01/13/2017 - Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament
Zac continues to show a promising future on the diamond. At 3B, he utilizes his athletic feet well in his lateral movements and displays a solid backhand. He is aggressive and presents soft / sure hands well out front. Hands / feet work well together as he gets rid of the baseball quickly but will benefit by building more arm strength through a long toss program. At the plate, he is aggressive with quick hands working through a level swing path. He works to stay inside the ball, utilizing all fields through a line drive approach. Power will increase as he works to utilize his lower half more efficiently through the swing.
01/15/2016 - Under Armour All-America Pre-Season Tournament
Zac really impressed with his baseball abilities at the Preseason All American event. At the plate, power potential is now at a pro level. Hands are quick (87 mph exit velocity) and work to and through an aggressive swing path, creating extension. He has loose levers and strength in his swing with baseball exploding off the bat when centered and works to stay inside the ball to utilize all fields with gap to gap pop. In the IF, feet are aggressive as he attacks balls and plays through while presenting glove well out front. Hands / feet work well together and he gets rid of the baseball quickly with accuracy on throws. With 2 years to further develop, Zac has the makings of a special type player with tools that will play at the next level.
07/22/2015 - Under Armour Southwest Championships 16U, powered by Baseball Factory's Team One
Zac is a gamer who works hard every day. He is very coachable and wants to get the best out of himself. Defensively at the hot corner, this 3B has quick footwork and smooth actions while presenting his glove out in front. He funnels well and works in-line toward his target at 1B. At the plate, this RHH shows an open stance with good balance. He has an aggressive approach and is looking to swing it. He takes a hack and drives the ball back up the middle of the field. Continuing to stay back (avoid drift forward) will help to get more lower 1/2 drive which will result in even more power at the plate. McNelley (only a 2018 grad) has a ton of upside with still a lot of time to develop his skills.
01/16/2015 - Baseball Factory All-America Pre-Season Rookie Tournament
Zac continues to show well as a corner infielder and RHP'er. Defensively, he gets good reads on balls with the ability to stay low and field from the ground up. He has a smooth, sure glove with quick transfer to his accurate arm. At the plate, Zac is a strong hitter with a balanced, square stance. He tracks the ball into the zone and fires his quick hands to drive the ball to all fields. On the mound, Zac kept hitters off balance with a 2-pitch mix from a hi 3/4 arm slot. He commanded his pitches well and works with a quick tempo that's tough for hitters to keep up with. Zac is a projectable player with room to develop as he enters his freshman year.
01/17/2014 - Baseball Factory All-America Pre-Season Rookie Tournament
Zac is a primary 3B that also pitches. In the infield he has quick feet, sure hands, and good range. He stays under control with his approach and has a quick exchange with his throws. His throws are accurate and they show good carry across the diamond. On the mound he gets to a good balance point, has good extension, and pounds the zone with all his pitches. His fastball has good run and his curve is developing into a solid swing and miss pitch. At the plate, Zac has a smooth load, excellent balance, and a strong lower half. He has a lot of power potential with his swing and showed during games that he can spray the ball to all fields. With his rhythm at the plate, Zac showcased a solid swing with a lot of upside.
01/18/2013 - Baseball Factory Spring Training at the Yankees Training Complex
Zac is a two-way player that plays SS/RHP. Defensively, he shows active feet, sure hands, and good carry to his throws. His fielding position is square and out in front but can work on making sure he centers the ball. Zac can also benefit from agility drills, which will improve his overall foot speed. On the mound, he reaches a controlled balance point, level shoulders, in line direction, and complete finish. He shows the ability to pitch but needs to work on the consistency of his delivery as well as letting the ball go, similar to the way he does in the infield. Offensively, Zac shows great barrel control with the ability to drive the ball to all fields. His hand path is short/quick with solid rhythm. He can work on having more flexion in his front arm as well as getting more use from his lower body. Overall, Zac is a very mature player with good upside, with another year to develop before high school he should turn out to be a special player.