Barrington
Broncos (Barrington, Ill.)
Top
Prospects (Position, Class, PG National Rank):
• Mitch
Pfeiffer (OF/IF, 2015, High Follow)
• Casey
Dodge (C/3B, 2015, Follow)
• Anthony
DeLaurentis (P/INF, 2015)
• Jimmy
Day (OF/IF, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Brooks
Gosswein (LHP, 2017)
Pitching:
The
Barrington Broncos return a deep pitching staff from a successful
2014 season, despite losing class of 2014 senior Wyatt Trautwein, who
was second on the team in innings pitched last season. Senior
righthander Anthony DeLaurentis will once again be the ace of the
staff, as he opens 2015 coming off of a junior campaign that saw him
lead the Broncos in innings pitched and strikeouts. Also returning
will be junior Jake Zyda, a 6-foot, 195-pound prospect who led the
Broncos’ starters in ERA and WHIP in 2014. Also expected to feature
heavily on the mound this season will be sophomore lefty Brooks
Gosswein, who will be making his varsity debut as the only sophomore
on the team.
Offense:
The
Broncos are led offensively by a pair of seniors in High Follow
prospect Mitch Pfeiffer and Follow list member Casey Dodge. Pfeiffer
triple slashed an impressive .379/.483/.460 last season, and will be
back at the top of the order. He will play all over the field for
Head Coach Patrick Wire. Dodge will play behind the plate as well as
some infield, and he posted a respectable .286 batting average in
2014. Top 1,000 junior Jimmy Day, an Evansville commit, will
presumably be the everyday center fielder and hit in the middle of
the order.
Synopsis:
This
is a veteran team, and despite suffering some losses to graduation,
the Broncos will head into the Louisville Slugger Select Classic with
a roster loaded with talent as well as veteran experience to go with
it. Their team is deep all around, and should be a very tough out in
this event.
Bob
Jones Patriots (Madison, Ala.)
Top
Prospects:
• Zac
Duvall (SS/RHP, 2016)
• Luke
Whaley (RHP, 2016)
• Trammel
Shepherd (OF/RHP/3B, 2016)
• Ford
Luttrell (RHP, 2017)
Pitching:
The
Patriots of Bob Jones High School will head to Northern Georgia with
a deep stable of arms, several of which can work in the mid- to
upper-80s. Junior righty Luke Whaley will lead the way on the mound,
and he’ll throw his fastball in the 84-86 mph range while touching
higher when needed, and complementing it all with solid off-speed
stuff. Sophomore Ford Luttrell will also see significant time on the
bump, as he might have the best pure stuff on the team. He can work
with a fastball in the 85-87 range while touching close to 90, and
Head Coach David Langston describes his slider as “plus,” all
while being an excellent overall athlete. Junior righty Zac Duvall
should also see plenty of time on the mound for the Patriots.
Offense:
When
not pitching, Zac Duvall will lead the way defensively for Bob Jones,
as he’s a two-year starter already at shortstop and is still only a
junior. He’ll hit in the middle of the order and help to pace the
offense. Joining him will be junior Trammel Shepherd, sort of a
super-utility player who can play anywhere on the diamond, mostly in
the outfield and corner infield, and is a two-year starter as well.
Both Luke Whaley and Ford Luttrell, when not pitching, can play in
the everyday lineup.
Synopsis:
Despite
a somewhat rocky start to the 2015 season, Bob Jones will bring a
talented group to the Louisville Slugger Select Classic. They have a
good group of quality arms who can compete with the best, and a deep
pool of positional players who can lead the team both offensively and
defensively. They could be very fun to watch.
Hale
County Wildcats (Greensboro, Ala.)
Top
Prospects:
• Kyle
Cameron (RHP, 2015, Top 500)
• Danny
Coleman (OF, 2015)
• Deacon
Medders (RHP/UT, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Grayson
Stegall (OF/RHP, 2016)
• Colton
Kelley (1B, 2016)
• Blake
Williams (SS/UT, 2016)
• Brady
Milligan (C/RHP, 2016)
Pitching:
The
Wildcats are led on the mound by 6-foot-5 senior Kyle Cameron, a
University of Alabama signee, who set an Alabama High School State
record in 2014 with 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. He
works with a fastball in the upper-80s, draws praise for his big time
projectability and rounds out his arsenal with a quality
curveball/changeup combo. Junior righty Deacon Medders, a fellow
Alabama commit, will also get up into the upper-80s with his heater
and features a deep 12-to-6 curveball to go with it. He has drawn
professional interest as a pitcher, but he also hit .472 last season
and was an All-State selection in center field. Rounding out the
rotation is junior Brady Milligan, a primary catcher who serves as
the team’s No. 3 starter. Coming out of the 'pen for Hale County
are a pair of juniors in Grayson Stegall and Blake Williams. Stegall
serves as the closer, where his upper-80s fastball and slider
combination can be lethal.
Offense:
Medders
and Stegall will lead the way offensively for the Wildcats, as both
show significantly high ceilings as pitchers as well as positional
players. Medders will play center field and shortstop, while Stegall
will patrol a corner outfield spot. Brady Milligan does the majority
of the catching, and he’s a true field general and leader who
handles the pitching staff very well. Junior first baseman Colton
Kelley hits cleanup and provides significant power from the left
side. Danny Coleman has a legitimate power/speed combo that plays
well in the outfield and at the plate, and he’s beginning to
develop into a true stud. Blake Williams can play all over the
diamond, and will probably do just that at this event.
Synopsis:
This
is a very deep, talented team with several high-end, Division I
and/or professional prospects. They are very talented on the mound
with several arms who can bring the heat, and their offense is a true
force to be reckoned with. They could be the odds-on favorite to win
the whole thing.
North
Jackson Chiefs (Stevenson, Ala.)
Top
Prospects:
• Tothan
Matthews (2016, C, Top 1,000)
• Seth
Selby (2016, P/OF)
• Chase
Darnell (2016, IF/OF)
• Brody
Grider (2016, OF)
• Brett Barbee (2016, P/SS)
• Dylan
Barbee (2017, P)
Pitching:
The
North Jackson Chiefs will head into this event with a deep stable of
junior arms, led by Seth Selby and Brett Barbee. They are joined on
the staff by fellow juniors Hunter Maynor and Ryan Seale, as well as
sophomore Dylan Barbee. The Chiefs have had a successful start to
their season, checking in with a record of 9-3, thanks to their
pitching staff which has held opponents to less than four runs per
game. They will look to continue this success in the Louisville
Slugger Select Classic.
Offense:
The
offense is where North Jackson really shines, as they have scored
eight or more runs in nine of their 12 contests so far, and
double-digit runs in six of those games. They have done an excellent
job scoring runs as a team and are led by several juniors who both
pitch and play in the everyday lineup as well. Top 1,000 prospect
Tothan Matthews is the everyday catcher for the Chiefs, and he hits
in the heart of the order as well. Brett Barbee and Seth Selby, in
addition to their prowess on the mound, will play shortstop and
outfield, respectively, when not toeing the slab. Also contributing
on offense are junior Chase Darnell, who can play all over the field,
and junior outfielder Brody Grider.
Synopsis:
As
one can easily see, the majority of this team is comprised of
juniors, with maybe a sophomore or two sprinkled into the mix. They
are heavily laden with upperclassmen, but it’s still a
mostly-junior team, so it will be interesting to see how Head Coach
Mike Wallace rallies his troops at this event. They haven’t had
any problems scoring runs so far this season so we’ll see if that
trend continues this week in Georgia.
Prairie
View Thunderhawks (Henderson, Colo.)
Top
Prospects:
• Carter
Hogan (RHP/CF, 2015)
• Clay
Davis (C/1B, 2015, High Follow)
• Joey
Lubick (OF, 2015)
• Parker
Valentine (SS, 2016)
• Justin
McClanahan (LHP, 2016)
• Johnny
Ramirez (RHP, 2016)
Pitching:
The
Thunderhawks will head to Georgia with a solid nucleus of pitching,
built around senior righthander Carter Hogan, a Dodge City CC signee.
Hogan stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 185-pounds, oozing projection
from his frame and build. He can work his fastball in the low- to
mid-80s while generating good downhill plane from an over-the-top
slot and extending well into his release. He complements his fastball
with a solid curveball and developing changeup. Joining him on the
staff are a pair of juniors in lefthander Justin McClanahan and
righthander Johnny Ramirez. McClanahan is crafty, showing an ability
to mix and match with several pitches while commanding to all four
quadrants of the strike zone, and Head Coach Tim Cardenas says that
Justin has done an excellent job developing all of his off-speed
pitches into quality offerings. Johnny Ramirez is a strong kid,
standing 6-feet and weighing in at 210-pounds, and he attacks hitters
with a bulldog mentality and truly understands how to compete on the
mound.
Offense:
In
addition to leading the pitching staff, Carter Hogan will be an
integral part of the Prairie View offensive attack. He can play
center field or third base, and he shows off impressive athleticism
and speed to go along with interesting offensive tools. The headliner
of the positional players is senior catcher Clay Davis, a Colorado
Mesa signee. Davis is a big kid, listed at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, but
retains excellent athleticism despite the size. He has popped in the
sub-2.00 second range at PG events, and his strong arm behind the
plate helps to neutralize opponents’ running games. He may also be
the best power threat on the roster, as his swing comes with leverage
and natural lift and is tailored for power. Joining those two in the
everyday lineup are senior Joey Lubick and junior Parker Valentine.
Lubick will hit towards the top of the lineup and play the outfield
where his consistency and gap-to-gap power benefit both the
Thunderhawks offense and defense. Valentine is the everyday
shortstop, where his range and quality handwork make him an excellent
defender.
Synopsis:
The
Thunderhawks have a well-balanced team top to bottom, with good depth
throughout both the rotation and lineup. Hogan and Davis lead the way
as seniors, but this is a team that will get contributions from
nearly everyone wearing the uniform.
Somerset
Academy Panthers (Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
Top
Prospects:
• Mike
Van Degna (1B/OF/RHP, 2015, Top 500)
• Derek
Cartaya (SS/2B, 2016, 488)
• Luis
Chavez (C, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Jack
Khawly (3B, 2016, 224)
• Kenny
Moreno-Costa (OF, 2016)
• Juan
Teixeira (OF/2B, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Brandon
Valentin (RHP, 2016)
Pitching:
Head
Coach Onel Garcia has several two-way players he can deploy at
anytime, but his ace in the hole is junior righthander Brandon
Valentin. Coach Garcia said that Valentin has made a significant
velocity jump, and is now working at 85-88 mph with a sharp slider
that will surely be fun to watch in this event. Senior righthander
Mike Van Degna, a Campbell signee, is primarily a position player but
will be counted on to throw quality innings as well. Listed at
6-foot-3, 225-pounds, Van Degna is undoubtedly strong, and his
fastball can work in the mid- to upper-80s.
Offense:
Offense
has been the Panthers’ calling card so far in 2015, as despite
their 4-7 record, they've been scoring around 6-7 runs per contest.
Van Degna hits in the middle of the order and shows legitimate power
from his strong build. He can play in the outfield or at first base
with solid athleticism and good arm strength. Middle infielder Derek
Cartaya will hit at the top of the lineup, where his sub-7.00 second
60-yard dash time and advanced on-base skills make him an ideal
leadoff hitter. Junior Luis Chavez will do most of the catching, as
his strong arm and ideal mechanics allowed him to pop an absurd 1.75
at the National Underclass Main Event Showcase. Rounding out the
lineup will be third baseman Jack Khawly, the 224th overall junior in the country, who combines solid defense with
outstanding offensive potential, highlighted by a very fast and short
stroke that has legitimate power behind it. Junior Juan Teixeira will
play either second base or in the outfield, and he comes into 2015
after hitting .370 as a sophomore last season.
Synopsis:
The
Panthers of Somerset Academy play in arguably one of the toughest
districts in the baseball heaven that is South Florida, where
perennial powerhouses Archbishop McCarthy and Flanagan call home.
Don't be fooled by their average start to the season, as this is a
talented team loaded with offensive firepower who can score a lot of
runs in a hurry. They will be fun to watch.