Here is a look at some of the young prospects that stood out the most at last weekend's PG Spring Kick-Off.
Riley Stanford, RHP, (2022, Gainesville, Ga.) - With some of the most projectable stuff on the mound from this weekend, Stanford showcased three pitches with advanced feel for each and a fastball that topped out at 88 mph. The range on his fastball was 84-87 mph and he maintained that well for his four innings of relief work. Stanford filled up the strike zone and provided an early look at what the highly projectable 6-foot-3 165-pound can produce on the hill.
Dean Guzman, C, (2022, Pembroke Pines, Fla.) - Guzman showed agile blocking skills during Elite Squad's weekend of games. The 5-foot-7 133-pound catcher has an advanced feel for the position overall. Along with his blocking skills, Guzman shows impressive catch and throw as well for such a young age.
Yoel Tejeda, RHP, (2022, Davie, Fla.) - Tejeda is a tall lanky righthanded pitcher with plenty of projection moving forward. The 6-foot-4 150-pound Florida native topped out at 79 mph with his fastball and showed a full arm action. Tejeda has a crossfire delivery with lots of potential on the mound moving forward.
Wilder Puertas, RHP, (2022, Orange Park, Fla.) - Puertas put together one of the most impressive single performances on the mound over the weekend. He finished Elite Squad's semifinal game going 6 innings with 1 hit allowed and 10 strikeouts. The young righthander ran his fastball up to 84 mph with a long arm action and good use of his lower half in his delivery
Korbyn Dickerson, OF, (2022, Jeffersonville, Ind.) - Dickerson showed on Sunday of the tournament that he can really swing the bat. The righthanded outfielder led off each of Tri State's playoff games with extra base hits including a double in the semifinal game that almost left the yard one hopping the pull side fence.
Jacob Miller, RHP, (2022, Baltimore, Ohio) - Miller has a quick arm on the mound that produced one of the best fastballs of the weekend. The Tri State Arsenal righthander topped out at 84 mph with a projectable 5-foot-11 145-pound frame and a curveball that sat in the upper-60s.
Cole Munhall, RHP, (2022, Cumming, Ga.) - Munhall provides a fastball that sits in the 77-81 mph range and likely more to come. With some present strength to his 5-foot-10 170-pound build, Munhall has a shorter arm action that works well. He pitches exclusively from the stretch with a simple delivery that is easy to repeat and he does so well. The righthander from Georgia uses his front side well and gets out over his front foot repeatedly.
-Gregory Gerard
Blaydon Plain, 3B/RHP, (2022, Greenville, Fla.) - Plain showed out as a two-way prospect for Elite Squad as he ran his fastball up to 85 mph early on in his first start. The righthander showed good balance and athleticism to his delivery and creates lots of angle and some sink on the fastball; he showed a slurve in the mid-60s. Plain also has a smooth lefthanded swing with some feel for the barrel and has a good amount of plate discipline for the age.
Bryant Zayas, SS, (2023, Hialeah, Fla.) - Zayas may only be a seventh grader, but showed a bevy of projectable twitch athleticism and some tools. Zayas has good speed and it plays near the top of the order as it allows him to steal bases easily; he was timed at 3.80 seconds to first base from the right side on a bunt. Zayas' athleticism shows defensively too as his hands work well and the speed is very advanced for his age.
Derek Bermudez, 3B, (2022, Miramar, Fla.) - Bermudez was another strong piece for the second-place Elite Squad team and he hit in the three-hole all weekend. Bermudez has advanced size and physicality for the age and has good arm strength across the infield too. The swing itself is pretty strong with some natural loft to the swing path, and he showed good balance with a lot of hard hit contact all weekend.
Andruw Jones, OF, (2022, Swannee, Ga.) - The eventual MVP of the tournament, Jones had a very strong showing this weekend as the righthanded hitter slashed .600 on the weekend. Jones is extremely athletic, best timed at 4.37 seconds to first base from the right side, and has such advanced feel for the game for his age. Everything comes easily to Jones who showed a bit of an inconsistent bat path at times, but impacts the ball with such strength and present bat speed.
Parker Lester, SS, (2021, Calhoun, Ga.) - The cleanup hitter for the champion 643 DP Cougars, Parker Lester sowed off a smooth stroke from the left side of the plate. The shortstop has good present size and projects very nicely with an already advanced approach and presence in the batter's box. Lester hit .333 on the weekend.
Hayden Smith, OF/LHP, (2022, Dallas, Ga.) - Smith showed a strong collection of projectable tools both in the batter's box and on the mound. Smith has an ideal frame for a pitcher with plenty of room to project and build. The delivery is athletic with a clean takeback and he pounded the zone with low- to mid 70s fastballs that showed sink to both sides. Smith had a projectable swing from the left side with present athleticism too; timed at 4.44 seconds to first.
Dylan Lesko, SS/RHP, (2022, Dalton, Ga.) - Lesko is one of the more physically advanced prospects at this age with present size and strength that combines well with his physical projection. Lesko has good arm strength with a short and repeatable arm stroke and gets downhill well. He topped out at 84 mph in his lone inning and mixed in a soft curveball. Lesko has a very smooth righthanded swing that stays on plane well. He has very strong and quick wrists and shows lots of impact strength through extension; he's listed as a primary catcher but took his defensive innings at shortstop this weekend.
Caleb Nix, RHP, (2022, Dalton, Ga.) - Nix showed a lot of projectable tools as a righthanded pitcher on the hill. Nix has immense physical projection on the 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame with long limbs and tons of room for strength. Nix ran his fastball up to 81 mph early in the game before settling in the upper-70s. Nix has a longer arm circle and arm action and can land his breaking ball for both strikes and swings and misses against the opposition.
-Vincent Cervino