Prep Baseball Report

Super 60 State Director Spotlight: Steve Nielsen


Tino Abarca
PBR Staff

Steve Nielsen, Illinois and Wisconsin scouting supervisor, has been spearheading coverage in these two states since jumping on board in the fall of 2012. Throughout his tenure, he has seen many Super 60 top performances which makes him a vital figure to include when recapping some of the top showings throughout the event’s 17-year history.

Jarred Kelenic and Gavin Lux stick out the most in my mind,” Nielsen said. “Kelenic was a two-time participant in the Super 60 and Lux inflated his stock into a first-round talent that day with one of the better Super 60 rosters we’ve had in 2016.”

A 2016 roster that included names like Logan Wyatt (Louisville; San Francisco Giants), Matthew Gorski (Indiana; Pittsburgh Pirates), Tyler Fitzgerald (Louisville; Giants), Joey Wentz (Virginia; Atlanta Braves) and Cameron Planck (Mets), it’s imperative to put on a show, and Lux did just that.

Even with fellow Wisconsin prospects Ben Rortvedt and Alec Marsh  in attendance, who are now in the Twins and Royals organization, respectively, Lux found a way to separate himself.

Lux would eventually be drafted by — and make his major league debut for — the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was taken in the first round, 20th overall out of Kenosha Indian Trail high school.

 

Kelenic was the standout of the 2018 Super 60. As one of the top prospects in the country, there was a ton of buzz surrounding Kelenic heading into the event. The buzz was warranted given his showing.

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“Kelenic put on one of the best shows we’ve seen at the Super 60, running a 6.55 on the lasers and putting on a data display in his BP rounds,” Nielsen said.  “Nine of his 12 hits traveled over 325-feet and averaged over 99-mph exit velocity, topping at 104.39.”

The Super 60 gives some a chance to solidify themselves as top MLB Draft prospects. For others, it gives them an opportunity to put themselves on a radar that they might not have been on prior to the event. Breakout performances are what separates the Super 60 from any other event. Looking back, Wisconsin has had a number of those. More specifically, Dan Jansen, 2013 grad from Appleton West.

"Jansen was a known prospect but not overly touted as a high draft in high school," Nielsen said. "He showed as one of the better defensive catchers at the event and brought some thump in his bat."

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Jansen, now with the Toronto Blue Jays, was selected in the 16th round in the 2013 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut in August of 2018.

The 18th-annual Super 60 takes place on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020 at The MAX in McCook, Ill. The roster is continuing to take shape, and more details will be released soon. For more information about the event, click HERE. To view the event's history, click HERE.

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