DFW Preseason ID: Corner Infield Analysis

Austin Eaton, 3B/SS, Lone Star HS, 2020
At 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, Eaton has the strength and the frame that will translate well at the next level, to go with a simple swing that he repeats with ease, allowing for high end timing with strength in the barrel. Early trigger with his hands gets him started as he shifts his weight back and takes a controlled stride, landing with separation. Compact path to contact allows him to get extended with a loose finish, creating carry and giddy up through the middle of the field. Efficient and balanced lower half transfer, current gap power that should continue to improve throughout the next year. Fundamental fielding position with soft hands, accurate arm swing with ability to throw from different slots and on the run.

Gage Goddard, 3B/RHP, Harmony HS, 2020
Lean, athletic frame at 6-foot, 170-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall stance with his knees pinched together, then uses a smooth leg kick as he triggers his hands. Lands with separation, creating room for the barrel to work through the zone with gap power and loose finish. Good feel for the barrel and quick hands, his swing projects for more power in the future. On the infield, Goddard plays easy catch from the left side with soft hands and quick footwork that should allow him to stay on the dirt in college. His arm works well from a high-¾ slot, creating carry across the diamond with a top velocity of 81 mph.

Hunter Reid, 1B, Plano Senior HS, 2020
Reid has been a staple in the middle of the Plano Senior lineup and looks primed for a big junior campaign as they will have one of the top offenses in the Metroplex. At 6-foot-3, 225-pounds, Reid has simple strength at the plate and his barrel stays in the zone a long time. Starting from a slightly crouched stance, he loads back smooth and early as he cocks the barrel over his head and tilts his shoulders forward as his hands slide back and he takes a short stride. Lands with good separation and balance, generating juice in the middle of the field with gap power and a top exit velocity of 97 mph off the tee. Shows good feel around the bag at first base, can pick the ball in the dirt with ease and stays under control as he starts the pivot at second. Moving forward, recruiters will want to make sure they see Reid in game, as his ability to drive in runs and get big knocks is going to make him a guy that should impact the lineup early in his collegiate career.

Cole Latos, 1B/OF, Allen HS, 2020
Latos is the definition of big and strong with a 6-foot-5, 240-pound, muscular frame, but the big fella also ran a 6.98 60-yard dash time. The right-handed hitter has raw strength at the plate, where he uses a leg kick load as he triggers his hands back and down, slotting the barrel early in zone and working uphill through contact with natural lift and a top exit velocity of 94 mph off the tee. At first base, he showed soft hands on picks around the bag that suggest he should be able to stay there moving forward. Latos has spent the past two years in the middle of the Allen lineup, as well as on the gridiron for the Eagles’ Football team. The pure strength and speed is enough to draw the interest of college recruiters moving forward.

Bristol Carson, LHP/1B, Guyer HS, 2020
Carson has a long-limbed frame at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds. Previously we have seen Carson as a left-handed arm, and the skill set on the mound is one that will likely be his ticket at the next level. However, his round of BP suggests that at least for now, the right-handed hitter could be considered a two-way guy. Naturally creates separation as he triggers his hands down and back using a low leg kick before rotating his hips and dropping the barrel in the zone to get on plane. Whippy bat head through the zone with a strong top hand that allows him to finish the head with some authority and a top exit velocity of 93 mph. The contact was crisp and firm as the ball jumped off his bat from gap to gap. At first base, his hands play soft on picks and short hops around the bag. Starts the pivot with accuracy and an easy arm swing.

Harrison Hess, 1B/OF, Midlothian Heritage HS, 2020
Hess has an athletic, muscular, high-waisted frame at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds. The right-handed hitter uses his long limbs to generate lift and pull side power with a top exit velocity of 91 mph off the tee. Triggers his hands back early and uses a simple load back before taking a controlled stride, landing balanced with separation. Hips rotate as the barrel lags through the zone then whips on an upward plane with a high finish. Pounded balls to the gaps during BP and hit a towering bomb to left-centerfield.

Jagger Schattle, LHP/1B, Richardson HS, 2021
Schattle has a sturdy, barrel-chested frame at 6-foot, 205-pound frame. Hitting off his front foot, the left-handed hitter throws the head of the barrel, creating hard contact with quick hands and powerful transfer for a young player. He starts from a tall, neutral stance then loads with a leg kick as he cocks the barrel forward. Good feel for the barrel along with gap power, natural lift from a high finish and top exit velocity of 88 mph. Showed solid glove action on picks at first base during the shortstop workout. Staggered footwork during the fielding portion, throws from a short, ¾ slot with a top velocity of 74 mph across the infield with a quick release on double plays.

Nick Greaney, RHP/1B, JJ Pearce HS, 2021
Greaney has large, still developing frame for a sophomore at 6-foot-7, 240-pounds. The left-handed hitter was on the barrel during BP, making hard contact from the middle of the field with a top exit velocity of 87 mph. Starting from a tall, open stance with relaxed hands, he triggers the knob down and back into a front arm bar while he leg kicks to stride slightly closed. Inside out path with a loose finish. Plays with a bounce in his step at first base, and his arm works well (85 mph) from a different slots with a quick exchange and clean release.

Joel Shea, OF/1B, Frisco Memorial HS, 2020
Shea has a strong, projectable frame at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds. The right-handed hitter posted an exit velocity of 91 mph off the tee and homered to left-field during BP. Using a toe-tap load, he triggers his hands back as he strides forward, creating room for the barrel to work through the zone. Loose hands through the zone with a high finish and fluid transfer from his lower half created carry to the pull side with hard contact. In the outfield, Shea plays through the ball with rhythm and throws from a ¾ slot with a top velocity to the dish of 82 mph. At first base, he has a quick first step and soft hands with a clean exchange around the bag.

Cade Manning, 3B/RHP, Southlake Carroll HS, 2020
Manning has a muscular, broad shouldered frame at 6-foot, 185-pounds, and started the day with a 7.15 60-yard dash. The left-handed hitter has a simple swing with a short path as he starts from a tall, slightly open stance. Loads back smooth and early as he cocks the barrel and strides closed. Inside out path through the zone with quick hands produced a top exit velocity of 90 mph off tee, and he was on the barrel, mostly to the opposite field side during BP. On the infield he plays low as he covers ground laterally and makes the glove play with a clean transition into a longer arm swing with plenty of carry across the diamond at 81 mph. On the mound, the right-hander works from a high slot with a long arm swing and tall-and-fall delivery. Fastball has angel at 82-83 mph. Curveball has gradual depth at 68-69 mph with 12/6 rotation, and his changeup came in at 73-74 mph.

Barrett Rose, 3B/1B, Rockwall HS, 2020
Rose has sturdy frame with a strong lower half at 5-foot-10, 195-pounds. The left-handed hitter starts from an open stance then turns inward as he triggers his hands down, and creating separation as he glides forward. Aggressive approach with an uphill path, hard contact during BP with strength in the barrel as he rotates through contact with a top exit velocity of 96 mph. On the infield, he has soft hands out front with quality glove action and an easy exchange to the midline into a long arm swing with a top velocity of 79 mph.

Best of the Rest (Alphabetical)

George Austin, RHP/1B, Dallas Jesuit, 2021
6-foot, 175-pound frame. The right-handed hitter starts from a neutral stance with his weight stacked evenly and his hands sitting away from his body above his shoulder. Loads with a quick leg kick as he triggers his hands. Rotational swing with an inside-out path produced a top exit velocity of 82 mph. Qualtiy footwork and rhythm around the bag at first base, plays through the ball with smooth tempo, clean exchange, and gets his shoulders in line as he gathers his feet. Accurate arm with a top velocity across the diamond of 82 mph.

Daven Blanco, 1B/RHP, Denver City HS, 2019
Blanco has a young frame at 5-foot-11, 160-pounds with plenty of room to add strength as he continues to fill out. A two-way player and right-handed hitter, Blance starts from a tall stance with high hands and the barrel pointed skyward. Pushes back with a reverse leg lift then strides forward. Middle of the field approach with line drive power and a top exit velocity of 77 mph. At first base, he plays through the ball with soft hands and threw with a top velocity of 77 mph across the diamond.

Josh Eichstadt, 3B/1B, Lake Highlands HS, 2020
6-foot-3, 175-pound, projectable frame. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall relaxed, open stance, then lifts his front leg to load with a balanced leg kick, triggering his hands up and back, striding forward, landing square. Mostly flat path with a line drive approach, he posted a top exit velocity of 87 mph. On the infield, he has soft hands as he fields the ball in the middle of his body, clean exchange into a low ¾ arm stroke with a top velocity of 74 mph across the diamond.

Foster Engelhardt, C/3B, Keller HS, 2020  
5-foot-11, 190-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall, slightly open setup with his hands in a relaxed position. Simple leg lift as he cocks the barrel forward, then lands with a short stride. Linear move to contact as he throws the head, making hard contact to the pull side with a top exit velocity of 88 mph, including a home run to left field during BP. Behind the plate, he post pop times of 2.11-2.44 with a top velocity from the crouch of 70 mph. On the infield, he does a nice job of getting his hands out front into a fundamental fielding position and he threw with a top velocity across the diamond of 78 mph.

Chase Haley, 3B/RHP, Plano West HS, 2022
Athletic, lean-muscular frame at 6-foot-1, 170-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide base with a crouched stance, then loads back using a slight toe-tap as he coils his hips then takes a big stride forward. Hands trigger back into a front arm bar and the barrel cocked forward. Quick hands produced hard contact when he was on the barrel, posting a top exit velocity of 88 mph. On the infield, he does a nice job of playing low with his hands out front and flat back. Threw with a top velocity across the diamond of 71 mph.

Jack Hattrup, LHP/1B, Plano West HS, 2019
Baylor commit. 6-foot-4, 202-pounds. The left-handed hitter starts from neutral stance, then shifts his weight back with a toe-tap load before striding forward as his hands trigger back. Mostly flat path with a short finish, he posted a top exit velocity of 86 mph. Solid job of picks around the bag on the infield throws.

Alberto Lara, 1B/3B, Bishop Dunne HS, 2021
5-foot-11, 165-pounds. The left-handed hitter has strong hands that work through the zone on a slightly uphill path to create lift to the pull side gap as he throws the head through contact, staying behind his front foot and sitting into his back leg when he transfers his weight. Quality rhythm and timing with a leg kick load and loose hands produced hard contact during BP with a top exit velocity of 88 mph. At first base, he threw with a top velocity across the diamond of 72 mph.

Cade Medlin, RHP/3B, New Diana HS, 2020
At 6-foot-2, 187-pounds, the right-hander has a clean arm swing and the ball comes out easy with sink at 82-85 mph, tickled 89 once. A two-way player and right-handed hitter, Medlin starts from a tall setup, then shifts his weight back as he triggers his hands and lowers his body while he glides forward. Inside out path with some lift through contact, he posted a top exit velocity of 88 mph. On the infield, he plays through the ball with soft hands, directional footwork and square shoulders, showing quality arm speed with a top velocity across the diamond of 83 mph.

William Ransom, RHP/1B, Frisco Reedy HS, 2020
5-foot-11, 188-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance with tall posture, then triggers his hands and cocks the barrel up over his head before he strides forward, landing square. Solid contact to the back side of the field early in the round, working on an uphill path with a top exit velocity of 83 mph of the tee. On the infield, he threw with a top velocity across the diamond of 76 mph.