Ben
Brecht

10/13/18 - XL frame with length in limbs and high, tight waist; lean build throughout with frame able to continue to add to it. Narrow and tall on the mound with hands starting up high at his chin before drop to waist as he steps back and lifting up to chin with high front knee. Tall posture at highest point on the mound breaking hands on knee; compact arm shows high back elbow before ¾ release point. Limited stride length with quick rotation and finish over stiff front leg; follows driveline down hill and regularly stays inline with target. FB 85-89 T90 fringe-average with short, lateral cut when working at lower velocity; straight with ability to create angle at highest velocity. Pitched to top and bottom thirds of zone avoiding middle of the plate during outing. SLD 80-82 fringe-average showing sweep to gloveside with cross-plate break showing little depth; flashes of tighter action staying off barrel and mainly used to gloveside. CB 77-78 1-to-7 action showing small depth with early, high-spin action; used sparingly, mainly early in count as show pitch. Average command of all pitches and ability to spot FB made pitches play up during outing.

6/11/16 - Drafted in the 36th round by the Baltimore Orioles out of New Trier HS.

3.31.16 - UC Santa Barbara commit. Currently ranked No. 97 in the PBR Draft 100. Second start of the season, in front of a handful of scouts. Still working on a pitch count early in the year. 6-foot-7, 205-pound left-handed pitcher. Lanky frame with room to add more strength. Works from a high ¾ arm angle with a long, loose, clean arm action. Good balance throughout delivery with an athletic finish. Induced weak contact. Fastball sat mostly 84-86 mph in his first three innings of work. With two strikes reached back for more velocity at 87-89 mph. Gets more extension and finish with two strikes. Painted a two-strike fastball down in the zone gloveside at 89 mph in the third inning. Maintained armspeed on changeup with late running action at 78-79 mph. Still working on finding feel on curveball. Got on the side of his curveball that showed 2-8 shape early and sweeping action later in the outing, ranged anywhere from 61-66 mph. Worked 5 innings, striking out eight, walking one, and allowing just three hits.

2.7.16 Super 60 - UC Santa Barbara recruit. 6-foot-8, 205-pound left-handed pitcher, lanky, athletic build, long limbs. High-ceiling prospect, has yet to fill out physically. Clean, athletic, easy arm action, high-3/4 slot, long and loose. Smooth delivery, works downhill, stride direction in line, soft front side; repeats well for size. Not throwing at 100 percent - in basketball season - fastball sat 86-87, topped at 88, arm-side finish, thrown for strikes. Changueup shows plus potential, 77-80 mph, maintains similar fastball arm speed, with arm-side fade. Tendency to get underneath curveball, slows arm, loose spin at 66-68 mph.

6.23.15 - No player at the ProCase raised his draft stock more than Brecht, a highly athletic 6-foot-7, 205-pound UC Santa Barbara recruit who has made significant strides since February’s Preseason All-State Showcase. Long, loose and easy, Brecht pumped consistent strikes with his 89-90 fastball. He worked both sides of the plate, at the knees and below, with late arm-side finish. For his size, he repeated his delivery well, showing excellent rhythm and balance throughout. The ball comes out of his hand with such ease that it looks like he was playing a game of catch. His secondary stuff still needs refinement, but he has showed significant improvements. His curveball ranged between 65-68 mph with varying shape, though he spun a few with 12/6 action. He also flashed an 82-mph changeup, but frankly didn’t need it in his clean inning.

6.1.15 - 6-foot-8, 205-pound, left-handed pitcher with a lanky frame. Has started to fill out since the winter. Currently ranked No. 19 in the Illinois Class of 2016. UC Santa Barbara commit. Works from a high ¾ arm slot with a long, loose arm action. Tall and fall online delivery. Slight recoil at finish. Good balance and tempo throughout. Good feel for release point on all pitches. Can throw three pitches for strikes. Early on fastball sat 86-88 mph. Settled in at 85-86 still hitting 87 mph in the 7^th. Changeup showed plus potential at 76-78 mph with armside run, while maintaining arm speed. Curveball has 11-5 shape with good depth. Loose rotation on curveball thrown 64-67 mph. Curveball will improve when thrown with fastball arm speed. Worked 7 innings allowing four hits and one run while striking out eight. Stock is trending upward heading into the summer showcase circuit.

2.15.15 - 6-foot-8, 205-pound lanky left-handed pitcher with extremely long limbs. Fastball sat 84-86 mph thrown for strikes with slight arm side run. Showed more consistent shape on 61-64 mph curveball, wrist gets weak at times, fails to spin it with power, but improving. Shows plus feel for a 74-77 mph changeup thrown aggressively, featuring arm side run. Long, loose, high ¾ arm slot, easy effort, tall/fall delivery, level shoulders throughout, stride direction is in line with home plate, lands square, clean arm action and mechanics. Unlike many tall pitchers, Brecht has a feel for the strike zone, as he continues to add strenght and velocity he could become a legitimate draft prospect in one year’s time. Committed to UCSB.

8/2/14 - The 6-foot-7, 200 pound lefty impressed with his projectable frame and 83-86 mph fastball.  He allowed two runs in his two innings of work against Team Ohio, but struck out three.  His 66-68 mph curveball shows 11-5 shape, and he threw it for strikes in the bullpen, but he needs to focus on not slowing down his arm and adding velocity to the pitch.  His changeup looked like a better secondary offering warming up in the bullpen, but he did not use it in the game.  Brecht’s arm action is long, and clean, and he’s garnering significant national recruiting attention, as 6-foot-7 left-handers are a rarity.

6/7/14 - Easily the top left handed pitcher in Illinois’ 2016 class. High level prospect with extremely high ceiling. Long thin frame, 6-foot-7, 195-pound left handed pitcher, long limbs with good athleticism, highly projectable body. Came into game out of the pen, worked 1.2 innings striking out the side in the first on 15 straight fastballs. Delivery is clean and athletic, repeats well for size, closed toe landing, controls limbs well, easy fluid actions. Arm action is loose, works cleanly, high ¾ slot, easy arm action, creates whip. Fastball has finish through the zone, 83-85 mph, touched 87 mph, fastball showed arm side action, showed feel for the zone. Curveball showed sweeping action, 11/5 tilt, shows feel, decelerated arm action, 63-65 mph, can be firmed up. Brecht’s upside is about as good as it gets, his arm works cleanly and easily out of a 6-foot-7 frame and his fastball projects as a plus pitch. Brecht is a high follow in the Class of 2016 and could be one of the top left handed arms in the Midwest.

10/13/18 - XL frame with length in limbs and high, tight waist; lean build throughout with frame able to continue to add to it. Narrow and tall on the mound with hands starting up high at his chin before drop to waist as he steps back and lifting up to chin with high front knee. Tall posture at highest point on the mound breaking hands on knee; compact arm shows high back elbow before release point. Limited stride length with quick rotation and finish over stiff front leg; follows driveline down hill and regularly stays inline with target. FB 85-89 T90 fringe-average with short, lateral cut when working at lower velocity; straight with ability to create angle at highest velocity. Pitched to top and bottom thirds of zone avoiding middle of the plate during outing. SLD 80-82 fringe-average showing sweep to gloveside with cross-plate break showing little depth; flashes of tighter action staying off barrel and mainly used to gloveside. CB 77-78 1-to-7 action showing small depth with early, high-spin action; used sparingly, mainly early in count as show pitch. Average command of all pitches and ability to spot FB made pitches play up during outing.