Prep Baseball Report

Top Prospect Games: Corner Infield Analysis


Phil Kerber
Georgia Scouting Director



The third annual invite-only Top Prospect Games took place on June 8th at LakePoint Sports in Emerson, GA. The event featured over 50 uncommitted 2022s. Prospects participated in a pro-style workout followed by simulated game play. We have already done a thorough inspection of the statistics collected from the event that can be viewed HERE.

Today, we will continue the player analysis from the event with a look at the corner infielders. Keep reading to view reports on the top-6 corner infield prospects in attendance, plus reports on the rest of the corner infielders, listed alphabetically.

Top Corner Infield Prospects

Jabari Daniely, Parkview (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/1B
Body: 6-3, 210-pounds. Tall physical frame, broad shoulders, tree trunk legs.
Hit: RHH. Balanced base, short stride and load, minimal movements.  Short swing path, drops hand before swing, finishes high, works up the middle, staying left-center to right-center.
Power: 95.83 max exit velocity, averaged 86.00 mph. 343.00’ max distance. Power Potential
Arm: RH. INF - 85.00 mph. OF - 88.00 mph. OF: Long, over-the-top arm, stays closed, with carry. INF: Short, over-the-top arm slot, drops to 3/4 on forehands. Accurate from both positions
Defense: OF: clean footwork, works through the ball, shuffles into closed throwing position. INF:  Wide-based, presents glove early, clean footwork with quick exchanges.
Run: 7.62 runner in the 60.

Kayne Jinks, Franklin County (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/RHP
Body: 6-3, 210-pounds. Strong, projectable frame, room for more.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, hands start high, load back smoothly with a barrel wrap, leg kick timing trigger, good balance throughout. Hit path is long to the zone, mostly level through, gap-to-gap type hitter with pull-side power, some quick hands and barrel.
Power: 89.54 max exit velocity, averaged 81.79 mph. 342.00’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 81.00 mph.  Long, clean arm action to a high 3/4 slot, easy effort, throw carry.
Defense: Smooth fielder, fields position athletically and with confidence, good range, fluid footwork, soft glove, fields out front, clean exchanges.
Run: 7.34 runner in the 60.

Casual Kay, Alpharetta (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/OF
Body: 6-3, 190-pounds. Tall frame, thick build, high waisted
Hit: RHH. Open setup, toe tap load, long stride, created small arm bar in load Long swing, strong hip rotation, slightly uphill swing, looking to elevate, pull side power approach
Power: 94.72 max exit velocity, averaged 86.15 mph. 324.00’ max distance. Power Potential
Arm: RH. INF - 82.00 mph.  Short arm action, 3/4 slot
Defense: Smooth fielder for his size, clean footwork with a good feel for glove hand, soft hands, fluid movements
Run: 7.15 runner in the 60.

Tyler Hower, North Gwinnett (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/RHP
Body: 5-10, 185-pounds. Strong, physical build, athletic.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands load back smoothly, short stride, good balance. Compact swing, short to the zone, level through, strong hands, creates hard contact, gap-to-gap hitter.
Power: 91.82 max exit velocity, averaged 82.20 mph. 298.00’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 84.00 mph. Short arm action to a ¾ slot. 
Defense: Athletic fielder at the corner, good range, fluid footwork, working through the throw, clean on exchanges.
Run: 6.91 runner in the 60.

Michael Carswell Jr, Woodward Academy (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/1B
Body: 6-1, 195-pounds. Tall proportional frame, long legs
Hit: RHH. Balanced base, long leg lift, bat set at 45 degree angle behind ear, high pre set elbow, major upward shoulder tilt, puts weight on back foot, bat wrap on load, arm bar  Long swing, uphill finish, flashed some quick hands and bat speed, worked mostly up the middle with line drives, looks to elevate
Power: 94.03 max exit velocity, averaged 85.14 mph. 318.00’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 83.00 mph.  Long over the top arm slot
Defense: Works through the ball, fluid footwork, long exchange with a glove pack, quicker exchange on forehand plays
Run: 7.26 runner in the 60.

Mack Cromer, North Gwinnett (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 1B/OF
Body: 6-4, 205-pounds. Tall slender frame, high waist.
Hit: RHH. Balanced base, with minimal movement, short lower half load, creates good upper half separation.  Long swing path, contact hitter, keeps bat in zone, ability to adjust to off-speed, works gaps, creates good back spin.
Power: 97.83 max exit velocity, averaged 90.97 mph. 333.00’ max distance. Power Potential
Arm: RH. INF - 76.00 mph.  Long arm, over-the-top arm slot, fluid arm, creates carry.
Defense: Fields tall, short base, funnels ball into mid-section, quick transfer, competent glove.
Run: 6.89 runner in the 60.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Blair Barnes, Grayson (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/1B
Body: 6-2, 190-pounds. Tall, muscular frame, broad shoulders
Hit: SH. (LH) Wide base, short leg lift, shifts weight back on load, bat at a flat angle next to ear, slight raise in back elbow on load. (RH)  Wide base, balanced weight distribution, short leg lift, elbow is higher on load, major bat wrap, less of a weight shift on load (LH) Carries momentum through swing with lower half, long swing, uphill follow through, looks to elevate middle and pull side. (RH)  Long, uphill swing, looking to elevate pull side, carries momentum through load, finishes out on the front foot getting some rollover
Power: 99.36 max exit velocity, averaged 77.41 mph. 360.00’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 79.00 mph.  Short, quick 3/4 arm slot, drops to sidearm on slow rollers and forehand plays
Defense: Fluid footwork, fields out front of his body, funnels into his midsection on transition, quicker exchange on forehand plays and slow rollers
Run: 7.16 runner in the 60. 

Edwin Bowman IV, North Gwinnett (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/1B
Body: 6-4, 180-pounds. Tall, slender frame, long legs
Hit: RHH. Balanced base, leg lift load, shifts weight to back foot, hands back, preset high elbow, bat next to ear at 45 degree angle, major bat wrap on the load, arm bar. Long swing, flat through the zone, uphill finish, carries momentum through swing, finishes heavier on the back foot,  sprayed line drives all parts of field, more fly balls on pull side, looks to elevate
Power: 97.11 max exit velocity, averaged 91.02 mph. 377.00’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 74.00 mph.  Long over the top arm slot, quicker on forehand plays
Defense: Works mainly from behind the ball, heavy feet, smoother footwork on forehand plays, long exchange, shows glove early, fields ball out in front
Run: 7.56 runner in the 60. 

Colton Emmett, Dade County (GA), 2021
Positional Profile: 1B/RHP
Body: 5-11, 190-pounds. Tall, strong frame
Hit: RHH. Starts with weight shifted on back leg, hands drop, slightly open at foot plant, balanced lower half Short to the ball, slightly uphill path, flyball hitter, middle approach, flashed bat speed
Power: 86.14 max exit velocity, averaged 77.93 mph. 268.00’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 75.00 mph.  Short arm action from 3/4 slot, low elbow
Defense: Wide base, clean exchanges, good footwork
Run: 8.02 runner in the 60. 

Caleb Piland, Cherokee Bluff (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/RHP
Body: 6-2, 176-pounds. Long, lean frame, some projection.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, short stride, hands load back smoothly, good balance, late timing. Swing works short and level to the zone, line drive approach, uses the entire field.
Power: 87.09 max exit velocity, averaged 78.79 mph. 269.00’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 84.00 mph.  Arm works long and quick to an over-the-top slot, drops down to low 3/4 when going glove-side.
Defense: Fields position with athleticism, allows ball to travel, competent glove, funnels into mid-section, clean on exchanges.
Run: 7.25 runner in the 60. 

Braeden Smith, North Oconee (GA), 2022
Positional Profile: 1B/3B
Body: 6-0, 195-pounds. Physical frame with strength throughout.
Hit: LHH. Open setup, low leg kick timing trigger, hands load back smoothly, good balance. Hit path is short to the zone, mostly level through, power/pull hitter, back spins the ball, powerful hands, ultra quick bat speed.
Power: 95.31 max exit velocity, averaged 89.49 mph. 350.00’ max distance. Big power potential.
Arm: RH. INF - 80.00 mph.  Short, clean arm action to a high 3/4 slot, accurate on throws across the diamond.
Defense: Fields with a wide base, clean footwork, soft glove, clean on exchanges, good feel around the bag.
Run: 7.63 runner in the 60.

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