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Class of 2016 Open Showcase: Corner Infield Analysis

August 18, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

The Class of 2016 Open Showcase took place on Wednesday, July 23rd at Plunkett Park in Elgin, IL. This year’s showcase featured several talented, uncommitted players in Illinois’ 2016 class. Bolingbrook’s Jacob Nagel took home top honors at the corner infield position, impressing with his plus frame, arm strength from first base, and future power potential at the plate. St. Ignatius’ Geno Callahan impressed in the spring as a sophomore on varsity at first base for the Wolpack, and again made a strong impression on the Prep Baseball Report staff. Libertyville’s Cam Shaffer rounds out the top three thanks to a solid round of batting practice and clean infield actions at third base.

Let’s take a look at the Top Corner Infield Prospects at this year’s Class of 2016 Open Showcase.

Top Corner Infield Prospects

1. Jacob Nagel, RHP/1B, Bolingbrook, 2016
6-foot-4, 190-pound right-handed hitting first baseman/right-handed pitcher with lanky, athletic, projectable frame.  Hits from a tall, open setup, hands load back smoothly, utilizes a short stride, barrell whips through the zone producing uphill bat path spraying line drives from gap-to-gap producing 89 mph exit velocity off the tee.  Defensively, has a plus frame for first base, throwing 78 mph across the diamond from short, over the top arm action with accuracy.  Ran a 7.44 60.  On the mound, utilizes long, loose, high ¾ arm slot with a slight stab in the back of arm swing that doesn’t affect his ability to get back out front..  Easy effort, slow tempo, tall-and-fall type delivery produces 83-85 mph fastballs from the windup, 81-83 mph from the stretch.  Slows arm on 69-71 mph breaking ball with 12/6 shape that was also thrown for strikes.  Gets underneath 69-70 mph changeup at times.  Nagel is a significant follow over the next two years, especially if his velocity takes a jump into the mid to upper 80’s.

2. Geno Callahan, 1B, St. Ignatius, 2016
6-foot-2, 190-pound right-handed hitting first baseman hits from a tall, balanced setup, with a short stride, slightly uphill bat path creates 78 mph exit velocity.  Defensively at first base, threw 75 mph across the diamond with accuracy from short, high ¾ arm action.  Showed a good feel around the bag, and impressed turning the double play quickly.  Has athletic actions and good size for a first baseman.  Ran a 7.19 60, 4.83 seconds from home to first.

3. Cam Shaffer, 3B, Libertyville, 2016
6-foot-1, 185-pound right-handed hitting third baseman hits from a wide, open setup, hands load smoothly, stride is short, hands stay quiet pre-pitch, with short, uphill batpath producing line drives from gap-to-gap with 82 mph exit velocity.  Does a good job of utilizing lower half in his swing.  Defensively, stays low fielding the baseball showcasing average hands, throws 71 mph across the diamond from a short, high ¾ arm slot with accuracy.  Ran 7.30 60 yard dash, 5.04 from home to first.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Dominic Abruzzo, 3B, Naperville Central, 2016
6-foot-1, 165-pound right-handed hitting third baseman hits from an open setup with hands loading back smoothly, long stride, uphill bat path, with opposite field tendencies and 78 mph exit velocity.  Foot gets down extremely early, making rhythm in swing choppy at times.  Defensively, threw 83 mph across the infield from long, high ¾ arm action with accuracy.  Showcased average hands, fluid footwork, clean exchanges, and plays through the baseball when fielding.  Ran 7.29 in the 60, and 5.26 from home to first.

Nicholas Bedtka, LHP/1B/OF, Plainfield North, 2016
5-foot-9, 150-pound left-handed hitting LHP/1B/OF impressed defensively at first with average hands and short, loose, ¾ slingling arm action.  On the mound threw 75-78 mph from short, quick, high ¾ arm slot with a solid feel for three pitches.  His 67-68 mph curveball showed slurvy, sweeping action and was thrown for strikes.  68-70 mph changeup was thrown for strikes with occasional arm side run.  Also threw a 70-71 mph slider that had shorter break, and was better from the stretch.  Hits from a wide setup with a short leg kick and level bat path producing line drives from gap-to-gap with 78 mph exit velocity.  Ran a 7.85 60.

Jason Behnke, C/1B, Matea Valley, 2016
6-foot, 210-pound right-handed hitting catcher/first baseman hits from a wide setup, very little stride, with uphill bat path and strength to his pull side creating 81 mph exit velocity.  Showed quick, efficient feet behind the plate, rattling off pop times between 2.18-2.25, throwing 68 mph from the crouch.  Also threw 68 mph across the diamond from first base.  Ran a 7.47 60 and 4.97 seconds from home to first.

Tyler Garrity, LHP/1B, Plainfield North, 2016
6-foot-2, 190-pound athletically built right-handed hitting first baseman/left-handed pitcher hit from an athletic, open stance, very little load in hands, stride is short, lifts foot up and down, creating uphill bat path with extension.  Hit several line drives from gap-to-gap during batting practice with 84 mph exit velocity off the tee.  Threw 74 mph across the diamond from first base, from long high ¾ arm slot with some accuracy.  Showcased fluid footwork and clean exchanges fielding the baseball.  On the mound utilizes tall and fall delivery from same arm slot, though he turns the baseball early in his arm swing creating pendulum swing-type arm action.  Shoulders work uphill, stride direction stays in line with home plate.  Threw fastball 78-80 mph with occasional cutting action and above average arm speed.  Slows arm on 64-66 mph slurvy breaking ball.  Changeup was best secondary pitch at 67-68 mph

Carter Johnson, LHP/1B, Timothy Christian, 2016
6-foot-1, 220-pound wide shouldered, large framed right-handed hitting, left-handed pitcher/first baseman hit from a wide, balanced setup, very little stride, hands load back, creating line drives from gap-to-gap during batting practice with above average bat speed producing 85 mph exit velocity off the tee.  Defensively, threw 75 mph across the diamond from short, high ¾ arm slot with accuracy.  Feet move well around the bag, showcases average hands fielding the baseball.  On the mound, short, high ¾ arm action comes right from ear.  77-79 mph fastball showed cutting action from tall and fall type delivery.  Showcases smooth rhythm throughout delivery, shoulders stay level, lower half stay in line with home plate.  69-70 mph slider showed better action than 64-68 mph curveball with 11/5 shape.  Also showed some feel for a 64-66 mph changeup with arm side run.

Joey Preusser, LHP/1B/OF, Brother Rice, 2016
6-foot-1, 155-pound lanky left-handed hitting LHP/1B/OF hits from an open, crouched setup with a long stride, level bat path, and above average bat speed with 87 mph exit velocity.  Hit several line drives to his pull side.  Defensively, long, high ¾ arm action was up to 83 mph from the outfield, 79 from the infield with significant arm side run on his throws, which will benefit him on the mound.  On the mound, fastball sat between 77-80 mph with cutting action.  Throws from a high ¾ to over the top arm slot, tall and fall type delivery, head pulls slightly towards third base when raising up arm slot.  Clears out front glove side early, and lands open at foot strike.  Slows arm on 65-68 mph breaking ball with 11/5 shape.  Threw strikes with 70-72 mph changeup with arm side run, and consistently threw it down in the zone.

Cameron Van Boekel, RHP/1B, Yorkville, 2016
6-foot-3, 170-pound right-handed pitcher/first baseman hit from an open stance with a short stride, minimal hand load, producing 80 mph exit velocity.  Defensively at first, showed feel around the bag, threw 74 mph across the infield from long, high ¾ arm slot, while also displaying soft hands fielding the baseball.  On the mound worked from a long, over-the-top arm slot, tall-and-fall type delivery, front side elevates with shoulders uphill, lands slightly open at times at foot strike.  Fastball ranged between 70-74 mph with cutter action and depth.  61-64 mph breaking ball showed 11/5 shape with gradual break landing for strikes.  Also through strikes with a 66-68 mph changeup with fade.

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