Prep Baseball Report

Top Prospect Games - Outfield Anaylsis


By: PBR Georgia Staff

PBR Georgia hosted the annual Top Prospect Games at LakePoint Sports in Emerson, Ga. on June 7th. This yearly invite-only event for the top uncommitted rising seniors in the state brought together nearly 50 prospects for a pro-style workout and live game play.

In the days that followed the event, we produced post-event analysis that includes performance highlights inside of our Quick Hits story and a look at the traditional stats measured within our Statistical Analysis piece.

We will continue our post-event process by rolling out the individual scouting reports of the day, outfielders. The roll out began with catchers, which can be viewed HERE. We will work our way across the diamond over the following days.

Top Outfield Prospects

Lewis Rodriguez, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF Prototype leadoff hitter who changes games with his speed, approach matches his game. Serious 5 tool potential with good instincts.
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Athletic, high waisted w/ medium frame, wiry and explosive strength.
Hit: RHH. Base just outside shoulders, athletic bend in knees, bat relaxed off shoulder so it stays connected in load. Hips activate hovering leg kick that triggers hand load/separation as hips gain ground in stride. Throws hands on a downward plane that levels out late in path, line drive swing that can manipulate the barrel in all areas of the zone. Knee thru knee clearance adds juice to the swing.
Power: 96.3 max exit velocity, averaged 88 mph. 312’ max distance. Hard grounders thru all holes in the infield that let his speed tool give an extra boost to his game. Back spin line drives to both gaps.
Arm: RH. OF - 91 mph. Quick and efficient mid depth AA from OH slot. Throws carry with ease and accuracy.
Defense: Aggressive reads and reactions in OF but keeps himself in control. Rangy defender with fluid hips which allow him to make plays most can't.
Run: 6.52 runner in the 60.

Kyle Jones, North Oconee (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF A projectable athlete that will eventually show a lot of power potential as he physically matures. Top of the order-type impact bat whose athleticism could be used all around the field.
Body: 6-foot-3, 170-pounds. High waisted, slender build w/ some physical projection.
Hit: RHH. Bent over posture w/ handsy barrel creating some rhythm. Weight shifts to back hip when the barrel gets vertical during load. Line drive contact produced by high elbow. Slight drift prevents him from getting most power out of lower half during swing.
Power: 96.4 max exit velocity, averaged 90.9 mph. 357’ max distance. Gap to gap, but the physical projection and present bat speed show that he will eventually improve into more HR like pop
Arm: RH. OF - 90 mph. Overtop AA with deep full arm circle
Defense: Footwork when fielding ground balls is currently more adv. than flyballs. Slower transfer that translates into a quick shuffle.
Run: 6.57 runner in the 60.

Forrest Lietz, Wesleyan (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF Impact top of the order bat who has proven himself against high end arms again & again. Very twitchy and one of the smoothest swings in his class. Will take his game to new heights as body matures physically.
Body: 5-foot-11, 170-pounds. medium, lean muscled, proportional frame.
Hit: LHH. squared up, wide base, weight 60% backside, 40% front side (optimal). Hands angled over head, hands start near slot.  Creates serious torque as top hand triggers into launch position. Bottom hand & front arm add balance to path as hands are thrown, allowing the knob to lead. Makes for a level path that gets barrel angle just before contact, and efficient barrel acceleration. Clears back knee thru front knee as it works to stiff just after contact
Power: 94.7 max exit velocity, averaged 90.8 mph. 365’ max distance. Likes to go pull side due to how easy it is for him to manipulate his arms, the barrel, and forearm+wrist strength. Does show consistent inside out swing with gap pop, but big power production to the right side of the field.
Arm: LH. OF - 83 mph. Lengthy full circle AA that produces average arm speed and accurate
Defense: Sure handed with easy push thru ball and smooth gather. Fundamentally sound on 2 ball, positions body very well.
Run: 7.15 runner in the 60.

Cole Eison, Alexander (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF toolsy UTL player who has the ability to grow into some real power potential at the plate. Refined hand movements at plate will allow him to stay on higher velo, but the lower half in everything he does is advanced. Rotates extremely well.
Body: 5-foot-9, 150-pounds. Small frame w/ strong lower half
Hit: LHH. Athletic setup, barrel out front of body. Handsy load. Hips stay closed for as long as possible before exploding through the baseball.  Natural loft because of low hand path. Line drive/fly ball contact. Pull side power more present. 
Power: 96.8 max exit velocity, averaged 90.4 mph. 333’ max distance. Gap to gap power w/ more juice in the tank as he gets stronger. Quick barrel/hands and torque created in hips provide a lot of pop despite the smaller frame.
Arm: RH. OF - 87 mph. Quick overtop AA that created carry on throws
Defense: Gradually works to the ball. Smooth transfer that works into a quick shuffle before release. Advanced throwing mechanics as he keeps hips closed until last second before firing hips into rotation and keeping same aggression on front side
Run: 6.95 runner in the 60.

Will Curcio, Etowah (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF Contact oriented top of the order type who does everything well.
Body: 5-foot-10, 170-pounds. Medium frame, strong lower half
Hit: RHH. Wide base, knees inside feet, hands start off shoulder (near ear) w/ active waggle. Hips start hands, leg kick triggers separation, little C load. Shoulders rotate on a diagonal plane creating loft while keeping the path short.
Power: 98 max exit velocity, averaged 90.6 mph. 365’ max distance. slightly pull dominant but has pop for backspin doubles to both gaps.
Arm: RH. OF - 84 mph. Low effort and repeatable, short circle AA. Quick stroke and accurate throws.
Defense: Fundamentally sound with solid footwork and quick exchange. Controls the body well on the move.
Run: 7.11 runner in the 60.

Conlon Walker, Whitefield Academy (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/1B Power bat who impacts the game every day with his speed and defense. Top or middle of the order bat who has good feel as a player.
Body: 6-foot-1, 195-pounds. Large, proportionally built frame with freakish strength.
Hit: LHH. Wide athletic base w/ knees angled inside feet. Hands off the body near back shoulder, high back elbow. Tension in the upper half would be released by bringing hands closer to body & make him even more explosive.  Hips control hands in swing athletically, very simple trigger into a repeatable launch position. Compact, explosive swing path that gets barrel angle late w/ top hand - keeping it palm up thru contact (promoting backspin).
Power: 97.8 max exit velocity, averaged 90 mph. 339’ max distance. Looks to turn on balls using his twitchy rotational acceleration. Plenty of oppo juice as well.
Arm: LH. INF - 80 mph. OF - 84 mph. Deep OH AA where he repeats release point for accurate throws. Some early effort.
Defense: Quick 1st step and works thru ball aggressively in gather.
Run: 6.77 runner in the 60.

Mason Snyder, Irwin County (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF Top of the order switch hitter who can provide contact to all fields at the next level. The bat is the real carrier here.
Body: 5-foot-7, 170-pounds. Small/athletic frame, strong lower half
Hit: SH. RH and LH stances are very similar. RH stance starts open as LH stays closed. Quick barrel adjustment before rotation from both sides of the plate. Level bat path. Line drive contacts to all fields from both sides of the plate.
Power: 94.2 max exit velocity, averaged 84 mph. 301’ max distance. gap to gap at the moment w/ potentially more to come as he gets stronger. Line drive contact/power
Arm: RH. OF - 87 mph. lower 3/4 AA as the upper half rotates early at times
Defense: gradual build-up when working through the baseball. Gaining ground through shuffle just before release. Quick delivery of the ball
Run: 6.89 runner in the 60.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Andrew Buschmann, Marist School (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF Middle of the order hitter that will have a chance to hit his way into the lineup as his swing progresses mechanically. Athlete w/ more room to grow
Body: 5-foot-10, 180-pounds. Broad shoulders w/ med. athletic build
Hit: RHH. Slight athletic knee bend w/ low relaxed hand set.  Line drive contact produced by shoulder plane
Power: 93.5 max exit velocity, averaged 86.3 mph. 354’ max distance. currently gap to gap power w/ room to grow within his swing mechanics. 
Arm: RH. INF - 82 mph. OF - 84 mph. Quick overtop AA w/ quick full arm circle
Defense: Gradual build-up when attacking the ball, short transfer w/ multiple shuffle steps when progressing into throwing. 
Run: 7.07 runner in the 60.

Jakob Cowart, Alpharetta (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF Good approach at the plate and a sweet swing that will bring consistent QAB's and barrels.
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Athletic and stocky build but plenty of room to add strength.
Hit: LHH. Medium base just outside shoulders w/ knees inside feet, hands setup off shoulders with barrel tilted north/south. Hand load angles down into slot. Good lower half direction.  Hands & back elbow work close to body with short path and connected shoulder to shoulder rotation for backspin line drives. Late barrel angle and top hand palm up thru contact create high finish.
Power: 86.7 max exit velocity, averaged 83.8 mph. 303’ max distance. Gap to gap pop with effortless barrels.
Arm: RH. OF - 78 mph. 2 piece arm action with loose wrist and arm speed with accurate throws.
Defense: Nice reads off bat allow him to position himself well, works thru grounders with momentum.
Run: 7.22 runner in the 60. 

Tyler Devlin, Glynn Academy (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF A/AVG speed that plays well and makes an impact on the basepaths and defensively with it. Contact oriented top of the order type.
Body: 5-foot-10, 170-pounds. Medium frame with proportional strength throughout. Very twitchy.
Hit: RHH. Solid slightly open base with knees slightly bent and angles inside feet. Minimal movement in hands setup between shoulders and angled into launch position.  Quiet separation with very minimal head movement or ground gained. Creates enough stretch and lets twitch take over. Level swing path.
Power: 89.1 max exit velocity, averaged 84.2 mph. 327’ max distance. Line to line hard contact. Game plays well to his speed.
Arm: RH. OF - 78 mph. Short circle AA 3/4 slot with quick release and accurate throws.
Defense: Positions himself well to work through the catch with momentum and good footwork to square up hips and shoulders.
Run: 6.76 runner in the 60. 

Breydon Divine, Alexander (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: SS/OF Very athletic MIF who should see some time on the mound and could really develop into something there. Bat has solid potential due to his natural twitch.
Body: 6-foot-0, 150-pounds. Lean/ athletic build, wiry strength
Hit: RHH. Tall, square setup, hips start hands in swing, active hand movement. Uses leg kick & hand load as separation timing.  Slight hand cast as he throws hands cause a sweeping path. Can adjust to go oppo. Very quick hands.
Power: 91.4 max exit velocity, averaged 79.4 mph. 303’ max distance. serious pop to pull side, line drives up the middle
Arm: RH. INF - 89 mph. OF - 91 mph. Short, loose AA that fits a MIF. Explosive arm speed with good hip & shoulder direction. Big time carry from SS and OF.
Defense: Plays through the ball athletically, quick, fluid actions, instinctive first step, soft glove hand fields out front, quick on exchanges. Great body control
Run: 6.83 runner in the 60.

Jake Epstein, North Paulding (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: 1B/OF Player that possesses an above-average swing path, plane. Projects to hit at the next level. Finding a position for him will be hard as he currently lacks athleticism anywhere.
Body: 6-foot-0, 185-pounds. Medium-sized build w/ thick lower half
Hit: LHH. Open stance w/ handsy barrel pattern  Shifts into back hip early. Gradual rhythm in stride w/ still upper body and barrel. Vertical barrel and level shoulders provide for natural line drive/loft plane.
Power: 90.8 max exit velocity, averaged 86.2 mph. 336’ max distance. Gap to gap pop that will translate in a big way once he gets stronger
Arm: RH. INF - 68 mph. OF - 76 mph. Deep, yet quick arm circle. Overtop AA.
Defense: A little stiff in the field overall. Would attack the ball w/ 2 hands at times when making do/die plays. Rhythm when attacking the baseball lacks at times.
Run: 7.35 runner in the 60. 

Jackson Frank, Alpharetta (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: SS/OF Dependable well rounded MIF/OF can hit anywhere in the lineup and produce good AB's.
Body: 5-foot-9, 160-pounds. Medium frame, high waisted, lean strength
Hit: RHH. Tall, base just outside shoulders, upper half slightly closed, slow flow in hands just off shoulder, barrel angled into launch position Smooth, short load, balanced dominance in both hands. Back elbow & front arm work in sequence creating short direct path to all fields.
Power: 94 max exit velocity, averaged 86 mph. 360’ max distance. Pull-side gap pop but has solid inside out swing mechanics to drive ball oppo.
Arm: RH. INF - 84 mph. OF - 86 mph. Short, efficient arm action that he repeats with carry and accuracy. Adjusts angles well.
Defense: Consistently solid reads, feet work with momentum to bag, glove pushes thru ball well.

Konner Leggett, Bryan County (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-foot-11, 195-pounds. Strong build, physical lower half, broad shoulders.
Hit: LHH. Open setup, knee knock leg kick, hands start back, barrel wrap on load, finishes over the plate. Long barrel path to the zone, flattens out through the zone, gap-to-gap hitter, big power potential.
Power: 92.5 max exit velocity, averaged 86.6 mph. 333’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 78 mph. Long, pie-ish arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Plays through the ball, fields to the side, clean footwork, shuffles behind into throw, clean on exchanges, some packing.
Run: 7.55 runner in the 60.

Malcolm Robinson, Shiloh (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-foot-9, 195-pounds. Medium sized frame, box frame, strength throughout.
Hit: RHH. Keeps it simple, balanced setup, smooth rhythm in hands. short load, short stride, good balance. Easy effort swing, gap-to-gap hitter, barrel path is short to the zone, level through, some driving power.
Power: 96.1 max exit velocity, averaged 82 mph. 277’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 72 mph. Clean, full circle arm action to an over-the-top slot.
Defense: Plays through the ball, fields out front, feel for glove, clean on exchanges and with footwork.

Maddox Shiell, South Effingham (GA), 2023
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-foot-11, 160-pounds. Lean, athletic build, high waist, lots of room to fill out.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, choppy rhythm in hands, cocks barrel with a wrap on load, short stride, finishes on back-side. Swing path is short to the zone, short through, creates line drive contact middle/pull.
Power: 92.8 max exit velocity, averaged 79.8 mph. 305’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 87 mph. Short, clean arm action, ultra quick arm speed, easy carry.
Defense: Fields position athletically, plays through the ball with quick feet and a quick exchange, smooth actions.
Run: 7.12 runner in the 60. 


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