Kansas City Winter Open: Corner Infield Analysis

March 15, 2018
Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

On February 16, Prep Baseball Report - Missouri/Kansas held the Kansas City Open at Mac N Seitz Baseball in Kansas City, Missouri. Over 70 players attended in the 2021 to 2018 classes.

Players can now updated their profiles with a ProspectPlus subscription, while scouts and recruiters can add players on the ScoutPlus dashboard.

Player profiles have been updated with profile picture, running times, velocities, and videos. Today will take a closer look at the corner infielders from the event. Players are listed in alphabetical order below.

The corner infield group included one player in the 2018 class, four players in the 2019 class, five players in the 2020 class, and one player in the 2021 class. Six players had an 85 mph or better exit velo, with one 90-plus exit velocity. Two players had infield velos at 80 mph or better. Here is a look at the corner infielders from the Kansas City Open.

Corner Infielders

Michael Allen 1B / LHP / Park Hill South , MO / 2020

Allen is a 6-foot 162-pound left-handed hitting first baseman in Missouri’s 2020 class. He ran a 4.27 home to first and has an 85 mph exit velocity. At the plate, tall and balanced set up, minimal load with no wasted movement, in line stride, attacks the ball, gap to gap line drives with level bat path on one hand finish. On the infield, 70 mph positional velo at first base, high three quarters release, fields ball in front of feet in athletic position, clean transfer, mostly accurate throws.

Nate Allen 3B / RHP / Southern Boone , MO / 2019

Allen is a 5-fot-11 210-pound right-handed hitting third baseman in Missouri’s 2019 class. He ran a 4.38 home to first and has an 84 mph exit velocity. At the plate, starts in open stance, slightly crouched, minimal load, quiet hands no wasted movement, hands control the bat, level bat path through hitting zone, gap to gap approach. On the infield, 73 mph positional velocity, three quarters arm slot, gains ground to 1B after the catch, fluid footwork to the ball with clean exchanges, mostly accurate throws.

Cade Beason 3B / RHP / Webb City , MO / 2019

Beason is a physical and athletic 6-foot-2 195-pound left-handed hitting second baseman in Missouri’s 2019 class. He ran a 4.19 home to first and has an 86 mph exit velocity. At the plate, starts loaded in back leg, pre-pitch rhythm in hands, open stance, controlled in line stride, accelerated tempo, quick bat speed, aggressive and strong hands, mostly middle to pull side contact, has power to the pull gap. On the infield, short over the top arm slot, 72 mph positional velocity, athletic footwork to the ball creates momentum to throw, fluid exchange on time with feet, mostly accurate throws.

Michael Daggett RHP / C / Paola, KS / 2020

Daggett is a lean and loose 6-foot 135-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2020 class. He ran a 4.31 home to first and has an 82 mph exit velocity. At the plate, balanced stance, some hand load with in line stride, short and level bat path to extension, consistent line drives to the middle of the cage during hitting evals. On the infield, 79 mph positional velocity, high three quarters arm slot, athletic actions, quick catch and throw, footwork is on time with exchange, works through the catch, feet create momentum, accurate throws.

Diego Escamillla 3B / RHP / North , KS / 2020

Escamilia is a 5-foot-9 165-pound right-handed hitting third baseman in Kansas’ 2020 class. He ran a 4.53 home to first and has an 84 mph exit velocity. At the plate, simple and repeatable swing, starts thin and slightly open, short stride, no wasted movement, body stays under control, swing produced gap to gap contact during hitting evals. On the infield, 73 mph positional velocity, short over the top release, fluid footwork to the ball, works through the catch, solid fundamentals with clean exchanges, active feet, soft hands.

Hudson Leach C / RHP / Oak Park, MO / 2020

Leach is a well built 6-foot2 181-pound right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2020 class. He ran a 4.47 home to first and has a 93 mph exit velocity. At the plate, balanced stance, bring stride leg to back then back in line to stride, loose and quick hands, hands generate bat whip, aggressive swing with power to pull gap. On the infield, 81 mph positional velocity, high three quarters arm slot, fields ball in athletic position, clean exchanges with fluid footwork, mostly accurate throws.

Jackson Nicklaus C / 3B / Andover, KS / 2021

Nicklaus is a 5-foot-9 150-pound switch-hitting catcher in Kansas’ 2021 class. He ran a 4.50 home to first and has a 80 mph exit velo from both sides of the plate. At the plate, thin and balanced set up, no wasted movement, quiet hands, level path through contact, feel for the barrel, loose hands, consistent middle of the field contact. On the infield, 75 mph positional velo, athletic and smooth actions, quick catch and throw, short over the top arm slot, quick to the ball, clean exchanges, accurate throws.

Jarin Nitsche C / 3B / Smithville, MO / 2019

Nitsche is a strong 6-foot- 215 right-handed hitting catcher in Missouri’s 2019 class. He ran a 4.32 home to first and has an 85 mph exit velocity. At the plate, balanced stance, reverse toe tap, short in line stride, occasional pull side power with look and quick hands. On the infield, 74 mph positional velocity, over the top release, moves to ball with a purpose, clean exchanges, footwork creates momentum to throw after the catch, mostly accurate throws.

Jake Panich 1B / RHP / Park Hill, MO / 2018

Panich is a 6-foot-3 200-pound right-handed hitting first baseman in Missouri’s 2018 class. He ran a 4.50 home to first and has a 79 mph exit velocity. At the plate, starts in a tall and thin set up, short stride, quick hands with fast bat speed, swing produced middle to pull side contact during hitting evals. On the infield, 68 mph velo at first base, high three quarters arm slot, quick to the ball, sets feet and gains momentum to throw, soft hands, tall frame with long limbs, has ability to add strength, long arms allows for big target at first base.

Nolan Sprague LHP / 1B / Mill Valley , KS / 2019

Sprague is a well-built 6-foot-1 180-pound left-handed hitting first baseman in Kansas’ 2019 class. He ran a 4.77 home to first and has an 89 mph exit velocity. At the plate, starts with open stance, smooth load to back side with quiet hands, in line stride, feel for the barrel, loose hands, consistent hard contact to the middle and pull side. On the infield, 82 mph positional velocity, smooth footwork to the ball, soft hands, gains momentum with feet after the catch, soft hands, accurate throws.

Wesley Stang 1B / RHP / Olathe West, KS / 2020

Stang is an athletically built 6-foot-1 175-pound right-handed hitting first baseman in Kansas’ 2020 class. He ran a 4.50 home to first and has an 87 mph exit velocity. At the plate, calm load, accelerates to contact, loose hands with aggressive swing, level path, stays through the ball after contact, body stays under control, gap to gap line drives. On the infield, 75 mph positional velo, short over the top release, fluid footwork to the ball and through the catch, gains ground with feet to throw, soft hands, clean exchanges, mostly accurate throws.

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