Our analysis of the Peach State Games continues, as we look back at the top uncommitted outfield prospects. This is an athletic group and all of them show the ability to stick in center-field at the next level, and also a chance bring some impressive offensive skill-sets to the table.

Top Outfield Prospects

Kyle Lavender OF / Lassiter , GA / 2019 Lavender was easily one of my favorite prospects to make a Peach State Games appearance. The Lassiter high school product has a very interesting skill set. At      5-foot-9 151-pounds Lavender is undersized, but shows sneaky power and bat-speed.  He sets up with a lower hand-set, but shows very rhythmic hands and fast twitch actions in the batters box. He has a direct path to the baseball and delivers the bat-head with plenty of bat-speed. He posted a respectable 85 mph exit velo and in live game drove a deep line drive to right-field. As you would imagine Lavender is a speedster posting a 4.13 home to first run time on a ground-ball to the left side of the infield. Defensively Lavender showed the ability to make good reads of the bat and uses his low center of gravity well with excellent first step quickness. He also showed accuracy and solid arm strength from the outfield with an 80 mph outfield velocity. Lavender profiles well as a top of the order left handed hitter, who can run and stick in center-field.

 

Hayden Gross OF / 2B / Sonoraville, GA / 2022 Gross is an impressive young athlete and baseball players.  He showed some of the best baseball actions at this event. He has fluid movements and a projectable body and at 5-foot-9 145-pounds, I look for Gross to add good size to that athletic build over the coming years. At the plate he has a wide base, but stays athletic. Gross' set-up is similar to the one Jim Edmonds used during his big league career. The DNA to his set-up and swing are very good. As with most young hitters he is still pull oriented, but he keeps his hands back and should develop more of all fields approach in the future. Defensively Gross moves around the outfield with ease and athleticism. He also has a clean arm stroke that is easy to project in the future. This is a very exciting young athlete with good baseball actions. The projection to Gorss' game is very promising and will be one to watch over the next couple of years.

 

Logan Byerly OF / Sandy Creek, GA / 2020 Byerly is a fast twitch kid at 5-foot-9 165-pounds. He posted some of the best raw tool grades at the Peach State Games with his 88 mph from the outfield and 89 mph exit velocity. At the plate Byerly has a big, wide set-up and looks to do damage. He has plenty of bat-speed, using a big draw for a load, Byerly gets to more power than you might expect, but also adds some length. As an undersized guy Byerly will need to show he can use the field more often, to solidify his offensive identity. Byerly has good tools in the outfield.  He runs & throws well enough to play all three outfield spots, but needs to work on the little things like playing through the baseball and taking efficient routes. Overall some of the best tools at the event and has upside to everything he does. As he refines his skill-set on the baseball field, look for Byerly to make a jump over the next year. Some skills you can't teach and he has those kinds of fast twitch abilities.

 

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