Prep Baseball Report

Oct. 20th Unsigned Senior Showcase: Pitchers Analysis





By Phil Wade & Blake Hibler

PBR Indiana

On Sunday, October 20th PBR Indiana hosted the fall Unsigned Senior Showcase at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis.  Forty players in the class of 2014 from Indiana and three player from KY, IL, and MO participated in the event.  Below we analyze the pitchers from the event.

Top 10

1. Joe Ault, RHP, Homestead HS, 2014: 6-foot-5, 185 pound senior possesses a prototypical pitcher’s frame.  Uses a drop and drive delivery with a quick arm action.  On occasion threw a sweeping breaking ball with late action.  Changeup showed some arm side run.  Throws from a ¾ arm slot.  Recently committed to Parkland as a pitcher and a hitter. 

2. Stephen Pinarksi, RHP, Concord HS, 2014: 5-foot-11, 178 pound senior continues to improve on the mound.  Delivery is slow and repeatable.   Gains momentum as he moves forward in the delivery. Throws from a high arm slot with quick arm speed.  At the event was up to 85 mph with his fastball.  Possesses a small hook in his arm swing.  Throws all pitches for a strike. 

3. Robby Skarvan, LHP, St. Xavier HS (KY), 2014: 6-foot, 175 pound senior possesses a tall, lean frame  with a sound delivery.  Starts delivery closed and lands closed.  Throws from a high ¾ slot.  Gets sink action on his 77-78 mph fastball.  Arm speed is quick.  Throws two different breaking pitches for a strike.  Slider shows a tight spin at 69-71 mph.  Curveball was 68-73 and consistently in the zone.  

4. Ben Sprinkle, RHP, Franklin Central HS, 2014
: 6-foot-1, 195 pound senior has been up to 82 mph with his fastball.  Shows an inward turn in his delivery.  Throws over the top with average arm speed.  His best pitch is his split finger with good depth.  Throws a slow, loopy breaking ball at 62-65 mph.  Changeup shows some arm side run down in the zone.  Recently committed to Kentucky Wesleyan.   

5. Brenden Kirkendall, RHP, Concord HS, 2014: 6-foot-7, 175 pound senior possesses high projectability.  Uses a high leg kick in the delivery.  Lands open, causing him to pull off his pitches. Fastball shows good arm side run at 78-81 mph.  Changeup also shows good arm side run at 69-73 mph.  Breaking ball was 66-69. 

6. Tyler Holt, LHP, Brebeuf HS, 2014: 6-foot-2, 185 pound senior is a high upside LHP with long legs.  Mechanically is sound despite an aggressive head yank.  Throws three pitches for a strike.  Fastball showed good downward movement with some life at 75-78.  Breaking ball was an above average pitch at 65-67.  Changeup topped out at 73 mph. 

7. Zack St. Pierre, LHP, Noblesville HS, 2014: 6-foot-1, 175 pound senior continues to be a projectable LHP.  Needs to add strength.  Delivery is repeatable with good rhythm.  Throws from a high ¾ slot creating a downward plane on his fastball (76-79).  Best pitch was a straight changeup.  Throws a slow, loopy breaking ball.  

8. Austin Gossmann, RHP, Avon HS, 2014: 5-foot-10, 160 pound senior was 80-83 mph with his fastball.  Uses an overhead pump and high leg kick in his slow, deliberate delivery.   Lands open, but throws from a low ¾ slot.  Fastball gets run and sink action.  Breaking ball possess tight spin on 2 planes.  Shows good arm speed on his changeup with some arm side run.  Displayed a live arm at the event, but was erratic at times.  

9. Taylor Kopplin, RHP, South Decatur HS, 2014: 6-foot, 170 pound senior was 79-82 mph with his fastball.  Possesses a slender frame.  Shows a low arm swing with a slight uphill shoulder tilt in the delivery.  Throws over the top and creates a good plane on the fastball.  Curveball shows a 12/6 shape, but is inconsistent.  Changeup is straight at 65-66 mph. 

10. Bryan Roberts, RHP, Hamilton Southeastern HS, 2014: 6-foot, 190 pound senior uses a small rock step with a low leg kick and short stride allowing his fastball to jump on hitters creating deception.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with a short, quick arm action. Fastball was 77-80 mph.  Throws two breaking balls; slow, loopy curveball and a slider that acts more as a cutter showing late cut action.  Changeup is straight at 70-73. 

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)  

Logan Beaman, LHP, Cardianal Ritter HS, 2014: 5-foot-10, 190 pound senior possesses a long arm swing in the delivery causing his release point to be inconsistent.  Fastball was up to 77 mph.  Flashed an occasional good breaking ball at 69-70 with an 11/5 shape.  Slows his arm speed when throwing his changeup (62-65 mph). 

Mitch Caster, RHP, Greenwood HS, 2014: 6-foot, 180 pound senior was 78-80 with his fastball.  Throws from a high ¾ slot.  Arm action is short and quick.   Delivery is simple and repeatable with good balance throughout.  Shows good arm speed on his breaking ball, but struggles keeping it down in the zone.  Changeup shows good depth with late action.

Sam Comer, RHP, Brownsburg HS, 2014: 6-foot-5, 210 pound senior possesses long levers.  Shows some stiffness throughout his delivery.  Bends his back.  Throws from an over the top slot with average arm speed.  Fastball was 76-79 mph.  Breaking ball was 61-64 with early break.  Changeup was 63-67.  Needs to maintain arm speed on all of his off-speed pitches.  Projects more as a hitter. 

Ryan Kerschner, RHP, Columbia City HS, 2014: 5-foot-11, 215 pound senior uses a low leg kick with an aggressive approach.  Throws from a ¾ slot with a short arm action.  Fastball was up to 77 mph.  Tendency to get underneath on his breaking ball.  Changeup shows good arm side run at 64-66 mph.  Projects more as a hitter. 

Fabian Munoz, RHP, Seymour HS, 2014: 5-foot-10, 165 pound senior has been up to 75 mph with his fastball. He’s mechanically sound but lacks command of the zone.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Breaking ball is loopy at 59-62 mph. 

Evan Nixon, RHP, Carmel HS, 2014: 5-foot-11, 170 pound senior throws from a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Fastball was 77-78.  Delivery is simple and shows a hook during his arm swing.  Breaking ball shows early action at 68-70 mph.  Changeup is straight.  Throws a lot of strikes. 

Austin Rybicki, RHP, Bishop Luers HS, 2014: 6-foot-4, 210 pound senior possesses a projectable frame.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with a short arm action.  Good rhythm and repeatable delivery.  Lacks premium arm strength.  Fastball topped out at 76 mph.  Throws two different breaking pitches; a 65-67 mph curveball and a 68 mph slider.  Projects more as a hitter. 

Devon Sheward, RHP, Marion HS, 2014: 5-foot-10, 190 pound senior uses a drop and drive delivery with effort.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with a short, quick action.  Pounds the strike zone with a 77-80 mph fastball.  Fastball shows occasional arm side run.  Throws a breaking ball with late action at 66-69.  Changeup is thrown for a strike at 71-73 mph. 

Connor Smith, RHP, Crawfordsville HS, 2014: 6-foot, 182 pound senior throws from a ¾ slot with a long arm swing and average arm speed.  Changes heights throughout his delivery and is a little jumpy.  Fastball showed arm side run at 76-77 mph.  On occasion flashed a good breaking ball with depth.  Changeup showed late arm side run at 69-70. 

Jacob Tucker, LHP, Elkhart Memorial HS, 2014: 6-foot-3, 165 pound senior has a slender build.  Delivery is quick with a long arm circle.  Throws from a high ¾ slot with average arm speed.  Front side is erratic.  Fastball was 73-76 mph.  Breaking ball shows an 11/5 shape with early break.  Keeps changeup down in the zone, but has the tendency to push it.  

Marty Underwood, RHP, Greenwood HS, 2014: 5-foot-10, 150 pound senior uses a high leg kick with a slight inward turn in his delivery working at good pace.  Throws from a high ¾ arm slot with some whip.  Fastball was 74-77 mph with run.  Breaking ball showed 2-planes with gradual movement.  

Terick Warner, RHP, Shenandoah HS, 2014: 6-foot-3, 190 pound senior throws from the stretch.  Fastball was 72-73 mph from a high ¾ slot.  Snaps head at release.  Average arm speed with long arm circle.  Possesses good balance.  61-62 mph breaking ball shows gradual movement.  Changeup was 66-67 mph.  

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