The St. Louis - Underclass Showcase took place on Saturday, October 13th at GCS Credit Union Ballpark in Sauget, IL. The event featured over 40 underclassmen from Illinois and Missouri.

We kicked off the coverage of the event with a Stat Story and Quick Hits shortly after the Showcase. Today we continue the analysis of the event with a look at the pitchers. Missouri’s Phil Brennaman, who also showed well as a position player, was the top arm at the event. Brennaman has a quick arm, filled up the strike zone and topped at 86 mph, with more in the tank.

Take a look below at the rest of the pitchers from the day, including the top five.

TOP PITCHING PROSPECTS

1. Phil Brennaman, INF/RHP, Oak Park (MO), 2020
6-foot, 170-pound, long and lean, two-way prospect. Right-handed pitcher, impressed with his performance on the mound. Smooth and controlled rhythm, works on-line and lands square. Short, quick, live arm action from an over-the-top slot. Fastball, jumps out of the hand, straight action, locates down in the zone, sat 82-84 mph, touched 86. Curveball, 11/5 shape, sharp action, tight spin, thrown aggressively, feel for the zone, 72-74 mph. Changeup, straight action, thrown for strikes, maintains arm speed, 73-78 mph. At the plate, right-handed hitter, wide, athletic setup, small heel raise stride and smooth load. Loose hands, flat through the hitting zone, gap-to-gap approach and ability to backspin the baseball. 87 mph exit velocity off a tee. On the infield, natural on the move, soft, sure hands, plays through the baseball and clean exchange. Long arm action, high ¾ slot and throws topped at 81 mph across the diamond. 7.25 runner in the 60, laser-timed.

2. Payton Heinley, LHP, Kennett (MO), 2021
6-foot, 185-pound, strong, athletically-built, left-handed pitcher. Delivery works with rhythm, on-line and lands square. Arm action has deception; long draw out of the glove but comes out of a short window with quickness out front. Repeated delivery and showed feel for a four-pitch repertoire. Fastball, slight running action, thrown for strikes, sat 78-79 mph, touched 80. Featured two different breaking balls. Curveball, 1/7 shape, sharp spin, feel 66-68 mph. Slider, 2/8 shape, tight action, ability to back foot right-handed hitters, 70-72 mph. Changeup, straight action, 71-72 mph.

3. Kade Biellier, LHP, Willard (MO), 2022
5-foot-9, 150-pound, wiry, left-handed pitcher. Smooth, controlled drop and drive delivery, works on-line and front toe lands slightly open. Some length in arm action out of the glove, comes out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball, works straight, occasional tilt and pitched at the bottom of the zone, sat 76-78 mph. Curveball sharp action, down in the zone at times, 1/7 shape, 64-65 mph. Changeup, feel, pitched down in the zone, sat at 69 mph.

4. Zachary Kempfer, INF/RHP, Nashville, 2021
6-foot-4, 200-pound, extra large, strong, two-way prospect. At the plate, right-handed hitter, balanced setup, smooth load and big toe-tap stride. Aggressive swing, loose athletic hands, creates bat speed. Stays short to the ball, natural lift, hard contact and gap-to-gap approach. 82 mph exit velocity from a tee. Defensively, profiles as a corner infielder. Reliable hands, long arm action, high ¾ slot and throws topped at 74 mph. 8.98 runner in the 60. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, delivery works on-line, lands square with regular effort throughout. Short, loose arm circle, from a ¾ to low ¾ slot. Fastball slight running action, sat 75-76 mph. Slider, 10/4 shape, tight spin at times, feel, 65-68 mph. Splitter, occasional fade action, 68-70 mph.

5. Justin Coleman, OF/RHP, Timberland (MO), 2021
6-foot, 163-pound, two-way prospect with a lean, athletic build. 7.06 runner in the 60, laser-timed. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, smooth rhythm, clean and easy, drop-and-drive delivery. Loose arm action from a high ¾ to over-the-top slot and featured three pitches for a strike. Fastball, straight action, sat 75-77 mph. Slider, 11/5 shape, occasional slurve action, feel 66-67 mph. Changeup, maintains arm speed, straight, 69-70 mph. At the plate, right-handed hitter, balanced setup, minimal load and short toe-tap stride. Easy, uphill swing, gap-to-gap approach. 79 mph exit velocity from a tee. In the outfield, fluid footwork, works behind the baseball, clean exchange, loose arm, high ¾ slot and throws topped at 76 mph.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)  

Kyle Athmer, RHP, Breese Central, 2021
6-foot-5, 165-pound, highly-projectable, long and lean, right-handed pitcher. On the mound, controlled, repeatable delivery, works with rhythm, stays on-line and lands square. Short, clean arm circle, comes out of an over-the-top slot. Fastball works straight, occasional tilt, pitches to the bottom of the zone, sat 73-75 mph. Curveball, 12/6 shape, ranged between 61-64 mph. Changeup, maintains arm speed, slight sink and fade action, 71-73 mph.

Colin Brueggemann, INF/RHP, Freeburg, 2021
6-foot-5, 200-pound, extra-large, long-limbed, two-way prospect with plenty of room for continued physical development. Offensively, left-handed hitter, with upside. Tall setup, minimal loading action and long stride. Bat works level through the zone, creates leverage and flashed power potential to the pull-side. Hit a home run over the right-field fence in BP. 79 mph exit velocity from a tee. Defensively, worked out at third base. Sure-handed, funnels exchange into the body. Short arm action, high ¾ slot and throws topped at 71 mph. 7.88 runner in the 60. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, directional delivery with regular effort throughout. Short arm action, high ¾ slot. Fastball slight arm-side-run, thrown for strikes, sat 70-72 mph, touched 73. Slider, worked 10/4, arm speed at times, sat 60-61 mph. Changeup, fade action at times, 65-67 mph.

Kai Leese, INF/RHP, Fort Zumwalt South (MO), 2021
6-foot-3, 180-pound, long-limbed, two-way prospect. At the plate, right-handed hitter, open, athletic setup, long leg-kick stride. Maintains balance at times, long bat path and 75 mph exit velocity from a tee. Defensively, on the infield, steady hands, clean transfer, high ¾ slot and throws clocked at 72 mph. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, stays closed down the mound and works on-line. Fastball, thrown for strikes, works straight, 77-79 mph. Curveball, 11/5 action, depth at times, 62-65 mph. Changeup, maintains arm speed, straight, 71-74 mph.

Barrett Lohmann, INF/RHP, Fort Zumwalt North (MO), 2022
5-foot-7, 145-pound, two-way prospect. At the plate, right-handed hitter, balanced, tall setup, quick heel-raise stride. Level bat path, line-drive approach and 67 mph exit velocity from a tee. On the infield, sure-handed, short, loose arm action and throws topped at 64 mph. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, tall and fall delivery, works on-line and lands slightly front toe open. Arm works short and out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball, sat 67-68 mph. Curveball, depth at times, 56-57 mph. Changeup, fade action, sat 62-64 mph.

Nick Rawlings, INF/RHP, DeSmet (MO), 2021
5-foot-11, 170-pound, well-proportioned, two-way prospect. At the plate, open, tall setup, short, leg-lift trigger. Long, level bat path and line-drive approach. 82 mph exit velocity from a tee. Defensively, on the infield, steady hands, long arm action and ¾ slot. Throws topped at 66 mph across the diamond. 8.96 runner in the 60. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, side-step and uptempo delivery. Loose arm action from a high ¾ slot. Fastball, works straight, 66-70 mph. Curveball, 11/5 shape, 52-54 mph. Changeup, down in the zone, 58-61 mph.  

Sean Mitchell, INF/RHP, Marquette Catholic, 2022
6-foot-1, 200-pound, extra-large, physical, right-handed hitting, two-way prospect. At the plate, balanced square setup, smooth load, short leg-lift trigger and fluid rhythm throughout. Long bat path, gap-to-gap approach and registered an 80 mph exit velocity off a tee. Defensively, at first base, clean transfer, short arm action and throws clocked at 72 mph across the diamond. 9.06 runner in the 60. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, methodical delivery, works with rhythm, stays on-line and lands front toe open. Long, clean arm action from a high ¾ slot. Fastball, works mostly straight, slight arm side run at times, sat 70-73 mph, touched 77. Curveball, 12/6 to 11/5 shape, 58-61 mph. Changeup, feel, straight action, sat 64-67 mph.

RELATED CONTENT