Adam Akin
Director of Scouting


The 2016 CrossHit Baseball PBR Day took place on Saturday, December 10 at their new and impressive indoor facility in Gallatin, TN and included a position player workout and pitcher bullpens. Players were afforded the opportunity to showcase their abilities in front of the PBR Tennessee staff. The following is our evaluation of every pitcher and position player from their 16U Red team that was in attendance.

 

Pitchers

Matt Riley, RHP/3B, Beech, 2019
Max FB: 81, FB: 79-81, CB: 65-67, CH: 68-71,
6-foot-4, 187-pound, RHP begins his motion in a slow and controlled manner and builds up to a more explosive finish, hands go down with his rocker step and come up with his higher leg raise and help create some should tilt at the top, leads home with a loaded front hip and lands slightly closed, is able to get out over his front side with a long arm action that gets quick through a high ¾ slot, finishes well-balanced.  Fastball showed some late run through the zone, curveball had some occasional late movement with 10/4 shape, changeup faded with some sink and was thrown consistently around the zone. 

Matt Bradley, RHP/OF, Gallatin, 2019
Max FB: 80, FB: 79-80, CB: 60-61, CH: 70-72,
6-foot-4, 165-pound, RHP has a long and rangy build, works a pretty consistent pace throughout his delivery, uses a generic rocker step into a higher leg lift that gathers him at the top, hands stay together in a high position, leads toward the plate with his front side but opens up a touch, stride foot lands in line or slightly closed as his shorter arm action comes through a near over-the-top slot, finishes balanced and in front.  Fastball stayed mostly straight, curveball showed some gradual 11/5 shape through the zone, changeup missed the zone down.

Chase Terry, RHP/3B, Station Camp, 2019
Max FB: 76, FB: 73-76, CB: 65-67, CH: 67-70,
5-foot-11, 200-pound, RHP remains slow and controlled throughout nearly his entire motion, hands stay together and around his chest throughout rocker step and leg lift, stride lands pretty well in line, longer arm action comes through a high ¾ slot with a fairly flat shoulder angle, finishes with a recoil at times.  Fastball was mostly straight but had some occasional cut to it, curveball showed 11/5 shape, changeup missed down a few times.  

Outfielders

Haven Mangrum, OF, Beech, 2019
60 Time: 7.14, Position Velocity:  OF-83, Exit Velocity: 78
6-foot-0, 150-pound, LHH hits from a mostly balanced and slightly open stance with an initially higher hand position, uses a very short stride and a lowering of his hands to get loaded, lower half works to get through but doesn’t really show much explosiveness, sits back too much sometimes, bat path is pretty flat but made contact with the top of the ball quite often.  Defensively, showed above-average hands and footwork, played through the ball well but footwork and exchange could be quicker, long arm action comes through a nearly over-the-top slot.

Matt Bradley, RHP/OF, Gallatin, 2019
60 Time: 7.36, Position Velocity:  OF-85, IF-73, Exit Velocity: 88
6-foot-4, 165-pound, RHH hits from a balanced and very slightly open stance with an athletic bend in his knees, uses a well-timed stride and a slight pushback of his bottom hand to get loaded, lower half can get through but back leg straightens to keep him quite tall through contact, swing plane is slightly steep through the zone but can lift pitches left up, long arms can generate some bat speed.  Defensively, showed above-average hands and average footwork in the outfield, could’ve played through the ball better, using two hands to field the ball slowed him down, longer arm action shortens up at the end and comes through a nearly over-the-top slot, showed some versatility by competing in the infield as well.

Zaki Anderson, OF, Beech, 2019
60 Time: 6.95, Position Velocity:  OF-75, Exit Velocity: 82
5-foot-8, 150-pound, RHH hits from a wider and even stance, uses a no stride approach with a shift of his body weight and a movement back with his hands to get loaded, lower half ends up just spinning because of his footwork, bat path is generally pretty flat through the zone, can show a little lift with a lean back at the end of his swing. Defensively, showed above-average hands and active footwork in the outfield, played through the ball but slowed himself down by using two hands, used a huge crow hop and a longer arm action through a high ¾ slot.

Middle Infielders

Houston Stafford, 2B/OF, Trousdale County, 2019
60 Time: 7.15, Position Velocity:  IF-75, OF-83, Exit Velocity: 84
5-foot-9, 160-pound, RHH hits from a wide, lower, and open stance with some lower initial hand positioning, uses a double stride to get back to even and loaded with a big movement back with his hands, lower half stays fairly strong but isn’t able to clear his hips for any separation, swing plane generally stays on a flat to slightly upward path through the zone, line drive approach could develop with some strength.  Defensively, showed solid hands, moved around the ball well but could’ve played through it more aggressively, long arm action comes through a high ¾ slot that can occasionally drop lower.

Nigel Hicks, 2B, Pope John Paul II, 2018
60 Time: 7.50, Position Velocity:  IF-77, Exit Velocity: 82
6-foot-0, 188-pound, RHH hits from a more narrow and even stance, uses a short and closed stride with hardly any hand movement to get loaded, lower half doesn’t get very wide and keeps him tall, bat path is steep into and out of the zone because of his posture and how high his hands begin, line drive type of approach.  Defensively, showed average hands and footwork around the infield, could have played through the ball more smoothly, hands are quick and create a quick transfer and release through a short arm action at a ¾ angle.

Third Basemen

Matt Riley, RHP/3B, Beech, 2019
60 Time: 6.93, Position Velocity:  IF-80, Exit Velocity: 80
6-foot-4, 187-pound, LHH hits from a mostly balanced and even stance with his hands beginning just above his back shoulder, uses a quick leg kick with a short and closed stride with a slight wrap of the bat to get loaded, lower half hardly ever gets through to create any separation before contact, bat path is very steep into and through the zone, finishes with a lean forward a lot of times, physical kid.  Defensively, showed pretty good hands and footwork at the corner, fielded the ball cleanly and played through it well for a 3B, arm action is a little shorter and came through a high ¾ slot, has the physical capabilities.

Chase Terry, RHP/3B, Station camp, 2019
60 Time: 7.76, Position Velocity:  IF-72, Exit Velocity: 80
5-foot-11, 200-pound, RHH hits from a very balanced and even stance, uses a lean back and an abbreviated leg kick and stride to get loaded, lower half works early but does more to pull his body forward that it does to get his backside through, bat path is steep into and through the zone but can produce a little lift from time to time.  Defensively, showed decent hands but sat back a little too much with his feet, exchange included a glove pat at times and led to a shorter arm action through a ¾ slot.

Catchers

Jackson Bryan, C/3B, Beech, 2020
60 Time: 8.10, Pop Time: 2.34-2.49, Position Velocity:  C-67, IF-68, Exit Velocity: 73
6-foot-0, 155-pound, RHH hits from a balanced and slightly closed stance with some upright posture and slightly higher hands to begin, uses a short stride and a quietening of his hands to get loaded, lower half pulls him forward and doesn’t quite get his hips cleared, stays tall throughout, bat path is steep through the zone, at his best when he stayed up the middle.  Defensively, showed average hands and footwork behind the plate, transfer was clean but took a while to work with his feet and get rid of the ball, short arm action through a high ¾ release point delivered throws to 2B, also participated as an IF.

Nolan Duke, C/1B, Greenbrier, 2019
60 Time: 7.75, Pop Time: 2.37-2.51, Position Velocity:  C-65, IF-67, Exit Velocity: 75
6-foot-2, 178-pound, RHH hits from a balanced and even stance with a consistent bat waggle before the pitch, uses a short stride with a very subtle movement back with his hands to get loaded, lower half usually gets going but doesn’t quite get the hip clearance until after contact, swing plane is slightly up through the zone and follows the pitch pretty well.  Defensively, showed average hands and footwork behind the plate, needs to gain more ground toward 2B with his feet and be quicker with his exchange and arm action, uses a low ¾ arm angle, also participated as a 1B.