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.