Prep Baseball Report

Waco Preseason ID: Outfield Analysis


Toby Bicknell
Texas Scouting Director

WACO, TX - Following a great trip to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Convention, Prep Baseball Report hosted the second Preseason ID Event of the early spring at Waco ISD Stadium. Cool and rainy weather cleared the way for sunshine and breeze to host forty players for a great day of baseball. Here is the outfield analysis from that event.

OUTFIELDERS

Justin Grech, OF, Southlake Carroll HS, 2020
Grech has a muscular, quick-twitch frame at 5-foot-9, 175-pounds. The uncommitted junior started the day with a 6.93 60-yard dash and showed great actions in the outfield during BP, running balls down in the gaps. He threw darts to the plate with a top velocity of 87 mph, and plays through the ball with easy actions. The right-handed hitter starts from a relaxed, narrow, balanced, slightly crouched stance, then loads back with a reverse leg lift, maintaining posture as his hands trigger back. Quick hands work inside that ball on a slightly uphill plane as he rotates his upper body through contact and posted a top exit velocity of 87 mph.

Kyle Harwell, OF, Flower Mound HS, 2019 
Harwell has an athletic, projectable frame at 6-foot-1, 175-pounds. He started the day with a 6.99 60-yard dash, the squared up the ball through the middle of the field during BP. Starting from a neutral stance, he triggers his hands back and down as he takes a short stride forward. Slots the barrel in the zone early, working on a flat plane with an inside out path producing line drives. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with soft hands and threw with a top velocity of 75 mph to the plate.

Graham Danziger, OF/2B, North Forney HS, 2021
5-foot-5, 140-pounds. The right-handed hitter showed feel to hit with rhythm and strength at contact during BP, posting a top exit velocity of 88 mph. Uses a leg kick load as he coils his hips and triggers his hands with a slight wrap that allows him to create leverage. Does a nice job of transferring his lower half through contact as his hands work with looseness through the zone, and he sprayed line drives through the middle of the field. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with tempo and an athletic crow hop, throwing with a top velocity of 74 mph. On the infield, he has a quick first step and showed the ability to cover ground and threw with a top velocity across the diamond of 72 mph.

Alex Archer, OF/2B, Cleburne HS, 2021
At 5-foot-9, 143-pounds, Archer runs with easy strides and posted a 7.11 60-yard dash. The right-handed hitter starts from a tall stance, then triggers his hands back, taking a short stride, landing square. Inside out path as he rotates to contact on a flat plane. Line drive power with a top exit velocity of 85 mph. In the outfield, Archer plays through the ball with smooth footwork, soft hands, clean exchange and threw from an over the top slot with a top velocity of 70 mph.

Matthew Beacom, OF, Blooming Grove HS, 2021
5-foot-10, 150-pounds. The right-handed hitter has a lot of early rhythm as he waggles the bat over the plate with the barrel pointing toward the sky. Triggers his hands back and down into a front arm bar, taking a short stride forward, creating separation. Showed strength at contact with quick-twitch hands that work with lag in the barrel on an uphill path with a loose finish. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with rhythm and throws from a high-¾ slot with a top velocity of 74 mph.

Tanner Creel, OF/LHP, Troy HS, 2021
5-foot-11, 145-pound, lean frame. The left-hander works from a ¾ slot with a short arm circle and smooth tempo down the mound. His fastball was 73-76 mph. He pumped strikes with his changeup at 69-70 mph. Curveball flashed depth with 1/7 rotation at 68 mph. Offensively, the left-handed hitter starts from a neutral, tall stance with relaxed hands. Smooth load back using a leg kick as he coils his front hip and cocks the barrel behind his head. Mostly flat path through the zone with contact to the pull side during BP and a top exit velocity of 76 mph. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with soft hands and threw 77 mph to the dish.

Canyon Rollins, 3B/OF, Grapevine HS, 2020
Rollins has a high-waisted, projectable frame at 6-foot-3, 180-pounds. Began the day with a 7.08 60-yard dash, then made hard contact during batting practice with an aggressive hack to post a top exit velocity of 86 mph. Starting from a wide base, the right-handed hitter uses a leg lift to load as he triggers his hands, then takes a short path to the ball. Mostly line drives during BP with top spun balls to the pull side. In the outfield, he play through the ball with rhythm and easy crow hop that produced a top velocity to the plate of 76 mph. On the infield, he plays through the ball with staggered footwork, then uses directional shuffles to create momentum with a top velocity of 75 mph from a short arm swing.

Adam Stephenson, RHP/OF, HSAA, 2021
Stephenson has a still developing, long-limbed frame at 6-foot, 162-pounds. The right-hander works from a high slot with a long arm swing and a tall-and-fall delivery. His fastball was 67-71 mph. Threw his curveball for strikes with 12/6 rotation and gradual depth at 55-58 mph. Slider was 58-60 mph. Offensively, the right-handed hitter starts from a wide base, pushing back with a reverse leg lift to load as he triggers his hands back and cocks the barrel behind his head. Slight lift through the zone as he rotates his upper body to contact, producing a top exit velocity of 81 mph. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with an athletic crow hop and smooth footwork to throw with a top velocity to the dish of 70 mph.

Carter Towers, OF/1B, Midway HS, 2021  
Towers has a broad shouldered frame for a sophomore at 6-foot-2, 175-pounds. Starting from an open stance with his knees pinched together, he pushes his hands back as he lifts his front leg, coiling his hips before he strides forward. Rotational swing, he gets on plane early then works through the zone on a flat path. In the outfield, he throws from a short, over the top arm stroke with a top velocity of 71 mph.

Joseph Watts, OF/LHP, Westlake HS, 2020
5-foot-9, 170-pounds. The left-handed hitter starts from a wide base with a neutral stance. Triggers his hands back, laying the barrel back as he shifts his weight back and down into his legs with slightly crouched posture. Slots the barrel in the zone, working on a slightly uphill path with his hands working inside the ball and a top exit velocity of 85 mph. In the outfield, he plays through the ball with soft hands and a long gather into an over the top arm stroke with tilted shoulders and top velocity of 78 mph.

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