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High School  | General | 2/16/2018

Regional HS Preview: Southwest

David Rawnsley
Photo: Perfect Game



For all of Perfect Game's regional previews as part of the 2018 high school baseball preview content, the Dream Team is available for free. The region top tools can be viewed with an Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.

2018 Perfect Game High School Preview Index


Top 10 Southwest Region High Schools
Rk. Nat'l School '17 Rec. '17 Finish
1 4 Bishop Gorman (Nev.) 30-7 NIAA 4A State Semifinals
2 16 Pinnacle (Ariz.) 26-9 AIA 6A State Finals
3 36 Horizon (Ariz.) 26-7-1 AIA 6A Round 1
4 40 Basic (Nev.) 29-7 NIAA 4A State Champs
5 47 La Cueva (N.M) 28-1 NM 6A State Champs
6 NR Coronado (Nev.) 20-13 NIAA 4A Regional Finals
7 NR Hamilton (Ariz.) 24-10 AIA 6A State Champs
8 NR Palo Verde (Nev.) 22-10-1 NIAA 4A Regional Quarterfinals
9 NR Spanish Fork (Utah) 26-6 UHSAA 4A Semifinals
10 NR O'Connor (Ariz.) 19-10 AIA 6A Play-In

Nat'l denotes rank on the Preseason National High School Top 50

Southwest Region: Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah

There are two distinct strengths to the Southwest Region in 2018, the first of which is the pair of Arizona-based Perfect Game All-Americans in lefthanded pitcher Matthew Liberatore and infielder Nolan Gorman. The two, who are ranked second and seventh in the PG national class rankings, have a strong chance to become the highest players drafted out of Arizona since infielder Corey Myers was the fourth overall pick by the hometown Arizona Diamondbacks in 1999.

The other strength is the talent and depth of the underclass players in the region, with six juniors and one sophomore among the 14 All-Region players, including three righthanded pitchers in Nevada's D.J. Jefferson and Dutch Landis and Arizona's Chandler Murphy.

Bishop Gorman High School, led by All-Region selections Landis and catcher Austin Wells, is again the top-ranked team in the region and holds down the fourth overall spot, followed closely by Pinnacle High School out of Arizona at 16th.




Southwest Region High School Dream Team

C – Austin Wells, Sr., Bishop Gorman HS, Henderson (Nev.)
Wells has been a three-year starter for the powerhouse Bishop Gorman team and hit .500-8-47 with 14 doubles and 24 walks in 37 games as a junior, boosting his career high school average to .428. He has a very strong approach from the left side of the plate with obvious power, present and future. Defensively, Wells has the athleticism – including sub-7.0 speed in the 60-yard dash – and the tools to stay behind the plate in the future. He was a 2017 Perfect Game All-American and is signed with Arizona.

1B – Sean Rimmer, Jr., Mountain View HS, Mesa (Ariz.)
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Rimmer has been a two-year starter for Mountain View High School along with being a member of Arizona T-Rex Baseball club the rest of the year. He has big strength in his righthanded swing with a swing plane and ability to backspin the ball that should result in some big power numbers the rest of his high school career. Rimmer is also a very good athlete for his size and has played plenty of outfield and is a mid-80s pitcher on the mound.

MIF – Jonathan Ornelas, Sr., Kellis HS, Peoria (Ariz.)
A three-year starter for 2017 Arizona 5A state champion Kellis High School, Ornelas has developed into a national level prospect over the last year as he's steadily got stronger and shown high-level tools on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Ornelas is a graceful and sure handed fielder with advanced instincts and a flair for making the spectacular play. He has an aggressive righthanded approach at the plate and offers more power projection than many true middle infielders. Ornelas is ranked 82nd in the PG national class rankings and is signed with Tennessee.

MIF – Jayce Easley, Sr., O'Connor HS, Glendale (Ariz.)
Easley is the son of the former big league all-star and 17-year Major League veteran Damion Easley, as Jayce is a very similar player to his father at the same age. Easley stands out on defense with his smooth and polished actions and above average quickness while likely projecting as a second baseman at the next level. He's gained significant strength in the last year and used that to hit .463-2-9 with 33 runs scored and 12 stolen bases as a junior. Easley is signed with Oregon State.

3B – Nolan Gorman, Sr., O'Connor HS, Glendale (Ariz.)
Gorman has dominated the Arizona high school ranks the past two seasons, hitting .490-11-49 as a sophomore and .361-11-34 with 32 walks and only eight strikeouts as a junior. If anything, he has performed better on the summer circuit, showing an outstanding lefthanded bat that combines both loft power and the ability to hit for a high average. Gorman plays shortstop at O'Connor High School, forming a high-level middle infield with fellow All-Region infielder Jayce Easley, but frequently plays third base for the Central Florida Gators during the summer and projects as a third baseman professionally. He is ranked seventh in the Perfect Game national class rankings and is signed with Arizona.

OF – Brennen Davis, Sr., Basha HS, Queen Creek (Ariz.)
Davis' development as a baseball player has been hindered until recently by his ability as a high-level basketball prospect but he improved tremendously over the course of last summer and fall as he dedicated more time to baseball. His year ended when he helped lead the Arizona D-Backs Scout Team on a deep playoff run at the WWBA World Championship in October by hitting .429 with five stolen bases and impressing scouts with his athleticism, speed and physical projection. He is signed to play baseball only at Miami.

OF – Joe McLaughlin, Jr., Hamilton HS, Chandler (Ariz.)
McLaughlin is a very toolsy 6-foot-3, 190-pound athlete who is ready for a breakout junior season after hitting .361-0-19 as a sophomore at Hamilton High School. McLaughlin has right field tools, with a strong throwing arm and good running speed, but his best projection is with his present righthanded bat speed and future power potential. He is verbally committed to Oregon State.

OF – Peyton McGregor, Jr., Cactus Shadows HS, Cave Creek (Ariz.)
McGregor is a big and strong 6-foot-4, 205-pound righthanded hitting outfielder who has a chance to develop into the region's top hitter by his senior year if he continues to develop. He hit .347-5-25 as a sophomore at Cactus Shadows High School and was one of the stars of the PG Fall National Underclass Championship last September.

UT – Ethan Long, So., Mountain Pointe HS, Gilbert (Ariz.)
Long is very physically strong and mature for a sophomore with a 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame and a full package of baseball tools. He is still a long way from defining his future position, as he throws up to 92 mph on the mound with a solid mid-70s curveball but is also a very strong-armed third baseman with athleticism and a strong righthanded swing with plus bat speed. He has a verbal commitment to Arizona.

SP – D.J. Jefferson, Jr., Desert Oasis HS, Las Vegas (Nev.)
Jefferson is an extremely projectable 6-foot-5, 185-pound righthander with extra long arms and legs that make him look taller. He works in the low-90s with his fastball from an over-the-top arm slot that creates big downhill angle to the plate and has topped out at 93 mph at PG events with reports that he's thrown harder at other events. Jefferson has lots of work to do on his secondary pitches but has one of the highest ceilings of any 2019 pitcher in the country and is ranked 14th in the PG national class rankings. He has a verbal commitment to Southern California.

SP – Dutch Landis, Jr., Bishop Gorman HS, Henderson (Nev.)
Landis started for Bishop Gorman High School as a sophomore and went 6-2, 3.33 with 53 strikeouts in 42 innings. He works in the 88-92 mph range with his fastball already and has two solid secondary pitches in a 76-78 mph curveball and a low-80s split-finger changeup. Landis is a plus athlete for a primary pitcher who still has plenty of room to add strength to his 6-foot-2, 185-pound build. He has a verbal commitment to Arizona.

SP – Matthew Liberatore, Sr., Mountain Ridge HS, Peoria (Ariz.)
Liberatore is the second-ranked high school prospect in the country in the PG class rankings and will likely hear his name talked about right at the top of the draft, especially if he continues to add velocity like he did last summer. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound southpaw picked up about five miles per hour on his fastball from May, 2017 to August, eventually topping out at 95 mph at the PG All-American Classic. Liberatore already had outstanding command and feel for pitching to go with already well established secondary pitches before the jump in velocity. He went 8-0, 0.79 with 96 strikeouts in 62 innings as a junior and is signed with Arizona.

SP – Chandler Murphy, Jr., Liberty HS, Peoria (Ariz.)
Murphy had a stellar sophomore season for Liberty High School, going 7-2, 1.77 in 47 innings while striking out 61 hitters versus only 17 walks. He works in the upper-80s consistently with his fastball and has topped out at 91 mph at PG tournaments, with more velocity to come from his 6-foot-3, 190-pound build. Murphy's best pitch may be his mid- to upper-70s curveball, which gets very good depth and tilt and that he lands well for strikes. His is ranked 85th in the PG national class rankings and is verbally committed to Arizona.

SP – Mitchell Parker, Sr., Manzano HS, Albuquerque (N.M.)
Four Corners scouts got to watch New Mexico lefthander Trevor Rogers go in the first round to the Miami Marlins last June and are excited to have another high-level southpaw in their state this spring. Parker is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound athlete who works at 89-92 mph with his fastball with an outstanding breaking ball. He went 4-5, 1.82 with 117 strikeouts in 57 innings last year for Manzano High School, and after a busy summer put on one of the most dominant performances in recent WWBA history, striking out 15 hitters in five innings at the October WWBA World Championship. Parker is the 93rd-ranked player in the PG national class rankings and is signed with Tennessee.


Southwest Region Top Tools 

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