Prep Baseball Report

2.17 Preseason All-State: Kansas HS Outfielders Analysis



By Sean McCann and Rob Fleeup
Prep Baseball Report Kansas

Today we wrap up our analysis of the Kansas high school prospects in attendance at the Prep Baseball Report 2.17.14 Preseason All-State event held at 68's Inside Sports in Overland Park, KS with the outfielders.

This was a very talented group full of college baseball prospects with impressive present skills and tools and  athletic frames to add size and strength too.  We look forward to following this group over the next several months:

Top prospects

1. Zach Hanna, Mill Valley HS, Class of 2015
Hanna is a strong, athletic 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  In outfield defense drills he showed quick feet and made clean exchanges.  He flashed a very accurate arm and recorded a top throwing velocity of 85 mph using long over the top arm action with some effort.  At the plate he starts with a balanced, open stance, uses a simple, smooth load and leg kick as he strides inline. He has an uphill swing plane with fast bat speed and excellent balance throughout his swing.  Hanna’s exit velocity registered as high as 91 mph, the second best mark in camp, both states included. He has the frame, athleticism and tools of a major college prospect as a two-way player. 

2. Casey Kelley, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Class of 2015
Kelley is a very athletic 6-foot-1, 165-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  During outfield defense work he showed quick feet and exchanges and threw up to 85 mph using long high ¾ arm action. He also worked out at shortstop during infield drills, something we had not seen him do at previous events.  He demonstrated good infield actions and made strong, accurate throws with good carry to them with a top throw clocked at threw 83 mph.  He has a tall set-up at the plate with a minimal, smooth hand load and a very short, controlled stride.  His bat path is fairly short and he has a level bat path, good extension and balance throughout his swing.  Kelly recorded the highest exit velocity in camp, both states, at 92 mph and ran a 4.26 home to 1B from the right side.  He’s a fast twitch athlete with tools and a frame with plenty of room to add weight to. 

3. Tyler Cox, Blue Valley West HS, Class of 2015
Cox is an impressive physical, athletic 5-foot-11, 205-pound right hand hitting outfielder.  During defensive evaluations he showed quick feet and exchanges made mostly accurate throws with a top velocity registering 85 mph using quick high ¾ arm action. At the plate he starts with a tall, slightly open stance, uses a simple hand load and a mini leg kick inline stride. His bat path is slightly uphill and very short to the ball - he generates good bat speed, very much a gap-to-gap approach with some juice. His exit velocity was clocked at 86 mph and he ran one of the top right side home to 1B times at 4.22.  He has the combination of speed and strength college recruiters and MLB scouts look for. 

4. Will Brennan, Blue Valley HS, Class of 2015
Brennan is an athletic 5-foot-11, 165-pound left-hand hitting outfielder.  As a Class of 2016 prospect, he was the youngest of the Kansas HS outfield group.  During the outfield defense part of camp he showed quick feet and exchanges and a very accurate arm with a top throw clocked at 85 mph using clean arm action from a ¾ slot.  During batting practice he showed a tall, balanced set-up with a slightly open stance, takes a controllable inline stride while using a simple hand load.  He has a level bat path, good balance throughout and a mostly middle-oppo line drive approach.  His exit velocity registered as high as 86 mph and he ran a 4.34 home to 1B left-handed.  Brennan’s camp velocities and times are trending in the right direction, making improvements in all areas since the October Underclass Games. 

5. Nathan Best, Olathe East HS, Class of 2015
Best is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-hand hitting outfielder. During the outfield defense part of camp he showed average footwork, clean exchanges and threw with a short, quick near over the top motion.  His top throw was 84 mph.  At the plate he has a balanced set up, has a minimal, fluid hand load and no stride.  He has a short, level bat path with bat speed built to deliver hard line drives in the middle of the field.  Best’s exit velocity was 87 mph and he ran a 4.40 home to 1B hitting right-handed.  With an advanced approach at the plate already he’s on the path to develop into an offensive right-hand hitting outfielder at the next level as he gets stronger and packs weight onto his tall frame.

best of the rest

Tyler Barnes, Blue Valley West HS, Class of 2015
Barnes is a thin, athletic framed 5-foot-10, 153-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  During the defensive evaluations he showed fluid footwork and clean exchanges while making accurate throws with a quick, slinging type motion and high ¾ arm slot – his top throwing velocity was 79 mph.  During batting practice he demonstrated a very simple line drive approach.  He starts with a balanced, inline stance, uses a minimal hand load and strides inline.  His swing is upper half dominant but he has some strength and an efficient swing path short to the baseball.  His exit velocity high was 85 mph and he ran a 4.35 home to 1B from the right side. 

Johnny Heppler, Maize South HS, Class of 2015
Heppler is an athletic 6-foot-1, 165-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  During the outfield defense evaluations he showed soft hands, fluid footwork and clean exchanges.  His top throw in outfield work was clocked at 76 mph from a high ¾ slot.  At the plate, he starts with a wide, open stance uses a simple, smooth hand load and strides inline.  He has a level bat path, generates some bat speed and has a gap-to-gap approach.  Heppler’s exit velocity high was 86 mph and he ran a 4.34 home to 1B from the right side.

Zakary McAlister-Klausner, Lawrence HS, Class of 2015
McAlister-Klausner is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-hand hitting outfielder. During outfield defensive drills he showed quick feet, got his throws off quickly and his top throw was clocked at 79 mph using long arm action from a ¾ slot.  During hitting drills he starts with a wide stance and tall set-up, takes a controlled inline stride with backward hand load.  He has a line drive approach and maintains balance throughout. His exit velocity was clocked as high as 85 mph and he ran a camp best 4.21 home to 1B from the right side. 

Joe Parsa, Shawnee Mission South HS, Class of 2015
Parsa is a strong, athletic-framed 6-foot, 180-pound right-hand hitting outfielder.  During outfield defense he demonstrated soft hands, fluid footwork and quick, clean exchanges.  He throws with quick near over the top arm action and his top throw was clocked at 80 mph.  At the plate Parsa has an athletic set-up with a slightly closed stance.  He has a very short, controlled stride and no hand load.  His bat path is short and level hitting mostly middle of the field line drives.  His top exit velocity registered at 79 mph on the radar gun and he ran a 4.41 home to 1B from the right side.

Jesse Perez, Shawnee Heights HS, Class of 2015
Perez is a 5-foot-10, 165-pound switch-hitting infielder/outfielder.  In the outfield he showed very athletic, rhythmic actions fielding the ball cleanly and getting his throws off quickly.  He throws with long, clean arm action from a high ¾ slot with a top velocity of 81 mph.  During infield drills he demonstrated quick, athletic actions and made very accurate throws.  From the left side of the plate he has an athletic set-up, a smooth backward load and controlled inline stride.  It’s a simple, easy swing with good rhythm.  His top exit velocity from the left side was 76 mph and he ran a 4.43 home to first.  From the right side of the plate he starts with an open stance, strides inline and has a longish backward hand load - his best exit velocity was clocked at 80 mph and he ran a 4.47 home to 1B.  He has a good gap-to-gap approach from both sides of the plate.  Perez is an interesting prospect as he does everything on the field with athleticism and rhythm – as he adds size and strength his numbers (velocities, times) will improve and so will his stock as switch hitting, multi-position guys have tremendous value at the next level.

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