Houston Underclass Trials: Outfield Analysis

HOUSTON, TX - To say that the Houston Underclass Trials was loaded with talent would be an understatement. Over 50 players in the 2020-2022 grad classes converged on the University of Houston campus on Tuesday, June 5. Here is the outfield analysis from the event.

Top Performers

Logan Hamm, OF/RHP, Bridge City HS, 2020
Hamm has an athletic, physically strong frame with broad shoulders at 6-foot, 200-pounds.  Showed some of the best overall tools with versatility, and proved he has the tools to be a true two-way player.  At the plate he has strong body language in the box, and has big time bat speed showing power to both gaps with an exit velocity of 92 mph off the tee.  Quiet-simple load, the ball jumps off his bat with relative ease and pull side juice. On the infield and outfield he showed plus arm strength with carry (92 from OF, 89 from INF) with a quick arm action.  On the mound, Hamm has great mound presence. He flashed quick arm speed with a short arm stroke, hides the ball well in his delivery. Good balance throughout his delivery with regular effort down the mound. His fastball has late slight arm-side run at 86-87, slider was 75-76 with sharp 11/5 late break, his curveball was 71-73 with a tight 10/4 shape, and throws a straight changeup from 78-80. Maintains arm speed on off speed pitches.

Cameron Yadon, SS/2B, Bridge City HS, 2020
Yadon has a high-waisted, lean-muscular, projectable frame at 5-foot-11, 140-pounds. All around athletic player, ran a 6.80 laser-timed 60-yard dash. The right-handed hitter starts from an open stance with relaxed rhythm and flex in his lower half. Simple load back using a reverse leg lift as he triggers his hands down and back before striding forward, landing balanced with good energy in his lower half. Aggressive hack with a short, compact path to contact and excellent lag in the barrel, creating an inside-out path as he whips the bat through the zone with a loose finish. Balls jumps off his bat with good carry in the middle of the field. Solid barrel awareness and wiry-strength, created a ton of line drives during BP. In the outfield, Yadon plays through the ball with natural actions, quick footwork and an aggressive mentality with a top velocity of 83 mph. On the infield, Yadon has quick footwork that allows him to get to full speed quickly when he ranges to either side. Soft hands, quick exchange, clean release, arm works well from different slots, but throws mostly from a natural ¾ slot that comes directly from the mid-line of his body. Showed good feel for starting the double play, and can play on the run. High end athlete with a ton of upside. Also plays the outfield, but has natural athleticism and actions that are likely to allow him to stay on the infield. 

Braden Olson, OF/LHP, Lake Travis HS, 2020
Olson has a strong, sturdy frame at 5-foot-10, 175-pounds, and ran a 7.16 60-yard dash to start the day before launching balls to the pull side during BP. The right-handed hitter starts with a slight bend in his knees, utilizes a small leg kick before he whips the barrel through the zone with seemingly low effort, and a loose-finish. Ball jumps off his bat (91 mph exit velocity), has power to the pull side, ran a ball out of the yard to left field. Plays through the ball with athletic rhythm that is synced up with his crow hop, allowing his arm to work well from back to front with a long arm stroke. Threw head-high bullets to the plate with high end accuracy and a top velocity of 86 mph.

Cole Smajstrla, OF, Pearland HS, 2020
Smajstrla has a lean-strong, athletic frame at 5-foot-9, 165-pounds. The right-handed hitter has a simple setup with easy rhythm as he loads back, then strides forward, walking away from his hands, creating good separation. Aggressive hack, strong, quick-twitch hands through the zone produce hard contact during BP. Level path with a high finish, shows pull side pop and should continue to develop into a high level hitter. Athletic defender with fundamental, quick footwork as he plays through the ball with easy rhythm. Clean exchange into a long, clean arm stroke with outstanding carry and accuracy to the dish and a top velocity of 90 mph. Ran a 7.03 60-yard dash with an easy stride and loose hips that should allow him to get faster as he continues to develop over the next couple years.

Caden Queck, SS/OF, The Woodlands Christian Academy, 2020
6-foot-1, 180-pound frame with wide shoulders and room to add more strength.  Right handed hitter with power, 90 mph exit velo, showed a gap to gap approach with explosive bat speed and power. Athletic stance in his legs and some rhythm in his hands. Works with a low leg kick and looks to do damage with an aggressive swing on an uphill plane through the zone, works behind the ball well with his body to create power, explosive lower half.  In the outfield, he plays through the ball with rhythm in his footwork and a clean exchange into a high-¾ arm slot with a clean arm stroke. Arm works well from back to front creating solid carry with a top velocity of 83 mph. 

Bayne Tryon, OF, Cypress Fair HS, 2020
Tyron has a strong, athletic frame at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. Started the day by running a 6.85 60-yard dash, then posted an exit velocity of 91 mph off the tee. The right-handed hitter has good presence in the box with big time body language. Athletic stance, stays in his legs with a small leg kick, good separation with his hands as he strides forward to land balanced. Consistently on the barrel during BP with quick-strong hands and a loose finish as he accelerates the barrel through contact. Gap power with more to come in the future, drove balls from gap to gap with carry. In the outfield, Tryon threw to the dish with a top velocity of 81 mph.

Weston Valasek, OF/SS, Tompkins HS, 2020 
At 6-foot, 170 pounds, Valasek has an already athletic, long-limbed frame that should allow him to add strength as he continues to develop. Started the day with a 6.91 60-yard dash. The right-handed hitter starts from an open stance with relaxed rhythm and flex in his lower half. Smooth load with a reverse leg lift as he triggers his hands down and back before taking a short stride, landing square with good separation. Has great rhythm in his hands as he slots the barrel early, working on a slightly uphill plane with a high finish. Loose-quick wrists as he snaps the barrel through contact with lift, and an exit velocity of 83 mph (off the tee). Does a nice job of transferring his lower half through contact. In the outfield, Valasek is a natural athlete, playing through the ball with rhythm as he approaches the ball quick footwork and long strides. Easy gather with a clean exchange before he crow hops to throw with a smooth whip-like arm stroke and a top velocity of 81 mph. 

Lawson Knight, OF/RHP, Round Rock HS, 2021
Knight has a lean-strong, quick-twitch frame at 5-foot-8, 130-pounds. He started the day by posting a 7.05 60-yard dash time that should continue to drop as he adds strength to his already long strides. The right-handed hitter showed solid presence in the box with a fluid hack and easy rhythm. Utilizing an athletic leg kick to get started, his barrel stays in the zone a long time. Quick hands with a loose finish allow him to throw the head of the barrel through contact as he transfers his lower half. In the outfield, Knight plays through the ball with fluid actions, clean exchange and quickish footwork. Accurate arm from a high-¾ slot with a top velocity of 78 mph.  

Best of the Rest (Alphabetical)

Cole Carroll, OF/LHP, Lake Travis HS, 2022
Carroll has a young, still developing 5-foot-6 120-pound frame. The right-handed hitter handeld the bat well during batting practice, spraying the ball through the infield consistently finding the barrel. Simple load at the plate, and maintained balance throughout his swing; 72 mph exit velo. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with quick footwork and a clean exchange as he uses an athletic crow hop to generate arm speed from a high slot with a long arm stroke with a top velocity of 70 mph. Ran a 7.61 laser-timed 60.

JaiDen Chinnis, OF/SS, Georgetown HS, 2021
Chinnis has a long-limbed, high-waisted, athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 175-pounds. A quick-twitch athlete started the day by posing an event-best 6.64 60-yard dash. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide base, then loads back as he triggers his hands before taking a short stride forward. Inside-out path on a flat plane with an opposite field approach during BP. In the outfield, Chinnis threw from an over the top slot with a long arm stroke and a top velocity of 77 mph. On the infield, Chinnis plays through the ball with rhythm in his footwork, funnels the ball to the midline of his body before throwing from a long, over the top slot across the diamond with a top velocity of 76 mph.

Keegan Garcia, OF/RHP, Palacios HS, 2020
Garcia has a lean-muscular frame at 5-foot-8, 165-pounds. The left-handed hitter has a smooth swing with natural lift and strength to the pull side. Strong upper body allows him to leverage that ball with relative ease, particularly to right field.  Starts from a balanced, neutral stance, short stride with a simple load as he slots the barrel in the zone early, working on an uphill path through contact with a high finish. In the outfield, Garcia threw 78 mph to the plate from a high-¾ slot.

Levy Hammack, C/OF, Magnolia HS, 2020  
Hammack has a wiry-strong frame at 5-foot-10, 145-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from an exaggerated open, narrow stance before he loads up with a big leg-lift that he holds in the air as he walks away from his hands. Good rhythm throughout, lands balanced, loose hands, aggressive approach, hard contact to the pull side with an exit velocity of 85 mph off the tee. In the outfield, Hammack plays through the ball aggressively with quick footwork into a short arm stroke from a high-¾ slot with a top velocity of 78 mph. Ran a 7.26 60-yard dash.

Landon Hammond, RHP/OF, Sweeny HS, 2022
Hammond has a strong, projectable frame for a rising freshman at 6-foot-1, 160-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall, slightly open stance with his hands set high - and back over his back shoulder. Simple load back with a low-hanging slight toe-tap. Lands balanced, strong hands, hard contact with an exit velocity of 77 mph. In the outfield, Hammond plays through the ball with soft hands and a clean exchange, before he throws from high-¾ slot with a top velocity of 81 mph.

Carson Queck, OF/RHP, The Woodlands Christian Academy, 2022
Projectable frame, athletic 6-foot, 168 pounds. The right-handed hitter has raw power at the plate flashing a 90 mph exit velocity, with an aggressive swing intending to do damage in the middle of the field, driving the ball deep.  A smooth load with a high leg kick allows his body to work behind the baseball, and create strength and bat speed to impact the baseball. Raw power should develop further as he learns to control his body at the plate. In the outfield he flashed arm strength for his age (82 mph) and plays through the ball with an athletic crow hop that allows his arm to work well from back to front with accuracy on his throws to the dish. Ran a 7.30 laser-timed 60.  A two-way player and right-handed pitcher, Queck showed natural arm strength for his class, working from a ¾ slot with a long arm stroke and a tall and fall delivery. Lands in line with level shoulders. His fastball was 73-76, flashing arm side run. His slider has short break at 66-68 but should tighten up as it shows good 10/4 shape. Mixed in a changeup at 59 mph.

Ethan Siegel, LHP/1B, Westlake HS, 2020  
Siegel has a projectable, long-limbed frame with broad shoulders at 6-foot-4, 180-pounds. The left-handed hitter starts from a tall, balanced stance and has a simple load as he rocks back early, then glides forward as he walks away from his hands, creating good separation. Slots the barrel early and on plane, creating some lift and carry with line drives from the middle to pull side of the field with an exit velocity of 82 mph off the tee. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with quickish footwork and good rhythm that allows his arm to sync up with the momentum he creates with his crow hop. His arm works well from back to front with smooth, clean arm stroke and a top velocity of 80 mph.