Future Games Trials: Middle Infield Analysis

The Future Games Trials took place on June 30th at LakePoint Sports in Emerson, GA. The event featured 65 underclassmen. Prospects participated in a pro-style workout and simulated game play.

We continue our event analysis with a look at the prospects who worked out as middle infielders at the event. The top prospect amongst the middles belongs to two-way prospect and recent Georgia State commit Brady Jones (Decatur, 2022). Jones is athletically built with strength throughout and it shows in his game. He has a powerful swing, posting exit velocities north of 90 mph and is equipped with one of the strongest arms on the infield in the state, throwing 89 across the infield.

Keep reading to view the rest of the top-3 prospects and full reports on all the middle infielders.

Top Middle Infield Prospects

Brady Jones, MIF/RHP, Decatur, 2022
Georgia State commit. 5-foot-11, 190-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder and right-handed pitcher, strong, sturdy frame with room for more, athletically built, ran a 6.97 laser-timed 60. Offensively, balanced setup, hands start high and deepen on load, short stride, good balance through finish. Gap-to-gap type hitter with pull-side power, barrel works long to and through the zone, whippy barrel speed and quick hands, smooth actions, can drive balls with force, 95 exit velocity off a tee, 98.07 max exit velocity during BP. Defensively, has a big arm from the left-side, 89 across the diamond, arm works clean and loose with advanced arm speed, accurate on throws. Plays through the ball athletically with soft hands, fluid footwork, clean on transfers, good body control, moves well to both sides. On the mound, arm works short and clean to a ¾ slot, quick arm speed. Drop and drive delivery, works across the mound landing toe open, finishes crossing over. Fastball sat 81-84, touched 86. Curveball, 12/6 shape, depth, 63-65.

Luke Starling, MIF/RHP, Hebron Christian, 2022
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder, lean, athletic build, wiry strength, some quick twitch in hands, ran a 7.18 laser-timed 60. Offensively, balanced setup, hands deepen with a pronounced drop on load, heel lift stride, good balance through finish. Pull-side hitter, produces mostly line drive contact, at-times was able to elevate and drive the ball, swing works uphill through the zone, some whip in barrel, 89 exit velocity off a tee and during BP. Defensively, short, loose arm action, quick arm speed, utilizes a low ¾ slot, accurate across the diamond at 81. Plays through the ball athletically, quick first step, good range to both sides, fields out front and funnels into midsection, quick on transfers, feel for glove. On the mound, short, quick arm to a low ¾ slot. Drop and drive delivery, works on-line, short stride, lands toe closed, finishes upright. Fastball sat 73-76, touched 77, run action. Curveball, 62-63, 11/5 shape, gradual. Changeup, 66-67.

Kyle Shivers, INF, Eastside, 2022
6-foot, 210-pound right-handed hitting infielder, physical build with strength throughout, ran a 7.44 laser-timed 60, profiles as bat first second baseman at next level. Offensively, balanced setup, smooth load as he the hands deepen and he transfers weight onto back-side, short reverse toe tap stride, good balance. Middle/pull hitter, powerful swing, quick barrel speed, strong, athletic hands, generates hard contact with a mostly level swing, is short to the zone, at-times ball jumps off the bat, 86 exit velocity off a tee, 96.02 max exit velocity during BP. Defensively, long, clean arm action to a high ¾ slot, 70 across the infield. Fields position cleanly with fundamental footwork, feel for glove hand, clean on transfers, good body control on the move.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Mark Abell, MIF/RHP, Greenbrier, 2023
5-foot-6, 145-pound left-handed hitting two-way prospect, lean, proportional build, ran a 7.67 laser-timed 60. Offensively, balanced setup, smooth hand load, short heel lift stride, good balance through finish. Line drive type hitter, peppered the gaps during BP, barrel works short to the zone, somewhat uphill through the zone, smooth swing with some whip in the barrel, posted a 78 exit velocity off a tee, 85.90 max exit velocity during BP. Defensively, arm works with some length on the back-side to a low ¾ slot, 77 across the infield. Plays through the ball, quick transfers, clean footwork, good feel for glove hand, maintains body control on the run. On the mound, clean arm action to a low ¾ slot, repeatable. Tall and fall delivery, works on-line, lands toe closed, finishes upright. Fastball sat 77-78, some run. Curveball, 63-64, 11/5 shape, gradual. Changeup, 68-71, sink.

Eddie Carpenter, 2B/OF, Sherwood Christian, 2023
5-foot-9, 145-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder and outfielder, lean build, plenty of room for more growth and filling out, ran a 7.29 laser-timed 60. Offensively, balanced setup, hands load back as he sinks and bends in his knees into a crouching position, short stride, lands open, finishes over the plate. Line drive type hitter, gets the barrel path set early, flat through the zone, 75 exit velocity off a tee. Defensively, short, clean arm, ¾ slot, 70 across the infield, 76 from the outfield. Plays through the ball, clean footwork, packs the ball on transfers. 

Garrett Dropp, SS/2B, Blessed Trinity, 2022
5-foot-11, 156-pound middle infielder, long, lean frame, athletically built, ran a 7.02 laser-timed 60. Offensively, open setup, hands drop and deepen on load, short stride as he keeps his weight on back-side. Gap-to-gap type hitter, lets the ball travel deep, barrel works uphill through the zone as he looks to elevate, 84 exit velocity off a tee. Defensively, arm works short to a high ¾ slot, 77 across the infield. Plays through the ball, covers ground well with long strides, feel for glove-hand, smooth transfers.

Gage Farrar, INF, Donelson Christian (TN), 2022
5-foot-11, 168-pound right-handed hitting infielder, strong, proportional build, ran a 7.27 laser-timed 60. At the plate, wide, open setup, high hands drop and bring the barrel vertical on load, pronounced leg kick timing trigger, good balance through finish. Middle/pull type hitter, flashed some pull-side pop, barrel path is mostly level through the zone, looks to elevate the ball, able to back spin some fly balls, 82 exit velocity off a tee. Defensively, arm works with some length to a low ¾ slot, 79 across the infield. Plays through the ball, fluid footwork and transfers, feel for glove hand.

Walker Flowers, MIF/RHP, Sherwood Christian, 2023
6-foot, 170-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder and right-handed pitcher, broad shoulders, lean frame, lots of room to fill out, ran a 7.87 laser-timed 60. Offensively, wide, open setup, high hands drop on load, leg kick timing trigger, good balance. Gap-to-gap type hitter, steep uphill barrel path, elevates the ball with backspin, 75 exit velocity. Defensively, long arm action, ¾ slot, 70 across the infield. Fields the ball out front, waits back on grounders, good range to both sides, clean transfers. On the mound, arm plays long and clean on the back-side, high ¾ slot. Drop and drive delivery, works on-line, lands open, finishes square to home. Fastball sat 66-69, touched 70. Curveball, 59-61, gradual break.

Walker Harris, SS/2B, Mount Pisgah, 2022
6-foot, 145-pound switch-hitting middle infielder, lean, athletic frame, ran a 7.28 laser-timed 60. Offensively, from the left-side, narrow, open setup, low hands load back smoothly, long stride to a balanced position, from the right-side, wide, open setup, low hands load back, short stride, finishes over the plate. Similar swing from both sides of the plate, looks to work the pull-side with an uphill barrel path, elevates the ball, 75 exit velocity off a tee, 80.98 max exit velocity during BP. Defensively, arm works short to a low ¾ slot, 70 across the infield. Plays through the ball athletically, gets to release quickly with fast transfers, and smooth footwork, good range to both sides and a feel for the glove.

Matthew Ianniello, 2B/SS, North Gwinnett, 2022
5-foot-8, 145-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder, athletic frame, proportional build with developing strength in frame, ran a 7.23 laser-timed 60. At the plate, balanced setup, barrel starts on shoulder, deep load back, long stride to a wide position. Line drive type hitter, barrel works mostly level through the zone, at-times will get under a ball and elevate, 75 exit velocity off a tee, 84.53 max exit velocity during BP. Defensively, clean arm action to a high ¾ slot, 72 across the infield. Plays through the ball with some smooth actions, feel for glove, at-times packs the ball during transfer, clean footwork to both sides.    

Weston Turner, SS/OF, Lowndes, 2023
6-foot-1, 155-pound right-handed hitting shortstop and outfielder, long, lean frame, ran a 7.50 laser-timed 60. Offensively, open setup, controlled load of hands back, shallow leg kick timing trigger, good balance on finish. Line drive type hitter, at-times can elevate and drive the ball, aggression in swing as he carries momentum from lower half through contact, barrel works mostly level through the zone, 82 exit velocity off a tee, 84.13 max exit velocity during BP. Defensively, short, loose arm to a low ¾ slot, 79 across the infield, from the outfield arm works longer with a full arm swing to an over-the-top slot, 82 from the outfield. On the infield, plays through the ball with athleticism, confident hands, fields out front, quick transfers, fluid footwork, from the outfield, attacks the ball, quick footwork, clean on exchanges.

Colin Wade, 2B/SS, North Paulding, 2022
5-foot-9, 140-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder, lean, proportional build, athletic frame, ran a 7.13 laser-timed 60. Offensively, balanced setup, short, smooth hand load, short stride, good balance through contact. Gap-to-gap type hitter, consistent approach, lets the ball travel, swing works level through the zone, carries momentum generated by lower half through contact, flashed ability to drive the ball, 79 exit velocity off a tee, 85.33 max exit velocity during BP. Defensively, arm works long and loose to a low ¾ slot, 75 across the infield. Fundamentally sound defender, range to both sides, feel for glove, clean footwork and transfers. 

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