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May29-30, 2009
Faulkner University
Montgomery, AL
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Most walked away from the event talking about the amount of young talent present.
Talent at all positions. An Alabama sophomore (Nathan Vincent) actually tied the record radar tee velocity at 98 mph. In fact 12 players broke the 90 mph radar tee barrier. The bat speed was very noticeable during BP with players lacing balls to the warning track and beyond the fences. |
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Batting wasn't the only tool present. Fifteen players had position velocities above 80 mph and two over 90 mph. Arm strength wasn't the only fielding tools present, as most infielders flashed soft gloves, quick feet and smooth transfers. Outfielders showed range with good angles and accurate throws.
Nine of the sixty one players broke the 7.00 sixty marks and ten more were below the 7.20 mark. The speed was present during the scrimmage games as players moved through extra bases on routine base hits. |
| Some of the players who caught our eye during the combine: |
Kyle Crabtree (2011) MIF - Fort Payne HS - Fort Payne, Alabama
Kyle is a smooth middle infielder with soft hands and a nice glove. He has the range and arm strength to play SS at the next level. He ran a 6.73 sixty with a nice smooth gait. He was 81 mph across the infield with nice on line throws. He has fast twitch actions that are present in double play turns. At the plate he hit with some po in his bat and had an 89 mph radar tee reading. |

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Brandyn Crutcher (2011) OF - Lee HS - Huntsville, Alabama
Brandyn is a speedy outfielder with nice arm strength. He plays the game hard with grit in his game. He ran a 6.84 sixty and ran bases very well during the scrimmage games. At the plate he centeredd balls well with a quick approach. He had an 86 mph radar tee and was 82 mph from the outfield. |
Chase Fields (2010) IF - Hillcrest HS - Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Chase is a smooth projectable infielder with nice athletic actions. He showed arm strength across the infield at 80mph with accurate, on line throws. He showed nice range and ran well with a 6.91 sixty that can get better with some tweaking of his running form. At the plate he showed a lot of pop in his bat with several balls hit out during the event. His radar tee reading was 92 mph. |
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Nathan Vincent (2011) IF - Russellville HS - Russellville, Alabama
Nathan tied the top radar tee velocity with a 98 mph reading and had multiple 96 mph readings during the session. He possesses a very quick approach and tremendous bat speed. He was equally as impressive in the field with range and soft hands at the third base position. He ran a 6.95 sixty and was 81 mph across the infield. He shows a mature body with now strength and will be one for us to watch very closely in the next two years. |
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Paul Baggett (2009) IF/RHP - Milton HS - Jay, Florida (Signed Tallahassee JC)
We had seen Paul before and he has matured and developed some since then. He shows nice arm strength accross the infield and pop in his bat. He likely will be a corner infielder at the college level and is a guy that can give you some quality innings on the mound. He has already signed with Tallahassee Junior College and should be a quality pick up for them. His fast ball hit 90 mph and sat comfortably in the 87-88 mph range with good life. From the plate he showed the ability to hit to all fields with some power, especially to his pull side. |
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Jordan Friend (2011) MIF - Lee HS - Huntsville, Alabama
Jordan is an athletic middle infielder with now skills and more growth ahead of him. He flashed smoothness, quickness in his hands and feet and above average arm strength in the field. He has range and some instincts for the ball. At the plate he centered balls well and showed the ability to hit to all fields. He has gap power and runs slightly above average and can be an early lineup type hitter. He is a nice follow for the next two years. |
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Peyton Fuller (2011) MIF/RHP - Fairhope HS - Fairhope, Alabama
Peyton was one of two Fairhope players that caught our eye (see Wes Kent below). Peyton is a nice, athletic middle infielder with nice actions, smooth hands and arm strength. At the plate he is a gap to gap type hitter that controls the bat head well and can occasionally be a threat to go yard. He is equally as impressive on the mound with a bulldog type mound presence and a fastball that we see getting better in the near future as he matures. He spots up pretty well and knows how to pitch. |
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Wes Kent (2011) MIF/OF - Fairhope HS - Fairhope, Alabama
Wes is the second of the two Fairhope players who impressed us in Montgomery. He is athletic and could easily make the transition to the outfield. He ran a 6.84 sixty that we see could likely be much better. He shows fast twitch actions that translate well in his transfers and throws. He has ample arm strength and range to play shortstop at the college level. At the plate he hit with some pop and centers the ball well.
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Ben Moore (2011) OF/IF/C - Cullman HS - Cullman, Alabama
Ben is an impressive athlete with now body strength that shows serious conditioning habits and low body fat. He runs well and we suspect is much better than the 7.03 he ran at this combine. In the outfield he has range and makes good reads on balls with plus arm strength (90 mph). At the plate he is a hitting machine that centers balls and he creates backspin and carry. he has the ability to hit to all fields with some power and is a definite HR threat to pull side. He can play multiple positions and is equally as good at all of them, but we see him best as an outfielder who can hit early in the line up. |
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Jacob Milliman (2011) RHP - Stanhope Elmore HS - Deatsville, Alabama
Jacob is a big, raw RHP with a high ceiling. He possesses a prototypical pro pitching body at 6-4/230 with raw strength. He throws with a long arm action from a H3/4 arm slot and creates some run on his fastball. His fastball sits in the mid 80's now and we see getting much better with some mechanical tweaking of his delivery. We see a lot of potential in this one and will be watching very closely during the summer. He could make a major jump into a national top prospect. |
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Drew Mobley (2011) RHP/1B - Madison Academy - Madison, Alabama
This is not the first of our events that Drew has been to and he impresses us each time. This time his most impressive feat was his 7.19 sixty time. For a 6-3/200 first baseman it wasn't bad! He has a nice strength and has toned his body since last year. His radar tee was second best at the event at 96 mph and he shows tremendous bat speed. If he can learn to sit back and wait on the ball he can become a major hitting prospect. Hit or not he has a future on the mound with an upper 80's fastball that he locates well. With two nice off-speed pitches in his arsenal he can be dominant at times. |
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Zack Willoughby (2011) OF - Boaz HS - Boaz, Alabama
Zack is a nice college prospect with now strength and a good frame. He runs well with a 6.94 sixty and has the arm strength to play right field at 84 mph. At the plate he hits with a lot of pop in his bat and he is a HRthreat. Zack is a nice follow with now skills that are sure to get better as he matures. |
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