2010 Spring Top Prospect Showcase

4/25/2010 11:53:00 AM

2010 RHP Jon Musser (Waukee, IA) and 2010 LHP Jordan Shipers (Bethany, MO) took the ball for Navy and White in the final game of the 2010 Spring Top Prospect Showcase. Musser's Fastball reached 91 MPH and Shipers was up to 90.

Musser and Shipers were relieved by 2011 RHP Brandon Platts (Mason City, IA) and 2010 RHP Jon Keller (Cedar Rapids, IA), but there was no relief for the hitters as each hurler hung a pair of goose eggs. Platt's Fastball registered at 88 MPH. Keller was up to 92 (tied for the top velocity of the showcase and 1 MPH below the all-time record) and showed an impressive 84 MPH Slider. 2010 RHP Andrew Redman (Dubuque, IA) was clocked at 88 and 2011 RHP Jacob Peter (Mason City, IA) at 86 MPH.

In spite of the strong pitching, 2011 OF/RHP Andrew Utterback (Sigourney, IA) had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a Run and an RBI to help lead Navy to a 3-1 victory. 2010 MIF Kellen Sweeney (Cedar Rapids, IA)  added an insurance run in the final inning with a leadoff triple and was driven in by 2011 MIF Andrew Dobek (Davenport, IA) who also had a big day at the plate, finishing 3-for-4.

2011 OF Max Murphy (Robbinsdale, MN) capped off an impressive showcase with a triple in his final at-bat and 2010 3B Damek Tomscha (Sioux City, IA) picked up a hit and a stolen base.

4/25/2010 11:19:28 AM

Solon High School (Solon, IA) teammates 2011 RHP Brandon Shulista and 2011 OF Derrick Loveless teamed up to lead Red to a 4-2 victory over Texas Orange.

Shulista struck out 4 of the 6 hitters he faced in 2 perfect innings to close out Game 3. Shulista's Fastball sat in the 84-86 MPH range, but it was his sharp 72 MPH Curveball that gave Texas Orange hitters fits. Loveless picked up a hit and showed off his speed, stealing a base and scoring a pair of runs.

2012 RHP Alec Rash (Adel, IA) got the start for Texas Orange showed off his arm strength with a Fastball that reached velocities as high as 89 MPH. 2011 RHP Dakota Freese posted the top velocity for the Red team, reaching 87 MPH. 1B Mike Battochio (Guelph, Ontario) broke a 2-2 tie in the 7th and Shullista made it stand up.

4/25/2010 10:50:00 AM

2011 OF Derrick Loeveless (Solon, IA) showed off his blazing speed in Day 2 of the 2010 Spring Top Prospect Showcase. Loveless posted an impressive time of 6.69 in spite of the damp field conditions. The previous best of 6.73 was set by 2011 OF/RHP Max Murphy (Robbinsdale, MN) yesterday.

Loveless followed up his impressive performance in the 60-yard dash by throwing 87 MPH from the Outfield.

4/24/2010 8:16:00 PM

2011 OF/LHP Austin Christensen (Cedar Rapids, IA) did all in Game 2. The multi-talented Nebraska commit singled in his first AB, doubled in his second, drove in a pair, scored a run and then finished the game with a pair of scoreless innings in relief. Christensen was certainly not the only Navy hitter to produce at the plate though. 2010 3B/C Trevor Kenyon (Davenport, IA) went 2-for-3 with a double and a run after a solid showing during the workout portion of the showcase. 2010 C Spencer Navin (Des Moines, IA), 2010 SS Jordan Patton (Des Moines, IA) and 2012 3B/RHP Cale Henke (Hudson, IA) also scored runs in Navy's 5-0 route of Red.

On the mound 2011 LHP Braden Shull (Mt. Pleasant, IA) got the start for Navy and carved up the Red team in his 2 innings of work, facing the minimum and striking out 4, utilizing a 4-pitch arsenal and registering 86 on the gun. 2011 RHP Brad Chelleen (Urbandale, IA) opened some eyes with a pair of scoreless innings, although he was clocked at 82-84 MPH today he is projected to gain velocity due to his massive 6' 7" frame and fluid delivery. For the Red, 2010 RHP Brady Janssen (Arlington, IA) was impressive, showing good command of a Fastball that reached 85 MPH to temporarily quiet Navy's bats and mixed in a Curveball and Changeup.

4/24/2010 3:59:00 PM

60 Yard Dash:
Derrick Loveless: 6.69
Max Murphy: 6.73
Jordan Patton: 6.76
Nick Day: 6.77
Tyler Hermann: 6.78
Patrick Snow: 6.83
Kellen Sweeney: 6.86
Damek Tomscha: 6.96
Spencer Navin: 7.00
David Yancey: 7.00

C Pop Times:
Spencer Navin: 1.81
Levi Peters: 1.94
Trevor Kenyon: 1.97
Troy Jones: 2.07
Taylor Steen: 2.09

IF Velocities:
Damek Tomscha: 91
Christopher Pichardo: 86
Kellen Sweeney: 84
Tyler Hermann: 82
Griffen Michael: 82
Dakota Miller: 82

OF Velocities:
Taylor Zeutenhorst: 91
Max Murphy: 88
Dakota Miller: 87
Nick Day: 87
Derrick Loveless: 87
Austin Christensen: 86

4/24/2010 3:32:00 PM

2010 RHP Conor Fisk (Brown Deer, WI) worked 2 perfect innings for the White team, striking out 4 of the 6 hitters he faced. Fisk's Fastball sat mostly in the 87-90 MPH range, reaching as high as 92. Fisk supplemented his Fastball with a 79 MPH Curveball and a Changeup at 84. 2011 LHP Andrew Hedrick (Polk City, IA) followed up Fisk and pitched in the mid to upper 80's, consistently throwing 87 MPH. 2011 RHP Brad Lombard (Fort Dodge, IA) got the start for White and faced the minimum, striking out 3 in a couple scoreless frames. 2011 OF Nick Day (Solon, IA) followed up his impressive round of BP with a hit in the 8th and then stole 2nd to put pressure on Texas Orange with the score tied at 1 but was stranded in scoring position.

2010 MIF/3B Rylan Harding (Laramie, WY) hit the game winning Home Run in the 9th inning for Texas Orange. 2011 OF Patrick Snow (Ft. Worth, TX) also made a big offensive contribution to Texas Orange, roping a double, stole a base and scored a run. On the mound for Texas Orange 2011 RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ontario) faced one over the minimum with 3 strike outs in 2 innings and boasted a Fastball in the 84-88 MPH range. 2011 LHP Will Kenny (Fort Dodge, IA) got the start for Texas Orange and cruised through 2 innings, allowing just one hit and worked 83-86 with a 66 MPH CB. Will was relieved by 2011 RHP Matthew Davidson (Markham, Ontario) who went 2 scoreless and allowed only one runner (via Error) and hit 84 on the radar gun.

4/24/2010 1:58:00 PM

2010 3B Damek Tomscha (Sioux City, IA) set a new all-time record for top infield velocity at the Spring Top Prospect Showcase. Tomscha threw 91 MPH across the infield during today's workout, edging out previous record holder Jon Gilmore who threw 90 MPH in 2007.

Tomscha's 91 MPH tied the high mark of the showcase with 2010 OF/RHP Taylor Zeutenhorst (Sheldon, IA) who threw 91 from the Outfield.

4/24/2010 1:29:00 PM

2010 SS/OF Kellen Sweeney (Cedar Rapids, IA) and 2012 3B Christopher Pichardo (Santiago, Dominican Republic) stood out from an impressive group of hitters during batting practice.

Sweeney, playing in his hometown showed a lot power and plus bat speed in the most impressive round of the showcase. Sweeney, currently ranked the 26th best player in the 2010 draft class is the younger brother of Oakland Athletics RF Ryan Sweeney. Commited to the University of San Diego, Kellen is expected to be a picked early in this year's MLB draft.

Pichardo is a 2012 3B who has opened eyes early in the event thanks to his  gap power and strength. Pichardo has a big strong frame at 6' 3" 205 pounds and will be interesting to follow in the next international signing period.

Other hitters who showed well include: 2010 3B Damek Tomscha (Sioux City, IA), 2010 3B/C Trevor Kenyon (Davenport, IA) and 2011 OF Nick Day (Solon, IA).