Prep Baseball Report

St. Louis Prospect ID: Position Player Profile Breakdowns



Last week, we brought to you the Top 15 performers from the Prospect ID Showcase at The St. Louis Sports Center in Affton, MO, and after breaking down all of the video and notes again, we bring you complete coverage of the position players with bios on all of the talented hitters and fielders from Missouri and Illinois who were in attendance.

Michael Bozarth, SS/OF, Parkway North HS, Class of 2012: The athletic 6-foot-1, 205-pound Bozarth displayed a strong, accurate arm (85 mph) and good instincts to the ball in the outfield. At the plate, Bozarth showed the ability to drive the ball gap-to-gap, and the potential for some power in his quick swing.  He also demonstrated solid defensive actions with soft hands and a quick transfer out of the glove with throws of 74-78 mph.  From home to second, Bozarth recorded the top time of 7.0.

Juan Bowers- The 6-foot-1, 210 Bowers demonstrated an advanced plate approach, showing a clean and explosive swing from the right side. Bowers has a strong lower half that he uses to generate bat speed and barrel whip.

Riley Casper, C/OF, Wentzville Holt HS, Class of 2012- Behind the plate, the 5-foot-11, 170-pound Casper showed above average receiving skills and the ability to adjust to pitches in all parts of the strike zone, and recorded a pop time of 1.9 with accurate throws to 2nd base.  At the plate Casper demonstrated good hand eye coordination with consistent contact, spraying the ball to all fields.

Matthew Clohisy, INF, SLUH, Class of 2013- Defensively, the athletic 5-foot-11, 165-pound Clohisy moves well and shows athleticism to both the forehand and backhand side at shortstop.  At the plate, Clohisy uses a level swing to make consistent contact.

Brendan DePoy, 3B/1B, Columbia (IL) HS, 2013- DePoy is a well built 6-foot-1, 215-pound 3rd baseman who showed soft hands and a quick release with accurate throws across the diamond. At the plate, DePoy uses a strong lower half and a direct path to the baseball, producing hard hit line drive. DePoy has projectable power as he continues to develop as a baseball player.

Corey Embree, OF, Moberly HS, Class of 2011: This strong-bodied 6-foot-3, 218-pound athlete has the tools to become a significant impact player, and the top power hitter in the state. Ranked # 5 in the Class of 2011 rankings, the naturally strong Embree was one of the event?s best hitters, showing legitimate power potential to all fields. The right-handed hitting Embree demonstrated remarkable power and explosiveness; the ball came off the bat differently than any other hitter at the event. Embree also had the strongest outfield arms at 92 mph with good carry and accuracy; and ran a 7.5 from home to second.  Look for Embree to be a Top 10 round draft pick come June.

Brogan Fischer- In the infield, the 5-foot-8, 155-pound Fischer has good hands and lateral movement, which allow him to get to balls up the middle. At the plate, Fischer uses a good lower half and bat control, with the ability to hit the ball to the opposite field.

Joey Fischer, OF, SLUH, Class of 2013-The undersized 5-foot-8, 150-pound Fischer showed good speed from home-to-second with a time of 7.25 seconds. That speed translated well to the outfield, taking good angles to the ball. At the plate, Fischer is quite in the box, with quick hands to the point of contact. When he keeps his shoulders level, Fischer produces line drives gap-to-gap.

Greg Gralicke, OF, Oakville HS, Class of 2012- The lanky 6-foot-2, 170-pound Gralicke displayed his athletic ability in the OF, moving well and throwing with accuracy and carry at 73-77 mph. At the plate he displayed a compact swing that found the barrel consistently.

Brandon Gutzler, 3B/OF, DeSmet HS, Class of 2013- An all-around solid talent, Gutzler showcased well both offensively and defensively. In the outfield, he demonstrated fundamental defensive actions and an above average arm (86 mph) with good carry. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Gutzler is a line drive hitter, consistently hitting the ball hard with a short, compact and level swing.  Gutzler ran a 7.5 home to second.

 Drew Harper, SS, Sikeston HS, Class of 2013- The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Harper possesses a lot of natural ability. He showed a strong arm across the infield (80 mph); he also demonstrated advanced infield actions and moved with fluidity. At the plate, Harper has a solid foundation with fundamental hitting mechanics.

James Hollar, C, Waynesville HS, Class 2012- The lanky 6-foot-3, 195-pound Hollar has a projectable frame, and potential behind the plate. Hollar produced pop times of 1.9 and 2.0 with ease and accuracy, and showed above average blocking skills. The left handed hitter has an easy swing, consistently hitting the ball to the right side, and glimpses of pull power.

Jack Klages, C, Vianney HS, Class of 2013- The athletically built 6-foot-1, 170-pound Klages impressed with his above average receiving and quick footwork behind the plate. He was clocked at 77 mph out of the crouch, as his accurate pop times ranged between 2.0-2.1.  Offensively, he has an athletic setup while demonstrating solid hitting mechanics and the ability to drive the ball.  

Dylan Koehler, OF/RHP, Jackson HS, Class of 2012- Koehler shows enough foot speed and range to potentially play shortstop at the next level. His hands work out in front and he has a quick arm. Offensively, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound right handed hitter possesses a quick swing with good pop. He demonstrates the ability to use all fields and has the potential to hit for power.

Travis Kostello, C/OF, CBC, Class of 2013- Behind the plate, the athletic 5-foot-11, 165-pound Kostello has a short, compact release from a ¾ arm slot, firing a pop time of 2.0. Kostello also showed quick, advanced blocking actions. As a hitter, Kostello uses a strong lower half to generate power and barrel whip through the zone with a level, line drive producing swing.

Matthew Lynas, MIF, SLUH, Class of 2011- Lynas is a 5-foot-8, 150-pound middle infielder.  He demonstrates good range and sure hands to both the forehand and backhand side.  Offensively, Lynas possesses good eye hand coordination and a low starting position for his hands, which move quickly to the ball. He shows an upward swing plane, with good contact.

Brett McDonald, INF/OF, Pattonville HS, Class of 2011- The strong and athletic 5-foot-10, 195-pound McDonald uses an open stance and dives a bit at the ball, showing the ability to be a power hitter. McDonald showed the ability to drive the ball gap-to-gap.  Defensively, McDonald shows smooth and athletic actions to the ball, and confidence in his fielding abilities. He showed an accurate 80 mph throw across the diamond from 3rd base.

Tanner McKay, 1B/C, Eureka HS, Class of 2011 -At 6-foot-2, 195-pounds, McKay is a strong-bodied athlete who possesses natural power and considerable upside. At the plate, McKay showcased a smooth, balanced swing that whipped through the zone. Using a wide stance, McKay stays balanced in the box, demonstrating an impressively fluid, quick stroke.

Trey Meier, MIF, Seckman HS, Class of 2011- The lanky 6-foot-2, 175-pound Meier showed a good approach to the ball at short stop, with above average range, making one of the top plays of the showcase, a diving stop up the middle. Offensively, Meier has an aggressive swing, with upward action. He showed good opposite field power.

Drew Pearson, C, Cabool HS, Class of 2013: Unknown before the event, Pearson performed at a high level behind and at the plate. Behind the plate, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Pearson impressed with his quick feet and accurate 1.9-2.0 pop times. Pearson showed quick, athletic movements blocking, as well as soft hands. At the plate, Pearson has solid fundamentals and bat speed with legitimate power potential to all fields.

Nic Perkins, C, Francis Howell, Class of 2014-As one of two class of 2014 participants, the 6-foot-2, 215 Perkins showed to be a  projectable catcher, recording pop times of 1.8 and 2.0 at 75-78 mph, emerging as one of the top players in the class of 2014. At the plate, Perkins uses a strong lower half and a compact swing to drive the ball gap-to-gap.

Darin Pitts, OF/SS, Cardinal Ritter, Class of 2011-The quick and athletic Pitts showed to be one of the most athletic participants of the showcase. In the outfield, Pitts was quick to the ball and had good carry on his 75-80 mph throws.  Offensively, Pitts uses an open stance and uses a strong upper half to consistently pull the ball. With some more use of his lower half, Pitts should acquire the ability to be an effective top of the lineup hitter. On the bases, Pitts showed some speed, recording a 7.2 second reading from home to second.

Dustin Raney, OF, Ste. Genevieve HS, Class of 2012- Raney is an athletic 5-foot-11, 175-pound outfielder with good instincts and an above average arm (85-88 mph) with good carry on his throws. Offensively, he allowed the ball to travel deep in the zone and used his quick hands to barrel line drives.

Jason Schmeid, INF, Duchesne, Class of 2013- The 5-foot-9, 150-pound Schmeid showed as one of the top defensive infielders, demonstrating quick feet and an accurate arm across the infield from shortstop. Schmeid had good actions and displayed good footwork and fluidity. At the plate he showcased a line drive swing, using all parts of the field.

Nick Schrank, C, Marquette Catholic (IL), Class of 2013- Behind the plate, the lean 5-foot-11, 150-pound Schrank showed advanced blocking technique and a quick transfer on throws to second base. With some improved footwork, Schrank could shave his pop time down from a 2.2. Offensively, Schrank made consistent solid contact with ?lively hands? to the ball and a level stroke.

Joe Schrimpf, C/INF, Class of 2013- The versatile 5-foot-10, 185-pound Schrimpf showed to be an impact player both behind the plate and at shortstop. 0; Schrimpf showed quick feet and a quick transfer, throwing 1.9 and 2.0 pop times on the bag from the crouch. He showed great presence behind and confidence with all catching aspects. In the field, Shrimpf show athleticism with good range to the forehand and backhand sides with good accurate throws.  At the plate, Schrimpf is aggressive with a quick bat and good extension through contact, with gap-to-gap line drives.

James Skinner, 1B/RHP, Wentzville Holt HS, Class of 2012- The physically strong 6-foot, 228-pound two way talent possesses considerable upside. Coming from a high three-quarter arm slot, he has a lot of deception and late action on his fastball, which topped at 83 mph. Skinner also threw a tight slider and a changeup with good arm side action and sink. With his size and arm action, Skinner should see a velocity spike in the coming year.  In the field, Skinner showed good hands and quickness. Offensively, James has a good base and strong upper half capable of producing power.

Jansen Smith, INF, Rock Bridge HS, Class of 2013- The left handed hitting infielder showed a short compact swing and some bat speed. With some more consistency in his hitting mechanics, Smith shows the ability to be a consistent line drive hitter. The 5-foot-9, 175-pounder also showcased athletic movements and soft hands in the field, with good accurate throws.

Michael Venturella, MIF, CBC, Class of 2013- The athletic Venturella demonstrated a short compact swing, consistently keeping his hands inside the ball and delivering hard gap-to-gap line drives with barrel whip through the zone. The 5-foot-8, 168 pound infielder showed a good approach to the ball at shortstop, and sure hands.

Jacob Vorhees, C, Camdenton HS, Class of 2013- The well built 5-foot-10, 200-pound Vorhees showed good body control and receiving skills behind the plate, handling pitches in all parts of the strike zone.  At the plate, Vorhees swing takes an upward angle, with glimpses of power. With a few adjustments to his swing, Vorhees has the potential to be a consistent power hitter.

Caleb Wilkerson, OF, Festus HS, Class of 2012- The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Wilkerson showcased an above average, accurate arm (87-90 mph) and fluid actions in the outfield.  At the plate, Wilkerson showed good fundamentals and the ability to consistently hit line drives. Wilkerson used a strong lower half and good hands through the hitting zone, and ran a 7.4 home to second.