Preseason All-State: Outfield Analysis

Nathaniel Price, C, Mansfield Legacy HS, 2020
Price is a gritty, athletic player with a fast-twitch, frame at 5-foot-9, 165-pounds.  Behind the plate, he posted some of the most consistent pop times of the day (2.04-2.11) with a quick exchange, ultra-quick footwork, and velocity from the crouch of 75 mph. The right-handed hitter has solid strength for his size, quick-strong hands, high end barrel awareness. Makes hard contact on the barrel with gap power and an exit velocity of 90 mph. In the outfield, Price plays through the ball with an athletic crow hop, throws from a high slot with accuracy with a top velocity of 86 mph.

Zane Raba, OF, Reagan HS, 2020 Raba has a quick twitch, athletic frame at 5-foot-9, 157-pounds. Started the day with a 7.03 60-yard dash. The left-handed hitter starts from a tall, slightly closed, grounded stance. Simple load back using a toe tap as he triggers his hands back, then takes a short stride. Quick-strong hands, compact path to contact, gap approach, hard contact, simple strength with good extension through contact with an exit velocity of 83 mph. In the outfield, Raba plays through the ball with quickish footwork and made accurate throws to the dish with a top velocity of 81 mph.

Jaeger Self, SS/OF, Aubrey HS, 2020
Self has a high-waisted, projectable frame at 5-foot-10, 160-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a relaxed, tall, slightly open, narrow stance. Smooth load with a leg kick, loose-quick hands, lands balanced, simple weight transfer with a loose finish. Drove the ball well during batting practice, hard contact with a gap approach and exit velocity of 85 mph. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with rhythm, soft hands, clean exchange and a long, loose arm swing with a top velocity of 79 mph. On the infield, Self has soft hands and a clean, midline exchange. Plays through the catch with quick footwork, creating momentum into a loose, accurate arm swing from a ¾ slot and a top velocity of 77 mph across the diamond.

Jaxon Weber, LHP/OF, Hebron HS, 2021  
Weber has a projectable, high-waisted, lean-strong frame at 5-foot-9, 160-pounds. The left-handed hitter has an aggressive hack with balanced leg kick, loose-quick hands, strength in the barrel, natural lift, and an exit velocity of 85 mph. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with quick footwork, rhythm and athleticism, and throws with a long, loose arm stroke at 83. On the mound, the left-hander works from a ¾ slot with a long, loose arm swing, tall and fall delivery, and athletic lower half. His fastball was mostly 79-80 mph. Curveball was 70-73 mph with 1/7 shape and good rotation. His changeup flashes arm side run and depth.

Jayden Drake, C/OF, Centennial HS, 2018
The switch-hitter has a lean-strong, twitchy frame at 5-foot-11, 175-pounds. From the right-side, he shows rhythm throughout with a smooth load and loose-quick hands. Open stance with flex in his lower half, barrel stays in the zone a long time, gap approach that flashes leverage to the pull side with an exit velocity of 83 mph. On the left side, Drake starts from an open stance before he turns inward, loading his hands back, then works on an uphill plane with an exit velocity of 83 mph. In the outfield, Drake gains ground on ground balls, working through the catch with quick footwork and clean exchange, throwing with a top velocity of 83 mph. Behind the plate he has soft hands, quick footwork, and a quick, clean exchange into a clean arm swing with a 76 mph velocity from the crouch of 2.01-2.12.

Jackson Newkham, RHP/OF, A&M Consolidated, 2019
Newkham has a high-waisted, long-limbed frame at 6-foot-1, 150-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance, then uses a toe-tap load as he pushes back, triggering his hands back before striding forward, walking away from his hands, creating good separation. Loose hands, smooth path, line drive power with an exit velocity of 79 mph. In the outfield, Newkham plays aggressively through the ball with quick footwork, athletic strides, clean exchange, and throws from a high-¾ slot with a top velocity of 81 mph.

Josh Hernandez, OF/RHP, Frisco Reedy HS, 2020
Hernandez has a long, lean frame at 6-foot-1, 165-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall, open, narrow stance with the barrel pointed back behind his head and a front arm bar. Turns inward as he strides forward, landing square and balanced. Uphill path creates lift, upper body rotational finish, line drive power and an exit velocity of 83 mph. Moves with quick footwork and long strides in the outfield, plays through the ball with rhythm, soft hands, and throws from a high slot with a long arm swing with a top velocity of 89 mph. On the mound, the right-hander works from a high slot with long arm stroke and reach out of the glove. Drop and drive delivery with an athletic finish. Hi fastball topped out at 82 mph, working mostly 79-81. His curveball has has 11/5 shape at 68-69 mph. Changeup shows good arm side fade at 72-74 mph.

Braden Davis, RHP/OF, Westlake HS, 2021
Davis has a strong, projectable frame at 6-foot-1, 179-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide base, then loads back as he engages his hands and takes an aggressive hack. Short stride, quick-strong hands, rotational lower upper body, with a slightly uphill path. Gap approach with an exit velocity of 82 mph. In the outfield, Davis plays through the ball with rhythm and soft hands, throwing from a high-¾ slot with a top velocity of 79 mph. On the infield, he has a quick first step, soft hands out front, and midline exchange as he plays through the ball with rhythm. Loose, quick arm from a ¾ slot with a top velocity of 78 mph. On the mound, the right-hander works from a ¾ slot with tilted shoulders, drop and drive delivery and athletic finish. His fastball was 78-79 mph. Curveball flashes depth at 67-69 mph. Changeup at 73 with arm side fade.

Brek Galbreath, RHP/OF, Joshua HS, 2019
Galbreath has a strong, muscular frame with broad shoulders at 6-foot-1, 195-pounds. Started the day with a 7.14 60-yard dash. The right-handed hitter showed pull side power during batting practice, including hitting a home run to left field. Starts from an open stance before he triggers his hands back and down, then strides forward, working on an uphill path, creating lift and leverage to the pull side with raw power. In the outfield, he threw from a high-¾ arm stroke with a top velocity of 79 mph. On the mound, the right-hander works from a high-¾ slot with a long arm swing, tall and fall delivery, and short stride down the mound. His fastball sat 80-83. Curveball 64-66 with 11/5 shape. His changeup was 65-66 mph.

Joshua McCrory, OF/2B, McKinney HS, 2019
5-foot-10, 160-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from a wide, balanced, slightly crouched stance with his hand held relaxed away from his body. Points the barrel over his head toward the pitcher, triggering his hands back before taking a short stride. Linear weight shift, flat path, quick hand with line drive power and exit velocity of 80 mph. In the outfield, McCrory plays through the ball with quick footwork, clean exchange and throws from a short, high-¾ slot with a clean arm swing and top velocity of 73 mph.

David Lara, OF/2B, Hutto HS, 2020  
5-foot-8, 155-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from an open stance with his toes turned inward. Triggers his hands up and back before striding forward, landing balanced. Short, inside-out, flat path with line drive approach an an exit velocity of 79 mph. In the outfield, Lara moves with quick footwork and rhythm, clean exchange into an athletic crow hop to throw accurately to the plate from a high-¾ slot with a loose arm swing and top velocity of 80 mph.

Alexander Jackson, OF/SS, Venus HS, 2019
Jackson has a lean, strong frame at 5-foot-10, 150-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from an open stance with relaxed hands. Shows good rhythm with a leg kick to load, before striding forward as he triggers his hands back. Flat path, balanced weight transfer, short, top hand punch to contact, line drive power with an exit velocity of 84 mph. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with soft hands, clean exchange, and throws from a high slot with a long arm stroke and top velocity of 79 mph. On the infield, Jackson has a quickish footwork, soft hands, clean exchange and 74 mph across the diamond. 

Peyton Kirgan, OF, Timber Creek HS, 2020
Kirgan has a long-limbed, strong frame at 5-foot-11, 168-pounds. Starting from a narrow, crouched stance, he loads back, then takes a short stride, landing balanced. Short, flat, rotational swing with quick hands, line drive power an exit velocity of 88 mph. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with soft hands, throwing from a ¾ slot and top velocity of 72 mph.