Top Prospect Games: Team 9 (White) Position Players
July 22, 2016
By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director
The 2016 Top Prospect Games took place on June 14-15 and afforded more than 150 players from around the state the opportunity to showcase their abilities to the PBR Kentucky staff and numerous college coaches in a combination showcase/game play event.
CLICK HERE to view the top statistical performers and statistics for all players in attendance.
The following is an in-depth look at the position players from Team 9 (White). Please note that this is position analysis only. Those position players who also participated as a pitcher at the event had their pitching performance featured in a previous article.
middle infielders
Eric Sottile, RHP/SS, Lexington Catholic, 2018
60 Time: 7.28, Position Velocity: IF-87, Exit Velocity: 83
5-foot-9, 150-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance, short stride, fluid load gets him ready to trigger swing, works the middle of the field with a compact swing that produces line drive contact, went 1-for-4 in game play with an infield single. Works through the baseball well and registered the top infield velocity of the event from a long high-3/4 release, hands play well and shows good lateral movement. Sottile is an interesting two-way prospect.
Paul Wise, 2B, Montgomery County, 2018
60 Time: 7.08, Position Velocity: IF-74, Exit Velocity: 88
6-foot, 175-pound LHH hits from a slightly open stance with a leg kick trigger, took an impressive round of BP that included several line drives to the gaps, generates good bat speed and has a compact swing, continued to hit well in game play going 2-for-3 with two singles to CF, showed well above average bat speed in exit velocity testing. Above average runner for age who moves fluidly defensively, average hands and arm strength from a short ¾ release. Bat is best current tool.
James House, SS, Seneca, 2017
60 Time: 7.14, Position Velocity: IF-71, Exit Velocity: 80
5-foot-8, 135-pound RHH hits from an open stance and squares up with a short stride, has a fairly flat path through the zone, line drive type hitter who showed a middle to opposite field approach with average bat speed, went 2-for-4 in game play. Shows athleticism and good lateral movement defensively, hands are soft and play well, short high-3/4 release with accurate throws, current arm strength plays better at the second base position.
catchers
Kyle Harbison, C, Scott County, 2019
60 Time: 7.15, Pop Time: 1.91-1.99, Position Velocity: C-73, Exit Velocity: 82
5-foot-11, 163-pound RHH hits from an open stance and squares up with a short stride, slight hand load triggers into a very short swing path, likes to work the middle to opposite field with line drive contact, went 0-for-3 in game play. Defensively, has the makings to be a top catch and throw guy, hands and feet are quick which lead to an extremely quick transfer and release, made some accurate throws to the bag, has an athletic presence behind the plate. The 2019 class has proven to be deep in quality catchers already, and Harbison is one that makes it so.
Brady Higdon, C, Breckinridge County, 2017
60 Time: 7.58, Pop Time: 2.02-2.10, Position Velocity: C-74, Exit Velocity: 93
6-foot, 210-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance, loads back with front foot with a short stride, swing path can be steep at times, high hand finish, flashes occasional power with frame-generated bat speed, went 1-for-2 in game play with a sac fly and bloop single. Defensively, has a fairly quick transfer and release, average arm strength with some accurate throws, above average footwork that stays online.
corner infielders
Parker Thomas, RHP/1B, Woodford County, 2017
60 Time: 7.94, Position Velocity: IF-80, Exit Velocity: 83
6-foot-1, 186-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance, short stride, stays short to the ball and works inside the baseball well, line drive type hitter, gap to gap approach, went 0-for 3 in game play, saw better exit velocity at previous event (92mph). Shows some athleticism and moves well around the first base bag, solid arm strength with accurate throws.
Trevor Allen, 3B, Mercer County, 2017
60 Time: 7.69, Position Velocity: IF-79, Exit Velocity: 74
6-foot-1, 175-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance with no stride, hands drop slightly to trigger swing, swing path works level to uphill with some length, flashes occasional pull side power, went 0-for-3 in game play with a pull approach. Shows decent athleticism at third base with average hands, made a big jump in arm strength from a high-3/4 release with accurate throws across the diamond. Allen showed some improvement in overall game at the event.
Hunter Lewis, RHP/1B, Mercer County, 2018
60 Time: 9.01, Position Velocity: IF-76, Exit Velocity: 74
6-foot-4, 230-pound RHH hits from an open stance, mid-length stride, has raw strength in swing that produces occasional power, lacks extension at times with stiff arms, went 1-for-3 in game play with an infield single. Shows average hands and movement around the bag at first base, made accurate throws from a shorter high-3/4 release.
outfielders
Matthew Higgins, OF, Trinity, 2017
60 Time: 6.94, Position Velocity: OF-82, Exit Velocity: 91
6-foot-1, 185-pound LHH hits from a balanced stance, short stride, quick and loose hands produce good bat speed, squared up everything in BP in the most impressive round of the event, shows gap to gap pop, above average runner, went 2-for-3 in game play. Works though the ball with athletic actions, long high-3/4 release with slightly above average arm strength, throws had some carry and stayed mostly online. Higgins impressed tremendously as one of the top left-handed hitters in the 2017 class.
Isaac Oelling, OF, Dixie Heights, 2017
60 Time: 7.12, Position Velocity: OF-80, Exit Velocity: 84
6-foot-1, 175-pound RHH showed a big improvement in 60 time. Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, uses lower half well, keeps the barrel in the zone a long time to produce consistent line drive contact in BP, impressed in game play going 2-for-3 with a triple to LF. Showed improvement in playing through the ball more aggressively from previous event, gets rid of the ball with a big crow hop, long high-3/4 release produced slightly above average arm strength. Oelling had a solid event and has made strides in most areas of his game.
Zachary McConnell, OF, Boyd County, 2017
60 Time: 7.26, Position Velocity: OF-76, Exit Velocity: 78
5-foot-10, 145-pound RHH hits from a balanced stance and uses a short stride, simple swing with no wasted movement, fairly level swing with flat finish, showed a mid to opposite field approach, line drive type hitter, occasional stiff lower half, went 0-for-4 in game play. Shows average footwork in the outfield, long high-3/4 release produced average arm strength but very accurate throws to the third base bag.