MN Preseason All-State: Outfield Evaluations

April 28, 2016

By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

Prep Baseball Report's MN Preseason All-State event took place on Sunday, March 20, 2016. The event was held at the Vadnais Sports Center in Vadnais Heights, MN. The event featured prospects from the 2017 class from Minnesota and North Dakota who showcased their talents in front of our scouting staff. Thank you to the players, parents, my staff and the Vadnais Sports Center for such a great event.

There were a number of great individual performances this year at the MN Preseason All-State. Also of note is the fact that official high school practices don't start in Minnesota until today. Look for many of these player's numbers to continue to improve as they start playing and working into mid-season form.

As we drill down into the statistics:

+ 21 players ran sub-7.2 60's.
+ 33 players recorded 85+ mph exit velocities
+ 18 players recorded 80+ mph infield throws
+ 13 players recorded 80+ mph outfield throws
+ 15 catchers recorded 70+ mph throws to second base
+ 8 catchers recorded sub-2.1 pop times
+ 40 pitchers were 80+ mph on the mound

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Today we highlight the outfielders in the event with evaluations and top prospects at their position listed alphabetically.

top outfield Prospects

John Baker, OF Grand Rapids, 2017
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.47 runner. Square stance, leg kick trigger, short to contact with lift, stays on and through at contact well, mid/pull approach with 83 mph exit velocity. Solid actions, short arm action, longer release, accurate throws to target, 75 mph arm strength.

Cam Kline, OF/RHP, Forest Lake, 2017
5-foot-10, 175-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. #37 ranked player in MN 2017 class. 7.34 runner at this event. Athletic compact build. Defined lower half. Swings with intent, stays connected, short to contact, creates above avg. bat speed, gap to gap approach and stays on baseball through contact. 91 mph exit velocity. Good footwork and actions, also has ability as an infielder, right-field tools, well above avg. carry and accuracy to target with 88 mph arm from OF.

Thomas Krause, OF, Rochester Mayo, 2017
6-foot-1, 185-pound left-handed hitting outfielder. 6.88 runner. Physically impressive athlete. Double tap stride, line drive swing plane, uses whole field, good strength in bat. 90 mph exit velocity. Solid fielder, above avg. runner, arm speed on throws, accurate to target. 86 mph arm strength. Raw in some aspects, very good tools, should develop immensely with college instruction. High Follow in MN 2017 class and will make serious jump into class rankings.

Kaylan Legred, C/OF/RHP, Blue Earth, 2017
5-foot-9, 145-pound switch-hitting utility player. 7.25 runner. Switch-hitter with similar mechanics from each side. Pre-set load, uncontrolled stride, aggressive swing, slashy flat swing plane. Mid/away approach LH; Pull approach RH. 77 mph exit velocity. Quick twitch, good flexibility, raw receiving at times, clean crisp exchanges, quick release, solid accuracy to bag. 71 mph throws to second with 2.13 pop time. Solid actions in OF, plays fast, aggressive routes, accuracy to target. 79 mph OF arm.

Avery Lehman, OF/RHP, Coon Rapids, 2017
6-foot-2, 170-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 6.97 runner. Crouched set-up, short stride with balance, uphill swing plane, gap to gap approach, solid contact, 80 mph exit velocity. Avg./solid actions, good direction with feet, follows throws, solid accuracy, short arm action producing 85 mph arm strength.

Joe McKibben, OF, Lakeville South, 2017
6-foot-3, 170-pound left-handed hitting outfielder. Tall lanky frame. 7.34 runner at this event. Deeper load. Flashes solid bat speed. Clean bat path. Consistently squared baseball with gap to gap approach. 81 mph exit velocity. Shows projectable actions in outfield. Plays fast with aggressive routes. Above avg. feet and hands. Shorter arm action than previous events; above avg. accuracy to target with 78 mph arm strength.

Chad Musser, OF, Wayzata, 2017
6-foot-3, 195-pound left-handed hitting outfielder. #42 ranked player in MN 2017 class. 7.25 runner at this event. Strong projectable frame. Flashes loft power, uses whole field, hard pull contact, gap to gap approach, good separation after contact. 82 mph exit velocity. Corner OF actions, fields well, good direction with feet, easy effort with long arm action, has accuracy and carry to target. 85 mph arm strength.

Ben Thompson, OF, Bloomington Jefferson, 2017
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. Present lean strength. Solid lower half. 7.22 runner. Athletic set-up, in-line stride, shifts weight through contact well, shows strength to pull side with ability to hit middle/away. 86 mph exit velocity. Solid actions in OF, good feet, fields cleanly, short repeatable arm action, quick arm, good accuracy and carry to target. 80 mph arm strength. Follow in 2017 class.

Jordan Schramel, RHP/OF, Delano, 2017
6-foot, 178-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. #28 ranked player in MN 2017 class. 7.37 runner. Loose hands, rhythm in swing, some lift at contact, flashes of pop when extended, gap to gap approach, 81 mph exit velocity. Corner OF actions, fields cleanly, long release on throws, solid accuracy to target. 83 mph arm strength.

Nate Shoemaker, RHP/OF, Minnetonka, 2017
6-foot-3, 190-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. #34 ranked player in MN 2017 class. Athletic frame. Solid present strength. 7.18 runner. Open stance, body load, inverted swing plane, hard contact to pull-side, mid/pull approach with 85 mph exit velocity. Moves well in OF, athletic actions, uses lower half in throws, solid accuracy to target. 88 mph arm strength.

outfield Prospects

Aaron Brush, C/OF, Minnetonka, 2017
6-foot-2, 210-pound right-handed hitting catcher. #41 ranked in MN 2017 class. 7.47 runner. Physical build with strong lower half for position. Square stance with leg kick trigger. Uphill swing plane- out front at contact. Above avg. strength in bat with 86 mph exit velocity. Quiet set-up, moves side to side well, stays under pitches, soft hands, handles velocity. Good direction with feet, slight hitch in arm path with 73 mph arm strength and 2.16 pop time. Solid actions in outfield, moves well enough that corner OF could be versatile option, OT arm slot, avg. carry, solid accuracy, 82 mph arm strength.

Cole Christian, OF, Richfield, 2017
6-foot-1, 160-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.09 runner. Double-tap trigger, strides closed, some length to contact, line drive swing plane, 78 mph exit velocity. ¾ arm slot, elevated throws to plate, in-line with target, 74 mph arm strength.

Seth Cushing, OF, Red Wing, 2017
5-foot-11, 175-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.31 runner. Open stance, inconsistent stride, short to contact, consistent solid contact, gap to gap approach, good extension through zone, 83 mph exit velocity. Avg./solid actions, limited use of front side on throws, short arm action, above avg. accuracy to target. 79 mph arm strength.

Mark Dittrich, OF, St. Charles, 2017
5-foot-11, 160-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.22 runner. Drops hands in stride, flat bat plane, mid/pull approach, 75 mph exit velocity. Good feet and aggressive routes in OF, quick release, solid accuracy to target, short release point on throws, 75 mph arm strength.

Nathan Ebeling, OF, Rosemount, 2017
6-foot, 165-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.09 runner. Open stance, pre-set hands, some strength in barrel, inconsistent contact/timing, mid/pull approach. 86 mph exit velocity. Aggressive routes to ball, good footwork, long release, solid accuracy to target, 80 mph arm strength.

Nathan Edlund, OF, Robbinsdale Armstrong, 2017
5-foot-11, 195-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.62 runner. Strong frame. Open stance, heavy shoulder load, rotational bat path through zone, hard pull contact with pull approach. 77 mph exit velocity. Left-field tools, avg. actions, good arm with clean path and arm speed. Above avg. accuracy to target with on-line throws. 84 mph arm strength.

Mitchell Gabrelcik, LHP/OF, Buffalo, 2017
6-foot-3, 180-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.06 runner. Square stance, body load, short through zone, gap to gap approach, uses hands in swing. 78 mph exit velocity. Decent athlete, raw mechanics, stiff arm action from low ¾ slot, elevated throws to target. 74 mph arm strength.

Logan Krenik, OF, Edina, 2017
5-foot-10, 175-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.03 runner. Tightly wound body with strength. Aggressive hitter, creates bat speed, hard pull contact. 86 mph exit velocity. Avg. action in field, long release, elevated throws in-line with target. 75 mph arm strength. Solid run and power tools.

Matt Laciskey, RHP/OF, Blaine, 2017
6-foot, 180-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.16 runner. Square stance, balanced stride, high finish through contact, uphill plane. 84 mph exit velocity. Solid footwork, avg./solid actions. Long release with quick arm. Above avg. carry with accuracy to target. 86 mph arm strength.

Tyler Long, OF/RHP, Woodbury, 2017
5-foot-9, 140-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.1 runner. Lean frame. Square stance, simple swing, balanced stride, rotational shoulder load, pull contact, 70 mph exit velocity. Shows raw athleticism in OF, elongated arm action, leads with elbow, avg. accuracy, 70 mph arm strength.

Zac Longman, OF, Rosemount, 2017
5-foot-10, 165-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.34 runner. Tall stance, spread stance, short balanced stride, minimal weight shift, inverted plane, pull contact. 75 mph exit velocity. Aggressive routes, length to exchange, short arm action, varying accuracy to target. 73 mph arm strength.

Connor Peterson, LHP/OF, Farmington, 2017
5-foot-9, 150-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.81 runner. Open stance, loses posture at contact, negative weight through swing, mid/away approach. 71 mph exit velocity. Solid fielder, long release, solid accuracy, 68 mph arm strength.

Alex Schneider, RHP/OF, Bloomington Jefferson, 2017
6-foot, 165-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.53 runner. Simple swing, loose hands, solid contact, finds barrel, mid/away approach with 85 mph exit velocity. Solid actions in OF, works through ball, long release, clean arm action, solid accuracy and carry to target at 80 mph.

Ben Scott, OF/RHP, Mankato West, 2017
6-foot-2, 175-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.75 runner. Tall frame- room for added strength. Slightly crouched set-up. Spread stance with minimal stride. Flashes solid pop in bat to pull side of field. Gap to gap approach. 77 mph exit velocity. Solid actions in OF, long arm action, avg. accuracy to target. 80 mph arm strength.

Hunter Spitzer, OF, St. Charles, 2017
5-foot-7, 165-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.12 runner. Strong compact frame. Small load, strides open, short path through zone, slight uphill plane, 77 mph exit velocity. 2-hand fielder, limited use of momentum on throws, ¾ slot, accurate arm, 74 mph arm strength.

Jake Thomas, OF, Farmington, 2017
5-foot-11, 155-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. 7.87 runner. Extra movement in load, short path through zone, rolls hands early at contact, mid/pull approach, 75 mph exit velocity. Short guarded arm action, elevated throws, 71 mph arm strength.

Carter Wendlandt, OF, Minneapolis Washburn, 2017
5-foot-10, 170-pound right-handed hitting outfielder. High-waisted athletic body. 7.75 runner. Crouched set-up, uphill swing plane, contact to all fields, some looseness in hands. 78 mph exit velocity. Good feet and fast twitch actions on defense, short arm action, elevated throws to plate, 75 mph arm strength.