Makenzie Stills (2018, Fayetteville, Ga.) got the 2015 15u WWBA World Championships off to a hot start as he toed the rubber in the 12:30 p.m. game for the Game On Spartans and began warming up at 88 mph before the first inning. Currently ranked No. 18 in the 2018 class rankings, the uncommitted Stills showed he was just in fact warming up as he took it to the next level once the ump said “play ball.”

Listed at 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, Stills may not strike you as a hard thrower immediately, and watching how loose and effortless his arm action is may not suggest it either, but he came out in the first inning and sat 90-92 mph with his fastball and looked like he was just playing catch. Stills showed a fast and fluid arm circle through the back, remaining balanced through his delivery while remaining online towards the plate. The velocity has continued to progress for the Georgia native over the last year or two and there’s no reason to think there isn’t another jump in there. And while the radar gun readings are highly impressive, the hard and late running life to his arm side he’s able to generate is equally as impressive and often induced weak ground ball contact.

The overall feel for pitching that Stills displayed was also some of the more advanced stuff that you’ll see at this age as he showed three pitches, all of which have the potential to be swing-and-miss offerings. Though he didn’t show his changeup through the first three innings against a hitter, he did throw it in warmups at 80-81 mph with some diving life down while maintaining his arm action and arm speed. Stills did show his slider in game and it featured two-plane life at 76-77 mph and has the potential to become a power offering with 10-to-4 shape.

Tony Jacob (2019, Acton, Calif.) took the mound in the late night slot for the California-based BPA DeMarini Elite and didn't seem to mind the start time as he came out pounding the strike zone early and often. Listed at 5-foot-10, 155-pounds, the lefthanded Jacob showed a high level of pitchability for a player his age as he mixed a full three-pitch arsenal, showing an equal feel for each, especially for a pitcher who is just heading into his freshman year of high school.

Along with the pitchability, Jacob’s balance and ability to repeat his mechanics and arm slot stood out as he’s able to get on top of the ball and generate downhill plane on his fastball. After opening the game in the 77-80 mph range, Jacob was just getting warmed up as he sat 80-83 mph in the second inning, striking out the side while showing a fast and rather loose left arm. All three of the strikeouts came on fastball, two swinging, but he was able to set up hitters with mostly his curveball, though he did flash a quality changeup a time or two. A pitch in the low-60s, Jacob’s curveball showed depth to it along with feel as he was consistently down in the zone with the pitch and showed fading life to his arm side on the changeup he showed at 71 mph.




Last year in the WWBA Freshman World Championship righthander Jalon Long (2018, Millbrook, Ala.) came out with a fastball that peaked at 84 mph, impressive arm strength for a player who hadn’t played a game of high school baseball yet. Jump to yesterday and Long first showed off his athleticism and arm strength from right field as he came in charging a ball hard before unleashing a one-hop strike to home plate, narrowly missing the runner.

Taking the mount the next inning, although he's listed in the program at 5-foot-8, Long appeared to be closer to 5-foot-10, and he produced some of the better velocity of the day. Showing a quick arm and a high three-quarters release, Long ran his fastball up to 88 and 89 mph once before settling into the 84-87 mph range, though more velocity is on the way. The son of former Oakland Athletics outfielder Terrence Long, Long’s fastball showed occasional running life when he was able to get on top of the ball and work down in the zone. He does a nice job of remaining balanced though his delivery and showed the ability to locate to either side of the plate as he picked up one of a few strikeouts by bringing an 85 mph back over the glove side black to a righthanded hitter.

As he continues to develop physically and incorporate more lower half into his delivery Long will certainly continue to take the next step forward, though the present product is already very impressive. He showed an excellent feel for his curveball in the 69-72 mph range, a pitch that featured big 12-to-6 life and depth and was consistently thrown for strikes at any time.

Kevin Dowdell (2018, Montevallo, Ala.) first caught my attention with his play in center field yesterday as he moves very well to the ball with a good first step and possesses the type of speed that allows him to cover ground from gap-to-gap. With a strong, yet projectable 6-foot, 180-pound build, Dowdell showed nice rhythm with balance in his swing while shifting his weight well through his lower half. He has some hidden strength to his overall profile given how live and loose his actions are and it shows with how the ball comes off the barrel and the ball leaves his hand from the outfield.

Chase Wilkerson (2018, Headland, Ala.) got the start for Chain National and he was given plenty of offensive support while he did his thing on the mound. Listed at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, Wilkerson came out sitting in the 84-86 mph range with his fastball, showing a loose arm action and a rather balanced, repeatable delivery for a player his age. As the first inning continued his ability to generate downhill plane sharpened while showing solid running life to his arm side with a low effort release. The athleticism (he's listed as a primary shortstop) and frame suggest more velocity is on the way and he already shows a nice feel for a breaking ball in the 68-70 mph range, featuring both depth and shape to it.




With a loose and projectable frame Stephen Szucs (2018, Marietta, Ga.) came out of the gate sitting in the mid-80s with his fastball and continued to show that type of velocity until his last batter of the game. Throwing from a low three-quarters arm slot Szucs is able to generate solid running life to his arm side on his fastball, peaking at 86 mph while showing the ability to locate down to his glove side. Given the whippiness of his arm action Szucs continues to project for more velocity on the mound as he continues to incorporate his lower half, though he already holds well out of the stretch and over an outing.

The ball comes out rather easily and at times he’d get across his body at release which actually created solid angle on his fastball. Szucs’ feel for his upper-60s to low-70s curveball developed throughout the game and soon became his out pitch, mixing effectively and freezing hitters with the pitch that showed some depth and 11-to-5 shape. The 6-foot-2, 168-pound righthander also featured a splitter which served as his changeup in the 73-75 mph range, showing tumbling life down in the zone.

Michael Guldberg (2017, Marietta, Ga.) came out swinging in the middle of a very impressive, physically built East Cobb Braves 15u lineup. Guldberg started hot and finished hot as he twice went with an outer half fastball, got extended, and drove the ball into the right field corner for extra-base hits. His first hit ended up as a three-base hit, turning around first in 4.51 seconds and didn’t seem to lose any momentum as he cruised into third base.

Tyler McKenzie (2019, Loxahatchee, Fla.) resembles his older brother and 2015 Perfect Game All-American righthanded pitcher Triston McKenzie with a long and wiry quick-twitch frame with long limbs and full of projectability. Though Tyler isn’t a pitcher like his older brother he did show off his athleticism at shortstop for the Easton Rockets despite being one of the youngest players on the field. His glove work and actions remained consistent throughout the game, showing the ability to pick the ball cleanly while moving well to his backhand before delivering a solid throw across the diamond. McKenzie also showed off an advanced approach at the plate serving as the Rockets leadoff man. Facing the mid-80s sidearmer Szucs, McKenzie dug in his first at-bat and showed off a solid two-strike approach as he fouled off a handful of pitches before successfully working a walk.

Already committed to Cal, righthander Chris Joaquim (2017, Petalum, Calif.) was given the ball in game one for a talent-laden Phenom Signature team. Standing at 6-foot-2, 205-pounds, it comes with little surprise that Joaquim was able to carry hit mid-80s fastball throughout his seven inning, complete game one-hit shutout.

Joaquim ran his fastball up to 88 mph in the first and comfortably sat at 83-87 mph while showing a short and quick arm action through the back with some whippiness to it at release. The ball comes out of his hand cleanly and as he began getting loose he worked on top of the ball better and filled up the lower quadrants of the strike zone with occasional cutting life to his glove side. Joaquim did a nice job of staying online with his lower half which helps him drive towards the plate, and in turn played a part in the effectiveness of his curveball. Thrown consistently in the 68-69 mph band Joaquim did a nice job of repeating his arm action on the pitch, hiding is well before dropping the 11-to-5 offering in on the hitter with nice depth and comfort.

He may not have played a high school game yet but Jordan Keller (2019, Moreno Valley, Calif.) has the tools to make a long-term impression at Woodcrest High School. On a roster composed of mostly rising sophomores, it was a bit surprising to see Keller would just be beginning his freshman year in the fall after watching him play and double checking in the program. Already 6-foot-2, 175-pounds Keller showed off a quick barrel through the zone with loose hands and interesting strength. After a hard line out to left field in his first at-bat, Keller strode back up to the plate and collected a hard and loud line drive single to left field, one of the louder hit balls of the game.

Ricky Martinez (2018, Morgan Hill, Calif.) already possesses quick-twitch muscle at shortstop and has the instincts of the game to effectively put them to use. His actions up the middle are smooth and easy and his hands are extremely soft and quick, getting rid of the ball as quickly as anybody in the tournament. At 6-foot, 175-pounds, Martinez showed some ability with the bat too as he went with an outer half pitch into right field and alertly took second base as the throw came sailing in towards home plate.




Kumar Rocker (2018, Watkinsville, Ga.) may not have showed the 90 mph fastball that he did last week but the 6-foot-4, 220-pound righthander didn’t have to as he appeared to be playing catch from the first pitch of the game to the last.

Showing the same loose and whippy arm action with big extension out front Rocker sat in the 84-88 mph range with his fastball, generating solid sinking life down in the zone to either side of the plate. While he did miss bats he was able to induce weak ground ball contact when put in play, only once giving up a barreled hit into the outfield. The athleticism is evident as he remains very balanced and repeats his delivery extremely well for a player of his size and age. Rocker showed no problem in locating his fastball low to his glove side as he did so several times over his complete game shutout.

The physicality and the ease of which he throws makes is very easy to project more velocity on its way, something that’s scary to think about given the heavy bat-breaking life the pitch already possesses. Picking up his fair share of strikeouts yesterday afternoon, Rocker again showed a feel for both his changeup and slider, each showing interesting potential. He picked up at least three of his strikeouts with his 74-76 mph slider, a pitch with sweeping life and some tilt away from righthanded hitters. The young righthander didn’t show his changeup as often as he did his slider, though he could have pitched exclusively off his fastball and been successful. The change did show some diving life down in the zone in the upper-70s, peaking at 81 mph.

– Jheremy Brown


Game On Stealth won their game late Friday night by a score of 15-0 in three innings, and did so with some seriously impressive performances on the mound from a pair of uncommitted 2017 prospects.




Starting the game was 2017 righthander Emerson Hancock (Cairo, Ga.), and the 6-foot-3, 175-pound righty was undeniably impressive in his short two-inning outing. With a large, projectable frame featuring athleticism and plenty of room to fill out, Hancock did a good job repeating his delivery and maintaining command of his entire arsenal over those two innings. He worked 85-87 with his fastball for the most part, with very heavy sinking/running action to the arm side, topping at 89 mph and commanding the ball very well down and to the glove side. He was able to climb the ladder with the fastball as well, getting swings and misses up in the zone in addition to lots of weak contact when down.

With a longer arm action highlighted by a small stab at the bottom of the arm circle, Hancock’s arm is still very fast and pretty easy. He uses his legs well, and although there is a bit of crossfire in the delivery, he’s able to command all three of his pitches and otherwise stay balanced. He throws a curveball and a slider as well as the fastball, with the curveball showing power depth and excellent spin in the 67-69 range, and the slider being a bit shorter but still very hard (74-76) with tight spin and tilt. He pounded the zone with all three pitches over his two inning start, and will be someone we keep an eye on later in this tournament to see if he throws again.




Hancock’s teammate, 2017 outfielder/righthanded pitcher Malik Spratling (Leesburg, Ga.) may end up being one of the preeminent two-way players in his class, and has the upside both positionally and on the mound to be a legitimate two-way talent at the next level. Spratling is a potential elite-level center fielder, with 6.5 speed and already-plus arm strength, Spratling can covers tons of ground with ease and is a threat to throw out baserunners at any base, at any time. He’s a legitimate prospect as a hitter as well, with very projectable hitting tools throughout his offensive game, showing the quick hands/wrists needed to drive the ball all over the field with a short, simple swing and very good bat speed. He’s very strong already and still could fill out some, and though the swing may be a bit linear right now, he’s certainly a no-doubt Division I prospect as a leadoff-hitting center fielder.

Spratling may be the most raw 2017 pitching prospect at this event, simply because he doesn't pitch often at all. He’s just not a 'pitcher,' but the raw arm strength and easy arm action he displayed late Friday night might just change the opinion of some. He was up to 93 mph on his fastball, with a very easy arm action, with the ball exploding out of his hand and downhill from an elevated slot. His mechanics are very raw and weren’t repeated at all, and the command was very loose overall, but when a prospect who doesn't pitch steps on the mound and throws 93, we have to pay attention. If he can actually learn how to harness that raw, easy arm strength and develop on the mound, the sky is truly the limit in terms of his two-way potential.

2018 catcher Connor Pavolony (Woodstock, Ga.) was perhaps the fastest rising prospect of the day on Friday. With an athletically built frame with already solid size, Pavolony projects to continue to add strength to his 6-foot-1, 180-pound physicality as he continues to mature. As far as his game goes, it was very impressive overall. The first thing that stands out is his flexibility behind the dish, with a very low set creating a low target for his pitcher, Pavolony’s flex is excellent and he still has the athleticism and strength to explode out of that low crouch when throwing and/or blocking. He’s a quality receiver already, catching the ball out in front of his body and 'sticking' it for the umpire, regardless of where it’s thrown. He popped 1.87, 1.92, and 1.94 in between innings on his warmup pop times, with varying levels of accuracy and footwork, but the overall arm strength is very good and very advanced for a prospect of his age. He’s a stalwart defender overall, moving well side-to-side with athleticism and lateral agility, deadening balls in front of him and doing an outstanding job eliminating the running game.

At the plate, the smoothness of his swing is highlighted early and often, as he drilled two doubles in his first two at-bats, one over the center fielder's head and one off the wall in dead left field, both of them showing impressive exit velocities and backspin carry as a result of the natural loft he creates in his swing. There’s little to no wasted movement or effort in his swing at all, with advanced hand-eye coordination and strength. He generates great bat speed and has good feel for the barrel, making him a consistent extra base threat right now who should grow into even more home run power moving forward. He did an outstanding job making a name for himself in front of Perfect Game as well as several college coaches, and stood out as potentially one of the top catching prospects in the 2018 class.




2018 righthander Davis Sharpe (Dacula, Ga.) came on in relief of the starter on Friday, and immediately drew attention when his first fastball was clocked at 87 mph. At 6-foot-2, 170-pounds, Sharpe is highly projectable and highly athletic, repeating his delivery like most 2018s cannot do yet, and showing good command of his overall arsenal. There is some effort in his delivery highlighted by a head whack at release, but overall the mechanics are clean and fluid. His fastball worked 84-86, downhill from a medium three-quarters slot, pounding down in the zone with sinking/running action to the arm side. He throws a harder, shorter slider right now, and while he can get to the side of (or underneath) the pitch and turn it flat, it shows legitimate potential to be a wipeout pitch for him, given the velocity at which he throws it and the tight spin he’s able to create out of the hand. He also has advanced feel for the changeup, turning it over well and showing fading action on the pitch to go along with very good velocity differential from the fastball.

– Brian Sakowski