GRB Top Prospect Camp Review
By Spencer Flaten, lead writer
Players had a chance to showcase their ability last weekend at the GRB Academy Top Prospect Camp through a variety of drills and workouts. Today we’ll take a look at the camp’s top performers physically, on the mound, and with the bat.
Speed/Agility
Players had a chance to showcase their speed out of the batter’s box in the home to first drill. The top five looked like this:
1. Zach Gilles (McDonnell Central junior): 3.95 seconds
2. Matt Emmer (Menomonee Falls junior): 4.10 seconds
3. Two tied- Hunter Rolain (Appleton North junior) and Ben Carew (Kimberly junior): 4.15 seconds
4. Two tied- Brady Drettwan (Appleton West junior) and Jack Maastricht (Sun Prairie junior): 4.19 seconds
5. Tyler Osterday (Oconomowoc junior): 4.20 seconds
Infield velocity
Infielders showcased their arm strength across the diamond in this drill. The velocities of their throws were measured, and these were the top five:
1. Adam LaRock (Eau Claire North junior): 87 MPH
2. Taylor Borchers (Appleton North junior): 86 MPH
3. Alec Trela (Normal Community [Illinois] junior): 85 MPH
4. Ben Carew (Kimberly junior): 84 MPH
5. Grant Frazer (Oconto junior): 83 MPH
Outfield velocity
Much like the infielders did in the infield velocity drill, outfielders had the velocities of their throws measured. Here were the top five performers:
1. Adam LaRock (Eau Claire North junior): 92 MPH
2. Joe Acker (Marquette University HS junior): 89 MPH
3. Two tied- Alec Morrison (Middleton junior) and Randon Dauman (Columbus freshman): 82 MPH
4. Ben Bergman (Eau Claire Memorial junior): 81 MPH
5. Two tied- Cooper Kelly (Edgewood sophomore) and Teagan Heilman (Sun Prairie sophomore): 80 MPH
Catcher pop times
Catchers had their pop time (the time it takes them to throw to a base out of the crouch) measured, and several had very impressive results. The top five were as follows:
1. Jake Marsh (Wayzata [Minnesota] junior): 1.89 seconds
2. Jeffery Holtz (Arrowhead freshman): 1.90 seconds
3. Two tied- Logan Michaels (DeForest junior) and Tyler Osterday (Oconomowoc junior): 1.94 seconds
4. Cody Roush (Dubuque Hempstead [Iowa] junior): 1.96 seconds
5. Adam Krajewski (Eau Claire Memorial sophomore): 1.97 seconds
Exit velocity off a tee
In this drill, players hit balls off a tee and the velocity of the ball was recorded. Here were the top five velocities:
1. Alec Trela (Normal Community [Illinois] junior): 99 MPH
2. Aaron Mutter (Burlington junior): 95 MPH
3. Two tied- Kevin Brandt (Janesville Craig junior) and Jeffery Holtz (Arrowhead freshman): 92 MPH
4. Two tied- Grant Frazer (Oconto junior) and Donovan Tomony (Madison East junior): 91 MPH
5. Three tied- Joe Acker (Marquette University HS junior), Ben Carew (Kimberly junior), and Nicholas Elsen (Indian Trail sophomore): 90 MPH
Fastball velocity
On the mound, the pitchers threw bullpen sessions and had their velocities measured. Here were the top five fastballs at the camp:
1. Ryan Schmitt (Arrowhead junior): 88 MPH
2. Taylor Borchers (Appleton North junior): 87 MPH
3. Four tied- Keaton Kneuppel (Verona junior), Dillon Nowicki (Stoughton freshman), Jordan Kreuger (Mukwonago junior), and Austin Milbauer (Mukwonago sophomore): 84 MPH
4. Three tied- Kevin Hussey (Columbus junior), Grant Frazer (Oconto junior), and Carter Elliot (Hudson junior): 83 MPH
5. Brad Calkins (Sun Prairie senior): 82 MPH
Overall top performers
Adam LaRock, Eau Claire North junior
LaRock posted the best velocities out of both the infield and outfield players. He also had good exit velocities off the tee (89 MPH batting from the right side, 87 MPH from the left).
Taylor Borchers, Appleton North junior
Borchers had the second fastest fastball at the camp, which clocked in at 87 MPH. He also had the second fastest infield velocity, and posted a good exit velocity off the tee (88 MPH).
Jeffery Holtz, Arrowhead freshman
Holtz, who is just a freshman this year, had the second best pop time at the camp at 1.90 seconds, which is absolutely incredible. Off the tee, he had the 3rd best performance, hitting the ball 92 MPH. He’ll definitely be a talent to follow in the coming years.
Ben Carew, Kimberly junior
Carew did well in every drill he participated in. He was one of the fastest runners from home to first and finished in the top 5 in both infield velocity and exit velocity off the tee.
