Brady
Koester

LHP Brady Koester (Kimberly, 2024) was a name our staff was excited to see after hearing about some of the gains he has made throughout the offseason, and his performance on Saturday was one of the day’s most memorable. Listed at an ultra-projectable 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, Koester is an easy mover on the mound and he utilizes some simple, repeatable mechanics. As for his repertoire, he featured a straight fastball that averaged an induced vertical break of 16.1 inches, which reached highs of 89.1 mph and sat in the 85-88 mph range. He also was able to spin in both a slider and curveball for strikes. The curveball played with 12/6 action and he was able to manipulate it in the zone and also bury it below the zone effectively. His slider still played with some downer action but had slightly more horizontal movement when crossing home plate. He was also able to sell a quality changeup that maxed at 18.3 inches of horizontal movement, which rounds out his above-average four-pitch mix. With the projectability and overall stuff that Koester already possesses, there is a lot to like from this uncommitted arm and the ceiling is still very high for this southpaw.

Positional Profile: LHP/1B
Body: 6-5, 200-pounds. Tall, athletic build, good proportions.
Delivery: Medium arc, high 3/4 slot.
Arm Action: LH. Medium arc, on-line, on-line land, slightly open toe, balance, quiet head, medium leg swing finish with good direction.
FB: T89, 86-89 mph. Downhill plane, late baby tail finish. T2341, 2259 average rpm.
CB: 71-73 mph. Top to bottom, late bite, can land and get below, weapon. T2168, 2023 average rpm.
SL: 76-78 mph. Late two-plane break, weapon. T2331, 2264 average rpm.
CH: 80-82 mph. Good sell, late tail and fade, potential future weapon. T2042, 1980 average rpm.

Positional ProfileLHP/1B
Body: 6-4, 190-pounds. Long limbs. High waisted. Room to fill.
Delivery: Methodical, tall/fall delivery. Stays inline throughout. Balanced finish.
Arm Action: LH. Continuous, quick arm loop. High 3/4 slot.
FB: T85, 83-85 mph. Late ride through the zone. Mostly straight. T2252, 2130 average rpm.
CB: 69-70 mph. 12/6 action. Plays well off of fastball. Feel for the pitch. T2179, 1949 average rpm.

Koester recently came away as a name to follow after his performance at the Green Bay Preseason ID and after getting some experience on a talented Kimberly squad, he seems poised for a big summer circuit. At 6-foot-4, 190-pounds Koester’s projectability is real and he already has a talented skill set to boot. During his inning of work, Koester reached highs of 85 mph with a straight fastball from a higher slot. His breaking ball plays really well off of the high fastball with late 12/6. Overall, Koester put together a solid outing against some formidable competition and walked away as a name to follow as he continues his prep career. 

The long-limbed 6-foot-4, 180-pound southpaw pumped his fastball in at 83-84 mph from a high release height on average (6.3 feet), while averaging 18.8 inches of vertical break, per TrackMan. Though still developing his secondaries, Koester did flash feel for a sinking changeup at times while maintaining fastball intent and slot. In the box, he sets up standing straight up. Dropping in with control to plant, and maintaining soft elbows and grip in transition. Koester notably works from inside the ball with an advanced feel for using the backside gap with clean spin and carry. He also looks in control of his barrel throughout the swing. This was our first up-close look at the Kimberly sophomore and we’re eager to see the progress he makes as the year rolls on.

Positional Profile: LHP/1B
Body: 6-4, 180-pounds. Long levers, lean, thin waist. Room to grow.
Delivery: Athletic drop/drive downhill pattern, steady tempo, strong front side, lead leg swings into an open-toed landing.
Arm Action: LH. Compact draw from the glove, short on the backside and finishes from an over-the-top slot.
FB: T83.7, 83.2-83.6 mph. Four-seam type that works from a high release. Above-average vertical shape.  T1681, 1565 average rpm.
CB: 72.4-74.6 mph. Thrown with intent and conviction. 1/7 shape, minimal spin.  T1938, 1769 average rpm.
CH: 77.5-78.6 mph. Maintains fastball arm speed and slot. Flashed sink and played low in the zone.  T1706, 1590 average rpm.