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Underclass Trials: Corner Infield Analysis

June 26, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

The Prep Baseball Report Underclass Trials held on Tuesday, June 12th at Schaumburg Boomers Stadium featured several top 2016 and 2017 corner infield prospects.  St. Joseph-Ogden’s Dalton Parker impressed with his physicality and arm strength from third base.  Plainfield North’s Joshua Heckman and Pontiac’s Jacob Curry also impressed with their two-way ability.

Here’s a look at the top corner infield prospects at the Underclass Trials.

Top Corner Infield Prospects

1. Dalton Parker, St. Joseph-Ogden, RHP/3B 2016
6-foot-3, 195-pound physical RHP/3B impressed as one of the top two-way talents at the Underclass Trials.  Hit from a slightly open , balanced setup with a smooth load and short, level bat path producing line-drives from gap-to-gap and 77 mph exit velocity.  At third base, showed soft hands playing through the baseball with impressive arm strength across the diamond.  On the mound, Parker worked at 81-84 mph with heavy finish from a short, quick, over-the-top arm action.  Threw a 68-70 mph curveball with 11/5 shape and short, late downward action.  Straight change was thrown for strikes at 68-70 mph.  Parker has a smooth tall-and-fall delivery, but lost some velocity with his fastball by failing to load his lower half out of the stretch.  He will be very interesting to watch over the next two years with his bat and on the mound.

2. Joshua Heckman, Plainfield North, RHP/3B, 2016
6-foot-2, 185-pound physically advanced RHP/3B with  wide shoulders and thick lower half.  Impressed at the plate hitting from an open stance with a smooth load and leg kick, leading to uphill bat path producing line-drives from gap-to-gap with some power to his pull side.  Produced 88 mph exit velocity, the second highest reading at the Underclass Trials.  Feet were heavy at third base, but showed strong accurate arm throwing 78 mph across the infield.  On the mound threw 79-82 mph from a long over-the-top arm action with a slight stab in back that did not affect his ability to throw strikes.  Also threw an 11/5 59-64 mph curveball, varying his arm speed at times.  69-71 mph changeup showed some arm side run with good fastball arm action.  Heckman also ran a 7.63 60-yard dash and is a high follow over the next two years both at a corner infield position and on the mound.

3. Jacob Curry, Pontiac, 3B/RHP, 2016
5-foot-10, 170-pound left-handed hitting 3B/RHP impressed with legitimate two-way ability.  On the mound sat 80-81 mph touching 83 from long high-3/4 arm action with some effort.  Threw 68-70 mph curveball and 75-78 mph slider.  71-74 mph changeup was thrown with fastball arm speed with arm side run.  Offensively hits from a balanced setup with minimal stride and a smooth load with explosive bat speed producing line drives from gap-to-gap with 80 mph exit velocity.  Also showed solid defensive actions at third base with above average arm strength.

4. Colin Airola, Providence Catholic, 1B, 2016
6-foot, 165-pound corner infielder impressed with bat speed producing exit velocity up to 83 mph from athletic projectable frame.  Hits from a balanced athletic setup, hands move down and back to load, with noticeable stop before he starts swing.  Short, level bat path produced line drives during batting practice from gap-to-gap with power potential down the road.  Defensively at 1B showed accurate arm from short high ¾ slot throwing 73 mph across the diamond.  Also ran a 7.47 60-yard dash.

5. Anthony Ackerly, Lake Park, LHP/1B, 2016
6-foot-2, 195-pound athletic looking LHP/1B hit from a tall, wide setup with a short stride and hands held high, dropping hands down and back looking to pull.  Level, line-drive swing path produced 80 mph exit velocity.  Defensively at first base showed average hands with feel around the bag.  On the mound threw 74-76 mph  with slight cut on his fastball from a loose ¾ arm action.  Stayed online towards home plate with lower half, with level shoulders and a smooth tall-and-fall type delivery.  Slowed arm on 61-62 mph curveball with 11/5 shape.  Also threw a 66-69 mph changeup and 59-61 mph knuckle ball.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Konnor Ash, Plainfield South, RHP/3B, 2017
5-foot-8, 150 pound two-way talent impressed more on the mound with feel  for three pitches from smooth mechanics and arm action with extension out front.  Fastball ranged from 76-79 with arm side run from loose and quick ¾ arm action.  Curveball and slider both thrown for strikes in 67-69 mph range with varying shape.  Changeup thrown with conviction at 75-76 mph with sink.  Offensively, hits from an athletic, open stance with short stride and fluid rhythm producing line drives from gap-to-gap. 

Connor Bowles, Providence Catholic, 1B, 2016
6-foot-2, 205-pound physically advanced athletic frame produced the top exit velocity of the Underclass Trials at 89 mph.  Hits from an open stance with some stiffness in his swing with a long, but level bat path.  Defensively at first base, threw 66 mph from the infield and fielded all chances cleanly.  Also ran a 7.74 60-yard dash and 5.29 seconds from home to first.

Paul Dobravec, Naperville North, 1B/RHP, 2016
6-foot-2, 185-pound 1B/RHP impressed with balanced swing and smooth, quick hands through the zone producing 80 mph exit velocity.  Hits from a tall balanced stance; swing is mostly with upper half, as he doesn’t stride or use legs much, but still showed the ability to hit line-drives from gap-to-gap.  Threw low 3/4 to sidearm from the mound, from a crouched, bent over posture.  72-74 mph fastball was erratic missing to his arm side.  Also threw a 62-64 mph curveball, and a 64 mph changeup.  Ran a 7.67 60-yard dash and 4.75 seconds from home to first.

Tristan Egan, Argo, 3B/RHP, 2016
6-foot, 180-pound 3B/RHP ran an 8.00 60-yard dash.  Hit from an open stance dropping his hands down and back producing an uphill swing plane hitting a majority of balls to the opposite field and producing 77 mph exit velocity.  Threw from the mound with a long, low ¾ arm action, and tall and fall delivery producing 71-74 mph fastball velocity and consistent strikes.  Also threw 65-65 mph curveball for strikes that backed up at times.

Sean Gallagher, Marian Catholic, 1B/RHP, 2016
6-foot-1, 195-pound large framed 1B/RHP impressed at the plate and on the mound.  Hit from a tall, open stance with short stride and fluid rhythm.  Showed some power to pull side with exit velocity up to 80 mph.  Defensively, threw from a loose ¾ arm action with accuracy across the diamond and in turning the double play.  On the mound threw strikes with 74-78 mph fastball, and 63-67 mph curveball from high ¾, long arm action with a slight wrap in back.  Mechanically, shoulders stayed level and online towards the target, lower half operated with medium-height leg kick and regular effort.  65-66 mph changeup was erratic missing down in the zone showing some run to his arm side.

Kyle Hemenway, Zion Benton, 1B/3B, 2016
6-foot-1, 215-pound first basemen with strong, defined lower half.  Hits from a slightly crouched, open stance with a leg kick trigger and excessive pre-pitch bat waggle that effects timing.  Showed some pop and lift in swing.  Posted 73 mph exit velocity and ran a 7.85 60-yard dash.  Defensively, fielded chances cleanly, showing some feel for backhand and threw 64 mph across the infield from low ¾ arm action with some accuracy.

Vito Lamorgese, Oswego East, LHP/1B, 2017
5-foot-9, 190-pound physically mature left-handed thrower, right-handed hitter hit from a balanced setup with a leg kick and stiff level bat path producing 73 mph exit velocity.  Ran an 8.29 60-yard dash and 5.58 seconds from home to first.  On the mound, short, high ¾ arm action produced 67-70 mph fastballs, 58-60 mph sliders, and a 64-65 mph changeup.

Clayton Lieb, Pearl City, 1B/RHP, 2016
6-foot-3, 215-pound physically impressive 1B/RHP.  Hits from a wide stance with backwards toe-tap load.  Swing plane gets slightly uphill looking mostly to pull, producing 78 mph exit velocity.  Defensively, plays through the baseball with average hands throwing 76 mph across the diamond.  On the mound threw 73-76 mph fastballs with gradual cut.  He could throw harder as he learns to stay behind the baseball.  Threw 69-71 mph slider with similar shape to fastball.  Also threw 60-65 mph curveball and 60 mph changeup.  Ran a 7.87 60-yard dash.

Tyler Schuerg, Lincoln-Way Central, 1B/3B 2017
5-foot-8, 200-pound 1B/3B with thick, muscular, lower half.  Hits from a wide, balanced setup with no stride, loading by turning/torqueing his front foot.  Showed a level swing producing line drives from gap-to-gap with exit velocity up to 73 mph.  Defensively at first base showed short, accurate, ¾ arm action and turned the double play quickly.  Ran 60-yard dash in 8.22 seconds.

Trey Skocy, Mattoon, 3B, 2016
5-foot-11, 160-pound third basemen hits from a square set up with a leg kick and short stride producing 77 mph exit velocity.  Ran an 8.07 60-yard dash and showed some arm strength throwing 75 mph across the diamond high ¾ stiff arm action.

Hunter Simon, Seneca, RHP/3B, 2017
5-foot-10, 155-pound two-way player impressed more on the mound than in the infield.  Threw 79-80 mph from a long high ¾ arm action with some stiffness.  Threw 65-68 mph sweeping breaking ball and a 68-71 mph changeup with cutter-like action.  Ran a 7.25 60-yard dash and recoiled at times after contact when hitting producing exit velocity up to 84 mph.

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