Prep Baseball Report

MO Preseason All-State Player Analysis: Outfielders


Kevin Moulder
Missouri Scouting Director

The MO Preseason All-State event was held on February 6th at the Sports Barn in Wentzville, MO. The 90+ player invite only event featured many of the top 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024's from across the state of Missouri. Today we are taking an in depth look at the outfielders from the event.

Gavin Degnan OF / RHP / Hazelwood West, MO / 2021

Body: 5-foot-11, 180-pound stocky frame.

Hit: RHH.  At the plate starts with a slightly open stance and hand set at shoulder height and tucked back into the body.  Big leg kick and gets weight shifted well into the backside.  Rotational bat path with hands working around the ball.  Hands work very quickly through the zone and has good overall bat speed and strength at contact.  Made lots of hard contact during the BP session.

Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-74 mph.  High ¾ arm slot with short arm action and hand working across the body at release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with short and choppy feet.  Fields the ball out in front of glove side leg and showed a feel for soft hands.  Works a two-hop shuffle for the crow hop technique.

Run: 7.14 runner in the 60.

Daniel Flier OF / RHP / CBC, MO / 2022

Body: 6-foot-1, 190-pound athletic and projectable body.

Hit: LHH.  At the plate starts with a narrow stance and upright posture.  Hands set at shoulder height and a high back elbow.  Uses a short leg kick stride and lands with weight evenly distributed to both feet.  Very smooth and controlled bat path with good balance throughout the swing.  Gets good extension on his line drive approach and shows current strength at contact with exit speeds reaching up to 92 mph in the BP session off of the Trackman.  Made consistent hard contact with good trajectories.

Power: 94 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-85 mph.  Over the top arm slot with long arm action and good hand speed.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with smooth rhythm and long strides.  Fields the ball outside the glove side leg with soft hands and a feel for glove action.  Uses a shuffle style crow hop technique with good direction towards the target after the release.

Run: 7.06 runner in the 60.

Jack Lally OF / 3B / Marquette, MO / 2023

Body: 5-foot-11, 170-pound lean and athletic frame with room for added strength and size in the future.

Hit: RHH.  At the plate starts with a wide and open stance with an athletic posture.  Hands are very active and get set just below shoulder height.  Uses a leg kick stride with weight shifting into the backside at the kick’s highest point and weight drifts linearly to the front foot.  Quick hands through the zone and shows good bat speed and hand strength.  Routes with the hands work down to the ball.  Good balance and very little head movement throughout the swing.

Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-76 mph.  Over the top arm slot with long arm action and release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with short and choppy steps.  Clean exchanges and good pull down on the arm to help with the throw’s trajectory and carry.  Utilizes a shuffle style crow hop with good momentum towards the target.

Run: 6.85 runner in the 60.

Steven Henley RHP / OF / South Pemiscot , MO / 2022

Body: 6-foot-2, 190-pound athletic and well-built frame.  

Hit: RHH.  At the plate starts with a very open stance and weight pre-loaded on the backside.  Uses a long two tap stride to a wide base with hands set very far back and at shoulder height.  Rotational upper body and bat path.  Shows some strength at contact with exit speeds reaching 93 mph in the BP session.  

Power: 93 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-87 mph.  High ¾ arm slot with long arm action and whippy release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with long and smooth steps.  Fields the ball on the outside of the glove leg.  Clean exchanges into shuffle crow hop.  

Run: 7.29 runner in the 60.

Maddox Meier OF / 2B / Saint Charles , MO / 2023

Body: 5-foot-11, 170-pound athletic and muscular frame.

Hit: RHH.  At the plate starts with an open and very wide stance with an upright posture with the upper body.  Hands are set above shoulder height with a relaxed back elbow.  Uses a knee-knock leg kick to a wide base with hands staying back as foot works to strike.  Level bat path with bat staying in the hitting zone for a long time.  Above average hand speed.  Strong top hand and rotational upper body.

Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-75 mph.  Over the top arm slot with long arm action and release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with short and choppy steps.  Fields the ball outside the glove side leg and shows a developing feel for glove action.  Utilizes a back knee driven traditional crow hop with momentum headed towards target and full sell-out with the body pulling down on the arm.

Run: 7.27 runner in the 60.

Pj Rogan OF / RHP / Lafayette , MO / 2023

Hit: SWITCH.  At the plate from the right side starts with slightly open and wide stance with hands set at shoulder height and a high back elbow.  Quick rhythm with short two tap stride and hands working back.  Hands work quickly through the zone. From the left set the set up is equal to the right handed swing.  Utilizes a short leg lift stride with some floating rhythm.  Left handed side is a more rotational and bat path is a little flatter through the zone. 

Power:  85 mph from the right and 82 from the left exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-82, INF-74.  High ¾ arm slot with a clean arm action and good hand speed.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with short/choppy steps and a feel for rhythm.  Fields the ball even with the glove side leg.  Utilizes a step behind shuffle crow hop and pulls down on the arm to help with the throw’s trajectory and carry.  In the infield works routes laterally around the ball and pre-turns the body to create angles towards first base.  Fields the ball deep into the body with a firm glove.  Routes and glove action are developing skills.

Run: 7.26 runner in the 60.

Matthew Mehrhoff OF / RHP / Rockwood Summit, MO / 2022

Body: 6-foot-3, 200-pound mature and well-built frame with broad shoulders.

Hit: RHH.  At the plate starts with an open stance and upright posture.  Hand get set at shoulder height with slight arm-bar and high back elbow.  Uses a leg lift stride to a narrow stance.  Upper body and bat path work through the zone rotationally.  Likes to work the ball up in the air and barrelled multiple line drives during the BP session.

Power: 83 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-80 mph.  High ¾ arm slot with short arm action and long release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with smooth rhythm and short steps.  Fields the ball on the inside of the glove side leg.  Shows a feel for some glove action at times.  Uses a shuffle style crow hop technique.

Run: 7.53 runner in the 60.

Jake Mcghee OF / LHP / CBC, MO / 2024

Body: 5-foot-7, 168-pound athletic and projectable frame with room for added strength and size.

Hit: LHH.  At the plate starts with a neutral stance and athletic posture.  Quiet rhythm with hands and lower half working well together.  Short knee knock stride with slight weight shift onto the backside.  Linear direction with the lower half and flat bat path.  Gets good extension with good routes to the ball.  Well-balanced throughout the swing.  Barrelled multiple line drives with strength at contact.  Exit speeds reached up to 92 mph in the BP session.  Overall a very simple and well put together swing. 

Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: LH.  OF-82 mph.  Over the top arm slot with clean arm action and long release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with aggressive routes and smooth rhythm.  Fields the ball out in front of the glove side leg.  Uses a shuffle crow hop technique and loads up on the back leg to get most out of throw.  

Run: 7.11 runner in the 60.

Ben Pearson OF / 2B / Notre Dame Regional, MO / 2022

Body: 6-foot-1, 170-pound lean/athletic frame and projectable body.

Hit: LHH.  At the plate starts with with a narrow stance and upright posture.  Hands set right below shoulder height.  Smooth load into lower half with hands getting separation on easy stride back to neutral.  Maintains upright posture throughout the swing.  Rotational upper body and hand path.  Bat path works slightly uphill and tries to work the ball up in the air.  Plays the ball deep into the zone and uses the whole field well.

Power: 90 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-78 mph.  High ¾ arm slot with a clean arm action and smooth release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with short/smooth steps and good rhythm.  Fields the ball on the outside of the glove side leg.  Utilizes a shuffle crow hop technique and gets good pull down and momentum headed to the target to increase the throw’s carry and trajectory.

Run: 7.23 runner in the 60.

Austin Romaine OF / LHP / Hillsboro, MO / 2023

Body: 6-foot-2, 210-pound athletic/well-built frame and projectable body. 

Hit: LHH.  At the plate starts with a narrow stance and athletic posture.  Hands set at shoulder height with a relaxed back elbow.  Sinks into the lower half and weight transfers into the backside on leg kick stride.  Gets to a wide base and works lower half underneath the ball well.  Has quick hands through the zone and good overall bat speed.  Gets good extension and maintains balance throughout the swing.  Line drive and gap to gap approach.  Showing current strength at contact.

Power: 91 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: LH.  OF-81 mph.  High ¾ arm slot with long arm action and release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with aggressive feet and smooth rhythm.  Fields the ball outside the glove side leg with sometimes fielding it with two hands.  Uses a back leg driven crow hop and raises body up before release.

Run: runner in the 60.

Joe Siervo OF / SS / Parkway Central, MO / 2022

Body: 6-foot, 170-pound lean and athletic frame with room for added strength and size in the future.  

Hit: RHH.  At the plate starts with a very open stance and upright posture. Hands get set at shoulder height and far back from shoulder.  Uses a high leg lift stride to very wide base.  Gets lots of shoulder tilt and has an uphill bat path.  Tries to get the ball up in the air.  Has some strength at contact and hands work quickly through the zone.

Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-78 mph.  High ¾ arm slot with a short arm action and long release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with short and choppy steps and good rhythm.  Fields the ball on the outside of the glove side leg with some glove action.  Uses a shuffle crow hop and gets good momentum toward the target.

Run: 7.15 runner in the 60.

Joseph Villarreal OF / 2B / Hickman , MO / 2021

Body: 5-foot-11, 171-pound lean and athletic frame.

Hit: RHH.  At the plate starts with a neutral stance and athletic posture.  Hands set at shoulder height with a high back elbow.  Quick leg kick stride with hands shooting back into position.  Gets good load into the lower half and lands balanced with even weight distribution.  Short and compact swing with a rotational hand path.  Shows some strength at contact with exit speeds reaching up to 93 mph during the BP session of of the Trackman.  Very good hand speed metrics and rotational acceleration off of the Blast sensor.  

Power: 93 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: RH.  OF-73 mph.  Over the top arm slot with long arm action and release.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with aggressive feet and short strides.  Fields the ball on the inside of the glove side leg.  Clean transfers and utilizes a shuffle style crow hop with good momentum headed towards the target.

Run: 7.04 runner in the 60.

Kenton Deverman LHP / OF / Fort Zumwalt West, MO / 2023

Body: 6-foot, 160-pound long and lean frame with room for added strength and size.

Hit: LHH.  At the plate starts with a narrow stance and athletic posture.  Uses a short leg kick with good balance and weight transfer.  Hands set at shoulder height and work with good rhythm with the lower half.  Short swing with quick hands through the zone.  Line drive approach and good bat path. 

Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee. 

Arm: LH.  OF-73 mph.  Over the top arm slot with a long arm action.

Defense: In the outfield attacks the ball with smooth rhythm and clean exchanges out of the glove.  Fields the ball outside the glove side leg with good glove action and a feel for soft hands.

Run: 7.23 runner in the 60.

 

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