At the Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryouts, we use velocity as a measurement to support three tools. Fastball velocity is the obvious one, while raw velocity supports position player arm strength, and bat exit velocity supports raw power.

On Sunday March 8 at the University of Indianapolis, we had one pitcher and one position player reach 90 mph, with three players close on their heels in the upper 80s.

2017 C/OF Kahi”Au Quartero (Avon HS – Avon, IN) reached 90 at the raw velocity station, where players may use any arm stroke or footwork in order to generate as much velocity as possible. Behind the plate, the velocity didn’t translate as well as it did from the outfield — but he still showed enough catch and throw ability to post the only sub-two second pop time of the day, with a 1.97. He is a versatile defender, with respectable 7.12 speed in the 60 yard dash, and a right-handed stroke built for hard contact back up the middle.

2016 RHP/OF, and Indiana University commit, Skylar Szynski worked between 87 and 90 with cut action, touching 90 mph from both the windup and the stretch. His breaking ball had sharp, late break with 11-to-5 shape, while his changeup was an upper 70s offering with cut action similar to his fastball. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he is built solid with broad shoulders, and has some two-way potential.

2016 C William Smithey

At 6.92, Skylar Szynski was among five players to post a sub-seven 60 yard dash. 2016 OF/LHP Jon McGee (Hamilton Southeastern HS – Fishers, IN) posted 6.85 to lead all runners. He was followed by 2016 SS Quenton Wellington (Bishop Chatard HS – Indianapolis, IN) at 6.90, 2017 SS Nick Bandura (Lake Central HS – St. John, IN) at 6.91, and 2016 C William Smithey (Center Grove HS – Greenwood, IN) at 6.98.

William Smithey posted the only other qualifying pop time at 2.00, and led the bat exit velocity category with a mark of 89 mph. 2017 3B Phillip Terrell III (Edgewood HS – Spencer, IN) notched 88 mph off the bat, as did 2017 Logan Young (Shelbyville HS – Shelbyville, IN) — who was listed on the roster as RHP only, but likely has at least some possibility of two-way potential based on exit velocity and raw power. He topped at 83 mph with his fastball and spun a mid-to-upper 60s breaking ball.

With a 60 yard dash of 7.00, 2017 OF Keegan Watson (New Palestine HS – Fountaintown, IN) was right on the heels of the top runners. Similarly, with a mark of 88 mph he was very close to the top of the raw velocity category. At 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, and with the previously stated run and throw abilities, he fits the mold of a “toolsy” outfielder. Since he’s already a little heavier on arm than run, and with a strength / bat speed combo at the plate (his grip strength was well above average at 143 psi left-handed and 133 psi right-handed), he likely fits a right field profile — it seems a good bet for the power to go up as he matures, which usually (but not always) pushes the run tool down.

2016 LHP/1B Braden Scott

The next best fastball came from 2017 RHP Grant Johnson (Lebanon HS – Lebanon, IN) at 85 mph. He reached 84 from the stretch, and showed signs of a quality slider that reached into the low 70s. 2016 RHP Alex Mark (Memorial HS – Elkhart, IN) worked on a downward angle to top at 84 mph, and spun a breaking ball with medium depth up to 74. Also at 84 mph was 2015 SS/RHP Jared Drayton (Richmond HS – Richmond, IN). Drayton topped at 86 mph as recently as February 22, when we saw him at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.

Braden Scott — a 2016 LHP/1B from Shakamak HS in Jasonville, IN — topped at 83 mph, which was best among left-handers. We hadn’t seem him since the September 2013 Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout in Indianapolis, where he topped at 75 from a long and loose arm stroke. His fastball has jumped an impressive eight mph, and he’s also maintained the same well-rounded set of tools we saw before as a position player — such that it is difficult to determine if he has more potential on the mound or as a position player.

The Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout Tour is rolling through all 50 states. Tryouts are held for players ages 12-14 and 14-18. Don’t miss your opportunity to Be Discovered.

Find an Under Armour Baseball Factory National Tryout near you and register online or call (800) 641-4487.