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Tournaments | Story | 7/22/2019

17u Midwest: Day 4-5 Scout Notes

Nate Schweers

Ben Milks

Sam Bornstein

Photo: Benjamin Wiegman (Perfect Game)

17u WWBA Prospect Meadows Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Over three rounds of playoff action at the 2019 WWBA 17u Prospect Meadows National Championship there were a number of standout performers that caught the attention of the scouts in attendance.

Gavin Hinckley (2020, West Bend, Wis.) dominated on the mound for STIKS U17 in a first round victory, allowing just one hit and striking out seven in a complete game effort. Hinckley attacked both halves of the plate with a low-80s fastball that topped at 85 mph Saturday. With a physical, 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, Hinckley creates good direction down the mound, staying linear at foot strike and get good extension over his front side. Hinckley has a loose and clean arm action from a high three-quarters slot, and has developing feel for a low-70s curveball. The uncommitted 2020 has a projectable frame and could really develop into a solid arm at the next level.

Brady Renfro (2020, Antigo, Wis.) was another member of the STIKS U17 team to have a strong Saturday, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a triple and towering home run. Renfro is a physical first baseman at 6-foot, 190-pounds, and he showcased his ability to drive the baseball with some present power to the pull side. The Valparaiso commit finished the day with three RBI, and is a legitimate power threat in the middle of the order for this STIKS U17 team.

Benjamin Wiegman (Antioch, Ill.) is a power arm in the Hitters 2020 rotation. The strong righty tossed 4 1/3 innings Saturday, striking out seven and running a lively fastball up to 89 mph. Wiegman sat 86-89 with the fastball in his outing, attacking the zone to force soft, early contact. A Louisville commit, Wiegman has developing feel of a mid-70s slider, and as that pitch develops he will continue to make strides on the mound.

Keaton Hopwood (2020, Wilmington, Ill.) is one of the more interesting uncommitted arms in the 2020 class. Though some scouts have seen him run the fastball up to 92 this summer, Hopwood pitched comfortably at 83-85 mph Saturday. Hopwood is a complete pitcher on the mound and he was able to showcase three pitches for quality strikes in his two innings of work Saturday. Hopwood attacks the knees with the fastball and has excellent for a low-70s curveball and changeup at 77 mph. The pitchability and stuff are there and it will be exciting to see Hopwood deal when that velocity is back to its normal form.

Andy Nelson (Winfield, Ill.) continues to impress all those in attendance, putting together another strong day at the plate on Sunday. Nelson was 2-for-3 with a rocket home run and a pair of RBI in a round two playoff win for Longshots Baseball Teal on Sunday, and followed that up with another knock in the quarterfinals. As noted earlier in the tournament, Nelson is an extremely athletic player that could make an immediate impact in the future with the Hawkeyes. Nelson has a clean glove and plays with a high motor at all times and it will be interesting to see him continue to develop over the next year.

Anthony Klein (Chesterfield, Mo.) continued what has been an impressive tournament on the mound Sunday, allowing just three hits and striking out eight in the complete game effort. Klein is a physical righthander that creates deception with his short and compact arm stroke. Klein hides it well and the running fastball in the mid-80s topped at 87 mph Sunday. Klein flashed feel for a good curveball as well as the Southeast Missouri State commit was able to give hitters fits all day.

Perfect Game Field featured one of the better pitcher’s duels of the tournament on Sunday, with Luke Fox (2020, Waukesha, Wis.) and Payton Hutchings (2020, Coal City, Ill.) each putting together exceptional starts in playoff action.

Hutchings was able to grab the win on Sunday, tossing six innings and striking out nine. The southpaw attacked hitters with a heavy fastball at 84-87 mph, and he was able to use it effectively by changing eye levels at a consistent rate. Hutchings showcased plus command of all three pitches on Sunday, using a good curveball in the low-70s with 11-to-5 shape and late depth more often than the changeup. The Illinois commit repeats his delivery well, and his projectable frame could lead to more velocity with development.

Fox took the loss Sunday, but not before pitching to contact very effectively. Fox was 83-87 mph with the fastball and he was able to generate some natural run to the arm side with his low three-quarters slot. Fox has a young frame with plenty of room to fill out and add strength, and the lefthander does a great job of pitching to contact and getting quick outs. A Duke commit, Fox is a competitor on the mound and his mound presence will play in any situation.

Parker Wright (2020, Columbia, Mo.) rounded out Sunday’s action with arguably the most impressive display of pitching this tournament. Wright picked up a quarterfinal win for the St. Louis Prospects Scout Kirchner, tossing 7 2/3 no-hit innings. Wright challenged hitters with a lively fastball that topped at 93 mph. Wright pitched at 88-91 mph on Sunday, and the Missouri commit repeats a clean and simple delivery well. The righty has developing feel for a mid-70s breaking ball and the fastball was dominant enough that he did not need to use it much. Wright broke out as a name to follow for the 2020 MLB Draft on Sunday, and it will be exciting to see him develop over the next year.

– Nate Schweers

Tyler Chadwick (2020 Marshall, Wis.) continued his impressive summer this weekend working 6 1/3 innings for the GRB Rays scattering five hits while collecting six strikeouts. The West Virginia commit features a long, loose arm action with impressive arm speed. Chadwick worked off his fastball thrown for consistent strikes running into the 90s as usual and also showed an interesting 11-to-5 curveball creating some swing-and-miss at 78 mph and a late fading changeup at 75 mph.

Working a very efficient eight innings for a complete game shutout was Noah Deluga (2020, Lake Zurich, Ill.) The Minnesota commit only allowed two hits in his eight innings of work while striking out 10 batters. The physical lefty showed a loose arm action with good arm speed throwing from a lower three-quarters arm slot. He displayed an intriguing two-pitch mix with a fastball up to 87 mph thrown consistently to both sides of the plate for strikes and a 1-to-7 breaking ball with good depth also thrown for consistent strikes creating a lot of swing-and-miss.

Jose Mendoza Nieves (2020, Elkhart, Ill.) was impressive on the mound for 29ers Baseball-Black working 5 1/3 innings while allowing no hits and striking out eight. The athletic righty displayed explosive actions working down the mound with a longer stride getting extended out front very well. He throws from a three-quarters arm slot with interesting arm speed and showed a fastball with heavy life through the zone creating swing-and-miss up to 85 mph. He complemented his heater with a 11-to-5 breaking ball at 78 mph and a late sinking changeup at 76 mph.

Ryan Stefiuk (2020 Green Bay, Wis.) showed impressive pitchability in his six innings of work on Sunday. Stefiuk scattered six hits while striking out eight batters and only allowing one unearned run. The Vanderbilt commit showed clean mechanics with impressive arm speed on the mound. He also showed plus feel for the zone with three pitches including a fastball with late run up to 90 mph complemented by a sharp 1-to-7 breaking ball, creating a lot of swing-and-miss, and a fading changeup at 73 mph.

Enjoying his early Sunday morning at Prospect Meadows was GRB Rays shortstop Max Wagner (2020, Green Bay, Wis.) The Clemson commit swung his way to a perfect day at the plate hitting for the cycle in the 12-1 win. Wagner features a smooth swing with plus bat-to-ball skills and good bat speed going through the zone with a slightly elevated path. Wagner displayed present power to all fields with a home run and a loud triple off the right-center field fence.

Getting the start in the quarterfinals for Cangelosi Sparks 2020 Black was Jack Crowder (2020, Romeoville, Ill.) Crowder worked six innings while only allowing two hits and striking out three batters. The physical righty showed an easy delivery down the mound with good arm speed from a low three-quarters arm slot, creating some deception to the hitter. The Illinois commit showed good feel for three pitches including a fastball with late run, up to 92 mph, complemented by a curveball with sharp break creating swing-and-miss up to 77 mph and a late fading 77 mph changeup.

– Ben Milks

Matt Olive (2020, Minneapolis, Minn.) shows present power and a quiet stance in the box with a quick and level swing. Olive smacked a no-doubt grand slam on Saturday. The ball jumps off his barrel with a strong intent to drive the ball.

Alberto Lamas (2020, Joliet, Ill.) has a power arm with a fastball reaching up to 88 mph. It is a heavy fastball that runs in on righthanded batters. Lamas steps behind the rubber in his windup with a unique, max effort delivery.

Cooper Griffiths (2020, Trevor, Wis.) creates great downward plane on a fastball that tops out at 87 mph. Griffiths has an athletic frame, a fast arm and throws slightly across his body. He mixes his pitches well and has a good feel for his slider.

Hunter Day (2020, Richfield, Minn.) shows projectability with a smooth arm action and a fastball up to 86 mph. He got hit around against a very good Rays team, but flashed a fastball that collected many swings-and-misses and a tight spin slider around 77-79 mph.

– Sam Bornstein

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