Prep Baseball Report

Preseason All-State Showcase: Class of 2016 Position Players



KY TP Games

By Chris Fuller
PBR Kentucky

The annual Preseason All-State Showcase at Champions Baseball Academy in Nicholasville included more than 120 players from all parts of the state looking to showcase their abilities prior to the high school season. In what is the premier preseason scouting event in the state, there were many standout performances which we will feature over the next week.

Complete stats for all players were posted a few days following the event.

CLICK HERE to view the stats from the event.

The following is a look at the uncommitted Class of 2016 position players who participated. Please note that 2B Zach Wegenast committed to Campbellsville University following the event.

Middle Infielders

David McAnelly, SS, Henry Clay, 2016
60 Time: 6.77, Position Velocity:  IF-84, Exit Velocity: 85
5-foot-10, 160-pound right handed hitter, open stance, short toe tap stride gets to square, line drive swing plane, gap to gap approach, shows above average bat speed, hits to opposite field well. Impressed defensively with soft hands and fluid feet, works through the baseball, long high-3/4 release, good body control and athleticism, arm strength plays well on the left side of the infield, will be a very good late pickup this spring for a college program.

Andy Highbaugh, SS/RHP, Barren County, 2016
60 Time: 7.57, Position Velocity:  IF-80, Exit Velocity: 95
5-foot-11, 205-pound left handed hitter took one of the best rounds of BP all day. Good strength in swing, uses strong lower half well, slightly closed stance, short stride, excellent balance, looks to use the  middle of the field, flashes occasional power, generates easy bat speed. Soft hands, works through the ball well, good body control, short high-3/4 release, accurate throws with solid arm strength, projects as a college 3B who has power potential.

Matthew Olson, SS, DuPont Manual, 2016
60 Time: 7.34, Position Velocity:  IF-83, Exit Velocity: 88
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitter generates good bat speed with hand quickness. Open stance, short stride, line drive type hitter, occasional gap to gap power. Stands out defensively with soft hands and athletic actions, good body control and ability to throw on the move, high-3/4 release produces good arm strength across the infield, accurate throws with carry. Olson has the tools to stay at SS at the next level.

Zach Wegenast, 2B, Holy Cross (Louisville), 2016
60 Time: 7.29, Position Velocity:  IF-78, Exit Velocity: 89
5-foot-11, 185-pound right-handed hitter committed to Campbellsville following the event. Ran his best 60 and registered best exit velocity to date. Hits from an open stance, short stride, noticeable difference in bat speed, took a good round of BP with several hard line drives. Showed good athleticism defensively, soft hands, works through the ball, accurate throws from a long high-3/4 release, solid arm strength.

Broc Kuerzi, 2B, Ballard, 2016
60 Time: 7.57, Position Velocity:  IF-76, Exit Velocity: 86
5-foot-8, 185-pound left-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, good bat speed and impressed with very good round of BP, line drives to the gaps and flashes occasional power. Soft hands defensively, quick exchange, good body control, solid actions, short high-3/4 release produced accurate throws. Kuerzi has continued to improve his game. His left-handed bat will be a solid addition to a college roster.

Madison Goodman, SS, Danville, 2016
60 Time: 7.62, Position Velocity:  IF-74, Exit Velocity: 83
6-foot-3, 170-pound right handed hitter, lanky frame with room to add strength, hits from a wide/slightly closed stance, minimal stride, line drive type hitter, level swing, gap to gap approach. Shows adequate hands, average actions and lateral movement, short over the top release with average arm strength, showed some body control on slow roller. Goodman offers good upside with is frame.

Corner Infielders

Evan Figert, 3B, Franklin-Simpson, 2016
60 Time: 7.23, Position Velocity:  IF-79, Exit Velocity: 91
6-foot-3, 200-pound right handed hitter with strong/athletic frame, even/narrow stance, long stride, wraps in load, generates above average bat speed, flashes occasional power, occasional timing issues with long stride. Sure hands, average corner actions, long high-3/4 release, shows some arm strength across the diamond, runs well for size.

Tanner Roop, 1B, Pikeville, 2016
60 Time: 7.85, Position Velocity:  IF-67, Exit Velocity: 92
6-foot-2, 230-pound right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, leg kick trigger, short stride, some stiffness in swing, strength generated bat speed, gap to gap approach. Shows adequate hands, average movement around the first base bag, long ¾ release, limited arm strength.

Catchers

Logan Adams, C, Lafayette, 2016
60 Time: 7.44, Pop Time: 2.08-2.18, Position Velocity:  C-72, Exit Velocity: 89
5-foot-10, 208-pound strong-framed right handed hitter, slightly open stance, short stride, uses strength well, uphill swing path, flashes occasional power. Average receiver, quick glove to hand transfer, short high-3/4 release, some throws accurate to the bag, average arm strength from behind the plate.

Michael Harris, C, Whitley County, 2016
60 Time: 7.45, Pop Time: 2.17-2.25, Position Velocity:  C-73, Exit Velocity: 84
5-foot-10, 160-pound right-handed hitter hits from an open stance, squares up with a long stride, short/compact swing produced consistent line drive contact to the middle of the field, solid approach with above average bat speed. Solid receiver, short ¾ release from behind the plate, has room for quicker release which will lower pop times, average arm strength, made consistently accurate throws to the bag.

Outfielders

Marcus Johnson, OF/LHP, Bryan Station, 2016
60 Time: 7.31, Position Velocity:  OF-81, Exit Velocity: 88
6-foot, 205-pound left-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, uses loose hands to generate good bat speed, aggressive approach, impressed in BP with several hard line drives to the middle of the field, Works through the ball with a two handed approach, clean exchange, long over the top release, slightly above average OF arm strength has room to improve as he uses his lower half better. Johnson has solid two-way potential at the next level.

Johnathan Morris, RHP/OF, Henry Clay, 2016
60 Time: 7.66, Position Velocity:  OF-78, Exit Velocity: 86
6-foot-3, 180-pound lean frame, right handed hitter hits from a slightly open stance, loads back with front foot, short stride, longer swing path, uphill at times, late on occasion. Shows some athleticism defensively, plays through the ball well, ¾ release produces some tail on throws, showed average outfield arm strength.