Follow @PBRWestVirginia

By Dan Williams
West Virginia / Western Pennsylvania Director of Scouting

The summer rush of PBR events continued this week with the Southern West Virginia College Prospect Showcase.  Twenty seven prospects gathered at Triana Field on the campus of the Univeristy of Charleston to display their talents.. Today we begin our analysis of the prospects in attendance by taking a look at those who participated from the Classes of 2021 and 2020..

+ For complete results from all prospects in attendance - CLICK HERE.

Top Prospects

Austin Dearing, 2020, Hurricane, OF/RHP
6-foot-1 185-pound left-handed hitter sets up neutral and initiates swing with short knee to knee leg kick and stride. Swing is short with quick, loose hands and direct path to baseball. Bat is on plane throughout the zone with exceptional balance and rhythm present. Separation is achieved through solid weight shift moving away from hands and aggressive lower half turn. Their is good extension at point of contact and finish through the baseball. An 83 mph bat exit velocity was recorded which should improve with physical maturity. Swing mechanics suggest bat will play to both contact and gap to gap power.

Defensively, Dearing showed athletic actions in OF. He was comfortable running and tracking in drop step. Benefit would be gained from getting behind baseball more consistently and staying in line on throws.

Although hit tool is presently most advanced Dearing did show ability to repeat delivery and stay in line off mound. He would benefit from better glove hand/elbow connection to front hip in preventing early front side opening and associated arm drag. FB was thrown at 76 mph and with relatively little movement. CB sat 65-66 mph had 10-4 shape. Change up sat 70-73 with subtle arm side fade.

Noah Cummings, 2020, St Alban's, 1B/3B
Initiates swing from neutral set up with short stride .  Aggressive weight shift and movement away from hands results in good separation. Quick, loose hands help achieve bat exit velocity of 86 mph. Cummings is able to get bat on plane early and maintain plane late in hitting zone.  He stays behind baseball well and was able to consistently barrel ball in impressive round of BP.  There is some softness of front knee following heel plant. Rotating around a firmer front side should translate to bat speed gains.

Brayden McCallister, 2020, George washington, SS
5-foot-11, 150-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing from neutral set up with short knee to knee leg kick.  Hands are quick, loose and direct to baseball. There is solid balance rhythm and weight transfer. McCallister would benefit from more aggressive hip turn following heel plant as there is intermittent tendency to sway with lower half.

Defensively, attacks the ball creating good angles and hops,  Demonstrates smooth, quick transfer and accurate 76 mph acrosss the infield arm strength. McCallister's range, lateral quickness and 7.15 sixty time are reflective of his considerable athleticism.                                                                          

Remainder of roster (in random order)

Ayden Hodes,2020, St. Alban's, LHP
5-foot-9, 135-pound left handed pitcher.  Showed considerable arm quickness with FB sitting 80-82 and touching 85.  There was subsantial arm side run and sink to FB.  CB sat 63-66 with 10-8 shape and, at its best, late sharp break.  Slider was thrown at 68-71 mph with short, slow break.  Delivery was repeated and Hodges demonstrated ability to stay in line with good balance.  There was some front knee softness following foot plant resulting in elbow drop and difficulty staying on top/behind baseball.

Casey Kemplin, 2020, St Albans, SS
5-foot-7, 165-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing from slightly open set up with lift and replace stride.  Demonstrates good balance, quick hands and ability to use all fields. There is some bat wrap and tendency to achieve separation through upper half turn during load as opposed to weight shift away from hands.  There is some associated length to swing.  Swing did play in BP with Kemplin spraying line drives.

Defensively, demonstrate good lateral quickness and agility.  Footwork is solid on throws of 73 mph across the diamond. Kemplin would benefit from attacking ball more aggressively to create better angles on throws as well as consistently working from bottom up

Jacob Spearen, 2020, University 2B/SS
5-foot-7 140-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing from slightly open stance and utilizes short stride to neutral. Athleticism and feel for barrel allow consistent, solid contact.  There is some hip sway and backside collapse resulting in uphill swing path. Spearen would benefit from maintaining posture and rotating around a firmer front side.

Defensively, demonstrates good hands, good feet and confidence in creating angles.  Transfers are clean but throwing motion is a bit long.

Clay Maholic, 2020, University, OF/1B
5-foot-11, 185-pound left-handed hitter, Maholic initiates swing from open set up with knee to knee leg kick and stride to closed.  Open to closed stride is associated with some top half dive.  There is also a tendency to land on stiff front leg.  He does demonstrate loose hands and an aggressive lower half turn.  Maholic would benefit from striding to neutral and avoiding upper half dive.

Defensively, Maholic does get behind ball consistently and plays through.  He would benefit from being more decisive in reads.

Broedy Boyce, 2020, Ripley, SS
5-foot-11, 155-pound right-handed hitters swing is initiated from neutral, narrow base with short stride. There is good balance and Boyce stays behind baseball.  Back elbow drift in front of front of hands results in bat drag.  Boyce would benefit from connecting directly with back elbow and being more aggressive in weight shift.

Demonstrates adequate hands with clean transfer.  Would benefit from playing through and attacking to create better angles and hops.  In outfield showed commitment to getting behind baseball would benefit from being more decisive in reads and avoiding drifting to spot.

Grant Fenwick, 2021, George Washington ,SS/2B
6-foot, 155-pound right-handed hitter initiates swing from neutral, narrow base with lift and replace stride.  Fenwick recorded a respectable 82 mph bat exit velocity particularly as a representative of Class of 2021.  Correction of mechanical flaws and strength gains may translate to future power. Back side collapse and back elbow drift in front of hands create bat drag and uphill swing path. Fenwick would benefit from a wider base and more direct connection with back elbow.

Defensively, hands are adequate, transfer is clean and works from bottom up.  Will have to substantially improve arm strength to stay on left side of infield.

Ryan Goff, 2021, Bridgeport, SS/RHP
5-foot-8, 135-pound right-handed hitter. initiates swing from wide base with no stride.  He does sway in load coming very close if not getting back knee outside of back foot.  There is also some length to swing.  Otherwise swing is mechanically sound.  There is good balance, solid feel for barrel and head is still.  Additionally, the swing is on plane with an aggressive hip turn and hands work well to baseball.

Defensively, a confidence in attacking the baseball and creating positive angles and hops belying Goff's age is present. Additionally a clean quick transfer is demonstrated.  Arm strength will need to markedly improve to stay on left side of infield.

On mound FB sat 74-75 with subtle arm side run.  Goff stayed in line with repeatable delivery.  CB sat 62-64 with rolling break and 11-5 shape. Change up sat 64 63-64 thrown at FB arm speed with subtle arm side fade.  Overall mechanics and athleticism in every phase make Goff an interesting young follow.

Recent West Virginia News