After following up a loud performance at the Perfect Game National Showcase, catcher Luis Campusano (2017, Ga.) continued that at the Round Robin. Campusano showcased one of his louder tools, his power in the very first game with a triple off the wall in his first at-bat and a double in his second. Campusano starts with a wider base and a deeper weight shift on to his back leg before firing to the ball. He has an aggressive approach at the plate, often going after the first pitch fastball and looking to drive it. He uses his lower half well with good leverage and bat speed as well as strength. He also showed good receiving skills behind the plate with strong, sure wrists and soft hands.
The Florida Burn team turned in a number of strong performers with 2018 catcher Matheu Nelson leading the way. The FSU commit has a lot of strength in his frame with the ability to drive the ball and create backspin through the air. With good present bat speed and torque through his hips, his line drive swing plane allows him to elevate the ball with ease. He collected a home run in Wednesday night’s game that landed on top of a car beyond the right-centerfield fence, and barely missed a second with one going just foul.
Shortstop Jose Ciccarello (2017, Fla.) also stood out at the plate and in the field for the Burn. Ciccarello has very quick hands at the plate with a pull oriented line drive swing and does well to create separation and lift the ball. He connected with a home run on Wednesday night as well and followed it up with a three hit game on Thursday. In the field, he showed a strong arm across the diamond with good twitch in his instincts and a quick transfer.
A pair of righthanders stood out for the Burn, Clemson commit Sam Keating (2017, Fla.) and Florida commit Hunter McMullen (2017, Fla.). Keating is projectable with a longer arm action and a slight hook in the back and good extension down the mound. He mixed his trio of pitches well out of the bullpen, relying on his fastball that worked between 87-89 mph and a promising curveball and changeup. McMullen worked from a drop and drive delivery with good arm speed on his upper-80s fastball that cut occasionally. The Gator commit did well to miss barrels and keep hitters off balance with his changeup and curveball combo as well.
Projectable righthander Max Clark (2017, Fla.) was one of the better uncommitted arms on display leading up to the 17u WWBA National Championship, impressing on the mound for FTB Mizuno. He showed a short, compact arm action, clean release, crossfire action and good arm speed. He also featured a heavy fastball that worked 87-90 mph as well as a slow-breaking but tight-spinning curveball with 11-to-5 shape.
A pair of high ceiling projectable arms took the mound for the FTB Rockets, righthander Lyon Richardson (2018, Fla.) and fellow righty Ryan Wimbush (2018, Fla.). Richardson used a very short stride to the plate relying mostly on his plus arm speed that saw his fastball work at 90-91 mph with varying life. With a compact arm action, he showed raw feel for both an 11-to-5 curveball and a short sinking changeup. Wimbush showed a longer arm action with an over-the-top release and a drop-and-drive delivery. His fastball worked in the upper-80s, hitting 89 mph, with a curveball that showed good depth.
Slugging outfielder and first baseman Terry Fuller (2017, Ga.) followed up an impressive batting practice display at the PG National Showcase with a pair of home runs during game action. The raw strength and power of Fuller will never be in doubt. The first of his two home runs was a laser shot that left the field in no time, with the second being a moon shot that left the bat at 99 mph per TrackMan. Fuller will likely see most of his draft stock linked to in-game power, which he certainly provided here.
A teammate of Fuller, shortstop Devonte Brown (2017, Ga.) also showed well hitting in the No. 2 spot in the HP Maldonado order. The very quick-twitch shortstop showed sound fielding actions with smooth footwork around the bag and a strong arm across the diamond with carry. At the plate, he showed surprising strength for his size with a simple, line drive swing that worked all fields.
Third baseman and righthanded pitcher Roberto Pena (2018, Fla.) impressed on both the mound and at the plate this past week. He showed good bat speed with lots of strength in his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame frame. The ability to lift the ball for Pena comes with relative ease with a swing that will occasionally get long at times. He also pitched showed a quick arm with an online delivery with a fastball that worked in the upper-80s and touched 90 mph for Palm Beach Select.
The NEB Rays ran through the field going 4-0 and were led by third baseman Christian Fedko (2017, Pa.). The UConn commit impressed with a quick, line drive swing that generated good hand and bat speed through the zone. He created leverage with loud barreled contact and launched an opposite field double that left the bat at 97 mph.
One of the surprises on the first day of the tournament was Freddy Tarnok (2017, Fla.) who was listed as a primary shortstop coming in to start on the mound for the Scorpions South Prime team. Tarnok impressed over three innings with a lean, projectable build and good arm speed. His fastball impressed the most with impressive angle towards the plate at 89-91 mph while touching 93. The arm action was whippy and loose towards the plate with some ability to repeat. His stride to the plate was exceptionally short, leading to believe there is additional room for his velocity to tick up with additional lower half strength and incorporation.
FSU commit outfielder Reese Albert continued to show the ability to barrel the ball with strength and bat speed. Albert works with a pull approach and a line drive swing plane with quick hands. He generates good leverage through his lower half and did that well, connecting for several doubles throughout the Scorpions four games. He also moved well down the line, consistently being clocked in the 4.2’s with the ability to take the extra base and be a threat to steal.
Righthander Logan Ward (2017, Ga.) returned to LakePoint after impressing during the 17u Super25 Georgia Regional and pitched for the PNT Titans Bat. With a smaller frame, Ward pitched effectively and around the zone with a fastball that sat in the upper-80s and hit 91 mph. He has good arm speed with a simple arm action and drive towards the plate.
For Team Phenom PA, star 2018 outfielder Nick O’Day continued his hot stretch after the PG Junior National Showcase with lots of loud barreled contact. O’Day swings with lots of intent and bat speed, torqued through his lower half. He drives the ball well off his barrel with good strength in his frame. The outfielder and TCU commit also pitched, running his fastball up to 91 mph and holding it there with good arm speed.