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OH Preseason Underclass North Showcase: Class of 2016 Evaluations

March 1, 2015

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Preseason Underclass North Showcase


We would like to thank all who participated in PBR's Preseason Underclass North Showcase. This was a great opportunity for 2016, '17, and '18 prospects to be put on college radars. Many players impressed during their individual workouts at the showcase. Below we have the complete statistical results from the event as well as the top performers across various different categories. 

In the coming weeks, we will be adding and updating profiles for each of the players in attendance, including complete analysis and video.

Interested in attending a PBR Ohio event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

For now, please take a look at the statistical results from the event by clicking here.

Also please take a look at the top performers using 12 commonly used criteria for analyzing prospects by clicking here:

Preseason Underclass North: Class of 2016 Evaluations


TOP PITCHERs: Spencer Mraz, RHP/1B, Berea-Midpark, 2016, Grey Harmon, LHP/OF, Columbus Academy, 2016 & Jaret Edwards, RHP, St. Edwards, 2016

TOP POSITION PLAYERs: Vince Vanata, SS/OF, Wooster, 2016 & Jack Longo, OF/3B, Mayfield, 2016

Aaron Kucia, LHP/OF, Cuyahoga Heights, 2016
Scouting Report: Good, athletic pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 200-pounds. His delivery requires regular effort on the mound. Throws using a clean arm action with average arm speed through a ¾ slot. Has a good follow through bending over his front leg and finishing his pitches. He showed a good feel for his off-speed pitches. His fastball was at 80-82 mph. Throws a tight breaking curveball at a 1/7 plane with signs of good late break on the pitch at times between 72-73 mph. He also throws a hard changeup with some sink and tailing movement at 76-78 mph.

Aaron Zawadzki, 3B, Olmsted Falls, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot, 185-pound athletic frame. In the infield he has good footwork fielding ground balls playing through the baseball. He has a quick transfer and gets rid of the baseball quickly. Shows the ability to throw from different arm angles while reaching a top velocity of 73 mph on his throws. Right-handed hitter that start open and gets to even. Has a short, compact swing that gets in and out of the hitting zone. Registered top an impressive 87 mph exit velocity off a tee and ran 7.41-60.

Adam Lemmo, RHP/3B, Glen Oak, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-1, 185-pound solid build. On the mound has regular effort in his delivery with a little head lean and is slightly closed at foot strike. From over the top his fastball sits 72-76 mph with inconsistent command. Throws a 12/6 breaking ball with good depth at 61-63 mph and showcased a changeup near fastball speed at 70-71 mph.

Andrew Knipfer, OF/RHP, Walsh Jesuit, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-1, 180-pound athletic frame. From the outfield position, he uses good footwork approaching ground balls transitioning into a crow hop. He showed signs of unsure hands on this occasion. He uses a clean arm action coming through a high-¾ slot while reaching a top velocity of 80 mph on his throws. Right-handed hitter with high hands and a leg kick to load. Has good rotation on his back side and swing gets in and out of the zone with occasional power to pull sided. Registered top exit velocity of 83 mph and ran 7.2-60.

Ben Pratt, 2B/C, Tallmadge, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-9, 140-pound athletic frame. From the infield he does a nice job of using his hands out front to field the baseball cleanly. Shows pretty good footwork playing through the baseball most of the time. Has a good, quicker release while reaching a top velocity of 74 mph on his throws. Right-handed hitter with an athletic stance in the box. Flat swing that stays in the hitting zone with good rotation on his back side. Registered top exit velocity off a tee at 76 mph and ran 7.63-60.

Carter Franklin, SS/2B, Canton Central Catholic, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot, 157-pound body frame. Defensively, in the infield he shows pretty good footwork playing through the baseball most of the time. Has good, quick transfers on his throws and shows the ability to throw from different arm angles while reaching a top velocity of 76 mph across the infield. Right-handed hitter that starts his hands low. Used a leg kick to load and his swing has tendency to get long with top exit velocity of 81 mph off the tee. Ran 7.00-60.

Charles Colson Jr, SS/2B, Beachwood, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-9, 145-pound athletic frame. From the infield he does a good job playing through the baseball but can shorten his steps after fielding it. Throws using a good, short arm action through a ¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 81 mph on his throws. Right-handed hitter that starts open and steps closed. Little leg kick to load with a flat path and occasional power to his pull side. Registered top exit velocity of 78 mph.

Collin Marks, C/2B, Walsh Jesuit, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-9, 165-pound athletic build. From behind the plate he receives well with a long exchange. From a short, high-¾ slot he shows quickness in his arm with pop times of 2.03-2.27 and 75 mph arm strength to second. Right-handed hitter that sets up balanced. Long stride and opened up on his lower-½. Flat path with above average bat speed and 86 mph exit velocity and ran a 7.51-60.

Creek Miller, LHP/OF, Lakewood, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11, 150-pound thin body frame with room to fill out. On the mound, his delivery requires regular effort while using a straight up and down leg lift. He uses above average arm speed and a short arm action coming from a ¾ arm slot. Would like to see him get more bend in his back on his follow through, he stands more upright after he finishes his pitches. His fastball shows natural tailing movement with some sink at 77-79 mph. His curveball has breaks with a tight downward action at 68-69 mph.

Derek Knapp, OF/2B, Kent Roosevelt, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11, 170-pound solid build. Defensively in the outfield he shows good, athletic foot work approaching ground balls transitioning into a crow hop. He uses a clean arm action coming through a high-¾ slot showing arm strength reaching while reaching a top velocity of 85 mph. Right-handed hitter with a leg kick to load. Shows a slightly uphill swing with occasional power to his pull side. Registered top exit velocity of 86 mph and ran 7.04-60.

Devonte Washington, C/3B, Twinsburg, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot, 180-pound athletic body frame. Defensively from the third base position, he uses good athletic foot work and displays good actions while fielding the ball out front with his hands nicely. His arm strength is good enough to play the position, reaching a top velocity of 81 mph. Comes from a good baseball family. His brother DJ played baseball at the University of Akron while his other brother Jalen, plays baseball for the Ohio State University. Behind the plate he shows a clean exchange, but the lower-½ doesn’t maintain direction on his throws. From a short arm action his pop times ranged 2.21-2.33 with 73 mph velocity to second. Right-handed hitter that took aggressive cut during batting practice. Shows good balance, solid load and stays short on his swing. Registered top exit velocity off a tee at 85 mph and ran 7.43-60.

Dominic Cistone, C/OF, Lake, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11,185-pound athletic build. From behind the plate he raises up with quick footwork. Long arm action with good arm strength of 75 mph velocity to second base. Recorded pop times of 2.06-2.18. Right-handed hitter that start in an open athletic stance. Small load with a short stride and a flat level path that stays in the hitting zone. Registered top exit velocity of 81 mph and ran 7.21-60.

Dominic Dimora, C, Mayfield, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-9, 175-pound athletic build. Behind the dish he receives well with solid potential. Needs to improve his footwork with his direction. Shows quick hands with a clean exchange with pop times off 2.06-2.21 and 75 mph velocity down to second. Right-handed hitter that start open. Leg kick to load but needs to get his foot down sooner. Quick hands with strength in his swing. Registered top exit velocity of 83 mph and ran 7.32-60.

Dominic Pegley, OF/1B, Coventry, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-2, 200-pound athletic frame. From the outfield he uses good strides to approach ground balls but needs to incorporate improved crow hop mechanics that will increase velocity on his throws. He uses a clean arm action coming through a high-¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 70 mph on his throws from the outfield. Right-handed hitter that stand tall and open. Quick hands and needs to utilize his lower ½ more. Flat path with 84 mph exit velocity off a tee and ran a solid 6.89-60.

Drake May, SS/2B, Glenoak, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-10, 185-pound body frame. In the infield he uses short, choppy steps playing through the baseball for the most part. He uses a clean, short arm action coming from a low ¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 80 mph on his throws across the infield. Right-handed hitter which showcased as his best tool. Good balance with no stride and a strong lower-½. Quick hands with power to pull side and 89 mph exit velocity. Ran 7.5-60.

Eric Birk, LHP/OF, Brecksville Broadview Heights, 2016
Scouting Report: Medium 5-foot-8, 155-pound sized body frame. On the mound the lefty’s delivery does not require much effort while using a straight up and down leg lift. He uses a short arm action with average arm speed coming from a ¾ slot. He uses a four-seam and two-seam fastball ranging between 71-74 mph. Two-seam fastball shows good tailing movement away from right-handed hitters. His curveball has gradual break with 1/7 tilt at 62-64 mph. He also threw his changeup at fastball arm speed at 68-69 showing similar movement as his two-seam fastball.

Evan Kayser, 2B, St. Edward, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-9, 160-pound average frame. From the infield position he does a nice job of keeping his hounds out front when he fields the baseball. Shows good actions and footwork playing through the baseball. Has a good, quick release, while reaching a top velocity of 80 mph on his throws across the infield. Showed well defensively. Right-handed hitter that start open and gets to even. Starts his hands away from his body with a flat bat path that stays in the zone with a slightly high finish. Registered top exit velocity of 86 mph and ran 7.08-60.

Evan Starling, C, Kenston, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-8, 170-pound average build. From a compact crouch he shows good footwork to get his feet in line with a clean exchange. Once he gets stronger his pop times will improve. Showed 66 mph arm strength to second base with pop times ranging between 2.19-2.26. Right-handed hitter that starts slightly open. Uses a leg kick to load with a short, compact swing. Registered top exit velocity of 71 mph off a tee and ran 8.07-60.

Grey Harmon, LHP/OF, Columbus Academy, 2016
Scouting Report: Good 6-foot-2, 165-pound thin, projectable body frame. On the mound, his delivery requires regular effort. He uses a short arm action with quick arm speed through an high-¾ slot. He showed a good feel for his off-speed pitches. His fastball was thrown at 79-82 mph. His curveball was tight with showing signs of being sharp at times is thrown at a 1/7 plane between 71-72 mph. He also flashed a changeup using fastball arm speed at 74-75 mph.

Harrison Gross, RHP, Orange, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot, 168-pound projectable frame. On the mound the righty stands tall on his delivery with good tempo that he is able to repeat. From a low-¾ slot his fastball sits 78-80 mph with some life. Throws his breaking ball at 68-69 mph with late 10/4 tilt. Showcased a changeup with good arm speed near his fastball at 73-75 mph with strong sink.

Ian Swan, RHP/1B, Hudson, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-1, 200-pound bigger athletic body frame. From first base, he moves very well around the bag showing athletic foot work with reliable hands. He throws with a clean arm action coming from a ¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 83 mph on his throws across the diamond. Right-handed hitter with his hands back and tends to collapse a little on his back side. Shows juice to pull side with 91 mph exit velocity and ran 7.97-60. On the mound the righty does a good job staying over his back leg and landing on line. Able to hide the ball for deception. Throws from a clean, high-¾ slot with his fastball sitting 81-83 mph with arm side run. Shows good depth on his breaking ball at 68-69 mph with 11/5 tilt. Throws his changeup near fastball at 76 mph and showcased a split finger fastball at 70-72 mph with some late movement.

Jack Longo, OF/3B, Mayfield, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11, 170-pound athletic build. In the outfield he displays good, athletic foot work approaching ground balls and fielding out front, off his foot but could touch up his crow hop mechanics just a bit that could lead to increasing velocity to his throws. He has a clean arm action coming through a high-¾ arm slot reaching a top velocity of 77 mph on his throws. Right-handed hitter that uses a good load, but tends to arm bar which makes his swing a little long. Shows good strength for his size with an uppercut path. Registered top exit velocity of 89 mph and ran a showcase best 6.65-60.

Jaret Edwards, RHP, St. Edwards, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-1, 165-pound athletic build. On the mound the right-hander has a compact delivery that is slightly closed at foot strike. Shows some aggressiveness on the mound filling the zone up with strikes. From a short, high-¾ slot his fastball sits 82-84 mph with life and arm side run. Has tight spin on his breaking ball at 68-71 mph with good late break. Showcased a changeup with good arm speed at 74 mph.

Jonah Ray, 2B/RHP, Bellbrook, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-2, 215-pound body frame. From the infield he has a tendency to stop his feet on ground balls hit at him, and can benefit from being more aggressive playing through the baseball. He throws using a clean arm action coming from a ¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 78 mph. On the mound his delivery requires regular effort. He throws using a short arm action with average arm speed coming from a ¾ slot. His fastball was between 74-78 mph. His curveball showed gradual breaking action at 11/5 tilt ranging from 64-65 mph. He threw his changeup using fastball arm speed at 69-70 mph. Right-handed hitter with a flat path that stays in the hitting zone. Shows raw power to his pull side and recorded top exit velocity of 83 mph and ran 7.68-60.

Jonathan Conkle, RHP/1B, Jackson, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-4, 217-pound big body, projectable build. On the mound the right-hander has a quick tempo delivery and leans back on his lift. Has good direction at foot strike. From over the top his fastball sits 77-80 mph with some down angle. Showed a 12/6 breaking ball at 66-67 mph and mixed in a changeup at 72 mph with good arm speed.

Jordan Fultz, SS/OF, Medina, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-10, 160-pound average build. Defensively, in the infield he does a good job keeping his hounds out in front of him while he fields the baseball. He has a tendency to stop his feet when fielding ground balls hit at him, he can improve his footwork by being more aggressive playing through the baseball. He uses a clean arm action through a ¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 78 mph. Right-handed hitter that starts closed. Uses a little toe tap and leg kick to load and start his swing. Slightly uphill path with occasional power to his pull side. Registered top exit velocity of 83 mph and ran 7.03-60.

Kurtis Farley, OF, St. Edward, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot, 170-pound solid frame. Defensively, in the outfield he shows solid footwork approaching ground balls transitioning into good crow hop mechanics. He does a good job of getting rid of the baseball once he receives it. He throws with a clean arm action coming through a high-¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 76 mph. Right-handed hitter that really projects. Shows quick hands and a short compact swing. Registered top exit velocity of an impressive 88 mph and ran 6.97-60.

Logan Stoldt, C, Dover, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-1, 215-pound big, strong build. From behind the plate he shows quick footwork for his size and clean exchange. Throws from a short, high-¾ slot with pop times ranging 2.06-2.19 and 73 mph velocity to second base. Right-handed hitter that stands tall and slightly open. Minimal load and weight transfer with short path and power to pull side. Registered top exit velocity of 88 mph and ran 7.75-60.

Marc Ochoa, C, Padua Franciscan, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-10, 175-pound athletic build. From behind the plate his starts with a high crouch. Shows good footwork and throws form a short, ¾ slot with pop times ranging from 2.06-2.18 with 71 mph velocity to second base. Right-handed hitter that stands tall. Minimal load with a short stride. Tends to arm bar with line drive production during batting practice. Registered top exit velocity of 78 mph and ran 7.70-60.

Matt Davenport, C/3B, Bishop Fenwick, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-1, 215-pound athletic frame. From the third base position he shows good footwork and moves well laterally for big body frame. He uses a clean arm action coming from a ¾ slot while reaching a top velocity of 80 mph on his throws. From behind the plate he shows good potential. Tends to stand up after he receives and shows good footwork. From a short arm action his pop times ranged between 2.08-2.15 with 77 mph velocity to second base. Right-handed hitter that stands tall and starts open. Shows above average bat speed and the ball tends to jump off his bat. Registered top exit velocity of 90 mph off a tee and ran 7.83-60.

Michael Beltz, OF/2B, Avon Lake, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11, 145-pound body frame. From the outfield he displays good footwork approaching ground balls transitioning into good crow hop mechanics. He throws using a clean arm action coming through a high-¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 76 mph. In the infield he has a tendency to stop his feet on ground balls hit at him and would benefit from being more aggressive playing through the baseball. Fields the baseball out front nicely with his hands and reaching a top velocity of 72 mph across the infield. Right-handed hitter with his front foot closed off and a good load. Hands start high and tends to wrap his bat. Barrel gets in and out of the hitting zone with 74 mph exit velocity off a tee and ran 7.53-60

Michael Kmentt, RHP/3B, Kirtland, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11, 160-pound projectable frame. On the mound the righty has a slow tempo delivery with good balance and on line at foot strike. From a short, high-¾ slot his fastball sits 78-80 mph with good command. Tendency to slow down on his breaking ball at 58-60 mph with 11/5 tilt. Showcased good arm speed on his changeup at 66-70 mph

Michael Mathieu, OF/LHP, Massillon Jackson, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-10, 175-pound athletic frame. In the outfield he makes fielding the baseball look natural. He displays good, athletic foot work approaching ground balls transitioning into a good crow hop. He throws the baseball with a clean arm action through a high-¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 78 mph. Left-handed hitter where the ball jumps off his bat. Shows quick hands and a flat stroke with 87 mph exit velocity. Ran 7.50-60.

Nicholas DeJesus, RHP/3B, Amherst Steele, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-7, 160-pound stocky build. On the mound the right hander used a slow tempo delivery with a high leg kick and lands slightly closed. From a long, easy, high-¾ slot his fastball sits 80-82 mph with arm side run. Breaking ball has good 11/5 tilt at 72-73 mph and showcased a solid changeup at 70-73 mph with good arm speed.

Nicholas Koontz, OF/C, Wooster, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11, 160-pound athletic frame. From the outfield position he displays good footwork breaking down into the ball transitioning into good crow hop mechanics. He uses a clean arm action through a high-¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 82 mph on his throws. Right-handed hitter with a spread out stance and balanced. Drops his hands and turns front side inward. Good rhythm in his hands with a slightly uphill swing. Registered top exit velocity of 75 mph and ran 7.25-60.

Nicholas Whetnall, OF/RHP, Pickerington North, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot-1, 165-pound thin body frame with room to fill out. From the outfield he shows pretty good footwork approaching ground balls but needs to work on incorporating a crow hop into this throws. He does get rid of the baseball quickly once he receives it, throwing with a clean arm action coming through a ¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 87 mph. On the mound his delivery requires regular effort using simple, repeatable mechanics with a straight up and down leg lift. He throws using a short arm action with average arm speed coming through a ¾ arm slot. His fastball ranged between 74-78 mph. He threw a curveball showing gradual break with 11/5 tilt at 65-67 mph. He also threw a hard changeup using fastball arm speed between 72-73 mph. Right-handed hitter with a spread out stance. Short, compact swing with quick hands, and collapse on his back side. Registered top exit velocity of 84 mph and ran an impressive 6.91-60.

Owen Fankhauser, C/3B, Stow-Monroe Falls, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-11, 175-pound athletic build. From behind the plate he has a wide stance. Shows solid footwork to get his feet in line. Quick exchange and throws from a short, high-¾ slot with pop times of 2.14-2.34 and 71 mph arm strength. Right-handed hitter that starts open and gets to even. A lot of movement in his swing with a slightly uphill path. Registered top exit velocity of 81 mph and ran 7.46-60.

Riley Mackall, SS/2B, Crestview, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-6, 145-pound body frame. From the shortstop position he could improve taking better routes to ground balls. His feet work through the baseball well, he throws using a clean short arm action coming through a low-¾ slot reaching a top velocity of 66 mph on his throws. Probably serves best a second baseman at this point. Right-handed hitter that start open and gets to even. Leg kick to load and good rhythm in his swing. Swing get a little long and more of a timing hitter with 68 mph exit velocity off a tee. Ran 7.69-60.

Sean Cahill, 2B/SS, Hudson, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-8, 145-pound body frame. From the infield he showed well defensively on this occasion. He uses good footwork playing through the baseball, displaying soft hands and a sure glove. Does a nice job transferring and getting rid of the ball quickly while reaching a top velocity of 71 mph on his throws across the infield. Probably serves best as a second baseman. Right-handed hitter that starts open and gets to even. Uses a leg kick to load and the swing is slightly uphill. Registered top exit velocity of 82 mph and ran a 7.41-60.

Spencer Mraz, RHP/1B, Berea-Midpark, 2016
Scouting Report: Tall, projectable 6-foot-10, 210-pound frame. On the mound he show a quick tempo delivery with minimal effort that he is able to repeat. Lands closed which cause him to throw across his body. From an easy, high-¾ slot his fastball sits 80-84 mph with good down angle. Shows two different breaking balls. His curveball with depth and 11/5 tilt sits 63-64 mph and threw a harder breaking ball with slider action at 65-67 mph. Shows good arm action on his hard changeup at 76-78 mph with arm side run.

TJ Donley, C, Massillon Jackson, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-10, 180-pound average build. From behind the plate he start from a high crouch. Long exchange with some inconsistencies. From a high-¾ slot he shows 69 mph arm strength to second with pop times of 2.27-2.37. Right-handed hitter that starts open. Uses a toe tap to load and stays open. Long stride and a slightly long, uphill path with 79 mph exit velocity off a tee. Ran 8.44-60.

Tyler Maylish C/3B, Jefferson, 2016
Scouting Report: 5-foot-10, 170-pound solid frame. From behind the dish he shows good direction with is footwork. His exchange is a little long and throws from a short arm action with pop times ranging between 2.06-2.21 and 66 mph velocity to second base. Right-handed hitter with good balance and simple swing. Path is slightly uphill with 84 mph exit velocity and ran 7.57-60.

Tyler Reis, RHP/3B, Medina, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot, 230-pound thick build. From the mound, his delivery requires regular effort while swinging his leg back for torque. He has a short arm action using average arm speed coming from an high-¾ arm slot. His fastball was thrown between 75-77 mph. He threw his curveball at 62-63 mph with gradual break at an 11/5 angle. His slider is probably his best breaking pitch that cuts across the plate at 64-66 mph. Would like to see him quicken his arm speed with his changeup as he has a tendency to throw the pitch below fastball arm speed at 65-69 mph.

Vince Vanata, SS/OF, Wooster, 2016
Scouting Report: 6-foot, 170-pound body frame. In the infield, he has a tendency to sometimes stop his feet on ground balls hit at him he can improve his footwork by playing through the baseball as he does when ground balls are hit towards second base side. Shows good enough arm strength to play shortstop at the next level reaching a top velocity of 83 mph. From the outfield, he shows good footwork approaching ground balls but can improve on shortening up his crow hop mechanics because he takes a big hop. Shows arm strength from the outfield reaching a top velocity of 88 mph on his throws. Right-handed hitter with a spread out stance that starts open and gets to even. Shows athleticism and balance in his swing, with a slightly uphill path. Registered top exit velocity off a tee at 90 mph and ran a 6.76-60. One of the top athletes at the showcase and in the 2016 class.

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