Jack Perkins, Louisville (Aaron Fitt)
Prospect Rundown: Grand Park Summer League All-Star Game
Prospects
INDIANAPOLIS – The inaugural Grand Park College Summer League mid-summer classic was a welcome change of pace for scouts and spectators alike. Fans flocked to push the limits of the allotted 25% capacity at Victory Field, and the event featured an appealing mix of high upside arms and positional depth. As such, we’ve highlighted the following players that stood out from either a scouting or performance perspective. Pitching ultimately outshined the hitters in the contest, as the Red team outlasted the Blue squad 4-2 in a low scoring affair.
Pitchers
Jack Perkins, RHP, Louisville – A highly regarded arm since his days at Kokomo HS (Ind.), Prep Baseball Report pegged Perkins as the 54th best high school prospect in the 2018 draft, though he slid to the 39th round (Braves) thanks to his strong commitment to Louisville. After working primarily out of the pen as a freshman, the righthander was shut down and underwent Tommy John surgery in June of that spring, which caused him to miss the abbreviated 2020 campaign. Athletically built with sloping shoulders, the righthander is balanced and controlled throughout his delivery, with moderate effort in the finish. Working his way back from injury, he sat 91-94 mph with his fastball with spin attributes on the higher side (2500-2600 rpm) which allowed him to get away with pitches up in the zone. His tight, late breaking 81-84 mph slider is also a high spin offering, topping out at 2800 rpm. He struggled with command in this outing, an issue which has haunted him periodically since high school. Perkins should be a leading candidate to slide into the rotation next spring, and he could pitch himself into day one territory if the performance matches the eye test and analytical data.
Click below to subscribe and read more. Our analysis includes players from Oklahoma State, Ohio State, Miami (Ohio), Illinois State, Louisville, Ball State and Indiana.
