Prep Baseball Report

Fall Underclass Games: Middle Infield Analysis



Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

On October 23, Prep Baseball Report - Kansas/Missouri held the Fall Underclass Games in Manhattan, Kansas.  Nearly 60 players from around the two states from the 2019 and 2020 classes attended the event. 

Player profiles have been updated with profile picture, stats and video.  In days to come, we will break down the event position-by-position.  Today, we will take an in-depth look at the middle infielders, an athletic group with many projecting well.  Click on the player's name to see their profile.

Below is a break down of the middle infielders from the Fall Underclass Games. Players are listed in alphabetical order according to state. 

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CLICK HERE to see the Catchers Analysis
CLICK HERE to see the Outfielders Analysis
CLICK HERE to see the Corner Infield Analysis

Missouri Middle Infielders

Mason Auer, SS, Kickapoo (MO), 2019
Auer is a 6-foot 160-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Missouri’s 2019 class.  He ran a 6.68 60, fastest 60 time for the event, and 4.22 home-to-first, one of the top times among RHH.  He has an exit velo of 86 mph, one of the top among RHH.  At the plate, starts in a wide stance, smooth and controlled load, quick hands, fast bat speed, middle to pull line drives during batting practice. On the infield, 85 mph across the infield, top infield velo of the event, quick feet with fluid glove to hand transfer, loose over the top arm action, plays through the ball, athletic and quick twitch actions, somewhat accurate throws.

Carter Bither, SS, Springfield Catholic (MO), 2020
Bither is a 6-foot 140-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Missouri’s 2020 class.  He ran a 7.22 60 and a 4.51 home-to-first.  He has an exit velo of 70 mph.  At the plate, starts with open stance, toe tap to in line stride, gap-to-gap approach, level bat path through the zone.  On the infield, 75 mph positional velo, over the top release, quick catch and throw, aggressive to the ball with momentum after the catch, mostly accurate throws, lean and projectable frame.

Brant Cole, 2B, Staley (MO), 2019
Cole is a 5-foot-8 160-pound right-handed hitting second baseman in Missouri’s 2019 class.  He ran a 7.45 60 and a 4.53 home-to-first.  He has a 79 mph exit velo. At the plate, thin set up, leg kick, in line stride, flat swing pat through the zone, loose hands, middle of the field contact during batting practice, singled to center in game action.  On the infield, 57 mph positional velo, over the top arm slot, fluid foot work with clean exchange mostly accurate throws.

Tavian Josenberger, 2B, Park Hill (MO), 2020
Josenberger is a 5-foot-9 145-pound switch hitting second baseman in Missouri’s 2020 class.  He ran a 7.09 60 and a 4.42 home-to-first, one of the top times among LHH.  He has a 75 mph exit velo from both sides.  At the plate, thin stance with smooth rhythm, leg kick, slightly more open from left side, loose hands with quick bat speed, feel for the barrel, mostly pull side line drives during batting practice from both side, solid consistent contact, sharp single to center in game action, left handed at-bat.  On the infield, 74 mph positional velo, athletic actions, high three quarters release, quick feet, gets to athletic fielding position, momentum through the catch, mostly accurate throws.

Brett Mooney, 2B, Rock Bridge (MO), 2020
Mooney is a 6-foot-1 175-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Missouri’s 2020 class.  He ran a 7.28 60 and a 4.71 home-to-first.  He has a 78 mph exit velo. At the plate, simple and repeatable swing, smooth rhythm from a balanced set up, short stride, no wasted movement in  load, swing produced hard solid contact the middle of the field during batting practice.  On the infield, 70 mph positional velo, high three quarters arm slot, mostly accurate throw, quick feet with fluid exchange.

Spencer Nivens, 2B, Rock Bridge (MO), 2020
Nivens is a 5-foot-8 145-pound left-handed hitting second baseman in Missouri’s 2020 class.  He ran a 7.04 60 and a 4.44 home-to-first.  He has an 80 mph exit velo. At the plate, tall and slightly open stance, smooth rhythm, controlled leg kick, aggressive and quick hands, level throught he zone, hard consistent middle to opposite field line drives during batting practice.  On the infield, 74 mph positional velo, smooth and  athletic actions, high three quarters arm slot, loose arm action, momentum after the catch, feet in sync with exchange, mostly accurate throws.

Jake Sprecher, 2B, Blue Springs (MO), 2019
Sprecher is a 5-foot-5 120-pound right-handed hitting second baseman in Missouri’s 2019 class.  He ran a 7.41 60 and a 4.54 home-to-first.  He has a 68 mph exit velo. At the plate, open stance, in line stride, hands work inside of the ball, consistent hard contact to the opposite field, gap-to-gap approach.  On the infield, 69 mph positional velo, high three quarters release, moves well laterally, fluid footwork working with exchange, somewhat accurate throws.

Wyatt Towe, SS, Rock Bridge (MO), 2019
Towe is a 5-foot-10 160-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Missouri’s 2019 class.  He ran a 6.91 60, one of the fastest times of the day, and a 4.10 home-to-first, one of the top among RHH.  He has a 78 mph exit velo. At the plate, repeats swing, simple movements, balanced stance, smooth load with no wasted movements, level path with hands working inside of the ball, gap-to-gap approach, feel for the barrel, hard pull side contact during game action.  On the infield, 75 mph positional velo, one of the top of the day, quick catch and throw with athletic actions, over the top release, footwork creates momentum, in time with exchange, accurate throws, made an athletic defensive play as a 2B on ball up the middle.

Tanner Yeisley, 2B, Lee’s  Summit North (MO), 2019
Yeisley is a 5-foot-7 150-pound right-handed hitting second baseman in Missouri’s 2019 class.  He ran a 7.07 60, one of the top times for the event, and a 4.19 home-to-first, one of the top times among RHH.  He has a 76 mph exit velo.  At the plate, athletic stance, short stride, minimal load with no wasted movements, hands work inside of ball, swing produced consistent line drives to middle of field during batting practice. On the infield, 65 mph positional velo, high three quarters release, momentum after the catch, fluid footwork to the ball, mostly accurate throws.

Kansas MIDDLE Infielders

Grant Chandler, 2B, Olathe Northwest (KS), 2019
Chadler is a 5-foot-10 right-handed hitting second baseman in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.71 60 and a 4.65 home-to-first.  He has a 73 mph exit velo. At the plate, smooth rhythm in set up, holds hand high, open stance with short stride, line drives gag-to-gap during batting batting practice.  On the infield, 76 mph positional velo, one of the top infield velos for the event, three quarters release, soft hands with fluid actions, somewhat accurate throws.

Ryan Cox, SS, St. Thomas Aquinas (KS), 2019
Cox is a 6-foot-2 160-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.71 60 and a 4.97 home-to-first.  He has a 77 mph exit velo. At the plate, balanced stance, controlled leg kick, loose easy swing, creates quick bat speed, mostly line drives with back spin to the middle of the field.  On the infield, over the top release, 66 mph positional velo, quick catch and throw, fluid footwork in sync with hands, somewhat accurate throws.

Zac Cox, SS, Manhattan (KS), 2019
Cox is a strong and athletic 6-foot 185-pound right-handed hitting shorstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.25 60 and a 4.50 home-to-first.  He has a 90 mph exit velo. At the plate, open stance, controlled leg lift with in line stride, aggressive to the ball, level bat path, stays on ball after contact, consistent hard contact during batting practice gap-to-gap, doubled to left-center gap in game action. On the infield, 81 mph positional velo, one of the top of the event, high three quarters arm slot, fields ball in athletic position, momentum after catch, accurate throws.

Tayler Mahoney, SS, Olathe Northwest (KS), 2019
Mahoney is a 6-foot-1 175-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.28 60 and a 4.71 home-to-first.  He has a 78 mph exit velo.  At the plate, balanced set up, minimal stride, swing produced pull side line drives, quick bat speed, flashed power.  On the infield, over the top release, soft hands, clean exchange, fluid footwork, mostly accurate throws, 72 mph positional velo.

Cody Petersen, SS, Hays, (KS). 2019
Petersen is a 5-foot-8 158-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.27 60 and a 4.58 home-to-first.  He has a 74 mph exit velo. At the plate, tall and open stance, short stride, no wasted movement, minimal load, feel for the barrel, hands work the bat, middle of the field line drives during batting practice, tripled down left field line and singled in left-center gap in game action.  On the infield, 70 mph positional velo, over the top release, plays through the catch, fluid footwork and clean exchange, accurate throws, flashing back spin carry.

Adler Pierson, SS, Wamego (KS), 2020
Pierson is a 5-foot-7 145-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2020 class.  He ran 7.10 60 and a 4.55 home-to-first.  He has a 73 mph exit velo. At the plate, open stance, in line stride, flashed pull power during batting practice, middle of the field to pull side line drives, singled to center field in game action.  On the infield, 69 mph positional velo, accurate thrower with high three-quarters release, fields ball in athletic position with momentum through the catch, fluid footwork. 


Carsen Pracht, SS, Bishop Carroll (KS), 2019
Pracht is a 5-foot-11 140-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.38 60 and a 4.30 home-to-first, one of the top among RHH.  He has a 79 mph exit velo. At the plate, open stance with a smooth load in the lower half, quit hands, level bat path through the zone, mostly middle to pull side line drives during batting practice, repeats swing, had a pair of singles in game action, hard line drive out to center, solid contact during game at-bats.  On the infield, 72 mph positional velo, high three quarters release, quick catch and throw, soft hands, fluid footwork, mostly accurate throws, some flashing carry.

Brady Slavens, SS, Olathe Northwest (KS), 2019
Slavens is a 6-foot-2 155-pound left-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.21 60 and a 4.53 home-to-first.  He has an 88 mph exit velo, one of the top exit velos among LHH. At the plate, balanced stance, leg kick, aggressive swing, shows power to pull side, quick bat speed, loose hands, hard contact to right side during game action.  On the infield, 85 mph positional velo, one of the top for the event, attacks the ball with footwork, over the top release, quick and athletic actions, soft hands, somewhat accurate throws.

Tanner Twillman, SS, Olathe East (KS), 2019
Twillman is a 5-foot-7 140-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He rana  7.89 60 and a 4.88 home-to-first.  He has a 77 mph exit velo. At the plate, balanced stance, in line leg kick and stride, swing created middle to opposite field line drives during batting practice.  On the infield, 69 mph positional velo, over the top release, fluid footwork with clean exchange, made all plays cleanly during infield evaluations, mostly accurate throws.

 
Caleb Tywater, SS, Kansas City Christian (KS), 2019
Tywater is a 5-foot-10 140-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 7.83 60 and a 4.70 home-to-first.  He has a 70 mph exit velo. At the plate, balanced set up, controlled leg lift, shorts stride, compact swing with middle of the field line drives during batting practice.  On the infield, 63 mph positional velo, soft hands, high three quarters release, fluid footwork, fluid exchange, somewhat accurate throws.

Brett Zimmerman, 2B, Lansing (KS), 2020
Zimmerman is a 6-foot-1 139-pound left-handed hitting second baseman in Kansas’ 2020 class.  He ran a 8.26 60 and a 5.18 home-to-first.  He has a 68 mph exit velo. At the plate, balanced set up, short stride, fluid rhythm, middle of the field contact during batting practice.  On the infield, 66 mph positional velo, high three quarters release, footwork creates momentum after the catch, fluid to the ball, fields in athletic position, mostly accurate throws.


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