By Doug Hall
Tennessee Director of Scouting

The PBR Tennessee Fall Top Prospect Games event took place at Lipscomb University on November 1 and afforded close to 60 players the opportunity to showcase their abilities in a combination showcase/game play event. Despite abnormally chilly conditions, some solid performances were turned in as some players established themselves as potential high-level prospects.

Below we take an in depth look at the group of catchers that participate during the event.

Jake Hagenow, C, R/R, Farragut, 2017
6-foot-1, 170-pound prospect with a good height and a lanky frame that should fill out. The right-handed hitting catcher starts with a spread stance, toe tap stride, good lower torque, level swing path, shows line drive ability, 79 mph exit velocity, ran 4.91 home to first time, went 1-for-4 in game play. Flashes a quick arm behind the plate with consistent accuracy, 1.91-2.03 pop time, short arm action with a ¾ arm slot, 73 mph arm velocity, quick, natural defensive instincts, soft hands, good lateral movement. Size, and skill level give Hagenow good upside, and should continue to develop into a top 2017 prospect.

Jackson Greer, C, R/R, Knoxville Central, 2016
Greer is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect with a big/strong frame. The right-handed hitter hits from a balanced, spread stance, slight leg kick, explosive lower half, level swing, good extension, shows line drive ability with a gap to gap approach, 83 mph bat exit velocity, had another solid round of batting practice, shows he can drive the ball when he puts it all together, went 0-for-3 in game play with solid contact. Another defensive effort consistent with his East Tennessee College Prospect Showcase performance in September. 1.89-2.01 pop times, 78 mph arm velocity, quick release from the high- ¾ arm slot with medium arm action, accurate throws with line carry to the bag, quick footwork. Prospect to follow from the 2016 class.

Carson Carroll, C, R/R, Independence, 2017
5-foot-11, 175-pound prospect with good size. Has a quiet approach at the plate, open stance, smooth load, short stride, slight head movement, short, uphill swing that generates lift, good extension through the zone, shows power potential, was 0-for-4 in game play with a noticeable round of batting practice. Uses ¾ arm slot, short arm action, 75 mph arm velocity, 2.03-2.13 pop time, had a pick-off on first base during game play. 2017 with some projectability.

Collin Hopkins, C, R/R, Ensworth, 2016
5-foot-10, 175-pound prospect who has shown improvement, mainly in his approach at the plate since the North Tennessee College Prospect Showcase in August. The sturdy-framed right handed hitter starts from a balanced stance, has added a short stride, lets ball get deep, good lower half, level swing path, shows line drive ability, solid batting practice round, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to left center field, 4.75 home to first time. Good lateral movement behind the plate, good exchange, high- ¾ arm slot, short arm action, has shown 2.00-2.10 pop times with 71 mph arm strength. Continues to show progression. Solid 2016 prospect.

Tyler Cunningham, C, R/R, Greenwood (KY), 2016
5-foot-10, 165-pound prospect was consistent with previous performances at past PBR events. Showed better rhythm at the plate, flashed hitting ability to all parts of the field during batting practice and in game, went 2-for-4 with a single down the third base line and another single to right field during game play, 4.89 home to first. Behind the plate Cunningham showed a cleaner exchange and improved blocking skills, exchange was quicker and throws were accurate to the bag, has shown 1.96-2.06 pop times with 76 mph arm strength.

Logan Adams, C, R/R, Knoxville Christian, 2017
5-foot-9, 155-pound athlete has a smaller frame with room to fill out. Adams hits from a balanced stance, high hands, quiet load, good balance, good lower usage, line drive approach, showed ability to use all parts of the field, good extension, 76 mph bat velocity, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single down the third base line, 4.53 home to first. Uses medium arm action from high- ¾ arm slot, arm strength should continue to improve at 69 mph, 2.21-2.30 pop times shows above average hands, clean exchange.