Underclass Invitational: Statistical Analysis

This year’s edition of the Underclass Invitational has a chance to be an especially memorable one, one that we look back on years from now as these players continue their playing careers at higher levels while representing as Illinois natives. This pitching leaderboard underscores this, as 10 sophomores reached a max fastball velocity of at least 88 mph – and four touched 90 or above.

• We broke these two down thoroughly inside of Monday’s Quick Hits, but right-handers Zander Mueth (Belleville East, 2023; Mississippi commit) and Josh McDevitt (Effingham, 2023; uncommitted) each reached the 92 mph high mark, leading their peers at this event. Mueth’s highly projectable 6-foot-4, 170-pound frame generates this kind of advanced velocity easily, and he’s separated himself from the rest of the class in the process. Still, McDevitt has his arrow-up after reaching a 91.7 mph high on TrackMan, which was the event-high. His advanced feel to spin complements his arm strength, and he’s carried himself into a category of the top-ranked uncommitted players in the state’s 2023 class.

• RHP/INF Gavin Parkerson (Armstrong, 2023; uncommitted) has a strong, compact 5-foot-10, 190-pound stature with inherent strength that appears on both sides of the ball. He throws a true four-seam fastball that touched 90.8 mph on Saturday, and he also ran a 6.78 while averaging an exit speed from the right-handed batter’s box of nearly 90 mph; up to 88 across the infield, too.

• The Notre Dame commit RHP Ryan Hussey (Providence Catholic, 2023) has ticked up in velocity. His quick arm and smooth rhythm allowed him to sit 88-89 mph on Saturday in the zone – up from an 84 mph high at August’s PBR Future Game – with feel for his curve-change offspeed.

• At this PBR event debut, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound RHP Zachary Kwasny (Lincoln-Way East, 2023; uncommitted) reached an 89 mph high from a high release point, that created some steepness to home as a true four-seamer.

• A pair more arms touched 89 mph as well: RHP Matt Sauser (Normal University, 2023; Iowa) and RHP Grant Tenuta (Sandburg, 2023; uncommitted). Sauser’s a thin, loose 6-foot-2, 165 pounds, with live arm speed in a frame that projects very well, while harnessing advanced spin feel that will bring him near the top of several TrackMan leaderboards when we break those down later in the week. Tenuta has a clean arm and three-pitch feel; the fastball has heavy traits, with low spin, and he was locating it well on Saturday.

• Built at an imposing 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, RHP Logan Barnett (Pontiac, 2023; uncommitted) is also able to generate arm strength from his physical/strong build. He sat 85-88 mph on Saturday, up from 84 seen last July.

• Freshman right-handers Paul Svanascini (Northridge Prep, 2024; uncommitted) and Ryan Sloan (York, 2024; Wake Forest) led their classmates atop this category. Svanascini’s 87.6 mph high led all freshmen, while spinning at an above-average rate as well (2,220 rpm on average). Sloan, among the first committed ‘24s in the state, sat 85-87 mph with substantial horizontal action/sink.

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