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Pitcher Showcase and Analysis: Scouting Reports

October 3, 2013

By Griffin Phelps and Sean Duncan

The Prep Baseball Report Pitcher Showcase and Analysis unveiled some high-follow prospects from the 2016, 2015 and 2014 classes on Sept. 25 at The Max. Limited to only 20 pitchers, the prospects in attendance threw extended bullpens for a more in-depth look at their abilities.

Jacob Nagel, an athletic 6-foot-4, 180-pound right-hander from Bolingbrook HS, emerged from the event as one of the more projectable 2016 prospects we’ve seen so far. 2015 RHP Logan Wonn (Oconomowoc HS, WI) flashed the best velocity at the event at 85 mph, while LHP Brandon Hickey emerged as the top unsigned 2014 prospect at the event.

A look at the pitchers:

Michael Arkema, RHP, Glenbrook South, 2015
6-foot-4, 190-pound athletic pitcher who throws from a high ¾ slot with a long, loose arm action. Has a drop and drive delivery with some rhythm. His fastball was 76-78 mph with slight sink and occasional cut, thrown for strikes. Curveball has an 11/5 shape and rolling break at 63-67 mph. When thrown 66-67 mph the pitch has better bite and depth. The changeup has similar arm speed as the fastball, in 66-70 range, with some life when thrown down in the zone.

Alex Bohanek, RHP, St. Charles East, 2015
5-foot-11, 190-pound pitcher who throws from a high ¾ slot with loose arm action. Simple delivery with clean direction, solid rhythm, and a squared finish. Showed feel for all three pitches. His fastball has a slight running action to it, coming in at 75-76 mph. The curveball has 11/5 shape with firm breaking action at 67-70 mph. His changeup is thrown with fastball arm speed and quality sink at 69-72 mph, flashing 73 mph. He throws strikes with all three pitches and showed the ability to repeat his delivery on a consistent basis.

Tom Bushnell, RHP, Andrew, 2015
6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, solid build. Throws from a high ¾ slot with a loose arm action. Has a drop and drive delivery with clean direction. His fastball showed occasional running action on both the 4-seam and 2-seam. 4-seam velocity was 81-83 mph; 2-seam velocity was 80-83 mph. The changeup had arm side run with occasional sink at 63-67 mph. Changeup showed potential to be go-to pitch in future. Curveball has a 10/4 shape with gradual break at 63-67 mph.

Bryan Callaly, RHP, Geneva, 2016
Athletically built 6-foot-6, 205-pound right-hander with considerable upside. Throws from a high ¾ slot with quick arm speed and a long, loose arm action. Delivery is smooth and repeatable, with good direction and an athletic finish. His fastball was 75-77 mph, flashing 78 mph once, with late running action for strikes. The curveball has a 12/6 shape and was thrown for strikes at 58-62 mph, flashing 64 mph one time. The changeup is thrown with fastball arm speed, down in the zone for strikes at 64-65 mph.

Justin Guryn, LHP, Grayslake Central, 2015
Lanky 6-foot-1, 150-pound frame. Left-hander showed four-pitch repertoire. Throws from a ¾ slot with a long, quick arm action. Arm works exceedingly fast for his size. The delivery is a drop and drive style with a quick, choppy tempo and rhythm. High-effort delivery. His fastball ranged between 79-82 mph, flashing 83 mph with late life, typically at the bottom-half of the zone. Changeup was 66-71 mph, flashing sink and arm side run with quality feel and arm action. Throws a slider at 68-70 mph. Forkball still a work in progress. Overall, arm speed and hand acceleration are advanced for size and age. As he fills into frame, should see velocity spike in coming years. Funk in delivery should make him hard to consistently square up.

 

Brandon Hickey, LHP, Crete Monee, 2014
5-foot-10, 155-pound left-handed pitcher. Throws from a high ¾ slot, with a short, quick arm action. Hides the bell exceptionally well and has quality deception in choppy delivery. His fastball was consistently thrown for strikes with flashes of hard-running action. Fastball sat at 81-82 mph, topping at 83. Throws a slider at 71-72 mph with similar arm speed to his fastball with more slurvy action. His curveball is similar to the slider, coming in at 69-70 mph. The changeup had occasional cut and sink in the 74-76 mph range.

Quinton Hughes, LHP, Lyons Township, 2015
6-foot, 165-pound left-handed pitcher. Works from a high ¾ slot with a short backside arm action. Some choppiness in delivery, but repeats well and maintains balance. Throws his fastball in the 77-78 mph range with some running action. His curveball comes in with an 11/5 shape at 65-66 mph. Showed feel for the pitch out of the windup and the stretch.

Brett Kolacki, LHP/RHP, Bremen, 2015
6-foot-3, 165-pound pitcher who showed the unique, ambidextrous ability to throw with both arms. As a LHP he throws from a ¾ slot. His fastball was in the 71-76 mph range with occasional cut. He threw his curveball at 59-64 mph with a gradual breaking action. Also threw a forkball. As a RHP, he throws from a more over-the-top slot than from the left. His fastball was 72-75 mph, while his curveball checked in at 58-62 mph and flashed some depth to it. He threw the forkball 60-61 mph.

Zac Miller, RHP, York, 2014
5-foot-11, 205-pound right-hander with stronger lower half and wider shoulders. Throws from an over-the-top slot with a long arm action; showed above-average acceleration and life to fastball. The delivery is a tall and fall style with smooth rhythm and quality direction. Showcased a fastball that was 77-78 mph that was down in the zone. The curveball had a 12/6 shape that showed some sharp bite and depth at 66-68 mph. His changeup was thrown with quality arm speed and flashed arm side run at 72-73 mph, and threw it for strikes. He throws a cutter at 71-73 mph with solid command.

Jacob Nagel, RHP, Bolingbrook HS, 2016
Nagel looks to be one of the more projectable 2016 prospects we’ve seen thus far. The 6-foot-4, 175-pound right-hander features long legs and arms and has yet to fill into his athletic frame. Has a long, loose arm action, high-3/4 slot, arm works free and easily. Athletic delivery, low hand set, slight stab on backside, works downhill well. Fastball sat 80-81 mph, topping at 82. Curveball showed promise; 69-71 range; threw a few with occasional late 12/6 bite. Changeup (69-71 mph) still a work in progress. As he fills into his frame and sharpens his mechanics, Nagel should see a significant velocity spike in the coming years.

James Pagni, LHP, York, 2014
Lanky 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame. Throws from a high ¾ slot with a long, loose arm action. Has a drop and drive style delivery with quality direction. Arm works clean and easily, and maintains good tempo and rhythm in delivery. Commanded 79-81 mph for strikes on both sides of plate. His curveball has a 2/8 shape to it with two-plane action, at 68-71 mph, for strikes. Showed some feel for his changeup that he threw 72-74 mph with sinking action and occasional cut.

Grant Rademacher, RHP, Munster (IN), 2015
6-foot-1, 145-pound lanky right-hander with feel for three pitches. Throws from a high ¾ slot with a quick, loose arm action. Stays tall on backside well, works downhill; some choppiness in delivery, athletic finish. Showed solid feel for the fastball, throwing it 77-80 mph from the wind and 78-79 mph from the stretch. The curveball had an 11/5 shape with a gradual breaking action. He threw it in the 72-74 mph range with quality feel. The changeup showed a fading action with some sink at 71-74 mph. Shows quality athleticism and mound presence. Overall strike-thrower is one to watch in the coming years as he fills into his frame.

John Santee, RHP, Prospect, 2015
6-foot-3, 190-pound pitcher. He throws from a high ¾ slot with a short, stiff arm action. His fastball ranged between 74-76 mph. Threw a curveball with a 10/4 shape at 60-63 mph. Threw a changeup that had occasional cut at 71-72 mph. Also throws a slider at 64-67 mph.

Brian Schrimmer, RHP, Vernon Hills, 2015
5-foot-10, 155-pound right-hander who throws from a ¾ slot with a long, loose arm action. Uses a drop and drive style delivery that showed sound rhythm and quality direction. His fastball was 78-80 mph out of the wind and stretch, with flashes of running action. His curveball comes in at 64-68 mph with a 12/6 shape and loose, rolling action. The changeup ranged between 68-71 mph, flashing 72 mph, with occasional sink.

Michael Shereyk, LHP, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2015
6-foot-1, 198-pound left-hander features a developed lower half.  He throws from an over-the-top slot with a short, stiff arm action. The delivery had rhythm and a firm landing. The fastball has a slight running action at 76-78 mph. His curveball has a 12/6 shape with gradual break and comes in at 63-65 mph. Throws a slider with some two-plane life at 66-70 mph. Changeup was 69-72 mph with occasional sinking action.

Jack Stannard, LHP, Oak Park-River Forest, 2015
Athletically built 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-handed pitcher. Throws from a high-3/4 slot with a loose arm action and quality rhythm and tempo. His fastball showed a slight running action at 78-79 mph, flashing 80 mph, for strikes. The curveball has an 11/5 shape with gradual break at 61-65 mph. The changeup is flashed occasional sink at 70-74 mph.

Andrew Stone, LHP, Grant, 2015
5-foot-10, 175-pound left-handed pitcher who throws from a ¾ arm slot. The delivery is a tall and fall style with some rhythm and good direction. The fastball was straight at 74-76 mph. His curveball comes in at 59-62 mph, while his changeup was thrown with fastball arm speed at 71-73 mph with flashes of arm side action.

Logan Wonn, RHP, Oconomowoc (WI), 2015
High-follow prospect in Wisconsin’s 2015 class. Solidly built 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame; features developed lower half and wider shoulders. Showed feel for three pitches during extended bullpen. Operates from ¾ slot, some effort in tall-and-fall type delivery. Fastball topped at 85 mph, sitting in the 83-84 range with arm-side life. Throws firm changeup with solid arm action; pitch ranged between 77-80 with arm-side run. Also threw a 71-72 mph curveball with 10/4 shape.

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