Prep Baseball Report

Huntsville Preseason ID: Quick Hits


PBR Alabama Staff

HUNTSVILLE, AL - The Huntsville Preseason ID was held on Tuesday, January 3rd at Clutch Performance in Huntsville, AL. This event was an open event that consisted of prospects from the 2023-2026 classes. These players went through extended pro-style workout that included batting practice using Trackman and Blast Motion, ran the 30 yard dash using Swift Performance, and much more. Pitchers were able to throw in simulated bullpens during the workout and were able to get numbers and metrics off of our Trackman unit, such as pitch velocity, spin rate, horizontal & vertical movement & much more. There were some players who showed up and continued to build off of prior performances, but there were also some new names who jumped onto our radar with a strong showing on Tuesday.

Kicking off our post-event coverage for this event, we take a look back at some of the top performers and standouts from Tuesday. Continuing over the course of the next week or so, we will release different statistical leaderboards for the event then transition into releasing individual scouting reports for each player in attendance.

+ RHP/SS Austin Uptain (Athens, 2024) was clearly one of the biggest winners at yesterday's event with a stellar showing as a two-way prospect, but may have more upside on the mound. The uncommitted junior showed he's already made significant strides this off-season resulting in an uptick in velocity. After being 83-85 mph at the Alabama Fall Games back in August, Uptain was consistently hovering at 87-89 mph and even grabbed an 89.5 mph during his bullpen yesterday with an average of 2300 rpm. He also flashed some feel for a sharper slider in the mid-70's and the same arm speed on a fading changeup. The right-hander works using an up-tempo, athletic delivery that produced plenty of strikes both with his fastball and secondary offerings. He also looked comfortable handling the bat from the left side with firm contact during his round and a top EV at 93.7 mph. Good one to follow throughout the spring.

+ C Stone Lawless (Huntsville, 2023) continues to gear up for next month's Super 60 in Chicago, IL with a strong offensive showing at yesterday's event. Standing a strong 6-foot-3, 220-pounds with grown-man strength, Lawless carries a physical presence to the right side of the plate. During his round of BP yesterday, the Tennessee signee peppered balls to both gaps with power and consistent mid-90's exit velocities. He continued to show a mature and polished approach from the right side, driving balls on the middle and outer-half of the plate the other way and used quick hands to get to the inner-half pitch, as well. It's easy to see why he's regarded as one of the top catchers in the country, and will look to continue to boost his stock with another strong showing next month in Chicago.

+ Although being one of the younger players in attendance, RHP Andrew Beaverson (Hazel Green, 2026) made a quick impression on those in attendance with a strong showing on the mound yesterday. The freshman right-hander showed the ability to repeat his clean delivery efficiently while mixing in a polished three-pitch mix. Using a H 3/4 arm slot, Beaverson worked his fastball up to 80.7 mph with an average spin rate of 2400 rpm. He also showed excellent feel for his secondary offerings using a sharp-biting breaking ball that he consistently landed in the zone and a fading changeup. The freshman showed impressive confidence and conviction over his pitches for his age landing all three of his offerings in the zone for strikes. He's another one who has also made small jump in velocity after being 74-76 mph back in June at our Rising Stars ID. A good one to follow over the next few years in the young freshman class.

 

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Upcoming Events

SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
Birmingham Preseason ID 1/4/23 GeauxPlay Sports (Pelham, AL)
North Alabama Preseason All-State (Invite-Only) 1/7/23 Hartselle HS Indoor (Hartselle, AL)
South Alabama Preseason All-State (Invite-Only) 1/8/23 Saraland HS (Saraland, AL)

 

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