The 18th annual Prep Baseball Report Super 60 event took place on Feb. 2. This premier scouting event is one of the top showcases for high school draft prospects to get in front of nearly 100+ scouts prior to the start of their senior seasons.
Prospects Live was present and able to get in-person looks at the prospects in attendance. Two of our writers — Matt Thompsopn and Diego Solares — made the trip out to McCook, Illinois to witness first-hand some of the top talent in the country.
Here are some players who turned heads at the event and increased their draft stock moving forward.
Note: We will update this post periodically with video from the event
Harold Coll, SS, Georgia Premier, North Carolina commit
Coll might’ve improved his draft stock more than any position player prospect in attendance at the event. He ran a 6.80 60-yard dash, posted an exit velocity of 97 mph off the tee, and broke the Super 60 record when he threw 97 mph across the infield. Coll took an impressive two rounds of batting practice, showing off clear bat speed and the ability to consistently barrel up the baseball.
A twitchy, explosive athlete, Coll looked the part in the field, too. He showed clear feel for himself at shortstop and should have no problem sticking there in the future. His silky smooth glove and plus defensive actions play up because of the confidence that Coll has in himself, so much so that he pulled off a ridiculous between the legs play in front of 100+ professional scouts and cross checkers. One of the most well-rounded players in attendance, Coll solidified himself as one of the top prep shortstops in the nation.
Mac Horvath, SS, IMG Academy, North Carolina commit
North Carolina has two solid infield prospects coming in with Horvath and Coll, but after their respective performances on Sunday, they may not get to campus. Horvath ran an impressive 6.64 60-yard dash, showing off his pure speed and athleticism. He registered an exit velocity of 96 mph off the tee and threw 92 mph across the infield, tied for third highest of the entire event.
Horvath put on a show in batting practice, absolutely spraying line drives to all fields with ease. Horvath generates his power from his pure bat speed and doesn’t need to do much at the plate to mash. His swing is truly advanced for this class and his glove is right there with it, showing sound hands, fluid footwork, and the ability to accurately throw from multiple arm slots. Horvath was already a top 100 prep prospect in this class and he further solidified himself this past Sunday.
AJ Vukovich, OF/CIF, East Troy, Louisville commit
Vukovich was the top-ranked position player prospect in attendance at the event. A late addition to the Super 60 roster, Vukovich showed off the clear raw-power in his swing during both of his batting practice rounds. He launched the ball, albeit primarily to his pull-side, and showed that he is more than capable of doing damage despite some inconsistencies in his swing.
The biggest knock on Vukovich is defense at the next level. He threw well from the outfield and infield, posting velocities of 95 mph and 89 mph, respectively. His mechanics from both spots are a bit awkward and raw, but Vukovich is an elite athlete with plenty of room to improve his game regardless of the position he’ll be playing at. Expect someone to take a chance on the 6-foot-5 Vukovich somewhat early in the draft.
Mackenzie Wainwright, OF, St. Edward, Ohio State commit
Wainwright was a somewhat known prospect entering the Super 60, but every single scout in attendance knows who he is after the display that he put on during both his batting practice rounds. Wainwright absolutely mashed, crushing everything in sight and showcasing true plus power. His swing is smooth and he was consistently in sync with his upper and lower half. The ball screams off his bat and the potential for him to be a legit power threat at the next level is real.
Wainwright is likely locked into a corner outfield role, but don’t mistake him as a pushover athlete. He ran a 6.94 60-yard dash as a 6-foot, 215-pound machine and threw 91 mph from the outfield. The athleticism and arm strength should allow him to play either role moving forward, but right field seems like a better fit for him.
Ryan Targac, SS, Halletsville, Texas A&M commit
Targac was one of a handful of switch hitters that impressed at the event. He ran a 6.97 60-yard dash, posted an exit velocity of 95 mph off the tee, and threw 89 mph across the infield. At the plate, Targac showed clear feel for himself from both sides of the plate. He’s a true switch hitter that shouldn’t have a problem continuing that at the next level. Targac showed a short, simple swing with bat speed that consistently sprayed line drives to all fields with smooth rhythm through contact.
Defensively, Targac showed a steady base with reliable hands and the ability to throw from multiple arm slots. He topped out at 89 mph across the infield but the arm strength isn’t quite there yet. A future at second base may be likely, but don’t rule him sticking at shortstop out by any means. Targac is trending up after his performance this weekend.
Werner Blakely, SS, Detroit Edson, Auburn commit
Blakely’s stock was on the way up after he grew a bit and filled out his wiry 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame this off-season. There’s still plenty of room for him to mature and continue to add muscle, which makes Blakely such an enticing prospect. An above-average athlete with 6.86 wheels, Blakely is just getting started.
Blakely showed well in his batting practice rounds, displaying a smooth swing that explodes at contact with the baseball. There is a pretty clear arm bar in his load, but Blakely’s bat speed and ability to stay inside the baseball indicate that it may not be a problem. Add more power projection to an improving hit tool and the finished product could be something special.
A smooth defender with advanced actions in the field, Blakely’s glove is enough for him to stick at shortstop, but the arm strength may not be there. A move over to second base or corner outfield may be coming sooner rather than later, but athletes of his caliber tend to make smooth transitions when moving off their natural position. Some could argue that Blakely is raw and may benefit from going to college for the development, but nobody will argue that the finished product can’t be something special.
Kade Kern, OF, Archbold, Ohio State commit
Kern entered the Super 60 as an unranked prospect in PBR’s top 500 high school prospects, but his all-around performance proved he’s more than deserving of finding himself on that list. Kern ran the third-fastest 60-yard dash at 6.61, threw 94 mph from the outfield, and recorded an exit velocity of 102 mph off a tee, too.
At the plate, Kern starts his swing with his hands in a strong hitting position, driving them through the zone to consistently spray line drives towards his pull-side. He does have a tad bit of hesitation in his hands prior to starting his swing, but the ball jumps off his bat and he doesn’t try to do too much at the plate. Defensively, Kern showed plus arm strength that regularly produced accurate 90+ mph throws to home plate. His athleticism suggests that he could stick in center field moving forward. If that’s the case, Kern could be a super athletic center fielder with an advanced hit tool when it’s all said and done.
Mark Black, C, Serra Catholic, St. John’s commit
There were plenty of talented catchers at the Super 60, but Black put together arguably the most well-rounded performance of the group. Black started off the event with a blast, punishing the baseball to his pull-side and showing off the big time power in his bat. There’s clear bat speed and strength in his 5-foot-11, 205 pound frame. I’m not entirely sure what the hit tool looks like, but there’s no denying that Black does have some real raw power in his swing.
Defensively, Black consistently popped 1.90-2.00 and delivered accurate throws across the bag. He doesn’t necessarily profile as a catcher long-term and moving him to a corner role may be better suited for him moving forward. His bat is going to be his calling card moving forward regardless of where he plays on the diamond.
Ty Hodge, SS/OF, A&M Consolidated, Texas A&M commit
The lone 2021 prospect in attendance, Hodge put together a strong overall performance and stood out, regardless of age, as one of this year’s Super 60’s top players. Hodge ran a 6.53 60-yard dash and posted an exit velocity of 101 mph, both of which were amongst the event’s best.
Hodge’s swing is aggressive and has a ton of moving parts in it, but there’s some real juice in his bat when he’s in sync and on time. The damage that he did to his pull-side when he was on time was absolutely ridiculous, launching baseballs into orbit and showcasing real raw power. There have to be concerns as to how he’ll hit velocity or spin because of the movement going on in his swing, but there’s no denying the talent in his swing.
Defensively, Hodge showed steady hands and solid footwork, but nothing over the top. Moving him to left field or second base would maximize what you’ll get out of him with the glove. Hodge is certainly a name to follow in the 2021 class.
Magdiel Cotto, LHP, Nation Ford, South Carolina commit
Cotto had some draft buzz entering Super 60 weekend, but his performance on stage skyrocketed his stock entering his senior season. A physical 6-foot-4, 230 pound southpaw, Cotto has a durable starter’s build that looks like it can hold up over the duration of a season. He works from an over-the-top slot with a loose arm action and there aren’t many mechanical flaws in his delivery.
Cotto consistently pounded the zone with 93-94 mph fastballs and topped out at 95 mph with clear command on both sides of the plate. He showed legit feel for both his changeup and slider, the latter likely coming as his swing-and-miss weapon in game. There’s real potential for him to have three above-average pitches in three or four years down the road and a southpaw throwing 93-95 mph consistently is certainly going to turn heads. He was the biggest winner on the pitching side of the event.
Ben Hernandez, RHP, De La Salle, UIC commit
Hernandez entered the Super 60 as one of the top pitching prospects in the country and he should continue to climb up draft boards after his performance at the event. Hernandez checked in at roughly 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds with a strong, athletic build.
The UIC commit regularly hit 95 mph with his fastball and did so with ease as it looked like he was playing catch during his entire bullpen. He featured a bugs-bunny like changeup that sat between 85-87 mph with ridiculous movement that could one day be a true 70-grade offering. The biggest knock on Hernandez has always been his inability to spin a breaking pitch, and while he did show some improvements with a newly featured slider, there’s still plenty to go until he has a reliable breaking ball. With how good professional teams are at developing breaking balls now it’s very possible that Hernandez could overcome that obstacle sooner rather than later. Expect him to be a top 50 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft come June.
Tyler Chadwick, RHP, Marshall, West Virginia commit
Arguably the second best arm in the Midwest, Chadwick continues to cement himself as a top five-round pick in the draft come June. He boasts a lean, projectable 6-foot-5, 210 pound frame that should continue to mature as he gets older.
Chadwick’s fastball velocity wasn’t at peak form, sitting between 90-92 mph and topping out at 93 mph, but it was effortless coming out of his hand with ease. His changeup is firm at 84-86 mph, but he throws it with fastball arm speed and it should be at least an average pitch when it’s all said and done. The go-to secondary pitch for Chadwick is his breaking ball that shows sharp bite and works from the same arm slot as his fastball. He’s on the rise and the chances that he makes it to West Virginia are getting smaller.
Storm Hierholzer, RHP, Lake Travis, TCU commit
An athletic 6-foot-2, 205 pound right-hander with more room to mature, Hierholzer showed well in his bullpen at the Super 60. Hierholzer works quick on the mound with an accelerated delivery that gets right to the point. He works from a long, high 3/4 arm slot with a loose and free arm.
Hierholzer’s fastball sat between 92-93 mph, touching 94 mph and jumping into the zone. His breaking ball is his best secondary pitch, showing sharp bite and tunneling well with his fastball because he releases it from the same point as his fastball. Hierholzer’s changeup is firm, playing at 84-86 mph and working primarily down in the zone. His loose arm action and projectable build suggest that there’s more velocity left in the tank, and Hierholzer could be someone who continues to trend upward as his high school season progresses.
Trey Frahm, RHP, Elkhorn, Kansas State commit
Frahm was a pop up arm at the Super 60, entering the event as one of the back-end pitching prospects in the 2020 high school class. He’s a 6-foot, 220 pound strong right-hander with not much projection left but the type of durable build that can hold up over a the course of a season. Frahm throws from a high 3/4 slot with a low arm action and does a great job of incorporating his lower half throughout his delivery. He’s confident in himself on the mound, working with smooth rhythm and not getting out of sync.
Frahm’s fastball sat between 90-92 mph before he let it rip on his final pitch and touched 96 mph, tying the showcase record set last year. He pounded the zone with his fastball and paired it with a tight breaking ball that sat between 73-74 mph, which he also threw for strikes. Frahm also showed a firm changeup that he throws with fastball arm speed and plays at 83-87 mph.
Shawn Guilliams, RHP, Villages Charter, North Florida commit
Guilliams entered the Super 60 as the lowest-ranked PBR prospect at the showcase. He left Chicago as one of the biggest winners of the showcase, putting together an impressive bullpen performance. Guilliams sports a highly projectable, athletic 6-foot-2, 175 pound frame that could add roughly 10-15 pounds of muscle to it by this time next season. He throws from a long, loose, high 3/4 arm slot with clean mechanics and a strong use of his lower leg drive.
Guilliams pounded the zone with his fastball, sitting 91-92 mph consistently throughout his bullpen. His changeup is firm, playing at 85-87 mph, but he throws it with near fastball arm speed and it showed natural arm-side run. His 11/5 breaking ball is his best secondary pitch, playing at 77-79 mph with sharp bite and real swing-and-miss potential. Guilliams has more left in the tank and it’s not out of the question for him to throw anywhere between 94-96 mph some day. He’s an arm on the rise and should get plenty of exposure to professional scouts in Florida this spring.
Nicholas Chittum, RHP, Grosse Ile, Eastern Michigan commit
Chittum came into the event outside of PBR’s top 500 prep prospects. He showed well in his bullpen, showing an athletic delivery with little mechanical flaws. His arm action is long, but his arm plays loose and free from a near over-the-top slot.
Chittum’s fastball sat between 92-93 mph, flashing arm-side run and the ability to shoot the knees as well. His changeup is thrown with fastball arm speed, showing natural downward actions and playing at 85-87 mph. The most impressive thing about Chittum was his ability to spin both his curveball and slider. The former showed 12/6 break and played at 77-80 mph, while the latter worked on a more lateral plane with tight spin and sat between 83-85 mph. His slider may end up being his swing-and-miss pitch because it tunnels well with his fastball and doesn’t appear to be easy for opposing hitters to pick up. Chittum could potentially have at least three above-average pitches, with the changeup grading out as at least average. Keep your eyes on him moving forward.