Prep Baseball Report

GPA Games: Statistical Analysis


Diego Solares

On Sunday August 9th, the PBR Illinois crew traveled to Lee Pfund Stadium in Carol Stream to host the well-known GPA Games event for the fifth straight year. This annual showcase is tailor-made for academically-minded prospects that are looking to pair their skills on the field with what they can do in the classroom at the next level. We had roughly 50 prospects attend and adequately represent the 2024 to 2021 classes from several different states in the Midwest.

We’ll start our post-event coverage by thoroughly analyzing the top statistical performers from Sunday’s event:

TOP 60-YARD DASH

Rank Name State School Class Pos 60-yard
1 Jack Cosich IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF 6.91
2 Scott Wolfard IL Streamwood 2021 OF 6.94
3 Matthew White WI Nicolet 2021 OF 7.04
4 Kyle Gibson IL Niles West 2021 SS 7.05
5 Dylan Sayles IL Hononegah 2022 C 7.06
6 Jack Novak IL Lincoln-Way Central 2023 OF 7.09
7 Tyler Procajlo IL York 2021 SS 7.10

One of the handful of underclassmen we had in attendance, Lincoln-Way East’s OF/RHP Jack Cosich (2023) ran the fastest 60-yard time of the event. OF Scott Wolfard (Streamwood, 2021) left Carol Stream on Sunday as arguably the event’s biggest winners, putting himself on our prospect radar after a complete all-around performance both during the workout and in gameplay. Left-handed hitting C Dylan Sayles (Hononegah, 2022) is a compact athlete with proportional strength throughout that, like Wolfard, had a strong day. His fluid movement patterns behind the dish can easily be attributed to his impressive athleticism, validated by his 60-yard dash time.

MAX FASTBALL VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Max FB
1 Bobby Jannusch IL Cary-Grove 2021 RHP 87 mph
2 Owen Rice WI East Troy 2021 LHP 85 mph
^ Nate Kemp MO St. Dominic 2022 RHP 85 mph
3 Nathan Chapman IL Jacobs 2022 RHP 84 mph
4 Isaac Kopalchick IL St Charles East 2021 RHP 82 mph
^ Wesley Carter AL Hoover 2023 RHP 82 mph
5 James Vambaketes IL Alton 2022 OF 81 mph
^ Spencer Munch IL Rockford Christian Schools 2021 RHP 81 mph

RHP/INF Bobby Jannusch (Cary-Grove, 2021) made his PBR showcase debut at this event and did not disappoint. He topped the fastball leaderboard based on pure raw talent alone, but more velocity will come as he continues to grow into his athletic 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame. Still raw and uncommitted, Jannusch is a talented arm with a high ceiling on the bump. RHP Nate Kemp (St. Dominic, Missouri; 2022) wasted no time on the hill, striking out nearly each batter he faced and challenging all of them with his heavy fastball. There was no need for him to shy away from his heater, but when he did, we saw Kemp throw a couple of above-average changeups that faded away from the zone. A top-30 ranked prospect in Missouri’s 2022 class, Kemp is a polished arm with feel on the mound. LHP Owen Rice (East Troy, Wisconsin; 2021) is a quick-armed, highly projectable southpaw that we were already familiar with going into this event. He pitched well in the game, comfortably elevating his fastball for swings-and-misses and spinning off a few curveballs that flashed above-average actions. Rice’s overall profile is intriguing and he continues to show well each time we’ve seen him.

MAX EXIT VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velo
1 Sam Gladd IN Columbia City 2022 C 90
2 Noah Kuchler IL St. Francis 2021 C 87
^ Grant Marshall IL Normal University 2023 LHP 87
^ Cameron Taylor WI Waunakee 2021 3B 87
3 Bobby Jannusch IL Cary-Grove 2021 RHP 86
^ Kyle Gibson IL Niles West 2021 SS 86
^ Sam Gossard IL New Trier 2022 OF 86
4 Connor Janik IL Peotone 2022 3B 85
^ Austin Leonard IL Hampshire 2023 C 85
^ Ethan Kobylinski IL St. Charles North 2021 C 85
5 Tyler Procajlo IL York 2021 SS 84
^ Alex Mielcarz IL Oswego 2021 OF 84

C Sam Gladd (Columbia City, Indiana; 2022) led the entire event in exit velocity from a tee and translated some of that into his batting practice round, squaring up some baseballs into the gaps. Left-handed hitting INF Kyle Gibson (Niles, 2021) is another interesting prospect that emerged from this event. He found himself a few ticks away from the top of this list and took a solid round of batting practice, easily barreling up some baseballs into both gaps. Gibson had several competitive at-bats in gameplay as well and was ready to hit when he stepped in the box.

MAX INFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos INF Velo
1 Bobby Jannusch IL Cary-Grove 2021 RHP 84
2 Kyle Gibson IL Niles West 2021 SS 79
3 David Matuszak WI Madison La Follette 2022 2B 78
^ Tyler Procajlo IL York 2021 SS 78
^ Cainan Squibb IL Springfield 2021 3B 78
^ Brayden Thompson WI Port Washington 2022 RHP 78
4 Connor Janik IL Peotone 2022 3B 75

The aforementioned strong-armed Jannusch took his lively arm off the mound and translated it onto the field, leading this crop of infielders in throwing velocity. Gibson not only threw well across the diamond, but showed controlled and athletic infield actions throughout his workout, too.

MAX OUTFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos OF Velo
1 Will Goldberg IL Homewood-Flossmoor 2022 OF 83
2 Scott Wolfard IL Streamwood 2021 OF 80
^ Jack Cosich IL Lincoln-Way East 2023 OF 80
3 James Vambaketes IL Alton 2022 OF 79
4 Jack Novak IL Lincoln-Way Central 2023 OF 78

OF/LHP Will Goldberg (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2022) tops our outfield velocity leaderboard with the previously mentioned Wolfard a few ticks behind him. A wiry left/left prospect, Goldberg took a line drive heavy round of BP, spraying the ball to all fields. He looked the part defensively as well, showing clean and controlled outfield actions while consistently working around the baseball. Both Wolfard and Cosich, who we mentioned earlier, ran the two best 60-yard dash times of the event and threw it well, finishing a few ticks below Goldberg for the top spot.

MAX CATCHER VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Nathan Sommerfeld IL Plainfield Central 2021 C 78
2 Cainan Squibb IL Springfield 2021 3B 77
3 Noah Kuchler IL St. Francis 2021 C 75
^ Jack Novak IL Lincoln-Way Central 2023 OF 75
^ Dylan Sayles IL Hononegah 2022 C 75

Uncommitted C Nathan Sommerfeld (Plainfield Central, 2021) is a strong-armed 6-foot, 165-pound backstop that works quick and efficiently behind the plate, getting the most out of his arm. He led his positional group in throwing velocity, but C Cainan Squibb (Springfield, 2021) wasn’t too far behind, registering just one tick lower than Sommerfeld. OF/C Jack Novak (Lincoln Way Central, 2023) was the lone underclassman on this list, showing off above-average arm strength for someone his age and throwing it well both from the outfield and behind the dish.

TOP POP TIMES

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Sam Gladd IN Columbia City 2022 C 2.08-2.11
2 Dylan Sayles IL Hononegah 2022 C 2.08-2.12
3 Nathan Sommerfeld IL Plainfield Central 2021 C 2.08-2.18
4 Jack Novak IL Lincoln-Way Central 2023 OF 2.10-2.23
5 Noah Kuchler IL St. Francis 2021 C 2.11-2.15

Gladd led this event in max exit velocity and here he is again, leading this group of backstops in pop times down to second base. He only topped out at 73 mph on his throws, but his swift feet and efficient transfer allowed him to release the ball quickly, and accurately, to the bag. Sayles wasn’t far behind him at all, using that previously mentioned athleticism and advanced feel behind the dish to record above-average pop times for his age. The event’s leader in max catcher velocity, Sommerfeld advantageously used that big arm of his to nearly finish at the top.

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