Underclass Games: Quick Hits

PLANO, TX - Players from the 2020 and 2021 classes met at Prestonwood Christian Academy on Saturday, October 21 in Prep Baseball Report Texas’ Fall Underclass Games. The event was loaded with talented sophomores and freshman from around the state, so much that this brief article cannot even begin to highlight all of the players that stood out. Nonetheless, here are some of the quick-hits from the event.

Pitchers

+ 2020 RHP Hunter Marshall (Keller HS) opened eyes when he jumped on the mound and pumped 87-89 mph with heavy arm side life. He mixed in a 74-77 mph slider with sharp 11/5 break.

+ 2020 RHP Luke Savage (Prestonwood Christian Academy) has a loose arm swing from a high-¾ slot, his throws a sinking fastball at 86-88 mph, and mixed in a 75-77 mph slider with short 11/5 break and downward tilt.

+ 2020 RHP Storm Hierholzer (Lake Travis HS) has a long-limbed projectable frame, and works from a long, over the top arm swing with an athletic lower half. His fastball jumps out of his hand at 87-88 mph. Throws his changeup with fastball arm speed at 75-78 mph, and has a 70-74 mph curveball with 11/5 shape.

+ 2020 RHP/SS Caden Dolan (Reedy HS)  is an athletic two-way player with a loose, easy arm stroke from a high-¾ slot. After putting together a solid workout at shortstop, Dolan pitched 84-85 mph with his fastball and threw a 74-75 mph slider with 10/4 shape.

+ 2020 LHP Mason Brandenberger (Clifton HS) works from a ¾ slot and and shows plus pitchability with a two-pitch mix. He has pinpoint control of his fastball at 82-83 mph, and spins his curveball with 2/8 shape and depth at 70-71 mph.

+ 2021 LHP Jaxon Weber (Hebron HS) works from a high-¾ slot with a loose, short arm stroke with his fastball sitting 80-81 mph with good movement. He also has a solid changeup that he throws with fastball arm speed at 72-73 mph, and mixes in a curveball at 70 mph with developing shape.

catchers

+ 2020 C J.D. Gregson (Wakeland HS) has a long-limbed, lean-muscular frame at 6-foot-2, 170-pounds. He threw bullets to second base with true carry and pop times of 1.92-2.05 and an 82 mph velocity from the crouch. For good measure, the right-handed hitter hit a no-doubter homerun to left field during the game.

+ 2021 C Travis White (Kerville Tivy HS) posted a 1.97 pop time with a 78 mph velocity from the crouch. He squared up two balls during the game and has strong hands at the plate.

+ 2021 C Dylan Leach (Carthage HS) is a vocal leader on the field and posted consistent pop times of 2.04-2.09. The switch hitter laced two singles during the game and runs the bases aggressively.

+ 2020 C Bo Hogeboom (Argyle HS) has a strong, accurate arm behind the plate with a 78 mph velocity from the crouch. During batting practice, the switch hitter banged multiple balls off the wall left-handed and then hit a homerun right-handed.

Shortstops

+ 2020 SS Cade Merka (Argyle HS) has a high-waisted, projectable 6-foot-, 160-pound frame. He has smooth, quick-twitch actions on the infield and can play on the run.

+ 2020 SS Jack Quinn (Midlothian HS) has the arm and glove to be an elite shortstop, he has a soft hands and threw the ball 90 mph across the infield.

+ 2020 SS Jalon Mack (Dallas Jesuit HS) has a strong, athletic frame at 5-foot-11, 177-pounds. Mack has a 91 mph exit velocity and can drive the ball from both sides of the plate with loose hands, easy rhythm and strength at contact.

+ Watch out for 2021 SS Chase Spencer (Plano West), just a freshman, Spencer ran a 7.35 60 and has advanced rhythm and footwork for his class, and threw 82 mph with a quick, loose arm swing across the infield.

Hitters

+ 2020 OF/RHP Kevin Garcia (Richland HS) is an all-around, strong, quick twitch, athletic player with a bright future. He threw 85 from the outfield with a quick hand out front, which transitioned well to the mound where he topped out at 83, punched out four hitters, and spun a sharp curveball with depth at 68-70 mph. He ran a 7.14 60, gunned down a runner at the plate from RF, and hammered a double to the right-centerfield gap.

+ 2020 3B Tony Garza (South Grand Prairie HS) has an advanced feel for hitting with a nice combination of power, bat speed (90 mph) and barrel awareness.

+ 2020 C/OF Robert Antonetti (Grapevine HS) is a left-handed hitting catcher with a balanced, compact swing and quick hands. He collected two hits in the game, both sharply hit to the pull side.

+ 2020 3B/OF Garrison Rice (Hebron HS) has a strong frame at 5-foot-11, 184-pounds, and he has the arm strength (87 IF/ 90 OF) and bat speed (94 mph) to go with it. He has good feet at third base and is a projectable corner player that will be a coveted sign for a recruiting class.

+ 2020 RHP/3B Levi Wells (LaPorte HS) has projectable all around tools and swings the bat with conviction and fast-twitch hands as he whips the barrel through the zone with an easy finish. The ball jumps off his bat, and the barrel is in the zone a long time. He topped out at 86 on the mound, and moves with athleticism and bounce in his step at third base.

+ 2020 2B/OF Kameron Weil (Arlington Lamar HS) ran an event best 6.74 and posted home to first times of 4.19, and 4.12 from the left side of the plate. Weil is a fast-twitch left-handed hitter that can play multiple positions.

+ 2020 OF Tyler Collins (McKinney Boyd HS) ran a 6.92 60 and gave pitchers fits on the base paths, stealing multiple bags during game play. The left-handed hitter has a flat swing and line drive approach, he walked and ran a 4.33 home to first time on a hard ground ball to shortstop.

+ 2020 1B/RHP Harrison Hess (Midlothian Heritage HS) has a projectable frame at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds, and showed great leverage at the plate. The right-handed hitter posted an exit velocity of 92 mph off the tee and showed the ability to drive the ball during batting practice. During the game, Hess flew out on the barrel to deep centerfield and doubled down the left field line, driving in two runs. On the mound, he topped out at 85 mph.