PBR MN Prospect ID- Mankato: Outfielder Evaluations

Owen Atherton, OF, Mankato East, 2020
5-foot-11, 175-pound right-handed hitting outfielder.  6.97 runner.  Open balanced stance.  Small body load and leg lift.  Hands load slightly down and strides to square.  Flat swing plane with stiff finish.  Mid/pull approach with ground ball to fly ball contact.  Inconsistent barrel contact with 81 mph exit velocity.  OF- Average feet and attacks ball.  Glove shows some stiffness and makes routine play.  Short arm action.  79 mph arm strength with average carry and accuracy. 

Wesley Brand, LHP/OF, East Ridge, 2020
5-foot-10, 190-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player.  7.20 runner.  Slightly open balanced stance.  Body load back with toe tap trigger.  Stays open through swing.  Flat swing plane and pushes barrel through zone.  Mid/oppo approach with line drive and fly ball contact.  Pull hook at times.  Inconsistent barrel contact with 84 mph exit velocity.  OF- Average feet to field.  Good glove and fields through ball clean.  Shorter arm action.  80 mph arm strength with average carry and accuracy.  On mound- Rocker step into balance point.  Slow tempo into leg lift and quicker tempo to release.  Good balance and direction down mound.  Swings open to land down mound.  Throws from a ¾ arm slot.  Fastball has some life for strikes at 77-79 mph topping at 80 mph.  Curveball has 1/7 break with average shape and spin that lands for strikes at 64-67 mph.  Average feel for change-up thrown at 71-73 mph.

Jake Brill, SS/OF, Northwestern (WI), 2020
6-foot, 175-pound right-handed hitting short stop.  6.69 runner.  Squared balanced start with high handset.  Leg lift start small hand load.  Rhythm in load and into swing.  Average swing plane and flashes some bat speed.  Middle approach with mainly groundball and line drive contact.  Average contact and flashed some strength in barrel with 84 mph exit velocity.  OF- Good feet to field and into throws.  Glove is clean and fields through ball.  90 mph arm strength with average accuracy and above average carry.  IF- Average feet to field.  Glove can be stiff.  Makes routine play.  86 mph arm strength with above average carry and accuracy. 

Taylor Chase, RHP/OF, Eden Prairie, 2020
5-foot-10, 165-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player.  7.09 runner.  Open crouched stance.  Leg lift and strides to square.  Small hand load.  Bigger movements and aggressive swing.  Flat swing plane with slight lift.  Mid/pull approach with line drive and fly ball contact.  Average contact and flashed pull pop in barrel.  84 mph exit velocity.  OF- Average feet and attacks ball on ground.  Glove fields ball clean.  Longer arm action.  79 mph arm strength with average accuracy and below average carry.  On mound- Threw from stretch.  Starts from closed set into quicker tempo down mound.  Effort through release.  Throws from a high ¾ arm slot.  Fastball is 81-82 mph topping at 83 mph.  Curveball has late 10/4 break with tight spin at times thrown at 73-74 mph.  Change-up has inconsistent feel at 74-76 mph. 

Zander Dittbenner, OF, Mankato West, 2022
6-foot, 172-pound lefthanded hitting outfielder.  6.72 runner.  Open stance and high handset.  Leg lift and strides to square.  Average swing and swing plane.  Flashed bat speed.  Mid/pull approach with ground ball and line drive contact.  Consistent barrel contact with 78 mph exit velocity.  OF- Athletic feet and moves well to baseball.  Good glove and fields ball clean.  81 mph arm strength with good carry and accuracy.  Added strength will help with development.  Interesting follow in 2022 class.

Matthew Hmielewski, OF, Marshall, 2020
6-foot-2, 170-pound right-handed hitting outfielder.  6.51 runner.  Athletic frame.  Squared balanced stance.  Body and hand load back.  Small stride to start.  Lower half gets through swing well.  Flat swing plane and loses balance at times.  Mid/pull approach with ground ball and line drive contact.  Average barrel contact with 84 mph exit velocity.  OF- Athletic feet and moves well to ball.  Stiff glove and makes routine play.  Some push to release.  Average carry and accuracy with 81 mph arm strength.

Tyvan Klinger, OF, Bloomington Kennedy, 2020
6-foot-4, 190-pound right-handed hitting outfielder.  6.96 runner.  Bigger athletic frame.  Tall open stance with high handset.  Leg lift and strides to square.  Swing plane works down to contact.  Mid/pull approach with ground ball and line drive contact.  Average barrel and flashed hard pull pop in barrel.  86 mph exit velocity.  OF- Longer footwork to field and into release.  Glove is stiff.  Longer arm action.  75 mph arm strength with average accuracy and below average carry. 

Jameson Langer Jr., SS/OF, Waconia, 2020
5-foot-9, 166-pound left-handed hitting short stop.  6.81 runner.  Slightly closed balanced stance.  Leg lift and hand load back.  Some stiffness through swing.  Swing plane works down to contact.  Mid/pull approach with mainly line drive contact.  Average contact and flashed strength in barrel.  90 mph exit velocity.  OF- Average feet to ball.  Glove is stiff.  Some pause in arm action.  74 mph arm strength with fading carry and average accuracy.  IF- Average feet with some squat to field.  Glove is stiff.  Longer arm action.  Below average carry and average accuracy with 68 mph arm strength.

Joey Malecha, OF/RHP, Northfield, 2022
5-foot-11, 185-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player.  6.97 runner.  Athletic build.  Squared stance with high handset.  Body load back with toe tap trigger.  Hand load back into slight arm bar at times. Average swing.  Mid/pull approach with mainly ground ball and line drive contact.  Average contact with some strength in barrel.  80 mph exit velocity.  OF- Good feet to field.  Works through and fields ball clean.  Longer arm action.  87 mph arm strength with above average carry and accuracy.  On mound- Rocker step.  Good tempo through delivery.  Lands slightly across body.  Aggressive down mound.  Throws from a ¾ arm slot with a long arm action.  Fastball is straight with slight run at times thrown at 84-85 mph.  Curveball has tighter 11/5 break almost sliderish at 70-72 mph.  Change-up is firm with solid sink to the bottom of strike zone at 79-80 mph.  Strong follow on mound in 2022 class.

Xander Paar, OF/2B, Coon Rapids, 2020
5-foot-9, 165-pound left-handed hitting outfielder.  7.21 runner.  Shoulder width slightly open stance.  Leg lift to start and hand load back.  Aggressive swing.  Some lift in swing plane.  Mid/pull approach with ground ball and line drive contact.  Average barrel contact with 80 mph exit velocity.  OF- Good feet to field.  Average glove and fields ball clean.  Fade carry with average accuracy and 75 mph arm strength.  IF- Average actions.  Good feet and works around ball to field.  Clean glove and funnels to field.  Average accuracy with below average carry and 74 mph arm strength. 

Brian Pautz, OF, Rochester Century, 2021
5-foot-9, 165-pound right-handed hitting outfielder.  6.71 runner.  Squared stance with high handset.  Leg lift with small hand load.  Stiff and swing plane works down to contact.  Mid/oppo approach with line drive and fly ball contact.  Average barrel contact with 81 mph exit velocity.  OF- Average feet and attacks ball.  Fields ball clean.  Average carry and accuracy with 80 mph arm strength.

Tyson Sirek, OF/RHP, Eden Prairie, 2020
6-foot, 160-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player.  6.97 runner.  Closed stance with high handset.  Weight starts forward and body load back.  Toe tap trigger with long down to up hand load.  Arm bar at times creating length to contact.  Flat swing plane.  Pull approach with ground ball and line drive contact.  Average barrel contact with 80 mph exit velocity.  OF- Athletic feet and footwork into throws.  Average gl0ve and fields through ball.  83 mph arm strength with average carry and accuracy.  On mound- Big rocker step into swing leg lift.  Average tempo through delivery.  Good balance and lands slightly across body.  Long arm action from a ¾ arm slot.  Fastball is 81-83 mph topping at 84 mph with some run and life.  Curveball has bigger 11/5 shape with average spin for strikes at 66-69 mph.  Change-up has cut action and firm at 76-78 mph.

Jake Tauer, OF, Tracy Area, 2020
5-foot-10, 150-pound left-handed hitting outfielder.  6.89 runner.  Squared balanced stance with high handset.  Small knee trigger and stride to start.  Stiffness in swing.  Flat swing plane with short finish.  Middle approach with line drive and fly ball contact.  Inconsistent barrel contact with 74 mph exit velocity.  OF- Athletic feet and moves well to ball.  Average glove and fields ball clean.  74 mph arm strength with fade carry and average accuracy. 

Seth Vagts, OF, Brainerd, 2020
5-foot-8, 150-pound left-handed hitting outfielder.  7.06 runner.  Open balanced stance.  Leg lift and shoulder load to start.  Strides to square.  Flat swing plane and comes around contact.  Pull approach with ground ball and line drive contact.  Inconsistent barrel contact with 77 mph exit velocity.  OF- Active feet to field into longer footwork to release.  Good clean glove and fields through ball.  Shorter arm action with below average carry and average accuracy.  73 mph arm strength.