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Tournaments  | Story | 3/11/2016

PG HS Showdown: Day 1 Recap

Matt Czechanski
Photo: Perfect Game

2016 PG HS Showdown Event Page | 2016 PG HS Showdown-Academies Event Page

In what was a standout day for several prospects across several classes, it was two class of 2016 Georgia prospects who really stood out on Thursday.




Righthanded pitcher Will Ethridge (Lilburn, Ga.) took the mound for Parkview High School and was absolutely sensational against a very talented Magnolia Heights (Miss.) squad. Ethridge threw a complete game (seven innings), allowed three hits, no walks, no runs and struck out 13 hitters. He did so by doing a brilliant job of commanding all three of his pitches in addition to sequencing them well.

His fastball worked 88-92 mph for the majority of his start, touching 93 a couple of times early on, with heavy, running life to the arm side. He worked down in the zone to both sides of the plate consistently, and was able to elevate the pitch to get swings and misses at will. His primary off-speed pitch was his slider, which sat right around 79-81 mph and flashed plus pretty often. It’s very tight spinning (2600-2700 RPM per TrackMan) with sharp, two-plane break, and he was able to throw the pitch both for strikes and as a chase pitch, especially down and away to righthanded hitters. He mixed in a few changeups as well, showing the ability to turn it over out in front without sacrificing arm speed or slot while generating solid fading action.

He was very often ahead 0-2, and threw his complete game shutout on only 90 pitches, 65 of which were strikes. He came into this start with significant helium in regards to his draft stock and it’s easy to see why.

Fellow Georgian senior, outfielder Brandon Marsh (Buford, Ga.) is another prospect who had been receiving some serious draft buzz so far this spring, but really put on a show in nearly every facet of the game on Thursday afternoon/evening. He’s a plus athlete with excellent physicality at 6-foot-3, 185-pounds and his frame is projectable enough to potentially support additional bulk moving forward.

He’s at least a plus runner, turning in turn times right at 4.20 seconds on two occasions and running a 3.95 down the line on a true dig. The swing is very loose and easy, highlighted by above average bat speed and very quick hands, which showed up in the form of hard line drive contact to several parts of the field throughout his 7-8 at-bats. He also showed off the power that is naturally endearing to scouts, lofting a double into the opposite field gap with plenty of carry. It’s pretty easy to project at least average power from him due to the swing, bat speed and projection as far as his strength is concerned. The Kennesaw State signee wasn't tested defensively (he was playing right field, but his athleticism and speed suggest that center field would be a pretty easy option for him), and during infield/outfield in pregame showed off a rocket of an arm that could also be graded as a plus tool.

In what was one of the more consistently funny sights of the day, after his first two at-bats, every time he came to the plate, dozens of scouts could be seen migrating as a group down the left field line so as to have optimal viewing of his swing from the open side, seeing as he’s a lefthanded hitter. To say that Marsh’s draft stock is climbing faster than anyone’s may be a bit of an understatement at this point.

Marsh’s Buford High School teammates also put on a quality display, with two more well known prospects each having stellar days.




Senior lefthanded pitcher Justin Glover (Buford, Ga.) was excellent in his start, scattering four hits over six innings pitched, allowing no runs and only one walk to go along with eight strikeouts. He worked pretty consistently in the 86-90 mph range, bumping 91 in the first inning and settling in from there. His arm action is very smooth and easy, and while a closed landing gives him a bit of a crossfire delivery, he has the flexibility and arm speed necessary to still manage to get over his front side and work downhill to the glove side. He painted corners at the knees with his fastball all day, working in and out to hitters of both handedness.

He showed the ability to manipulate the shape of his curveball, which worked in the 73-76 mph range. To lefthanded hitters he would show a bit slurvier look, often leading to a hitter bailing out before watching the curveball break over the plate at the knees for a called strike. Versus righthanded hitters the pitch had more true downer action, with 1-to-7 shape and plenty of depth, with the ability to bury it down and out of the zone as a chase pitch or to drop it over the heart of the plate to get a called strike. He also showed more advanced feel for his changeup than we’d ever seen from him, doubling up on the pitch at times and trusting it against lefthanded hitters. The change worked around 77-80 mph with a clean release out of the hand and some fading action down in the zone.

Yet another Buford High School product, senior center fielder Nick Wilhite (2016, Buford, Ga.), flashed legitimate tools as far as offense, defense and speed are concerned, and on the whole had a pretty good day. Earlier in the day, with the score deadlocked at zeros, he fielded a line drive single up the middle, gathered cleanly and fired a one-hop strike to the plate to cut down a potential go ahead runner by about five feet. Later on, with the score still close, he delivered a clutch opposite-field single to score a run and eventually came around to score himself, showing off plus wheels in the process. He’s signed with Georgia Tech and could pretty easily be an early-impact contributor as a quality outfielder with high-level contact and batting average skills.




2015 Perfect Game All-American and a University of Georgia signee, senior righthander Anthony Locey (2016, Columbus, Ga.) started for Houston County High School on Thursday afternoon. He absolutely looks the part of a hard-throwing, physical righthander, standing 6-foot-2 and weighing in around 230 pounds with extreme strength throughout his build. He came out hot, touching 95 mph and settling in around 91-93 for the duration of his start. He certainly gets downhill in his delivery, getting to a high slot with a long arm swing and generating good plane to the plate.

The fastball, in addition to the raw velocity, has good arm-side life when commanded down, and when combined with the plane he generates, makes the pitch a tough one to square up when it’s down. He showed a better changeup than we’d previously seen from him, turning them over in the 82-84 mph range and getting quality fading action at the plate. His breaking ball was a bit inconsistent but flashed, with his curve being of much better quality the harder he threw it. It worked anywhere between 70-76 mph, with the best ones being at 75-76.

Over in the Academies portion of the tournament, Faith Baptist Academy offered quite a few quality talents. Arguably the most impressive of the bunch was senior center fielder Chavez Young (2016, Brandon, Fla.). Young started out hot immediately, lacing a triple deep into the gap from the left side of the plate (he’s a switch hitter), showing an excellent combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his swing that showed the ability to produce hard contact on pitches throughout the zone. Later in the game, he drilled a hard single to the pull field from the right side of the plate, and while the swing is a bit more fluid from the left side, there still exists good bat speed and strength from the right.

A very good athlete and plus runner, Young projects well in center field, and his loudest tool may actually be his arm, which—in an albeit brief few looks—looked to be another plus tool at his disposal. He’ll be watched closely by many evaluators throughout the weekend.

Oxford High School (Oxford, Miss.) is ranked third in our Top 50 high school team rankings, and there’s no mistaking just how loaded with talent they are. Their highest-ranked prospect is senior shortstop Grae Kessinger (2016, Oxford, Miss.), an Ole Miss signee with legitimately high defensive upside. With a body that oozes projection, Kessinger may have one of the smoother infield gloves of the 2016 class, with the range, quick-twitch athleticism, actions and arm strength to stay at the shortstop position for a long time.

He’s also an accomplished hitter out of the Oxford leadoff spot, where his contact-driven swing is quick, clean, and generates hard line drive contact all over the field. He also features an advanced approach with the willingness and ability to work the count into his favor, or simply draw a walk. Those on base and contact skills are ideally suited to the top of the order, where he is a near-perfect fit.

– Brian Sakowski





Righthanded pitcher Alex Speas (2016, Powder Springs, Ga.) of McEachern High School made his second trip to LakePoint in the last two weeks and continued to build off his recent success. Speas’ 6-foo-4, 190-pound frame is still just as projectable as it was his first time through as he took on a tough IMG Academy team Thursday afternoon. Speas opened the game featuring his explosive fastball that worked at 94-96 mph and touched 97. The pitch showed good arm-side wiggle and he had the ability to elevate to garner a swing and miss. He also showed the ability to generate good cut action on the pitch when trying to work to his glove side and slightly closing off his landing and working more across his body.

As good as Speas’ arm is the most consistent criticism pertains to his command. In front of approximately 50 MLB scouts he easily showed his best outing to date as he walked only two batters and gave up only five hits in his dominant complete game outing. He struck out six batters and showed the same feel for a curveball up to 80 mph with occasional sharpness and the ability to work the pitch for a strike. He showed a changeup up to 90 with slight sink. Both off-speed pitches he only flashed feel for, as they occasionally fluttered out of his hand with loose rotation.

What Speas did exceptionally well was hold his velocity over the whole game. The last pitch of the seventh inning was 96 mph, a good sign of his improved strength and conditioning. As noted, this was a big outing in terms of command for Speas, and if he continues to trend in the right direction he could see his draft stock improve since June.

Adrian Del Castillo (2017, Miami, Fla.), a Miami commit, delivered not one, but two home runs for the Gulliver Prep Raiders in their first two games of the Showdown. Del Castillo, a sophomore, is listed at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds with very clear present strength in his frame. He generates good torque through his lower half and is well balanced through the point of contact. He has very clear feel for his barrel release and his bat stays in the zone a long time with a smooth stroke. He starts his swing with a leg lift timing mechanism and stands slightly open with a high hand-set. He has a slight pull-oriented approach, but did show the ability to work the other way and take the ball where pitched. He showed a line drive swing plane and the ability to work generate good backspin, enabling both homers to fly over the outfield fence.




Like his teammate Del Castillo, Robert Touron (2017, Miami, Fla.) is a fellow Miami commit, but the junior impressed on the mound rather than at the plate. Touron worked from a low three-quarters arm slot on the mound with a long, loose arm action. He stands with a projectable 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame and shows the ability to easily handle added weight and strength. He showed good drive from his lower half, albeit inconsistent, and cut off his extension, though landing online. He landed on a very stiff front leg with complete lower half turn towards first-base.

His fastball worked 87-89 mph and topped out at 91 mph with slight arm-side life. What he struggled with on the mound that didn’t necessarily hurt him in the box score was leaving his fastball in the middle of the plate. He received some help from his defense, but began to work the ball lower in the zone as his start progressed. He missed in a slider as well on the mound with 10-to-4 shape that flashed depth, but he struggled to get through the pitch. Touron finished the game tossing 6 2/3 innings allowing two runs on three hits and a pair of walks, while striking out five batters.

The talented 6-foot, 190-pound Drew Bianco (2018, Oxford, Miss.) manned shortstop as well as the No. 2 spot in the lineup for the Oxford Chargers. He has good present strength in his frame with loose actions in the field. He showed good lateral range with soft hands as well as sound footwork around the bag. Where he made his presence known in a louder fashion was at the plate as he delivered a two-run home run as well as a hard ground ball single through the left side. Bianco did well to consistently match his swing plane through the zone and he swings with the intent to hit line drives. He has loud ability to find the barrel and shows the ability at a young age to time its release on a breaking ball. He has plus bat speed at the plate as well with the ability to generate loft on an elevated pitch.




Julio Blanco (2016, Brandon, Fla.) was the second pitcher into the game for Faith Baptist following another impressive, young, righthanded arm named Shameko Smith. Blanco worked from a high three-quarters arm slot on the mound with a long, loose arm action from a medium frame. He started with a medium leg raise and got downhill well for his size, landing online with a slight heel turning finish and fall off towards first base. Blanco showed good lower half incorporation with power generated through his hips and down the mound well.

He generated good plane with his fastball and saw good arm-side life generated while working 89-91 mph and topping out at 93 mph. He worked up in the zone, but had better command arm-side on the black, away from lefthanded hitters. He mixed in a curveball with 11-to-5 shape that showed loose rotation. Blanco was able to throw the pitch for strikes and did have some confidence in it, topping it out at 74 mph. He also showed a changeup in warmups that got up to 80 mph with slight fade, but like his curveball, he slowed his arm for the offering. Blanco fired one inning allowing one hit and struck out the side.

A Notre Dame commit from Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Michael Feliz (2016) hit and played shortstop for IMG showing good raw skills both offensively and defensively. Feliz has exceptional strength present in his 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame and still maintains his athleticism. At the plate, he showed exceptionally loose wrists and strength to flick a triple to the right-center field fence. Feliz has impressive raw bat speed with a line drive plane and a smooth swing through the zone. His patient approach and balance throughout give him the ability to wait back on off-speed pitches and drive them around the field. His ability to recognize bad spin and lay off allows him to wait for either an inside fastball or a breaking ball left up that he can drive. He utilizes a gap-to-gap approach that should produce plenty of extra base hits at higher levels.

– Matt Czechanski
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