By Matt Byrd
Tennessee Director of Scouting

The first ever PBR Team Tennessee will travel to Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana for the 2015 PBR Future Games event July 30 – August 1 that is the premier summer scouting event for uncommitted Class of 2017 prospects and select 2018 prospects. Last year, more than 110 Division I colleges from all over the country were in attendance at the event.

Every player in the PBR Future Games will be outfitted in an Under Armour uniform, cleats and hat. Players will also receive maximum visibility from college coaches all over the country, in addition to being promoted through the Prep Baseball Report multimedia platforms. 

Each state team will play three games. On Thursday prior to game play, all position players will be put through a showcase workout in which they will run 60s, take batting practice and be evaluated at their primary position.

While this will be the first year Tennessee will have its own team in the event, it’s not the first year players from the state have participated. Farragut’s Duncan Pence and Hardin Valley’s Tyler Thompson participated as a member of Team Select last summer which combined players from several PBR states. Both players performed well, with Pence being selected as the MVP of the event.

With a little less than three months remaining until the event, Team Tennessee is beginning to take shape as a handful of players have been selected to the roster, while others have firmly put themselves on our radar for consideration. The Top Prospect Games on June 9-10 at the University of Tennessee and the Underclass Games at MTSU on June 23-24 will be used to finalize the roster.

The final roster for Team Tennessee will include 18-20 players. For now, here is a look at the six players who have been selected thus far to represent Team Tennessee.

Player: Corbin Brooksbank
Position: RHP/OF
Class: 2017
High School: McCallie
Height: 5-11
Weight: 170
Bats/Throws: R/R
60-yard Dash: 6.78
Position Velocity: 86
Exit Velocity: 91
Fastball: 88-91
Curveball: 77-78
Slider: 78-80
Changeup: 80-82

Brooksbank is an athletic two-way prospect who put on a show at the Preseason All-State Showcase. The right-handers fastball sat 88-90 mph touching 91 on one occasion, and flashed quality secondary pitches to go along with his fastball. Brooksbank also impressed as a position player with the combination of speed, arm strength and power at the plate.  He is playing a key role for McCallie this spring as a two-way player in helping lead the Blue Tornado to a 23-8 record.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Player: Philip Clarke
Position: C
Class: 2017
High School: Christ Presbyterian Academy
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175
Bats/Throws: L/R
60-yard Dash: 7.22
Position Velocity: 75
Pop Times: 1.96-2.08
Exit Velocity: 87

The left-handed hitting catcher took one of the most impressive rounds of batting practice at the Preseason All-State Showcase with a barrage of hard line drives to all fields while showing his potential to hit for power. Defensively, Clarke showed good receiving skills and blocking ability. He is an athletic presence behind the plate who showed 75 mph arm strength from the crouch with pop times that ranged from 1.96-2.08. He showed good footwork and direction on his throws to the bag with a quick glove to hand transfer. Clarke has played a key role in leading CPA to a 26-9 record and District 12-AA championship this spring.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Player: Bass Cooper
Position: 1B
Class: 2018
High School: Knoxville Central
Height: 6-3
Weight: 175
Bats/Throws: S/R
Home to first base: 4.69
Position Velocity: 74
Exit Velocity: 89

The switch-hitting first baseman shows an advanced ability to hit from both sides of the plate for a young prospect. Cooper hit over .400 batting in the three spot for Central. As he continues to fill out his frame and get stronger, he should have no problem developing into a power threat from both sides of the plate, a rarity for a high school hitter.

Player: Jake Hagenow
Position: C
Class: 2017
High School: Farragut
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170
Bats/Throws: R/R
Home to first base: 4.91
Position Velocity: 74
Pop Times: 1.91-2.03
Exit Velocity: 79

Sitting behind a senior catcher at Farragut, Hagenow’s bat made it a necessity to have him in the everyday lineup at first base for the Admirals. He hit in the five spot in the Farragut lineup most of the season and hit well in a run-producing role. Hagenow is solid behind the plate as a quality receiver and blocker with good catch-and-throw skills. He has been vital in Farragut’s 34-6 season this spring that includes a District 4-AAA Championship.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Player: Bryce Hodge
Position: 3B/SS
Class: 2017
High School: Halls
Height: 6-2
Weight: 188
Bats/Throws: R/R
60-Yard Dash: 7.44
Home to first base: 4.70
Position Velocity: 77
Exit Velocity: 89

Hodge was an extra-base hit machine for Halls this spring in the No. 3 spot in the lineup. He showed his power potential at the Preseason All-State Showcase and transferred it to the field as he hit 10 doubles, two triples and five home runs while driving in 38 runs for the Red Devils. While Hodge plays a lot of SS for Halls, he likely projects as a 3B at the next level.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Player: Matt Young
Position: 1B
Class: 2017
High School: Maryville
Height: 6-2
Weight: 215
Bats/Throws: L/L
Home to first base: 4.69
Position Velocity: 74
Exit Velocity: 83

Young is a strong and athletic first baseman who showed big power potential at the East TN Prospect Showcase in January. He played a key role in helping lead Maryville to a 21-11 record this spring. He has a short and compact swing with good extension through contact and has the potential to develop into one of the top left-handed power bats in Tennessee’s 2017 class.