Prep Baseball Report

Maryville 2017 OF/RHP Evan Porter Shows Big Increase in Measurables



By Matt Byrd
Tennessee Director of Scoutingporter

A few months can make a big difference for a young player.

On November 1, we got our first look at Maryville 2017 OF/RHP Evan Porter in our Fall Top Prospect Games Event at Lipscomb University.  Below you can read the scouting report for Porter from that event.

Nov. 1 Scouting Report: 6-foot, 195-pound prospect posted a 4.83 home to first time and 77 mph exit velocity off the tee. Strong body, short, high-3/4 arm action, plays thru ball, good arm velocity (84 mph), accurate throws with line carry to the bag, somewhat choppy outfield instincts.  Open hitting stance, good balance, level swing path, gap to gap approach that could develop into power production in the future. Has some upside that should improve as he continues to mature. Solid round of batting practice with several balls hit squarely. Was 0-for-4 in game play.  On the mound, uses short arm action out of a high 3/4 arm slot, fastball sat 78-80 mph touching 81mph once, good arm side run, curveball sat 69-71 mph and shows to be better secondary offering with late 11/5 movement, good arm action, occasionally gets around the ball, 73 mph changeup shows arm-side fade and should continue to develop, keeps ball down in zone, good balance, stays tall, minimal effort, allowed three singles, struck out one in two innings of work.

Fast forward to last weekend when Porter participated in his second PBR Tennessee event, the East TN College Prospect Showcase in Knoxville, and the sophomore didn’t disappoint with a performance that  showed significant improvement in every statistical category.

Defensively, Porter showed a four mph increase in velocity from the outfield at 88 mph in the defensive portion of the event.

He also showed a significant increase in his offensive measurables at the event with an 84 mph exit velocity (77 mph at previous event) and 4.40 home to first base time from the right side, a number that was a big improvement over the 4.83 time he posted on that chilly day at Lipscomb in early November.  Porter also impressed with a solid round of batting practice in which he showed some hand quickness while hitting several hard line drives.

Porter, who also showed good potential on the mound at the Fall Top Prospect Games, opted not to pitch at last weekend’s event.  It will be interesting to see where his velocity stands on the mound moving forward.  In the meantime, he has certainly established himself as a player to keep a close eye on as he heads into his sophomore season at Maryville.