Prep Baseball Report

Prospect I.D. Showcase: Middle Infield Analysis



By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

The Prep Baseball Report Prospect Identification Showcase held on Tuesday, June 17th at the Max in McCook featured several middle infield prospects, none who impressed more than Simeon’s Lorenzo Elion.  The 5-foot-11, 145-pound athletic shortstop impressed with his soft hands in the middle of the diamond with a quick, accurate arm.

Here’s a look at the top middle infield prospects at the Prospect Identification Showcase.

Top Middle Infield Prospect

Lorenzo Elion, SS, Simeon, 2016
5-foot-11, 145-pound athletic shortstop impressed at the plate and in the field with quality middle infield actions.  Hits from an athletic, balanced setup with a smooth load, occasionally diving towards the plate.  Whips bat through the zone with some extension and finishes high producing 74 mph exit velocity.  Defensively, comes and gets the baseball playing with a hop in his step (almost gallops at times in the field).  Threw 79 mph across the diamond with a quick, loose, accurate, high ¾ arm action.  Hands were average with fluid footwork and a clean exchange.  Ran 7.6 in the 60.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Chris Broccolino, MIF, Schaumburg, 2016
5-foot-4, 125-pound right-handed hitting MIF with a smallish frame impressed with infield actions and a smooth balanced approach at the plate.  Offensively, hit from a wide setup with short path to the baseball producing 67 mph exit velocity and line drives from gap-to-gap.  Threw 72 mph across the infield from short, loose, high ¾ arm action.  Played through the baseball with average hands and a quick exchange.  Ran 7.91 in the 60-yard dash.

DJ Budde, C/MIF, Coal City, 2015
5-foot-9, 165-pound catcher impressed with the top pop time of the event at 1.98.  Consistently threw 1.98-2.04 down to second, 74 mph from the crouch.  Hits from a tall open setup with hands held high.  Bat whips through the zone with slightly uphill tendencies producing 79 mph exit velocity.  Threw 77 mph across the infield showing a short ¾ arm action and quick release.  Ran 7.25 in the 60.

Kyle Cockrell, SS/RHP, Plainfield Central, 2017
5-foot-9, 140-pound right-handed hitting SS/RHP impressed on the mound with a 72-76 mph fastball from a short, loose, high ¾ arm action with quick tempo.  Lifts leg to balance point extremely fast, giving some deception in herky-jerky delivery.  58-59 mph curveball flashed 11/5 action and showed good arm speed on 64-65 mph change.  Offensively, hit from balanced setup with very little load in hands and a slight bat wrap producing 70 mph exit velocity.  Also ran a 7.93 60-yard dash.

Trey Compton, MIF, Prospect, 2015
5-foot-9, 160-pound MIF hits from wide open stance with short stride and above average bat speed producing 85 mph exit velocity.  Hands move back at load with smooth rhythm creating slightly uphill bat path with line drives from gap-to-gap.  Threw 70 mph across the infield from short ¾ arm action with accuracy showing soft hands and fluid infield actions through the baseball.

Michael Cruise, MIF, Dundee-Crown, 2015
5-foot-11, 150-pound MIF hit from a balanced setup with a slight crouch, dropping hands down and back to load producing 74 mph exit velocity.  Threw 70 mph across the diamond from short, high ¾ arm action with accuracy.  Hands were average and fielded the baseball out front.

Dalton Fletcher, SS/3B, Athens, 2016
5-foot-9, 170-pound right-handed hitting SS/3B.  Offensively hits from a balanced, wide setup with short leg kick trigger, raising up torso at contact point, creating 72 mph exit velocity from level, line drive type swing.  Threw 72 mph across the diamond from short, high ¾ arm action.  7.22 runner in the 60.

Tyler Grumhaus, MIF/RHP, Lake Forest, 2017
5-foot-6, 125-pound MIF/RHP threw 72-73 mph off the mound with short, high ¾ arm action with level shoulders and good alignment towards home plate.  Landed curveball for strikes at 62-63 mph, straight change ranged from 63-66.  Ran an 8.23 60-yard dash, threw 73 mph from the infield, and produced 66 mph exit velocity at the plate from an open stance with uphill swing plane.

Alex Hillegonds, MIF, Washington, 2015
5-foot-10, 160-pound athletically built MIF ran 7.05 seconds in the 60-yard dash.  Hit from a wide balanced setup with no stride turning front foot in to load lower half.  Holds hands with level bat path producing 85 mph exit velocity.  Fields the ball out front cleanly throwing 74 mph across the infield.

Tommy Kahle, MIF/RHP, Northridge Prep, 2015
6-foot-1, 165-pound MIF/RHP impressed with during live batting practice with wide, balanced setup and short level bat speed with several line drives up the middle and 70 mph exit velocity.  Threw 67 mph across the infield from short, stiff, low ¾ arm action.  On the mound threw strikes with fastball at 64-67 mph from a short, high ¾ arm coming from his ear.  Also threw 51-55 mph curveball and 58-59 mph changeup.  Ran 7.73 in the 60.

Maclain Neal, MIF, Hinsdale Central, 2016
5-foot-8, 170-pound MIF impressed with arm strength and accuracy across the diamond at 75 mph with a short ¾ arm action.  Hit from an open stance with hands loading smoothly back creating level swing with some whip producing 75 mph exit velocity.  Ran a 7.32 60-yard dash.   

Dutch Schneeman, MIF, Hinckley Big Rock, 2015
6-foot, 180-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder hit from an open stance getting back to square with slight leg kick producing 75 mph exit velocity from level bat path.  Threw 68 mph across the infield from high ¾ arm action.  Ran 7.57 in the 60.

Marcelo Tanon, MIF, St. Patrick, 2015
5-foot-9, 145-pound MIF showed an athletic arm action throwing 74 mph across the infield, playing through the baseball with soft hands fielding the baseball out front.  Hits left-handed from an open stance with a negative, toe-tap load producing a level swing with 72 mph exit velocity.  Ran 7.65 seconds in the 60.

JR Walsh, MIF, Montini, 2017
5-foot-10, 160-pound left-handed hitting MIF hits from an open stance with a leg kick and long stride with line drive and opposite field tendencies producing 74 mph exit velocity.  Defensively, fielded the ball cleanly throwing 70 mph across the infield from a low ¾ arm action.  Ran 7.65 seconds in the 60.

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