On June 23, the PBR Illinois team made its return to trip down south to Sauget to host its annual Metro East Open event, targeting any and all high school athletes in the area – from Missouri to Illinois.

We provided some instant insight in the days following the event inside of our Statistical Analysis post, featuring notes on the event’s stat leaders. We began our event analysis on Wednesday, with the day’s catchers, followed by the outfielders, and we’re covering the day’s infielders today.

Stay tuned on Monday for a look at the day’s pitchers.

TOP INFIELD PROSPECTS

1. Eli Hensley, Normal West (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: SS/2B
Body: 5-8, 145-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, leg kick trigger, draws hands back into smooth load.  Loose athletic hands, line drive hitter with level swing path through the zone. Gets extension through contact.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 81 mph. Long and loose arm action from a high 3/4 angle. Showed off above-average arm strength, throws had life across the diamond.
Defense: Clean actions in the infield. Fluid footwork, confident defender, trusts his hands, plays through the baseball, natural double play turn and body control play.
Run: 7.23 runner in the 60. 

2. Bret Yarger, Rolla (MO), 2024
Positional Profile: SS/OF
Body: 6-0, 170-pounds. Highy-athletic, high-waisted frame. Plenty of room for continued physical development.
Hit: RHH. Sets up in a balanced stance, smooth loading actions, leg kick trigger. Maintains good balance throughout swing. Advanced bat speed for age. Swing works on a long and uphill plane, barrel stays in the zone a long time. Gap-to-gap hitter with fluid rhythm.
Power: 95 mph exit velocity from the tee. Advanced bat speed and bat strength for his age.
Arm: RH. INF - 75 mph. Long and loose arm action, releases from a true 3/4 slot. Arm played with some accuracy across the diamond.
Defense: Showed natural actions in the infield. Quick footwork, clean exchange. Athleticism shows in the field.
Run: 6.75 runner in the 60. Plus runner for his age.

3. Drew Politte, Lindbergh (MO), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/RHP
Body: 6-0, 180-pounds. Athletic, high-waisted frame with well-proportioned strength.
Hit: RHH. Balanced and open setup, smooth loading actions, short stride. Loose, easy swing. Uphill path through the zone, present bat speed, gets extension through contact. Gap-to-gap approach with fluid rhythm throughout.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee. Potential pull-side power down the road.
Arm: RH. INF - 84 mph. Clean arm action, over the top arm slot. Throws play with carry and accurate across the diamond.
Defense: Clean actions in the infield. Fluid footwork, steady hands, maintained body control on the move. With continued physical development could profile best at third base.
Run: 7.41 runner in the 60. 

4. Cade Tomhave, Pittsfield (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: 3B/SS
Body: 6-0, 185-pounds. Muscular build.
Hit: RHH. Crouched, wide setup in the box. Smooth loading actions, maintains balance through swing. Strong hands, level path through the zone, line drive hitter with gap-to-gap tendencies.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 77 mph. Short arm action from a high 3/4 angle. Arm plays accurate across the diamond.
Defense: Reliable hands, steady defender, clean and quick exchange. Profiles at third base at the next level.
Run: 7.63 runner in the 60.

5. Peyton Apps, Pittsfield (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: SS/2B
Body: 6-3, 205-pounds. Wide-shouldered, physical build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced and open stance, high leg kick stride, smooth loading actions.  Loose hands, present bat speed. Short and uphill swing path through contact. Gap-to-gap hitter.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 78 mph. Long and loose arm action from a high 3/4 window. Arm played with some accuracy and carry across the diamond.
Defense: Projects as a corner infielder. Fields the ball in the middle of his body. Packs on exchange.
Run: 8.05 runner in the 60.  

5. Austin Martin, Roxana Senior High (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 5-11, 155-pounds. Lean, high-waisted projectable frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly open setup. Smooth load, short stride trigger and utilizes lower half. Fluid rhythm, loose handsy swing, short bat path through contact, line drive hitter.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 81 mph. Quick arm action from a low 3/4 angle. Throws played with carry.
Defense: Clean actions in the infield. Steady and reliable hands, fluid bouncy footwork, quick exchange.
Run: 7.52 runner in the 60.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Landen Bate, Zeigler-Royalton (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Strong, compact frame.
Hit: RHH. Tall and open stance with a long stride. Draws hands back into load.  Easy and simple swing. Level swing path through contact. Gap-to-gap hitter.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 78 mph. Long and loose arm action, releases from a high 3/4 angle. Arm plays with some accuracy across the diamond.
Defense: Sure handed with a clean exchange.
Run: 7.33 runner in the 60. 

Mitch Dye, Sacred Heart-Griffin (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/RHP
Body: 6-3, 168-pounds. Projectable and athletic body with room for added strength.
Hit: LHH. Tall and open setup. High leg kick trigger, hands drop into load. Handsy swing, stays on top of the baseball, line-drive approach.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 81 mph. Arm action is long and loose, throws from a high 3/4 window. Arm plays with some accuracy across the infield. Throws have carry.
Defense: Steady hands in the infield. Glove plays deep under the center of his body. Clean footwork.
Run: 7.77 runner in the 60. 

Conner Freeze, Central Community  (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: SS/C
Body: 5-11, 160-pounds. Lean, athletic build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, minimal loading actions. Simple swing, fluid rhythm, short stride, maintains balance. Short and uphill swing plane through contact. Gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 67 mph. INF - 72 mph. Short arm action, throws from an over the top angle. Arm played with some accuracy across the diamond.
Defense: 2.43-2.52 pop times. Steady hands in the field. Long exchange.
Run: 7.65 runner in the 60. 

Jayden Gegg, Valle Catholic (MO), 2021
Positional Profile: RHP/3B
Body: 5-9, 172-pounds. Compact, live-body.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, high leg kick trigger, draws hands down and back into load. Line drive hitter with strong hands and bat speed. Swing path is short to contact.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 79 mph. Long arm action from a high 3/4 window. Flashed carry on throws.
Defense: Glove plays deep in the center of his body. Showed solid range on backhand play in the hole.
Run: 6.74 runner in the 60. Plus runner.

Landon Gunter, Highland  (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: 3B/1B
Body: 5-8, 190-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, hands drop into load, short leg kick trigger. Long and slightly uphill plane through the zone. Minimal wasted movement and pull side approach at the plate.
Power: 72 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 64 mph. Short arm action, works from an over the top window. Arm played with some accuracy across the diamond.
Defense: Projects as a corner infielder. Fields the ball deep on the throwing hand side of his body.
Run: 8.21 runner in the 60. 

Bryant Henderson, Normal West (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: 2B
Body: 6-0, 145-pounds. Lean, high-waisted frame with plenty of room for continued physical development.
Hit: RHH. Balanced set up, smooth loading actions, short stride and maintains balance throughout. Repeatable swing, level path through the zone, line-drive approach and fluid rhythm.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 75 mph. Short arm action, low 3/4 slot. Arm played with some accuracy across the diamond.
Defense: Fluid footwork, steady hands, fields deep into body at times, clean release.
Run: 7.39 runner in the 60. 

Connor House, Roxana  (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: 1B/RHP
Body: 6-1, 220-pounds. Strong lower half.
Hit: RHH. Sets up in a balanced and crouched stance, draws hands back into load. Short stride, level swing path through contact. Looks to pull the baseball.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee. Has present bat strength.
Arm: RH. INF - 72 mph. Long arm circle, over-the-top slot. Throws played accurate across the diamond.
Defense: Projects as a corner infielder. Clean actions at first base. Sure handed, glove plays under the center of his body.
Run: 8.08 runner in the 60. 

Kannon Kirk, North Mac (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 5-11, 150-pounds. Lean, athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Crouched and open stance, leg kick trigger. Short bat path, controls the barrel and line-drive approach.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 80 mph. Loose arm action from a 3/4 angle, played accurate across the diamond.
Defense: Steady hands, plays tall through exchange.
Run: 7.08 runner in the 60. 

Luke Parmentier, Civic Memorial (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: 2B/SS
Body: 6-1, 180-pounds. Athletic well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Sets up in a tall and balanced stance, short leg lift stride, minimal loading actions. Long and level path through contact, stays in the zone. A lot of hard contact to the middle of the diamond.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 79 mph. Short arm action, plays from a high 3/4 window.
Defense: Reliable hands in the infield, glove plays under the center of his body. Active footwork, clean exchange.
Run: 7.72 runner in the 60. 

Colby Redman, Richland County  (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: 3B/1B
Body: 6-1, 165-pounds. Highly-athletic frame for age.
Hit: RHH. Balanced set up, hands drop into load. High leg kick trigger.  Barrel path is short and uphill through contact. Swing naturally creates lift.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 69 mph. Short arm action, throws from a low 3/4 window.
Defense: Showed feel around the first base bag. Steady hands, clean release.
Run: 7.54 runner in the 60. 

Adrian Stout, Vienna  (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: 2B/RHP
Body: 5-9, 160-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Crouched stance, smooth loading actions, short stride.  Quiet, simple swing, quick hands, level path and line-drive approach.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 71 mph. Long arm action from an over the top angle. Throws played with some accuracy across the infield.
Defense: Reliable hands. Glove plays deep and close to the body. Packs on exchange.
Run: 7.27 runner in the 60. 

Jude Sullivan, Paris (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/1B
Body: 6-1, 185-pounds. Physical, strong frame.
Hit: LHH. Balanced set up, hands drop into load, leg kick stride. Twitchy, strong hands, ball jumps off the barrel when synced. Present bat speed and flashed pull-side power.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee. Averaged 90.57 mph off the bat during his round of BP; via TrackMan.
Arm: LH. INF - 76 mph. OF - 73 mph. Short arm action from a 3/4 to high 3/4 arm slot. Arm
plays with some accuracy. Throws flashed carry across the infield.
Defense: Fields the ball deep on the glove side of his body. Sure handed in both the infield and outfield. Feet remain active.
Run: 7.83 runner in the 60.

Nick Williams, Civic Memorial (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 5-11, 155-pounds. Well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Tall, balanced setup, short leg kick trigger. Bat travels on a level plane through contact. Line drive hitter with fluid rhythm throughout his swing.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 77 mph. Arm plays with long and loose action from a natural 3/4 angle.
Defense: Plays with body control, reliable hands and clean exchange.
Run: 7.40 runner in the 60. 

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