Prep Baseball Report

MO Underclass Games: Infield Analysis


Kevin Moulder
Missouri Scouting Director

The PBR Missouri Fall Underclass Games took place on September 13th at Atkins Field in Columbia, MO. The event featured over 25 prospects from the 2023 and 2024 Classes. 

Last Friday we began our post-event analysis by taking a look at the Catchers. We continue our coverage today with reports on the infielders. 

Scouting Reports

Listed Alphabetically

Luke Amezcua RHP / 3B / Parkway Central, MO / 2024

Positional Profile: 3B / RHP

Body: 5-foot-9, 147-pounds, smaller frame, room for growth

Defense: athletic actions, shows range on the infield, clean transfers, smooth arm action 

Arm: arm works, longer arm action, low three-quarters release, INF - 73 mph

Hit: Right-handed, starts in a wider and crouched stance, looseness to his wrists, simple load, in line stride, uphill path to swing, mostly pull contact during batting practice.

Run: 7.79 second 60.

Delivery: Delivery has some rhythm, higher leg lift, longer stride, gains momentum down the mound, clean arm stroke, throws with regular effort

Arm Action: Right-handed, over-the-top release, quick arm

FB: T76, 72-74 mph, around the zone, strikes at the top of the zone

CB: 59-60 mph, 12-to-6 shape, mostly gradual action 

CH: 65-66 mph, fading action, thrown with near fastball arm speed

Zach Amezcua C / SS / Parkway Central, MO / 2024

Positional Profile: C / INF / OF

Body: 5-foot-8, 160-pounds, stocky build, strength in lower half

Defense: Behind the plate shows natural receiving ability, soft hands, 2.08-2.19 pop times, athletic set up, clean and efficient footwork, short arm stroke, mostly accurate throws, 66 mph positional velocity. OF -shorter arm stoke, momentum towards target, attacks the baseball. INF - attacks the baseball, clean footwork, athletic actions, 73 mph positional velocity. 

Arm: Right-handed, short arm action, strong arm with carry at multiple positions. 

Hit: Right-handed, athletic stance, smooth load, tilt to his barrel, reverse toe tap into load, longer stride, contact out in front of the plate, hard contact during round, exit velocity of 78 mph. 

Run: 7.81 second 60

Christian Bobzin RHP / SS / St. Paul's Concordia , MO / 2024

Positional Profile: RHP / INF

Body: 6-foot-2, 168-pounds, lean build, long limbs, room to add strength 

Defense: aggressive to the baseball, clean transfers, arm works, momentum towards target

Arm: Right-handed, INF - 76 mph, smooth arm action, low ¾ release

Hit: Starts in a wide stance, leg lift into load, in line stride, tilt to his barrel, mostly middle and pull side contact during round, some lift to his swing, balanced throughout, exit velocity of 88 mph

Run: 7.27 second 60


Delivery: Projectable frame on the mound, long limbs, some rhythm down the mound, directional towards target, downhill tilt with shoulders, athletic finish, repeats 

Arm Action: Right-handed, three-quarter release, long and loose arm action

FB: T79, 76-78 mph, thrown for strikes, armside run 

CB: 60-63 mph, near fastball armspeed, 11-to-5 shape, mostly gradual action

CH: 68 mph

Aiden Bray SS / 2B / Lafayette, MO / 2023

Positional Profile: SS

Body: 5-foot-10, 150-pounds, lean build, room to add strength as he develops

Defense: INF- 77 mph, athletic actions, shows range on the infield, clean transfers, arm works, momentum towards target 

Arm: Right-handed, clean arm action, three-quarter release

Hit: Left-handed, upright stance, loose wrists, leg lift into load, slightly across body with stride, flat bat path, primarily pull side contact during round, exit velocity of 81 mph

Run: 7.63 second 60

Brady Hultman 3B / OF / Francis Howell, MO / 2023

Positional Profile: OF / INF / P

Body: 6-foot, 204-pounds, solid frame, shows strength and physicality for his age

Defense: OF - 81 mph, aggressive to the ball, clean footwork, momentum towards target, INF - 76 mph, athletic actions, glove tap into transfer, quick high three-quarter release, strong arm, shows range on the infield

Arm: Right-handed, long arm action, quick arm, carry on throws

Hit: Right-handed, shows physicality at the plate, smooth load, small leg lift into load, uphill path to swing, barreled a lot of baseballs during round, contact out in front of the plate, swing produced mainly fly ball contact, exit velocity of 83 mph. 

Run: 7.44 second 60

Delivery: physical presence on the mound, works at a slower tempo, gains momentum down the mound, directional towards target, athletic finish, repeats delivery with regular effort, creates downhill tilt with shoulders

Arm Action: Over the top release, clean arm action with some quickness to it

FB: T77 mph, sits 74-77 mph, thrown for a high percentage of strikes

CB: 70 mph, flashed some late bite during outing, 12-to-6 shape, thrown aggressively to the bottom of the zone

Tripp Johns 3B / 1B / Lafayette , MO / 2023

Positional Profile: 3B / 1B

Body: 6-foot-2, 225-pounds, big frame with strength

Defense: INF - 76 mph, smooth actions on the infield, shows good range for his size, clean transfers, quality footwork 

Arm: Right-handed, clean arm action, three-quarter release

Hit: Left-handed, physical presence at the plate, tall and upright stance, simple weight transfer load, some rhythm to his hands, quick bat, feel for the barrel, flat bat path, showed some pull pop, mostly line drive and fly ball contact during round

Run: 8.28 second 60

Brooks Kettering SS / RHP / Glendale , MO / 2023

Positional Profile: SS/ RHP

Body: 5-foot-9, 140-pounds, lean build with room to add strength

Defense: INF - 77 mph, good actions on the infield, moves well side to side, clean transfers, shows off athleticism 

Arm: Right-handed, arm works, loose action, low three-quarter release

Hit: Left-handed, athletic stance, reverse toe tap into load, quiet hands, longer stride, aggressive swing, quick bat, mostly barrels during batting practice, flat bat path, pull pop, primarily fly ball and line drive contact during round.  

Run: 7.35 second 60

Delivery: Projectable frame on the mound, works from multiple arm slots, athletic delivery, gains momentum down the mound, aggressive lower half, easy delivery  and repeats. 

Arm Action: Works from a low ¾ and side arm slots, loose arm action

FB: T79, 77-78 mph, arm side run (the more he drops down the more arm side run he produces), thrown for a high percentage of strikes

CB: 72-73 mph, mostly gradual action, 11-to-5 shape,

Myles Kruger SS / 2B / Kirkwood, MO / 2023

Positional Profile: SS/ 2B

Body: 5-foot-11, 160-pounds, proportional frame, some strength in lower half

Defense: INF - 79 mph, good actions, moves well, shows off athleticism, consistent pre-pitch, range to both back hand and up the middle, clean transfers

Arm: Right-handed, loose arm action, quick arm, high three-quarter release 

Hit: Right-handed. Relaxed and athletic stance, wider but in line stride, aggressive with back hip, rhythm with his hands, loose wrists, shows the ability to control his barrel, flat bat bath, produced hard line drive and fly ball contact during round, 83 mph exit velocity

Run: 7.97 second 60

Jake Mcghee 1B / LHP / CBC, MO / 2024

Positional Profile: OF/1B/LHP

Body: 5-foot-6, 148-pounds, proportional frame

Defense: INF-78 mph, moves well side to side, quick transfer to release, OF - 81 mph, controlled approach to the ball, glove tap into transfer, momentum towards target

Arm: Left-handed, long smooth action, high three-quarter release, strong arm with some carry

Hit: Left-handed, starts in a narrow stance, knee pinch into his load, looseness to his wrists, quick bat, looks to lift the baseball, primarily line drive and fly ball contact during round, exit velocity of 84 mph 

Run: 7.60 second 60

Delivery: Compact delivery, short rocker step into a controlled leg lift, varies tempo to disrupt hitter’s timing, directional towards target, falls toward glove side after release, strong glove side for added deception

Arm Action: quick arm, clean action, throws from a high three-quarter release

FB: T78, 76-78 mph, arm side run, thrown for strikes

CB: 64-66 mph, near fastball arm speed, sharp at times, 1-to-7 shape

CH: 65-68 mph, fading action

Brooks Nigut 2B / OF / Kennett, MO / 2023

Positional Profile: 2B

Body: 6-foot, 162-pounds, lean build, room to add strength

Defense: INF - 75 mph, moves well side to side on the infield, glove tap into transfer, clean footwork, easy actions

Arm: Right-handed, smooth arm action, three-quarter release

Hit: Right-handed, starts upright and slightly opened, narrow and inline stride, some rhythm to his hands, high finish, primarily line drive and fly ball contact during round, exit velocity of 90 mph

Run: 7.28 second 60

Blake Stewart 1B / RHP / Oakville, MO / 2024

Positional Profile: INF / RHP

Body: 5-foot-8, 180-pounds 

Defense: INF - 64 mph, clean transfers, momentum towards target, good side-to-side movement at 1B

Arm: Right-handed, three-quarter release, long arm action

Hit: Right-handed, slightly wider set up, small leg lift into load, quiet hands, level bat path, mostly line drive contact during round, exit velocity of 78 mph. 

Run: 9.12 second 60

Delivery: Simple delivery, a good size rocker step into a controlled leg lift, gains momentum down the mound, in line stride, falls off towards glove side after release, throws 2 pitches for strikes 

Arm Action: longer arm action, high three-quarter release

FB: T65, 61-63 mph, thrown for strikes, occasional arm side run

CB: 55 mph, 11-to-5 shape, gradual action, around the strike zone

Cooper Thornhill C / 3B / Columbia Hickman, MO / 2024

Positional Profile: C / 3B

Body: 5-foot-9, 160-pounds, proportional frame

Defense: 2.29-2.24 pop times, wider set up behind the plate, clean footwork, short and clean arm action, mostly accurate throws over the bag, positional velocity of 61 mph, INF - 59 mph, clean transfers, showed range to gloveside on the infield.

Arm: Right-handed, long and clean arm action, works from a three-quarters release

Hit: Right-handed, athletic and upright stance, quiet load, in line stride, aggressive with back hip, remains balanced throughout, showed mostly middle to pull side contact during round, exit velocity of 74 mph

Run: 7.61 second 60

Rick Williams 3B / RHP / Kirkwood, MO / 2024

Positional Profile: 3B / RHP

Body: 5-foot-11, 155-pounds, lean frame with room to grow and for added strength

Defense: INF - 75 mph, athletic actions, arm works, glove tap in transfers, momentum towards target

Arm: Right-handed, three-quarter release, clean action, developing strength 

Hit: Right-handed, starts upright and slightly open, quiet hands, toe tap in his load, some tilt to his barrel, in line stride, mostly level bat path, remains balanced throughout, exit velocity of 83 mph.

Run: 7.62 second 60

Delivery: Lean build and projectable frame on the mound, works primarily from the stretch, shorter and controlled leg lift, glove tap in transfer, long and loose arm action, downhill tilt with shoulders, gains momentum down the mound, athletic and repeatable delivery

Arm Action: Loose arm, high three-quarter release, 

FB: T75, 74-75 mph, high percentage of strikes

CB: 62 mph, mostly gradual action, 11-to-5 shape

CH: 64-65 mph, near fastball arm speed, flashes some depth at the bottom of the zone

Bret Yarger OF / SS / Rolla , MO / 2024

Positional Profile: OF/SS

Body: 6-foot, 170-pounds, athletic build, room to add more strength

Defense: INF - 75 mph, good actions, light on his feet, flashes range to both sides, OF - 76 mph, controlled approach to the baseball, clean transfers, momentum towards target 

Arm: Right-handed, long arm action, three-quarter release, developing arm strength

Hit: Right-handed, balanced and athletic stance, simple load, some rhythm to his hands, feel for the barrel, contact out front, quick bat, hard contact and flashes some pop with exit velocity of 94 mph at the event. 

Run: 7.14 second 60

 

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