MN Underclass Showcase: Infield Analysis

December 3, 2014

By Rob Allison
Minnesota State Director

Prep Baseball Report Minnesota held the MN Underclass Showcase in Blaine, MN at the National Sports Center on October 18th, 2014. The event was for 2016-2018 graduates with Minnesota players representing all areas of the state. In our coverage we have broken down the prospects by their respective position.

Interested in attending a PBR Minnesota event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

For now, please take a look at the statistical results from the event by clicking here.

infielders

1. Jordan Ammons, SS, Cretin-Derham Hall, 2016
6-foot-4, 200-pound shortstop. 7.00 60 time. Projectable long body with room to add weight. Present wiry strength in frame. Right-handed hitter with tall athletic stance. Creates great leverage down and through baseball. Hand-eye coordination is excellent. Consistently squares baseball creating back-spin with gap to gap approach. Linear lower half with good direction and transfers weight well through contact with long finish. 81 mph exit velocity. Above average actions in field. Covers ground well laterally. Feet are light for bigger player and hands are soft. Exchanges are crisp and clean. Moves with fluidity. Shows plus actions on body control plays. Has ability to slow game down in middle infield. Arm was at 75% due to slight strain effecting arm slot and velocity. Has been given a clean bill of health. Now fully recovered. One of the top prospects in Minnesota for 2016 class.

2. Jack Kuzma, SS, Minnetonka, 2016
6-foot-1, 160-pound shortstop. 7.31 60 time. Long rangy athletic body. Lacks strength right now but has room to grow and add strength. Balanced set-up at plate. Load is short with rhythm. Direct to contact with flat line drive swing plane. Collapses at contact. Loses leverage. Simple mechanical adjustments will allow him to drive ball better to gaps with backspin. 75 mph exit velocity off tee. Very light on his feet in field. Great hands with plus actions. Can make adjustments easily on groundballs. Quick release across infield. Follows throws. Accurate with carry. 74 mph across diamond. High Follow in 2016 class.

3. Patrick Huisman, 3B, Ely Memorial, 2016
5-foot-10, 170-pound third baseman. Patrick continues to make strides in his game. Throwing velocity increased 8 mph from previous event in August. Body is progressing and beginning to fill out. Shows good actions in field. Hands work well. Light on feet and has good actions on body control plays making 3B a good fit. Very aggressive with bat. Shoulders stay square with pitcher; delivers power efficiently through contact with solid gap to gap power. 85 mph exit velocity. Excited to see his continued development through high school.

4. Michael Gruber, SS/RHP, Minnewaska, 2016
6-foot-1, 165-pound 2-way player. Lanky player with room to mature physically. 7.56 60 time. Left-handed hitter with short load. Becomes disconnected occasionally adding length to swing. Uses leg kick trigger to swing. Barrel becomes inverted at times through zone. Has good hand-eye coordination and uses hands in swing well. 75 mph exit velocity. Shows above average actions in field. Hands are usable. Average range due to foot speed. Shows very athletic actions to his left with appropriate footwork and clean exchanges. Has hand speed on throws from over-the-top slot. Infield velocity of 78 mph.

5. Griffin Schneider, 1B/OF/RHP, Wayzata, 2016
6-foot-2, 185-pound utility player. Tall strong build. 7.1 60 time. Right-handed hitter with rotational load. Stays short to contact with limited length through zone. Strides closed effecting momentum through swing. Has good bat speed and strength. 85 mph exit velocity. Easy actions at first base. Fields routine. Feet work well. Has ability to start double play.

LISTED ALPHABETICALLY

Damian Austin, 2B, Washington Tech. Magnet, 2016
5-foot-9, 190-pound second baseman. 8.72 60 time. Right-handed hitter with minimal load and in-line stride into contact. Flat bat path with short finish. 66 mph exit velocity. Shows below average actions in field. Short arm action from ¾ slot producing 58 mph throws across diamond.

Aaron Bouillon, SS, New Life Academy, 2017
6-foot-2, 160-pound shortstop. Long rangy body with some present strength. 7.38 60 time. Right-handed hitter with quality set-up, square stance, and strides in-line with balance. Swing is uphill with negative momentum through contact. 78 mph exit velocity. Average actions in field. Does good job of working ground up for a bigger player. Throws flat-footed with lack of momentum. Two piece arm action from ¾ slot with limited carry. Infield velocity of 69 mph. Has interesting size and strength. Needs work mechanically.

Travis Conoryea, 2B, Simley, 2016
5-foot-6, 160-pound second baseman. Travis continues to improve and makes strides as a baseball player. Ran a 7.47 60 at this event. Arm strength has improved 4 mph since last event he attended in August. Showed more lift and strength in swing. Stayed behind baseball at contact- drove through with strength. Is continuing to work on shortening load; but shows good hands and eye-coordination at plate. Plays with energy and keeps improving. Hands and feet allow him to make routine to above average plays. Not physically imposing but plays well in games and is competitive.

Luke DeGrammont, 1B/LHP, Lakeville North, 2017
5-foot-9, 165-pound 2-way player. 7.94 60 time. Average sturdy build with thick lower half. Left-handed hitter with 76 mph exit velocity. Limited leverage in swing. Easy load and swing. Low hand set creates slight uphill swing plane at times. Appropriate weight shift and quiet head at contact with middle to pull approach. Soft hands and light on feet at first base. Fields with ease and has ability to slow game down. Makes above average plays.

Dylan Findlay, 2B, Mankato East, 2016
5-foot-7, 165-pound second baseman. 7.13 60 time. Good build with present strength. Right-handed hitter with pre-set flat bat. Choppy rhythm in load and strides across body to contact. Has strength in flat line-drive swing plane. 80 mph exit velocity. Very active in field. Short quick strides to ball. Tends to field deep in stance but does work ground up. Follows throws across diamond with accuracy. Performs with quality effort. Infield velocity of 70 mph.

Nolan Friedrichs, 1B/RHP, Edina, 2016
6-foot-3, 210-pound 2-way player. 7.88 60 time. Extra-large durable frame. Left-handed hitter with medium width base for size. Starts open with easy load. Uses leg kick trigger to swing. Short to contact with good extension through baseball. Line drive swing plane and uses both sides of the field. 79 mph exit velocity. Defensively shows average actions at first base. Limited to position bases on foot speed. Makes routine plays and moves well around bag receiving throws.

Zack Henderson, 2B, Shakopee, 2017
5-foot-8, 165-pound second baseman. 7.56 60 time. Left-handed hitter with short load. Minimal weight shift in load and no stride swing. Rotational swing through zone. Line drive swing plane and is short to contact with pull approach. 73 mph exit velocity. Shows average actions in field. Tends to field flat footed. Able to make routine plays and shows ability turning double play. Throws from low ¾ slot across infield with velocity of 75 mph.

Evan Krhin, 3B, Park Senior, 2017
6-foot, 210-pound third baseman. 7.44 60 time. Square thick build. Right-handed hitter with crouched stance and minimal stride. Rotational swing and lower half mechanics. Flat line drive swing plane with 74 mph exit velocity. Average athletic ability and actions on left side of infield. Makes routine plays. Works ground up with minimal momentum on throws. Throws from over-the-top arm slot producing an infield velocity of 62 mph.

Austin Strantz, SS/RHP, Park Senior, 2017
5-foot-6, 130-pound 2-way player. Small build. 7.53 60 time. Right-handed hitter with pre-set load and simple balanced leg kick trigger. 75 mph exit velocity off tee. Short to contact with flat line drive swing plane. Gap to gap approach with solid contact. Shows athletic actions in field. Able to make adjustments on groundballs. Performed with more confidence in this event. Uses momentum on throws. Accurate across diamond at 76 mph.

Michael Tiede, SS/RHP, St. Cloud Apollo, 2016
6-foot-1, 160-pound 2-way player. Tall thin build. 7.5 60 time. Left-handed hitter with 74 mph exit velocity. Short load with rhythm. Strides in-line with leg kick trigger. Uses hands well in swing- stays inside baseball with middle of field approach. Short strides to ball in field. Usable hands and shows ability to make routine play. Tends to field flat footed. Moves better through ball on back-hand play. Arm stroke is clean; has accuracy on throws across diamond at 72 mph.

Austin Ver Steeg, RHP/3B, Minnewaska, 2016
6-foot-1, 175-pound 2-way player. Lean athletic frame. 6.91 60 time. Right-handed hitter who above average bat speed for his age. Medium length base. Loads into load slot. Uses leg kick trigger to swing. Minimal weight shift through swing with pull approach. Short to contact. Solid consistent contact. 83 mph exit velocity. Average actions in field. Fields up to down. Makes routine plays. Has arm speed from over-the-top slot. Accurate throws at 79 mph.

MN Underclass Showcase: Infield Analysis

RECENT NEWS