Prep Baseball Report

Mid-America Championships: Scout Blog


Illinois and Wisconsin Scouting Staff

The Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the PBR Scouting Staff during the Mid-America Championships from 7/27-7/29 at The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin, WI. This blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, and anything else that is notable. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the Scout Blog is loaded with information ...

Dymitri Kanellakis (Pro Player, Cary Grove, 2020) is a high motor center fielder who play the game hard and fast. Left-handed thrower, right-handed hitter, leadoff spot. Short compact swing, flat through contact, line drive type hitter, hard contact guy, occasional pop off the bat. Centerfield defender, smooth actions, well above average runner, easy actions, comfortable tracking the baseball. Average arm for his age.

+ 2022 Remmi Sweet (River Dawgs) showed the talent to play up at the 16u level. Plus runner, gets down the line in a hurry, will put pressure on the defense. Ultimately best position will likely be centerfield. Right-handed hitter, above average bat speed, gap to gap approach, hard contact off bat. Back to back triples in game two on day two. Sweet will be a Junior Future Game participant next week.

+ Mikal Ashley (Pro Player, Grant, 2020), a two-way player, showed pop from the right side of the plate. Simple swing creates easy power, gap to gap. Homer to centerfield on day one, continued to add extra base hits on day two. On the mound works out of a ¾ slot, fastball sits 82-84, touched 85 mph, arm side action. Breaking ball has slurve type action, 71 mph.

+ RHP Sawyer Phillips (Prospect Training Academy, Antioch, 2019) sat 83-84 mph with his fastball. Arm action is long out of a high ¾ slot. Delivery lands closed toe and works slightly across his body. Flashed curveball at 68 mph.

+ Payton Mather (Wisconsin Impact, Hononegah, 2020) is a 6-foot-3, 175-pound right-handed pitcher, lean athletic frame, high waisted. Arm is long and loose, slot varies occasionally between high ¾ and ¾. Fastball reached 84 mph, worked 82-83 mph with arm side action. Curveball played at 68 mph, 11/5 plane, slurve type action.

+ RHP Conner Hagerty (Wisconsin Impact, Onalaska, 2020) is a strong build, 6-foot-3, 230-pound two way player. On the mound arm plays with a short action from an over the top slot, tight window. Fastball is mostly straight 81-84 mph. Slider worked 71-72 mph, lateral action.

+ Prospect Training Academy RHP Nick Cairo (Bradford, 2020) is 6-foot-2 225-pounds. Arm plays from a high ¾ slot, squared landing. Fastball has slight arm side run, occasionally sinks and plays heavy, 82-83 mph. Curveball worked 70-71 mph, slurve sweeping action.

+ Jacob Wright (MP Braves, Rolling Meadows, 2020) showed quick feet and top end speed. Left-handed hitting center fielder, rigid setup, hands work simple to the baseball, barrel control, path stays on top to produce line drives, opposite field approach. 4.44 on a clean single turn. Speed played in center field, ability to close on baseballs.

+ 1B/3B Hunter Luke (MP Braves, Hersey, 2020). Tall athletic, projectable, right handed throwing first baseman. Offensively, left-handed, hits from a balance stance, slight bend in knees, relaxed, line drive approach with power. Drove a 3-0 pitch to left center, one hopping the wall and resulting in a RBI triple. Continued to drive the ball to the opposite field, this time with a two-strike triple down the left field line.  Natural instincts at first base with a quick first step.

+ SS Nick Pica (Wisconsin Impact, Onalaska, 2020) is an infielder to follow in the 2020 class. Pica has a strong athletic build at 5-foot-11 at 185-pounds and shows the actions to stick in the middle of the infield. A right-handed hitter, he has a short path that could profile at the top of the lineup.

+ Jared Everson (Wisconsin Impact, La Crosse Aquinas, 2021) is a high upside left-handed hitter, with a long lean frame at 6-foot-3, 180-pounds he really projects to fill out. He has a simple path and loose hands, as he gets stronger you should see much more hard contact out of this bat.

+ SS Caleb Hlade (Indiana Landsharks, 2020) showed soft hands and above average actions on the infield for the Indiana Landsharks. He’s a smaller frame who moves well on the dirt and confident hands.

+ INF Daniel Kim (Bigler Big Time, 2020). Strong athletic infielder with an advance approach at the plate. Right handed hitting, simple balanced swing, stayed inside baseball, gap-gap power with consistent hard contact. Aggressive on the base paths, stealing multiple bases and leading the Big Time offense all weekend.

+ 3B Josh Allen (Indiana Landsharks, SB Adams, 2020)  Tall, long, athletic projectable right handed hitting infielder. Hits from a crouched stance, spread out, drop load, quick to baseball, power potential. Showed a line drive middle approach, driving in the first run of the day against Wisconsin Impact 16U.  Long stride runner, 4.42 on a single up the middle.

+ Jimmy Taylor (Pro Player, Grant, 2020) carries a strong build at 5-foot-11, 180-pounds. He’s a C/OF profile, with a short quick stroke at the plate that stay on top of the baseball. Taylor found barrels throughout that produced hard contact off the bat.

+ OF Leo Faletti (Illinois Sidewinders, Wilmot, 2021). 5-foot-9, 160-pound, athletic, strong right handed hitting infielder. Hits from slightly crouched stance, stays inside baseball, with a level barrel path. Showed tremendous wheels, stealing multiple bases and taking second base on a single to right field. Aggressive on fly balls, took charge in the outfield.

+ SS Nolan Shannon (Pro Player, McHenry, 2020) has a lanky frame that is still filling out but shows a loose arm that flashed carry across the diamond and the ability to stay on the left side of the infield.

+ 2B/C Nicklas Williams (River Dawgs, Union Grove, 2021) is athletically built, strong frame, still physically developing. Made an immediate impact with his bat. Balanced setup, smooth load back, strong, athletic hands and wrists, barrel path remains level through the zone, line drive approach, made consistent hard contact. Had multiple extra-bases hits throughout the weekend including triples and a home run. Showed awareness on the base paths, timing up the opposing pitcher, taking bases on his own. Defensively, short, clean arm action, over-the-top slot, fluid footwork.

+ OF Logan Rademan (Capitol City Predators, Milwaukee Pius, 2020), offensively, showed quick bat speed, simple back load, good hands through the zone with extension through the baseball. Saw pitches at the top of the order, and was selective when swinging. Led the way on offense vs. Capitol City Prospects, recording 3 singles, 2 runs and a walk on the day.

+ C Remington Lockwood (Capital City Predators, Middleton, 2019) athletic build, left handed hitting catcher. Was a presence in the middle of the lineup, hitting two singles with two RBI against Capital City Prospects 16u. Showed fluid rhythm throughout his swing, with quiet aggression with his hands through the baseball. Defensively, was aggressive with back picks, quiet hands behind the plate, throwing between 2.11-2.19 behind the plate. 

+ RHP Eric Hughes (Capital City Predators, Janesville Craig, 2020) Athletic, right handed pitcher. Worked from over the top slot, high leg kick, square landing, athletic finish. Showed a quick arm action and command in the strike zone. Fastball sat between 76-77-mph touching 78. Curveball had 11/5 break, thrown for strikes, ranging between 65-66 mph.

+ C/RHP Ethan Toone (Brew State Baseball, Brookfield East, 2019) lanky, athletic, lean muscle, 6-foot-2, 185-pound, two-way prospect, currently ranked No. 124 in Wisconsin’s Class of 2019. Hit out of the three-hole, offensive catalyst. Gap-to-gap approach, thinks two out of the box, aggressive on the base paths, recorded multiple doubles over the course of the weekend. Behind the dish, arm works loose and easy out of an over-the-top slot, recorded a 1.97 pop time in between innings. On the mound, arm action works athletically, loosely, high ¾ slot, easy effort tall and fall delivery. Fastball sat 83-84 with run. Curveball, 11/5 shape, 70 mph.

+ INF Brady Killerlain (Silver Sluggers Blue, Monona Grove, 2020) is an athletic infielder, standing at 5-foot-9, 150-pounds, possesses a strong lower half.  Offensively, has not missed a beat since our first look at Badger State Battle. Loads his weight back, keeps hands back, has an idea at the plate. Took a high and away fastball down the right field line for a triple.

+ 3B/RHP Jordan Siska (Rage 17U, Highland, 2019) has a thick, physical frame at 5-foot-10, 215-pounds. Right-handed hitter, power approach with pull-side tendency. Long barrel path through the zone, natural lift, strength translates. Hit multiple home runs over the weekend. On the mound, works from a low ¾ slot, long arm ation. Fastball ran up to 82 with run. Changeup, fade action, 68-71. Breaking ball, 63-67, 10/4 shape, feel for.

+ RHP Josh Rivera (Pro Player Haskins, Palatine, 2020) has a lean, athletic build. Works out of a high ¾ window with a long, clean arm action, lands square, finishes walking down the mound. Competed on the mound, challenged the opposition. Fastball sat 79-81 with run, attacked with. Curveball, 11/5 shape, 62-63.

+ RHP/3B Jacob Meinholz (Capital City Predators, Middleton, 2020) is an athletically-built 6-foot, 165-pound two-way prospect. Offensively, right-handed, early timing, short stride, hands load back smoothly, remains balanced. Barrel path works level through the zone, gains extension at-times. Has pull-side pop, one hopped the fence for a ground rule double on one occasion, made consistent hard contact. On the mound, short, clean arm action, high ¾ slot. Works on-line, carries momentum towards home, lands square. Fastball, run action, sat 79-81. Curveball, 11/5 shape, depth, 70 mph. Used changeup sparingly, came in at 70. Controlled the game, left little over the plate, forced batter’s to extend their zone.

+ RHP Jack Wenninger (Pro Player Rachaad, Cary Grove, 2020) has a long, lanky frame at 5-foot-11, 140-pounds, projectable build. On the mound has a long, loose arm action, out of a high ¾ slot.  Fastball sat 81-82 with run and sink. Curveball, 11/5 shape, sharp at-times, 68-69.

+ RHP Cole Bhardwaj (Pro Player Rachaad, Jacobs, 2020) has a lean frame, moves loosely at 6-foot-1, 175-pounds. Arm action is short and clean, gets out front quickly from a high ¾ slot. Attacked with his fastball, sat 80-82, touched 83 with late life. Primarily worked his fastball, using running action to his advantage.

+ RHP/OF Austin Larson (Wisconsin Impact, Onalaska, 2020) is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound, physical, strong frame, two-way prospect. On the mound, long arm action, plunge on back-side, over-the-top slot. Fastball, works downhill, 77-80. Curveball, 12/6 shape, late break, 66-71. Changeup, fade action, 69 mph. Offensively, right-handed hitter, present strength and bat speed, pulled a home run down the LF line.

+ RHP Alec Strupp (Brew State Baseball, Slinger, 2019) stands 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, strong, solid build, continues to make physical gains. Long arm action, plunge on back-side, high ¾ slot. Repeats a clean methodical delivery. Fastball sat 78-79. Curveball, 12/6 shape, change of pace, 58-59 mph. Pounded the zone with all offerings. Picked up the win, going seven scoreless, allowing five hits, striking out four and issuing only one walk.

+ OF Xavier Deal (Prospects Training Academy, Port Washington, 2020) is an athletic outfielder with proportionally built at 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Offensively, listed showed gap-to-gap approach, driving the ball to all fields, resulting in multiple extra-base hits throughout the weekend. Athletic, crouching setup, leg kick timing-trigger. Barrel path works long and uphill.