Top 10 Player Profiles of 2015: No. 4 Bryan Hudson
December 28, 2015
By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director
Over the next couple weeks we are going to countdown the 2015 calendar year with a look at the top ten viewed profiles of 2015. After drilling down into our google analytics we have compiled a list of the ten most visited profiles by you the reader in 2015.
No. 4 Bryan Hudson
6-foot-8 LHP Bryan Hudson (Alton HS, 2015) was the 4th most viewed profile of the 2015 calendar year. He was the No. 2 ranked player in the 2015 class in Illinois and No. 21 overall. This past June Hudson was selected in the third round with the 82nd overall pick by the Chicago Cubs and decided to sign and forgo his commitment to Missouri.
Hudson was highlighted in "The Hotlist: 2015 Players of the Summer" by Nathan Rode and Staff on 7.1.15 - "Hudson had arguably the most helium among draft prospects this spring and ended up going to the Cubs in the third round. His game is not just about projection though, as he put up impressive numbers for Alton. He went 10-2 with a 0.47 ERA in 70.1 innings. He struck out 150 and led his team in hitting (.436), doubles (14), triples (six), home runs (four) and RBIs (49). He also threw a no-hitter, three one-hitters and three two-hitters. Double-digit strikeout performances were the norm for him. Hudson pitched mostly in the high 80s, but there were reports of him sitting 90-93 and he could easily put hitters away with his plus curveball."
Here is video of Hudson at the Metro East Open on 7.9.14
Scouting Report
5/14/15 - 6-foot-8, 215-pound lanky and athletic left-handed pitcher, wide shoulders, high waist, extremely long levers, ranked No. 2 in Illinois’ 2015 class, quickly climbing up MLB draft boards with his dominating performances this spring. Signability put aside, Hudson is a top three round talent. Works from short, quick, high ¾ arm slot, tall-fall delivery, shoulders slightly uphill, creates good downhill angle on fastball, occasional arm side run. Fastball sat 88-90, touching 91 mph in the first inning. Works from the third base side of the rubber, stride direction is in line towards home plate on fastball, drifts across his body slightly, landing slightly closed at times on breaking ball, creating tougher angle. Spins off on heel at times at finish. Arm slot looked to be up a tick from the fall, creating improved depth on 75-78 mph curveball with late breaking, two-plane break, 1/7 shape. Showed the ability to land breaking ball for a strike with bigger shape, then bury it with two strikes, particularly to back foot of right-handed hitters. Breaking ball is currently major league average, has the chance to be above average to plus as he adds power to pitch, best high school breaking ball I’ve seen this year. Flashed one changeup for a hard hit ground ball out to first at 83 mph. Fastball sat 87-89 mph in the middle innings, curveball ranged anywhere from 71-76 mph, shows the ability to add and subtract when throwing it for strikes or burying it. Sat 86-87 mph in the sixth, reaching back for 89 mph on a swinging strikeout. Still up to 88 mph in the 7th. Hudson was pitching on a severely sprained ankle from a sliding mishap earlier in the week. Still fielded his position well, impressed with athleticism covering first by bare handing the underhand feed from his first baseman when it was flipped behind him. Also went 2-for-3 with a double, hitting in the three hole for the Redbirds. Hudson’s frame can easily add another 20 plus pounds with weight training and maturity, specifically in his lower half. He has future major league starting rotation type ability and perhaps more upside than any prospect in the Midwest. Reports have his fastball up to 93 mph this spring, and he has thrown a significant amount of innings (61.1 IP in 11 games started, with 129 strikeouts).
Top Ten Most Viewed Profiles
10. Brenden Heiss
9. Alek Thomas
8. Ethan Skender
7. Brad Czerniejewski
6. Drake Fellows
5. Cal Coughlin
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