2018 Rankings Spotlight: Top Uncommitted Corner Infielders

3.19.17 - Strong natural muscular frame. Hit from an athletic set up at the plate. Pull type swing. Showed off power potential with a long drive off the top of the fence to left center. Slight uphill in lift. Showed some rhythm and balance at the plate. Moves around the bag well at first.

3/15/17 - Physically advanced strength in compact solid frame. Hits from an athletic setup, closes off slightly to hitting position, creates bat some speed at the plate. Dives to ball at times. Strong shows ability to drive the baseball.

2.11.17:  Darcy is 6-3 with a lanky frame, hits from the left side from an upright balanced stance. Short stride on line smooth load back, good rhythm to swing. Good explosion in hips and good balance throughout swing. Short to the ball with extension through it, quick bat works uphill through the ball, line drive hitter with some power potential, exit velocity was 91. In the infield, good footwork and above average hands, plays through ball well into a quick clean release. Short, quick arm action from three-quarters arm slot, position velocity was 87.

4.15.16:  Darcy has a lanky athletic frame and is a good defender at third with good first step quickness. He has a short, loose, high three-quarters arm that is above average right now with the potential to be good. He has soft hands and fluid release. Darcy hits from the left side from an athletic stance with stride on line forward and a slight load into a wrap. He has a good lower half with good balance throughout his swing. Takes a short path to the ball with quick hands and good extension through the ball. He has good batspeed and easy gap power with the potential for more.

4.15.15-  Darcy has an athletic frame and already has an average arm from the outfield and decent actions out there. He hits from the left side and has an open, athletic stance that starts with his hands back. He has a smooth swing path and decent bat speed. As he develops he has the potential to develop into a gap or better hitter.

5.19.17: Eames has an athletic frame with a strong lower half. Arm has some carry from the outfield, can be a bit wild. At the plate, hits from the right side, is short to the ball with good extension through it and an uphill path. Open stance, good balance and hips, leg kick stride. Has batspeed with power potential to all fields, hit the top of fence cap in dead center on a ball he didn’t square.

8.9.17:  Fitzpatrick is 5-11 with an athletic frame, he hits from the right side from a slightly open balanced stance. Short leg kick stride on line, smooth load back to a bar, some rhythm to his swing. Some hip rotation and good balance to swing. Level line drive swing, pull preference with some pop to pull side, exit velocity was 92. At third, clean footwork and fields ball with above average hands. Quick clean exchange, works through ball to throw from a low three-quarters arm slot with a short arm action, infield velocity was 80. Ran a 7.28 60 yard dash.

3.21.16  Fontana hits from the left side with an open, athletic stance. He has a smooth load back with a stride forward. He has a good lower half with balance throughout his swing. Fontana is short to the ball and showed a pull approach with good knowledge of the strike zone.

1.18.16: Fontana stand an athletic 6-0 tall and has a loose, quick arm action. He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and gets good downward plane on his pitches. His fastball was 76-78.

9.23.15:  On the mound, Fontana has a smooth delivery and throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. He has long, loose arm action and a quick arm that generates easy velocity. His shoulders are closed and slightly uphill as he strides out on line to a slightly closed landing. Fontana’s fastball was 79-82 with late run. His curveball was very good, with sharp 11/5 break that ran 67-70. He also threw a changeup with very good armspeed that had armside run and sat 75-76.  Offensively, hit from a tall, balanced stance that stood slightly open.  Smooth load back with controlled stride that gets on line.  Good lower half drive to the ball.  Short level path that extends through the ball.  Bat exit velocity of 79 mph.  Decent rhythm and approach to the round.  Line drive hitter with signs of pull power.  In the field, threw from a long, high ¾ arm slot.  Throws had accuracy.  Positional velocity of 71 mph.  Average hands with clean exchanges.  Footwork was decent, but sometimes lacked fluidity.  Showed ability to cover ground at the corner.  Played through the ball.

3.28.17: Kimbel has an athletic frame, above average hands at third and clean footwork. Throws from a three-quarters arm slot, short arm action. Hits from left side, open athletic stance. Short, level line drive swing. Good approach, works middle of the field.

6.14.16:  Kimbel has an athletic 5-10 frame. He throws from a low three-quarters arm slot with a drop and drive delivery. He has a quick, loose arm action and generates easy velocity. Shoulders are uphill and closed as he strides to a closed landing with a slight fall off finish. Fastball had heavy sink and sat 78-81. 10/4 curveball with late, sharp break and good armspeed, running 65-72. Sinking change-up that was 74.

8.9.17:  Pond is 6-2 with an athletic frame, he hits from the right side from an upright slightly open athletic stance. Some hip explosion and some balance to his swing. Level line drive swing, showed good approach working gap to gap, exit velocity was 85. At third, quick clean footwork, fields with a wider base and above average hands. Quick clean exchange, plays through the ball to throw from a lower three-quarters arm slot, short arm action, infield velocity was 78. On the mound, throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a shorter free arm action and normal effort. Shoulders on line and slightly uphill, lands slightly closed with a bit of a fall off finish. Fastball was 77-80 with some late run. Curveball had hard 11/5 break and some armspeed, running 66-68. Threw changeup in warmups with good armspeed and fading action. 

5.15.17:  Interesting junior prospect at the corner. Hits from a crouched, athletic set up. Slight uphill path with finish and some bat speed and quick hands. Moved very well around the bag and showed soft hands fielding and quick, determined actions. Throws had some carry across the diamond. Projectable frame with room to add on.

6.11.16:  Roach has tall, athletic frame. Throws from an over-the-top slot with a short arm action. Fastball has good plane and some run, sitting 80-83, touching 84. 11/5 slider that was 69-70 and a 12/6 curveball at 64.

3.19.16:  Roach is a big kid with an athletic frame and a strong lower half. He hits from the right side and has a slight leg kick stride and a rhythmic load back into a slight arm bar. He has a good lower half and maintains balance throughout his swing. He does a good job of keeping his hands inside the ball. He works a bit uphill with his path and showed a pull approach with good bat speed. Roach has gap power to his pull side and projects to develop home run power to his pull side.

8.9.17:  Willis is 6-2 with a strong lower half, he hits from the left side from a slightly open athletic stance. Short stride on line, short load to a slight wrap, some rhythm to swing. Hips fire completely and has some balance to swing. Short and quick to ball with extension through it, pull preference with a slightly uphill path, has power to pull side, exit velocity was 90. At first, gets behind the ball and fields with average hands. Throws from a three-quarters arm slot, short arm action, infield velocity was 83. On the mound, throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot with a short arm action, normal effort to his delivery. Shoulders uphill and slightly closed, lands slightly closed with a fall off finish. Fastball was 80-82 with some late run to it. Curveball had sharp 2/8 break and was 75-77 with some armspeed. Change-up was 77 with sink and some armspeed.

3.10.17: 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame. Sound arm action throwing from a high 3/4 arm slot. Fastball was straight sitting 80-82 topping out at 83. Falls off slightly to the third base side. Uses lower half, slight drop-n-drive style. At the plate showed quick hands and good balance at the plate. 

2.11.17:  Willis is 6-2 with a strong lower half, hits from the left side from an open athletic stance. Short stride closed, smooth load back, good rhythm to swing. Some hip explosion and some balance during swing. Short to ball, works uphill through it with good extension. Worked gap to gap in his round, but clearly has some power, exit velocity was 90. At first base, good footwork and above average hands, fields with wide base. Clean exchange, plays through ball, throws from low three-quarters arm slot, infield velocity was 80.