Top Prospect Games II: Corner Infield Analysis
August 6, 2021
Kyle Campbell & Jamie Naill Jr.
PBR Maryland
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30 players from the Old Line State, DC, and Delaware participated in this year's Top Prospect Games II at The United States Naval Academy. Players were put through a pro-style workout and played a game in front of our PBR Maryland staff and various college coaches from across the Mid-Atlantic region. Below are evaluations on the ten corner infielders at the event.
Corner Infielders
(Listed Alphabetically)
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Nicholas Cicale C / 3B / Broadneck HS, MD / 2025
Body: 5’11’’, 138 pounds. Lean, lanky frame with projectability to continue adding strength as he matures. Hit: RHH. Open, bent stance with adequate balance in the setup; utilized a deliberate leg hang in order to initiate the hands through a flat path into the hitting zone. Could lift the ball out over the plate with leverage at the point of attack; stayed behind the ball well and let the hands work with tight turns. Hit the ball where it was pitched with a mature approach overall. More power on the way with likeable actions in his current frame (can see 30 pounds of muscle available). Power: 82 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Doubles power with ability to find the pull side gap with regularity. Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. INF - 71 mph. Short, high ¾ slot from the crouch with a quick release. INF: Utilizes length when he has time with added whip through extension. Mostly sticks with a quick V-slot in and out of the hand. Defense: Pop times ranged 2.15 - 2.25. Looked slightly raw behind the dish, but athleticism stood out. Clean exchange and low posture through catch/throw allowing for directional footwork and a solid range of pop times. Seems very low-pulse with a mature demeanor and will only see measurables get better as he holds additional strength. INF: Showed range to the glove hand side with a quick first step, operated with knowledge of pace and beat the ball to the spot. Run: 7.78 60-yard time.
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Body: 5’10’’, 193 pounds. Strong, durable frame with a thick lower half. Hit: RHH. Crouched, wide setup with a slight bend in the knees. Utilized a short lift and replace stride as the hands worked to a deep load position outside the shoulder; the hands initiated through a flat, balanced path into the hitting zone allowing for repeatability during batting practice. Line drive approach at head height, spraying from centerfield towards the left center gap with authority. Stayed in the legs well and didn’t try to do too much; mature round. Power: 93 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Doubles power to the pull-side gap and has more juice in the tank (connected/lower intent). Arm: LH. OF - 72 mph. INF - 71 mph. Short and quick high ¾ slot with accuracy. Can drop down on throws across the infield. Defense: Adequate footwork with solid reads off the bat, set up with active footwork fielding off the right foot and corralling inward towards the belt line. Worked in a straight line directionally at the target. Run: 7.31 60-yard time.
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Tyler Holton 3B / RHP / Dematha, MD / 2024
Body: 6’0”, 200 pounds. Strong, well put together and durable frame with present power to all fields. Hit: RHH. Slightly open, balanced stance with the barrel starting at an upward 45 degree angle over the head. Utilized a leg hang with stretch back to the shoulder for an accurate launch through a flat path into the hitting zone. Lifted with consistency allowing for backspin and carry to both gaps when pitched out over the plate. Really stacked up over the backside well generating increased bat speed with sink into a powerful/connected lower half. Consistent, hard contact throughout the pull side showing success to LCF. Power: 93 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Easy doubles power with jump to the pull side/home run power when getting extended on pitches up above the belt. Arm: RH. INF - 74 mph. Whippy high ¾ slot that could venture down below on plays on the run. Defense: Adequate footwork shuffling laterally through the fielding window at a medium postured position, let the hands work out in front, funneling inward to the belt line with accurate exchanges. Average pace from the left side of the diamond and got rid of the ball at a quicker release point. Run: 7.58 60-yard time.
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Liam Houghton 1B / OF / Good Counsel, MD / 2022
Body: 6’2’’, 215 pounds. Strong, advanced frame with a sturdy base in the legs. Hit: RHH. Narrow, balanced stance with the hands showing plenty of rhythm above the shoulder; utilized a leg lift and stretch combination with the hands getting deep outside the shoulder for launch, initiated through a whippy, slightly uphill path into the hitting zone with high intent. Mostly pull-side approach demonstrating strong wrists at the plate, could keep the barrel in the hitting zone for a long period of time, working through extension on all quadrants. Generated a 60% hard hit rate to go along with plenty of loft in the approach. Power: 95 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Doubles power in the middle of the field and noticeable jump to the pull side for occasional home runs. Arm: RH. OF - 86 mph. INF - 84 mph. Loose, high ¾ slot with early length and then quickness on the front side. He could shorten up into a V-slot when needed from the INF. Defense: From his primary position, stuck the foot in the ground with stalking actions, staying behind the ball with regularity. Fielded off the left side of his body flashing slight downhill momentum and clean transfers into the throwing hand. Infield: ranged in either direction with comfortability to the left side, funneled inward with a soft glove that could operate in any direction with choppy feet. Run: 7.23 60-yard time.
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Ty Jacoby LHP / 1B / Old Mill, MD / 2023
Body: 6’0”, 175 pounds. Strong, low-waisted frame with a physical upper half. Hit: Switch. Slight bend in the knees and open setup as the hands began loose out in front of the chest. Utilized a hitchy load straight back to a bow and arrow position coupled with a short lift and replace stride to initiate the hands through a flat path into the hitting zone. More natural as a righty where he found consistent success peppering the ball hard through the pull side of the field. Similar setups and flashed present bat to ball skills regardless of handedness. Power: 82 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Developing doubles power as a LHH. Doubles power at the moment (RHH). Arm: LH. INF - 77 mph. Short, high ¾ slot with fluidity in the arm circle. Defense: Bounced around at first base, actively approaching the ball at the fielding window on his toes. Kept the chest down creating positive momentum towards the target; accurate and soft glove hand off the right foot and gathered at the belt line, flashed feel around the bag. Run: 7.64 60-yard time.
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Austin Keefer 1B / RHP / North East, MD / 2022
Body: 6’1”, 181 pounds. Strong, well put together frame with athleticism in the actions. Hit: RHH. Wide, bent stance with full body lean back to a deep load position. Worked positive hip rotation into the front side flashing weight shift through a flat path at impact. Good extension and feel for the pull-side, doing damage on pitches out over the plate with extra leverage in the swing. High intent yielding a 50% ground ball rate during his round of batting practice. Power: 86 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Doubles power especially when lifting to the pull-side. Arm: RH. INF - 81 mph. High ¾ slot with a moderate arm swing, lots of quickness and intent out in front. Defense: Adequate feet, beating the ball to the spot in a low position with the glove down on the ground off the left side. Funneled inward showcasing feel for the exchange and accurate results across the diamond; natural instincts around the bag at first. Run: 7.32 60-yard time.
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Cam Love LHP / 1B / Damascus, MD / 2022
Body: 6’0”, 160 pounds. High-waisted, lean, athletic frame with sneaky strength in the movements. Hit: LHH. Straight up/down, narrow stance with the hands starting at the shoulder with slight rhythm at a flat position. Demonstrated hip coil on the leg lift, allowing him to hold direction throughout the forward move, landed at a wider, balanced position anchoring into the backside during a quick turn. The hands worked into the zone through a flat, effient path with barrel whip. Stayed mostly through the middle of the field on the approach while hitting into a stiff front side. Power: 92 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Doubles power with extra base hit skills to the pull-side with regularity. Arm: LH. INF - 77 mph. Glove tap and quick, deep takeaway to a V-slot with a fast arm on the front side. Defense: Slight movement in the feet pre-catch with ability to work laterally to an advantageous fielding position. Medium-low posture and soft glove hand that funneled inward; accurate arm strength and high intent into a lead leg-block while throwing across the diamond. Run: 7.49 60-yard time.
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Teegan Murphy 1B / OF / St. Michaels , MD / 2022
Body: 5’10’’, 175 pounds. Strong, durable frame with compact power in the build. Hit: RHH. Open, narrow setup with some rhythm pre-swing, utilized a big leg lift stride getting to a stretched position with some weight shift at launch; initiated through a flat path flashing occasional lift through impact. Stayed over the backside well, allowing the hands to work, handling pitches over the plate with authority back through the middle of the field. Mostly pull side approach hitting into a stiff front side at impact. Power: 87 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Developing doubles power on pitches up in the zone to pull-side (LF). Arm: RH. OF - 82 mph. INF - 75 mph. Gets to a nice W position early with length in the takeaway, reaching towards the mitt out in front on the release. INF: Tighter, quicker V-slot on occasion that can reach back when needing more, accurate with repeatability. Defense: Good reads with ability to delay footwork and stay behind balls in the air. Soft, trusted glove hand working out in front of the left foot with soft actions; funneled inward with a clean exchange giving way to an accurate throwing arm towards the plate; approached with attacking style, breaking down on time into a low, balanced position at the fielding window. Run: 7.79 60-yard time.
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Body: 6’1”, 210 pounds. Strong, thick frame with efficient power all over the build. Hit: RHH. Slightly open, narrow setup with a calm start in the hands at the shoulder. Utilized a stretched load straight back outside the shoulder coupled with a controlled leg hang stride in order to initiate a lightning quick barrel through a flat path into the hitting zone. Generated tons of success contacting the ball out at the front of the plate, with some of the twitchier swings of the event. Showed off present bat speed that resulted in consistent hard contact to the pull-side of the field while hitting into a stiff front side. Power: 95 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Easy doubles power and extra base hits from a middle of the order role. Can really get into one and drive it out of the park to pull. Arm: RH. INF - 79 mph. Glove tap into a moderate arm circle, high ¾ slot. Defense: Kept the feet moving positively towards the target from a moderately low position with solid glove hand attributes; worked down to up and beat the ball to the spot yielding consistent pace during defensive evaluations. Run: 7.34 60-yard time.
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Andrew Powers 1B / OF / St. John's College, VA / 2023
Body: 6’3”, 210 pounds. Large, XL frame with proportional strength throughout. Hit: LHH. Open, easy setup with not too much going on; loose, slight rhythm in the hands at the shoulder working backwards to a strong load position at the shoulder, short/repeatable lift and replace stride and lightning quick bat speed through a flat, consistent path into the hitting zone. Operated with grace and fluidity towards a high finish on the backside, featuring noticeable jump off the barrel to the pull-side with connection all over the movements. Mature approach and handled pitches in any quadrant. Power: 98 mph exit velocity during BP per TrackMan. Home run power down the RF line and easy doubles power to the pull side gap. Can effect the game offensively with one swing. Arm: LH. INF - 73 mph. Short, high ¾ slot with low intent across the diamond. Defense: Above-average feel around the bag and quick first step, operating at a medium-low height in the posture. Shuffled positively towards the target and gained ground at the fielding window with a soft glove hand aiding off the inside of the right foot. Could range in either direction showing trusted routes off the bat. Run: 7.21 60-yard time.
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