On Tuesday, June 9, the PBR Illinois and Missouri staffs held the annual Top Prospect - St. Louis showcase at The Sports Barn in Wentzville, Mo., where some of the area’s top 2021 prospects gathered to perform alongside one another at the start of the summer showcase circuit. Both states had several high-follow, uncommitted incoming seniors at the event who showed well ahead of an important summer for their recruitment.

Today, we’re going to begin breaking the event from a statistical perspective, utilizing the measured data we gathered. We’ll share the leaderboards from each of the statistical categories, highlighting the top performers at Top Prospect - St. Louis.

MAX FASTBALL VELOCITY

Just because there were only five arms in attendance doesn’t mean the talent was lacking. From Illinois, two prospects ranked inside the top-85 for their class, including the No. 51-ranked incoming senior in the state: RHP Bradin Baucum (Altamont, 2021). Warrensburg-Latham southpaw Brayden Closs matched Baucum with an 85 mph high on Tuesday; he’s a high-follow uncommitted left-hander with a heavy low-spinning fastball to keep an eye on this summer, too. And from Missouri, LHP Jacob Frost (Oakville) tied the two aforementioned at 85 mph and possesses two-way upside as a left-handed-hitting first baseman with loose hands and feel for the barrel. He also averaged the firmest fastball of the day, sitting 84-85 mph.

Fellow Missouri ‘21 prospect RHP Jackson Bell (Sikeston) topped 84 mph at the event, just a tick behind the trio ahead of him. 

TOP 60-YARD DASH

There were seven prospects who recorded sub-7.00 times in the 60-yard dash, led by an excellent 6.49 mark produced by OF Josh Turner (St. Charles Lutheran, MO). He’s an athletic 6-foot-2 uncommitted incoming senior who looks like a name to track as the summer rolls on. OF Cole Luckey (Glenbrook South, IL) and OF Landon Klein (St. Charles Lutheran, MO) clocked in next at 6.63 and 6.65, respectively. Luckey is plastered all over the day’s leaderboards, too. A pair more athletic Illinois prospects came in next with strong all-around days: outfielders Tyler McClure (Centennial) at 6.73, and Ryan Maul (Jacksonville) at 6.79.

MAX EXIT VELOCITY

Luckey and 1B Austin Mann (Liberty North, MO) were tied atop this chart with a 96 mph high off the tee. Luckey’s big day should help him garner some added interest before the summer hits full swing. Mann harbors some raw power potential as a right-handed, middle-of-the-order type. Missouri’s C/3B Nolan Self is another Sikeston product who had a strong overall day, including his 95 mph best at the exit velo station. OF/RHP Gavin Baldwin (Nashville, IL) is among the top uncommitted targets left in his state’s 2021 class, and his physical and powerful stature helps him generate big velocity off the barrel. 

MAX INFIELD VELOCITY

The broad and strong Josh Heyder (Washington, IL) wields big arm strength that plays exceptionally well from behind the plate, but it also works naturally at third base, as evidenced https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/profiles/MO/Nicholas-Fitzanko-8473029516by a 90 mph high to first, an event high by four ticks. Frost was up to 86 mph across the diamond in the other direction while manning first base. Also from Illinois, SS/2B Cameron Hailstone (Gillespie) is a top-100-ranked member of this 2021 class who can do a little bit of everything, and he was up to 83 mph across the infield, too. SS/2B Evan Funkhouser (Edwardsville, IL) was another middle infielder who put together a solid all-around day with above-average defensive actions and enough arm strength to handle any spot on the infield.

MAX OUTFIELD VELOCITY

Luckey, again, is featured atop this leaderboard. He and the physical Baldwin both recorded 91 mph highs to home. The tooled-up Turner was 88 mph to home, as was Ryan Carolan (Vianney, MO), who is the No. 80-ranked prospect in the state’s ‘21 class.

MAX CATCHER VELOCITY

No surprise, but Heyder’s big arm helped him produce easy carry to second base with an 81 mph high from the crouch. He was followed closely by Nicholas Fitzanko (Parkway West, MO), who was up to 80 mph. Daniel Contreras (Rockford Boylan, IL) is a top-20-ranked catcher in Illinois with a loud right-handed bat who also looks like a natural behind the plate – he topped 76 mph on his throws from the crouch.

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