By Rob Allison
Prep Baseball Report Minnesota

The Prep Baseball Report Minnesota's Preseason All-State event took place on Saturday February 28^th at the Vadnais Sports Center in Vadnais Heights, MN. The showcase featured over 70 prospects from the 2016 class who showcased their talents in front of our scouting staff, college coaches, and professional scouts.

Today we unveil our analysis of the corner infielders at the event.  When we create this list we evaluate the overall package of abilities along with future projection at the college level. 

The top corner infield prospect at this year's MN Preseason All-State event is Anoka's Alex Farley. The left-handed hitting first baseman/left-handed pitcher shows elite power and hitting ability. Left-handed hitting power is a commodity to college coaches and scouts; and Farley's ability with the bat will make him highly coveted by many programs.

Rounding out the list is Burnsville's Kyle Ferderer, Fox Leum from Minnetonka, Hudson (WI) product Carter Elliott, Edina 2-way player Matthew Grove, Elk River's Anthoney Overton, Dan Hansen from Park Center, Lakeville South's John Price and Altoona (WI) 2-way player Nathan Santos.

CLICK HERE to view Complete Statistics in PDF Format.

Interested In Attending A PBR Minnesota Event? Click Here

Interested In Subscribing to Prep Baseball Report? Click Here

Top corner infield Prospects

1. Alex Farley, 1B/LHP, Anoka, 2016
6-foot-3, 210-pound 2-way player. Large build. Moves well for size and shows athleticism. One of the best 2016 hitters in the state of Minnesota. Ball simply explodes off bat. Shows upper echelon power. Pull approach. Wide stance- will get caught on back side at times. Swing is relatively short with quiet head and consistently squares baseball with authority. 93 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows average/ok feet at first base. Usable glove. Moved well around bag receiving throws. Arm works free and clean from multiple slots. 79 mph across infield.

2. Kyle Ferderer, 3B/RHP, Burnsville, 2016
5-foot-11, 180-pound 2-way player who ran a 7.5 60. Ferderer performed as well as anyone at the event. The swing is crisp, simple and clean. Shows above average power to the gaps with balance throughout. Short to contact and consistently squares baseball with authority. Has above average ability to hit. 86 mph exit velocity off tee. One of better third baseman we’ve seen. Active feet. Reads hops and gets in good position to field. Shows upper echelon hands and feet. Has range laterally and ability to make tough plays on slow rollers. Arm is quick from over-the-top slot with accuracy and carry. Would benefit from following throws even more across the diamond. 82 mph arm strength across. High Follow going into Spring/Summer that colleges will be watching closely.

3. Fox Leum, 1B, Minnetonka, 2016
6-foot-2, 210-pound infielder/outfielder. Physical corner player. Ran a 7.44 60. Tall stance. Slightly open and strides to slightly closed. Translates weight well through swing. Rhythm and loose hands. Mid hand-set. Does good job of staying on top of baseball. Line drive swing who drives the baseball with authority to middle-pull side of field with lift at finish. Hit some of the hardest balls of the event. 85 mph exit velocity off tee. Moves with authority on ground balls. Loose actions and plays an above average first base. Hands are soft and feet work well. Receives and moves around the bag with ease. Arm is clean and works with 80 mph arm strength across.

4. Carter Elliott, 3B/RHP, Hudson (WI), 2016
6-foot-2, 185-pound 2-way player. Larger square build. Ran 7.19 60. Shows balanced swing with power to the gaps. Stays in middle of field. Showed plus hands on balls middle-in. Ball jumps off bat. Barrel was out front and rolled over balls at times. Overall did an exceptional job of staying inside baseball with pop. 88 mph exit velocity off tee. Showed above average glove and feet at third base. Moves well for size. Has body control and can handle slow roller. Would benefit from following throws across diamond. Stops after throw effecting carry and accuracy. 82 mph arm strength across. Overall Strong Follow for 2016 class with ability to hit and can stay at third base and defend.

5. Matthew Grove, RHP/3B, Edina, 2016
6-foot-3, 180-pound 2-way player with lean athletic build. Ran a 7.59 60. Aggressive swings in the box. Middle of field approach. Uses whole field with solid contact. Numerous line drives to middle of field. Balance in swing with easy stride. Proper weight shift through contact. Swing is loose and creates bat speed. 85 mph exit velocity. Shows good actions in field. Has range. Hands are above average and feet are solid. Arm works for high ¾ slot. 83 mph arm strength with varying cutting action to target. High Follow for 2016 class as a 2-way player in college.

6. Anthoney Overton, RHP/3B, Elk River, 2016
5-foot-10, 195-pound 2-way player with solid compact build with strength. Ran a 7.38 60. Leg kick stride with balance. Swings up through ball with good hand-eye coordination and ability to barrel baseball. Solid contact with gap to gap approach and above average power to pull side of field. 88 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows actions at third base with average range. Feet and hands are ok. Above average actions on slow roller. Plus accuracy across the diamond from loose mid ¾ slot.

7. Dan Hansen, RHP/3B, Park Center, 2016
6-foot-3, 185-pound 2-way player who ran a 7.85 60. Tall projectable build. Square stance and short easy stride. Tall and fall approach in box. Stays in middle of field with average pop and solid contact. Swing is simple and efficient with line drive swing plane. 82 mph exit velocity. Is active at third base with good energy. Appropriate angles on balls. Hands are soft and feet work. Fields backhand well. Winds up to throw. Limited use of front side effects carry. Above average accuracy to target. 83 mph arm strength across. Solid Follow as 2-way player at college level.

8. John Price, 3B/OF, Lakeville South, 2016
5-foot-11, 190-pound position player with solid build who ran a 7.16 60. Double tap trigger into swing. Produces hard ground balls and line drives with middle-pull approach. Good bat speed with solid pop in barrel. Some stiffness in swing; would benefit from top hand release after contact to free hips up in swing. 92 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows good hands and feet at third base. Average range. Soft hands on backhand. One piece arm action. Ball has cutting action to target with varying accuracy. Decent actions with good routes in outfield. 80 mph arm strength from outfield from one-piece arm action with average carry at 80 mph.

9. Nathan Santos, 3B/RHP, Altoona (WI), 2016
6-foot-1, 200-pound 2-way player. Ran a 7.38 60. Square stance with front heel turn trigger and stride. Hard contact to all parts of the field. Middle of the field approach with average power to gaps. Ability to hit hard line drives and ground balls. 83 mph exit velocity off tee at this event. Shows good feet in field. Outstanding job of coming and getting ground balls and not sitting back. Solid glove and shows ability at third base. Throws were accurate to bag at 83 mph across infield.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Mark Ehresman, RHP/UTL, Eden Prairie, 2016
6-foot-1, 195-pound RHP/Utility player with a 7.37 60 time. Small leg kick trigger into swing. Aggressive swings at plate. Slight hand drift down before swing causing uphill tendencies. Produced hard ground balls with occasional line drives during B.P. Middle-away approach. 85 mph exit velocity off tee with average power. Direct aggressive routes in OF. Good use of momentum on throws and uses lower half. High ¾ slot with varying arm action with accuracy at 87 mph. Feet are narrow at times in infield. Glove is usable and throws show carry from mid ¾ loose arm action. 81 mph arm strength across infield.

Nolan Friedrichs, 1B/RHP, Edina, 2016
6-foot-3, 215-pound 2-way player who ran a 7.6 60. Friedrichs improved in every stat category since his last performance in October 2014. Shows ability to drive baseball with short swing to contact. Mid-pull approach and drove two balls to oppo gap. Consistent hard contact to gaps. Finish is short at times keeping both hands on bat. Would benefit by releasing top hand after contact and creating greater extension. 84 mph exit velocity off tee. Active with good energy at first base. Attacked ground balls and showed soft hands. Accurate arm and able to start double play. Received balls well at first base. 82 mph across infield.

Jordan Graf, 3B, LaCrescent, 2016
5-foot-11, 175-pound infielder who ran a 8.12 60. Square stance with short double tap tripper. Low hand-set with slight uphill swing plane. Middle-away approach with solid contact and average pop in bat. Will top spin balls at times with average extension through baseball at contact. 76 mph exit velocity. Active in field. Hands are usable. Shows ability to make routine. Short arm action from over-the-top slot with average carry and accuracy. 73 mph arm strength across.

Hunter Lindquist, C/1B, Totino Grace, 2016
6-foot-3, 205-pound catcher/first baseman who ran a 7.91 60. Big knee to knee trigger to swing. Flat line drive bat path through zone. Balance is good and keeps hands back. Upright at times causing top spin; solid ground ball contact gap to gap with average power. 81 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows rhythm and energy around bag. Makes tough plays and moves better than average for first baseman. 71 mph across infield. Upright stance behind plate. Late at times to blocking position. Works too hard to frame pitches. Stands up to throw- loses power from lower half. Would benefit by staying lower and working through the plate. Release is long created by hitch in arm stroke. 2.31 pop time with 70 mph arm strength. Big physical body that projects more as a first baseman at the college level.

Cody Malan, 3B/RHP, Rochester Mayo, 2016
6-foot-1, 195-pound 2-way player. Strong build. Ran a 8.19 60 time. Square stance and strides slightly across body. Pre-set hand load with some rhythm. Crouches into swing. All pull approach. Shows raw power to pull side of field. Some stiffness to swing. 83 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows average hands and feet at third base. Fields routine with usable glove. Stops after throw effecting accuracy and carry. Over-the-top slot with 75 mph arm strength across infield.

Tyler Pedersen, 1B/RHP, Duluth Marshall, 2016
6-foot-2, 210-pound 2-way player. Ran a 7.47 60. Slightly closed stance with knee to knee trigger. Shows some power to pull side. Stiff hitting mechanics. Consistently squared baseball/solid contact with pull approach. 85 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows ability to make routine plays at first base with average hands and feet. Short low ¾ arm action with limited carry and average accuracy across. 66 mph arm strength.

Jason Peter, 1B, Prior Lake, 2016
6-foot, 180-pound first baseman with an average build who ran a 7.41 60. Double tap trigger into swing. Loose swing with some bat speed. Middle-pull approach with uphill swing plane creating lift at contact. Average power to pull side of field. Balls jumps at times off bat. 81 mph exit velocity. Defensively fields down to up. Hands are usable. Some stiffness to body. Plays with energy. Short ¾ arm with 71 mph arm strength across infield.

Josh Schmidt, RHP/1B, St. Michael Albertville, 2016
6-foot-3, 160-pound 2-way player with a lean build who ran a 8.00 60. Tall slightly open stance. Strides to square with narrow base. Short swing to contact. Inside out barrel path through zone. Stayed in middle of field. Contact/spray hitter. 73 mph exit velocity off tee. Shows a solid glove and ability to make routine plays. Hands and feet work appropriately fielding. Long extended ¾ arm at 67 mph across infield.