Prep Baseball Report

Mineral Area CC Scout Day: Top Prospects


By: Diego Solares
Area Scout, Illinois & Missouri

On Thursday, October 6th, the PBR Missouri staff traveled to Park Hills, Missouri, to host the Mineral Area CC Scout Day. This event featured more than 30 players from the Cardinals' program that participated in a pro-style workout and collected unrivaled data via our partners at TrackMan and Blast Motion.

To see all of the players that attended the event, click HERE. For a full look at all the data collected, click HERE.

Shortly after the event's conclusion our staff published a statistical analysis, highlighting the day's leaders in several aspects from the workout. We then dove deeper into the data, breaking down TrackMan batted ball data and pitch leaders within our data dive.

Today we’ll spend some time highlighting some of the top prospects on this Mineral Area squad. Read below for nuggets and more information on which players popped to our scouts from the Mineral Area Scout Day.

POSITION PLAYERS

Liam Bushey 3B / Mennonite Educational Institute , BC / 2021

Sophomore. 6-foot-3, 225-pounds highly physical left-handed bat. Put up a monster offensive season for Mineral Area in 2022, slashing .427/.500/.637 over 157 at-bats. Has clear bat speed and bat strength at the plate, hacks with controlled intent. Averaged 97.2 mph and 309 feet per batted ball in BP, peaking at 103.6 mph and 394 feet, respectively. Looks every bit the part of a true middle-of-the-order type masher. Took reps on the infield and outfield, topping at 87 mph from both spots. Will look to repeat as an all-region type of performer in 2023. 

Justin Carinci SS / Pickering, ON / 2020

Sophomore. 5-foot-8, 165-pound athletic build. Put together a quality offensive season for the Cardinals last spring, slashing .322/.381/.402 across 199 at-bats with almost as many walks (11) as strikeouts (16). Simple compact right-handed swing, works direct to the baseball with advanced hand-eye. Pesky top-of-the-order type of bat that will consistently put together competitive at-bats. Worked out in the outfield and infield at this event. Athletic on the infield with active feet, steady hands, and range on the move. Fluid mover in the outfield as well, reached a 90 mph high on his firmest throw home. Is a do-it-all type of player for this Mineral Area squad that will likely play a key role for them this upcoming season. 

Antoine Tremblay OF / Academie Les Estacades, MO / 2020

Sophomore. 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame with lean strength. Batted .349 last season with a .470 OBP in 149 at-bats for the Cardinals. Walked (29) almost as many times as he struck out (37). Stays on top of the baseball from a flat right-handed swing. Loose and whippy at the plate with above-average hand (24.2 mph) and bat (77 mph) speed. Reached a max exit velocity of 97.8 mph with a 91.7 mph average mark. Worked around the baseball in the outfield, topped at 87 mph to home. 

Ruendrick Piternella OF / Ruendrick Piternella, NL / 2019

Sophomore. Large, hulking 6-foot-2, 274-pound frame. Slugged .570 with seven home runs across 107 at-bats last year, batting .327 with more walks (29) than strikeouts (23). Simple right-handed stroke with clear bat speed and strength. Elevated the baseball off the barrel to the middle of the field in BP, averaging 296 ft. and 92.4 mph per batted ball. Reached a peak exit velocity of 99.9 mph. Profiles as a first baseman at the next level. Is a physical right-handed bat that’ll try to repeat the success he had last season, primarily in the power department, this year. 

Austin Jerger 1B / Northwest Cedar Hill, MO / 2021

Sophomore. Thick, physical 6-foot-1, 210-pound left/left athlete. Flicked baseballs off his barrel in BP with authority, averaging 91.8 mph per batted ball with a 96.4 mph max. Works short and direct to contact with a level bat path, creating some leverage to the pull-side on occasion. Capable of providing thump from the left side towards the middle of this Mineral Area lineup.

Kaleb Lemos 3B / Roosevelt, CA / 2019

Sophomore. 6-foot-2, 210-pound physical frame with strength throughout. Took one of the loudest BP rounds we saw all fall - barreled balls up at 97.4 mph on average with a 102.8 mph max. Did so while consistently elevating the baseball as well - 309 ft. average, 405 ft. peak distance. Has the bat speed, inherent strength, and ability to drive the baseball to be an impact right-handed bat. Active on the infield, sure-handed at third base with arm strength (89 mph) across the diamond. Was also up to 88 mph on the mound. 


PITCHERS

Gavin Oswald LHP / Lafayette, MO / 2021

Sophomore. 6-foot-6, 300-pound hulking presence on the mound. Returns to this Mineral Area squad after putting together one of the best seasons across the state of Missouri last year. Threw 69 ⅓ innings, punching out 95 batters with a 3.50 ERA and an 8-0 record. Showed a quality four-pitch mix at this event, working his entire arsenal for strikes around the zone. Fastball played at 88-90 mph, changeup mimicked fastball action and effort at 80-82 mph with low spin (1600 RPM). Tightly spun slider played at 79-83 mph with more lateral action at 2300+ RPM. Elevated arm slot on curveball with more vertical action at 76-77 mph and 2300+ RPM. High pitchability southpaw that will consistently attack hitters and pound the zone. 

Brian Strange RHP / Westfield, MA / 2021

Sophomore. Strong 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. Is another top returning arm from last year’s Mineral Area team. Logged 58 innings across 10 starts with 69 strikeouts and a 4.19 ERA. Tempo’d and methodical delivery to balance point, gets downhill with effort through release. Arm draws back out the glove, long stroke to a high ¾ finish. Fastball jumps and rides up in the zone at 90-93 mph, spinning at 2500+ RPM with 19 inches of vertical break on average. Sharp spin on both breaking balls; curveball at 73-75 mph at 2300+ RPM and more firm slider at 74-77 mph at 2500+ RPM. Kills spin (1600 RPM) on 79-82 mph straight changeup down in the zone, lowers slot. Will look to build off last season and serve as a key arm for this staff. 

Ryker Walton RHP / Potosi , MO / 2021

Sophomore. 6-foot-3, 215-pound proportionally strong frame. Showed some of the loudest stuff and highest aptitude to spin at any of the events we ran this fall. Quick worker with tempo throughout his ‘pen, does throw with some effort through release. Continuous arm path with some length on the backside that finishes from a high ¾ slot. Fastball played at 91-92 mph, spinning at nearly 2500 RPM on average with 20+ inches of vertical carry to pair, too. Throws two breaking balls at different velocity bands - curveball at 71-73 mph and slider at 78-80 mph. Both spin at 2700+ RPM on average. Developing feel for a low-80s changeup, lowers slot from fastball and sinks it to the arm-side some. 

Carter Rees RHP / Benjamin Logan, OH / 2021

Sophomore. 6-foot-3, 185-pound physically built athlete; strong legs, broad upper body. Works with effort and aggression down the mound. Long arm swing finishes from a high ¾ slot. Pitched at 91-93 mph with his fastball in his ‘pen, averaging 20+ inches of vertical break with primarily straight action and strikes on the corners. Feel to turn over a changeup to the arm-side corner of the plate, limits spin (1700 RPM) while flashing arm-side action at 77-79 mph. Curveball plays with depth from a high release point at 73-75 mph, thrown at decelerated arm speed. 


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