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Top Prospect Games MIF Analysis

August 31, 2015

By John Cackowski
State Director

The Prep Baseball Report’s Top Prospect Games took place on August 8th and 9th at the Slammers South Baseball Facility in Englewood, Colorado.  89 prospects showed up and strutted their stuff in a pro-style workout. Over the next several days the PBR Scouting staff will roll out position-by-position rankings of the event, culminating with the Top Ten Overall Prospects from the showcase.

Click Here to view complete statistics from the event in PDF format.

We also broke down the Top Tools of the event. Click Here to view the Top Tools based on various commonly used scouting criteria for analyzing prospects.

Our first two analysis of the event focused on the catchers, outfielders, and corners. Today we focus on a the middle infielders.

Best of the Best

Austin Chouinard, SS, Regis Jesuit, 2017
6-foot-0, 185-pounds. Bats and throws right. Has grown since last time we saw him. We love his size and strength. Might project as a corner at next level.  Athletic in stance, short to the ball with hands, and smooth level swing that can be explosive. Very quiet and little movement, and long through extension. Just does the job at the plate. Gap to gap power with good carry on the ball. Impressive 91 mph exit velo off the tee. Was given nicest swing award at event. Throws well from position at 84 mph and accurate. Showed nice range back hand side. First time we got to see him pitch. Simple smooth delivery with minimum effort. Square to plate, high 3/4 arm slot with fastball at 79-80 mph touching 81. Curveball was 66-68 mph with nice 11/5 break. Ran a 7.63 60. One of the top 2017 prospects in the state.

Walker Rumsey, SS/OF, Bear Creek, 2017
5-foot-10, 160 pounds. Bats and throws right. First time we have seen Walker and he impressed. Was one of the top athletes at the event, and received the most athletic player award at event. At the plate stands tall with open stance, medium stride. Line-drive gap hitter. Good hands to the ball. Gets off balance a little at times. Bat speed was 84 mph off the tee. Can play Infield or outfield. Arm velocity is 84 mph from both positions. Attacks the ball with good fundamentals. Very impressed with his running. Ran a 6.89 60, one of the top times at the event. Player to follow in 2017.

Jake Hammons, SS, Rock Canyon, 2017
5-foot-10, 180 pounds. Bats and throws right. First time we have seen Hammons and we came away impressed. At the plate Tall, open stance with smooth load, fluid swing. Has good hands through the ball, and had good pop with wood bat during bp. Stays long and strong through finish producing gap power and 84 mph exit velo off the tee. In the field displayed same smoothness, and was awarded best hands at the event. He was the best defensive player on the field. Has great range, and a quick release at shortstop. Arm velo came in at 84 mph and was accurate. Ran a 7.55 60. Player to follow in 2017.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Jacob Bielat, MIF, Mullen 2018
5-foot-4, 130-pound right-hand hitting MIF. At the plate has a balanced stance and medium stride. Load is quick back then has quick bat to the ball. Gets good use out of lower half. Line drive hitter. Has high hips so you know he's going to grow. Had an exit velo of 78 mph off the tee. In the infield has soft hands and does a good job of getting them out front. Ranges well to both sides. Threw 69 mph across the field and was accurate. Ran a 7.31 60 time that will improve as he grows. Right now a very scrappy player.

Justin Boyd, SS/C, Legend, 2019
5-foot-9, 140 pounds. Bats and throws right. Athletic looking prospect with lean frame. Has narrow slightly open tall stance. Hands start high and has slight leg kick. Hands move well to the ball. Gets good extension through zone and uses lower half well. Had 80 mph exit velocity off the tee. Right now is a line-drive gap hitter. Good bat speed for his age. Like his actions at SS. Gets in ready position and moves well to both sides. Has quick release and threw 75 mph across the diamond with accuracy. Ran a 7.60 60 time. Nice 2019 prospect to follow.

Jarod Campbell, SS/3B, Bear Creek 2017
5-foot-10, 170 pounds. Bats left and throws right. Has a slightly open stance, and good hip torque. Goes to slight crouch into load. Hands are short to the ball and stay inside well. Bottom hand dominant. Opposite field gap power. 77 mph exit velocity off of the tee. Solid fundamentals at ss, and had nice range to back hand side. Threw 72 mph across the field with accuracy. Ran a 7.65 60 time.

Blake Hansen, 2B/OF, Columbine, 2017
5-foot-11, 155 pounds. Bats and throws right. Has a wide balanced stance. Hands load back smooth. Hands drop to the ball creating an uphill swing at times, but has nice extension through the ball. Produced an exit velocity of 74 mph with line drive power. Shows very good range to glove hand side on defense. Would like to see him come through the ball on throws to first a little more. Threw 67 mph across the diamond with accuracy. Ran a 7.58 60 time.

Jake Haze, SS, ThunderRidge, 2018
5-foot-8, 160 pounds. Switch hitter who throws right. Haze was voted 2018 prospect that had best two-way talent. At the plate Haze has a consistent swing from both sides, but from right side he starts open. Tall stance with medium stride. Hands load down and back and swing is slightly uphill from both sides. Can turn on inside fast ball from both sides of the plate and does not appear to be more dominant from one side or the other. Generated a 75 mph exit velo from both sides off a tee. Was on base multiple times during the weekend. Defensively has good fundamentals. Throws from high 3/4 arm slot. Might be more comfortable at 3B. Has a good arm at 81 mph across diamond and accurate. On the mound depends on arm strength the most from same arm slot. Falls off towards first. Fastball sat at 76 mph, and curveball was 61-63 with 10/5 shape. If he gets more square to the plate and more leg drive has potential to throw a lot harder. Ran a 7.31 60 time. 2018 player to follow.

Jimmy Holinger, SS, Regis Jesuit, 2017
5-foot-11, 148-pound athletic right-hand hitting shortstop. Good footwork keeps him in the right throwing position even on balls left and right.  A low ¾ arm slot allows him to get the ball in the throwing window before standing straight up. Arm strength will improve as he grows into his frame.  68 mph velocity across the field. At the plate, a balanced set up and small stride give way to a strong load and max swing  Bat travels on an upward plane and displays good power to the left side. 79 mph exit velocity at the invitational.  Ran a 4.56 home to first.

Balin Jessip, SS/RHP, Centaurus, 2017
6-foot-1, 175 pounds. Bats left and throws right. Has a pretty wide stance with a slight crouch and slight leg kick. Hands start high and has a short swing to the ball. Swing is uphill, and has opposite field gap power. Generated a 74 mph exit velo off the tee. Defensively showed good fundamentals and soft hands with accurate throws across diamond at 77 mph. On the mound has simple delivery from over the top arm slot. Fastball sat between 75-77 thrown for stikes. Like his frame on the mound. Has room to add more velocity as he gets stronger.

Daylon Jones, MIF, Overland, 2017
5-foot-11, 145 pounds. Bats and throws right. Has a tall open stance with short leg kick. Loads late. Lanky frame to add more strenght. Smooth swing, with partial lower half use. Produces lines drives, and had a 79 mph exit velo off the tee. Like his actions at ss. Has very quick release from short arm slot. Threw 62 mph across the field but makes up for it with very quick release. Ranges well to both sides. Ran a 7.22 60 time.

James Kester, SS/RHP, Heritage, No. 35 ranked 2017
5-foot-11, 165-pound right-handed hitting MIF/RHP.  Threw 75 mph across the diamond from shortstop from a loose, high arm slot, with accuracy.  Kester has a good fielding base with good feet that get his upper body in proper throwing position.  From SS Kester threw 71 mph across the diamond but also displayed some great range to his glove-hand side on balls hit up the middle making two real good plays to glove the ball.  Has opened up his stance at the plate and drives the ball to the left side better. Improved   exit velo of 85 mph, but we have seen him register an 87 before. Kester shows quick hands that can generate good pop off the bat. 

Tanner Lang, SS, Columbine, 2017
5-foot-9, 160-pound right-hand hitting shortstop with an athletic frame, showed soft hands and quick feet.  He threw from a ¾ slot with short, quick arm action with some effort to it. He made accurate throws with good carry and a top velocity of 65 mph. Hits from a balanced stance with a controlled stride inline with the pitcher.  He has a short, fluid load and level bat bath. He showed excellent balance and fluid rhythm as he flattened the ball out in the middle. Top exit velocity was 78 mph. Ran a 4.35 home to first.

Peter Lanting, MIF, Denver Christian, 2017
5-foot-11, 155 pounds. Bats and throws right. Lanting is a hard working shortstop with hustle. At the plate has a loose, balanced stance at the plate. Uses a toe-tap for stride and has a level swing through the zone that produces lines drives through the infield gap to gap. Had a 74 mph exit velocity off the tee. Has a tendency to go around the baseball with swing at times, and not keep hands inside. Has good extension through swing. Defensively showed good range to both sides. Has good fundamentals and comes through the ball well. Quick release from ss and was 70 mph across the diamond with accuracy. Ran a 7.63 60.

Victor Lara, MIF, Columbine 2018
5-foot-6, 159-pound switch-hitting middle infielder.  Moves well for a 2018 getting behind the ball and putting himself in good throwing position, a short arm action from a ¾ slot.  His top velocity during infield workouts was  68 mph and he made several accurate throws. At the plate he demonstrated the ability to switch hit, 74 mph exit velocity from the left side was his best. A left-handed swing that is max effort with strong leg drive and long swing through the zone. Turns well on the ball inside and drives the ball to right.  From the right side, a balanced stance with a long swing through the zone with hands that push the ball to the right side. Ran a 4.78 home to first from the left side.

Morgan McIntosh, 2B/3B, Highlands Ranch, 2017
5-foot-9, 180 pounds. Bats left and throws right. Morgan is a pretty strong kid for his size and has good power, especially the other way. Offense is his strength. At the plate Morgan has a smooth load back, with medium stride. Has a smooth level swing through the zone that produces gap to gap power. Bat stays in hitting zone a long time and he gets good extension through the ball. Defensively might project as a 3B. Wants to field ball off to side at times, but makes the play and showed soft hands. Threw 72 mph across the diamond. Ran a 7.40 60 time. Will be a factor in Highlands Ranch lineup this spring.

Nick Merone, SS/3B, Rock Canyon, 2018
5-foot-11, 165 pounds. Bats and throws right. Merone showed some real good skills over the weekend. At the plate hands start high with smooth load and slight leg kick. Hands are quick to the ball and generates good bat whip through the ball with one hand high finish. Bat is in the hitting zone a long time, producing gap to gap power. Had a 85 mph exit velo off the tee. On defense projects as a future shortstop. Very good range to both sides, and quick hands with release. Has arm strength and threw 81 mph across the diamond. Ran a 7.60 60.

Luke Polson, MIF, ThunderRidge, 2018
5-foot-6, 135 pounds. Bats and throws right. Hands start high, and stance is tall. Load is smooth, slight leg kick and tucks in hands when swing to ball. Has one-hand extension through ball. Line drive hitter. Produced 70 mph exit velo off a tee. Defensively has good fundamentals throws from an over the top armslot from ss. Was 74 mph across the diamond with accuracy. Has real high hips right now, and you can tell he is going to grow a lot. Ran a 7.58 60 but will get faster as he grows.

Nicolas Rodriquez, MIF, Columbine, 2018
5-foot-5, 110-pound middle infield, showed quick feet, soft hands and good actions. Throws from a ¾ slot and was gets the ball out quick and accurate. He had a throwing velocity of 60 mph. At the plate, he starts with a 60/40 stance and has a small load of the hands.  Front foot gets down and out of the way and the lower half guides the bat through the zone. Good level bat plane allows for hits to all fields. Solid swing mechanics and time will help improve upon the 66 mph exit velocity. Ran a 5.19 home to first.

Amari Smith, SS/OF, Grandview, 2019
5-foot-4, 121 pounds. Bats and throws right. Smith was one of the youngest players at event and showed some good tools that he will grow into. Stands tall at the plate right now with hands high. Has slight leg kick and don't mistake current size right now with swing, he gets up there and takes a big hack. Generates good bat whip and is long through the ball with good lower half. Has very good extension with high finish. Wants to crush the ball. Exit velocity was 75 mph. On defense had good actions and plays with confidence. Throws from a 3/4 arm slot across diamond with quick release at 64 mph. Ran a 7.70 60.

Jack Stone, MIF, Mullen, 2017
5-foot-7, 155-pound right-hand hitting middle infielder, with good feet and hands with accurate throws. He throws from a high ¾ slot with short, arm action. His infield throwing velocity was 61 mph from shortstop. At the plate he has a balanced set up with minimal stride, small hand load keeps the bat at the top of the hitting zone. Flat bat path keeps the barrel in the zone throughout the swing.  Lower leg drive will improve with strength. Exit velocity was 71 mph. Ran a 4.87 home to first.

Cayden Zimmerman, MIF, Rock Canyon, 2018
5-foot-10, 149 pounds. Bats and throws right. Zimmerman was voted 2018 player with most tools at event. Zimmerman had a great weekend at the plate, and he was constantly on base. Has athletic stance with smooth load and fast bat speed through the zone with good extension through the ball. Gap to gap power generated 74 mph exit velocity. On defense Zimmerman has very quick actions and looks the part. Very quick feet and good range. Threw 75 mph across the diamond with accuracy. Ran a 7.09 60 time, one of the top times at the event. Player to follow in 2018.

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