Daily Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3




Daniel Cabrera (2017, River Ridge, La.) is far from a stranger of Perfect Game events and has already performed on the biggest stage possible on the tournament circuit throwing in the WWBA World Championship. What’s more remarkable about Cabrera throwing in Jupiter is the fact that he did it at the beginning of his eighth grade year, sitting in the 80-83 mph range in the 2012 edition of the tournament.

Of course a lot has changed for Cabrera since then who’s now listed at 6-foot-1, 185-pound and is committed to stay in-state with a verbal commitment to Louisiana State University. His velocity has also taken an obvious step forward running his fastball up to 89 mph out of the ‘pen to quickly extinguish the fire. As he continued on the mound over the next couple of innings of work Cabrera steadily sat in the 85-88 mph range with a quick arm and an athletic set of mechanics. The two-way standout does a nice job of staying compact with his arm action, hiding the ball well while generating some late running life on his heater. A fierce competitor both on the mound and with the bat he came in after two runs already came in and punched out the hitter with a combination of fastballs and changeups.

The reason for circling back to that strikeout was to make mention of how advanced Cabrera’s changeup is at 74-76 mph. Showing the same release point and arm action Cabrera was able to pick up several swings and misses with the pitch as it features late diving life down in the zone, rarely missing with any pitch but especially with his changeup. Rounding out the three-pitch mix for the future LSU Tiger was his curveball in the low-70s, showing nice depth and late life.

As good as all of the above is, Cabrera swings a lefthanded stick that’s just as loud as his skill-set on the mound. Originally not in the starting lineup as he was scheduled to come in out of the bullpen, Cabrera came into the game and immediately provided a spark for the EvoShield Canes Southeast. After thwarting the threat and keeping the deficit at 2-0, Cabrera was in the thick of things again in the bottom of the inning and began a threat of his own, ultimately helping the Canes take and secure a 3-2 win. After a strong showing at the Tournament of Stars a few weeks back with the bat Cabrera again showed well as he contacted for two very hard struck balls off the barrel, the first one up the middle for a singe and the second to the right-center field gap for a double, rounding first base in 4.40 seconds.

Bryce Scioneaux (2018, Norco, La.) began the game and threw well for the EvoShield Canes Southeast, especially given the fact he just finished his freshman year of high school at the same high school as Landon Marceaux who was featured in a previous recap. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 215-pounds, Scioneaux projects well physically and already shows a strong three-pitch mix that’ll only continue to improve over then next three and a half year.

Working with an attack mode mentality on the mound, Scioneaux did a nice job of repeating his over-the-top arm action and in turn was able to generate consistent downhill plane on his fastball that sat in the 83-85 mph range, bumping 86 throughout. His arm action is full and quick through the backside, and with a slight hip turn at the top of the delivery he’s able to hide the ball nicely before coming at hitters. With all that he has already working against the hitters, Scioneaux also creates short, yet consistent cutting life on his fastball and showed the ability to harness the life early.

Throughout the night Scioneaux showed he wasn't afraid to pitch on the inner-third of the plate, whether it was with his fastball or one of his two breaking balls. And a perfect example of this came early in the second inning when the young righthander spotted a 3-2 slider in on a righthanded batter for a called third strike to end the inning. His slider was a nice pitch in the upper-70s, and though he works from a higher arm angle, Scioneaux was able to create some tilt on the pitch with a distinct difference in shape from his curveball. The curveball may have showed up more frequently in his few frames of works and it showed nice 12-to-6 shape with late depth and plenty of life.

Darren Willis (2017, Metairie, La.) may not standout physically with his 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame, but the moment he takes the field he makes sure you take notice as the tools speak for themselves on both sides of the ball. Starting at shortstop for the Canes, Willis was put to work immediately as Scioneaux was able to generate three ground balls up the middle and Willis was there to make a play on all three, showing range to his right with light actions on his feet. He showed no problem getting up the middle to make the play and continued to make plays throughout the night with a strong arm across the diamond. He also hits toward the top of the lineup offensively and has turned in run times down the line that have been at right around 4.3 seconds and may be capable of a tick lower. He handles the bat well and has continued to do a nice job of getting the barrel to the ball on a regular basis.

Matthew Cooper (2017, Virginia Beach, Va.) had a strong showing at the Perfect Game Junior National showcase, performing well both with the bat and at a few different defensive positions before committing to Clemson within the last week. Listed at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, Cooper certainly looks the part and he swung the as well as anybody on the field yesterday afternoon. Beginning with a lower hand set in his swing, Cooper is able to stay short and direct to the ball with plenty of strength coming off the barrel as evidenced by the hard line drive triple he shot up the middle in his first at-bat of the game. His second trip may have been even more impressive though as Cooper did a nice job of keeping his weight back on a curveball and lined the pitch into left field for a sharply hit single.

Jordon Adell (2017, Louisville, Ky.) was one of the bigger buzzes surrounding the Junior National Showcase and rightfully so as he showed off all his tools which included plus speed and plus arm strength from the outfield. The latest look at the young Louisville commit provided the opportunity of seeing the power in Adell’s righthanded swing as his hands are very fast, and with his muscular build he was able to turn on a ball and put it over the left field fence, getting off the barrel in a hurry.

The Dirtbags Scout Team rolled out a trio of arms during their run-rule shortened game, each showing impressive arm strength on the mound with stuff that’s only going to improve over time. Gage Herring (2017, Newton Grove, N.C.) has a long and lean 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame and with his quick right arm is able to generate a fastball that reached 89 mph and sat in the 84-88 mph range over his two innings of work. Landing online with his front foot, Herring showed the ability to work his heater to his glove side with some whippy life to his arm action and short running life. Both of his strikeouts came on empty swings with his fastball though his curveball showed tight rotation with short 11-to-5 shape in the 70-71 mph range.

After Herring, strongly built 6-foot-5, 230-pound righthander Hunter Britt (2016, Newton Grove, N.C.) took the mound and though he didn’t remain consistent with his release point he was able to generate an easy 91 mph fastball. Given his frame and the looseness of his arm action it’s easy to see him adding a few more ticks to his fastball as the arm action is fluid and tension free through the back and when he stays on top of the ball he’s able to generate downhill plane on the pitch. Britt lived comfortably in the upper-80s with his fastball and projects for more with the incorporation of his lower half. His curveball showed short depth in the 76-78 mph range.

Listed as a primary outfielder in the program, Nick Jodway (2017, Morganton, N.C.) came in out of the bullpen and warmed up at 91-92 mph before sitting in the 90-93 mph range throughout his time on the mound. Like Britt, Jodway had some inconsistencies in his release point, but the fast right arm and impressive arm strength are hard to deny. The righthander works exclusively out of the stretch and with a higher leg raise at the beginning of his delivery he's able to generate running life on his fastball when he remained on top of the ball and down in the zone. Two of his first three outs game via strikeout has he had hitters swing through both a 91 and 92 mph fastball while showing a slider at 74 mph.

Already committed to East Carolina, switch-hitting catcher Bryson Worrell (2017, Sims, N.C.) put his strength from the left side on display early at he showed nice lift in his swing and generated hard jump off the barrel for a grand slam down the right field line.

The last time Kyle Whitten (2017, Manassas, Va.) threw in a Perfect Game event was last fall when he was up to 83 mph with his fastball. Since then Whitten as continued to add strength to his long 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame and in turn has gained velocity. The jump with his fastball isn't the only change for Whitten as the young righthander also just committed the University of Virginia within the last week or so.

Staying short in the back with his arm action, Whitten came out sitting in the 84-86 mph range, bumping 87 early and did so while living down in the zone. Whitten works from a traditional three-quarters arm slot and shows relative ease at release while working his fastball to either side of the plate with comfort and short life to his arm side. It’s easy to envision his fastball showing more in the future as well as he continues to develop physically and incorporates more lower half into his drive towards the plate. He also varied the shape of his breaking ball as he threw both a curveball, which featured bigger depth in the low-70s, and a tight-spinning slider with some tilt and late depth in the upper-70s and threw each for strikes.

– Jheremy Brown




2017 lefthander Chaney Rogers, a University of Georgia commitment, was pretty consistently dominant for about four innings on Monday afternoon. Though he got up to an impressive 87 mph with his fastball and lived in the 85-86 range, it was the overall feel for pitching as well as the secondary stuff that really stands out with Rogers. Despite some hook in the back of the arm action, Rogers’ arm is generally clean and loose with whippy arm speed, and one can easily dream on added velocity as physical development continues. With very good angle from an extended three-quarters slot, Rogers’ fastball jumps at hitters and is very deceptive out of the hand, making it seem far quicker than what the radar gun would actually tell you. He pounds the fastball down in the zone, and while the command isn’t plus yet, the ease of him arm action and repeatability of his delivery have things trending in that direction. He has advanced feel for the changeup as well, with deception of out of the hand along with parachuting, tumbling action on the pitch. He’ll also throw a slider in the 77-80 range, with those at 77-78 having more true slider tilt and those at 79-80 looking a bit more like cutters, giving him a well-rounded arsenal that I’m sure the Georgia coaches can’t wait to get to campus.




2017 University of Florida commit, righthander Hunter McMullen toed the slab for Chet Lemon’s Juice on Monday, and didn't disappoint. He features a large, projectable frame with advanced arm speed, a good athletic build and raw arm strength that has his fastball touching 90 already. His delivery is balanced to release point, then there is some spin towards the first base line along with some arm recoil and a bit of head whack that throws everything off, and doesn't quite allow him to really extend and finish his pitches. Regardless, he has the raw stuff and talent to warrant discussion, and he showed that on Monday. His fastball worked in the 86-89 range and topped at 90 a few times, showing good life downhill to the arm side. He’ll rush a bit from the stretch and the command will loosen, but for the most part he was showing solid control, and the command will come. His slider was often bounced but flashes outstanding spin with very sharp break, making it a potential swing-and-miss offering for him in the future. Overall, there is a ton to like here.




2017 catcher Calvin Greenfield has drawn the interest of dozens of college coaches in the past week, and for good reason. He’s in the conversation for being one of the best overall catchers in the class of 2017. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 190 pounds, Greenfield is broad-shouldered and well-built with impressive overall physicality and athleticism, making him the perfect candidate for the catcher position in college. He receives well with a strong hand/forearm combination on the receiving hand, really sticking the ball even in tough spots like down to the glove side. He moves very well side-to-side with the kind of athletic fluidity that is a rare commodity for catchers, especially a catcher just entering his junior year of high school. He popped 1.87 in game action to nail a would-be base stealer by 10 feet, then was consistently in the 1.90-2.00 second times in between innings. He’s a very vocal leader with plus leadership capabilities, something vitally important from the catcher position.

At bat, he could potentially hit in the middle of the order at the collegiate level, where his combination of raw strength and feel for the barrel project him to be someone who could hit for average and power at the next level. With a simple shift into contact, he brings his hands through the zone with authority and strength, showing natural loft in his swing that all combines into serious raw power and the ability to drive the baseball gap-to-gap. He drilled a 96 mph liner off the shortstop’s shin in Monday’s action, hit an inside-the-park home run in another at bat and got down in the line on a groundball in 4.26 seconds, an impressive time for a catcher. He’s a well-rounded player with excellent projection in every part of his game.

Greenfield’s teammate, 2017 shortstop Brett Lemmons, was impressive as well. A switch-hitter, Lemmons certainly looks good from the left side, with a smooth, quick stroke that is built for line drive contact and gives him the best chance to get his above average speed and athleticism on base. He’s a good defender as well, showing great side-to-side footwork and a very quick release, showing the overall fluidity you want to see from a middle infield prospect.




2016 righthander Corey Ireson came on in relief for the Florida Burn late Monday night (Tuesday morning) and was impressive, showing some of the best fastball life we’ve seen in this tournament so far. Working 85-86 mph and topping at 87, Ireson was able to generate quite a few swings and misses on the fastball, which featured explosive arm-side life regardless of where it was pitched. Ireson is broad-shouldered and lean with high quality physical projection remaining, and with the ease of his arm action combined with that projection, it’s not unrealistic to expect him to continue adding velocity moving forward. He complemented that fastball with a loopier curveball that he was able to throw for strikes effectively, as well as advanced feel for his changeup in the mid-70s. The change is very clean out of the hand and shows late fading life, while mimicking his fastball well until the end, generating a good amount of whiffs on the offering.

2017 lefthanded pitcher Jordan Butler came on for the final out for the Burn and threw three pitches – 90, 91, and 92 – to record the final out on a swinging strike three. With lightning fast arm speed and a lower slot, the fastball is devastating to opposing hitters, especially when he can air it out in a relief role.

– Brian Sakowski