Time to wrap up the hitting side of Data Darlings for Signature September with a look at the big boys. Our tenth annual New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Main Event — held at Target Field, big league home of the Minnesota Twins — featured quite a few bats who more than looked the part of getting to play there again one day.
But did the data match?
Let’s look at game play data for three significant categories, all a very, very small part of what we have available from both this and the trio of events held at Mississippi State University earlier in the month.
Average Exit Velocity — Lane Johnson (pictured), 100.1 MPH
A University of Virginia commit, Johnson somehow delivered a very under the radar performance during his FSS debut at our National Combine, despite two hard-hit singles on the second day of the event at the University of Houston. Johnson had two of the top ten hardest hit balls in Minnesota, smacking the one you see below at 99.1 MPH, and another at 101.08 MPH for a loud showing as he continues to see his stock rise for the upcoming 2027 MLB Draft.
Highest Exit Velocity — Sammy Echeverry, 105.4 MPH
Echeverry is a Texas Tech commit who has a right-now frame at six-foot-three and 275 pounds as a right-handed hitting C/1B. He has the exit velos to match the physique; he delivered the hardest-hit ball that ended up in fair territory with an absolute missile back up the middle at 105.49 MPH for a base hit for the Columbia squad. It should be noted that Dami Munoz cracked the 107 MPH barrier with the hardest-hit ball regardless of outcome.
Longest Distance — Brody Eisert, 402 feet
You may think that Jordan Albarado’s homer was the furthest-hit baseball at Target Field at our Main Event. Nope. Top five, but nope.
That honor would belong to Brody Eisert’s 402 foot very, very long double off the very top of the fence in left center, somehow staying in play for a long double. It should be no surprise that Johnson (369 feet) and Echeverry (357 feet) were second and third on the list, respectively, while Roman Derichsweiler, who had a very, very good event, ended up in fourth place with a 345 foot poke to the grass.
Albarado’s homer travelled 337 feet to land him in the fifth spot for the weekend.
About New Balance Future Stars Series
New Balance Future Stars Series is a global platform for amateur baseball development and scouting, powered by a commitment to impact, integrity, and player-focused innovation. Its alumni can be found throughout professional baseball, and its events and partnerships have reshaped how talent is identified, nurtured, and celebrated.
Connect with New Balance Future Stars Series by visiting our website, www.futurestarsseries.com, by visiting our YouTube page, and by checking out the social media channels listed below.
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Since 2003, he has six World Series and has worked high-profile events ranging from the MLB All-Star Game to the World Baseball Classic. In addition to his role working for the Future Stars Series that he's held since 2017, Ashmore currently serves as the beat writer of the Double-A New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, as well as national hockey writer and New York Jets game day beat reporter for The Trentonian.
A regular contributor to Baseball America, Ashmore has worked eight Super Bowls, 13 Stanley Cup Finals, the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NBA Playoffs, the NCAA D1 Men's Basketball Tournament, College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Frozen Four, Daytona 500, major UFC events and much more as he approaches 3,300 games covered in his career.
An avid trading card enthusiast and motorsports fan, he lives with his wife, Sarah, their son, future No. 1 overall draft pick in 2042, William, their beloved dog, Bailey, and occasionally well-behaved cat, Smokey.
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