2018 Rankings Spotlight: Top Uncommitted Outfielders

8.9.17:  Badin is 5-10 with an athletic frame, he hits from the right side from a slightly open, balanced athletic stance. Stab stride on line, minimal load. Hips explode and has some balance to swing. Short level line drive swing, prefers pull but can work gap to gap, exit velocity was 77 and elevates to pull side. In outfield, quick clean feet, gets behind ball, fields with above average hands, plays through to a clean exchange. Short low three-quarters arm action, ball has some carry and he flashed some accuracy, outfield velocity was 85. Ran a 6.94 60 yard dash.

10.31.15:  Balkin has an athletic 5-10 frame and hits from the right side. He has an athletic stance and wraps a bit as he loads back while taking a longer stride. His hips are explosive and he has average batspeed and an exit velocity of 79 off of the tee. He has a short bat path and extends through the ball. He maintains balance throughout his swing and has currently has a line-drive approach which projects to grow to gap power as he develops. In the outfield, Balkin is an athletic fielder and has a quick, clean release. He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and has an above average arm with a positional velocity of 82.

9.23.15: Balkin has a lanky 5-10 frame and ran a 7.18 60. At the plate, Balkin has an athletic stance and short load back with short stride. He maintains balance throughout his swing and has an explosive lower half. He has above average batspeed and a short stroke with some extension. He posted an exit velocity of 79 off of the tee. In the field, Balkin aggressively attacks the ball and has athletic actions and a quick release. He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot and an above average arm, with a positional velocity of 82.

8.9.17:  Bushby is 5-10 with an athletic frame, he hits from the right side from an athletic stance. Short leg kick stride, short smooth load back. Explosive lower half and some balance to swing. Short to ball, works uphill with a pull fly ball approach, showed some barrel awareness, exit velocity was 83. In the outfield, quick clean footwork, gets behind ball and fields with above average hands. Quick clean exchange, throws from an over the top arm slot with a short, free arm action, outfield velocity was 83. Ran a 6.93 60 yard dash.

7.18.17:  Croley is 5-9 with an athletic frame and a stronger lower half. Hits from the right side from an athletic stance, leg kick stride short load down and back, good rhythm. Explosive lower half and good balance to swing. Short and quick to ball, extends through it, level to slightly uphill swing, line drive hitter with barrel awareness and some gap power potential. Good approach used whole field, exit velocity was 90. Home to first was 4.12 on a drag bunt. In the outfield, clean feet, gets behind the ball, fields it with soft hands. Plays through ball and throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a shorter arm action, outfield velocity was 81, showed some accuracy with his throws.

6.10.16:  Gault has an athletic frame and hits from the right side with an open, crouched stance. Loads into a slight wrap with a leg kick stride. Solid lower half and decent balance. Pull approach with above average bat speed, line drive swing. Has speed, getting up the line in 4.15.

11.5.17: Hennessey is 6-0 with an athletic frame, hits from the right side from an open athletic stance. Short stride on line, smooth load back to an arm bar. Hips rotate fully with some balance to swing. Works straight to the ball, showed good approach, working gap to gap, line drive swing, exit velocity was 85. In the outfield, fields ball with average hands and works through it to a clean exchange. Throws from a high three-quarters arm slot, free arm action, outfield velocity was 84. On the mound, throws from a high three-quarters arm slot, longer loose arm action with some quickness, normal effort to his delivery. Shoulders closed and slightly uphill, lands closed with a slight fall off finish. Fastball was 80-83 with some late run. Slider was 73-75 with late 11/5 break with good armspeed. Change-up was 73-74 with fading action and some armspeed.

8.9.17:  Hennessey is 6-0 with an athletic frame, he hits from the right side from an open upright stance. Short stride on line, smooth load back with a wrap, some rhythm to swing. Explosive lower half and some balance to swing. Slightly uphill line drive swing, works gap to gap, exit velocity was 83. In the outfield, clean feet gets behind ball, fields with average hands. Throws from three-quarters arm slot, short arm action, outfield velocity was 84.

5.4.17: Lankier athletic frame, at third base has clean footwork and a good first step, above average hands, throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a loose arm action. At the plate, short line drive swing with some bat speed, uses the whole field with the ability to drive the ball for extra bases to all fields.

5.20.16:  Hoehn has an athletic frame and has good lateral agility and first step quickness at third base. He has an above average arm that is accurate. At the late, Hoehn hits from the right side and is very short to the ball with above average bat speed.

8.9.17:  Ross is 6-0 with a lanky frame, hits from an open upright stance, strides on line with a smooth load back, good rhythm to swing. Explosive lower half, some balance to swing. Quick to ball, slightly uphill pull approach, barreled ball consistently, exit velocity was 82. In the outfield, clean footwork, quick getting behind ball, plays through it well to a quick clean exchange, above average hands. Throws from lower three-quarters arm slot, loose quick arm, outfield velocity was 87. Has speed, ran a 6.78 60 yard dash. On the mound, throws from a three-quarters arm slot, shorter loose arm action, quick arm with normal effort. Shoulders slightly uphill and on line, lands closed with some recoil and an athletic finish. Fastball was 78-82 with some late run to it. Curveball had sharp 11/5 break and was 67-69. 

5.10.17: Ross has a lanky frame, built like a wide receiver. Very athletic with good speed, ran a 4.47 with a very bad break on a ball. Showed an average arm during pregame. Raw athlete but has projection.

5.4.17: Lankier athletic frame, hits from the left side from a slightly open stance. Short level swing, uses whole field but power is to pull side. Some batspeed. Athletic and can run a bit.

3.31.16:  Schofield has a lanky frame and is very quick, running a 4.25 from the left side. He has a good lower half and good balance. He generates good bat speed and showed a good approach, using the entire field. He is short to the ball with good batspeed and has a line drive swing with the potential to develop gap or better power.

6/19/2017

I caught a quick glimpse of Shavers while I was walking to another game as he was warming up, and decided to hang around for a few innings to see him play. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide-receiver at Grassfield High School featured broad shoulders and defined, proportional strength while long tossing. The arm strength was apparent, and when he ripped off a throw to the plate to nail a guy from centerfield, I was all in. Then, he proceeded to come up to the plate and rope a ball that made a sound that had the fans on other fields turning their heads. I had to run to another field to check on a pitcher, but Shavers will be a player that I will track down to see again very soon.