Eastern Wisconsin Open: Outfield Analysis

September 12, 2017

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor - Wisconsin/Illinois

Continuing with the Eastern Wisconsin Open coverage we take a look at some of the top outfielders in attendance. Highlighting the top three is 2020 grad Issiah Butler from Oak Creek. Butler most impressed at the plate with a quick twitch bat from the left side.

Top Outfield Prospects

1. Issiah Butler, OF/1B/LHP, Oak Creek, 2020
5-foot-11, 160-pound two-way player, lean athletic build. Left-handed hitter, tall open setup, leg kick stride, maintains balance. Athletic and aggressive swing, showed present bat speed, controls the barrel with pull side approach. 87 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm played at 72 mph from the outfield, 68 mph across the infield, high ¾ slot and played accurate. Plays through the baseball with more natural actions in the outfield. 7.52 runner in the 60. On the mound fastball showed control at 70-73 mph. Curveball has 2/8 shape at 56-59 mph, feel for the zone. Changeup is straight, fastball similar arm speed with feel, 63-66 mph.

2. Max Bruff, OF/INF, Indian Trail, 2019
5-foot-9, 185-pound outfielder, strong stocky build. Right-handed hitter, open stance, short stride to even. Showed bat speed on uphill path, strong hands, ball jumped off bat at times, flashed hard contact. 95 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action plays over the top, 78 mph from the outfield, 72 mph across the infield. Profiles as a corner outfielder, showed ability to play through the baseball, more natural action in the outfield. 7.03 runner in the 60.

3. Chance Larson, OF, Elkhorn, 2019
6-foot-2, 150-pound outfielder, lanky frame. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, tall setup, short stride. Hands are loose, maintains balance, short path, line drive hitter, with pull side approach. 86 mph exit velocity from the tee. 7.19 runner in the 60. Arm action is loose from an over the top slot, 82 mph from the outfield. Corner outfield profile, actions played through the baseball.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Caleb Dammen, OF/INF, Milton, 2019
5-foot-10, 180-pound outfield and infielder. Right-handed hitter, open stance, short stride gets squared, average balance. Path is long, works uphill, 85 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action is short and over the top, 74 mph from the outfield, 73 mph across the infield. Second base type defender, clean exchange and can play through the baseball. 7.71 runner in the 60.

Lucas Girard, OF/INF, Elkhorn, 2019
5-foot-8, 138-pound outfielder. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, minimal stride. Mechanical approach, keeps head down, static approach. 76 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm played at 67 mph from the outfield, 61 mph across the infield, over the top arm action. Deliberate actions through the baseball. 7.55 runner in the 60.

Brayden Gorecki, OF/INF, Sussex Hamilton, 2020
5-foot-11, 150-pound outfielder and infielder. Left-handed hitter, tall setup, open stance. Easy middle of the field approach, average bat speed, 82 mph exit velocity from the tee. 7.26 runner in the 60. Arm action is short, high ¾ slot, 74 mph from the outfield, 71 mph across the infield. Clean actions field off to the side in outfield and through the baseball, occasional quick actions, more natural on the infield.

Jack Grosz, OF, St. Joseph Catholic, 2018
6-foot-1, 183-pound outfielder, lanky athletic frame. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride. Loose hands, middle of the field approach, short path to the baseball, uphill path with bat speed. 81 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action is long, high ¾ slot, 73 mph from the outfield. Played through the baseball, average hands. 7.18 runner in the 60.

Ben Hampton, LHP/OF, West De Pere, 2020
6-foot-150-pound two-way player, lanky frame. On the mound works from a tall and fall delivery, regular effort, lower half can get more involved. Arm action is loose, high ¾ slot, drops to sidearm in the stretch. Fastball showed feel, flashed heavy cut, 75-76 mph topped 78 from high ¾ slot, 72-73 mph from sidearm slot. Curveball has 11/5 shape, 62-64 mph, controlled the zone. Slider at 60-61 mph, sweeps at times. Changeup showed feel 60-66 mph. Left-handed hitter, open stance, arm bar load. Occasional hard contact, timing can improve. 83 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action is long, high ¾ slot, 76 mph from the outfield. 7.66 runner in the 60.

Sawyer Levknecht, OF, Stockbridge, 2019
5-foot-11, 160-pound L/L outfielder, lean frame. Offensively hits from a tall balanced setup, short stride, Path is level, made line drive contact, 81 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action played long from a high ¾ slot, 67 mph from the outfield. 7.19 runner in the 60. Showed ability to play through the baseball.

Griffin McIlwee, OF/INF, Waterford Union, 2018
5-foot-9, 145-pound multi-positional player. Right-handed hitter, slightly open stance. Middle of the field approach, long path, 71 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm played long from a high ¾ slot, with effort, 71 mph from the outfield, 72 mph across the infield.

Anthony Moore, OF, Sturgeon Bay, 2018
5-foot-9, 160-pound outfielder, strong build. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride. Showed bat strength, loose hands, line drive type approach. 87 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action is long, and over the top, 79 mph from the outfield. Played through the baseball, hands and feet work, fluid actions. 7.2 runner in the 60.

Zach Schlegel, OF/LHP, Arrowhead, 2019
5-foot-8, 155-pound two-way player. Left-handed hitter, short lifted stride with bog loading action. Pull side approach, uphill path, 71 mph exit velocity from the tee. Arm plays short and over the top from the outfield at 68 mph. Short strided footwork, flat at times. 7.69 runner in the 60. On the mound arm played similarly. On line delivery with little effort. Fastball topped at 69 mph, sat 67-68 mph. Curveball has gradual 1/7 shape, 59-62 mph. Changeup is firm, fastball arm speed, 64-68 mph.

Colby Snell, OF/INF, Oshkosh North, 2020
5-foot-8, 160-pound multi-positional player. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, slightly crouched, long stride, big load. Path worked short, 79 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively Arm played from a high ¾ slot, long action, 65 mph across the infield, 74 mph from the outfield. Profiles best in the outfield, longer actions. 7.36 runner in the 60.

Bryce Staveness, OF/1B/RHP, Rio, 2018
6-foot-4, 180-pound two-way player, lean frame. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short leg lift stride. Path works outside the baseball with length, pull side contact. 83 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm played at 82 mph from the outfield, 80 mph across the infield. Above average arm strength and showed it on the mound. Long loose arm action, high ¾ slot. Fastball touched 84 mph, sat 79-82 mph. Curveball played on 11/5 plane, 62-63 mph. Changeup occasionally cuts, 66-71 mph.

Jackson Wall, OF/INF/RHP, West De Pere, 2020
6-foot-2, 160-pound two-way player, thin lanky frame. Right-handed hitter, tall open stance, long stride. Pull side tendency, looks to lift, 76 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively worked out at multiple positions, arm action is long, high ¾ slot, firm arm action, 73 mph from the outfield, 66 mph across the diamond. Defensively can work more to the balls of his feet, ran the 60 at 7.62. On the mound fastball topped at 70 mph, sat 67-69 mph. Curveball showed some control, 50-56 mph. Changeup similar to fastball, firm at 64-67 mph.