Prep Baseball Report

Unsigned Senior Spotlight: 2018 C Jacob Upshaw


Tim Kay
PBR Tennessee Director of Scouting



Jacob Upshaw

Class of 2018 / C

Player Information

  • Graduating Class: 2018
  • Primary Position: C
    Secondary Position: 3B
  • High School: Central Magnet
    State: TN
  • Summer Team: Showtime Baseball of Tennessee
  • Height: 6-0
    Weight: 205lbs
  • Bat/Throw: R/R

Statistics

Pitching
75
Max FB
72 - 75
FB
59 - 62
CB
65 - 67
CH
Position
7.75
60-yard
2.10 - 2.15
Pop Time
71
INF Velo
72
C Velo
88
Exit Velo
4.75
H-1st

Scouting Report

1/15/18 - 60 Time: 7.75, Pop Time: 2.10-2.15, Position Velocity:  C-72, IF-71, Exit Velocity: 88
6-foot-0, 205-pound, RHH showed improved numbers in every tested metric from this summer.  Medium, stocky frame w/ present lower half strength, some physical projection.  Offensively, hits from a straight on, slightly crouched stance w/ back shoulder hand location.  Bat waggle.  Belt high leg kick w/ short hand load.  Still working on getting the timing from the leg kick consistently.  Line drive, gap to gap oriented approach.  Flashes ability to drive the baseball when everything is synced up.  Defensively, presents good target w/ soft hands and feel for pitch manipulation.  Can work on beating off-speed pitches to the spot.  As a thrower, shows quick release w/ carry to target.  On the infield, shows solid hands w/ usable feet.  An interesting unsigned catcher to keep an eye on this spring.

6/14/17 - Home-1st: 4.96, Position Velocity:  IF-69, Exit Velocity: 81
5-foot-11, 210-pound, RHH hit from the same balanced and even stance we saw in January, uses a conventional stride to load and does a good job staying behind the ball, swing plane is flat to slightly up through the zone. Defensively, showed much improved hands and footwork at the corner, played through the ball, arm action is short, increased arm strength could help him a lot.

6/14/17 - Max FB: 73, FB: 69-73, CB: 54-55, CH: 63-64, 
5-foot-11, 210-pound, RHP uses a pretty consistent tempo throughout his motion that creates a little bit of rhythm heading down into his stride and release.  Upshaw stays pretty tall and maintains posture throughout.  His arm action is somewhat short and comes through a high ¾ slot upon release.  Fastball was mostly straight but actually showed some cut at times.  Curveball had 12/6 shape and changeup was a change of pace.

1/29/17 - Home-1st: 4.75, Pop Time: 2.13-2.28, Position Velocity:  IF-68, C-69, Exit Velocity: 79
5-foot-11, 210-pound, RHH hits from a balanced and even stance with some quick movement in his hands before the pitch, uses a generic stride and a quietening of his hands and a slight movement back with his hands to get loaded, lower half spins but doesn’t do it quick enough to create any real separation, bat path is mostly flat but can get steep on balls kept down in the zone, could benefit by staying middle.  Defensively, showed average hands and footwork both behind the plate and at the corner, exchange could get quicker but leads to a short arm action through a high ¾ slot.

1/29/17 - Max FB: 75, FB: 72-75, CB: 59-62, CH: 65-67,
5-foot-11, 210-pound, RHP uses some short and simple movements through his delivery while staying efficient, gathers at the top and creates a little load with hardly any shoulder tilt, gets a little closed and strides in that manner, arm action is shorter a comes through a high ¾ release point, finishes out front and toward the plate.  Fastball was mostly straight through the zone, curveball had had very little but gradual 11/5 movement, changeup showed some fade at the plate.