Prep Baseball Report

2018 Calgary College Prospect Showcase - Underclass Spotlights


Andrew MacLean
PBR Alberta Director of Scouting

We would like to thank all who participated in PBR Alberta's 2018 Calgary College Prospect Showcase this past week. This was a great opportunity for 2018-2021 prospects to be put on college radars. Many players impressed during their individual workouts at the showcase.

Interested in attending a PBR Alberta event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

For now, please take a look at the statistical results from the event by clicking here.

Alberta Insider: 2018 Calgary College Prospect Showcase - Underclass Spotlights

Province wide, the 2019 grad class is definitely one of the strongest we’ve seen in a few years here in Alberta and it was well represented at the College Prospect Showcase in Calgary. We take a look at 5 guys who should be on your radar. Two catchers who possess some pop and defensive upside, athletic outfielders and one of Alberta’s top corner guys at any grad class. The group of catchers on Saturday was no doubt one of the strongest, including Ben Prediger of the Calgary Junior Dinos and Skylar Braun who plays for Prairie Baseball Academy.

Ben Prediger C / 1B / St. Francis, AB / 2019

Report: Prediger is a must follow in the 2019 class, trending upwards each time we see him. The Calgary College Prospect Showcase was no exception, showing off his improved bat speed making loud contact during his round of BP and an exit velocity that  topped out at 87 mph. With room to add strength and size to his frame it would be no surprise to see that number climb in the near future. Standing at 6-foot, 185-pounds with an athletic frame that should easily transfer to second base at the college level, he shows smooth actions and mannerisms on the infield. Behind the plate Ben showed off his ability to transfer the ball efficiently resulting in a pop time of 1.95 and a velocity of 75 mph. There is definite need for improvement with his foot speed as his 40 yard dash time was 5.31 seconds, but overall Ben is a very promising prospect heading in the right direction.

Noah Wauters OF / RHP / LCC, AB / 2019

Report: Wauters gets a lot out of hist 5-foot-9, 155-pound frame and is quick and surprisingly strong. He had impressive round of BP with an aggressive swing, showing extension to his swing and the ability to get the barrel out front. He could benefit from gaining more hand separation from his body and involving his lower half more in his swing. His swing played well during the exit velocity portion of the event as he topped out at 87 mph. During the defensive portion of the event Wauters showed off his arm as an outfielder showing a clean arm action and fielding mechanics that resulted in an 81 mph throw. With more of a focus on throwing downhill he could see that number climb. Noah also threw off the mound at the event and showed good command of his fastball that had some late life and sat 77-79 mph. He did not show much feel for either of his offspeed offerings but if that can be polished up he could be an intriguing two-way prospect.

Skylar Braun C / Lethbridge collegiate, AB / 2019

Report: Skyler Braun is a 6-foot, 150 pound catcher from the Prairie Baseball Academy who showed at the event that he is someone to keep close tabs on. Braun showed good actions behind the plate which led him to have the second fastest POP time at the event at 1.94 seconds. He also had the second highest catcher velocity at 75 mph and it would not be a surprise to see that number higher the next time he is seen. At the plate Braun showed an aggressive swing with high intent to hit the ball hard using a strong load and firing his hands through the zone giving him an exit velocity of 85 mph. He also showed the ability to make adjustments to his swing allowing him to hit balls hard all over the strike zone. Braun showed decent speed with his 40 yard dash time being 5.12 seconds. All in all Braun could be a fun watch as he has a solid base to build from making him a good follow for college coaches looking for a projectable catcher.

Justin Breen 3B / 2B / Father Mercredi, AB / 2019

Report: Justin Breen is a 6-foot, 185-pound third basemen out of the Fort McMurray. Breen has a big frame showing a good body to play the corner infield. At the plate Breen impressed with a big swing that turned some heads as the ball jumped off of his bat. That big swing was on full display in the exit velocity testing as Breen had the third highest velocity topping out at 88 mph. During the infield portion of the event Breen showcased his arm strength throwing 83 mph across the infield while showing soft hands for a corner infielder and the intent to throw hard making it no surprise that he showed well in this portion of the CCPS. Breen will be a good 2019 to follow in Alberta as his body looks to have matured quicker than his counterparts on this list therefore it will be interesting to see if he trends upwards or plateaus as the year goes on.

Bailey Coish OF / 2B / Father Mercredi, AB / 2019

Report: Bailey Coish is a 6-foot, 155-pound outfield/second baseman that found himself on a couple of the leaderboards at this event. His best tool is his arm and he showcased it both in the infield and outfield. In the outfield he showed off a very quick arm that topped out at 83 mph which was good for the top outfield velocity at the whole event. He also took ground balls and showed off his arm again grabbing 79 mph across the diamond which put him second on that leaderboard behind teammate Justin Breen. At the plate Coish had good bat speed and hit the ball to multiple fields but looked the best when pulling the ball. His exit velocity was 83 mph but I could see that number climbing if he stays taller and drives through the ball more. He had some of the quickest hands at the plate during this event giving me the impression that he is more of a contact hitter that could hit at the top of a lineup. His actions were high energy all day as he bounced around the event showing off his quick hands and feet. Coish will be someone to keep an eye on if he develops more size and strength he could project to be a top of the lineup hitter at the next level.