Prep Baseball Report

Virginia Super60 Preview



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By Jerry Shank
Maryland / Virginia Scouting Director

This Sunday, February 5th marks the 15th annual PBR Super60 Pro Showcase hosted at The Max indoor facility in McCook, IL. Over the last 14 years, the Super 60 has become the most heavily scouted preseason event for potential draft picks. The primary purpose of the Super 60 is to give professional area scouts, cross-checkers and scouting directors a head start to the high school season. The event is for draft-eligible Class of 2017 prospects.

Last year alone had an astounding 120 professional scouts of all levels. Most Major League teams had 3-5 scouts in attendance. Since the event's inception in 2003, more than 250 players have been selected in the MLB Draft (CLICK HERE FOR MORE PLAYER INFO), including 11 first-round picks and 14 second-rounders. Last year alone, five Super 60 participants were drafted in the first round, including the No. 5 pick overall, OF Corey Ray (Class of 2013).

Of the Super 60's long history, last year's collective talent was arguably the best of all-time. Twenty of the 27 pitchers were 90-plus on the mound, including an event-record 96 mph by Brenden Heiss (IL). Several players emerged as high-level draft prospects, which ultimately resulted in SS Gavin Lux (WI) and LHP Joey Wentz (KS) getting drafted in the first round, and C Ben Rortvedt selected in the second round, to name a few.

2017 marks the most Virginia players in attendance with two players from the 2017 class making the trip to McCook, IL, a southwest suburb of Chicago. Tyler Solomon of Battlefield HS and Kyle Whitten of Osbourn Park.

Tyler Solomon C Battlefield HS
Committed to Vanderbilt
6-foot-4, 220-pounds.
Scouting Report
3.15.16: Solomon has a tall, projectable, athletic frame and is a switch hitter. He hit exclusively from the left side in this game. He has an athletic stance and takes a big leg kick stride with a smooth load back and a slight wrap. He has an explosive lower half and generates power to all fields. He has a very quick hands and is short to the ball. He has explosive bat speed and gets good extension. He showed a good approach during the game, using the entire field. He has light-tower power to his pull side and gap power to the opposite field with the potential to have home run power to all fields by the time he graduates. Behind the plate, Solomon has a short arm action that is loose and quick and he throws from a three-quarters slot. His arm is strong and he had a 1.97 between inning pop time.

Kyle Whitten RHP Osbourn Park HS
Committed to Virginia
6-foot-3, 170-pounds
Scouting Report
7/16/16 - RHP Kyle Whitten (Osbourn Park HS, VA) started and logged three innings and allowed three walks and a hit. He lost command of his stuff in the second inning, but was able to wriggle out of jams with the help of his defense. His fastball sat 87-89 mph with some occasional cut and sink to it. He mixed in a rolling curveball at 70-71, but flashed a couple harder breaking balls with more lateral action at 74. His changeup was firm with some fade in the low 80s.