By Phil Wade & Blake Hibler
PBR Indiana

On Saturday, October 19th PBR Indiana hosted the 2015 Underclass Preview at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis.  Sixty players in the class of 2015 from across the state participated in the event, including 24 pitchers.

Below we analyze each pitcher that attended the event: 

Top 10

1. Cody Mobley, RHP, Mount Vernon HS, 2015: 6-foot-2, 170 pound junior topped out at an event best 87 mph with his fastball.  Showed good run on his fastball.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with electric arm speed, suggesting he will see an increase in velo shortly.  Erratic front side with his delivery, but still showed good command of the zone with 4 pitches.  Two different breaking balls; curveball with tight rotation and depth at 71-72, and a slider that was 73-77 mph.  Changeup was 73-74 with good sink action and maintained arm speed.  High projectability and high follow in the 2015 class.

2. Matt McConnell, LHP, Harrison HS, 2015: 6-foot, 165 pound junior was up to 81 mph with his fastball and consistently in the zone. Delivery is repeatable and throws from a high ¾ arm slot.  Clean, loose arm action with easy effort and throws a lot of strikes.  Breaking ball was 67 mph from an 11/5 shape.   Changeup was 73-75 with some arm side run. 

3. Jack Schmidt, RHP, Cathedral HS, 2015: 6-foot-3, 175 pound junior throws from a high ¾ arm slot.  Simple delivery with a quick arm.  A little stiff with his front leg throughout his delivery.  Fastball was up to 84 mph with good run.  Breaking ball shows tight spin at a 10/4 action; above average pitch.  Changeup is inconsistent at 76-80. Schmidt is a high follow in the 2015 class with good projectability.
 
4. Christian Beard, RHP, Roncalli HS, 2015: 6-foot-3, 180 pound junior shows a slender build.  At the event was 78-81 mph. We’ve seen him up to 84 mph.  Throws from a ¾ arm slot.  Coils throughout his delivery.  Arm speed is average.  Arm action is loose.  Comes out with a low front side.  Showed two different breaking balls; one more of sweeper at 66-69, the other showed a tighter rotation at 65-67 mph from 11/5 shape.  Good projectability, and should continue to add velo as he adds strength. 

5. Matt Kubacki, RHP, Chesterton HS, 2015: 6-foot-6, 195 pound junior shows a coil in his delivery with a quick, short arm action.  Also falls off to the 1B side.  Throws from a low ¾ slot with a little whip.  Topped out at 83 mph with his fastball with some sink.  Slider showed a late, sweeping action down in the zone up to 73 mph.  Also flashed a breaking ball with late, downward movement at 68-70.  Changeup does not throw a changeup, but throws a solid knuckle ball at 70-72.  Good follow in the 2015 class. 

6. Jacob Brewer, LHP, Southridge HS, 2015: 6-foot, 195 pound junior was 78-79 mph with his fastball.  Throws from a high ¾ arm slot.  Possesses good feel for three pitches.  Above average changeup at 67-70 mph with good sink action and keeps it down in the zone. Breaking ball shows a 1/7 action with a sharp bite.  Above average pitch at 68-73 mph.  Needs to improve his direction.  Velo should continue to improve. Will get a lot of outs in HS baseball.  

7. Paul Milto, RHP, Roncalli HS, 2015: 6-foot-3, 230 pound junior possesses a big, strong frame with a wide base.  Fastball was up to 85 mph from a high ¾ slot.  Gets some run on his heavy fastball.  Mechanically raw. Breaking ball shows a cut action at 74-75 mph.  Changeup was 72-76 mph.  

8.Ben Sellers, LHP, Mater Dei, 2015: 6-foot-3, 195 pound junior possesses a projectable frame.  Wraps on the back side of his delivery with a long arm action.  Little rigid throughout his delivery.  Throws from a high ¾ arm slot with a quick arm.  Fastball was 79-80 with some sink.  Breaking ball was 67-68 with a sharp, sweeping action.  Changeup showed arm side run and down in the zone at 73-74.  Interesting follow in the 2015 class. 

9. Brian McLean, LHP, Noblesville HS, 2015: 5-foot-11, 170 pound junior was up to 78 mph with his fastball.  Uses a simple delivery with little movement.  Possesses a small head jerk.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with quick arm speed.  Throws all three pitches for a strike.  Breaking ball shows a 1/7 action with gradual movement at 65-67 mph.  Changeup showed some fade, but was inconsistent in the strike zone at 69-71.  Needs to improve direction to create more consistency in the zone.   

10. Tyler Keith, RHP, Carmel HS, 2015: 5-foot-8, 155 pound junior up to 76 mph with his fastball.  Throws from the stretch from a side arm slot.  Fastball shows good sink action and runs in on right handed hitters.  Gets underneath his breaking ball (63-64 mph).  Changeup is 66-70 with good sink.  

Best of the Rest (In Alphabetical Order)

Stone Brogan, RHP, Andrean, 2015: 5-foot-11, 175 pound junior was 72-74 mph with his fastball.  Throws from a low ¾ slot.  Pauses in his rock step during the delivery.  Delivery is repeatable.  Arm speed is average.  Gets around the baseball and lacks direction.  Breaking ball tops out at 75 with a 10/4 shape and early action.  Changeup was 63-65 mph.

Corey Brown, LHP, Crown Point HS, 2015: Possesses a slender build at 6-foot-1, 160 pounds.  Throws from a high ¾ arm slot with average arm speed.  Arm action is short and loose.  Displays good balance throughout his repeatable delivery.  Breaking balls is still a work in progress at 60-61 mph.  Changeup topped out at 67.  Needs to work on maintaining arm speed with off speed pitches.  Needs improvement on throwing strikes consistently.  

Joe Bryant, RHP, Munster HS, 2015: 6-foot-185 pound junior was up 78 mph with his fastball.  Throws predominately from the stretch with high hands and an inward turn.  Throws from a high ¾ arm slot with average arm speed.  Inconsistent release point.  Showed 4 pitches in the strike zone.  Breaking ball was 11/5 shape with gradual movement at 60-61.  Changeup showed some cut action at 63-65.  Best pitch was his knuckle ball at 69-70 mph with a flutter and dive. 

Matt Chernoff, RHP, Carmel HS, 2015: 6-foot, 175 pound junior shows a slow, deliberate delivery with a slight inward turn.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Lands closed.  Fastball topped out at 80 mph with some cut action.  Breaking ball showed downward action and was a little soft at 67-69.  Also showed the ability to pitch from a low side arm slot with good arm side run and sink.  Changeup topped out at 69 mph.

Corbin Clark, RHP, Carmel HS, 2015: 6-foot-1, 170 pound junior throws from a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Sits on his back side in his delivery.  Fastball shows some sink at 73-74 mph.  Breaking ball has an early downward action topping out at 69 mph.  Flashed a slider at 66-71.

Dan Connolly, RHP, Bishop Dwenger HS, 2015: 5-foot-8, 160 pound junior was 71-76 with his fastball.  Possesses a head jerk in his delivery with an erratic front side.  Throws from high ¾ slot with a long arm action.  Average balance throughout his delivery.  Breaking ball shows downward action at 64 mph, needs to maintain arm speed.  Changeup topped out at 69 mph. 

Alex Eldrige, RHP, FW Carroll HS, 2015: 6-foot, 165 pound junior was up to 74 mph with his fastball.  Uses a big step back to start his delivery.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Arm circle is a little stiff.  Breaking ball shows gradual movement at a 11/5 shape (61 mph).  Changeup was 68-69 mph. 

Nick Etter, RHP, Zionsville HS, 2015: 6-foot-1, 165 pound junior was 75-78 mph with his fastball.  Starts with his hands far from his body and brings them in tight.  Throws from a ¾ arm slot with a short, loose arm.  Arm speed is average.  Breaking ball shows a late action from an 11/5 shape at 64-66 mph.  Maintained arm speed throughout his changeup at 70-72.  Creates deception by hiding the ball well throughout his delivery.  

Evan Frank, LHP, Park Tudor HS, 2015: 6-foot-8, 185 pound junior showed a fastball up to 78 mph.  Delivery is slow with a high tilt.  Arm slot is a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Repeats his mechanics.  Breaking ball shows an early break at 67-69 with downward movement.

Curtis Hoffman, RHP, Canterbury, 2015: 5-foot-10, 180 pound junior was up to 79 mph with his fastball with occasional arm side run.  Throws from a high ¾ slot and creates good downward action on his fastball.  Arm action is long and a little stiff.  Breaking ball was 65-66 mph.  Changeup was his best off speed pitch at 69-72 with good sink and kept it down in the zone.

Daniel Gholston, LHP, Boone Grove HS, 2015: 6-foot-6, 215 pound junior shows a lot of movement throughout his delivery.  Erratic in the zone.  Throws from a high ¾ arm slot.  When he misses, he misses up.  Fastball was 74-77.  Curveball was 67-68 and the changeup sat 65-66 mph. 

Adam Neal, RHP, Cathedral HS, 2015: 6-foot, 180 pound junior was 76-79 mph with his fastball. Delivery is slow and deliberate.  Tall to fall type delivery.  Easy effort.  Throws from a ¾ arm slot with average arm speed.  Short arm circle with good balance.  Mechanically fairly sound, needs to continue to improve arm speed.  Breaking ball was 67-68 with an early break.  Changeup was 70-71 mph.

Drew Reich, RHP, Charlestown HS, 2015: 6-foot-1, 180 pound junior possesses long legs with a jerky delivery.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Arm action is short and quick.  Fastball was up to 78 mph.  Breaking ball sat 63-66 mph and showed tight rotation with a sharp break at a 10/4 action and maintained arm speed.  Changeup is 68-71. 

Tanner Sizemore, RHP, Hamilton Southeastern, 2015: 5-foot-11, 150 pound junior was 78-80 with his fastball.  Possesses a slender build.  Leans back in his delivery causing some balance issues.  Throws from a high , over the top arm action.  Flashed a good breaking ball at times with an 11/5 shape (69-71 mph).  Good arm speed. Changeup is straight at 73-75 mph. Possesses some projectability with a quick arm.  Needs to be more consistent in the zone.