In the first installment of reports from the 2021 PBR Super 60 (linked above) I focused on the position players. In this feature I will focus on the pitchers, a group of players that really stood out as a whole. It seemed as though every single arm that took the mound at the MOSH Performance Center threw 92-94 mph, not a common sight for a showcase event in early February.
College commitment in parenthesis
Luke Hayden, RHP, Bloomington, Ind. (Indiana)
Hayden was the best overall pitcher at the event, showing four distinct pitches that he commanded well and threw for strikes. It starts with his 93-95 fastball and continues to his 80-81 mph slider, a potentially dominant 1-2 power punch that will lead to a lot of strikeouts. His 83-85 mph changeup and 71-73 curveball will allow him to turn over a lineup 2-3 times in a game. The slider is especially sharp, he commands his sinking changeup well and the curveball was a nice surprise. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him enjoy instant success for his hometown Hoosiers should he make it to campus.
Ryan Schiefer, RHP, Gilbert, Ariz. (Grand Canyon)
Schiefer was one of the more pleasant surprises on the day for me, showing a live arm to produce easy 91-93 mph fastball velos, touching 94 with his last pitch and sustaining the velocity (92) out of the stretch. He also mixed in a really sharp, short-breaking 72-74 mph curveball and a changeup that hovered around 80. It’s an electric arm and he’s going to throw harder.
Brandon Clarke, LHP, Ashburn, Va. (Alabama)
Clarke was another eye-opener, throwing 93-95 heat with a sharp 75-78 mph curveball, giving him two true, power pitches. He also threw a 86-87 changeup, which isn’t as good as his fastball-curveball combo, but it’s a pitch that should get better the more he throws it. He over threw a few times, not uncommon in a showcase setting, but this is an exciting, power arm to follow.
Dominic Hambley, RHP, Victoria, British Columbia (Oregon State)
Not surprisingly, Oregon State has gone north of the border to pluck up this 6-3/230 righthander. With a strong and sturdy build, Hambley produced 93-95 mph heat and a 77-78 breaking ball that will tighten up with more reps. His mid-80s changeup is more of a slow ball right now, but he has a three-pitch mix that could really blossom in Corvallis.
Victor Quinn, RHP, O’Fallon, Mo. (Oregon State)
Quinn is yet another Oregon State recruit with a live arm, recording the event’s top fastball velos with easy 96-97 heat. His velocity dropped down to the 90-94 range as his outing progresses, and while It’s an obvious, special arm already, he does need to work on pretty much every other aspect of his game. The control/command was inconsistent and he didn’t appear to have a feel/grip on his 77-78 breaking ball, although he did throw one that looked sharp, proving the ability is there to do so. He has a lean and projectable build and creates some deception in his delivery. It’s an intriguing overall package that is easy to dream on, and mid- to upper-90s fastballs don’t exactly grow on trees.
Gavin Bruni, LHP, Alliance, Ohio (Ohio State)
Bruni and Brandon Clarke stole the show when it comes to the event’s standout lefthander. Bruni jumped out with a really aggressive approach, firing 93-95/96 fastballs that really jumped out of his hand. It’s clear he can reach back and grab an extra tick or two when he needs to, although he looks to be more effective staying within himself at the lower end of his velo band for better command. He also threw a 80-81 mph slider and an 84-86 mph changeup that will both improve in time.
CJ Hood, RHP, Hickman, Neb. (Nebraska)
I had read reports on Hood’s emergence last summer, showing a live arm from a projectable frame. That was confirmed in this look, throwing easy 90-91/92 heat with a tall, slender and projectable 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame. His fastball is fairly straight and deliberate at this point in time, and his mid-80s changeup worked more like a slow ball without much fade. His 77-78 mph breaking ball showed promise with room for improvement on its break/shape.
George Eisenhardt, RHP, Portland, Ore. (Xavier)
It’s hard to imagine a 6-foot-4, 204-pound righthander with Eisenhardt’s stuff committing to Xavier given the number of high-quality programs in the Pacific Northwest. Eisenhardt was another one of the day’s pleasant surprises as the tall, slender and immensely projectable righthander came out firing 92-94 mph strikes with an 87 mph changeup that fell off the table. He’s a power pitcher with room for more that made throwing low- to mid-90s heat look easy.
Jose Pena, RHP, Winter Haven, Fla. (Florida International)
Pena possesses a live arm, one that makes his 92-93 mph fastball jump out of his hand. It’s also easy to envision him throwing harder in the not-so-distant future. At 6-3/205 he has a perfect pitcher’s build. His short-breaking 76-78 mph curveball looks to be a promising power pitch and his 78 mph changeup showed some late dive.
Tanner McDougal, RHP, Henderson, Nev. (Oregon)
McDougal has a big, 6-foot6, 200-pound presence on the mound, recording equally big velo numbers at 93-94, recording 91 out of the stretch. He replicated his arm speed well on his mid-80s changeup and also threw a hard-spinning 74-76 curveball with good 11-to-5 break. There’s a lot of arm to his delivery, making him look like more of a max effort hurler, but it’s easy to see him throwing harder as he continues to fill out.
Luke Holman, RHP, Sinking Spring, Pa. (Alabama)
Alabama had a couple of promising pitching recruits in attendance as Holman is an athletic and well-built 6-4/195 righthander armed with a 91-92 mph fastball. He threw 89-90 out of the stretch while also throwing a high-spin, hard-breaking 77-78 curveball. There’s an upper-70s changeup in his arsenal as well, a pitch that needs more work, but it’s a nice overall recipe for future success.
Kaleb Applebey, RHP, Mt. Carmel, Ill. (Wabash Valley)
A JUCO commit in his hometown, you won’t miss the 6-8/230 Applebey when he takes the mound. It’s a strong, athletic build while producing easy 92-94 mph fastballs. He mixed in a 75-77 curveball that showed promise with good shape. He also threw a low-80s changeup.
Cameron Day, RHP, Layton, Utah (Utah)
Day is a pitcher I would like to see again (and also one I got video of), although his Utah home may make that challenging. He kept getting better and better in his Super 60 outing, coming out firing 91-93 mph strikes and then grabbing a 95. He was working quickly while showing good size to his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame. He has a really good three-pitch mix that includes a mid-70s breaking ball and a low- to mid-80s changeup.
Gray Thomas, RHP, Oklahoma City, Okla. (TCU)
Thomas offers an interesting look with a lower – almost side-arm – arm slot. He lands upright in his delivery, which creates deception out of the hand given the slot as somewhat of a max effort hurler. The velocity was very good, and undoubtedly hard to hit, throwing 92-93 mph heat, touching 95, with one of the event’s better breaking, clocking in right around 80 mph. He has good size at 6-4/210 and is going to create some uncomfortable at-bats while at TCU.
Kelly Crumpton, RHP, Jackson, Miss. (Ole Miss)
Crumpton is a two-way player that has already taken a step forward in the velocity department. He was throwing 90-92 with a shorter-breaking 77 mph breaking ball and an 83-84 changeup at this year’s Super 60. Both secondary offerings will need continued development, but the foundation is there for improvement. Crumpton has good size with a lean, athletic, high-waisted and plenty projectable build, meaning he’ll continue to throw harder.
Janzen Keisel, RHP, Gunnison, Utah (BYU)
Keisel immediately opened eyes but throwing 91-93, and touching 95 mph, from a lower slot with a really good, live arm and excellent arm speed. He slowed that arm on his 76-70 mph curveball, a good hook with depth to its break but a pitch that will need to be improved upon. He also threw a low- to mid-80s changeup. The body is plenty projectable too at 6-4/185. This is an arm to watch as he gains experience and adds more strength.
Caleb Logerwell, RHP, MCDonough, Ga. (UCF)
I have been aware of Logerwell for some time, although I had never seen him in person prior to this viewing. It’s easy to like his athletic profile, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound righthander who is a very good looking overall athlete that repeats his devliery well. His fastball was mostly 88-89 in this showing, touching 91, while mixing in a sharp 77-78 mph curveball that is his signature pitch. He also threw a low-80s changeup, giving him three pitches to build off of.
Jack Walker, RHP, Lake Charles, La. (Mississippi State)
Walker has a shorter (6-0/195), compact build, throwing 91-92 mph fastball with a high-spinning 77-79 mph slurvy curveball. It has curveball shape, for the most part, and looks better when he snaps it off as best he can in the lower range of that velo band. He also threw an 83 mph changeup.
Ryan Ure, LHP, Eaton, Colo. (Oklahoma State)
Ure didn’t throw especially hard (88-89 mph), but it’s hard to envision this large, 6-foot-7, 230-pound lefthander not finding more velocity in the not-so-distant future. He has very strong proportions with an over-the-top delivery. He also threw a low-80s changeup.
Make sure to view the reports/video on Braden Montgomery, an exciting overall athlete who threw 92-93 with a sharp 75-77 mph curveball.
thegrindbaseball.com 