By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

The Prep Baseball Report Minnesota's Preseason All-State event took place on Saturday February 28^th at the Vadnais Sports Center in Vadnais Heights, MN. The showcase featured over 70 prospects from the 2016 class who showcased their talents in front of our scouting staff, college coaches, and professional scouts.

Today we unveil our analysis of the outfielders at the event.  When we create this list we evaluate the overall package of abilities along with future projection at the college level. 

The top outfield prospect at this year's MN Preseason All-State event is Robbinsdale Cooper's Steven Fitzsimmons. The left-handed hitter shows good bat speed, power to the pull side of the field, and actions in the outfield. His all-around game is what pushes him to the top of our list.

Rounding out the Top 5 in this category are are Matt Wallner, an ultra-projectable 2-way player from Forest Lake, who stood out with his ability and 6-foot-4 frame. Joey Werner from Farmington had an unbelievable performance at the event and raised his stock tremendously since his last performance in October. Blaine's Tyler Reichenborn screams projection and has tools you simply can't ignore. Champlin Park's Sam Goodman was the pop-up player of the event with his tools; and could see a significant climb up the rankings with a solid performance this Spring.

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Top outfield Prospects

1. Steven Fitzsimmons, OF, Robbinsdale Cooper, 2016
6-foot, 175-pound outfielder with athletic build who ran a 7.00 60. Has improved in every stat category since October 2014 event. Shows gap to gap power with a middle of the field-spray approach at plate. Shows above average pop to pull side of field. Has cleaned up lower half; load is long at times. Creates good bat speed with an 86 mph exit velocity off tee. Defensively he fields and throws as well as any player in the state. Shows loose actions with rhythm and athleticism. Arm works clean and loose from high ¾ slot with carry and accuracy at 82 mph. High Follow going into the spring/summer.

2. Matt Wallner, OF/RHP, Forest Lake, 2016
6-foot-4, 190-pound 2-way player with a tall athletic build who ran a 7.06 60. Highly projectable body/ athletic player who opened eyes at event. 90 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows plus power to gaps with short explosive swing and quality separation and extension. Hands are tight to chest causing him to hook baseballs at times but overall projects very well at the plate with gap to gap approach and leverage in swing. Ability to cover ground in outfield. Above average actions moving laterally and fielding. Needs to improve transfer/throwing footwork and use leverage and momentum. Arm works clean. High release point causing some throws to sail. 83 mph arm strength from outfield.

3. Joey Werner, OF/RHP, Hastings, 2016
5-foot-8, 155-pound 2-way player with compact fast twitch frame who ran a 7.15 60. Shows bat speed and strength in swing with above average pop to pull side of field. Typically gap to gap approach. Load is deep with arm bar. Swing is level. Bottom hand is dominant with short finish causing bat to flip underneath at contact at times. Aggressive swings and looks to drive baseball with authority. 85 mph exit velocity off tee. Confident aggressive fielder in outfield. Best routes and hands of any outfielder at event. Fields out front and gets ball on the short hop. Extremely fast arm with carry and accuracy. Attacking style with ability to make plays. 87 mph arm strength.

4. Tyler Reichenborn, OF, Blaine, 2016
5-foot-10, 175-pound outfielder with an angular athletic build who ran a 6.65 60.  Fast twitch athlete with strength. Reichenborn continues to impress with his strength and tools. Swing is raw with front shoulder tilt and uphill swing plane to start. Swing begins to level out at contact and he produces hard contact with ability to hit balls with authority to all parts of the field. Shows power to pull side of field. 93 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows ability to field and hands work in outfield. Long extended arm action with pause in back. 80 mph arm strength. High Follow player for 2016 class. Has tools and physicality you can’t teach. Needs refinement in some areas and is one of the most projectable players in the state.

5. Sam Goodman, LHP/OF, Champlin Park, 2016
6-foot-3, 206-pound 2-way player with a long athletic frame who ran a 7.4 60. Produces upper level bat speed at plate. Middle-pull approach with above average pop to pull side of field. Stride is slightly narrow for frame causing him to spin off ball at contact sporadically. Will lift and separate balls with authority. 91 mph exit velocity off tee. Long arm action in the outfield. Arm works clean from over-the-top slot with 90 mph arm strength. Average/ok actions in outfield. Sits back on ground balls at times and fields tall. Shows enough athleticism to cover and play corner outfield.

On The Cusp

Shannon Ahern, LHP/OF, Academy of Holy Angels, 2016
5-foot-10, 155-pound 2-way player who ran a 7.6 60. Tall upright stance with linear actions into pitch. Line drive swing plane with loose hands. Good weight shift through contact with middle-away approach and flashes of pop to opposite field. 85 mph exit velocity off tee. Good feet and hands in outfield. Clean exchanges and plays with rhythm. Throws from short ¾ arm slot with average carry and 82 mph arm strength.

Alex Fedje-Johnson, SS/OF, Minnehaha Academy, 2016
6-foot-1, 175-pound infielder/outfielder who ran a 7.15 60. Quality linear actions at plate. Transfers weight through contact and shows plus pop to middle-pull side of field. Good hand-eye coordination with gap to gap approach. Has extension and drives baseball with authority. Short finish to swing. 85 mph exit velocity off tee. ¾ arm action. Stiff action at times. Direct routes and fields with soft hands. Good direction to target and uses momentum on throws. Throws show average carry and good accuracy at 85 mph.

Spenser Larson, OF/IF, Eden Prairie, 2016
5-foot-9, 160-pound outfielder who ran a 7.00 60. Knee to knee trigger with linear actions to contact. Solid contact with slight uphill swing plane with good separation and extension. Uses whole field. Hands will drift down and loses connection at times causing arm bar and length in swing. Head is quiet and stays on ball. 81 mph exit velocity off tee. Good routes to baseball in outfield. Ability to field routine. Will field with two hands at times effecting balance and direction. Has arm speed and is clean and loose from over-the-top slot. Throws show carry and accuracy at 83 mph.

Tiegen Lindner, OF/IF, Sioux Falls O’Gorman (SD), 2016
5-foot-7, 145-pound utility player with good strength in smaller frame. Ran 7.13 60. High energy lead-off/ 2-hole type hitter. Front foot hitter with simple mechanics who looks to make solid ground ball/ line drive contact with high OB%. Uses whole field and is short to contact. 77 mph exit velocity off tee. Fields cleanly in outfield. Aggressive routes to ball with clean exchanges and a quick release with accuracy to target. 80 mph arm strength from outfield.

John Price, 3B/OF, Lakeville South, 2016
5-foot-11, 190-pound position player with solid build who ran a 7.16 60. Double tap trigger into swing. Produces hard ground balls and line drives with middle-pull approach. Good bat speed with solid pop in barrel. Some stiffness in swing; would benefit from top hand release after contact to free hips up in swing. 92 mph exit velocity off tee. Decent actions with good routes in outfield. 80 mph arm strength from outfield from one-piece arm action with average carry at 80 mph.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Mark Ehresman, RHP/UTL, Eden Prairie, 2016
6-foot-1, 195-pound RHP/Utility player with a 7.37 60 time. Small leg kick trigger into swing. Aggressive swings at plate. Slight hand drift down before swing causing uphill tendencies. Produced hard ground balls with occasional line drives during B.P. Middle-away approach. 85 mph exit velocity off tee with average power. Direct aggressive routes in OF. Good use of momentum on throws and uses lower half. High ¾ slot with varying arm action with accuracy at 87 mph.

Max Elofson, OF/LHP, Minneapolis Washburn, 2016
6-foot-1, 180-pound 2-way player who ran a 7.35 60. Deep load in swing. Front heel turn trigger. Rotational swing with level swing plane. Works to stay inside baseball at contact with middle-pull approach and average power. 82 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows loose actions in the outfield with ability to field with soft hands. Throws from ¾ arm action with average carry at 74 mph.

Tom Kolar, OF/RHP, St. Thomas Academy, 2016
5-foot-11, 160-pound 2-way player with an average build who ran a 7.53 60. Spray approach with contact to all parts of the field. Singles/doubles pop in bat. Inverted swing plane. Was off-time in box at this event. 75 mph exit velocity off tee. Appropriate actions and routes in outfield. Arm works from high ¾ slot. High release point causing throws to sail at times. Uses momentum and lower half in throws. 78 mph arm strength from the outfield.

Chris Larson, OF, LaCrescent, 2016
6-foot, 170-pound outfielder with lean athletic build who ran a 7.35 60. Basic clean swing mechanics at plate. Easily repeatable with little wasted movement. Solid contact throughout B.P. to mid-pull side of field. Minimal stride and weight shift takes barrel out of zone. 75 mph exit velocity off tee. Moves well in outfield. Has loose actions and shows ability to field. Hitch in arm action effects velocity and carry. 72 mph arm strength at this event. Has a lot of things to like; will follow to see if tools continue to develop. Would also benefit from added strength.

Griffin Schneider, OF/RHP, Wayzata, 2016
6-foot-2, 193-pound 2-way player with long projectable body with room to add strength. Ran 7.28 60 at this event. Tall stance with in-line stride to contact. Loads with shoulders creating some length to swing. Path is direct to contact with line drive swing plane with solid contact and middle of the field approach. Has strength in bat with 85 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows average actions in outfield with soft hands and ability to handle tough hops. Long arm action with high ¾ release with solid carry and accuracy at 83 mph.

Ben Zocher, LHP/OF, East Ridge, 2016
6-foot, 195-pound 2-way player with physical build who ran a 7.66 60. Quiet load and stride. Solid B.P. with high rate of solid contact. Gap to gap approach with flashes of ability to drive baseball to both sides of field. Short finish and loses some extension through contact. Doubles power currently. 78 mph exit velocity off tee. Ok actions in field. Shows ability to field routine. Hands are soft. Throws flat-footed with limited momentum and carry. Arm starts long with hitch in circle. 75 mph throws from outfield.