Midwest ProCase: Pitcher Analysis

On July 7, the PBR Illinois, Wisconsin, and National teams reconvened in the Chicagoland area, at Ozinga Field in Streamwood, Ill., to host its sixth annual PBR ProCase Midwest event. Every year, the top prospects in the region meet in Illinois to participate in a pro-style workout and compete against one another in-game in front of both high-level college recruiters and professional scouts.

We previously analyzed this loaded event from a more statistical perspective, with the help of our TrackMan and Blast Motion technologies integrated into the showcase. You can find that insight at the following link, here.

In attendance was PBR and D1Baseball Director of College Scouting David Seifert, who produced the scouting reports on each of these players you’ll see below. After analyzing the day’s position players yesterday, we’re onto the pitchers today.

PITCHER ANALYSIS (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

+ Nicholas Argento, RHP, Wayzata (MN) – North Carolina commit
Impressive 6-foot-5, 200-pound, loose-armed right-hander who repeated a simple, on-line delivery with good finish out front. Full arm circle, average arm speed. Controlled a heavy, sinking 89-90 (T91) mph fastball from a three-quarter slot. Max spin rate of 2,324 rpm. Kept consistently down in the zone with late action. Average slider 81-82 mph with more cutter-like action and late break. Mixed in low-spin changeup at 77-78 mph at an average 1,668 rpm. Future average to better pitch. Entered the ProCase uncommitted but has since committed to North Carolina.

Nicholas Argento (7/7/20)

+ Sam Bryan, RHP, Kirkwood (MO) – Missouri
Wiry bodied righty at 6-foot, 170 pounds. Stiff arm action with high back elbow. Tough to sync delivery with cross-body landing, effort and funk. Reliever look. Struggled with control. Fastball sat 87-89 (T90) mph spinning up to 2,443 rpm. Flashed good slider with hard bite at 77-78 mph, spinning around 2,250 rpm. Mixed in occasional 82-83 mph changeup spinning in the 1,700s during his ProCase appearance.

+ Evan Clark, LHP, IMG Academy (FL) – Georgetown commit
Georgetown commit worked quick and threw strikes during his appearance at the ProCase featuring a running 86-87 mph (T88) mph fastball and a fading 76-77 changeup. He also mixed in a 78-79 mph mostly horizontal breaker which was released from a lower slot than his fastball. The 6-foot, 160-pound lefty showed and unorthodox, bow-and-arrow arm action with a high hand break resulting in some stiffness to a low three-quarter release point and well below average extension out front. His fastball spin rate maxed at 2,436 rpm, averaging 2,113 while his changeup spun just below 2,000 rpm at 1,995.

+ Brennyn Cutts, RHP, Toledo-Cumberland (IL) – Indiana State commit
Durable build at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. Average athlete with simple delivery and good lines to the plate. Loose and clean arm action to three-quarter release point. Early glove tuck.  Good feel to pitch. Changed speeds and spots well throughout his appearance. Swing/miss fastball with late hop, sat 89-91 (T92) and low-2,000 spin rates. Slider sat 79-80 with spin rate up to 2,425 rpm. Showed good arm speed on 80-81 mph changeup. Had sink and low-spin in the 1,600s.

Brennyn Cutts (7/7/20)

+ Nate Dohm, RHP, Zionsville (IN) – Ball State commit
At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds Dohm has the frame of a future power pitcher. At the ProCase he sat 87-90 mph with a 1,950 average spin rate, maxing at 2,116. There is some effort to his delivery, but none of it interfered with his ability to throw strikes and get outs on this look. He pitched an easy inning, mixing in a cutter at 76-81 mph and a 78-79 mph changeup. The cutter spun in the same range as his fastball, while the change-of-pace sank and tailed to the plate with a mid-1,600 rpm. His cutter was thrown from a release point slightly outside that of his heater, showing some depth and gloveside break, characteristics more similar to a slider. His change was released from a slightly lower slot than the other two offerings and showed 14 inches of horizontal break, a top 25% percentile ranking for prep arms. A Ball State commit, Dohm has a similar look to the power arms that the Cardinals have developed in the recent years.

+ Ben Hess, RHP, Charleston (IL) – Indiana commit
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Indiana recruit topped 92.6 mph, per TrackMan, with an average spin rate of 2,062 rpm. Looked strong and confident on the bump with good feel. Some effort to his delivery with good arm action and full path to a high three-quarter slot. Somewhat hesitant delivery, will need to smooth out for greater fluidity and repeatability. Also showed a sharp, tight, plus-grade slider at 78-79 mph, spinning around 2,200 rpm. Good arm speed and control of average 79-80 mph circle changeup. Some fade with 1,600 spin rate. Future three-pitch weekend starter at the collegiate level with a chance to be considered in the top three rounds this June when healthy.

Ben Hess' TrackMan spin rates and release speed via TrackMan, from 7/7/20.

+ C.J. Hood, RHP, Norris (NE) – Nebraska commit
Athletic, long bodied, loose and projectable at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds. Hood was the top pitching prospect at the ProCase running his fastball up to 96 mph with lower effort, a sound delivery and clean arm action. Most of his heaters sat 91-94 with carry through the zone and averaged 2,560 rpm spin rate. Also flashed the ability to get downhill to his glove side. With little dispersion in release point, he also threw a high-spin slider for strikes at 79-81 mph, topping at 2,910 rpm. Although he still needs to refine his control into command and develop a third pitch (changeup), Hood showed many qualities of a high round pick, undoubtedly moving up pref lists for the 2021 draft.

C.J. Hood (7/7/20)

+ Jack Hunke, RHP, Holt (MO) – Missouri State commit
High projection, 6-foot-2, 185-pound righty. Loose arm with good arm speed out front. Ball jumps to plate. Fastball sat 88-90 with an average of 17.1-inch IVB and 2,158 spin rate. Missed up in the zone often. Secondary offerings were a work-in-progress with a 79 mph slider and 77 mph straight changeup.

+ Ryan Karl, RHP, Eureka (MO) – Parkland JC
Six-foot, 175 pound righty started with an old school, full over the head delivery. Glove taps for timing, then works quickly down the mound. Three-quarter release point. Swinging leg kick finish. Active delivery produces good deception. Fastball up to 89 mph, spinning in the mid-2,300s. Near average curve, showing good depth at times, 69-72 mph and up to 2,150 rpm spin rate. Flashed 75-76 mph slider and occasional 77-78 mph straight changeup.

+ Zach Kempe, RHP, St. Charles North (IL) – Notre Dame commit
Uncommitted entering the event, Kempe pitched his way to notoriety and much D1 interest shortly after the ProCase. At 6-foot, 180 pounds, he features a 90-92 mph fastball which spun up to 2,484 rpm and averaged 2,371. Kempe worked quickly with low effort via a compact circle to a three-quarter release point. As good as his fastball was, his hard curveball was even better. Sitting 77-78 mph, the breaker bit late and hard with tight spin, consistently in the 2,800s, topping at 2,890 rpm. Showing great depth and averaging -12.8 IVB and -11 HB it repeatedly induced swing/miss. He filled up the zone with both pitches and fielded his position well. Overall, Kempe was a huge “winner” at the event and has since committed to Notre Dame.

Zach Kempe's spin rate and release speed via TrackMan, from 7/7/20.

+ Cole Koonce, RHP, Eureka (MO) – Johnson County CC
Strong, wide-shouldered righty with a long, loose arm swing for leveraged arm strength. At 6-foot, 210 pounds, Koone worked quickly with an on-line, drop-and-drive delivery which created good extension out front (6.74’), but walked through finish due to poor lead leg blocking. Fastball was up to 90 mph with fair life from a high three-quarter slot. Advanced feel for changeup. Flashed plus at 80 mph when thrown with fastball arm speed. Work-in-progress breaking ball at 68-69 mph showed fair 11/5 shape, lacked bite.

+ Blake Lemmon, RHP, Chesterton (IN) – Cincinnati commit
Slender, athletic right-hander at 6-foot-3, 170 pounds. Good projection, does it all pretty easy from a high slot and fluid, on-line, drop-and-drive delivery. Worked quick and competed. Fastball sat 87-88 (T89) with low spin (1,739 rpm avg). Breaking ball flashed proper shape at 73-75 mph with top spin rate of 2,178.

+ Brady Linkel, RHP, South Ripley (IN) – Ohio commit
Athletic bodied righty at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds. Linkel impressed with a sound delivery, good arm speed and a super low-spin (1,571 rpm average) sinking fastball in the 87-91 mph range. He also mixed in a handful of 71-73 mph curveballs thrown from a high three-quarter slot with higher effort.

+ Tanner Mueller, RHP, Lutheran St. Charles (MO) – Southeast Missouri State commit
A SEMO recruit, the 6-foot-5, 205 pound righty sat 88-89 mph on his low-spin, running fastball. Working down the mound and from an over the top slot, he mixed in a below average slider/cutter at 83 mph and low-spin (1,360 rpm) sinking changeup at 79-80 mph during his 22-pitch appearance. The change was thrown with fastball arm speed, even further aiding the effectiveness of the pitch. Mueller also showed good deception, combining a high leg lift and a closed landing while hiding the ball behind his backside with a bow-and-arrow arm action and releasing out of his shirt sleeve.

Tanner Mueller (7/7/20)

+ Jackson Nove, LHP, Cedar Rapids Prairie (IA) – Kentucky commit
Long and loose lefty with a clean arm action. Six-foot-5, 185 pound Kentucky recruit who looked to be a fair athlete and longer twitch. Projectable with downhill delivery from a high three-quarter slot producing near present average arm speed. Fastball sat 84-86 mph spinning at 2,249 rpm with a 2,352 max while showing tailing life and some jump to the plate. Also mixed in a shorter breaking curveball at 71-72 mph with spin rates similar to his fastball and one tailing changeup at 77 mph, spinning at 1,937. Nove is still somewhat raw at this point, but he competed and threw strikes during his 26-pitch outing at the ProCase.

+ Eric Orloff, LHP, Glenbrook North (IL) – Arizona commit
Another big “winner” from the ProCase, Orloff entered uncommitted, but attracted plenty of interest soon afterwards. A fair athlete with some arm strength, the 6-foot-3, 205 pound loose-armed lefty struck out the side during his 13-pitch appearance with a sneaky 88-89 mph fastball and effective 69-70 mph curveball. From a high three-quarter slot he spun his fastball up to 2,125 rpm, averaging 2,015. His breaker spun to the plate in a similar range, but was thrown from nearly 5” lower than his fastball release point. Orloff recently committed to Arizona.

Eric Orloff (7/7/20)

+ Victor Quinn, RHP, Liberty-Wentzville (MO) – Oregon State commit
Athletic, quick-armed righty who struggled to find the strike zone. Scattered his 91-94 mph fastball through his 26-pitch appearance with a large variance in his release point. At 6-foot-1, 200 pounds Quinn is a converted outfielder trying to harness his heater which spun to the plate on average at 2078 rpm, peaking at 2292. Showed limited feel for his secondary offerings. Threw two changeups at 77 and 81 mph, spinning in the 1600 range, while he also flashed a trio of below average, low spin breakers at 75-76 mph which averaged 1,875 rpm.

+ Gavin Schmitt, RHP, Plainfield East (IL) – Illinois commit
Repeated a quick, yet somewhat mechanical delivery with clean arm action and full arm circle to a high three-quarter slot. Threw against a firm front side, producing above average arm speed. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound righty filled up the strike zone with an 88-90 mph fastball and below average 73-75 mph curve. He also dropped his release point to mix in an 80 mph flat slider. His fastball showed low spin (1,775 rpm) and averaged 14.9 inches of induced vertical break. Uncommitted entering the ProCase, Schmitt emerged from the event with much newfound interest and recently committed to Illinois.

+ Jack Stellano, LHP, Reed-Custer (IL) – Quincy commit
5-foot-11, 185 pound lefty pumped strikes, working from the far third base side of the pitching rubber. Arm works loose and free with a full circle in back to a high three-quarter release point. Average extension with good arm speed out front. Featured a low-spin (1,870 rpm) fastball at 85-87 mph with good arm side life. Curveball was a below average pitch on this look at 68-69 mph and spinning at 1,669 rpm on average. Stellano has since committed to Quincy University.

+ Vincent Trapani, RHP, Eau Claire Memorial (WI) – Arkansas commit
Large framed, strong bodied righty with a shoulder tilt delivery that produced steep downhill plane. Some wrist curl funk on the backside, but hides the ball well for added deception. Very consistent release point on all three pitches. Worked an easy 14-pitch inning, dominating the three hitters he faced. Fastball sat 90-91, working up to 92 mph with a peak spin rate of 2,182 and great carry. Averaged an event best of 20 inches of induced vertical break. Threw two low-spin, flatter curveballs at 73-74 mph and one 81 mph changeup.

Vincent Trapani (7/7/20)

+ Ethan Voss, RHP, Burnsville (MN) – Crowder JC commit
Long bodied and projectable with a loose arm and compact circle, the gangly righty worked with an 87-89 mph fastball which reached 2,225 rpm. He also showed good arm speed out front and loads of extension (7’3”) to the plate from a high three-quarter slot with 1:00 tilt. His 76-77 mph low-spin (1,400 rpm) changeup looked to be a work-in-progress as he slowed his arm when delivering the pitch. His other offspeed offering was a 74-78 mph slider, spinning at 2,200 rpm and showing solid depth at 2.3” of IVB with a 10:30 tilt. Uncommitted coming into the ProCase, Voss has since committed to Crowder College in Missouri.

+ Austin Young, RHP, Fort Zumwalt East (MO) – Southeast Missouri State commit
Long-limbed, lean-bodied righty with a loose arm and downhill delivery.  Projection to body and delivery. Strike thrower with near average arm speed. From a high slot, Young topped at 88 mph, mostly sitting 86 with his fastball. Spin rate in the 2,100s. Slower, but effective breaking ball in the upper-60s which he landed for consistent strikes. When combined with an average 2,440 rpm spin rate, bodes well for future improvement.

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