Cade
Palkowski

OF Cade Palkowski (Oak Creek, 2024; North Carolina Commit) continued to look the part as one of the top outfielders in Wisconsin’s senior class. Standing at an athletic 5-foot-11, 190-pounds, Palkowski led off and started in CF for Hitters on Sunday. The 2022 PBR Future Games standout was all over the barrel, recording an extra-base hit off the wall to start the game and sharply lining out in a later at-bat. He also showed off his speed and range in center field, tracking down multiple fly balls in each gap.

Palkowski stands 5-foot-10, 190 pounds with a compact and well built frame. The University of North Carolina commit and former Future Gamer showcased exactly why he is the 11th ranked player in the state for a very deep 2024 class. Palkowski displayed lightning fast hands and bat speed and hit rockets through both gaps with a swing that allows him to backspin rockets to both gaps. His max exit velocity of 95 mph was one of the best of the day and his 88.2 mph average exit velocity indicates how consistently hard he was hitting the ball during his round of batting practice. On defense, he charges the ball aggressively cutting down the distance to home and his 90 mph throws from the outfield were the 5th best velocity of the day. Palkowski is a dynamic athlete whose tools certainly play in between the lines. 

Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-11, 190-pounds. Strong thick build.
Hit: LHH. Wide base, athletic, presence in the box.  Short stride, centered and balanced, direct hand path with barrel control, juices ball all over the field.
Power: 95 max exit velocity, averaged 88.2 mph. 338’ max distance.
Arm: LH.   OF - 90 mph. Long, quick arm, 3/4 slot.
Defense: One-hand gather, works well laterally, in-stride.
Run: 6.82 runner in the 60. 

Palkowski is listed at 5-foot-11, 190-pounds with good proportions and strength throughout. Cade impressed in the batting practice portion of the Future Games, using a short compact handsy swing to hit line drives to all fields reaching exit velos of 96 mph. The simple short trigger, short stride and strength in his hands lends itself to good strike zone decisions and the ability to adjust to different ways pitchers are attacking. Palkowski is also a bursty runner who gets good jumps and takes appropriate routes to run down balls in centerfield. Cade also showed impressive arm strength throwing 87 mph from the outfield during defensive work. Cade Palkowski is an uncommitted high ceiling prospect who is going to be a great addition at the next level. 

He showed his athleticism early, and throughout the day, beginning it with a 6.86 in the 60-yard dash. In the box, Palkowski works from a stock setup with a controlled barrel wiggle, cross striding slightly into plant and crowding the plate with aggression. He enters the zone with a more vertical entry from inside and produces violence at impact with high contact quality and ball speed to all fields (95 mph max exit velocity). Notably, performing well in the pull-side gap for a player who lands on the chalk. From the outfield, he worked a longer loop with a power arm that peaked at 91 mph while ranging well on defense and moving with all the athleticism needed to stick up the middle moving forward. While his athleticism, left-handed bat, and center field profile make it hard for him to project as anything other than a position player, he also has a carry fastball that reached an 83.7 mph max on Sunday, featuring high-end vertical action.

Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-11, 188-pounds. Compact frame with an athletic build throughout.
Hit: LHH. Stock setup. Small wiggle rhythm. Cross striding slightly. Crowds the plate.  Short to the ball from inside. Vertical orientation with depth. Violence at impact. Quality contact with ball speed to all fields. Primarily pullside gap.
Power: 94.6 max exit velocity, averaged 88.8 mph. 320’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 91 mph. Power from a longer loop and 3/4 slot.
Defense: Athletic movements gathering and ranging. Quick to transition with a momentum.
Run: 6.85 runner in the 60. 

Delivery: Powerful lower-half with a drop/drive movement pattern, remains in-line to the plate.
Arm Action: LH. Clean arm circle from an over-the-top slot.
FB: T83.7, 80.7-83.6 mph. Jumps through the zone with backspin. T2239, 2033 average rpm.
SL: 67.3-70.6 mph. Sharp 2/8 shape. T2320, 2269 average rpm.

"...Is another freshman who will likely see his name in the state rankings. He’s a compact 5-foot-11, 175 pounds with a similar swing that stays short to the baseball with sneaky pop for his size. The left/left outfielder plays athletic with a big arm for his age at 85 mph."

Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Strong compact build.
Hit: LHH. Upright stance, balanced and slightly open, short stride and hand load. Above average bat strength for age, compact swing plays short to the baseball, gap to gap contact.
Power: 90.32 max exit velocity, averaged 85.29 mph. 313’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 85 mph. Above average arm strength for age, high 3/4 slot, long arm action.
Defense: Action play with glove hand out front, gathers and step behind transfer.
Run: 7.19 runner in the 60.

Delivery: Starts balanced across the rubber, simple drop/drive type delivery, sits into back hip before engaging downhill. Shoulders stay level, works in line, momentum carries forward through release. Repeats.
Arm Action: LH. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T80, 79-80 mph. Works down in the zone, some sink to it.  T2208, 2032 average rpm.
CB: 68-70 mph. Feel to spin. Works off a 1/7 plane, flashed sharp action at times. Landed for strikes.  T1929, 1897 average rpm.
CH: 72-74 mph. Thrown at fastball arm speed.  T1483, 1412 average rpm.

Strong physical build, athletic left-handed hitting outfielder; compact/strong lower half. Played centerfield and hit two-hole. Short compact swing, showed feel for the barrel and plate discipline. Went 2-for-2 with a pair of singles against Top Tier. Smart, aggressive base runner always looking to grab an extra base. Rangy actions on defense out in center field with premium arm strength for his age. Started on the mound for Hitters’ first game of the weekend. Long, loose arm action, quick arm speed, from an over-the-top slot. Easy, low effort involved; athletic/balanced finish. Used exclusively fastballs, sat in the 74-78 mph range throughout his three innings of work; touched 80 very early on.

As for Palkowski, he’s emerged as a follow for his athletic arm that sat in the 75-77 mph range throughout his three-plus innings, reaching 78 and an 80 very early in his start.

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-foot-8, 145-pounds.
Defense: Flashed soft hands from outfield, fluid footwork, clean exchange, played through ball well. Showed natural instincts.
Arm: LH. OF - 78 mph. Short, loose arm action, high 3/4 arm slot, flashed plus carry for his age.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, smooth load. Flashes bat speed for age, potential line drive, gap-gap approach, found barrels.
Power: 75 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Run: 7.60 runner in the 60.
Delivery: Showed smooth rhythm, level shoulders, in line, landed square, athletic finish, able to repeat.
Arm Action: LH. High 3/4 arm angle, showed ability to have quick arm, short action, regular effort, tall/fall.
FB: T75, 73-75 mph. Flashed run and sink.
CH: 69-70 mph. Near fastball arm speed, similar sink.