By Phil Wade
Indiana Executive Director

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The analysis for the Indiana position players that attended the Preseason I.D.-Illiana showcase have been completed.  Below we take a look at the position players from the Hoosier state that attended the event.

In Alphabetical Order

Jacob Anderson, 1B, Munster HS, 2018: 6-foot-4, 176 pounder ran a 7.9-60 and was 83 across the infield.  Loose, high ¾ arm action at 1B with some carry.  Hits from a slight crouch/open setup. Small load, short stride.  Average use of the lower half with good balance.  Long swing path.  Gets to extension.  Line drive type hitter.  Has some stiffness in the rhythm, but overall good feel for the barrel.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 79 mph. 

Grant Brunt, 3B, Chesterton HS, 2018: 5-foot-11, 175 pounder ran a 7.26-60 and was 87 across the diamond.  Displayed arm strength and soft hands in the field.  Footwork was fluid and plays through the baseball with athleticism.  Good carry on his throws.  At the plate hits from a crouch setup, dives during the stride.  Low hands, chokes the bat.  Long stride, long bat path.  Has some choppiness and stiffness in his swing.  Strong hands.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 85 mph. 

Jacob Defries, SS, Crown Point HS, 2018: 5-foot-11, 150 pounder ran a 7.34-60 and was 77 across the diamond. Sure hands defensively with average footwork.  Packs during the exchange.  Shows some athleticism.  Long arm action.  At the plate the LHH shows loose, athletic actions.  Hits from a balanced setup, loads back with an arm bar.  Tendency to over rotate the lower half.  Displayed good bat speed with the ability to get to extension.  Hard contact to his pull-side.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 78 mph.  

Shayne Devine, MIF, Portage HS, 2017: 6-foot, 170 pounds, runs a 7.43-60 and was 75 across the diamond.  Sure hands in the field with heavy feet.  Clean exchange.  Physical player with some athleticism.  Long, high ¾ arm action with accuracy.  At the plate hits from an open setup.  Bars during the load.  Coils.  Average bat speed with a good approach.  Displayed the ability to get lift on the baseball.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 80 mph.   

Nick Geisen, SS, Crown Point HS, 2019: 6-foot, 155 pounder ran a 7.76-60 and was 78 across the infield.  Showcased average hands in the field.  Moves well and plays through the baseball.  Short, ¾ arm action with some carry on his throws.  At the plate hits from a balanced setup, loads back.  Tends to dive during the stride.  Average use of the lower half.  Bat speed is average from a long path.  Showed the ability to get to extension.  Has some looseness in the swing.  Line drive type hitter.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 76 mph.  

Conner Hoffman, 1B, Lake Central HS, 2018: 6-foot-1, 185 pounder ran a 7.76-60 and was 81 across the INF.  Offensively the LHH hits from an open setup.  Loads back and uses a short stride.  Good balance.  Loose, athletic swing with quick bat speed.  Uphill swing path, regularly gets to extension.  Power potential to his pull-side.  Excellent approach at the plate.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 81 mph.  

Cade Howard, SS, Munster HS, 2019: 5-foot-7, 125 pounder ran a 7.47-60 and was 73 across the diamond.   Currently possesses raw defensive actions up the middle.  Offensively, hits from a wide, slightly open setup.  Stride is short.  Shows good balance in the swing with average bat speed.  Rhythm is stiff.  In/out type swing path.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 71 off the tee.

Adam Huekels, OF, Kahler MS, 2020: 5-foot-8, 130 pounder ran an 8.05-60 and was 72 from the OF.  Young player with a small frame.  Currently lacks elite foot speed. Fielded most balls clean. Long, ¾ arm action, shows some stiffness.  At the plate hits from a tall, balanced setup.  Uses a toe-tap.  Tends to drop his hands during the load, bars the front arm.  Long path to the baseball, flat bat.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 72 mph.   

Eric Lakomek, 3B, Hanover Central HS, 2017: 6-foot, 180 pounder ran a 7.53-60 and was 79 in the infield.  Average hands with a clean exchange.  Slow transfer. Lacks elite foot speed.  Fields the ball deep at times.  Short, high ¾ arm action with some accuracy.  At the plate hits from a crouch setup, short stride.  Smooth load.  Good balance.  Keeps his hands in, uphill swing plane.  Found the barrel a lot during BP.  Quick, loose hands with the ability to get to extension.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 77 mph.  

Josh Lindeman, SS, Crown Point HS, 2019: 6-foot, 165 pounder ran a 7.54-60 and was 80 across the infield with average carry.  Average hands and footwork.  Ball comes out of the hand quick.  Long, high ¾ arm action.  At the plate hits from a wide, open setup.  Stride is short.  Gets off his backside.  Average balance in the swing.  Average bat speed, uphill swing plane.  Pull-side type hitter.   Overall good approach.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 80 mph.  

Colin Mack, 2B, Morgan Township HS, 2018: 5-foot-9, 140 pounder ran a 6.90-60 and was 77 across the diamond.  Actions in the field are raw, but did show some arm strength.  Feet tend to be flat, with hard hands.  Fields it deep.  Offensively, hits from an athletic setup, smooth load.  Stride is short, tendency to dive.  Over rotates the lower half.  Displayed average bat speed with a short path.  Line drive type hitter. Barreled most balls during BP.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 75 mph.

Logan Missal, 3B, Lowell HS, 2019: 5-foot-11, 175 pounder ran a 8.2-60 and was 76 across the infield.  Displayed average hands and feet in the field.  Packs during the exchange.  Plays through the baseball.  Short, high ¾ arm action with average carry.  Offensively, the LHH hits from a balanced setup and loads back.  Stride is short.  Average use of his lower half with good balance.  Average bat speed, long/uphill swing plane.  Has some fluidity in the swing.  Line drive type hitter.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 80 mph. 

Zach Orn, SS, Eastside HS, 2017: 5-foot-10, 165 pound infielder ran a 7.08-60 and was 85 across the diamond from a long, loose  ¾ arm action.  Showcased sure hands defensively with fluid footwork.  Exchange is clean, plays through the baseball with athleticism.  Offensively, the LHH hits from a balanced setup.  Smooth load back, slight arm bar.  Possesses above average bat speed with an uphill swing path.  Hard contact to his pull-side.  Overall athletic hitter with a good bat path.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 89 mph.  

Julian Rutherford, 3B, Griffith HS, 2018: 5-foot-10, 165 pounder ran a 8.16-60 and was 75 across the infield.  Possesses soft hands in the field with fluid feet.  Exchange is quick, plays through the baseball.  Short, high ¾ arm action with average strength.  At the plate hits from a tall, athletic setup.  Smooth load.  Possesses quick bat speed.  Good approach.  Short, level swing path, gets to extension.  Displayed gap-to-gap type power with fluid rhythm.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 81 mph.  

Spencer Strobel, OF, Avon HS, 2017: 6-foot-1, 190 pounder ran a 7.46-60 and was 83 from the OF.  Average hands, awkward footwork.  Slow exchange.  Average carry on his throws.  Long, high ¾ arm action.  At the plate hits from an athletic setup.  Loads back and uses a short stride.  Above average use of his lower half, good balance in the swing.  Above average bat speed.  Level swing path with the ability to get to extension.  Gap-to-gap type power.  Fluid rhythm.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 85 mph.  

Ryan Thometz, C, Munster HS, 2018: 5-foot-7, 150 pound receiver was 2.20-2.29 with his pop times and 69 from the crouch.  Lacks elite arm strength.  Shows a clean transfer, but gets long on the back side.  Young, raw receiver.  At the plate hits from a slightly open, athletic /crouch setup with high hands.  Small load back with a short stride.  Average use of his lower half with average balance. Long, level swing path.  Pull side hitter. Rhythm is a little choppy.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 76 mph.

Xavier Unzueta, SS, Munster HS, 2018: 5-foot-8, 150 pounder ran a 7.61-60 and was 77 across the diamond.  Showcased average hands in the field with a slow, but clean exchange.  Footwork is fluid.  Plays through the baseball.  Loose arm from a ¾ slot with accuracy.  Offensively, hits from a tall setup, very minimal stride.  Average lower half, good balance.  Average bat speed.  In/out swing path, line drive type hitter.  High contact, simple type swing.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 78.  

Joey Wells, SS, Lake Central HS, 2019: 5-foot-10, 155 pounder ran a 7.08-60 and was 75 across the infield from a ¾ slot.  Shows some athleticism in the field, but raw actions.  Hands are average, at times hard. Footwork gets flat, fields the ball deep.  Showed a good backhand.  Offensively, hits from and open setup with high hands.  Loads back, minimal stride.  Possesses average bat speed, fair approach to the ball.  Long, uphill swing path.  Showed the ability to get to extension.  Choppy rhythm.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 74 mph. 

Noah Wells, OF, Lake Central HS, 2017: 5-foot-10, 160 pounder ran a 7.35-60 and was 82 from the OF from a long, over the top arm action.  Possesses soft hands defensively with quick fluid feet.  Exchange was quick and clean.  Shows athleticism.  Offensively, hits out of a slight crouch setup, minimal stride.  Loads back.  Average balance in the swing.  Displays some bat speed with a long swing plane.  Rhythm gets choppy with some stiffness.  Recorded a high exit velocity of 81.