By Chris Fuller
PBR Tennessee

The second of our two Preseason Preview events took place at Turner Baseball Academy in Chattanooga on January 31, and there were several solid performances turned in. Complete stats and top statistical performers were previously posted shortly after the event.

CLICK HERE to view that information.

The following is a look at the group of pitchers who attended the event. This is pitching analysis only. Those pitchers who also participated as a position player at the event will have that performance featured in a subsequent article.

pitchers

Camden Sewell, RHP, Cleveland, 2018
Max FB: 88, FB: 84-86, CB: 71-74, CH: 77-79
6-foot-3, 165-pound RHP with long/lanky frame that offers high projectability, arm action is loose and clean and works through a high-3/4 slot, stays tall and uses leverage well, fastball showed hard and late arm-side life seemingly jumping out of his hand, curveball showed some inconsistency, a product of not always getting over his front side with it, the good ones he threw showed sharp 11/5, changeup was impressive as he shows advanced feel for the pitch and throws it with good arm action as it displayed solid arm-side sink and fade. With his frame and clean arm action, there is undoubtedly more velocity in the tank for the sophomore who established himself as one of the top arms in the 2018 class.

Seth Wicker, LHP, Signal Mountain, 2017
Max FB: 84, FB: 80-83, CB: 71-73, CH: 78-80,
6-foot-3, 190-pound LHP has a great pitcher's frame and impressed in his bullpen session. Long arm action works through a high-3/4 arm slot, regular effort in smooth/repeatable delivery, fastball showed good arm-side life, and his two-seamer displayed good sinking action. He also featured a curveball with sharp 1/7 action when he got out front with it and a 78-80 mph changeup thrown with good arm speed and action. Expect to see additional velocity from Wicker as he emerges as a top lefty in the 2017 class.

Wilson Maclellan, RHP, Baylor, 2017
Max FB: 85, FB: 84-85, CB: 67-70, CH: 75-77,
6-foot, 200-pound RHP showed the ability to throw consistent strikes with all three pitches, uses long and loose arm action through a high-3/4 slot with normal effort in delivery, good tempo, fastball showed  late arm-side life, good feel for the curveball that showed solid 12/6 action with some depth, also showed advanced feel for his changeup that was one of the best of the event with late sinking action and good velocity difference and deception off the fastball.

Levi Everett, RHP, Powell, 2017
Max FB: 86, FB: 79-83, CB: 66-70, CH: 71-75,
6-foot-1, 205-pound RHP with strong lower half, long arm action works through a ¾ slot, some effort in an up tempo delivery, throws a heavy fastball with late arm-side life, lower half gets ahead of arm at times on curveball leaving it up and arm-side but did throw a few with sharp 11/5 action when everything was in sequence, showed good feel for changeup that he threw consistently for strikes , changeup showed good deception in mimicking the action of his fastball. Everett shows very good potential and would expect velocity to be more consistent in the spring.

Alec Lubas, OF/LHP, Ravenwood, 2018
Max FB: 82, FB: 80-81, CB: 69-73, CH: 71-73, KN: 69-74
6-foot-2, 202-pound lefty with strong frame uses shorter arm action through an over the top slot, arm shows some quickness, normal effort in delivery, fastball mostly straight and thrown for consistent strikes, shows good feel for his curveball that has solid 12/6 action, changeup shows good late sink and fade at times with good velocity difference off the fastball. Also showed a knuckleball with late movement. Lubas is a very interesting prospect who also impressed as one of the top position players at the event.

Ryan Franklin, RHP, Brentwood Academy, 2016
Max FB: 84, FB: 82-84, CH: 76-79, SL: 73-77, SPLT: 75
6-foot-2, 220-pound prospect with a strong lower half throws from a ¾ arm slot with quick arm speed, regular effort in delivery, Franklin’s  ¾ slot produces good arm-side run on fastball, slider showed late bite while he showed the ability to throw it for strikes, changeup with good sink and fade plays well off the fastball though could use a bigger velocity difference at times, also showed a splitter with late sinking action but had trouble locating it for strikes on this occasion. Franklin has committed to Kalamazoo College (MI) since the conclusion of the event.

Christian Dixon, RHP/SS, Ensworth, 2018
Max FB: 82, FB: 80-82, CB: 64-68, CH: 66-69,
5-foot-11, 180-pound RHP uses long/clean arm action through a high-3/4 slot, regular effort in delivery, throws the fastball for strikes with two-seamer showing some late sink, curveball has potential but struggled at times to get over front side with it, threw a few curveballs in the strike zone with sharp 11/5 action, changeup is solid thrown with near fastball arm speed in the strike zone with good sink and fade. Dixon has the potential to be a top Class of 2018 prospect.

Garrett Schultz, OF/RHP, Ensworth, 2019
Max FB: 81, FB: 79-80, CB: 65-67, CH: 70-72
5-foot-10, 150-pound RHP  shows well above average velocity for age, arm works through a high-3/4 slot with some quickness and regular effort, fastball is thrown for strikes and shows solid arm-side run, showed better feel for his curveball as he progressed through his bullpen session, curveball shows 12/6 action, has very good feel for a solid changeup with late run and sink. Schultz is a potential high-level Class of 2019 prospect who will only get better as he adds to his slender frame.

Teddy Lepcio, RHP/1B, Baylor, 2018
Max FB: 79, FB: 77-79, CB: 67-68, CH: 73-75,
6-foot-1, 185-pound, interesting sidearm RHP with minimal effort delivery, showed ability to locate all pitches in the strike zone, sidearm slot produces very good sink and run to the arm-side that can get in on the hands of right-handed hitters, showed good feel for the curveball and did a good job staying on top of it from his arm slot producing sharp 10/4 action, changeup has solid potential but can use bigger velocity difference off the fastball at times. Lepcio is a very intriguing mound prospect who should continue to develop nicely.

John Curtis, RHP, McMinn County, 2018
Max FB: 82, FB: 80-82, CB: 64-66, CH: 71-72,
6-foot-1, 175-pound RHP shows above average velocity for age, use long arm action that works through a ¾ slot, separates from glove early, deliberate delivery, four-seam fastball showed occasional cutting action while two-seamer showed some arm-side run, located most curveballs in the strike zone with 11/5 shape, gets around the changeup producing occasional cutting action down in the zone, has potential to pick up additional velocity especially with some mechanical adjustments.

Spencer Keylon, 3B/RHP, Soddy Daisy, 2018
Max FB: 80, FB: 76-78, CB: 67-69, CH: 68-70,
6-foot-3, 170-pound RHP, long and lanky frame with very good projection, long arm action works cleanly through a ¾ slot, showed the ability to throw all pitches for strikes in his bullpen session, fastball shows very good arm-side run (especially two-seam FB), curveball shows good depth and sharp 11/5 action, changeup is a solid pitch with good fading action and thrown with good arm action. Keylon’s frame and arm action should lead to more velocity. He’s a 2018 prospect to keep a close eye on.

Daniel Willie, RHP/OF, Ooltewah, 2017
Max FB: 81, FB: 77-79, CB: 62-66, CH: 66-70,
6-foot-2, 175-pound RHP, good pitcher’s frame with projection, uses long arm action and works through an over the top slot with regular effort, good tempo in delivery, showed the ability to pound the strike zone with all pitches, two-seam fastball shows arm-side run, curveball has solid depth and threw some with sharp 11/5 action, good feel for changeup and stays behind it well to produce good sink and fade with deception off the fastball, would not be surprised to see velocity gains from the projectable right-hander.

Edgar Parker IV, RHP/1B, Clarkrange, 2017
Max FB: 79, FB: 78-79, CB: 66-70, CH: 68-71, KN: 65-70
6-foot-5, 188-pound RHP with great pitcher’s frame that projects well at the next level, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot, mostly straight fastball was thrown for strikes, had limited feel for his curveball which he tended to bury, showed good feel for his changeup that was thrown with good arm action for strikes, also showed a knuckleball that missed up. Parker’s size makes him one to watch in the 2017 class.

Anders Cook, RHP, Hardin Valley, 2018
Max FB: 79, FB: 77-79, CB: 64-65, CH: 72-73,
6-foot-3, 190-pound RHP uses shorter backside arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with normal effort, fastball showed occasional good arm-side run (especially two-seamer), shows some feel for curveball with some located in the strike zone with gradual 11/5 action, overall feel and action on his changeup made it his best secondary pitch with late sink and fade through the zone. Cook is a 2018 RHP to watch with good size and the potential to add velocity.

Avery Conkin, LHP/OF/1B, Science Hill, 2017
Max FB: 77, FB: 76-77, CB: 63-64, CH: 70-71,
6-foot-3,210-pound left with strong frame has shown slightly better velocity at previous events (up to 79), arm slot was slightly lower on this occasion (mostly ¾) that produced more arm-side run on his fastball, curveball continues to be a solid pitch thrown for strikes with 1/7 action and very good depth, showed his best changeup to date with very good arm-side action and sink. The velocity gains have yet to come for Conkin, but he has shown good pitchability with is stuff and the ability to get hitters out.

Cruz Bautista, 2B/RHP, McCallie, 2017
Max FB: 79, FB: 75-78, CB: 66-69, KN: 66-67
6-foot-1, 155-pound RHP uses shorter/quick arm action that works through a ¾ slot with some effort in delivery, lands open on occasion, recoils at times on finish, fastball action varied between occasional arm-side run and cutting action, threw some strikes with the curveball that showed average 11/5 action, throws a knuckleball as a changeup that had some movement in the strike zone.

Skylar Stalcup, RHP/SS, Powell, 2018
Max FB: 78, FB: 77-78, CB: 67-69, CH: 69-71,
6-foot-1, 168-pound RHP uses a fairly long motion and a shorter arm action through a high-3/4 to over the top arm slot with regular effort in delivery, arm shows relative quickness, fastball comes in on downward plane and throws it for consistent strikes, showed good feel for curveball that showed better depth from previous events with mostly 11/5 action, settled in to throw a solid changeup especially from the stretch, will likely continue to see velocity gains.

Matthew Stubblefield, OF/RHP, Bearden, 2018
Max FB: 77, FB: 75-77, CB: 64-68, CH: 67-69,
5-foot-11, 165-pound RHP uses shorter arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, stays online with lower half, regular effort in delivery, fastball is thrown for strikes and is mostly straight, curveball was consistently around the strike zone with 11/5 action and some depth, stays behind  a very solid changeup well to produce good sink and fade, changeup is thrown with good arm action for consistent strikes.

Dillon Holman, RHP/3B, Tullahoma, 2016
Max FB: 78, FB: 73-77, CB: 62-67, CH: 64-70
5-foot-11, 180-pound RHP uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort, good rhythm and tempo in delivery that he repeats well, throws his fastball for strikes, mainly straight, curveball shows gradual 11/5 action and shows some feel for the pitch, changeup is straight and was able to locate it consistently around the strike zone.

Tait Phillips, RHP, Heritage, 2017
Max FB: 64, FB: 63-64, CB: 54-58, CH: 58-60,
5-foot-11, 180-pound submarine style RHP did not show a much velocity as he has at previous events (69-73 mph previously), seemed to be more comfortable working from the stretch, fastball shows good arm-side run, shows the ability to throw the curveball for strikes, changeup is solid and shows good fading action and deception off the fastball. Phillips could bring value to a college program out of the bullpen given his unconventional arm slot but would like to see the velocity come back up.

Cas Blevins, LHP/1B, University School Johnson City, 2018
Max FB: 71, FB: 67-70, CB: 48-52, CH: 53-57
6-foot, 155-pound LHP uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 arm slot, lands closed and works across body, fastball is mostly straight but two-seamer did show some arm-side run, throws the fastball for strikes, secondary pitches need development, slows arm on curveball that showed minimal action and missed up in the zone, also slows arm on changeup with limited feel for the pitch.