On Thursday, March 5th, the ScoutConnect staff traveled to Arsenal BG Ballpark in Sauget, Illinois, to take in a JUCO double-header matchup between Jefferson College and St. Louis CC. Continue reading below to learn more about a few players that stood out to our staff from the day within these ‘Scout Notes’. 

JEFFERSON COLLEGE

Dane Gray, MIF, Sophomore
Uncommitted. Athletic with compact strength throughout, hit out of the leadoff spot and started at second base for the Vikings. Had a pair of singles in both games; went backside off the barrel after working a deep count in game one, kicked off game two with a barreled single through the middle of the field. Short path to contact with a level barrel through the zone, doesn’t try to do too much and covers the whole plate. Understands the strike zone and doesn’t swing-and-miss in zone much either. Top-of-the-order table setter type that’s still on the market. 

Dane Gray

Baden Hackworth, OF/CIF, Sophomore
Georgia Southern commit. Mature, physical right-handed hitter that hit out of the two-hole and started in right field in both games. Long through the zone on an uphill path, leverages the baseball out front with easy, high-impact strength at contact. Hit a pair of home runs in game one, neither of which were on the barrel, a testament to his inherent bat strength. Sent one over the center field wall earlier, went down and flicked a home run to right-center field later on. Jumped on a pitch late in game two for a hard backside double to right-center field. A true middle-of-the-order type impact bat that should be an anchor for this Vikings’ lineup throughout this season. 

Baden Hackworth

Austin Evans, OF, Sophomore
Uncommitted. Hit out of the three-hole in both games of this double-header, DH’d in game one and played left field in game two. Finished the day with three hits – singled through the middle in game one, had a pair of pull-side home runs in game two. Loose, fluid, and clean left-handed swing that stays through the zone on a level plane and allows him to backspin the baseball consistently. 

Austin Evans

Hayden Boyd, RHP, Sophomore
Uncommitted. Strong, well-proportioned frame that holds physicality throughout. Got the start for the Vikings in game one and earned the win, punching out seven over 5 ⅔ innings of work, allowing two earned runs on five hits, walking two. Drop/drive delivery with tempo, stays connected to his backside and works with intent through front footstrike. Arm plays with some length and reach on the backside, finishes out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball touched 91 mph twice in the second inning, played at 87-90 mph with late carry at the top of the zone, occasionally took off on him and showed ride/run traits. Spun tight slider with depth at 76-79 mph. Showed feel to land it for strikes consistently early, able to manipulate the spin to have sharper, more lateral tilt for swing-and-miss as he went on. Also flashed a straight changeup at 80-81 mph. 

Hayden Boyd

Kayden Kohlberg, RHP, Sophomore
Uncommitted. Athletic frame that holds strength throughout. Came out of the ‘pen to record the final four outs in the Vikings’ game one win, allowing one walk, with no hits, and induced a game-ending double play. Works from a simple, balanced, and in-line delivery with a long arm swing that finishes out of an over-the-top slot. Does throw with high effort, power reliever vibe. True four seam carry on fastball at 90-92 mph, will play at a high level and grab consistent whiffs at the top of the zone. Did show a curveball at 74-75 mph with big shape, used it sparingly. One of the top relief arms still on the market in Missouri’s JUCO scene. 

Kayden Kohlberg

Levi Jeffries, RHP, Sophomore 
Uncommitted. Tall, long, lean-levered frame, square shoulders. Started on the mound in game two and earned the win, firing five hitless innings with three free passes and six strikeouts. Works only from the stretch, landing across his body and launching from a ¾ slot, making for a tough look on hitters. Fastball played at 81-83 mph, able to interchange on both corners of the plate. Showed consistent feel for a big, sweeping slider at 73-75 mph, landed it for strikes and proved to be his best pitch in this look. 

Levi Jeffries

Brady Creech, MIF, Sophomore
Uncommitted. Hit out of the nine-hole and started at shortstop in both games. Has continued to show to our staff that he’s capable of sticking on the left side of the infield at the next level. Showed clean, sure-handed glovework, able to make all of the routine plays. Charged a run through play in game one, stayed balanced and through the baseball, and made an athletic play to throw out a runner at first base. An uncommitted up-the-middle sophomore that’s going to provide stability defensively at the next level. 

Andrew Sands, C/1B, R-Freshman 
Uncommitted. Strong, physically mature right-handed hitter that hit cleanup for JeffCo in both games. Continues to show real middle-of-the-order impact at the plate, had a handful of loud barrels on the day. Worked a deep count in his first at-bat of game one and went down in the zone to barrel a 87 mph fastball through the left side of the infield for a single. Jumped all over a pitch to start off game two, hammering it to straight away center field for a loud lineout. Pulled his hands on an inner-half slider later on in game two and sent it to left field for a ground-rule double that sparked a five run top of the sixth inning for JeffCo. Receives well behind the plate, glove works down-to-up with the ability to consistently steal the lower zone strike. 

Brady Vessells, C/1B, Freshman 
Uncommitted. Physical, athletic, tooled-up freshman backstop that played first base in game one and caught game two, hit out of the six hole in both games. Short hand draw at load, rotates quickly with high intent through his lower half. Above-average bat speed, short path through the zone on an uphill plane. Doesn’t get cheated and isn’t afraid to get his hacks off. Had a home run in both games, both of them to the backside, including a no-doubt, moonshot out of the stadium to right field in game two. 

Brady Vessells

ST. LOUIS CC

Mason Mitchell, RHP, Sophomore
Uncommitted. Lean, wiry frame with room to continue adding. Took the ball in game two and turned in a quality effort for the Archers, punching out 10 over 5 ⅓ innings of work, allowing four runs on three hits with two walks. Simple, stretch-only delivery, stays balanced and repeats in line. Arm plays short and tight on the backside, finishing out of a higher ¾ slot with some arm speed out front. Primarily pitched backwards in this look, fastball played at 83-85 mph. Did an excellent job of changing speeds and keeping his opposition off balance. Confident with advanced strike feel for a tight slider with some two-plane break at 76-78 mph. Threw a short, tight cutter at 80-81 mph wherever he wanted on repeat, favored the glove-side corner down in the zone. A competitive, athletic strike-thrower with feel for three pitches that’s still uncommitted. 

Mason Mitchell

Nick Bonczkowski, 1B/OF, Sophomore 
UMSL commit. Physical, muscled-up right-handed bat that hit cleanup and started at first base in both games for the Archers. Has been on a tear to start the spring, hitting .476 in 42 at-bats with five home runs and a 1.534 OPS. Totaled three hits on the day, finishing 2-for-3 in game one with a double and driving in St. Louis’ only run in game two on a double in the seventh inning. Strong hands at the plate with the ability to keep his barrel through the zone and impact the baseball out front. A potential middle-of-the-order bat at the next level that’s primed for continued success this spring. 

Mac Floyd, OF, Sophomore
Uncommitted. Athletic frame that holds strength, hit out of the three-hole and started in right field for St. Louis CC. Is another Archer off to an impressive start to the season, hitting .422 with five home runs and a 1.416 OPS. Had a pair of hits in yesterday’s look; stayed on a slider early in game one and sprayed it to center field for a single, doubled in game two. Showed above-average arm strength from the outfield in game. 

Mac Floyd

Eddie A’Hearn, RHP, R-Freshman 
Uncommitted. Strong, broad-shouldered frame, thick lower half. Took the ball for the Archers in game one of the series, striking out eight over five innings of work. Works from the stretch, sets slightly open, athletic leg drift to footstrike, does glide towards the first base side at times. Arm works short and tight on the backside, coming out of a more compact high ¾ window. Fastball played straight at 85-88 mph, best on the glove side corner. Consistently spun a tight slider with sharp spin and depth at 76-78 mph, grabbed multiple in-zone and out of zone whiffs with it. Showed above-average feel for a sinking changeup early in the outing at 80-81 mph. 

Eddie A’Hearn

Luke Seiler, INF, Freshman 
Uncommitted. Started at second base and hit out of the nine hole in both games for the Archers. Had a productive showing in game one, finding the barrel twice for a two-run home run and a hard backside single. Short, compact right-handed swing, doesn’t try to do too much.