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Kansas Underclass Games: Pitching Analysis

July 20, 2014

By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas

On Wednesday, June 18th Prep Baseball Report Kansas hosted the first ever summer Underclass Prospect Games an invite-only event at Trusler Sports Complex in Emporia, Kansas.

Below are the scouting reports on the 24 pitchers that participated in the event.  We had several two-way players (pitcher + position player) at this event, but keep in mind that the evaluations below are based on the pitching side only.

Over the last week have reported on the position players in this event, a group that also includes the two-way players.  When we do our state player rankings we take the overall player into account. 

Click on the player's headline link to be directed to their profile with video from their performance.

Top prospects

1. Nathan Wiles, RHP, Blue Valley West, 2016
Wiles is a physical 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-handed pitcher.  He showed a tall, repeatable delivery with excellent body control throughout and clean three-quarters arm action.  He gets out-in-front with all pitches with ease.  He threw his fastball in the 82-85 mph range with, at times, late cutting/sinking movement.  He also features a controllable 11/5 breaking ball and 73-74 sinking change-up with fastball arm speed.  Just a rising junior, Wiles already sports the ideal pitching prospect’s frame and delivery – combine that with his free and easy arm and there is likely much more in the tank velocity-wise going forward.  In the game he notched two strikeouts in one inning of work.  Wiles is not just a prospect that you have to imagine might do something some day, he’s already began to establish himself - this past spring he was the only sophomore to pitch for Blue Valley West’s loaded pitching staff, posting an ERA around 1.00.

2. Blake Lillis, LHP, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2016
Lillis is a tall, athletic 6-foot-3, 175-pound left-handed pitcher.  He showed excellent body control throughout his delivery.  At balance he closes off to a degree effectively hiding the ball from the hitter.  He has an easy delivery and arm and throws from a three-quarters slot with a fastball in the 82-85 mph range.  His fastball has proper shape sinking arm-side, firm to cutting glove side.  He also features a 66-67 11/15 breaking ball that, at times, is very sharp - a potential plus pitch going forward. In addition, he showed a sinking 74-75 change-up.  In the game he struck out two of the three batters he faced.  He impressed all in attendance as tall, athletic mid-80’s lefties have a tendency to do and major colleges have begun to hover over him. 

3. Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP, Topeka Seaman, 2016
Zeferjahn is a physically impressive 6-foot-4, 180-pound right-handed pitcher.  He has a rhythmic delivery with balance and throws with easy three quarters arm action.  His fastball registered in the 85-88 mph range with late life – cutting arm side, running arm side.  He also showed a short 73-74 breaking ball and feel for a sinking change-up, a pitch he sells with fastball arm speed.  In the game he struck out three out of the four batters he faced.  Zeferjahn is one of the top class of 2016 pitching prospects in the area.

4. Lucas Krull, LHP, Mill Valley, 2016
Krull is a projectable, athletic 6-foot-4, 190-pound left-handed pitcher.  He has a deliberate delivery with early balance and throws with loose three-quarters arm action.  All of his pitches have late movement.  His fastball was clocked in the 80-83 mph range – with cutting and sinking action.  He also showed feel for a slurve-type breaking ball that matches the angle of his arm slot.  He’s one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in the area and as he learns to control the movement on his pitches and adds velocity the sky is the limit for Krull. 

5. Tanner Fox, RHP, Blue Valley, 2016
Fox is a strong, athletic 5-foot-11, 165-pound right-handed pitcher.  He showed an athletic, natural delivery with body control and throws with clean three-quarters arm action – getting out-in-front with ease with all of his pitches.  His fastball was clocked mostly in the 80-82 mph range and he showed a late-breaking 11/5 slurve.  Fox also flashed a 71-72 sinking change-up with fastball arm speed.  In the game he struck out two batters in one inning of work and threw a very high percentage of strikes – more than any pitcher at the event.  He has a very simple approach to pitching – attack the zone, let the chips fall where they may. 

Best of the rest

Nolan Beets, RHP, Gardner Edgerton, 2016
Beets is a very athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed pitcher.  From the wind-up Beets uses an old school hands over the head wind-up and has rhythm, a compact delivery, body control and direction.   He throws from a three-quarters slot with long, yet quick, arm action.  His fastball was cocked in the 83-86 mph range with an average 64-65 mph 12/6 curveball.  In warm-ups and in the game he showed feel for a 71-72 change-up that dies and sinks arm side down and away from left-hand hitters.  In the game he retired all four batters he faced, striking out three. 

Will Brennan, LHP, Blue Valley, 2016
Brennan is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound left-hander pitcher.  He showed a simple, balanced delivery built to repeat and throws with clean, quick three-quarters arm action.  His fastball worked in the 80-84 mph range with arm side sinking/glove side cutting action.  Brennan also showed a 64-65 11/5 breaking ball, that, at times, was late breaking and effective.  He sells his 73-74 change-up well and it dies away from right-handers bats.  In the game he attacked the zone initiating early contact and rolled through nine batters in just 19 pitches with the only blemish being a first pitch home run on a rolling breaking ball.  We first saw Brennan last October when he topped out at 79 mph with his fastball, now touching 84 - he’s trending in the right direction. 

Christian Chalabi, LHP, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2016
Chalabi is a 6-foot, 200-pound left-handed pitcher.  He has a simple, deliberate delivery, closes off at balance hiding the ball well and throws from a three-quarters slot.  His fastball velocity was in the 67-69 mph range and he showed a 52-53 breaking ball.  In the game he retired all four hitters he faced in order in 14 total pitches. 

Garrett Clark, RHP, Blue Valley Southwest, 2017
Clark is a 6-foot, 170-pound right-handed pitcher.  He showed a very simple, athletic delivery with minimal moving parts and throws from a tall balance point.  Clark has clean arm action and throws from a high three-quarters arm slot.  His fastball was clocked in the 76-78 mph range, most with arm-side running action.  He also features a 65-67 breaking ball.  Having watched a number of the athletic, clean arm action class of 2016 pitchers bump their velocity from upper 70’s to low-to-mid-80’s over the last year this is certainly a possibility for Clark. 

Nathan Croner, LHP, Truman (MO), 2016
Croner is a thin, projectable 6-foot-5, 160-pound left-handed pitcher.  He has a tall, up-tempo delivery early then closes off and has a slight pause at balance hiding the ball well from the hitter and making him difficult to time.  Croner throws from a three quarters arm slot with a fastball in the 75-77 range with movement.  He also throws a 63-64 curve ball and 70-71 change-up that dies away from right-hand hitters as it approaches the plate.  In the games he threw a high percentage of strikes and collected out after out.  He has feel for pitching and getting outs - as he fills out physically and adds velocity he’s likely to climb the prospect ranks rapidly. 

Max Dehon, RHP, Olathe Northwest, 2016
Dehon is a 6-foot-4, 190-pound right-handed pitcher.  His delivery has early balance, rhythm and he throws from a unique low three-quarters to side-arm slot with loose arm action. His 78-81 mph fastball has arm-side run that matches his low slot and, at times, bottoming out sink as it reaches the plate.  Dehon also throws a 65-68 slurve and 69-71 running change-up.  His change-up is a potential plus pitch as he maintains arm speed with it and it dies as it approaches the plate.  He has made steady improvement velocity and command-wise as we have followed him over the last ten months.

Jayton Haggard, RHP, Marysville, 2017
Haggard is a long-legged, athletic 6-foot-1, 160-pound right-handed pitcher.  He showed a deliberate, under control, simple delivery and throws with quick, clean three-quarters arm action.  His fastball was clocked in the 77-79 mph range most with arm-side run.  He also features a 60-62 12/6 breaking ball.  In the game he threw a very high percentage of strikes and was very efficient working through seven batters in only 15 pitches.  Haggard signed up for this event as a pitcher-only but is also a talented class of 2017 prospect as a shortstop.

Ivan Hughes, RHP, Spring Hill, 2016
Hughes is a strong 6-foot-5, 185-pound right-handed pitcher.  He has a deliberate delivery early then uses a quick, vertical knee lift remaining tall as he strides to the plate.  He throws with long, slinging arm action.  His fastball was clocked at 73-76 mph.  Hughes also showed a 64-67 breaking ball and 63-64 change-up. 

Shea Kelley, LHP, Bishop Carroll, 2016
Kelley is an athletic-framed 6-foot, 175-pound left-handed pitcher.  He has a methodical, easy delivery and throws with short three-quarters arm action.  His fastball velocity was 74-78 mph most with glove-side cutting action.  He also showed a 64-67 11/5 breaking ball and 67-68 change-up.  In the game he threw a high percentage of strikes and induced four ground balls out of the six batters he faced.

Daonte Lowery, LHP, Lawrence, 2016
Lowery is a thin, athletic 5-foot-11, 150-pound left-handed pitcher.  He showed a methodical tempo early, closing off at the top of his knee lift creating deception.  He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and his 74-75 mph fastball cuts and runs.  Lowery also throws a 61-64 breaking ball.  In the game, he threw a very high percentage of strikes – he clearly loves being out on the mound, competing and challenging hitters.

Jared Marolf, RHP, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 2016
Marolf is a 6-foot-2, 170-pound right-handed pitcher.  He has a very simple, repeatable delivery with limited moving parts and clean, easy three-quarters arm action.  His fastball worked in the 80-83 mph range with arm side run/glove side cut.  He showed advanced feel of a sharp 68-72 11/5 breaking ball.  Marolf also features a 70-75 change-up that bottoms out at the plate – a potential plus pitch going forward.  In the game he faced 16 batters, using only 36 pitches – giving up just one hit.  Last November we saw Marolf top out at 78 mph, now he’s bumping 83’s.  With his tall, lanky frame, simple delivery and easy arm odds are the velocity will continue to improve going forward and he already has feel for three pitches. 

Nick Mehlin, RHP, Blue Valley Northwest, 2016
Mehlin is a strong, athletic 6-foot, 170-pound right-handed pitcher.  He features a simple delivery, body control and throws with an over-the-top arm slot.  His fastball was clocked between 80-81 mph, most with arm side run.  He throws a 12/6 breaking ball at 62-66 and 71-72 change-up with sinking action to it.  In the game Mehlin struck out three out of the five batters he faced. 

Charlie Peyla, RHP, Junction City, 2017
Peyla is a sturdy-framed 6-foot-2, 195-pound right-handed pitcher.  He showed deliberate delivery, excellent body control and simple, repeatable delivery.  He throws with quick, clean arm action from a high three-quarters slot.  His fastball was clocked at 81-83 mph with arm side run.  He also showed feel for a 66-69 curveball and 63-64 change-up.  In the game, he pounded the bottom of the strike zone and struck out two of the five batters he faced. 

Dylan Powell, LHP, Belle Plaine, 2016
Powell is a 6-foot, 165-pound left-handed pitcher.  He has a deliberate tempo early and works to a strong balance point.  He drops his shoulders as he begins to throw creating some deception before throwing from a three-quarters arm slot.  His fastball was clocked from 67-79 mph and also showed a 53-55 curveball and 61-62 change-up. 

Alex Renfrew, LHP, Shawnee Mission South, 2016
Renfrew is a 6-foot, 160-pound left-handed pitcher.  He showed early balance and body control closing off at balance hiding the ball from the hitter.  He throws form a high three-quarters arm slot with a fastball in the 75-77 mph range with some with sink down and away from right-hand hitters.  He also throws a sweeping breaking ball at 66-68 and a change-up at 69-71.  He entered the game very sharp and struck out the first two batters he faced. 

Caleb Rogge, RHP, Rock Creek, 2016
Rogge is a projectable 6-foot-2, 165-pound right-handed pitcher.  He has a simple delivery as he works to a tall balance point with a high vertical knee lift.  He maintains body control and has rhythm.  He has some length to his arm action in back and throws from a three-quarters arm slot.  His fastball was clocked in the 79-82 mph range.  Rogge also throws a 66-69 curveball and 72-74 change-up.  In the game he threw a high percentage of strikes.

Cole Schumacher, RHP, Hays, 2016
Schumacher is a 5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed pitcher.  He has a very simple delivery with inline direction and excellent body control throughout.  He throws with short, quick arm action from a three-quarters slot.  Schumacher’s fastball was clocked in the 75-78 mph range with arm side run.  He showed advanced feel 11/5 breaking ball that was clocked in the 66-68 range and also showed a shorter slider version at 70.  In warm-ups he showed an arm-side fading change-up as well.  In his one inning of work in the game he collected two called third strikeouts, one with the breaking ball, another freezing a hitter with his fastball. 

Brendan Shutt, RHP, Mill Valley, 2016
Shutt is a 5-foot-10, 152-pound right-handed pitcher.  He has an up-tempo delivery throwing from a strong balance point.  He throws from a three-quarters arm slot and his fastball was clocked in the 79-81 mph range most with sinking action.  Shutt also features a short 70-71 breaking ball and also showed a running change-up during warm-ups.  He attacked the strike zone as much as any pitcher at this event – striking out three of the four hitters he faced.

Vincent Vilott, LHP, Olathe South, 2017
Vilott is a 6-foot-1, 165-pound left-handed pitcher.  He showed excellent early body control in his delivery remaining tall at balance.  His delivery has good tempo and he hides the ball well from hitters.  Vilott throws with quick, clean three-quarters arm action.  His fastball was clocked in the 78-80 mph range showing late life.  He also features a 70-72 11/5 breaking ball and 72-73 sinking change-up that he sells with fastball arm speed.  He showed a short 77-78 mph cutter type pitch as well.  Vilott bumped up his velocity and improved his command since we saw him in January. He’s one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in the area in the 2017 class.

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