Prep Baseball Report

PBR Prospect I.D. Showcase highlights



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The Prep Baseball Report?s Prospect Identification Showcase on June 14 at Oakton Community College unveiled several under-the-radar players who should develop into established prospects in the coming years.

Here?s a recap of some of the top prospects at the event. A full report of theevent, along with complete player write-ups, will follow in the next two weeks.

The top overall prospect at the event was Josh Jywook, a Class of 2012 OF from Fremd HS. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Jywook was the best offensive prospect at the event, demonstration a powerful left-handed swing that produced excellent backspin carry. A physical presence, Jyawook ran a 7.15 60, but a few days later ran a 6.84 60.

Caleb Ratzman, a Class of 2012 OF from Winneconne HS in Wisconsin, also impressed with his athleticism and overall tools. The 5-foot-7, 160-pound Ratzman ran an event-best 6.69 60, was clocked at 83 mph from the outfield and demonstrated a quick, compact left-handed swing at the plate.

Jared Holloman, a physical 6-foot-3, 220-pound Class of 2012 LHP from Morton HS in Central Illinois, was the top pitching prospect at the event. Hollomon has extremely projectable size, and had good arm-side run on his 83-84 mph fastball. He also demonstrated feel with his changeup and curveball.

Chad Bruce, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound Class of 2012 OF from Glenbrook North HS, has intriguing upside. With his long, athletic frame, Bruce is a projectable prospect who demonstrated a balanced and quiet approach at the plate. Bruce, who ran a 7.25 60, showcased quick hands to the ball and developing power potential.

John Swiderski, a physical Class of 2012 catcher from Geneva HS, showed arm strength behind the plate. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Swiderski fired a top pop time of 1.99. He also showed some power potential at the plate.

Lincoln Herendeen, a Class of 2012 SS/RHP from Marian Central Catholic HS, proved to be a solid two-way prospect. The solidly built 5-foot-11, 185-pounder has smooth defensive actions at shortstop in addition to a balanced, line drive-producing swing at the plate. On the mound, the right-hander showcased command of three pitches.

Michael Reinisch, a 5-foot-9, 160-pound Class of 2012 catcher from Glenbrook South HS, is a fundamentally sound receiver. Reinisch showed an accurate arm and quick feet behind the dish, and registered consistent pop times of 2.0, 2.04 and 2.06. At the plate, Reinisch also impressed with a balanced, compact swing in which he barreled line drives gap-to-gap.

David Schalla, a Class of 2012 RHP from Palatine HS, demonstrated arm quickness and a fastball that topped at 83 mph, sitting comfortably at 82. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound right-hander also showed a 71-72 mph changeup that had excellent sink down in the zone.

Mike Brennan, a Class of 2012 OF/RHP from Oak Park-River Forest, is a two-way talent who showed well in all facets of the game. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Brennan ran a 7.19 60 and demonstrated a solid arm from the outfield (83 mph). On the mound, he also showed feel for three pitches, including an 80-81 mph fastball and a 72-74 mph changeup that had some late fade.

Class of 2013 Top Prospects:

Carson Cheesman, a wiry 6-foot, 165-pound LHP/OF from Galesburg HS, is a projectable left-hander who should continue to add velocity on his 77-79 mph fastball as he physically develops. Operating from a three-quarter slot, Cheesman has a quick arm and gets good natural movement on three pitches; most notably, his changeup that had solid arm-side sink.

Kyle Venhuizen is a physical 6-foot-4, 215-pound LHP from Evergreen Park. Venhuizen uses his size to work downhill well, and his fastball sat at 78-79 mph. With some mechanical adjustments, Venhuizen should see his velocity climb in the coming years.

Frank Perrone, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound OF from Maine South HS, demonstrated the event?s best positional arm strength, checking in at 85 mph with good carry. He also showed a balanced, line drive-producing swing at the plate.

Michael Fitzgerald is an athletically built 6-foot-3, 200-pound 3B from Metea Valley HS. Fitzgerald showed well in the field, demonstrating instinctual movements, soft hands and solid arm strength from third base. With his size and strength, Fitzgerald has power potential at the plate.

Jack Karras is an athletic 5-foot-9, 172-pound middle infielder who ran a 7.07 60 and showed solid defensive actions at shortstop. At the plate, he has a balanced approach with smooth mechanics and is quick to the baseball.

We will have complete event reports and write-ups  in the coming weeks.

Click Here to view all the Prospect Identification Showcase statistics