The Future Games features the top uncommitted players from the 2025 and 2026 classes from all across the country.  The event started with a pro-style workout featuring laser timed 60's, BP with Trackman and Blast Motion data, defensive evaluations with radar gun readings, and pop times for the catchers.  The Natural State brought some of the top remaining uncommitted position players with multiple players showing out in a big way throughout the week.  Today we dive into the top performances from the workout day with a lot of guys putting up performances that are worthy of recruiting coordinators taking a closer look at.

 

THE 60 

2025 Grant Karnes led the way for Team Arkansas running a quick 6.69 laser timed 60.  Right behind him was 2025 INF Drew Gartman at 6.73, 2025 INF Landon Carter at 6.74, and 2025 UTL Greyson Westbrook coming in at 6.76.  All told, Team Arkansas had 8 total players running under 6.9 seconds making it one of the faster teams we've had in our Future Games history.

TRACKMAN HITTING DATA

An untrained scouting eye can tell when a player hits a ball hard or not.  But with an event featuring multiple hitters that can square up the ball at a high level, it can be tough to track exactly how hard balls are truly hit.  With the help from our partners at Trackman, we're able to really dial in some of the big performances put on with the bat during the workout day.

The top exit velocity from the Natural State came from the versatile 2026 UTL Madden Tatum at an impressive 98.4 mph.  That number was good enough for the second highest exit velocity from the event by all 2026's in attendance. Coming in with the second highest exit velocity came from the smooth left-handed stroke of 2025 OF Jayden Sloan at 96.3 mph.  Even from his slimmer frame, Sloan was able to show off some serious hand strength throughout the round.

A lot of players can put together one swing with a high exit velocity but maintaining the strength throughout two rounds can really show how impressive your hand strength is combined with a good swing.  Leading Team Arkansas with the highest average exit velocity was 2026 Shaun Cover at 89.6 mph.  That mark was good enough for the 4th highest average exit velocity from all 2026's.  

 

BLAST MOTION DATA

We can tell with the naked-eye what a strong swing looks like, but knowing exactly how fast the barrel or hands or moving can be a difficult thing to quantify without the help from our partners from Blast Motion.  Leading the way for Team Arkansas with the quickest hands was a two-way tie between Landon Carter and 2025 UTL Charlie Graves at 24.4 mph.  Carter was able to consistently show the quick hands along with 2025 OF Peyton Sterritt both coming in with a 23 mph average.  

Sloan topped the charts for the top max bat speed metrics at 80.6 mph with 2025 C Cade Palmer right behind him at 80.3 mph.  Carter came in with the top average bat speed from the Natural State at 73.7 mph with Palmer maintaining his high end bat speed over two rounds at 73.6 mph.

Rotational acceleration is a measurement that depicts how quickly you get the barrel moving to top speed.  Shaun Cover continued his big day leading the way for Team Arkansas at 30.8g's which was good enough for 13th overall at the event.  Charlie Graves was right behind him at 30g's showing some impressive torque in the swing. 

 

DEFENSIVE EVALUATIONS

There are many aspects to what makes a player a strong defender with footwork, rhythm, feel, glove action, and of course arm strength.  You can play a high level of defense without an elite arm but having big arm strength will always be a plus.  Leading the way in the infield from Team Arkansas was Greyson Westbrook at 89 mph across the diamond.  That mark was good enough to tie for the 5th highest reading from the entire event.  Right behind him was Landon Carter at 88 mph across which was good enough for a tie for 6th.

In the outfield, it was Sterritt's big arm that led the way for the Natural State at an impressive 93 mph.  That reading was good enough for the third highest reading across the entire event.  Karnes finished second from Team Arkansas at 88 mph continuing his big day.

Team Arkansas had two catchers take part in the workout day with Cade Palmer putting up an impressive 1.95 showcase pop time.  2025 C Landon Holzhauer showed some impressive arm strength running it up to 78 mph from behind the dish which was tied for the 6th highest mark from all catchers from the event.

 

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