Noah King (2018, Roswell, Ga.) is a filled out and athletic infielder with solid running ability and power potential. At 5-foot-10 175-pounds, and a bigger more athletic build than that in my opinion, he has a shoulder-width base, even stance and a big leg kick that generates torque that leads to probable power when on time. He does have a tendency to land hard on his front foot and cause him to throw off his timing. This quick fix could lead to more consistent solid contact.
Henry Helfich (2019, Auburn, Ga.) showed advanced tools behind the plate. He nabbed a would-be base stealer trying to take second with a perfect throw and a 2.23 pop time. The receive and transfer are both very quick, but the arm could use a little improved strength to cut down pop times. The catcher also blocks well with good footwork. Helfich has projectable size at 6-foot 190-pounds with plenty of room to fill. He also has a fluid swing for contact at the plate. He stands with a wide base, open stance and toe tap trigger. Helfich has a bat waggle back and forth up against his shoulder before getting his hands into place to hit. The junior has a patient approach and a fastball hitter.
Luke Bartnicki (2018, Marietta, Ga.) is a special left-handed arm in the class of 2018. Easy low 90s fastball touching 94 with a plus slider and good changeup. The delivery is deceptive with a big leg kick and coil that creates drive off the back leg that generates velocity from a three-quarters arm slot. Bartnicki also hides the ball well prior to getting good extension with his quick arm. The fastball has lots of run to armside. He mixes in a plus slider as his number two pitch that is very sharp in the low-80s. He flashed a good straight changeup at 84 that was deceptive. The future Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket has a very high ceiling.
Ryland Goede (2019, Kennesaw, Ga.) has excellent power in his swing and it was on display in the semifinal and championship on Wednesday. The righthanded corner infielder stands at 6-foot-6 235-pounds and has present strength. Goede stands with a shoulder width base, leg lift trigger and quick bat. The swing has a quick hitch in it prior to contact but it does not limit the bat speed or the ability for Goede to be on time. The power hitter hit two home runs on Wednesday that both had an exit velocity of 100 mph.
Johnathan Cannon (2019, Alpharetta, Ga.) was called on to start the semifinal game for the Georgia Jackets National 16U. The junior righthander pounded the strike to both sides of the plate even though he did get hit around. Cannon showed good velocity at 86-88 with a curveball and changeup mixed in. The fastball has run to armside from a high three-quarters arm slot. He has a tall, lanky build with lots of room to fill for added strength and potentially more velocity. Cannon gets good extension on all of his pitches, but does have a tendency to slow down his delivery on his off speed pitches.
Griffin Zito (2018, Acworth, Ga.) stood out on the base paths for 643 DP Cougars Pralgo. He has a medium, athletic build with plus speed running a 3.97 home to first base time. Zito is a solid contact hitter to all fields with an open stance and a bat waggle. He also showed good infield actions at second base.
Davis Rokose (2019, Johns Creek, Ga.) is a lefthanded pitcher with a projectable build and good stuff. The southpaw sat 84-85 touching 87 with cutting action. He also mixed in a slider and a changeup that he showed very good feel for. The slider is sharp in the upper-70s. He also throws a plus changeup that kept hitters off balance in the upper-70s with good fade. Rokose is a high follow who repeats his mechanics well.
Jerrion Ealy (2019, Carthage, Miss.) is a plus runner with an outstanding arm from the outfield. He ran a 4.04 home to first base and beat out a routine ground ball to second base. He projects as a center fielder with his speed, but could play right field with his impressive arm. He also showed good tools at the plate with a closed stance, leg kick trigger and good bat speed while getting down the line well.
Ethan Hankins (2018, Cumming, Ga.) has an explosive fastball that shows riding life to armside. The delivery is effortless with outstanding arm speed. Hankins set a new personal best at a Perfect Game event sitting 94-96 and touching 97 five times. He also mixed in an 11-5 curveball in the low- to mid-70s. The Vanderbilt commit gets great extension out front in his 6-foot-6 200-pound frame. He threw five innings in the semifinal Wednesday allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts and earning the win. The righthander has tremendous potential and a very high ceiling.
Ethan Smith (2018, Mount Juliet, Tenn.) has a very deceptive delivery with a double leg kick in his windup. The second leg kick is very effective in throwing off hitters' timing. The fastball has occasional life to armside sitting 90-92 touching 93. Smith also throws a hard biting slider in the low-80s and flashed a changeup at 86. The Vanderbilt commit gets excellent drive off of his back leg from his athletic 6-foot-3 200-pound frame.
– Gregory Gerard
Garrett Wade (2018 LHP Hartselle, Ala.) threw well for the East Cobb Astros in their Tuesday game, throwing five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and three walks while striking out eight. Wade has a lot of upside with a good, solid fastball that ran from 86-90 and possesses two good breaking pitches in his curve and change up. He does am excellent job of maintaining consistent velo when throwing from the stretch. His curve has good 1-7 shape and he has good control of the pitch and can throw it in any count. It lacks big depth, but breaks late as it nears the plate causing many swings and misses and his change up with hard sink that runs from 79-81. Wade has a slow build up in his wind up then snaps his wrist with an overtop arm angle that allows him to produce good run on his fastball. Wade sometimes will slow down his arm motion on his curve and needs to work on keeping that arm action consistent, he is a Auburn University commit.
Jackson Phipps (2020 LHP Dallas, Ga.) is a freshman that attends East Paulding High School who has a very high ceiling and will be a player who will be fun to follow as his pitching career progresses. Phipps has a nice and easy delivery with a loose, effortless throwing motion. He throws with a high ¾ arm slot which helps him get solid armside run on his fastball. His first two innings, he was 87-90, then sat in the mid 80s for the rest of his outing. His curveball flashed some potential, with solid depth and decent break. Phipps has to work on opening up his hips and driving down harder to the plate. He has a big arm and throws easy, so once he grows into his body as he gets older and learns how to use his long lower half, they’re good be a great spike in velo.
Orlando Adams (2018 C Atlanta, Ga.) has a strong, mature frame and with a large lower half. Adams moves well behind the plate and possesses quality catch and throw skills. He blasted a solo shot in his contest against the CBC Baseball West Scout team. It traveled 354 feet with an exit velocity of 98 mph. Adams is an aggressive hitter and swings with a closed stance and knees slightly bent with a quick, compact loop swing.
Cole English (2020 RHP Locust Grove, Ga.) threw three scoreless innings for the Bullpen Redstitch 108 15U team and gave up four hits while striking out three. His arm works well and he has solid mechanics and balance at a young age. English has a lanky, wiry frame with plenty room to grow. He throws a fastball with good run that ran from 82-85 and throws a quality curveball with great depth and break that sometimes has a tendency to break a little too early. It runs from 68-71.
Ben Harris (2018 OF Alpharetta, Ga.) went 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBIs. Harris is a talented outfielder headed to University of Virginia in 2018. He has a athletic build and good pop from the left side. He has a quality approach at the plate, doing a great job of being aggressive and not messing his pitch at the plate with runners in scoring position and showed great hand speed with his double to left field in the first inning and help 643 win their Tuesday game and advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Lawrence Butler (2018 1B/3B Atlanta, GA) is a tall, athletic infielder who is headed to West Virginia in 2018 and displays solid bat speed at the plate as he helped MGBA advance to the Semifinals going a combined 3-5 in his two games on Tuesday. Butler swings with an slightly open stance and hands close to body and over the plate. He does a great job of taking his hands straight to the baseball with a fluid and balanced swing with lift.
Zack Hunsicker (2018 RHP Wentzville, MO) showed excellent mound presence as he was able to minimalize damage for the Ninth Innning Royals as he came in in the sixth with the bases loaded and one out and was able to get a strikeout and ground out to short to get out of the jam. Hunsicker has a large, mature frame and balanced delivery. He gets great run on his fastball and throws a quality 12-6 curve with a lot of depth that can generate plenty of swings and misses. Hunsicker has a energetic and violent delivery and throws with a high ¾ arm slot, his fastball sat at 87 and 88.
– Brandon Lowe