By Drew Locascio and Rob Allison
Illinois and Iowa Scouting Directors

The inaugural Quad Cities Open took place on Sunday, September 25^th at Black Hawk Junior College in Moline, IL.  The event was open to all high school classes in the state of Illinois and Iowa. Following the event the PBR scouting staff compiled all of the notes from the workout and throughout the week we will break down the event position by position.

Earlier in the week we began the analysis from the event taking a look at the catcher’s in attendance. Today we conclude the breakdown of positions at the event looking at the pitchers.

RHP Jayson Willers (Davenport Assumption, IA) is a 2019 follow on the mound. Willers has a short arm, stays on top of the baseball and gets heavy running action on his fastball that was up to 79 mph. He also showed feel for three pitches, including a tight 12/6 breaking ball with depth.

2018 RHP Jordan Benson (Moline, IL) also showed well on the mound. Benson, who sat in the low 80’s, has a long, quick arm and filled up the strike zone.

6-foot-3, 165-pound, LHP Jacob Pauley (Geneseo, IL) is an uncommitted senior who was up to 79 mph with some downhill tilt and arm-side-run.

PITCHERS (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Luke Anderson, 1B/LHP, Central Dewitt, 2020
6-foot-2, 170-pound left-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.45 runner. Muscular lean athletic frame. Deep crouched stance, double tap trigger to stride, aggressive swinger, steep uphill swing plane, mid-pull approach, 82 mph exit velocity. Appropriate routes and angles in outfield with avg. accuracy and carry to target, long 1-piece arm action from ¾ slot producing 72 mph arm strength from outfield. Tends to sit back on ground balls with late glove presentation, fields deep into body, 73 mph arm strength across infield. On mound, controlled delivery, slight back arm at balance point, high front side, up and over delivery to plate, longer arm action, solid extension to plate. Fastball was 73-75 mph, touching 77 mph, with varying action on a downhill plane. Sideways spin on breaking ball with small shape and break. Flat action on changeup; tends to fall off mound on release.

William Angstman, RHP/3B, Cedar Rapids Xavier, 2018
6-foot-3, 215-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.25 runner. Solid tempo and rhythm in delivery. Heavy stab down on back side of arm action, short release by head, solid finish and extension after release. Fastball was 72-74 mph with occasional cutting action. Showed feel for breaking zone in zone with wobbly spin; flashed one tight breaking ball when released out front. Flat action on changeup for strikes. Square stance, no stride, slight front foot trigger, shows rhythm in hands, short barrel plane through zone, solid mid/pull contact, 86 mph exit velocity. Long extended arm action, clean release with accuracy to bag, 78 mph arm strength across infield, solid skills with glove, heavier feet in field with average range.

Jordan Benson, RHP/INF, Moline (IL), 2018
5-foot-10, 147-pound two-way prospect with a smaller, athletic frame.  Projects best on the mound. Right-handed pitcher, strike thrower, drop and drive delivery. Long, quick arm action out of an over-the-top slot. Fastball, flashed life, varying cut and run action, sat 81-82 mph. Curveball works 11/5 shape, tight spin, with good shape and depth, occasionally up in the zone, 66-69 mph. Changeup, firm, fade action, split the plate, 74-75 mph. Offensively, right-handed hitter with a pull approach. Balanced setup, closed front foot, short leg-lift trigger, tendency to spin. Registered an 82 mph exit velocity from a tee. Defensively, works around the baseball, steady hands and feet play well on the infield. Arm flashed above average accuracy and clocked at 78 mph across the diamond.

Jonathan Berry, RHP/INF, Rock Island Alleman (IL), 2019
5-foot-5, 165-pound two-way prospect. On the mound, controlled delivery, stays on-line with home plate, lands slightly closed and finishes upright. Long, sideways arm action from a low ¾ slot. Some life to his fastball, mostly straight, up in the zone at times, 76-79 mph, touched 80. Slider, 10/4 shape, sweeping, sideways break, occasionally backs up, 70-73 mph. Changeup, maintains arm speed, feel for the zone, tendency to short arm and sat 73-74 mph. At the plate, right-handed hitter, looks to pull and finds barrel consistently; 77 mph exit velocity. Defensively, accurate arm from a low ¾ slot and long release. Clocked at 75 mph across the infield. Also, ran a 7.75 60.

Nicholas Drobushevich, OF/RHP, Moline (IL), 2018
5-foot-11, 175-pound, lean, wiry, live bodied two-way prospect. Above-average athlete and high follow left-handed hitter; ran an event best 6.70 60. At the plate, left-handed hitter, looks to pull and drive the ball with authority. Present pop in bat with looseness through the hitting zone and natural lift in swing; 91 mph exit velocity. Wide, solid, slightly crouched setup, deep load and big leg-lift timing trigger. Defensively, in the outfield, flashed long, athletic actions and an accurate arm; clocked at 74 mph from the outfield. On the mound, right-handed pitcher, arm slot and mechanics vary. Exaggerated windup, coil action, front side stays closed and some effort throughout. Fastball slight downhill tilt, cut and run action at times and ranged between 77-79 mph, touching 80. Curveball, 11/5 shape, 59-63 mph. Changeup mostly flat, cut action, 66-68 mph.

AJ Hatlestad, SS/RHP, Sherrard (IL), 2018
6-foot-3, 165-pound long and lean, projectable two-way prospect. On the mound, short leg-lift, lower front side, repeats delivery, lands on-line and closed with effort throughout. Strike thrower. Arm works short and out of a ¾ slot. Fastball, some run and sink action, sat 79-81 mph. Curveball works 11/5, short break and shape, 65-66 mph. Also, threw a knuckleball, late action, solid pitch, 61-64 mph. At the plate, right-handed hitter, aggressive swings, looks to pull and some looseness throughout; 85 mph exit velocity off of a tee. Balanced setup, smooth load and heel turn trigger. Defensively, steady hands on the infield, feet worked quick and displayed athletic actions moving to his glove side. Throws clocked at 75 mph across the diamond. Also, ran a 7.33 60.

Ben Monroe, OF/RHP, Moline (IL), 2018
6-foot-3, 180-pound two-way prospect with a long, physical build. Ran a 7.01 60. At the plate, right-handed hitter with an aggressive swing and gap-to-gap approach; 85 mph exit velocity from a tee. Balanced, wide setup, some pre-pitch hand rhythm and short stride. Defensively, attacks and plays through the baseball in the outfield. Long arm action and throws clocked at 73 mph. On the mound, right-handed pitcher with a slow methodical delivery and upright finish. Long arm action from an over-the-top slot. Fastball works straight with downhill tilt, sat 74-75 mph, touching 76. Curveball works 12/6 and sat 59-60 mph. Changeup clocked at 68-72 mph.

Kelly Osburn, RHP, United Township (IL), 2017
6-foot-1, 175-pound, athletically built right-handed pitcher. On the mound, works out of the stretch only, stays in line, lands square, finishes upright; creates slight deception. Short arm swing and comes out of a ¾ slot.  Fastball, life at times with varying run and cut action, sat 76-78 mph. Curveball, varies between 12/6 and 11/5 shape, tendency to leave arm side, 60-63 mph. Changeup, firm, mostly straight, occasional run/fade action, sat 69-71 mph.

Jacob Pauley, LHP, Geneseo (IL), 2017
6-foot-3, 165-pound, tall, lanky, projectable left-handed pitcher. Filled up the strike zone. On the mound, tall and fall delivery, rotational at times and finishes athletically. Long arm action from a high ¾ slot. Fastball, downhill tilt and running action, sat 78-79 mph. Curveball, 11/5 shape, good spin, some depth, 66-69 mph. Changeup, slight run and fade action, 70-72 mph.

Brady Smith, RHP, Rock Island (IL), 2017
5-foot-10, 165-pound, right-handed pitcher.  Drop and drive type delivery, minimal front side action, regular effort throughout and finishes towards first base. Short arm action from a high ¾ slot. Fastball, works straight and sat 70-72 mph. Curveball, 11/5 shape, some depth, ranged between 60-63 mph. Changeup, near FB arm speed, 63-65 mph.

Jayson Willers, C/RHP, Davenport Assumption, 2019
6-foot, 175-pound right-handed hitting 2-way player. 7.76 runner. Slight open stance, strides across body, loads early onto back leg, quick hands to contact, mid/pull approach, consistently finds barrel and squares baseball, 81 mph exit velocity. Good setup behind the plate, wide stance, mobile, shows soft glove, flexible lower half, works underneath and up through pitches well. Tends to work around the plate, occasional length to exchange, clean transfer to hand, 71 mph arm strength with 2.09-2.27 pop times. On mound, controlled delivery, short arm action, OT slot, short stride down mound and tends to land open with front foot. Drives fastball downhill at 75-79 mph with heavy running action. Good feel for curveball with tight 12/6 spin and solid depth. Flashes late fade on changeup with feel for bottom of zone.

Jacob Williams, RHP/1B, Rockridge (IL), 2018
6-foot-2, 161-pound, lean, projectable frame, two-way prospect. Offensively, slightly closed setup, hands load pre-pitch, pull approach at the plate with minimal use of lower half. Registered an exit velocity of 73 mph. Defensively, at first base, steady hands, some effort in throws, long arm action and a ¾ slot; clocked at 78 mph across the diamond. On the mound, repeats delivery, stays on-line, lands square and finishes upright. Arm works long and out of a ¾ slot. Fastball works mainly flat, slight arm-side-run, thrown for strikes and sat 76-77 mph. Slider looks to be best pitch; works 10/4 with good spin and depth, 66-69 mph. Changeup, thrown with near fastball arm speed, feel for the zone, run-fade-sinking action and sat 71-73 mph. 7.75 runner in the 60.

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