Prep Baseball Report

After Late Start, Kruse Lands At Northern Kentucky


Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Michigan Senior Writer

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After Late Start, Kruse Lands At Northern Kentucky

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To view the uncommitted spotlights, click here.


Ryan Kruse

Class of 2022 / 3B

Player Information

  • Graduating Class: 2022
  • Primary Position: 3B
    Secondary Position: RHP
  • High School: U of D Jesuit
    State: MI
  • Summer Team: Indiana Prospects
  • Height: 6-1
    Weight: 215lbs
  • Bat/Throw: R/R

Statistics

Pitching
88
Max FB
(03/06/21)
85 - 88
FB
(03/06/21)
75 - 77
CB
(03/06/21)
80 - 81
CH
(03/06/21)
75 - 79
SL
(08/03/21)
Pitching
Max FB
88
FB
85 - 88
CB
75 - 77
CH
80 - 81
Pitching
Max FB
77
FB
72 - 77
CB
66 - 69
CH
68 - 72
Position
7.24
60-yard
(07/14/20)
88
INF Velo
(03/06/21)
98
Exit Velo
(08/03/21)
Trackman - Fastball
87.7
Velocity (max)
(03/06/21)
85.1 - 87.1
Velo Range
(03/06/21)
84.3
Eff Velocity (avg)
(03/06/21)
2214
Spin Rate (max)
(08/03/21)
2106
Spin Rate (avg)
(08/03/21)
IVB (max)
(03/06/21)
IVB (avg)
(03/06/21)
HM (max)
(08/03/21)
HM (avg)
(03/06/21)
Extension (avg)
(08/03/21)
Release Ht (avg)
(03/06/21)
Spin Score (max)
(08/03/21)
Zone %
(08/03/21)
Trackman - Fastball
Velocity (max)
87.2
Velo Range
83.6 - 86
Eff Velocity (avg)
84.3
Spin Rate (max)
2214
Spin Rate (avg)
2106
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Zone %
Trackman - Fastball
Velocity (max)
87.7
Velo Range
85.1 - 87.1
Eff Velocity (avg)
84.3
Spin Rate (max)
2093
Spin Rate (avg)
2008
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Zone %
Trackman - Curveball
77.1
Velocity (max)
(03/06/21)
75.5 - 76.7
Velo Range
(03/06/21)
73.5
Eff Velocity (avg)
(03/06/21)
2451
Spin Rate (max)
(03/06/21)
2426
Spin Rate (avg)
(03/06/21)
IVB (max)
(03/06/21)
IVB (avg)
(03/06/21)
HM (max)
(03/06/21)
HM (avg)
(03/06/21)
Extension (avg)
(03/06/21)
Release Ht (avg)
(03/06/21)
Spin Score (max)
(03/06/21)
Zone %
(03/06/21)
Trackman - Curveball
Velocity (max)
77.1
Velo Range
75.5 - 76.7
Eff Velocity (avg)
73.5
Spin Rate (max)
2451
Spin Rate (avg)
2426
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Zone %
Trackman - Slider
79.4
Velocity (max)
(08/03/21)
73.6 - 77.3
Velo Range
(08/03/21)
73.4
Eff Velocity (avg)
(08/03/21)
2505
Spin Rate (max)
(08/03/21)
2364
Spin Rate (avg)
(08/03/21)
IVB (max)
(08/03/21)
IVB (avg)
(08/03/21)
HM (max)
(08/03/21)
HM (avg)
(08/03/21)
Extension (avg)
(08/03/21)
Release Ht (avg)
(08/03/21)
Spin Score (max)
(08/03/21)
Zone %
(08/03/21)
Trackman - Slider
Velocity (max)
79.4
Velo Range
73.6 - 77.3
Eff Velocity (avg)
73.4
Spin Rate (max)
2505
Spin Rate (avg)
2364
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Zone %
Trackman - ChangeUp
81.0
Velocity (max)
(03/06/21)
79.5 - 81.0
Velo Range
(03/06/21)
78.2
Eff Velocity (avg)
(03/06/21)
1839
Spin Rate (max)
(03/06/21)
1820
Spin Rate (avg)
(03/06/21)
IVB (max)
(03/06/21)
IVB (avg)
(03/06/21)
HM (max)
(03/06/21)
HM (avg)
(03/06/21)
Extension (avg)
(03/06/21)
Release Ht (avg)
(03/06/21)
Spin Score (max)
(03/06/21)
Trackman - ChangeUp
Velocity (max)
81
Velo Range
79.5 - 81
Eff Velocity (avg)
78.2
Spin Rate (max)
1839
Spin Rate (avg)
1820
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Trackman - Hitting
98.2
Exit Velocity (max)
(08/03/21)
88.1
Exit Velocity (avg)
(08/03/21)
215
Distance (avg)
(08/03/21)
321
Distance (max)
(08/03/21)
Hard Hit %
(08/03/21)
Sweet Spot %
(08/03/21)
Line Drive %
(08/03/21)
Fly Ball %
(07/14/20)
Ground Ball %
(03/06/21)
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
98.2
Exit Velocity (avg)
88.1
Distance (avg)
215
Distance (max)
321
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
94.4
Exit Velocity (avg)
87.8
Distance (avg)
144
Distance (max)
301
Hard Hit %
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Ground Ball %
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
85
Exit Velocity (avg)
81.6
Distance (avg)
133
Distance (max)
319
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Blast - Hitting
24.6
Hand Speed (max)
(08/03/21)
23.0
Hand Speed (avg)
(08/03/21)
88.7
Bat Speed (max)
(03/06/21)
76.8
Bat Speed (avg)
(08/03/21)
Rot. Acc (max)
(08/03/21)
Rot. Acc (avg)
(08/03/21)
On Plane Eff (avg)
(08/03/21)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
(08/03/21)
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
24.6
Hand Speed (avg)
23
Bat Speed (max)
82.9
Bat Speed (avg)
76.8
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
24
Hand Speed (avg)
21.2
Bat Speed (max)
88.7
Bat Speed (avg)
73.3
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)
MaxOnPlaneEfficiency

Pitch_Scores

Pitch Scores - Fastball
Hop+
(03/06/21)
Rise+
(03/06/21)
Sink+
(08/03/21)
Pitch Scores - Curveball
Hammer+
(03/06/21)
Sweep+
(03/06/21)
Pitch Scores - Curveball
Hammer+
Sweep+
Pitch Scores - Slider
Hammer+
(08/03/21)
Sweep+
(08/03/21)

After Late Start, Kruse Lands At Northern Kentucky

PLEASANT RIDGE - Ryan Kruse has some advice for any youngster with aspirations to play college baseball.

“Work hard and get yourself out there,” Kruse said. “If you put in the work and show you can play at the college level, someone will find you and pick you up.”

That was the case for the U of D Jesuit senior, who is now a Northern Kentucky commit despite only recently entering the recruiting process.

“I got on the scene late,” the 67th-rated 2022 in Michigan explained. “I did not have the knowledge to get out on the recruiting scene until my sophomore year and then Covid hit, so there was nothing until this June. I went to a couple PBR showcases and that helped a lot. Putting stuff on Twitter and joining the Indiana Prospects also helped.”

Interest eventually came this past summer.

“I was talking to a wide variety of schools in the Big 10 and MAC,” noted Kruse, who at the time of his commitment had offers from Fairleigh Dickinson, Niagara and Grand Valley State along with solid interaction from Davenport, Western Michigan and a number of other MAC schools.

“The whole thing was hectic,” the 17-year-old reflected. “It’s good to be over with so I can focus on getting better and onto college ball.”

It wasn’t until after his senior year of high school started that Northern Kentucky and Kruse made a connection.

“They saw me this fall for the first time and we started talking,” Kruse related. “They gave me an offer a couple weeks later and I went down to check it out. They have nice facilities and a nice campus. It’s also in a good location near Cincinnati.”

There was another aspect that stood out about the Horizon League school.

“They like me as a two-way guy, primarily off the mound,” the fifth-ranked 2022 third baseman in Michigan said. “They like my pitchability, my ability to spin the ball with multiple off speed pitches and my projectability to throw hard.”

The chance to also play in the field in addition to pitch was important in the eyes of the 6-1, 215-pounder.

“A couple of the bigger schools I was talking to wanted me just as a pitcher,” Kruse pointed out. “But I was leaning more to people that wanted me as a two-way. I see the potential with both and don’t want to give one up until I see them both through.”

Improvement in each area of his game proved beneficial in receiving the opportunity to do both at the next level.

“As a freshman and sophomore in high school I saw myself as a hitter and infielder, that was my focus,” Kruse explained. “I was trying to do that at the college level. But then my junior year I had a huge jump with velo. I went from the high-70s to touching 89 this summer, so there was potential to go two-way in my recruiting.”

Kruse credited an arm program with Prime Time and working out at 2SP as big reasons for the jump in velocity, while pointing to his parents, hitting coach Chris Newell and coaches at U of D Jesuit as well as the Indiana Prospects with playing key roles in helping get where he is in the game of baseball today.

“I’m really looking forward to the competition and being able to compete with guys fighting for a spot and against guys with high-level talent,” noted Kruse, who lives four hours from the Northern Kentucky campus. “Hopefully, we can make it to the College World Series.”

A 3.6 student considering a major in kinesiology, exercise science or physical therapy. Kruse believes he can be a big part of helping that CWS dream materialize.

“I can bring a lot of things to the program,” Kruse said. “Pitching and getting it done on the mound while also offering offensive potential, I can help the team from both sides of the ball.”



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