Underclass Games: 2016, 2017 Position Player Analysis
October 29, 2013
By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas
On Saturday, October 19th Prep Baseball Report Kansas hosted the Kansas Underclass Prospect Games, our first-ever event at Tointon Family Stadium in Manahttan, Kansas. The invite-only event was limited to 35 players split into two teams. Below are the scouting reports on the Class of 2016 and 2017 position players in the event. All of the position players have video clips hitting and fielding posted in their profiles, to see the video of a player click on their headline to be directed to their PBR profile.
EVENT RANKINGS - CLASS OF 2016-2017 POSITION PLAYERS
1. Will Brennan, OF, Blue Valley HS, Class of 2016: The 5-foot-11, 155-pound Brennan was the standout 2-way player at the event. As mentioned in the class of 2016 pitching recap from the event Brennan makes playing baseball look easy as both a left-handed pitcher and left-hand hitting centerfielder. At the plate he has loose hands and a simple swing built to produce line drives in the middle of the field. He showed excellent balance throughout his swing. Forecasting a future role as a lead-off batter at the next level, he hit first in game 1 for the Red team and reached base 3 times going 2-for-3 with a walk and stolen base. His exit velocity was clocked at 79 mph and ran a 4.52 home to 1B time. In the pre-game defensive evaluations he used quick feet, clean exchanges and a long, clean, over-the-top arm action to make one accurate throw after another. His throwing velocity was clocked at 84 mph. He has the tools and skill set of a good all-around baseball player right now with the chance to emerge as one of the best in the Midwest 2016 class.
2. Jack Duke, C, Blue Valley Northwest HS, Class of 2016: Duke is another physically impressive sophomore in high school that attended this event. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound catcher hits with an athletic, balanced stance and smooth load. He’s a line-drive type of hitter with a short path to the ball. Duke shows excellent balance throughout his swing and flattened out a number of balls into right centerfield. His exit velocity was clocked at 84 mph. He collected two hits in the game, including a triple. Duke’s home to 1B time was 4.51. He just recently started catching but showed quick feet and a clean exchange throwing to 2B. His pop time was 2.05 with a 78 mph throwing velocity. His catching stood out in the game showing good receiving skills, overall quickness and throwing out multiple base runners trying to steal. Duke is one of the top class of 2016 catching prospects in Kansas.
3. AJ Knight, OF, Mill Valley HS, Class of 2016: Knight is 5-foot-8, 150-pound athletic L-L outfielder. Everything he does looks athletic and easy. During batting practice Knight showed a very simple approach with a balanced set up, no load and no stride – consequently he has a very repeatable swing. He has quick hands and good extension. Very much a line drive approach to hitting his exit velocity was clocked at 77 mph. He ran a 4.38 home to 1B. The future top of the line-up college player already shows a knack for reaching base doing so 3 out of 6 times in the games (2 walks and a single). In the outfield he showed good athleticism with quick feet and clean exchanges. He threw with a ¾ slot short, simple arm action with some accuracy. Knight’s throwing velocity was clocked at 73 mph. Knight is a good baseball player now and profiles out well as an athletic L-L centerfielder, lead-off/2-hole hitter at the next level.
4. McCae Allen, 1B, Bishop Carroll HS, Class of 2016: Allen is a solidly built 6-foot-3, 190-pound right-hand hitting first baseman. In pre-game batting practice he showed a balanced set up, smooth load and short stride. He has current strength resulting in excellent body control and balance throughout his swing. He has an advanced gap-to-gap approach with good extension. Allen’s exit velocity registered at 84 mph – tied with Jack Duke for the highest among the Class of 2016-2017 group. Allen stood out in the game going 2-for-3 with a double. His home to 1B time was 4.75. At fist base he showed average footwork and clean exchanges. His throwing velocity was clocked at 70 mph. His calling card is his bat and power potential. We project him to be a presence in the middle of the order at the next level. Allen also pitched an inning in game 2, for a report on his performance click here.
BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY BY LAST NAME)
Tyler Clark, IF, Blue Springs South HS, Class of 2016: Clark is physical 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-hand hitting third baseman. Hitting-wise he showed a balanced stance, with a simple load and leg-kick. He has a gap-to-gap approach delivering a number of line drives in the middle of the field. He utilizes present upper body strength and good hands to hit with a lower half that could get more involved to produce more power. His exit velocity was timed at 81 mph. Clark’s home to 1B time was 4.58. At 3B he fielded everything cleanly and made mostly accurate throws. His throwing velocity was timed at 70 mph. Clark also pitched in the event, for a detailed scouting report on his performance click here.
Cole Duensing, IF, Blue Valley Northwest HS, Class of 2016: The 6-foot, 140-pound Duensing is a young sophomore with plenty of room to fill out. The left-hand hitting infielder hits from an open stance and long stride, diving towards the plate. He showed good rhythm but his swing is somewhat long right now – a sign of lack of present strength more than a long-term mechanical issue. His exit velocity was timed at 77 mph. He was timed from home to 1B at 4.68. In the game he went 1-for-3 with a walk and double. As an infielder he showed average hands and fluid footwork using a long ¾ throwing motion. Duensing’s throwing velocity was clocked at 76 mph. Being a left-hand hitting infielder with an athletic frame that hasn’t come close to filling out, he’s a very interesting prospect to follow. Duensing also performed well in his 1 inning of work on the mound, to read more about it click here.
Cole Emerson, IF, Shawnee Heights HS, Class of 2017: The youngest player in the camp, Emerson is a switch-hitting 5-foot-10, 140-pound middle-infielder who can also play the outfield. Despite being younger and smaller than the other campers, Emerson held his own and never backed down. At the plate he has a balanced set-up and uses a leg-kick. He’s a slap-type hitter that drags his bat a little right now – something that will get better with strength. His exit velocity was timed at 70 mph. His at bats in the game were very competitive, reaching base in 5 out of 7 plate appearances with 2 hits and 3 walks. Emerson’s home to 1B time was 4.75. During infield drills he showed average footwork and he throws with a long-ish arm path but he got after it and made a number of solid plays – good actions and athleticism are in there, he just needs time to develop physically. His throws from shortstop were clocked at 68. We look forward to following Emerson the next several years.
Landon Whitmore, OF, Wichita Northwest HS, Class of 2016: Whitmore is a long-legged, athletic 6-foot, 160-pound R-R outfielder. During batting practice he showed a balanced stance with no-stride/short-stride. He bars his arm a bit in his hand load but still produced some bat speed and good extension. His exit velocity was 78 mph and he ran a 4.50 home to 1B. In the outfield he showed quick feet and threw with long loose arm action from a ¾ slot. His throwing velocity registered 78 mph on the radar gun. Rangy athletes have a tendency to improve as baseball players at a rapid pace as they grow into their frames and Whitmore definitely falls into this category. He’s also an athletic RHP strike-pumper on the mound, to read more about his pitching performance at the event click here.
ADDITIONAL underclass prospect games covereage
- KS Underclass Prospect Games Results10.23.13
