Grant
Leader

7/10/18 - University of Illinois commit. 5-foot-9, 165-pound, live-bodied, right-handed pitcher. Continues to prove he is one of the top arms in the Illinois’ 2019 class. Struck out the side in his one inning stint. Delivery works with rhythm, front side opens early with regular effort throughout. Arm works short and quick, comes out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball jumps out of the hand, life through the hitting zone, works straight, commands to both sides of the plate, sat 88-91 mph. Mixed in a curveball at 73 mph and a slider anywhere from 76-78 mph. Slider is go-to pitch with two-strikes. Throws it with conviction, feel, 10/4 shape, late, biting action. Curveball, thrown early in counts, depth, 11/5 shape and feel. Did not see a changeup in game play but have seen one in the past. True four-pitch mix and profiles as a possible starter at the next level.

4.21.18 - Illinois commit, currently ranked No. 6 in the Illinois’ 2019 class. 5-foot-9, 165-pound, right-handed pitcher. Continued to prove he is one of the top arms in the class. Handed Oak Park-River Forest its first loss of the season with an impressive performance. Went 6.2 innings, scattered two hits, no runs, walked two and struck out 14. Was in complete command throughout. Did not allow a base-runner past second base. Competes on the mound, pitches with an edge and utilizes a true four-pitch mix when needed. Fastball has life, jumps out of the hand and arm-side-run at times. Flattens out when up in the zone. Velocity continued to climb as the game progressed. Fastball sat 84-87 mph early on and by the fifth inning was sitting 86-88 mph, touched 89. Go-to-pitch and out pitch on this day was his slider. Sharp spin, 10/4 action, froze a number of hitters and also got a number of swings and misses with it; sat 74-75 mph. Occasionally went to the curveball early in the count, 12/6 shape, 69-71 mph. Saw a couple of changeups, fade action, 76-79 mph.  

2.11.18 - 5-foot-9, 160-pound right-handed pitcher, average frame, small but athletic. Delivery is smooth and easy, methodical approach, repeats, balance point work up and out to open side, finishes to first base side. Arm action is short and loose, plus arm speed, high ¾ slot. Excellent four pitch mix. Fastball has late arm side run on lateral plane, showed ability to command, sat 90-92 mph. Curveball has 12/6 action, thrown with fastball arm speed, 74-75 mph. Slider is slightly harder, 75-77 mph, 11/5 type action, shows depth. Changeup fades to arm side, 75-77 mph, near fastball arm speed, controlled the zone.

5.15.17 - Illinois commit. Currently ranked No. 6 in the Illinois’ 2019 class and No. 105 overall. 5-foot-9, 145-pound, lean, wiry, right-handed pitcher. Started on the mound and showed once again he is one of the top sophomore arms in the state. Went seven innings, scattered seven hits, allowed one run, no earned, struck out nine and walked one. Short, quick, live arm. Showed off a four-pitch mix throughout the course of the game. Consistently mixed in a curveball and slider with advanced feel for his age. Goes to the curveball more often early in counts and tends to finish off hitters with his slider. Curveball has depth, tight spin, 12/6 shape, 72-74 mph. Slider, is tight, sharp and late, 10/4 shape, got a number of swing and misses, 75-76 mph. Also, flashed a couple of changeups, fade action, 74 mph. High-level 2019 arm.

3.20.17 - Illinois recruit. Currently ranked No. 6 in Illinois’ 2019 class. Small, athletic 5-9, 145-pound frame. Proved to No. 1 Brother Rice that looks can be deceiving. Highly composed and competitive for his age. Clearly doesn’t comport himself like a sophomore in high school. Strike-pumping machine with four pitches. Seemingly got stronger as the game wore on. In five innings, he struck out nine, walked one, allowed three hits and two runs. Athletic arm, high-¾ slot, repeats delivery, open landing. Worked fastball at 85-88 throughout his stint, mostly 85-86 in the later innings with slight arm-side run.. Consistently and effectively mixed curveball (73-74 mph) and slider (76-78), each thrown for strikes. Also flipped in a few upper-70 changeups. 

1.23.17 - Verbally committed to Illinois.

1.15.17 - Recent Illinois commit. 5-foot-9, 145-pound right-handed pitcher, athletic build. One of the top arms in his class. Delivery repeats, exaggerated finish, gains ground, open front side. Arm action is short and quick, explosive arm action, high ¾ slot, little effort. Plus fastball for his age, sat 89-90 mph, slight running action, showed feel for the zone, excellent life through the zone. Two breaking balls. Curveball has 12/6 shape, 72-75 mph, better of the two breaking balls. Slider had flatter action, occasional cut, 77-79 mph. Changeup fades to arm side, 74-77 mph, has feel. Excellent four pitch mix, repertoire to be a front line starter at the next level.

10.9.16 - May only be 5-foot-9, 155-pounds, but the uncommitted sophomore pounded the zone with an 85-87 fastball delivered from a short, quick arm stroke that jumps on hitters.  He also shows feel for a tight slurve at 71-75 that he varied depending on counts.  Leader’s slurve is a legitimate swing-and-miss pitch. His pitching IQ shined during one at bat when he worked both sides of the plate with his fastball and slurve before elevating a fastball for a strikeout.

9.17.16 - Selected to the USA Baseball 17U National Team Development Program.

Future Games 2016 - 5-foot-9, 145-pound right-handed pitcher, smaller frame, quick arm. Fastball topped at 87 mph, sat 84-87 mph. One of the better fastball velocities from a 2019 at the Future Games. Breaking ball played 71-76 mph, showed some feel and ability to control the zone with it. Struck out three in two innings of work. 

7.26.16 - 5-foot-9, 145-pound two-way player, slight lean frame. Projects best on the mound, advanced arm strength for his age, high ¾ slot, short quick arm action. Fastball sat 84-86 mph in the first, 80-83 mph in the second, slight arm side run. Curveball has 11/5 shape, gradual action, 67-70 mph. Slider has 10/4 shape, tighter action 70-74 mph. Changeup has fading action 70 mph. Right-handed hitter, slightly open stance, arm bar load. Long level path, linear approach, simple flat swing producing line drives. 86 mph exit velocity from the tee. Defensively arm action plays short from a high ¾ slot out of the crouch, 78 mph. Pop times ranged 2.04-2.15.

6.18.16 - worked 80-85 mph with his fastball in middle relief throwing a high percentage of strikes working both sides of the plate. Leader also showed a sharp 69-72 breaking ball below the strike zone and a 69-70 mph change-up with arm-side run. The 5-foot-10, 150-pound righty is just a rising sophomore and looks even younger, but the arm is noticeably fast so there should be more velocity in the tank as he develops physically.

1.17.16 - Smaller frame, athletic shape, 5-foot-8, 130-pound two-way player. Projects best on the mound, electric arm speed for his age. Delivery has rhythm, stride works slightly open, athletic finish with regular effort. Arm is quick, clean action, high ¾ slot. Fastball is lively, topped at 87 mph, ranged 82-86 mph. Curveball has 12/6 shape, 67-68 mph. Changeup sinks to arm side, 68-70 mph. Also flashes a slider at 70-73 mph. Shows plus fastball velocity for his age, highly advance arm speed. Defensively showed similar arm strength out of the crouch (78 mph). Pop times ranged 2.06-2.12. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride with good balance. Flashed occasional hard contact, line drive type, mechanically sound approach, 81 mph exit velocity from the tee. 7.35 runner in the 60.

10.25.15 - 5-foot-8, 130-pound, right-handed hitting RHP/C. Works from an over the top arm angle with a short, quick arm action. Smooth rhythm with an open landing and athletic finish. Tends to leak out front early. Threw fastball for strikes with slight running action at 85-86 mph. Curveball showed 12-6 shape with sharp action at 67-69 mph. Slider showed 10-4 shape at 75 mph. Showed feel for changeup while maintaining arm speed at 71-72 mph. One of the top arms in the 2019 class. Defensively has a short arm action from a high ¾ arm slot. Accurate throws showed carry popping 2.11-2.19 and throwing 81 mph from the crouch. At the plate hits from a balanced setup, preloaded to backside, with a short linear stride. Line drive hitter with a short, level swing path. 81 mph exit velocity from a tee. Ran the 60 at 7.27.

7/28/15 - 5-foot-7, 130-pound, right-handed hitting RHP/C with a small, athletic frame. Showed advance velocity and feel for size and age. On the mound works from a high ¾ arm angle with a short, quick arm action. Tall and fall, online delivery with a short leg lift. Smooth rhythm with level shoulders. Fastball sat 83-85 mph. Curveball has 11-5 shape with short, late break at 66-68 mph. Maintained armspeed on changeup with fade at 68-70 mph. Featured a cutter that showed slider action with late, biting action at 70-72 mph. One of the top arms to watch in Illinois in the coming years. Defensively has a short arm action from a high ¾ arm slot. Tall receiver behind the plate in drills with flexibility in the lower half. Popped 2.18-2.26 and threw 73 mph from the crouch. At the plate hits from a balanced setup, short toe tap stride. Line drive hitter with a short, level swing path. 79 mph exit velocity from a tee. Ran the 60 at 7.08.