocket as he develops his lower-half. The arm talent is outstanding and Jaylen was in the zone with a three-pitch mix. A 6.83 runner last summer, the best runner we have seen in the '27 class to date, the sky is the limit for this '27 prospect. 

 

 

'26 RHP Gavin Lykins (Plainfield HS) provided an upside look as the weekend came to a conclusion. A projectable, 6-foot-3, 185 pound right-hander with some natural athleticism - Lykins has the potential to throw 90+ at some point in his high school career. The arm works & despite the lower-half being unrefined, Lykins worked his fastball up to 85 mph with little perceived effort. Lykins flashed feel for a 68-72 mph breaking ball. We will keep close tabs on this '26 as he moves through his high school career. 

 

 

'25 RHP Logan Cotton (Crown Point HS) had a solid outing in his start on the bump this weekend. A projectable arm - Cotton showed flashes of his potential at the PBR Future Games and I believe there is significant development to be had with this 6-foot-4, 195 pounder. Cotton has a balanced, low-effort delivery and he worked at 83-86 mph with above average fastball command. The uncommitted right-hander was able to manipulate the shape on his breaking ball, showing bigger shape when he needed to land it for a strike, while also showing a firmer, tighter version of the pitch to get chase late in counts. Cotton showed the ability to throw his faded, 76-77 mph changeup to both right-handed & left-handed hitters. Cotton is an arm that college coaches should keep close tabs on.

 

 

I really liked what I saw from '25 OF Kolin Adams (Mt.Carmel HS, IL) this weekend. A speedy left-handed hitting centerfielder - Adams was on the barrel often due to a quick & balanced left-handed stroke with whip in the barrel. The athletic, 5-foot-10, 175 pounder with compact strength delivered barrel after barrel in my looks, looking the part of a potential top-of-the-order bat at the next level. A 6.84 runner, Adams also offers above average arm strength from the OF (88 mph OF Velo).