Issei
Takahashi

Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-8, 172-pounds. Sturdy build with strength throughout.
Hit: LHH. Tall setup, smooth hand load, strides short.  Short path with pull-side leverage, consistently on the barrel. Covers the plate and works to all fields, flashed juice. Top of the order type bat.  67 mph bat speed with 11 G’s of rotational acceleration.
Power: 97 max exit velocity, averaged 89.2 mph. 353’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 79 mph. High 3/4 slot, quick arm, accurate.
Defense: One hand gather, shuffle step towards home, repeats, gets rid of it quickly.
Run: 7.20 runner in the 60.

Our staff got another look at OF Issei Takahashi (Arrowhead, 2024), as the uncommitted 2024 prospect continues to improve at the plate and in the outfield. Standing at a compact 5-foot-8, 172-pounds, Takahashi earned a Top Prospect Invite due to his success over the winter, and at Arrowhead this past spring as an every-day starter on one of the top-25 teams in the state. From the left side of the plate, Takahashi barreled two singles in live game action, coming off of a BP session where he hit 96.6 mph on a max exit velocity, utilizing a smooth swing and pull-side power to impress. His ability to repeat the swing consistently, paired with his foot quickness illustrates why Takahashi took over the top of the order for his high school team, and put up some of the best numbers throughout the event. Takahashi used that quickness to cover ground in the outfield on defense, using his quality mechanics from the ¾ arm slot to make accurate throws. The left-hander’s all-around performance at The Rock on Tuesday was one of the better showings, as Takahashi left Franklin on a good note for the rest of the summer and beyond. 

Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-8, 175-pounds. Strong build, athletic.
Hits: LHH. Narrower open set up. Leg lift gather, lands into strong hitting position, quick hands with direct path, can impact line drives to all fields.
Power: 94 max exit velocity, averaged 87.5 MPH. 348' max distance.
Arm: LH. OF-80 mph. 3/4 slot, quick arm.
Defense: Out-front gather, shuffle step, medium leg swing finish follow through.
Run: 7.34 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 81.14 Edge Score

OF Issei Takahashi (Arrowhead, 2024) is listed at 5-foot-8, 175 pounds with a strong lower half. He opened the eyes of our staff at the event when Takahashi registered one of the highest exit velos of the day at 94 mph and hit one of the furthest balls at the event (348 feet). He impacts the balls so well using quick hands and a short direct path and has the ability to drive balls to both gaps. From the outfield, Takahashi has a quick release and an accurate arm with velocity in the low-80s. Takahashi is entering his junior year and proved why he will continue to be a name to watch in the state.

Takahashi is a strong 5-foot-8, 172-pound athlete who had a quality showing on Tuesday. After being referenced as one of the top outfield prospects in the West Milwaukee Preseason ID earlier in the spring, Takahashi proved once again why his name was mentioned. From the left side of the batter’s box, Takahashi consistently drove the ball in his BP session, averaging 279 feet, one of the top distances for the 2024s. In gameplay, he got two hits in his three at-bats, including an RBI. 

Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-8, 172-pounds. Thick compact frame.
Hits: LHH. STock setup, early toe tap, early load Direct, line drive approach to all fields, displays power to pull side,
Power: 90 max exit velocity, averaged 81.6 MPH. 350' max distance.
Arm: LH. OF-77 mph. 3/4 arm slot. Accuracy to home.
Defense:
Run: 7.56 runner in the 60.

Positional Profile: OF/
Body: 5-8, 178-pounds. Strong, athletic build, physically developed lower-half.
Hit: LHH. Controlled move, early to toe down. Vertical tip.  Aggressive rotation. Grounded action. Vertical entry that flattens to impact. Hard line drives to middle and pullside.
Power: 90.5 max exit velocity, averaged 83.1 mph. 309’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 80 mph. High 3/4 slot, long arm action.
Defense: Plays through the baseball, shuffles through release, downtempo
Run: 7.10 runner in the 60. 

Takahashi is a 5-foot-8, 178-pound left/left prospect with a strong, athletic build and a physically developed lower half. He started his day with a 7.10 time in the 60-yard dash before stepping in the box. He makes a controlled first move with an early toe-down striking position, and he made grounded swings with a vertical entry that flattened quickly, driving liners from the middle of the field to his pull-side. Takahashi has a habit of hitting line-drives with barrel control through events this winter, and in previous game looks. 

Standing at a stout 5-foot-8, 172-pounds of lean strength, Takahashi has shown improvement to his game and physical development over the last half year. The left-handed hitting outfielder is a high quality bat handler with the ability to adjust situationally, and that bat handling showed itself through his batting practice rounds. Takahashi put together one of the top rounds of the event as he repeated high contact quality and carrying flights throughout. He’s a high-character prospect with highly desirable makeup that changes a roster dynamic.

Positional Profile: OF/C
Body: 5-8, 160-pounds. Solid compact build.
Hit: RHH. Tall, narrow, preset load to the backside. Aggressive plant. Short to the ball with a rotational delivery. Barrel enters the zone quickly. Pullside pop when he's synced up. All fields spray.
Power: 90.7 max exit velocity, averaged 76.4 mph. 319’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 83 mph. High slot with carry through the target.
Defense: Quick feet gathering behind the ball, and in line alignment through the target.
Run: 6.88 runner in the 60. 

Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-7, 160-pounds. Athletic frame with some compact strength.
Hit: LHH. Quiet in the box pre-pitch, balanced setup, smooth load with a slight bat wrap, short stride.  Short and flat path to contact, hands stay inside the baseball with clear rotation through contact. Line drive approach, all-fields feel.
Power: 89.5 max exit velocity, averaged 85.9 mph. 342’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 73 mph. Short arm stroke, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Quick first step, fluid feet that work around the baseball, soft hands, clean exchange to release.
Run: 7.32 runner in the 60. 

Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-foot-7, 160-pounds. Compact frame.
Delivery: Fluid drop/drive type delivery, athletic posture at balance point, stacks some into back hip, rides back leg downhill. Lands square and in line to target, athletic finish through release.
Arm Action: LH. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T72, 66-72 mph. Works from multiple arm angles; his natural high 3/4 slot and a lower submarine like release. Primarily plays straight from both angles, did flash slight arm-side sink from the lower slot.  T1767, 1703 average rpm.
CB: 58-61 mph. Thrown from a higher average release height than fastball, 1/7 shape with gradual spin - strikes. T1723, 1645 average rpm.
SL: 59-61 mph. Tighter, more aggressive spin than curveball; similar plane.  T1738, 1672 average rpm.

Defense: Occasionally works on an angle around the baseball, soft hands work out front of body, secure exchange, plays through the baseball.
Arm: LH. OF - 76 mph. Long and loose arm action, over-the-top slot.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, hands start high and load back in rhythm, steady leg kick timing trigger, easy balance through contact.  Short and simple left-handed stroke, bat travels on a level path through the zone, easy line drive feel to all fields. Consistently worked on the barrel, advanced bat-to-ball skills that will play as a top-of-the-lineup table setter type.
Power: Above-average max exit speed for size/age at an 87.8 mph high.
Run: 7.37 runner in the 60.

Small, athletic lead-off hitter for US Missouri Elite. Shows quick hands in the box, consistently putting the ball in play. Utilizes his speed to get on base and steal bases. Can cover ground in the outfield. Uncommitted.

5-foot-7, 145 pounds; athletic left/left two-way prospect. At the plate, loose hands with athletic barrel feel, helps meet the ball on plane; timely leg kick/hang, strides closed, quick/strong hip rotation, high two-hand finish. Went down and sliced a pitch down and in to deep left-center that allowed him to race around the bases for an inside-the-park home run on Sunday against Top Tier Americans.

Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-foot-6, 133-pounds.
Defense: Steady hands, fluid footwork, fields the ball out in front, plays through the baseball.
Arm: LH. OF - 67 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: LHH. Athletic balanced setup, short stride with a leg kick. Quick hands, short level path to the baseball, fluid rhythm throughout, quiet lower half.
Power: 77 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Run: 7.43 runner in the 60.
Delivery: Starts in the center of the rubber, side step leads into tall/fall delivery, level shoulders, works in line, finishes square to his target, smooth rhythm throughout.
Arm Action: LH. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T65, 61-65 mph. Thrown for strikes, plays straight.
CB: 49-51 mph. 1/7 shape, gradual action, thrown down in the zone.
KN: 49-51 mph. 1/7 shape.