Prep Baseball Report

Class of 2021 Showcase: Outfielder Analysis


By Illinois Staff

On July 17, the PBR Illinois team held a Class of 2021 Showcase at Lee Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream, Ill. Over 50 incoming juniors attended this bi-annual event and it, as usual, helped shine a light on some budding prospects in the 2021 class.

Throughout this week, we’ll be breaking down each and every prospect who attended this event, beginning today with the showcase’s catchers. For previous analysis on this event, check out our rapid analysis inside our Quick Hits post, as well as a more statistical look in our Stats Story. We also started our week by dissecting the catchers from the event.

For now, continue on below to see the top-five-ranked outfielders in Carol Stream, and reports on the rest of the players who made it out.

TOP PROSPECTS

1. Braden Sayles, Hononegah, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-foot-1, 180-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Tall, open, relaxed setup, short stride, maintains balance and easy effort throughout.  Loose hands, work on top of the baseball, consistently finds the barrel, works the pull-side gap.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 84 mph. Long, loose arm action from a high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Smooth, natural outfield actions, maintains body control, plays through the baseball, clean transfer.
Run: 6.78 runner in the 60. Advanced runner. 

2. Alex Najera, St. Charles North, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/2B
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Smaller, athletic frame.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, short toe-tap stride and maintains balance through contact. Loose hands, consistently finds the barrel, uses the entire field and natural lift in swing.
Power: 83 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 77 mph. Long, easy arm action, high 3/4 slot and accurate throws.
Defense: Fluid footwork, plays through the baseball, reliable hands.
Run: 6.86 runner in the 60. Above-average runner.

3. Zachary Stokes, Waubonsie Valley, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/1B
Body: 6-foot-1, 175-pounds. Athletic, long-limbed frame, room for continued physical development.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, pre-pitch load, toe-tap stride and utilizes lower half.  Aggressive swing, flashed bat speed, stays on top, short bat path and line-drive approach.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 71 mph. Long arm action, works from an over-the-top slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, sure-handed and plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.14 runner in the 60. 

4. Joshua Kendall, Andrew, 2021
Positional Profile: SS/OF
Body: 6-foot, 180-pounds. Present strength throughout frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, pre-pitch load and leg-kick timing trigger. Present bat speed, flat bat, creates backspin, consistent hard contact to the pull-side.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee. Ball jumps off the barrel.
Arm: RH. INF - 72 mph. OF - 79 mph. Short arm action from a 3/4 slot.
Defense: Worked out in the infield and outfield. Fluid footwork, clean release.
Run: 7.41 runner in the 60. 

5. Gabe Roessler, Hononegah, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/SS
Body: 6-foot, 160-pounds. Athletic, long-limbed, projectable frame. Young look.
Hit: RHH. Open, tall setup, bat tip and leg-lift timing trigger. Loose hands, long, uphill bat path and pull approach.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 75 mph. OF - 84 mph. Athletic, loose arm action, plays easy and carries from the infield and outfield.
Defense: Worked out in the infield and outfield. Athletic enough to stick at either spot. Actions, soft hands, plays through the baseball and clean release.
Run: 7.22 runner in the 60. 

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Trevor Blum, Wheaton North, 2021
Positional Profile: 1B/OF
Body: 6-foot, 195-pounds. Strong, mature frame.
Hit: LHH. Narrow, open setup and long stride. Quiet swing, uphill bat path, looks to lift and worked gap-to-gap.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 79 mph. OF - 77 mph. Long arm action from an over-the-to to 3/4 release.
Defense: Worked out at first base and in the outfield. Soft hands at first base, quick feet and plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.31 runner in the 60. 

Jeremy Gelino, Glenbard South, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/OF
Body: 6-foot, 190-pounds. Wide-shouldered, lean strength.
Hit: RHH. Open, static setup, short stride and simple swing. Flashed bat speed, repeatable swing, uphill bat path and pull approach.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 73 mph. Arm works short and from a high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Steady hands.
Run: 7.01 runner in the 60. 

Caleb Hubbard, St. Charles East, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/C
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Athletic, lean frame.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, short leg-lift timing trigger. Short bat path, line-drive approach.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. OF - 79 mph. Arm works short and firm from a high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Steady hands, clean release from behind the plate. Plays through the baseball in the outfield, quick release.
Run: 6.75 runner in the 60. Advanced runner.

Micah Johnson, Stillman Valley, 2021
Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 6-foot-1, 155-pounds. Athletic, well-proportioned frame.
Hit: LHH. Tall setup, short stride and minimal waisted movement. Simple swing, easy effort and short bat path.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. OF - 79 mph. Long arm action, 3/4 slot and accurate arm.
Defense: Plays under control, plays through the baseball at times, clean transfer.
Run: 7.15 runner in the 60. Long, clean strides.

Zachary Lewis, McHenry, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/
Body: 6-foot, 150-pounds. Lean, long-limbed frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, relaxed setup, pre-pitch load and short stride. Long, level bat path, line-drive, pull approach.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 77 mph. Long, loose and over-the-top slot.
Defense: Clean, fluid footwork, steady hands, plays through the baseball, directional crow hop.
Run: 7.56 runner in the 60. 

Drew Martin, Mt. Pulaski, 2021
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 6-foot-1, 190-pounds. Athletic, strong frame, squared-shoulders.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, short stride, and simple swing.  Short, uphill bat path, flashed bat strength.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 78 mph. Long, loose, easy arm action, high 3/4 window.
Defense: Sure-handed and clean release.
Run: 7.3 runner in the 60. 

Jaden Mojica, Stevenson, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Defined, strong frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, minimal load and short stride. Long, level bat path, line-drive, middle of the field approach.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 78 mph. Long arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Directional exchange.
Run: 6.92 runner in the 60. Clean, striaght-line runner.

Max Pesola, Yorkville, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-foot, 150-pounds. Lean frame. Plenty of room for continued physical development.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, closed setup, pre-pitch rhythm, hands load and short stride. Long bat path and gap-to-gap, line-drive approach.
Power: 74 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 75 mph. Long, loose arm action, 3/4 slot.
Defense:
Run: 7.75 runner in the 60. 

Adam Smith, Plainfield North, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Crouched, open setup, pre-pitch load and short stride.  Short, level bat path and line-drive approach.
Power: 77 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 74 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Steady hands, fields with two hands at times.
Run: 7.29 runner in the 60. 

Trey Sykes, Thornwood, 2021
Positional Profile: OF/SS
Body: 5-foot-10, 150-pounds. Wiry frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, short stride. Level bat path, line-drive, pull approach.
Power: 73 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 72 mph. Long arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Clean release.
Run: 7.74 runner in the 60.

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