Jake
Stedman

Verbally committed to Moberly Area CC.

Strength in his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame. Was a lockdown defender up-the-middle for Metro Xplosion on Sunday, ranging to both sides to make a number of tough plays and also featured a strong arm across the infield. Offensively, he works with wide base and features a small, controlled load, working direct to the ball. Finished with a pairs of hits in Metro Xplosion’s two games on Sunday.

Another uncommitted senior that showed well at this event was INF Jake Stedman (Belleville West, 2024). A strong 5-foot-11, 185-pound athlete, Stedman has strong intentful hands that create noticeable bat speed, staying short and direct to the baseball while showing pull-side power throughout his round. Stedman cleared the left field wall twice, sending his furthest ball 360 feet, and he averaged 89.2 mph per batted ball, peaking at 93.1 mph. He worked on the barrel that way in-game, belting a double into the left-center gap. Stedman showed steady actions on the infield with a sure-handed glove and an accurate arm that touched 85 mph across, the highest mark of the event.

Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 5-11, 185-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Wide setup, minimal load and stride. Strong, intentful hands, creates bat speed and gets extension through contact at times. Hard contact with sneaky leverage to the pull-side. 73.3 mph bat speed with 14 G’s of rotational acceleration.
Power: 93 max exit velocity, averaged 89.2 mph. 360’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 85 mph. Clean arm action, plays out of a high 3/4 slot and consistently on the bag.
Defense: Steady defender, plays from the ground up, secures the baseball through release, soft hands.
Run: 7.21 runner in the 60.

Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Wide setup, hands start high, up/down leg lift. Flat, direct path, quick hands barrels the ball consistently. 72.7 mph bat speed with 15 G’s of rotational acceleration.
Power: 97 max exit velocity, averaged 87 mph. 339’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 86 mph. Strong, quick arm, accurate throws.
Defense: Two-hand gather, clean transfer, shuffle step on throws.
Run: 7.32 runner in the 60.

INF Jake Stedman (Belleville West, 2024; IL) is another uncommitted soon-to-be senior that showed well at this event. Stedman continues to add noticeable strength, now standing at a more filled out 5-foot-10, 170-pounds with physicality throughout. He swung with authority throughout BP, generating some of the highest bat speed (77.8 mph) and hand speed (26.1 mph) at peak from this event. Stedman’s firmest batted ball jumped off his bat at 97.2 mph and he drove three balls 330+ feet at 90+ mph into the pull-side gap. Across the infield, Stedman fired an 86 mph strike on his first throw, good for the hardest mark of the event. This showing, coupled with yet another strong season at Belleville West where he slashed .356/.374/.442, has Stedman headed into a key summer with momentum.

5-foot-10, 170-pound frame that’s added significant strength over the off-season, now more filled out throughout, particularly in the lower half. Stands tall in the box with high hands that work back slightly at load as front foot strides forward. Strong hands/forearms with hand speed, short path to contact, works direct and on top of the baseball. Flashed above-average raw power in this look - drove a deep double into the left-center gap, roughly 10 feet from a home run, on a pitch he didn’t square up. Turned around an upper-80s fastball for a standup double later in the contest, too. Finished with four hits total, driving in four with two extra-base hits out of the three spot in the lineup. Sure-handed on the infield defensively, glove plays out front with a two-hand gather, quick to release. Started at third base, arm played average across the infield both in-game and during I/O. An uncommitted junior to follow from southern Illinois. 

INF Jake Stedman (Belleville West, 2024) is an uncommitted up-the-middle athlete we’ve become increasingly familiar with over the last calendar year. Stedman, who appears to have added strength on a 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame over the winter, repeated quality line drive contact from a short, simple, and direct right-handed swing during BP. He generates easy hand speed (24.1 mph) and excels at staying on plane (86%), and the poise he showed at the plate stood out amongst his peers. Stedman also ran a 4.03 30-yard dash and peaked at 82 mph across the infield. Coming off a strong sophomore campaign at Belleville West, Stedman’s set to play a key role in the Maroons’ offense this spring.

Positional Profile: SS/OF
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds. Strong, more physically filled out frame. Thick in the lower half.
Hits: RHH. Tall stance, slight hand action pre-pitch, bat works back at load, subtle leg lift trigger. Short and direct to contact, stays on top of the baseball and doesn't try to do too much. Line drive approach, uses the whole field and repeats.
Power: 91 max exit velocity, averaged 84.8 MPH. 254' max distance.
Arm: RH. INF-82 mph.Short quick arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Active feet, lower half gets around the baseball at times, steady hands that play out front, clean transfer to release. Feel for himself, can stick on the dirt down the road.

Positional Profile: SS/OF
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds. Well-proportioned frame.
Hits: RHH. Balanced, slightly open setup, pre-pitch load and leg-lift trigger. Simple swing, stays inside the baseball, whole field approach and feel for the barrel.
Power: 91 max exit velocity, averaged 79.8 MPH. 312' max distance.
Arm: RH. INF-86 mph.Ability to throw from multiple angles, natural high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Charges the baseball, plays low to the ground, steady hands and clean release.
Run: 7.32 runner in the 60.

Positional Profile: INF
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds.
Hits: RHH. Open, slightly open setup, leg-lift timing trigger. Early load, uphill path and looks to control the barrel to both gaps.
Power: 92 max exit velocity, averaged 81.4 MPH. 343' max distance.
Arm: RH. INF-86 mph.Short loose arm action, 3/4 slot.
Defense: Quiet feet with lower half rhythm, subtle to the baseball, athletic on the move. Soft hands that play out front, sound glovework and clean transfers to release.
Run: 7.31 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 74.77 Edge Score

Positional Profile: SS
Body: 5-8, 165-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Wide base. Open stance. Strides back to even. Quick hands. Short, uphill bat path. Worked on the barrel. Consistent hard contact. Pull side approach.
Power: 92.1 max exit velocity, averaged 81.7 mph. 217’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 78 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Natural infield actions. Clean two handed gather. Balanced footwork. Under control on the move. Plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.56 runner in the 60.

Uncommitted, 5-foot-8, 155-pound, sophomore. Started at third base and hit in the two-hole for the Maroons. Defensively, natural infield defender with an advanced feel for the game and high-baseball IQ. Knew where to go with the baseball when the ball was hit his way, plays in rhythm and is comfortable on the move. Clean, efficient footwork, smooth actions, confident hands and accurate arm from a ¾ slot. Also, showed well with the bat going 3-for-5 with a double in their first game of the event. Balanced setup, quiet pre-pitch rhythm and simple swing. Loose, easy hands, stays within himself and creates sneaky jump off the barrel. Name to know in the 2024 class.

Positional Profile: SS/OF
Body: 5-foot-8, 155-pounds.
Hit: R. Wide, balance stance, quick load to the back side, toe tap stride. Barrel control with bat speed, short swing, hits the ball where it's pitch, line drive type hitter.
Power: 87.7 max exit velocity, averaged 75.22 mph. 272’ max distance.
Arm: R. INF - 73 mph. Short, loose arm action, low 3/4 slot.
Defense: Gets around the baseball, fields the baseball low, feet play, quick exchange.
Run: 7.55 runner in the 60.