On Deck Preview: Pre Season All State - East

What to expect: Kayden has shown a lot of consistent progression as a right handed pitcher. When we saw him in 2019 he was 81-84 mph as a young 2023, and then in 2020 we saw him where he was 85-88 mph. If he can make a similar jump like we saw from 2019 to 2020, this 6’0 170 lb right handed pitcher could put himself in elite company as a player coming out of his class. Look for him to also get behind the dish and catch on the other side of the battery, where he has shown a pop time under 2.0 seconds in a showcase setting. Arm strength is definitely a big tool that Kayden possesses.

What we’d like to see: Velocity seems to always determine what level pitchers end up at but in Kayden’s case he does not have a big frame which could hinder him. He’s going to have to set himself apart with some sort of secondary pitch that dazzles. He has shown a curve ball that comes in between 65-69 mph but with such a great fastball it would be interesting to see him mix in a pitch that compliments the excellent fastball he has. Maybe a slider or cutter that comes out of the same window and same arm speed would be effective. If he can develop that in combination with a good change-up and the big 12-6 curve ball, he will be a lot to handle for college hitters.

What to expect: Gilbert has some serious projectability. Standing at 6’4 250 lbs, he has a big league body for a kid who still has not played his junior season of high school baseball yet. With his frame he produces some big time power numbers both on the mound and at the plate. The right handed pitcher has been seen anywhere from 85-88 mph off the mound and produced at 92 mph exit velocity at the plate. On top of that he displayed some advanced athleticism for a player his size, running a 6.8 60 yard dash. Those are the kind of numbers you see from a defensive end at the NFL combine.

What we’d like to see: Athletes seem to always find a way to have success at what they do and for Gilbert he falls into that category. Depending on what he truly wants to do with his game will determine where he ends up on the diamond. If he decides to totally focus on pitching, he will end up pitching at a pretty high level. Who's to say that he can not be a legitimate two way player? He has shown a lot of upside on the offensive side of the ball as well. We believe his money maker will be on the mound, especially if his velocity continues to improve like it has the last two times we saw him.

What to expect: Ryan is 6’3 195 lb shortstop coming out of the 2023 class who has great projectability. His thin and long frame has grabbed the attention of many throughout the region and because of his ability to move around the diamond, he will only improve moving forward. He has run a 6.9 60 yard dash and displayed an 84 mph infield velocity across the diamond. At the plate he used his long levers to crank out an 89 mph exit velocity. In the last two events we have seen him at, all of his numbers have improved each time, so that excites us as we will get to see more of him coming up in February.

What we’d like to see: Baseball players come in all shapes and sizes, but the elite athletes all have similar qualities in their game, such as efficient movements, solid core energy, and advanced knowledge of the game. In Ryan's case, we believe he has what it takes to fall into these categories. To play shortstop at the college level, elite defense is a must, as well as arm strength and foot speed. If Ryan can improve his throwing arm to an elite level and continue to improve his footwork he will find himself manning the 6 hole in college.

What to expect: Logan is an interesting and intriguing player coming out of Germantown Academy. The 6’0 200 right handed pitcher/ third basemen has some impressive numbers that he has posted at previous events. On the mound Logan can run it up to 87 mph but sits anywhere from 85-86 mph with some serious spin rate. He posted an average spin rate over 2300 and had a 2417 max spin rate on his fastball.
With those numbers, Logan is able to make his average fastball play at an above average perception. This explosiveness on the mound is not a surprise because at the plate, he can crank it up to 98 mph with his exit velocity. It is safe to say that he has some strength and power packed into his body.

What we’d like to see: Fastball velocity is not going to get you very far if you cannot compliment it with some sort of off speed pitch. In Logan's case, Trackman has shown important information that will help him be even more successful. Most pitchers throw mainly a fastball and a breaking ball because that is what they think gives them the most success. For Logan, it should be his change up that is his most successful off speed pitch. The spin rate (1468) on his change up accompanied with the speed of the pitch displayed extreme deception. If he can master that change up, based on the numbers, he should have a lot of success with that pitch.