Prep Baseball Report

Romeoville I.D. - Outfield Analysis



By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

The Romeoville Preseason ID showcase took place on Monday February 15th at the Romeoville Athletic Center in Romeoville, IL. Yesterday we began the analysis of the event with the catchers.

Today we take a look at the top outfielders from the event, led by a couple of 2018 prospects.

Top Outfield Prospects

1. Grant Lalla, OF, Glenbard West, 2018
Advanced frame, 6-foot-4, 200-pound outfielder, lean strong build, highly projectable body. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, slightly open setup, big leg kick trigger, aggressive lower half, athletic balance. Hands work well, attacks the baseball aggressive swinger, fast bat on level path that stays through the baseball, creates backspin, front foot hitter. 78 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm played from a high ¾ slot, average arm strength, 79 mph from the outfield. 7.45 runner, projects at a corner spot defensively with a big bat.

2. Tommy Nelsen, OF, St. Charles North, 2018
6-foot, 180-pound outfielder, lanky projectable frame. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, good balance. Simple approach, quick hands, path is short to the baseball, level through contact. Middle of the field line drive approach, good barrel control. 83 mph exit velocity from the tee. 7.05 runner in the 60. Defensively arm played long from a high ¾ slot, showed some accuracy, average arm strength, 81 mph from the outfield. Showed an ability to attack the baseball, flashes fast actions, occasionally doesn’t get synced up.

3. Nicolas Plankenhorn, OF/INF, St. Bede Academy, 2017
5-foot-10, 180-pound multi-positional player, could project at both a corner outfield or infield position with a solid bat. Right-handed hitter, balanced setup, slight open stance, short stride, gets foot down, solid balance. Aggressive swing, shows bat strength, path is short, got extension, occasionally lifts the baseball and shows pull side pop. 86 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively showed actions and confidence both in the outfield and infield. Hands played well for third base, showed body control and softer back hand. In the outfield showed actions, shuffles through the baseball. Arm plays at 85 mph from the outfield and 80 mph across the diamond, over the top slot, carried and accurate. 7.51 runner.

4. Jack Rigoni, OF, Neuqua Valley, 2018
5-foot-11, 165-pound right-handed hitting outfielder, lean athletic shape, good build, projectable athlete. Good easy runner, 7.03 in the 60, laser timed. Offensively hits from an open stance, quiet loading action is hands, short stride, average balance. Path is short, works uphill through contact some, well above average bat speed for his age, flashed pop, occasionally rotational. 89 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm played over the top, 82 mph from the outfield. Has the ability to attack the baseball more, occasionally hesitant.

5. Caden Kalinowski, OF, Providence Catholic, 2018
6-foot-2, 175-pound outfielder, long lean frame, projectable build. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, loads hands back. Quick bat, showed advanced bat speed for his age, two piece approach, path is level. 90 mph exit velocity from the tee. Athletic runner, little effort, 7.18 in the 60. Defensively arm played firm from a high ¾ slot, 80 mph from the outfield. Average hands, longer stride.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Benjamin Battley, OF, Zion Benton, 2017
5-foot-10, 170-pound outfielder, smaller frame with strong build, advanced strength. 7.21 runner in the 60, short quick strider, quiet, balanced runner. Right-handed hitter, crouched setup, slightly open, short stride. Strong hands, fast compact bat, path is short in and out of the zone, pull contact in BP. 76 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively looks to play the baseball out in front. Arm plays short and over the top, works uphill, 73 mph.

Daniel Blaum, OF, Downers Grove South, 2018
5-foot-9, 148-pound outfielder. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, average balance. Showed average bat speed for his age, slightly uphill path with length, hit with tempo and rhythm. 74 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm played short and over the top, quick release, accurate arm, 76 mph from the outfield. Played through the baseball, feet worked well. 7.7 runner in the 60.

Kyle Heavey, OF/RHP, Downers Grove South, 2019
5-foot-11, 165-pound two-way player, showed strength for age, rigid strong build. Best upside may be on the mound, showed some arm strength for his age from high ¾ slot. Fastball flashed slight run, topped at 79 mph, ranged 75-78 mph. Curveball has 12/6 action, showed feel, backs up some, 68-69 mph, ability to land for strikes. Straight changeup flashed sink, 69-70 mph. Right-handed hitter, open stance, short stride back to square, balance can improve. Path has some length to contact, looked to pull in BP. 80 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm plays long and over the top, 77 mph arm strength from the outfield. Clean exchange, ran a 7.4 in the 60, laser timed.

Haegan Kelly, RHP/OF, Morton, 2018
6-foot-4, 185-pound two-way player, lean projectable frame, good upside. On the mound, tall and fall delivery, regular effort, finishes first base side. Arm action has a long draw, over the top slot. Fastball is mostly straight, flashed slight run, 75-78 mph, showed some feel. Curveball has 12/6 shape, 61-64 mph. Changeup has feel, near fastball arm speed, good control, 69-72 mph. Right-handed hitter, slightly crouched, shorter stride. Bat strength guy, showed bat speed, uphill path, pull side contact. 80 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively played with a long over the top arm action, 78 mph from the outfield. 7.59 runner in the 60.

Justin Klug, OF, Lockport, 2017
5-foot-8, 145-pound outfielder, average body type. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short quick leg lift stride with slight dive, average balance. Average bat speed, slight uphill path, 73 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively in the outfield arm action is long, over the top slot, 73 mph. Showed average foot speed for a corner outfield spot, 7.24 runner in the 60.

Dominic Lentini, OF/LHP, Plainfield South, 2018
5-foot-11, 177-pound left-handed two-way player, solid build, strong lower half. Left-handed hitter, open stance, short stride, loads hands back, average balance. Showed bat strength, flashed pull side pop, path can get long at times. 84 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action is short and loose, over the top slot, showed accuracy, average strength, 82 mph, played up, good outfield arm. 7.46 runner. Projects in a corner outfield spot, actions played through the baseball. Tall and fall delivery, easy effort, lands square, plays online. Arm action is short over the top slot. Fastball played with sink, 75-76 mph, touched 77 mph. Curveball has 12/6 shape, gradual action, 65-66 mph. Changeup flashed arm side run, 68-70 mph.

Ben Ligacki, OF, Lockport, 2017
5-foot-9, 135-pound outfielder, slender build. Solid runner, 7.22 in the 60, longer strided. Right-handed hitter, slightly open stance, tall setup, short stride, minimal load. Swing show effort, hits off back side, longer path, showed ability to find the barrel in BP. 82 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively uses a long arm action, high ¾ slot, occasionally drops slot lower, arm side run, 78 mph. Sets feet up to play through the baseball, solid direction.

Dominic Listi, LHP/OF, Prairie Ridge, 2019
5-foot-10, 155-pound two way player, lean young build, projectable prospect both ways. On the mound, works with regular effort, squared landing, stays in line, level shoulders. Full arm action, longer draw, over the top slot with some quickness. Fastball has arm side run, showed good feel for his age, 76-78 mph. Curveball plays 12/6 ranged 58-60 mph. Showed a splitter at 63-66 mph, near fastball arm speed, showed some downer action. Good projection on the mound. Left-handed hitter, tall open stance, short leg lift stride back to square, average balance. Showed upside with the bat, level path, gap to gap type approach. Shows good bat speed for his age, 84 mph off the tee. Ran a 7.99 laser timed, with effort. Defensively arm played at 80 mph from the outfield, good crowhop with direction, over the top slot, showed carry and accuracy. Played through the baseball fluidly, showed actions, hands worked. Best tool looks to be his left-handed arm, 2019 follow.

James Marcinkowski, OF/1B/LHP, Sycamore, 2017
Long lanky frame, projectable 6-foot-4, 180-pound R/L two-way player. Offensively hits from the right side, wide base, minimal stride, lift and replace, average balance. Flashed bat speed, simple and showed an ability to repeat swing. 83 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively showed actions at first base and in the outfield, lanky athleticism, 7.28 runner, feet work well at both positions. Arm action is long high ¾ slot, played at 77 mph from the outfield, 71 mph across the infield. Tall and fall delivery on the mound, stays compact for his size. Arm action has slight stab out of the glove, dart thrower release, showed some arm speed, can stay behind it more. Fastball showed running action to arm side, ranged 72-76 mph. Curveball has 12/6 action, 60-64 mph. Changeup worked at 64-66 mph. Flashed cutters at 66-68 mph, slider type action.

Nicolas Palermo, OF, St. Ignatius, 2019
5-foot-10, 145-pound outfielder, average athletic frame, some projection. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, taller setup, short stride, loads hands back and up. Short steep path to the baseball, hands showed ability to work through the baseball, created some extension. Line drive type hitter, occasionally collapses lower half, 73 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively plays through the baseball in the outfield with two hands, 7.24 runner. Arm action is long, ¾ slot, worked with some accuracy, 76 mph arm strength from the outfield.

Nathan Ricken, RHP/OF/INF, Oswego, 2018
6-foot, 158-pound two-way player, average lean frame, sloped shoulders. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short toe tap stride. Rotational hitter, level path minimal extension, pull side contact in BP. 73 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively played both infield and outfield, arm plays similar at both positions, 76 mph across the infield, 78 mph in the outfield, long high ¾ arm action. Defensively plays deep, firm actions. 7.39 runner in the 60. On the mound delivery is tall and fall, heel toe landing. Bow and arrow draw from the glove, over the top slot. Fastball is mostly straight, 73-75 mph. Curveball has gradual 12/6 action, 62-64 mph. Straight changeup showed occasional sink, some feel for the zone, 68-69 mph.

Easton Tally, OF, Lemont, 2018
5-foot-11, 150-pound outfielder, thin lanky frame, projectable body. Defensively played through the baseball, longer exchange. 7.57 runner in the 60. Arm played with a long draw from a high ¾ slot, occasionally underneath, showed some accuracy, 78 mph from the outfield. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, quiet load with hands, solid balance. Compact loose swing, path shows some lift on uphill plane, fluid athletic hitter. 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.

Zach Verta, OF/RHP, St. Laurence, 2018
Large frame with strength, 6-foot-2, 200-pound two-way player. Full windup delivery on the mound, arm action is short out of an over the top slot. Fastball is mostly straight, ranged 74-78 mph. Curveball has 11/5 shape, gradual rolling action, 57-60 mph. Changeup is mostly straight with occasional sink, 68-70 mph, firm with fastball arm speed. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, leg kick stride, average balance. Bat strength hitter, longer path with some power. 93 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively uses a short arm action from the outfield, 80 mph. Played through the baseball some, 7.49 runner.

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