Prep Baseball Report

2.16 Underclass Invitation East: Middle Infield Analysis



Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

On Monday, February 16, Prep Baseball Report-Missouri held the Underclass Invitational East showcase for players in the 2017 and 2018 class.  Over 60 players from around the state participated to show their skills in front of the PBR staff.

CLICK HERE to view the Instant Analysis article reviewing the top performers from the event in the various stat areas.

Over the next week we will be releasing position-by-position analysis articles with scouting reports on each player and identifying the top prospects. We will also be updating the Missouri class of 2017 and 2018 player rankings over the next few weeks.

Today we take a look at the middle infielders that participated in the event. The talent level was high and included many of the top class of 2017 and 2018 catching prospects from Missouri.

Top Middle Infielder Prospects

DJ Stewart, SS, Westminster, 2017
Stewart is an athletic 6-foot-1 175-pound SS, impressed on the infield with athletic actions, quick feet and release, loose arm action, arm works, quick hand-to-glove exchange, 83 mph across diamond, accurate throws, at the plate, athletic stance, short path to ball, level plane, fast bat speed, works both gaps, loose hands, 91 mph exit velo, top exit for exit velo of event, down line in 4.14-seconds.

Walker Jenkins, SS, Christian, 2017
Jenkins is a 5-foot-10 170-pound switch-hitting SS, is a solid defender, event high 88 mph positional velo, fields ball in athletic position, momentum towards 1B, plays thru the ball, accurate throws with carry, athletic actions, hits from both sides of plate, right handed exit velo at 80 mph, left handed exit velo at 81, simple short stride on both sides of the plate, level bat plane through the pitch, uses both gaps, loose hands and quick bat speed from both sides, runs a 4.12 home-to-first.

Jaxon Passino, SS, Rockwood Summit, 2017
Passino is a 5-foot-11 175-pound SS, impressed with the glove and the bat, defensively, quick feet, catches ball out front in throwing position, plays through the ball, arm works from all angles, 82 mph positional velo, with the bat, athletic set up, smooth load, short stride, short bat path to contact, level extension, hits to all fields, power to middle of field, produces back spin, 88 mph exit velo, 4.15 home-to-first

John Bischoff, SS, Brentwood, 2017
Bischoff is a strong 6-foot-1 185-pound left-handed hitting SS, shows arm strength at 86 mph across infield, fields in athletic position, high three-quarters arm slot, accurate throws, clean hand-to-glove exchange, quick release, offensively, starts slightly open, short stride, pull approach, 75 mph exit velo, 4.34 home-to-first

The Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Tyler Abney, SS, Sedalia Smith-Cotton, 2018
Abney is a 6-foot-1 162-pound SS, at the plate, linear load in back leg, accelerates going to the ball, level path to the ball, balanced finish, quick bat speed, gap-to-gap approach, 86 mph exit velo, 4.44 home-to-first, at SS, attacks ball, long arm swing, momentum towards target, 74 mph across diamond, mostly accurate throws, lean body, long legs, projectable frame.

Tyler Cason, 2B/SS, Crawford, 2017
Cason is a 5-foot-8 153-pound 2B/SS, at the plate, starts with open stance, slightly uphill path, middle-to-pull approach, 74 mph exit velo, 4.97 home-to-first, on the infield, 72 mph positional velo, long arm swing, over-the-top release, clean exchange

William Cavanagh, 2B, Fort Zumwalt South, 2017
Cavanagh is a 5-foot-6 150-pound 2B, at the plate, athletic stance, minimal load, no wasted movement, balanced throughout swing, 75 mph exit velo, runs 4.32 home-to-first, defensively, 71 mph positional velo, accurate throws, high three-quarters release, clean hand-to-glove exchange.

McGwire Dean, SS, Francis Howell, 2017
Dean is a 6-foot-1 165-pound SS, athletic stance at the plate, level path, quick bat speed, uses middle of field, line drive approach, 84 mph exit velo, down the line in 4.21-seconds, at SS, short arm action, fluid footwork, plays thru ball, over-the-top release, 76 mph across diamond, accurate throws, projectable frame, solid actions. 

Tyler Groves, 2B, Forsyth, 2017
Groves is a 5-foot-10 160-pound SS, has fluid footwork, clean exchange, over the-top-release, 71 mph positional velo with accurate throws, loose arm action, offensively, athletic stance, loads in back leg, level path to extension, controlled rhythm, hit ball middle-pull gap, 80 mph exit velo, runs a 4.30 home-to-first

Alexander Hoff, 2B, St. Dominic, 2017
Hoff is a 6-foot 155-pound SS, balance stance, short path to ball, quick bat speed, gap-to-gap approach, consistent line drives to middle of field during batting practice, balanced during swing, 83 mph exit velo, 4.14 home-to-first, defensively, fluid footwork, quick catch and release, high three-quarters arm slot, accurate throws at 75 mph.

Aaron Klar, SS/2B, Vianney, 2018
Klar is a 5-foot-7 145-pound left-handed hitting SS/2B, tall open stance, smooth rhythm, level path to extension, middle-to-pull approach, consistent line drives in batting practice, 71 exit velo, 4.50 home-to-first, on the infield, high three-quarters release, clean exchange, soft hands, 74 mph positional velo, mostly accurate throws, player to watch in 2018 class.

Nick Logusch, SS, De Smet, 2017
Logusch is a 6-foot 175-pound SS, with the bat, 88 mph exit velo, athletic stance, smooth rhythm, quick bat speed, has feel for the barrel, gap-to-gap approach, consistent line drive during BP, 4.44 home-to-first, on the infield, athletic actions, fluid footwork, plays thru ball, quick exchange and release, high three-quarters release, all accurate throws, 77 mph positional velo. Overall, athletic actions on infield with repeatable swing mechanics. 

Christian Loida, SS, Valle Catholic, 2018
Loida is a strong 5-foot-10 170-pound SS in the 2018 class, offensively, short stride, smooth rhythm, quick hands, level plane through the ball, hits mostly middle-to-pull, 4.48 home-to-first, 83 mph exit velo, at shortstop, soft hands, over-the-top release, long arm swing, mostly accurate throws a 73 mph across the diamond, player to follow in the 2018 class at state power Valle Catholic

Garrett Miller, SS, Troy Buchanon, 2017
Miller is a 5-foot-10 160-pound SS, at the plate, 83 mph exit velo, short stride, narrow stance, gap-to-gap approach, runs 4.78 home-to-first, on the infield, fluid footwork, long arm swing, over-the-top release, plays thru the ball, 76 mph positional velo,

Seth Nast, 2B, Wesclin (IL), 2018
Nast is a strong 5-foot-8 175-pound 2B, athletic stance, smooth load, level path to extension, fast bat speed, gap-to-gap approach, produces back spin on ball, defensively, fluid footwork and exchange, high three-quarters release, 75 mph across diamond, accurate throws.

Douglas Payne, 2B/MIF, Cuba, 2017
Douglas is a lean 5-foot-9 150-pound second-baseman from Cuba, MO. Open set-up at the plate, coils a bit to load, lands square.  Consistent hard contact to middle-opposite field during batting practice, loose hands, 83 mph exit velo, ran a 4.34 home-to-first. During infield evaluations, showed a loose arm with accurate throws, 79 mph, over-the-top release.

Gunnar Seams, SS/2B, St. James, 2018
Seams is a 5-foot-9 160-pound SS/2B in the 2018 class, at the plate, starts open, short stride, level path, line drive approach, uses middle of field, 79 mph exit velo, gets down line in 4.52 seconds, on the infield, 71 mph, accurate throws, fluid hand-to-glove exchange.

Brett Schroeder, SS, Francis Howell Central, 2017
Schroeder is a 6-foot-1 185-pound SS, offensively, open stance, lands open on stride, works to top half of ball, short finish, 84 mph exit velo, 4.37 home-to-first, at SS, throws from three-quarters slot, accurate throws, field ball in athletic position, clean exchange, 73 mph positional velo.

Andrew Schofield, SS/2B, Fort Zumwalt West, 2017
Schofield is a long-legged 5-foot-11 175-pound left-handed hitting 2B/MIF.  Open stance, small stride, smooth load, short path to ball, hit mostly pull side during batting practice, level swing path, 81 mph exit velo, 4.13 home-to-first.  During infield evaluations, high three-quarters release, plays thru ball, loose arm action, 78 mph across diamond, accurate throws. 

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