Adam Akin
Director of Scouting


 The 2016 Tennessee/Kentucky Border Battle Games took place on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16.  The scouting directors from each state put together a team of some of the best uncommitted players available to compete against each other.  Players were afforded the opportunity to participate in a pro style evaluation, followed by two 9-inning games.  Saturday’s event consisted of mostly 2018 graduates, while Sunday’s event featured primarily 2019 graduates.  Below is an evaluation of each pitcher that participated in Sunday’s games for Team Tennessee.

 

Jacob Tate, LHP, Christian Academy of Knoxville, 2019
Max FB: 85, FB: 82-84, SL: 69-73
6-foot-6, 190-pound, LHP put together one of the most impressive performances from the entire weekend of baseball, tall and commanding presence on the mound, has a ton of athleticism for a kid his size and age, smooth delivery was similar to what we saw from him at the Underclass Games but better, fluid leg lift gets his lower half loaded and brings him to a high spot on the mound, reaches down the mound with his long and closed stride while using a long and loose arm action to get out in front and jump at the hitter, easy finish.  Fastball was on point with good command and some late run, slider showed 10/4 shape with better arm action than we saw previously, velocity climbed.  Tate struck out 3 in his two innings of work without allowing any solid contact.

Brad Grenkoski, RHP/OF, Farragut, 2019
Max FB: 85, FB: 82-85, CB: 70-72,
6-foot-3, 185-pound, RHP has been one of the youngest and most impressive players in the 2019 class for months and didn’t do anything to change that here, smooth and rhythmic delivery is pretty consistent and engages his entire body, high leg lift and reach down the mound display his length and athleticism on the mound, strides in line, long arm action is pretty loose and clean through a high ¾ slot, size and movements project continued growth and progress.  Fastball showed run and was very heavy, curveball showed 11/5 to 10/4 shape with almost a slider-like action.  Grenkoski struck out 1 without allowing a run and showed pretty consistent command of the zone.  He continues to improve each and every time we seen him. 

Hayden Mullins, LHP, Hendersonville, 2019
Max FB: 84, FB: 82-84, CB: 71-73,
5-foot-11, 155-pound, LHP reinstated his place as one of the top pitchers in Tennessee’s 2019 class, works at a quick pace with a very up-tempo approach, same mechanics as we saw from him at the Underclass Games with a high leg lift that gets his front hip loaded before heading to the plate, establishes some shoulder tilt as well, stays tall on his stride leg that lands in line, finishes under control with a slight fade toward 3B, arm action is loose and whippy through a ¾ slot.  Fastball showed very consistent run and was commanded well, curveball had 1/8 to 2/7 shape though the zone with some late and sharp break on it.  Mullins recorded 3 strikeouts in his 2 innings of work and only allowed a run because of a defensive blunder behind him. 

Austin Kasick, LHP, Grace Christian Academy, 2019
Max FB: 81, FB: 78-81, CB: 71-72, CH: 74,
5-foot-11, 170-pound, LHP showed his same simple motion that includes a turn of his front foot to simulate a rocker step that leads into a controlled leg lift, gets some shoulder tilt at the top of his delivery and jumps at the hitter with his straight-legged stride and ability to hide the ball well, strides in line and uses a long and athletic arm action through a high ¾ slot, typically finishes well balanced and under control, competed similarly to his outing at the Top Prospect Games without matching his previous velocity.  Fastball showed a lot of run through the zone, curveball wasn’t its sharpest but had 1/7 shape, changeup was thrown with fastball arm speed and showed sink and some fade for strikes.  Kasick struck out 2 and didn’t allow a hit in his two innings of work.

 Garrett Schultz, OF/RHP, Ensworth, 2019
Max FB: 81, FB: 79-81, CB: 61-62,
5-foot-11, 160-pound, RHP works at a faster pace with confidence and purpose on the mound, didn’t have the best stuff we’ve seen him with but was still able to compete and be successful, gets his entire body engaged through his delivery and his arm can get very quick, maintains a high ¾ arm slot that creeps closer to over-the-top at times. Fastball showed some very slight run while his curveball had a little bite with his typical 11/5 shape.  Schultz threw 2 scoreless innings and recorded a strikeout, command wasn’t as sharp as normal, but showed the competitiveness to scrap it out.

Christian Delashmit, RHP, Covington, 2019
Max FB: 81, FB: 78-81, CB: 65-66,
6-foot-3, 175-pound, RHP has a long and lanky build with some length that reaches down the mound and is able to jump at hitters, works with a quicker tempo and gets closed at the top of his leg lift, shoulders stay mostly even as he heads to the plate, stride lands slightly closed but he’s able to get out over his front side with a long and quick arm action through a high ¾ release point, stays tall and finishes under control.  Fastball was consistent with its slight run and was thrown almost the entire outing, breaking ball showed 10/4 shape but was used sparingly.  Delashmit struck out 2 in his 2 innings of work and did not allow a run.

Tanner Morgan, LHP, Christ Presbyterian Academy, 2019
Max FB: 79, FB: 78-79, CB: 64-66,
6-foot-1, 165-pound, LHP uses that same collected delivery we saw from him at the Underclass Games that includes a slight hitch at the top of his leg lift, gets his lower half engaged and explodes toward the plate with some effort at the end, arm action is fairly long and works through a high ¾ slot, finished balanced and under control.  Wasn’t the sharpest we’ve seen him, but still showed big time potential with some sharp break to its 1/7 shape, fastball was mostly straight.  Morgan lost some command in the middle of his outing, but was able to strike out 2 in his 2 innings of work.

Carter Park, RHP, St. George's Independent, 2019
Max FB: 79, FB: 76-79, CB: 67-69,
6-foot-1, 173-pound, RHP uses an awkward rocker step that puts is left foot in front of his right, body turn initializes a leg lift that comes almost straight up and straight down, shoulders stay even throughout delivery, could have gotten a little more load out of his lower half, stays tall and under control throughout his entire motion, low effort and easily repeatable, shorter arm action comes through a high ¾ slot.  Fastball was mostly straight but thrown for strikes, curveball showed gradual movement with 11/5 to 10/4 shape through the zone.  Park threw 2 scoreless innings with a strikeout, while only allowing 1 hit.

Chase Nelson, LHP, Hendersonville, 2019
Max FB: 78, FB: 76-78, CB: 60-61,
5-foot-10, 168-pound, LHP threw exclusively out of the stretch in an effort to keep it simple on the mound, comes set in a slightly closed position and uses nothing more than a leg lift to keep his front side loaded and head toward the plate, lands slightly closed but is able to get over his front leg with a shorter arm action that comes through a high ¾ slot with normal effort, gets some shoulder tilt at the top of his delivery, lands balanced and under control.  Fastball was pretty straight, curveball showed his typical 12/6 to 1/7 shape with some occasionally sharp movement.  Nelson wasn’t as sharp as he’d have liked to be, but competed and recorded 1 strikeout in his outing.