By Steve Nielsen and Drew Locascio
PBR Illinois Scouting Staff

The PBR Capital City Open at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, IL took place on Monday with several top players from the Springfield area showing well. Over the coming weeks we will break down the event with complete analysis including top statistical performers. Here’s a quick look at some highlights from the day’s event.

 

• A high follow 2020 outfielder Briar Stinson (Rushville-Industry) burst onto the scene at the event. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound, strong, athletically built Stinson is an advanced right-handed hitter with present batspeed, made a lot of hard contact and can backspin the baseball. Stinson put himself in the category for one of the best 2020 outfield prospects we’ve seen to date, especially with the bat. 

• Another underclassman to keep an eye on moving forward is INF Kooper Loehr (Mt. Zion, 2019). Loehr, currently undersized, was one of the better defenders at the event.

• 6-foot-4, 225-pound 1B Justin Beggs (Williamsville, 2018) had feel around the first base bag and took one of the better rounds of batting practice at the event. Beggs has a flat path and fluid rhythm throughout.

• Another 2018 who impressed with the bat was Lucas Unland (Beardstown).  Unland is a left-handed hitter with a loose, fast bat and found a lot of barrels in his round of BP.

• Southern Illinois commit RHP/OF Noah Farmer (Massac County, 2017) was up to 90 mph from the outfield and shined on the mound. Fastball was up to 88 mph with late life and flashed hard run and sink.

• OF/LHP Giuseppe Mattera (Pleasant Plains, 2018) is a left/left quick-twitch athlete. Up to 87 mph from the outfield, used the middle of the field and stayed on top of the baseball during batting practice and sat in the low 80’s on the mound with a tight breaking ball.

• The best unsigned senior at the event was RHP Austin Chapman (Sacred Heart-Griffin). Chapman was up to 86 with feel for four pitches and a splitter with swing and miss action.

• Ben Chapman (Rochester, 2018) stood out as the best defensive catcher. He showed a consistently strong and accurate arm putting his pops on the bag at 2.07-2.15.

• Pierce Jones (East Richland) is a projectable 2018 RHP who topped out at 83 mph. With a loose arm action and his 6-foot-3 frame weighing in at just 153-pounds there’s a lot to look forward to down the road.

• Keep an eye on Gavin Wahlbrink (Chatham-Glenwood), a 2019 RHP with a quick clean arm from a low ¾ slot and up to 78 mph with three-pitch feel.

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