Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

Twitter: @PBR_Texas
IG: @pbr_texas

WACO, TX - Today we bring you the infield analysis from Prep Baseball Report Texas’ Fall Kickoff Showcase Games, hosted at Midway High School on Saturday, September 23. 

 

Top Performers

+ Couper Cornblum, SS, Waco Midway HS, 2019
Recently committed to Wichita State. Cornblum is a quick-twitch shortstop with smooth actions and an athletic 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame. The uncommitted junior is a high-level defender with plus range, long strides, quick feet. He has excellent carry on throws across the infield at 88 mph. The right-handed hitter has a stacked, relaxed set-up at the dish with loose-quick hands and strength at contact (88 mph exit velo) and barrel awareness. Took a solid round of batting practice, hard line drives through the middle of the field. During the game, Cornblum had an aggressive approach, collecting two singles, laced a line drive back up the middle, and then scorched a ball backside down the first base line. Long stride runner with an easy gate, Cornblum ran a 6.8 60-yard dash on a slower track, active base runner, gets to full speed quickly.

+ Kade Sanchez, SS, Caldwell HS, 2019
5-foot-4, 130-pound frame. Sanchez continues to impress with his all-around actions at shortstop and feel for the game in the middle of the field. High motor, gritty, “gamer” type player. Holds runners at second base, vocal communicator, good feel for starting and finishing the pivot at shortstop. Quick feet, smooth actions, quick mid-line exchange, aggressive footwork as he plays through the ball. Accurate arm with true carry across the infield at 86 mph. Plays catch at a high level and can make the play on the run. A right-handed hitter, Sanchez has a balanced setup with his weight slightly shifted to his front leg. Smooth load back as he triggers his hands, short stride, good lower half weight transfer. Quick hands through the zone with good extension through contact. Line drive approach during batting practice, repeatable swing with sharp liners through the middle and an exit velocity of 75 mph. During the game he was 1-for-2 with a sharp single through the left side.

+ Parker Guerin, SS, Lake Travis HS, 2020
Guerin has a projectable, long-limbed, athletic frame at 5-foot-10, 150-pounds. The right-handed hitter showed solid leverage throughout his swing. Starts from a balanced setup with a slightly wide base, reverse leg lift with rhythm as he triggers his hands back. Quick hips as he rotates to contact with loose hands and good extension through contact with lift and projectable power. Exit velocity of 86 mph. During the game, Guerin made loud contact with two fly balls, both were scorched, one to deep left field, and the other to deep centerfield. On the infield, Guerin has quick-twitch actions with smooth rhythm and footwork as he plays through the ball with athleticism. Shows the ability to throw from different slots with a clean, quick arm that works well from back to front. Accurate throws across the diamond with good life at 83 mph.

+ Caidon Livingston, RHP/SS, Lorena HS, 2019
Livingston has a projectable, high-waisted frame at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds. He plays shortstop with with quick footwork, long strides, athletic range, soft hands, quick exchange to throwing motion. Clean arm stroke from different slots with good carry and accuracy at 83 mph across the diamond. A right-handed hitter, Livingston starts from a tall, balanced stance. Smooth load back with quick-fluid rhythm, short stride, good leverage as he lands into his launch position. Fast-strong hands at contact, good extension through contact, level path with projectable power and an exit velocity of 86 mph.

Best of the Rest (Alphabetical)

+ Ashton Alvarez, 3B/RHP, Hutto HS, 2019
5-foot-11, 190-pound, strong frame, with broad shoulders. On the infield, Alvarez has soft hands and shows the ability to throw from different arm slots at 78 mph across the infield with good accuracy. A switch-hitter, Alvarez starts from an open stance on the left side. Rolls inward with rhythm to load as he triggers his hands and lands closed. Fluid path, barrell works well from back to front with an exit velocity of 82 mph.

+ Riley Becker, SS/2B, Cedar Ridge HS, 2019
5-foot-9, 170-pounds. Beck has a simple, balanced setup with relaxed rhythm and loose hands. Smooth load, short stride, clean-level path, good extension with loose finish through contact. Barrel on plane early allows for gap power with some pop to the pull side and good barrel awareness and an exit velocity of 80 mph. Strong contact during game play, crushed a single to left field and scorched a hard ground ball to shortstop. At shortstop, Becker has soft hands, fluid footwork,  quick mid-line exchange and plays through the ball athletically. Throws accurately from high-¾ slot with a short arm stroke at 81 mph across the infield.

+ Drew Blankenship, 2B/RHP, Anderson HS, 2018
5-foot-9, 160-pound frame. The right-handed hitter starts from a balanced, crouched stance. Smooth load back, short stride, flat path with line drive power, loose finish, and an exit velocity of 86 mph. During the game he hammered a hanging changeup foul down the left field line and just missed a fastball when he popped up to third base on a full swing. On the infield, Blankenship has fluid footwork with soft hands and clean exchange. Accurate throws from a high-¾ slot with a long arm swing across the infield at 77 mph.

+ Victor Drago, SS/RHP, Memorial HS, 2019
5-foot-11, 170-pound, athletic frame with strong lower half. On the infield, Drago has quick footwork with fluid actions as he moves with long strides with good range. Soft hands out front with a clean exchange as he funnels the ball to the midline of his body. Arm works well from a ¾ slot with accurate carry across the infield at 82 mph. A right-handed hitter, Drago starts from a tall, balanced stance with his hands set high over his back shoulder. Early rhythm with a quick load into a short stride. Flat path, line drive approach and fast hands with an exit velocity of 82 mph. During the game, Drago had an aggressive approach as he took good hacks at fastballs and showed the ability to keep his hands back on offspeed pitches. He was 0-for-2 with a hard ground ball to shortstop and a fly ball to centerfield on a curveball.

+ Zackery Honey, LHP/1B, Cedar Ridge HS, 2019
Honey has a projectable, long-limbed frame at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds. The left-handed hitter starts from a tall, open stance. Smooth rhythm as he loads with a leg kick and triggers his hands. Aggressive approach with quick hips and fast hands. Good feel for getting barrel on plane early as he creates separation, uphill path, good extension through contact with a high finish. Loud contact with carry to the pull side during batting practice and an exit velocity of 79 mph. At first base, Honey showed soft hands on picks at first base with good footwork around the bag. Throws accurately from a ¾ slot with a short, quick arm stroke at 78 mph across the infield.

+ Tyler Kelly, 3B/RHP, Hutto HS, 2020
5-foot-10, 170-pounds, sturdy frame with broad shoulders and strong lower half. A right-handed hitter, Kelly has a crouched setup with good flex in his lower half. Quick rhythm, balanced load, short stride, good energy in his lower half. Inside-out path with an opposite field, line-drive approach during batting practice. Exit velocity of 78 mph off the tee. On the infield, Kelly has soft hands and clean exchange into a high-¾ arm slot at 75 mph across the diamond.

+ Logan Thielepape, 2B/SS, Midway HS, 2019
Thielepape has a young, still-developing, high-waisted frame at 5-foot-7, 122-pounds. At shortstop, he has quick-fluid footwork and good rhythm into his fielding position with soft hands out front. He moves with long strides after he crosses over to show good range. Throws from a short, high-¾ slot with good accuracy at 75 mph across the infield. Offensively, the right-handed hitter starts from a slightly open stance, quick rhythm and good energy in his hack. Level path with a line drive approach and an exit velocity of 72 mph. During game play, he went 1-for-2 with a strikeout and a single to right field.

+ Ty Tilson, SS/3B, Gateway College Prep, 2020
Tilson has a strong frame for his class at 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. The right-handed hitter starts from an open, crouched stance with loose rhythm in his hands. Smooth load back, medium stride, good weight transfer as his hips rotate to contact. Shows leverage in his swing with strong hands at contact, uphill path with lift, current gap-gap hitter with some pull side pop and an exit velocity of 82 mph. During the game, he had a really good at bat where he singled down the third base line after fouling off multiple pitches. On the infield, Tilson has fluid footwork, clean exchange and plays low with soft hands out front. Throws from a ¾ slot with a short arm stroke at 83 mph across the diamond.

 

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