2014 Perfect
Game High School Baseball Preview Index
Southeast
Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee
Big
Tools on Display in the Southeast
Similar
to the 2013 high school class, this years crop of high school talent
shows high end tools all over the field. With eight players from the
region participating in the 2013 Perfect Game All-American Classic
for the East Team, and a couple candidates for this coming year's
Classic, the talent level comes as no surprise.
In
both the 2012 and 2013 MLB Drafts the state of Georgia produced two
premium picks; Byron Buxton to the Twins (No. 2 overall) and Clint
Frazier to the Indians (No. 5). Gainesville outfielder Michael Gettys
is hoping to keep the streak going for the Peach State in 2014. With
some of the loudest tools in the 2014 class, Gettys shows an arm in
the outfield that produces 100 mph throws, runs a 6.4 60-yard dash
and projects for big power.
Looking
ahead a year, both Daz Cameron, currently the top ranked player in
the 2015 class, and fifth ranked Jahmai Jones, look to continue this
trend.
Gettys
isn’t the only player from Georgia that will make noise this
spring, as the state also boasts Michael Chavis, Kel Johnson and
Montrell Marshall. For arms the state has righthanded pitchers Dylan
Cease, Spencer Adams, and lefthanders Mac Marshall, Tucker Baca and
Ryan Avidano, the MV-Pitcher in Jupiter last October at the WWBA
World Championship.
Jump
to Louisiana and the best place to start is St. Thomas More High
School, the top ranked team in the state according to Perfect Game's preseason Top 50 team rankings. Leading the way is Chase
Vallot, another PG All-American who won the Rawlings Home Run
Challenge at the National Showcase last June, and also showed a very
strong arm behind the plate. The St. Thomas More pitching staff is
led by senior Wyatt Marks and 2015s O’Neal Lochridge and Brennan
Breaux, both of whom are LSU commits, while sophomore Mason Templet
is poised to power the offense. On February 22 Barbe High School,
another power in-state powerhouse, travels to St. Thomas More and
should prove to be one of the biggest matchups this spring.
Mississippi
has athleticism throughout the state, starting with PG All-American
middle infielder Ti’Quan Forbes, who is committed to Ole Miss.
DeSoto Central is the top team in the state and will provide scouts a
look at both the present and future. Senior outfielder Clay Casey
transferred in and helps make the middle of their order devastating
as DeSoto also has 2015 Austin Riley, a strong two-way player who
shows big power and also pumps his fastball into the low-90s.
Both
Casey and Riley look to lead DeSoto Central this spring, who will be
participating in the 2014 Perfect Game High School Showdown in early
April.
Two
players who brought home the gold medal last summer with Team USA,
lefthanded pitcher Justus Sheffield and outfielder Lane Thomas, lead
the crop of talent in state of Tennessee. Thomas came on strong at
the end of the summer, showing a powerful arm from both the outfield
and on the mound – topping 91 – as well as posting a 6.63 60-yard
dash time. A University of
Tennessee commit, Thomas is a primary outfielder but could see time
on the mound should he make it onto campus.
Southeast
High School Dream Team
Based
on present tools and position played for high school team
C
- Chase Vallot, Sr. St. Thomas More (La.)
Vallot
showed big tools across the board at the National Showcase — his
first with Perfect Game — and continued to use them throughout the
summer. The loudest tool is his bat with the ball exploding off the
barrel hard to his pull-side, courtesy of his quick hands and strong
build. Behind the plate, Vallot shows top of the line arm strength –
89 mph – with easy carry on his throws to second base. He
simultaneously shows athletic actions and quickness on his feet.
1B
– Isiah Gilliam, Jr. Parkview (Ga.)
Gilliam
is an imposing force standing at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds which
impacts his all around game. By playing with the East Cobb program in
the summer, the Perfect Game staff has been able to watch the growth
in Gilliam, both physically and in game action. A switch hitter,
Gilliam shows strongly from both sides of the plate with a tad more
polish from the right side at present. He is able to drive the ball
from either side, but from the right side is where the ball jumps the
hardest and finds a second gear once in flight. Gilliam shows quick
hands from the left side with equal amounts of power, and is the type
of hitter and overall athlete that even when he doesn’t get good
wood on the ball he manages to muscle it out of the infield. At first
base he shows easy footwork around the bag with soft hands and the
ability to pick throws in the dirt.
It
must be noted that if Kel Johnson played high school baseball in the
spring for a NFHS sanctioned school he would have been the clear
choice. Known widely for his power, Johnson shifted his approach at
the plate during the course of the summer. Rather than being focused
primarily on his pull-side power, he transitioned into a complete
hitter and began to use the whole field. Johnson also demonstrated
his ability to shorten up with two strikes and improved his pitch
recognition in the box.
MIF
- Gregory Deichmann, Sr. Brother Martin (La.)
A
repeat selection for middle infield, Deichmann solidified his spot
this summer as one of the best power hitting middle infielders in the
country. Smooth with his glove and quick on his feet, the PG
All-American and LSU commit shows plenty of arm strength across the
infield to finish plays. Deichmann is a lefthanded hitter who is
able to generate very nice leverage in his swing, driving the ball
with loud contact and the highest level of bat speed. He showed easy
power at the National Showcase last June, and when the ball is
squared up, the opposing defense better be alert.
MIF
- Ti’Quan Forbes, Sr. Columbia (Miss.)
Forbes
is a special kind of athlete. Typically, when a shortstop is 6-foot-4
at 17 years of age, the consensus is that a move to third base is in
his near future. This doesn’t necessarily apply to the Mississippi
commit. Forbes is full of quick-twitch muscle and moves very well on
his feet, showing lateral range to each side. He displays soft hands
and shows good arm strength across that will only get stronger.
Despite his lean frame, Forbes is able to drive the ball deep, thanks
in part to his lightning quick hands and bat speed they generate.
It’s worth noting that Forbes is one of the youngest players in the
2014 class, though you could hardly tell when watching him play.
3B
- Michael Chavis, Sr. Sprayberry (Ga.)
Just
like Michael Gettys, Chavis loves to play the game of baseball and
always gives 100 percent between the white lines. Chavis shows
versatility in the infield, having played all four positions
throughout the summer, and he looked like a natural fit at each one.
However, third base is where he has spent the most time. He shows
enough arm strength across and power in his bat to stay at the hot
corner long-term. The power has been on display at numerous Perfect
Game events, with the loudest of his home runs coming in Jupiter.
There, he drove a fastball over the left-center field fence, coming
down through a windshield of a parked car. Chavis generates his power
from a very simple, yet powerful approach with a fast bat and
explosive hands.
OF
- Daz Cameron, Jr. Eagle’s Landing Christian (Ga.)
The
first of three juniors to make the team, Cameron reminds everybody
why he is the top ranked prospect in the 2015 class each time he
steps on the field. A five-tool player, the 6-foot-1, 186-pound
Cameron shows easy, athletic actions in the outfield and tools that
will keep him in center field at the next level. With 6.6 60 speed,
Cameron covers a vast a mound of ground and shows plus carry on his
throws. However, it's at the plate where Cameron truly shines. He
shows explosive hands with an easy, quick bat that puts a charge into
the ball with regular contact. His power tool has developed nicely
and there is no reason for it not to continue to develop as he
continues to fill out his frame.
OF
– Jahmai Jones, Jr. Wesleyan (Ga.)
After
playing shortstop for most of his career, Jones is making the switch
to center field, a transition that started this fall and will
continue into the spring. A gifted athlete who shows advanced tools
in most facets of the game, Jones will inevitably go through some
growing pains in the outfield. However, he displays more than enough
athleticism and speed (a 6.6 runner) to make him look like a natural
roaming center. Jones consistently gets the barrel to the ball,
creating hard line drive contact with the ability to loft the ball
over the left field fence, thanks to a pair of the quickest hands in
the 2015 class.
OF
– Michael Gettys, Sr. Gainesville (Ga.)
Michael
Gettys has showed that he can do everything on a baseball field and
does it with a very high level of energy. An outfield prospect with
true five-tool potential, Gettys set a National Showcase record with
an outfield throw of 100 mph that followed his 6.43 60-yard dash
time. The bat is as loud as any tool in his arsenal, displaying
lightning fast hands and creates consistent, hard contact to all
fields. The easy, and most common, comparison for Gettys is fellow
Peach State outfielder and 2013 first round pick, Clint Frazier.
UT
– Austin Riley, Jr. Desoto Central (Miss.)
At
6-foot-3, 210-pounds, Riley looks like he should be getting ready for
his junior season at Mississippi State, where he is committed, and
not his junior year of high school. A true two-way player presently,
Riley uses his strong frame and lower half to throw a fastball that
frequently peaks at 91 mph at events, showing heavy life and in turn
inducing weakly hit ground balls. In the box Riley uses his strength
well and shows a loose, quick swing with leverage, displaying the
ability to drive the ball with authority.
P
- Dylan Cease, Sr. Milton (Ga.)
With
one of the loosest and easiest arm actions in this year’s class,
watching Cease throw on the mound is like watching him play a simple
game of catch – that is, until one looks at the radar gun. With a
fastball that tops out at 97 mph and sits in the mid-90s, Cease uses
his lower half well and is able to generate nice downhill plane. Not
only can the Vanderbilt commit overpower hitters with his fastball at
his level, but the 6-foot-2 Cease also shows a strong feel for
two-off speed pitches. When his curveball is at its best, the pitch
is knee buckling for the opposition with hard, late 11-to-5 break and
is thrown in the mid-70s. His changeup is a solid third offering,
maintaining his arm speed and action, which gets hitters weight onto
their front side early.
P
- Mac Marshall, Sr. Parkview (Ga.)
A
projectable 6-foot-2, 185 pound lefthander, Marshall has made
noticeable strides in his delivery and velocity over his high school
career. Having topped out at 94 mph at the National Showcase last
summer, Marshall generally works in the 89-91 range peaking at 92 mph
with the ability to spot his fastball within the zone. He is able to
change the hitter’s eye level by getting downhill with his pitches
and shows a strong feel for both a curveball and a changeup. The
curveball is the stronger pitch of the two, showing hard 11-to-5
break and big depth with the potential to be a power curveball.
Likewise, his changeup shows very nice fading action to his arm side.
P
- Justus Sheffield, Sr. Tullahoma (Tenn.)
Sheffield
finds himself with his name on this list for the second year in a
row, having joined his brother and 2013 graduate Jordan. Like the
elder Sheffield, Justus has committed to in-state Vanderbilt
University. Since bursting onto the scene in 2011, Justus has thrown
in five different PG events, transforming from a hard throwing lefty
into a hard throwing lefty with three secondary pitches that he
throws for strikes. His fastball progressed last summer, topping out
at 94 mph, and he throws with a fast and loose arm action. Not only
can he throw all four pitches – a 1-to-7 curveball with tight spin,
a hard slider up to 83, and a deceptive changeup – for strikes, but
he also knows how to use them and builds his next pitch off of the
last one.
P
- Spencer Adams, Sr. White County (Ga.)
Of
the talented pitchers in the 2014 class, Adams may be the most
projectable, both stuff-wise and physically. At 6-foot-5, 180-pounds,
Adams has plenty of room to add strength to his young frame, leading
to a sure spike in velocity in the coming years. Adams’ fastball
already touches 92 mph and plays up in game action thanks to the
deception in his delivery and the extension he gets with his long
levers, seemingly handing the ball to the catcher. With a fast, live
arm his fastball shows excellent late movement and pounds the zone
with his full array of pitches. His slider may turn out to be a plus
pitch, which he throws in the mid-80s with very sharp, late life. To
round out the repertoire, the University of Georgia commit shows a
feel for a changeup, flashing fading life down in the zone.
P - Tucker Baca, Sr. North Gwinnett (Ga.)
Baca
continued to develop throughout the summer with his best outing on
the mound coming on the biggest stage in Jupiter at the 2013 WWBA
World Championship. The 6-foot-3 lefthanded Arizona State commit throws
from a deceptive low three-quarters arm slotl and as expected,
generates very good arm side run and sink. He worked his fastball in
the 89-92 range in Jupiter and filled up the strike zone with a
three-pitch mix with his best off-speed pitch being his mid-70s
changeup, showing similar arm action to his fastball. Baca’s
velocity steadily increased throughout the summer, topping out at 88
mph in June before bumping 92 mph in late October, and there should
still be another tick or two to add as he starts to fill out his
6-foot-4 frame.
Southeast
Region Best Tools
Best
Hitter For Average: Daz Cameron, Jr. Eagle’s Landing Christian
(Ga.)
In
a region full of top senior bats, it’s hard to imagine an
underclass player finding himself atop a best hitter category, but
Daz Cameron isn’t your average underclassman. Ever since his
Perfect Game debut in 2011 as a young 14 year old, Cameron has shown
advanced tools with the bat, which have developed into one of the
quickest and loosest swings in the country. His hands are explosive
to the ball, generating extremely loud contact from an easy swing. As
his physical strength continues, so will his power to all fields.
Best
Hitter For Power: Michael Chavis, Sr. Sprayberry (Ga.)
This
was one of the hardest categories to select as Kel Johnson’s power
has long been on display nationally and Chase Vallot won the Rawlings
Home Run Challenge at the National Showcase last June. What sets
Chavis apart is the regularity in which his power appears in a game
setting. With the combination of his physical strength, fast bat, and
raw power, there is no reason that Chavis won’t continue to hit the
long ball at the next level.
Best
Baserunner: Michael Gettys, Sr. Gainesville (Ga.)
Gettys
shows all five tools, and it’s his sixth tool, his baseball IQ,
which allows his speed to shine in games. He is very aggressive on
the base-paths and frequently beats out infield ground balls, getting
down the line between 4.03-4.05 seconds, well above the MLB average
of 4.30 for a righthanded hitter. He terrorizes pitchers once he gets
on base and isn’t afraid to turn a single into a double as he
showed at the PG All-American Classic this past August.
Best
Defensive Catcher: Matt Morgan, Sr. Thorsby (Ala.)
An
Alabama commit, Morgan displays very strong catch-and-throw abilities
behind the plate. Morgan moves well on his feet and blocks the ball
nicely side-to-side while showing sound throwing mechanics. He has a
strong, accurate arm with very good carry that plays in games,
regularly popping sub two-second throws.
Best
Defensive Infielder: Michael Chavis, Sr. Sprayberry (Ga.)
Throughout
the course of this past summer, Chavis played all four infield
position for the East Cobb program and does it with such ease and
athleticism that he never looks out of place. Quick footwork gives
him the ability to move well laterally and he also shows a strong arm
allowing him to complete plays. He is known as a primary third
baseman, and made the team above at the position, but don’t be
surprised if there is a move to the middle of the infield at the next
level, whether it be at Clemson or in professional baseball.
Best
Defensive Outfielder: Daz Cameron, Jr. Eagle’s Landing Christian
(Ga.)
A
strong runner at present, Cameron takes long and easy strides to the
ball, covering plenty of ground in center field. With the well-known
bloodline – his father is former big-league All-Star and three time
Gold Glove winner Mike Cameron – and high baseball IQ, Cameron
reads the ball well off the bat on fly balls and his throws show an
extra gear when the ball is in flight. His defensive tools are
already well above average and will only get stronger as his frame
continues to mature.
Best
Infield Arm: Chase Vallot, Sr. St Thomas More (La.)
It’s
not commonplace to see a catcher leading the top infield arm in our
regional previews, but Vallot's arm strength simply doesn’t come
around often in high school catchers. Vallot showed that plus arm
strength at last year's National Showcase, with his top velocity down
to second base registering at 89 mph with plus, plus carry.
Best
Outfield Arm: Michael Gettys, Sr. Gainesville (Ga.)
This
category was one of the easier ones to decide as Gettys broke the
outfield velocity record at the National with his top throw clocking
100 mph, surpassing fellow Georgian Clint Frazier’s mark of 98 mph
the year prior. Gettys is able to generate such velocity due to his
high energy and momentum gained with his lower half on throws. His
plus arm strength also plays on the mound, topping at 94 mph with his
fastball.
Best
Fastball: Dylan Cease, Sr. Milton (Ga.)
It’s
not only his velocity that helps Cease capture this category, as the
Milton High School righthander has one of the easiest and most fluid
deliveries in the 2014 draft class, regardless of high school or
college. Cease’s velocities from last summer consistently were
recorded in the same range, topping out at 96 in four different
events, while peaking at 97 and 95 at two other events. He maintains
the velocity well throughout his outings and projects for a little
more once his lean, athletic frame begins to fill out.
Best
Off-speed Stuff: Mac Marshall, Sr. Parkview (Ga.)
A
category that can always go in multiple directions, Mac Marshall
leads the way with his breaking ball, a potential power curveball. He
consistently throws the pitch in the mid- to upper-70s with big depth
and late break. He has a strong feel for the pitch and shows the
ability to spot it throughout the zone, making the pitch that much
more effective. Spencer Adams and his mid-80s slider and Dylan
Cease’s curveball both received consideration.
Best
Command: Andy Pagnozzi, Jr. Fayetteville East (Ark.)
The
son of Tom Pagnozzi, a veteran of 12 seasons in the MLB and handler
of countless pitchers, Andy has received some of the best knowledge
any high school pitcher could ask for. A Mississippi commit, Pagnozzi
shows smooth, repeatable mechanics which allows him to throw his
three-pitch mix with pinpoint control. His release points remain
consistent on all three pitches, creates nice angle, and is able to
load up on both sides of the plate with purpose.
Best
Pitchability: Justus Sheffield, Sr. Tullahoma (Tenn.)
As
stated above, Sheffield has transitioned from a power lefthander to a
complete pitcher with four pitches. Everything he throws is hard and
shows life in the zone, whether it’s his fastball with downhill
plane or his hard 1-to-7 curveball with downward life. Sheffield
mixes all four pitches well with command and isn’t afraid to double
up with a particular pitch.