Luke
Mann

Cape Cod- Has been the most consistent producer in the Harbor Hawks' lineup, including two 3-for-5 nights in my final two viewings and another in Aaron Fitt's lone viewing. The Missouri infielder hits most of his hard contact to pull and has a swing geared to those ends, driving balls well on the inner half while showing slightly softer contact and finding fewer barrels away. The bat speed is average and he can struggle at times with tracking and pitch-ID, which combined with his middle-in approach can expose him to soft stuff away. His range and hands at third are limited but adequate at the collegiate ranks, and he has plenty of arm for the throws needed at the hot corner. There's enough pop in the bat to make Mann an intriguing follow as a potential three-outcome stick, but the strikeout rates (39% on the season and 32% thus far on the Cape) will need to come down in order for him to impact boards come next summer.

The lefty hitter lit up the Arizona Wildcats during a day game on Sunday, looking more like our No. 185 ranked prospect than what he showed the two previous evenings. Whether it was poor night vision or he was too amped up for the evening contests, Mann left Frisco on Sunday with some confidence. Coming into the 2021 season as a potential corner bat who could be considered around the 5th round, Mann struggled mightily during the first two games of the Classic (0-for-5 with five strikeouts) looking lost at the plate while chasing numerous fastballs out of the zone. On Sunday he turned things around in a big way, ambushing a first pitch 95 mph heater from Wildcats’ starter TJ Nichols. The ball left the yard in a hurry, landing in the pool well beyond the right field fence. His next at-bat he turned around another offering for a double into the right center field gap.

The No. 1 ranked prep prospect from Missouri for the 2018 draft, Mann has mashed this fall after a shortened 2020 spring season which saw him strike out 21 times in 40 at-bats. After an all-star summer in the CarShield Collegiate League, he has smoothed out his swing. With consistent solid contact and exit velocities during this recent scrimmage ranging from 99 mph on an oppo taco to 106.8 mph on a line drive single to his pull side, he can now get to his real power to all fields. Defensively, Mann shows good reactions and does well on body control, slow rollers. He has average hands and average arm strength with his arm playing up a bit due to his quick catch/release. He has a chance to become near average ML third baseman with average range. Mann projects as a mid-Day Two prospect who could jump into the top 4-5 rounds with a big spring at the plate.

7/11/17 - Missouri commit. Currently ranked No. 1 in the Missouri Class of 2018 and No. 128 in the PBR Overalls. 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-handed pitcher with a strong, athletic frame. Works from an over the top arm angle with a short, quick arm action. Tall and fall delivery working in line with home plate. Sowed good presence on the mound. Fastball worked 85-88 mph. Curveball has 12-6 shape with sharp breaking action, throw with fastball arm speed at 72-73 mph. Changeup sat 79 mph with some downer action.

2/19/17 - Mann is a 6-foot3 205-pound right-handed pitcher in Missouri’s 2018 class and is committed to Missouri. Mann repeats timing and mechanics in delivery, body stays under control, quick arm speed, shows command of three plus pitches, fastball at 88-89 mph, works the bottom of the zone, some with two-seam running action, 11-to-5 breaking ball, starts on fastball plane 72-74 mph, has depth, change up with fastball arm speed, 83-85 mph, arm side sink, athletic frame with excellent command.

8/4/16 - The 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-hander had a solid two-inning outing, working mostly off his 84-87 mph fastball. He also flashed a 68-69 mph breaking ball. Struck out three in two innings of work, two looking.

6/14/16 - Mann is a 6-foot-2 200-pound right-handed pitcher in Missouri’s 2018 class. Mann has a high-three quarters arm slot, simple and repeatable delivery, accelerates down the mound, repeats delivery, worked fast ball at 85-87 mph, touching 88 mph, cutting action, will also work a 2-seam fastball, works inside to RHH, showed sharp late breaking 11-to-5 curveball, and sharp 75 mph slider, strike thrower, attacks hitters on inner half, induced weak contact in game action.

2/14/16 - Mann attends Vianney HS in Kirkwood, MO. Class of 2018 right-handed pitcher. Strong 6-foot-2, 207-pound frame. Deliberate pivot to tall balance point, aggressive move to plate, body control throughout delivery, repeats. Short, quick arm action. Three-quarters arm slot. Fastball with arm-side run, some sinking to bottom of the zone, 73-84 mph. Sharp 12/6 breaking ball, 68-73 mph. Showed advanced feel for change-up, sinking arm-side and down, 77-79 mph. Projectable class of 2018 right-hander with durable frame