Hardin
Valley Academy Hawks (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Top
Prospects:
• Will
Neely (RHP/OF, 2015, 110)
• Tyler
Thompson (RHP/UT, 2016, 148)
• Dylan
Harris (CF/LHP, 2016)
• Vinny
Gambuzza (C/IF, 2015)
• Seth
Hunt (MIF, 2015, Top 1,000)
• Greg
Valentine (RHP, 2015)
Pitching:
The
Hawks of Hardin Valley Academy will bring a deep, experienced
pitching staff to the Louisville Slugger Classic. They are led by a
pair of aces in senior righty Will Neely and junior righty Tyler
Thompson. Neely, a University of Tennessee commit and the 110th overall player in the class of 2015, works in the upper-80s to
low-90s and combines his fastball with a good slider and excellent
changeup. He’s an athletic prospect who can also play the outfield.
Tyler Thompson stands 6-foot-5, possessing the ideal power pitcher
frame, and backs up that title by working downhill at 88-91 with good
life and secondary pitches. Rounding out the staff are seniors Greg
Valentine and Matt Turner (East Tennessee State) along with juniors
Dylan Harris and Trevor Lloyd.
Offense:
The
top of the Hawks’ lineup features several prospects with speed and
legitimate offensive tools. Senior shortstop Seth Hunt, in addition
to being an excellent defender, will bat in the leadoff spot for Head
Coach Joe Michalski. Following him in the lineup will be junior
center fielder Dylan Harris, a 6.6 runner with excellent defensive
skills to go along with a high batting average and power potential.
Tyler Thompson might have the most raw power on the team, and he’ll
play the field and hit in the middle of the order when not on the
mound. Senior Vinny Gambuzza will presumably handle the catching
load, and he combines excellent athleticism and bat control with the
ability to truly play all over the diamond if needed. Filling out the
rest of the lineup will be some combination of senior infielders Zach
Sears (Walters State) and Dom Leo (Southeastern University), as well
as juniors Matt Martin and Landon Beyer.
Synopsis:
This
is a very deep, very talented ball club. They combine high level
pitching and offensive production with excellent defense all around
and outstanding depth, both in the lineup and the pitching staff.
They are led by upperclassmen, which will be a benefit without a
doubt.
Houston
Mustangs (Germantown, Tenn.)
Top
Prospects:
• Jack
Rude (RHP, 2015, Top 500)
• Walter
Rook (RHP, 2015, High Follow)
• Alex
Sala (C/3B, 2015, High Follow)
• Nikko
Warmus (RHP/OF, 2015, High Follow)
• Jack
Kenley (2B/SS, 2016, Top 500)
• Conrad
Ray (RHP, 2016, Top 500)
• Cullen
Ray (C/OF, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Preston
Collins (LHP, 2016, High Follow)
Pitching:
The
Mustangs of Houston High School head south to Georgia with a stacked
roster, especially in the pitching staff. Led by senior righthander
Jack Rude, a 6-foot-4 Samford commit, the staff is deep and talented.
Rude can run his fastball up into the low-90s when he wants to, and
complements that with a pair of quality breaking balls. Joining him
in the rotation are seniors Walter Rook and Nikko Warmus, along with
juniors Conrad Ray and Preston Collins. Rook and Warmus, a pair of
senior righthanders, can each work their fastballs in the mid-80s
with good size and athleticism on the mound. Conrad Ray, a junior
righty who stands an imposing 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 200-plus
pounds, is an Arkansas State commitment who can work his fastball
into the upper-80s with projection for more velocity. Preston
Collins, a junior, is the lone lefthander in this group. He brings
excellent size at 6-foot-3 and a quality fastball, one that can work
in the mid- to upper-80s, from the left side.
Offense:
As
mentioned above, the Mustangs are undoubtedly a pitching heavy team;
but that doesn't mean that their offense isn’t something to be
reckoned with. Leading the charge offensively is junior Top 500
prospect Jack Kenley, a middle infielder who is committed to
Arkansas. Kenley brings excellent size, projectability, and overall
athleticism to the upper third of the lineup. He has been clocked in
the 60-yard dash in less than 6.8 seconds while displaying a strong
arm and quality offensive tools. Joining him in the lineup will be
two-way player Nikko Warmus, who will patrol the outfield when not on
the mound, as well as junior Top 1,000 player Cullen Ray. Ray will
handle the bulk of the catching load for the Mustangs in addition to
hitting in the middle of the order.
Synopsis:
This
is an experienced team with lots of depth throughout the roster,
especially in the pitching staff. The Mustangs could trot out any of
six-plus pitchers and stand an excellent chance to win, which is
something most teams just can’t say with confidence. They are
coming off a 2014 season which saw them lose in the state
championship game, and will play a daunting 2015 schedule which
includes four teams ranked in the national top 25.
Pope
John Paul II Eagles (Boca Raton, Fla.)
Top
Prospects:
• Evan
Schaffner (3B/RHP, 2015, High Follow)
• Dan
Mayer (RHP/OF, 2015, High Follow)
• Chris
Graffeo (LHP/1B/OF, 2015, Follow)
• Domenic
Baldino (MIF/OF, 2015, Follow)
• Stephen
Gogreve (OF/LHP, 2015, High Follow)
• Cale
Brader (C/2B, 2015)
Pitching:
The
Eagles will be led on the mound by several legitimate two-way players
who will help to fill out the batting order in addition to pitching.
High Follow prospect Evan Schaffner, a South Florida CC commit, will
lead the way both on the mound and with the bat. He’ll sit in the
mid-80s with his fastball and complement it with quality secondary
pitches. Joining him will be several other seniors, including Dan
Mayer, Chris Graffeo and Stephen Gogreve. Mayer is another High
Follow prospect who will pitch in the mid-80s, complemented by a very
good changeup and developing curveball. Graffeo and Gogreve are
lefties, both of whom can comfortably pitch in the low-80s while
keeping opposing hitters off balance with good pitchability.
Offense:
Schaffner,
in addition to leading the way on the mound, will hit in the middle
of the order and play third base for the Eagles. He’s a quality
athlete, runs a sub 7.0-second 60-yard dash and has very projectable
offensive tools. Joining him in the infield will be senior Domenic
Baldino, a middle infielder with excellent defensive prowess and
top-of-the-order hitting tools. Handling the load behind the plate
will be senior Cale Bruder, a compact prospect with good
catch-and-throw skills as well as the ability to play several
defensive positions if needed. Two-way players Dan Mayer and Chris
Graffeo will see time in the outfield when not on the mound, in
addition to Daytona State commitment Stephen Gogreve, who should join
Schaffner in the heart of the order.
Synopsis:
The
Eagles of Pop John Paul II will bring a senior-laden, experienced
team to the Louisville Slugger Classic. They are one of those
seemingly rare teams who will operate with a roster of two-way
players, most of whom will occupy starting roles in addition to
making up the core of the pitching staff. It’ll undoubtedly be
interesting to see how they fare against a strong field in this
event.
University
School of Jackson Bruins (Jackson, Tenn.)
Top
Prospects:
• Ben
Brauss (LHP/OF, 2015)
• Ryan
Rolison (LHP/1B, 2016, Top 500)
• Garrett
Guymon (C/3B, 2016, High Follow)
• Logan
Carey (OF/2B, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Brandon
Hauswald (SS/2B, 2016)
• Seth
Rohlwing (1B/3B/RHP, 2016)
• Alex
Garrett (LHP/OF, 2016)
Pitching:
The
Bruins of the University School of Jackson are a pitching heavy team,
with several upperclassmen filling out the ranks of the staff.
Leading the way is junior lefthander Ryan Rolison, a Top 500 prospect
and Ole Miss commit. He’ll work his fastball in the mid- to
upper-80s with an excellent curveball/changeup combination to
complement his heater. He showcases a loose arm with excellent
projectability from his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame. Joining him on the
mound are senior lefthander and 2014 TCBA Player of the Year Ben
Brauss, a pitchability lefty who can work in the low-80s, as well as
junior righthander Seth Rohlwing and junior lefthander Alex Garrett.
Offense:
The
Bruins’ offense will be paced by several two-way players mentioned
above in the pitching notes, including Brauss and Garrett, who will
play the outfield when not toeing the slab. Ryan Rolison will hit in
the middle of the lineup, as his righthanded bat shows just as much
projection and potential as his left arm does. Seth Rohlwing will
play a corner infield spot when not on the mound, and he provides a
power threat to the Bruin lineup. Logan Carey, a Top 1,000 prospect
and Austin Peay commit, shows arguably the highest upside of any
hitter in this event, and will be amongst the top overall athletes as
well. Brandon Hauswald will play the middle infield and hit near the
top of the lineup, where his contact ability and speed make him a
near-ideal leadoff hitter. Behind the plate will be junior Garrett
Guymon, a follow prospect with excellent size and pop times
consistently in the 2.0-second range.
Synopsis:
The
Bruins are unique in this event in that the majority of their
pitching staff is lefthanded, which will present Head Coach Jack Peel
with some interesting matchup opportunities that won’t be afforded
to other teams. They have some quality offensive prospects as well,
highlighted by Ryan Rolison and Logan Carey, but what makes them such
a tough team is the depth that they will bring to Georgia. Top to
bottom, the lineup is strong and there will be no easy outs from this
team.
Karns
Beavers (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Top
Prospects:
• Chase
McAllister (RHP/OF, 2015, High Follow)
• Tucker
Pate (C/3B/RHP, 2016, 359)
• Chris
Norton (SS/RHP, 2016)
• Greg
Tye (OF/RHP, 2016)
• Chris
Reddick (INF, 2015)
• Nick
Beuchat (OF/RHP, 2016)
Pitching:
The
Beavers of Karns High School will be led by a pair of righthanders
with legitimate college potential. Senior Chase McAllister, a
Tusculum signee, works from an athletic and strong 6-foot, 180-pound
frame. He’ll throw a quality three-pitch mix, highlighted by a
fastball that can work in the mid-80s and touch higher if needed. He
complements that fastball with a curveball/changeup combo, both of
which show excellent potential and projection. Joining McAllister on
the mound is junior righthander Tucker Pate, an Austin Peay commit.
Pate, who is primarily a position player, will toe the slab as well
for Head Coach Matt Hurley. Pate will work his fastball in the
upper-80s, even touching 90 mph at times. His slider will show
legitimate swing-and-miss potential and he’ll also flash a
developing changeup that shows promise. Rounding out the pitching
staff are a handful of two-way juniors, including Chris Norton, Greg
Tye and Nick Beauchat.
Offense:
Tucker
Pate, in addition to being a legitimate pitching prospect, is one of
the top catchers in the class of 2016. He will hit in the middle of
the Beavers’ lineup and provide excellent offensive punch, hitting
for both average and power. He’ll likely handle the load behind the
plate when not on the mound, where he shows quality mechanics and a
very strong arm, popping as quickly as 1.87 at the 2014 Southest
Underclass Showcase. Around the infield, senior Chris Reddick and
junior Chris Norton should play two of the second/third
base/shortstop positions. Chase McAllister will also play some
outfield when not on the mound and he’ll be joined out there by
juniors Greg Tye and Nick Beauchat.
Synopsis:
The
Beavers had a good 2014 campaign, finishing as the runner-up in
District 3-AAA, and losing in the Regional playoffs to eventual state
champion (and perennial powerhouse) Farragut High School. They return
a good number of players to the 2015 team, and have started the
season off pretty well with a 2-0 record. Will they continue their
success at the Louisville Slugger Select Classic? We shall see.