Prep Baseball Report

Kansas Most Viewed Profiles: Players 1-5



Shon Plack
Kansas Scouting Director

In a similar "End of the Year" countdown to the Most Read Stories of 2016, we will take a look at the top twenty most viewed Kansas Player Profiles of 2016.  Here is number one to five to complete the countdown.

5. Will Brennan, LHP/OF, Blue Valley 2016 (Kansas State)

Brennan is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound left-hander pitcher and outfielder.  He showed a simple, balanced delivery built to repeat and throws with clean, quick three-quarters arm action.  His fastball worked in the 87-89 mph range with arm side sinking/glove side cutting action.  Brennan also showed a 71-74 1/7 breaking ball.  He sells his 80-81 mph change-up well and it dies away from right-handers bats.  Runs a 6.72 60 with an outfield velo of 89 mph and 95 mph exit velo. Kansas State recruit.

4. Cole Duensing, RHP, Blue Valley Northwest 2016 (Kansas State)

Kansas State commit. Long legged, slender 6-foot-3, 170-pund frame with plenty of room to fill out. Projection guy. Quick arm and easy repeatable mechanics. Works fast. Ran his fastball from 91-93 through. Squared up catcher with firm glove side fastball. Command of a 76-79 mph 11/5 breaking ball. 2016 Super 60 invitee, Angles 6th round selection.

3. Nolan Williams, SS, Turner, 2016 (Louisiana State)

Williams is an excellent athlete with present strength. He turned in one of the top 60 times with a 6.58. His arm was solid during the outfield portion, but he has played mostly shortstop so if he transitions to center field in the future, he should improve as he learns the nuances of the outfield. He hit from both sides of the plate with good bat speed and a direct path from the right side. He uses a leg kick and has some happy feet, but he’s strong and impacts the ball with ease. He’s still relatively new to switch-hitting and doesn’t always do it in games, but there is some looseness in his lefty swing. Louisiana State commit, Angles 3rd round selection.

2. Joey Wentz, LHP, Shawnee Mission East, 2016 (Virginia)

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Virginia recruit sat 91-92 mph and touched 93 from a loose and easy delivery. He stays compact for someone with long levers and showed feel for a changeup with slight fading action at 80. He also spun a good curveball with tight break, 1/7 shape and some depth. Lottery A Round pick of the Atlanta Braves.

1. Riley Pint, RHP, St. Thomas Aquinas, 2016 (Louisiana State)

Pint is one of the top arms in the nation in the 2016 class, long limbed and atletic, has touched triple digits with his fastball, committed to Louisiana State, was the fourth overall selection in the 2016 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies.

Players 10-6

10. Ryan Zeferjahn, RHP, Topeka Seaman 2016 (Kansas)

Zeferjahn a Kansas commit and rising 2016 MLB Draft prospect. 6-foot-3, 190-pound righty with wide shoulders and a strong lower half with the ability to add some weight and strength. A repeatable delivery and power fastball that was 93-94 mph several times throughout the over six innings he pitched including a 95 in the first frame.

9, Gunnar Haler, SS, Blue Valley, 2016 (Kansas State)

Halter has a tall, skinny frame with quick twitch actions to his game. Halter stays balanced and exhibits bat speed. He showed off one of the stronger arms in the infield. He is the son of former big leaguer Shane Halter and committed to Kansas State.

8. Camron McMillian, SS. St. Thomas Aquinas, 2017 (Vanderbilt)


McMillan is a 6-foot-6 190-pound right handed hitting shortstop in Kansas' 2018 class.  Very athletic, runs a 6.77 60 and has an infield velo of 86 mph. Committed to Vanderbilt.

7. Zebulon Vermillion, RHP, Shawnee Mission East, 2017 (Arkansas)

Vermillion is a 6-foot-5 175-pound right-handed pitcher, Arkansas recruit. Vermillion had was impressive with an 85-88 mph fastball with late run, working both sides of the plate.  He has an over-the-top release with quick arm speed.  He showed command of his breaking ball and change-up.  Vermillion's curveball is a late breaking and  11-to-5 in shape at 71-72 mph.  His change-up has late sink at 80-82 mph with fastball arm speed.  Vermillion has loose arm action and slender frame that will allow for strength and increased velo as he develops. Pitched for Team Select in the PBR Future Games in 2015.

6. Lucas Krull, LHP, Mill Valley, 2016 (Arkansas)

Krull at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds and an Arkansas commit, showed acceleration in his delivery, speeding up at his balance point and getting down the hill aggressively. He sat 88-90, touching 91, and mixed in a 2/8 curveball that flashed sharp break and good depth. His changeup was 79-80.

PLAYERS 15-11

15. Luke Anderson, SS/RHP, Shawnee Mission East, 2017 (Missouri)

Anderson, a Missouri recruit, is a 6-foot-1 160-pound right-handed hitting shortstop and played for Team Select in the PBR Future Games in August 2015.  During infield evaluations, Anderson posted an 85 mph positional velo, with fluid footwork and a quick release, making accurate throws across the infield. He ran a 7.14 60 and had an exit velo of 92 mph.  During batting practice, Anderson showed off his aggressive swing, driving ball into both gaps. He has a balanced set-up with a controlled leg kick. On the mound, Anderson worked 82-85 mph with his fastball, touched 86 mph and showed a 12-to-6 breaking ball at 69-73 mph.

14. Chase Burgess, SS, Blue Valley West, 2019


13. Daniel Harper, RHP, Bishop Miege, 2017 (Kentucky)

Daniel is a 6'4 218-pound wide shoulder big framed right handed hitter, corner infielder and pitcher from Bishop Miege. A strong big frame and wide shoulders with a high 3/4 slot with a long loose arm with a slight pause in his delivery that cause a timing disruption with hitters.  Plays the corners effectively with athletic and clean movements and a fluid throw with carry and accuracy.

12. Zac Cox, SS, Manhattan, 2018

Cox is a strong and athletic 6-foot 185-pound right-handed hitting shortstop in Kansas’ 2019 class.  He ran a 708 60 and a 4.50 home-to-first.  He has a 91 mph exit velo. At the plate, open stance, controlled leg lift with in line stride, aggressive to the ball, level bat path, stays on ball after contact, consistent hard contact during batting practice gap-to-gap, doubled to left-center gap in game action.  Behind the plate, pop times between 2.00 to 2.25-seconds, 81 mph catcher velo, throws from high three-quarters arm slot, quick actions with somewhat accurate throws. On the infield, 83 mph positional velo, one of the top of the event, high three quarters arm slot, fields ball in athletic position, momentum after catch, accurate throws. Played for Team Select at the PBR Future Games in August.

11. Jake Owens, OF, St. James Academy (Missouri)

Owens, a Mizzou commit, is a very athletic right-hand hitting outfielder. Kansas class of 2017. Attends St. James Academy in Lenexa, KS. At the plate showed a balanced set-up, leg kick, smooth load, short path, bat speed, extension through the baseball. Hard contact in the gaps. Strong, aggressive swing. Recorded an 86 mph exit velocity, plus runner. In the outfield attacks the ball. Quick, clean exchanges, high three-quarters arm action, fast arm, accurate throws. In the infield showed quick feet. Quick, clean exchanges. Short, high three-quarters arm action. One strong, accurate throw after another.

Players 20-16

20. Braden Minor, RHP, Goddard Eisenhower (Oklahoma)

Minor, an Oklahoma recruit, represented Team Kansas at the 2014 Future Games and threw at the PBR Super 60 last February.  The 6-foot 185-pound righty controlled, repeatable delivery and throws from a high ¾ slot with an easy arm allowing his fastball to get up on hitters quicker than they think. He worked mostly in the 86-89 mph range with his fastball, flashes a 75-76 mph curveball with 12/6 bite and a change up at 75-77 mph. 

19. Brady Garrison, C, Mill Valley, 2017 (Neosho County) 

Garrison, a Neosho County recruit, is a 6-foot-1 225-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2017 class from Mill Valley.  He ran a 4.14 home-to-first, and has an exit velo of 93 mph. At the plate, thin set up, toe touch, aggressive swing, power bat, swing produced consistent hard line drives to middle and pull side.  Behind the plate, pop times between 1.95-2.08-seconds, 77 mph positional velo, most throws were on the money, over the top release, quick catch and throw with momentum.

18. William Dennis, LHP, Blue Valley Northwest, 2018

Dennis 6-foot-4, 200-pound left-handed hitter, upside frame, long levers, projects well. Arm plays from a high ¾ slot, gets extension. Fastball touched 86 mph, sat 82-86 mph. Curveball has depth with swing and miss potential, 70-73 mph, got two swinging strikeouts in his outing at the PBR Future Games. 

17. Aaron Funk, RHP, Lawrence Free State, 2017 

Funk is a right-handed pitcher that attends Lawrence Free State HS in Kansas. Class of 2017. Projectable 6-foot-5, 201-pound frame. Tall, projectable right-hander. Up-tempo delivery, works to a tall balance point. Works uphill a bit and strides slightly open resulting in falling off to the first-base side. Fastball with running action, 84-89 mph, has touched the low 90's. Breaking Ball with 11/5 shape, at times sharp, 70-75 mph. Change-up 78-79 mph. Needs to iron some things out, but when he does he could rapidly move into the upper tier of class of 2017 right-handed pitching prospects in the MO-KAN area very rapidly.

16. Jackson Cobb, C, Topeka Seaman, 2018 (Kansas)

Cobb, a Kansas commit, is a physical 6-foot-3 190-pound left-handed hitting catcher in Kansas 2018 class. Cobb ran a 7.14 60 and 4.43 home-to-first. At the plat, Cobb starts in a tall/balanced stance, smooth rhythm, slight dive with stride, level path to extension, middle to pull side line drives during batting practice, 88 mph, top left-handed exit velo of the event, singled to right during game action.  Behind the plate, pop times between 1.96 and 2.14, short over the top release, quick footwork working with clean exchange, most throws at the bag at second base, event high of 74 mph positional velo for catchers.

 

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