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Tournaments  | Story  | 10/7/2018

World Underclass Day 3 Notes

Photo: Marco Raya (Perfect Game)

2018 WWBA Underclass World Championship: Daily Leaders | Day 1 Notes | Day 2 Notes

Toeing the rubber in what would ultimately be the pool-deciding game for the On Deck O’s, Mikey Tepper (2020, Fort Mill, S.C.), a UNC-Charlotte commit, put forth an intriguing stat line and missed a lot of bats in the process. Tepper went a little over three innings without surrendering a hit, or even a well-struck ball for that matter, to go along with nine strikeouts but with six walks on the morning. Tepper’s lean, long-limbed 6-foot-1, 179-pound frame is ripe with physical projection and the ease of his delivery at the point of release indicates that he could throw much harder in the future. That being said, he still worked in the 84-88 mph range for the majority of the contest while bumping 89 mph a handful of times early on. The ball comes out pretty cleanly and his short, crossfire stride allows him to both create some deception with motion and to sink the ball effectively while getting on top of the ball. The breaking ball has all the makings of a real out-getting pitch for Tepper and he used it to entice a number of ugly swings. The control and repeatability of the delivery are ultimately going to determine the strikes, as Saturday’s start showed the ace-potential is in there with a few refinements.

Turning in a quality start to the tune of only one hit over four strong frames was uncommitted righthander Owen Flynn (2021, Windermere, Fla.) and the starter settled in for an overall impressive outing. The 6-foot-3, 165-pound frame is very loose and looks like it could hold a lot of additional strength in the future. The length of Flynn’s arm stroke can lead to some control inconsistencies but after battling through a bit of a spotty first inning, Flynn settled in nicely and came right after hitters. The fastball worked its way up to 86 mph while living nicely, and consistently, in the 81-85 mph range with lots of arm side life when Flynn gets on top of the ball. The breaking ball also looked good with projectable shape in the low-70s and he even buckled a couple of knees. Flynn remains a high level uncommitted prospect and turned in one of his better starts of the year while racking up six strikeouts and throwing 66 percent strikes.

When you look at Wyatt Langford (2020, Trenton, Fla.), the physical 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame immediately passes the eye test and indicates a truth about his offensive approach: he is looking to do damage and hit the ball very hard. Langford is incredibly strong and though the swing isn’t the loosest on the market, it is one of the fastest with very impressive bat speed and significant juice to pull the ball. He smoked a couple of balls on the afternoon including a hard-hit single in one of his final at-bats. Langford’s raw power and strength aside, one could assume that a physical power bat wouldn’t be super athletic, however that’s not exactly true. Langford turned in a 6.9 second 60-yard dash at the PG National and showed off the catch-and-throw skills behind the plate with a pop time of 2.02 seconds in game on Sunday.

FTB Tucci Berryhill wrapped up their pool and a top spot in bracket play thanks to three impressive arms in the outing: Daemon Woodruff (2020, Titusville, Fla.), Shawn Perez (2020, Cutler, Fla.) and Luke Baker (2020, Gainesville, Fla.).

Woodruff got the start for FTB and showed off the top velocity of the game with a 90-mph bolt in the first inning. The 6-foot-3, 178-pound frame has the capacity for lots of additional size on that build and he sat mostly in the mid-80s for three frames. Woodruff delivers from an extended-to-low three-quarters arm slot, which can create some life on the fastball when low but also causes some control inconsistencies in terms of the fastball. He also showed a solid breaking ball offering and looks to be an intriguing uncommitted arm for the junior class.

Perez, an FIU commit, is listed as a primary outfielder but definitely seems to have a future on the mound at the next level. Working a very quick 22-pitch, two-inning stint, Perez just sat 85-88 pounding turbo sinkers in the strike zone and allowing opposing hitters to beat them into the ground. The righty has a pretty good delivery too, with ease and speed to the arm stroke and consistently worked the lower third of the plate. He also flashed a couple of breaking balls with slurvy shape and tight rotation.

Baker, an Ole Miss commit, put forth the best stat line out of any of the FTB arms to the tune of two perfect innings with four punchouts. The 6-foot-6, 200-pounds is the perfect frame for that of a frontline pitching prospect and he has already made significant velocity strides from the summer as he sat in the 84-87 mph range with sink during this look. Baker is the picture of physical projection for a young arm, with a clean delivery that sees him hide the ball well and future velocity gains on the horizon. He has a very good breaking ball too with hard bite in the mid-70s and Baker is absolutely a prospect to keep an eye on as he continues his development.




Pitching his team into day two of bracket play was Florida State commit Nick Gorby (2020, Port St. Lucie, Fla.) as the lefthander showed a lot of polish and command on the hill during the win for the Florida Canes. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound lefthander has good balance and strength physically on the mound, both factors that allow Gorby to not only repeat his delivery well but to maintain his stuff deep into the game. He worked mostly 85-88 from a loose arm stroke that created a lot of angle and deception for opposing hitters. The entry point to the hitting zone made it extremely tough on lefthanders, coupled with the fact that he tunneled the fastball nicely with his big breaking ball. The pitch worked in the low-70s mostly with really good spin and depth as he would frequently front door lefties with the pitch to buckle their knees and keep them off balance. Gorby struck out three and earned the win in a close matchup.

Maryland commit Noah Mrotek (2021, Bowie, Md.) turned in a dominant performance and lead API to a big victory in round one of bracket play. Mrotek is extremely physical for the age, at a listed 6-foot-2, 200-pounds with a strong lower half and broad shoulders. The righthander sat 85-87 mph in the first inning with a long and loose arm stroke, before settling mostly into the 82-85 mph range for the rest of the performance. He has good direction and loads well toward the plate, but what stood out was how much feel he had for a very good breaking ball. The pitch showed sharpness and shape, mostly 10-to-4 in the form of a slider, and worked in the upper-70s to induce a lot of chases, particularly running away from righthnaded hitters. Mrotek struck out 11 batters over five shutout innings as API won by the run rule and advanced to Sunday.

– Vinnie Cervino



Righthander Miles Garrett (2020, Stone Mountain, Ga.) of the MLB Breakthrough Series doesn't use much of the tape measure or the scale at 5-foot-10, 160-pounds, but he does measure out at the top of the scale when it comes to arm speed and fastball velocity. Garrett threw six two-hit, shutout innings on only 81 pitches Saturday afternoon to lead MLB to a 4-0 over Rake City in a matchup between two 2-0 squads. Garrett relied mostly on a fastball that worked 88-92 mph while mixing in a smattering of 74 mph curveballs, 80 mph sliders and 78 mph changeups. The slider showed the most potential, although Garrett only used it a couple of times. Garrett is a Vanderbilt commit.

Lefthander Isaiah Coupet (2020, Flossmoor, Ill.) picked up the save for MLB, needing only seven pitches, all fastball strikes, to retire the final three hitters. Coupet, who is an exceptionally young 2020 who just turned 16 years old, threw downhill from a high three-quarters arm slot in the 86-88 mph range. This scout saw Coupet throw at the PG National Indoor Showcase in St. Louis in February and Coupet topped out at 84 mph, so there is definite improvement happening here and likely plenty of projection in the future.

Shortstop Ed Howard (2020, Lynwod, Ill.), who is the 81st-ranked player in the PG class rankings, was the offensive star for MLB, driving two hard doubles and driving in two runs. The second double was especially impressive, a line drive to left field that got over fielder's head so quickly that he barely had a chance to move before the ball was rattling off the fence. Howard is a highly athletic defender at shortstop with good arm strength as well as having elite level bat speed. He is an Oklahoma commit.

First baseman John "Tre" Morgan (2020, New Orleans, La.) of MLB is a rare first baseman at this level that is also an impact defensive player. A 6-foot-1, 180-pound lefthander, Morgan has the type of range and athleticism at first base that leads one to believe he'd be a middle infielder if he were righthanded and made several impressive defensive plays during MLB's two games Saturday along with scooping a couple of throws cleanly. The LSU commit has plenty of lefthanded bat speed in addition to his athleticism.

Yohandy Morales (2020, Miami, Fla.) of the Banditos Prospects is one of those players who stands out immediately on the field. A 6-foot-4, 180-pound shortstop, Morales has the same type of long and athletic body that so many Miami area shortstops over the years (Alex Rodriguez, Manny Machado and most recently Mark Vientos) have shared. The 29th-ranked player in the 2020 class, Morales didn't have an opportunity shine defensively in the Banditos 9-0 run-rule victory but he did swing the bat very well, lining two hard singles after falling behind in the count both times and making an adjustment with two strikes.

The Banditos Cody Howard (2021, Conroe, Texas) got eight outs on only 28 pitches to finish off the game and looks like he could be a future standout. Howard has a loose and athletic 5-foot-11, 165-pound build that is sure to grow and a fast arm that produced an 85-88 mph fastball from a high three-quarters arm slot.

The 15-year-old Texan was just topping out at 77 mph in the summer of 2017 so he's improving very quickly, with lots of time to continue to get stronger and more athletic.

Team Georgia righthander Cade Smith (2020, Southhaven, Miss.) threw four easy shutout innings in a Saturday morning run-rule victory, striking out seven hitters without issuing a walk. Smith worked in the 87-89 mph range consistently and has been up to 91 mph often this past summer at PG events. His mid-70s curveball was tight and consistent and Smith has a simple and repeatable delivery and a fast-paced, no-nonsense approach on the mound. The 6-foot-1 athlete has plus command potential and should be the type who contributes immediately as a freshman at Mississippi State.

Smith's Team Georgia teammate and potential future SEC rival Johnny Ceccoli (2020, Tyler, Texas) has the look of a lefthanded power hitter with a chiseled 6-foot-2, 220-pound build. A first baseman, Ceccoli walked his first two times up but got a chance to show his pop in his final trip to the plate, launching a towering triple that short hopped the right-center field fence.

Middle infielder Sterlin Thompson (2020, Ocala, Fla.) of Gatorball has a very projectable 6-foot-2, 175-pound build and an easy and quick lefthanded swing. He completely barreled up three straight balls on Saturday morning, lining singles to both gaps along with lining out hard to the second baseman while driving in two runs in Gatorball's 8-0 win. When Thompson adds another 20 pounds of muscle those line drives are a pair of doubles and a clean single. Thompson is a 4.0-plus student in the classroom with a commitment to Stetson.

MVP Beast shortstop Bryan Padilla (2020, Brooklyn, N.Y.) is the opposite type of athlete as Thompson, with a 5-foot-11, 180-pound build that is very strong presently, especially in the lower half. Padilla is also a quick-twitch athlete with a very fast and short righthanded swing to go with all his strength. He has clean and easy actions at shortstop with a strong throwing arm that reaches the upper-80s off the mound. Padilla, who is ranked 258th in the PG class rankings, is committed to Connecticut.

– David Rawnsley





Day three of the tournament put a wrap on the pool play games for the teams. The Florida Burn 2020 Platinum finished with a 2-1 record after grabbing a 3-0 victory thanks to a strong 3 2/3 innings from Florida commit Anthony Ursitti (2021 Fort Myers, Fla.). The 6-foot-3, 185-pound righthander ended the day allowing just a single hit and collecting five strikeouts. Ursitti has a projectable frame on the mound and, as a 2021 grad, is already head and shoulders above most in the class. His arm action is smooth and quick in the delivery. He’s able to put occasional arm-side run on the fastball that topped out at 87 while sitting in the mid-80s. He pitches off that well with an 11-to-5 shaped curveball with hard biting action through the zone.

Things got going quickly for the Florida Burn grabbing ultimately the winning run right away in the first, and it all started with leadoff man Ramses Cordova (2020 Orlando, Fla.). Cordova, the Burn’s center fielder, got his team off to a good start with a ground ball single up the middle. He showed off his middle-of-the-field approach later in the game with a bit better struck line drive right back through the middle as well. Cordova sets up in an even stance and keeps his approach simple with a compact stroke through the zone.

Throwing against the Burn was righthanded pitcher Ryan Minckler (2021 Greenland, N.H.). Ursitti, the apposing pitcher, is ranked as the 28th-best 2021 righthanded pitcher in the nation. Minckler came into the game as the 33rd-ranked 2021 righthanded pitcher in the nation and they both pitched like it. Minckler unfortunately came out on the wrong end. He went three innings and allowed three runs though he threw better than the numbers suggest. He was able to strike out three batters, but he has a bit different style as he’s more reliant on generating weaker contact. He releases from an over-the-top slot and creates downward plane on the fastball sitting 82-86 mph, while mixing in 12-to-6 curveball.




It was a crushing 15-2 victory for the US Elite 17u National as they were able to advance to the playoffs, this on the back of their lefthanded starter Alexander Ayala (2020 Doral, Fla.). Ayala has a ton of projection on the mound as he’s an athletic 6-foot-1, 175-pounds who should continue to add size and strength physically. He gets on top of the ball very well and is able to work the fastball down around the knees, topping out at 90 mph. His go-to secondary was a curveball with short vertical action. He has some command issues but it can work in his favor at times, being effectively wild. Over three innings Ayala allowed no hits while striking out four batters.

Following up on the mound behind Ayala was 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander James Vaughn (2020 New York, N.Y.). Vaughn is a presence on the mound with his height and present strength throughout his build. He has long limbs and broadness in his shoulders. He creates sharp running action on the fastball that was up to 90 mph and really worked in his sinking changeup as well. Tossing two innings, Vaughn allowed a couple hits with three strikeouts.

Providing a strong spark on the offensive side of the ball for the US Elite was Miami (Ohio) commit Jacob Hensor (2020 Petersburg, Pa.). Hensor is an easy, free-swinging righthanded hitter with a short and compact path to the ball. He is able to work to all fields but his best contact comes when staying up the middle and from gap-to-gap. He is a perfect example of what teams look for in a leadoff batter. He is able to work the count well and went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.

The Gamers 17u Blue took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back on their way to a 7-2 win, scoring in five of their six innings. Cade Hohl (2020 St. Louis, Mo.) reached base twice on the day and scored a run but where he really stood out was defensively. The shortstop plays solid and consistent defense up the middle. He has quick reactions as well as a fast first step towards the ball. He moves well and showed some quick range on a hard hit ball to his arm side making a sliding play and throwing a bullet across the field to get the runner.

Behind the dish for the Gamers was Anthony Lindwedel (2020 St. Louis, Mo.). Lindwedel caught a very good game and showed solid catch-and-release skills as well. He has a quick release and stays accurate around the bag. The catcher also hit well in the game making very hard contact in each of his at bats. The righthanded hitter finished the day 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI triple to the opposite field on a ball that sailed over the retreating right fielder.

In what was a tough day for the Langan Bandits, Garrett Allo (2020 Monroe Township, N.J.) was able to stand out offensively. Listed at 6-foot, 185-pounds, Allo has a very smooth swing at the plate. He utilizes a higher leg lift trigger but is able to stay on time with consistency and creates a bunch of torque in his swing. He has a quick barrel, creating whip through the hitting zone. When squared, Allo makes loud contact and the ball has easy carry off the barrel. He went 1-for-2 in the game with deep double to straightaway center field.

– Taylor Weber



The FTB Rockets 2020 fought their way out of pool play and into the playoffs behind their dynamic two-hole hitter and shortstop Diego Clariot (2020, Palm Beach. Fla.). The energetic junior at Cardinal Newman HS willed his club to a big come-from-behind victory in their all-important third pool play game to punch their ticket to the single-elimination playoff bracket. The confident and slick fielding middle infielder is an instinctive defender who understands positioning and shows very quick and coordinated footwork. He has very soft hands and plus arm strength and the ability to throw the ball from any angle. Offensively, he impacts his club’s success with almost every at-bat. His great understanding of the strike zone and his short, quick, compact stroke allows this lefthanded hitter to track pitches well and to get his bat on plane and through contact on a very consistent basis. Once on base, he is an instinctive and aggressive runner who possesses advanced speed.

Toeing the bump, in front of a number of college coaches, for the Mid-Atlantic Red Sox was 6-foot-6, 195-pound uncommitted righthanded pitcher, Travis Luensmann (2020, Altoona, Pa.). The broad-shouldered power pitcher has a long takeaway with an extended finish that allows him to work his lively 86-88 mph fastball to both sides of the plate. His four-seamer showed exceptional riding life up in the zone. He complemented his heater with a 76-78 mph cutter and a well-commanded 78 mph changeup. His three-pitch mix limited the high-scoring FTB Rockets 2020 to only one run, leaving his club with a 6-1 lead after four strong, highly effective innings.

The East Cobb Astros 17u club has been a dominant force at the WWBA Underclass Tournament from the get-go. Their offensive lineup is deep and relentless, and their defense is almost flawless. Today, the Astros ran 6-foot-7, 244-pound righthanded pitcher, Blake Money (2020, Spring Hill, Tenn.) out to the mound. The LSU commit was a picture of power and poise. He pitches off his four-seam fastball that is consistently clocked in the 90 to 93 mph range. He shows the ability to pitch to both edges and to all four quadrants with dominance. He also shows advanced secondary stuff in a sharp 12-to-6 breaking and tight spinning 75-76 mph curveball. He also mixes in a sound 80-82 mph changeup that is especially effective against lefthanded hitters.

Righthanded starting pitcher, Dylan Lesko (2022, Buford, Ga.) had a busy baseball summer that included a trip to the 14u PG Select Festival and being named the 2018 14u Pitcher of the Year. The gifted Lesko leads the East Cobb Astros 16u club and on Saturday morning the talented righty turned in a gem. His seven inning, 95-pitch complete game saw the 6-foot-2, 170-pound Lesko allow one early run and limit the previously undefeated Bo Jackson Elite 17u club to four hits. He struck out seven and allowed only one walk, as he coolly and calmly dominated the ball game. His fastball was electric as it touched 89 mph and routinely sat at 86-88. He also showed a very effective 67-68 mph curveball, a sound 72 mph cutter and a deceptive 69-70 mph changeup. His command and control would be considered outstanding for a pitcher much his senior. For a young player, who has yet to pitch an inning of high school ball, his ability to throw the ball with a purpose and plan is almost indescribable. The young Georgian is just scratching the surface of a career that seems almost limitless.

The Ostingers organization out of Lithia, Florida has had a number of their clubs participating in various PG events throughout the summer. Each team is rooted, first and foremost, in fundamental play. The Ostingers WWBA Underclass entry mirrors that sound approach. In first round playoff action they were led by their fine pitcher/catcher combo.

Starting righthander, Zachary DeVito (2020, Lithia, Fla.) used advanced command and control and plus pace to limit the Florida Hardballers to one hit over six innings. His pinpoint control allowed the 5-foot-11, 165-pound Newsome HS junior to use his highly effective 84-86 mph fastball that he dotted to both sides of the plate, and a sharp breaking, 12-to-6 tight-spinning curveball that was his go-to out-pitch, to consistently get his club off the field and back into the dugout. Over the course of his six-inning performance, DeVIto only threw 63 pitches and turned a 6-0 lead over to the bullpen to close out the victory.

Handling the Ostingers staff was Brock Wilken (2020, Valrico, Fla.) The 6-foot-3, 205-pound backstop was both a great manager of the staff and the offensive force for Ostingers. The righthanded swinger posted a 3-for-3 day hitting out of the three-hole and his consistent swing path and advanced ability to get his barrel to the ball sparked the Ostingers to a big lead and a first-round playoff victory.

– Jerry Miller



Opening up the morning on the mound for the Louisiana Knights at Lee County Player Development Complex was uncommitted Cade Henry (2020, Florence, Ala.). A tall and lean 6-foot-5 righthander, Henry has a frame to dream on physically and a fastball that already reaches into the upper-80s. Henry sat 84-87 mph while also reaching 88 mph on his fastball once as well. The righty from northern Alabama has a relatively clean delivery with athleticism and an online working arm stroke. Henry had a feel for three pitches especially his changeup that would throw in any count. His curveball has average spin and short 12-to-6 shape. Henry extends out in front well and the fastball is lively out of his hand moving to armside. Henry pitched well for his team earning the win in a five-inning start and giving a nice showing of his ceiling on the mound.

Lefthander Cade Grice (2020, Greer, S.C.) made the start for Canes National in the first game of their doubleheader and the 2018 Junior National participant helped lead his team to the playoffs of the event. Grice pitched all six innings of the time limit shortened game, striking out 10 batters and walking just one. Grice’s fastball topped out at 88 mph early in the outing while sitting mostly 85-87 mph. The velocity did dip after his first inning settling more towards the low- to mid-80s, but the stuff was still impressive given his age. Grice is a physical 6-foot-5, 210-pound lefthander who throws from a full arm action and over-the-top slot. The release point is tough to repeat but he does so well especially in this dominating performance. He also mixed in a changeup that has some deception and was used primarily to righthanded hitters. Grice varied speeds well and got lots of swings and misses on his way to a double-digit strikeout performance.




The performance of the day at Lee County was by Cannon Pickell (2020, Moyock, N.C.), who went seven complete innings, striking out a batter per inning. Pickell also featured some of the best velocity of the day as well topping out at 91 mph with his fastball that also showed frequent cutting action to the pitch. His fastball consistently sat in the upper-80s from start to finish. He gets good drive off of his back side down the mound staying online to the play with a clean arm stroke and good extension out in front. Pickell locates well down in the strike zone with the ability to repeat his mechanics. The righty from North Carolina has a strong lower half and uses it well. He threw two full innings before having to release a breaking ball to the plate and the one he featured was certainly of note. The slider showed sharp downward action and already is a swing-and-miss pitch for his repertoire.




2018 PG 14u PG Select Defensive Player of the Year Termarr Johnson (2022, Atlanta, Ga.) got multiple looks playing three games back-to-back-to-back at Lee County and the award was certainly deserving as he has some of the most elite hands in the middle infield in his class. Johnson played in each middle infield position during the day and made every play with ease including a very smooth 6-3 double play moving up the middle, tagging the bag with athletic footwork and firing a strike to first from a lower arm slot. At the plate Johnson is every bit as advertised as well. He sprayed the ball all over the yard with multiple line drives on the day. His swing is loose with quick hands that work well into his stroke. The quickness down the line is noticeable as well as he sprinted down the line posting a 4.26 second home-to-first time from the lefthanded batter’s box.

Lefthander Joseph Everett (2020, Hickory, N.C.) pitched very well for the Dirtbags Bad Company Saturday afternoon featuring a fastball up to 88 mph from a lower arm slot and creating steep angle to the plate. Everett is a strong 6-foot, 195-pound framed lefthander who lived in the mid- to upper-80s early on in the contest. He threw lots of strikes with his combination of pitches. His arm action is clean and he stays online down the mound. He pumps his glove as he comes down the mound throwing with plenty of intent to get the maximum velocity he can out of his left arm. The uncommitted lefty has the ability to elevate his fastball and did so well. The breaking ball in which he possesses was a low-70s curveball that he also landed for strikes in the lower third of the zone.

The starter for Premier Baseball Futures in their first playoff game was 6-foot-6 righthander Matthew Linskey (2020, Humble, Texas). Linskey has an extra large frame and is only going to continue to improve his mid-80s velocity with time. He topped out at 86 mph from a full arm action and high three-quarters arm slot. With some minor refinement to his lower half, Linskey is going to throw even harder and projects extremely well physically. The frame already oozes big-time imposing physicality on the mound. The righthander has drop and drive actions to his delivery with a plunge of his arm at take back. He creates a steep angle to the plate when released out in front in which he did so on multiple occasions in this contest. His curveball is still developing as he did not have to throw the pitch much in his short start as his team put up a large crooked number early to simplify his arsenal in the game.

Zachary Easterling (2020, Spring, Texas) came into the game in relief of Linskey and produced similar velocity as his teammate. Easterling has a wiry 6-foot-3 frame and a long arm action that produced a fastball up to 87 mph. The arm action is hard to repeat but when he does he locates the ball primarily to the armside of the plate. His fastball is mostly straight and sat in the 84-86 mph range early. The 2018 attendee of Junior National has a very projectable frame and may continue to add velocity to his fastball with added strength to the frame. The command did slip up later in the contest as he may have not gotten the results he wanted on the mound, the projection is still intriguing nonetheless.

– Greg Gerard



Team Warstic has enjoyed a good weekend, and ended up with a tie on Saturday afternoon, coming from three runs down in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie Nelson Baseball School at the Lee County Player Development Complex. Marco Raya (2020, Laredo, Texas) lit up the radar on Friday in a brief appearance and as such was eligible to pitch again on Saturday, since he only threw single-digit pitches on Friday. He’s a lithely-built, athletic righthander with quick feet and fluidity to all of his movements, including an extremely fast right arm, that, while hooked through the back with some elbow elevation through the spiral, isn’t violent and is actually pretty smooth through release. His fastball peaked at 89 mph on this day, cruising more 85-88 mph as his 27-pitch outing went on, showing the ability to really pound the zone when his lower and upper halves were synched up. He worked in a sharp, late-breaking slider in the low-80s that is presently a bat-misser and projects to continue to be one, while also showing more of a big-bending curveball that he can land for strikes early in counts but doesn’t have the sharpness or late break to miss bats consistently at present. He’s committed to Texas Tech and given the combination of his present arm speed, physical projection, and the propensity of the Red Raiders to develop flamethrowers, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Raya’s name early on draft boards in several years.

Team Halo finished out pool play at 3-0 before ultimately falling in the playoff nightcap to wrap up their weekend appearance, but they certainly showed a bevy of talent over the course of the event. Michael Braswell (2021, Mableton, Ga.), a recent South Carolina commit and the No. 42-ranked player in the class of 2021, absolutely put on an offensive display in their first game of the day on Saturday. He went 3-for-3 with a double, triple, and two RBI, hitting out of the EH spot in this game, though he’s also an extremely accomplished infield defender as well as a high-level pitching prospect. His swing from the right side is extremely loose and easy, generating plenty of bat speed and loft to go with ever-developing strength, making hard contact out front with leverage and power, capable of driving the ball all over the ballpark right now and making it easy for evaluators to projects potentially plus raw power at peak physical maturation. He’s an exciting prospect to monitor in the class of 2021.

Team Elite Prime/Braves Scout Team ended up 1-1-1 in pool play and as a result missed the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t amongst the most talented teams in attendance this weekend, with a cavalcade of high D-I commits and future high-end draft prospects. Luke A. Wagner (2020, New Cumberland, Pa.) came on in relief to put out the fire in the early goings and did a fine job over his three innings, picking up five strikeouts and allowing one run. A two-way player committed to Georgia, Wagner really shines as a lefthanded pitcher, and showed the kind of impact stuff on this day we’ve come to expect from him. With an easy, quick arm, highlighted by an efficient and well-timed path, Wagner worked his fastball up to 90 mph and the overall quality of the pitch when taking into account velocity, command, movement, and deception is arguably near the top of the class. It sat in the 86-89 mph range for the most part, exploding out of his hand with angle and extension, hidden well through the back, and featuring very good late life to the arm side with pretty significant sink at times as well. He has the ability to dominate with that pitch alone at present when in command of it, but his feel to spin the baseball gives him an even loftier ceiling. The slider wasn’t quite as good as we’ve seen it before but it was still solid in this outing, thrown in the low- to mid-70s with two-plane, sharp tilt that he showed he could land for a strike as well as bury it out of the zone.

On the offensive side Kellum Clark (2020, Jackson, Miss.) was the only Team Elite player with multiple hits in this one, going 3-for-3 and essentially putting on a laser show. The No. 21-ranked player in the class of 2020, Clark has been on the national radar for years now, and the Mississippi State commit offers intriguing two-way upside as a lefthanded power bat as well as a righthanded power arm, but it was the bat in this game that stood out as it usually does. He’s an extremely physically strong prospect with thunder in his bat, and he’s got one of the more advanced approaches in the entire country, as it seems in the scores of at-bats we’ve seen him take over the years, he’s walked a ton and rarely if ever expanded the zone. He has a whole-field approach and is more than comfortable working the other way with authority, and he launched an extremely loud, driven triple up the oppo gap in this game followed by a pair of firm singles. He’s committed to Mississippi State and it will be especially interesting to see whether he ends up, eventually, as a hitter, pitcher or both.

On the other side of the diamond, the Long Island Body Armor Titans came out victorious and got an excellent performance from Justin Rosner (2020, Farmingdale, N.Y.), who kept Team Elite in check for five innings, scattering four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. Rosner has a projectable frame with a loose arm, working his fastball up to 85 mph with solid arm-side life, but really getting his best results with his slider, thrown in the mid-70s out of the same tunnel as his fastball with sharp, late dive at the plate, generating a significant number of swings-and-misses over the top of it.

Team Boston Braves picked up a 5-0 win over Dirtbags South Carolina over at Dunbar High School on Saturday afternoon behind a very good performance from Sam Griesbauer (2021, East Falmouth, Mass.) on the mound. Griesbauer shut out the Dirtbags over four innings, racking up six strikeouts while scattering two walks and one hit. He worked up to 85 mph with his fastball, sitting more 80-83 mph with flashes of quality arm side life, throwing a lot of strikes and creating angle to the plate as well. His arm is loose, quick, and works well, and while there are some delivery inconsistencies that will need to be cleaned up, they are easy fixes that will come with continued development. He also has advanced feel for spinning the ball, showing a quality slider in the 70-73 mph range that looks like a fastball out of the hand, showing sharp break at the plate and projecting to continue being a bat-missing pitch for him long term.

In what may have been the best game of the event from a competitive, nonstop-exciting perspective, the Nebraska Prospects beat the Dirtbags Bad Company 2-0 in an opening round playoff matchup on Saturday evening. Though on the losing side, Matt Kemp (2020, Randleman, N.C.), a North Carolina State commit, showed some of the better bat speed this weekend. It’s raw, violent bat speed with quality strength and raw pop, and when he squares the ball up it’s impactful and really jumps off the barrel. He put a missile of a double up the pull-side gap in the later innings of this one, and given his present swing path and bat speed along with his physical projection, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him end up as a premier power hitter at the collegiate level in a few years.

– Brian Sakowski



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