Underclass Games: Outfield Analysis

PLANO, TX - Players from the 2020 and 2021 classes met at Prestonwood Christian Academy on Saturday, October 21 in Prep Baseball Report Texas’ Fall Underclass Games. The event was loaded with talented sophomores and freshman from around the state. Here is the outfield analysis from that event.

Outfield Analysis

+ Kevin Garcia, OF/RHP, Richland HS, 2020
Garcia is an all-around athletic player with a strong, quick twitch frame at 5-foot-10, 175-pounds. The two-way player has real presence on the field, and was one of the best overall players at the event. A right-handed hitter, Garcia starts from an open stance and loads with simple rhythm as he triggers his hands and turns into a short stride, landing balanced. Showed good bat speed (87 mph) and strength at contact with gap power. Made hard contact during the game, crushing a double to right-centerfield, gunned down a runner at plate from right field (85 mph) and ran a 7.14 60-yard dash.

+ Garrison Rice, 3B/OF, Hebron HS, 2020
Rice has a strong, muscular frame at 5-foot-11, 184-pounds, and posted some of the top statistical scores in multiple categories at the Underclass Games. A right-handed hitter, starts from a tall, open stance, smooth load back using a toe tap as he triggers his hands. Strides forward as his hands stay back, maintaining balance and landing balanced with good separation. Simple weight transfer, generates high end bat speed (94 mph) with his overall strength, ball jumps off his bat with gap power. In the outfield, Rice has fluid footwork and rhythm through the catch with an athletic crow hop. Throws with accuracy from a high-¾ slot with loose arm swing and good hand speed (90 mph). On the infield, he plays with a bounce in his step as works through the ball with fluid footwork and soft hands. Threw 87 mph across the infield with a strong, quick arm stroke from a high-¾ slot. With his overall strength, projectable power and ability to play two positions, Rice will be a valuable addition to a recruiting class.

+ Kameron Weil, 2B/OF, Arlington Lamar HS, 2020
Weil is a fast-twitch left-handed hitter that can play multiple positions at 5-foot-9, 150-pounds. Began the day by running an event best 6.74 60-yard dash, which carried over to the game where he ran home to first times of 4.19, and 4.12 from the left side of the plate. He starts from a tall, open stance, using an early, relaxed load to trigger his hands back over his shoulder as he strides forward, landing soft. Quick-twitch hands with strength at contact, flat, compact path through the zone, good extension out front with a strong top hand and loose-high finish. Tons of line drives during batting practice, flashing gap power to the pull side with an exit velocity of 86 mph. Made hard contact during the game with two hard ground balls to shortstop. Gets to full speed quickly out of the box, aggressive base runner. In the outfield, Weil has quick footwork and made accurate throws from a long, over the top slot at 80 mph. On the infield, he can change direction quickly, moving with long strides with good athleticism and range. Soft hands out front, funnels ball into midline, threw 85 mph across the diamond.

+ Tyler Collins, OF, McKinney Boyd HS, 2021
Collins has a quick-twitch, lean-muscular frame at 5-foot-10, 155-pounds. The freshman ran one of the fastest 60-times of the event, posting a 6.92. His speed translated to the base paths where he gave pitchers fits, stealing multiple bags. The left-handed hitter has a flat swing and line drive approach, he walked and ran a 4.33 home to first time on a hard ground ball to shortstop. Collins starts from a relaxed, tall, open stance, simple load back with a short stride to land square as he slots his hands down and back. Smooth swing, barrel gets through the zone quick with a flat path and slight front arm bar. Snaps the barrel through contact with good extension out front and an exit velocity of 82 mph. Line drive approach with hard contact through the middle of the field and good feel for the barrel. In the outfield, Collins has solid range and cuts distance with good rhythm as he approaches the ball. Accurate throws from a short, ¾ arm slot with a max velocity of 80 mph.

+ Kyler Heyne, RHP/2B, Reedy HS, 2020  
Heyne has an athletic, high-waisted, long-limbed, projectable frame at 6-foot-1, 175-pounds. A two-way player and right-handed hitter with quick-twitch hands. Heyne starts from a slightly open stance with good flex in his lower half and rhythm in his hands. Uses a smooth load as he triggers his hands back with a reverse leg lift. Short stride, lands balanced, rotates his lower half as he transfers his weight through contact. Short, flat path to contact, line drive approach with a loose finish produced an exit velocity of 82 mph. In the outfield, he plays with a bounce in his step as he comes through the ball with an athletic transfer and smooth crow hop, making accurate throws to the plate at 83 mph. On the infield, Heyne made accurate throws at 85 mph across the diamond and shows soft hands as he plays through the ball.

+ Katcher Halligan, 1B/OF, St. Johns HS, 2021
Halligan has a strong, sturdy frame for a freshman at 5-foot-11, 175-pounds. The left-handed hitter has has a good overall feel for hitting with loose-quick hands and an exit velocity of 85 mph. He starts from a relaxed, tall, open stance, smooth load as he triggers his hands, then strides forward toward the mound, landing square. Does a nice job of keeping his hands back, rides his legs with a linear weight transfer. Loose-quick hands with a short, flat path, whips the barrel through contact with a loose finish. Handles the ball on the outer half, but can also pull his hands through to get to an inside fastball and elevate to the pull side. During the game, he smoked a fastball back through the middle for a single. In the outfield, Halligan plays through the ball with quickish footwork and throws from a short, high-¾ slot at 75 mph.

+ Jack Peterson, OF/2B, Round Rock HS, 2020
Peterson has a long-limbed, high-waisted, projectable frame at 6-foot, 145-pounds, with plenty of room to add strength in the coming years. The left-handed hitter shows rhythm and balance with a fluid hack and more bat speed and power to come in the future. He starts from a slightly open open stance, then rocks back with a simple-smooth load as he triggers his hands back, landing into a soft stride with good separation. His hands work well through the zone with a flat path and strength at contact (80 mph exit velo) and loose finish of the barrel. Took a solid round of batting practice with bullets from the middle to opposite field side, but still turned on a couple balls to elevate to the pull side. During the game, he did a nice job staying on the ball when he singled sharply through the left side vs. a LHP. In the outfield, Peterson plays through the ball with rhythm, and made accurate throws from a high-¾ slot with a long arm swing at 76 mph.

+ Trent Warstler, OF/RHP, Wakeland HS, 2020
Warstler has an athletic, muscular frame 5-foot-11, 175-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a balanced, slightly open stance, simple load as triggers his hands and turns his front knee in. Short stride into his launch position as his hands slot down into the zone with a slight front arm bar. Warstler has a quick bat and shows strength at contact with good carry to the pull side and a slightly uphill path. Projectable hitter, pull side approach with gap power and an exit velocity of 82 mph. In the outfield, Warstler shows athleticism with smooth footwork and rhythm through the ball. Soft hands, clean, easy exchange into a loose-quick arm swing from a high-¾ slot with high accuracy at 85 mph.

+ Jaden Hill, OF/1B, Wakeland HS, 2021
Hill has sturdy, strong frame at 5-foot-9, 175-pounds. The left-handed hitter has fast-twitch hands and quick rhythm as he triggers his hands back, lands balanced with a short stride. Smooth hack through the zone with a short, slightly uphill path. Ultra-quick hands, strong contact, ball jumps off his bat with an exit velocity of 77 mph, gap approach and fluid finish. In the outfield, Hill plays through the ball with an athletic crow hop, and throws accurately from a high-¾ slot with a loose arm swing at 75 mph.

+ Madison Lay, RHP/OF, Prosper HS, 2020  
Lay has a strong lower half and broad shoulders with a 6-foot-1, 225-pound frame.  A two-way player and right-handed hitter, Lay starts from tall, balanced, slightly open stance with pre-set hands and front arm bar. Short stride to start his swing, lands balanced. Hips rotate to contact as his weight shifts forward, barrel gets on plane early, uphill path creates some carry to the pull side with an exit velocity of 83 mph. In the outfield, Lay plays through the ball with smooth footwork, rhythm, and clean exchange into his high-¾ arm swing with accuracy at 80 mph.