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Tournaments  | Story  | 5/27/2018

LP Memorial Notes: Days 1-2

Photo: Austin Becker (Perfect Game)

Uncommitted righthander Max Dejong (2020, Powder Springs, Ga.) got the Memorial Day at LP tournament started on a positive note as the young righthander was very impressive over the span of an abbreviated start. DeJong pounded the zone and attacked with a strong fastball that was mostly 86-89 mph while topping out at 90 mph a few times. Dejong throws exclusively from the stretch, which allows him to maintain his mechanics well and deliver a ton of strikes. The fastball flashed some angle and he would cut it across to give it some nasty life on occasion, as he released from an over the top arm slot; the arm stroke is longer through the back but mostly loose, and the ease of the delivery indicates there is more velocity in the tank in the near future. The late life on the fastball racked up a good number of swings and misses while he also mixed in a 12-to-6 breaking ball that he could throw for strikes.




Another impressive uncommited arm from Nelson Baseball School was righthander Caswell Smith (2019, Ball Ground, Ga.) as he turned in a quality performance during a short start. His power fastball was well on display as he sat mostly in the 87-91 mph range for the two-inning stint and really attacked hitters with the fastball. The arm stroke is compact through the back and he got downhill fairly effectively to create some plane on the fastball. The velocity dipped a little in the stretch, however he wasn’t afraid to go right after hitters and even elevate the fastball if need be with two strikes. The 11-to-5 curveball was a solid pitch as he racked up a couple whiffs with the pitch in the low-70s. Smith’s velocity dipped some out of the stretch (mostly 86-88 mph from the stretch), however there is significant arm talent, and entering his rising senior summer, he shouldn’t remain uncommitted for long.




Perfect Game All-American Austin Becker (2018, Sunbury, Ohio) turned in a start for the Rawlings SE Prospects, looking to give scouts a final look before the draft as the righthander has made only five starts this spring due to unfortunate weather conditions in the Midwest. Becker was downright dominant during his four-inning performance as he allowed only one hit and struck out ten over the scoreless outing.

The Vanderbilt signee lived in the 90-93 mph range throughout the start, racking up double digit swings-and-misses on the pitch and totaled 20 whiffs on only 68 pitches during this look. The curveball was a very effective weapon for Becker, living in the 75-77 mph range that as a tad inconsistent, but at its best, showed sharp bite for an 11-to-5 shape and projects nicely as a future plus offering. Command came and went for Becker, he walked three batters, however the stuff is electric. Whether he makes it to campus at Vanderbilt or signs in next week’s draft, the arm speed, talent, and stuff are all top-flight and require further close observation.

Sophomore third baseman Charles Crawford (2020, LaGrange, Ga.) showed off intriguing offensive tools with a high athletic ceiling in an abbreviated one-game look. The swing itse;f is very simple, with a clean, direct path and an element of smoothness to the barrel plane. The easy trigger to start allows him to show off his hand quickness and looseness which allow him to manipulate the barrel head with intent to find consistent hard hit contact. The bat-to-ball skills stand out, as does the aforementioned athleticism, he is the quarterback for his high school football team, and with added development and growth there’s potential for a very high-end type of player.

Nationally-ranked righthander Owen Flynn (2021, Windermere, Fla.) worked one scoreless inning on Friday night and showed some of the developmental strides that he has made over the past year. The velocity is up, there looks to be added strength to the frame, and the 6-foot-3, 160-pound frame is still ripe with future projection. The arm stroke is long and smooth through the back, and Flynn displayed advanced body control which allows him to repeat the delivery and get on top of the fastball consistently to create downhill plane and short sink when low in the strike zone. The fastball worked in the 83-86 mph range during the inning while bumping 88 mph once; Flynn showed a changeup at 78 mph with sink that garnered a chase from a lefthanded batter and threw one breaking ball that landed for a strike.

Uncommitted righthander Blake Burkhalter (2019, Dothan, Ala.) turned in a strong performance for his eXposure team, as the junior went four innings while allowing only one run and striking out eight batters. Burkhalter bumped 90 mph in the first inning while working in the 87-90 mph range early on. The fastball velocity eventually dipped into the 84-87 mph range but he commanded the pitch well to both sides of the plate and threw a lot of strikes; over two-thirds of his delivered pitches went for strikes. The slider was a bit of a slurvy pitch, in the 74-77 mph range, but had significant break and flashed two-plane depth and was most effective when he garnered chases as the pitch ran away from righthanded hitters. The uncommitted prospect showed off talented stuff for an available 2019 prospect and could be in store for a big summer.

One of the most talented position prospects in the country, Andre Tarver (2019, Ringgold, Ga.) currently slates as the 33rd ranked prospect for his class, and Tarver has had a big tournament up to this point showing off significant bat speed and impact strength at the plate. If you were crafting a prep prospect in a lab, Tarver likely resembles something you would come up with, as he is a highly athletic 6-foot-2, 210-pound outfielder with long limbs and plenty of requisite strength already on the frame. The Mississippi State commit does a good job at creating some natural loft to the swing plane as he is able to drive the ball with authority in the air. Tarver has already collected multiple exit velocities over 100 mph and included a long home run deep to the pull side. Tarver is likely in store for a big summer and already has some scouts buzzing as they begin to look ahead to the 2019 class for draft-eligible prospects.




Waking up scouts during the early portion of Saturday was lefthander AJ Wilson (2019, Pilot Mountain, N.C.), who is ranked 105th in the class of 2019 rankings and showed of some nasty stuff during a short outing. What immediately stands out is the nature of the at-bats that result from the combination of Wilson’s stuff, arm angle, and mentality on the hill. He creates significant angle to the plate on his fastball, which worked mostly 88-91 mph on the day, with late life to the pitch that made for remarkably uncomfortable at-bats. The slider was a filthy weapon for the East Carolina commit as the pitch worked in the 76-79 mph range with hard tilt and was very effective both at being thrown for strikes and burying in the dirt to entice chases. The 6-foot-3 frame in conjunction with the looseness and speed of the arm action suggest that his velocity spike is only just beginning, and Wilson currently ranks as one of the more uncomfortable at-bats in the class.




Offering a lot of athletic upside in the way of a touted two-sport prospect, righthander Will Childers (2019, Evans, Ga.) also laces up as QB for his Lakeside High School team. Childers’ arm strength and athleticism to play QB is evident, as the rising senior showed a lot of projectable tools highlighted by an easy arm stroke and velocity that looks pretty effortless on the hill.

The Georgia commit worked mostly in the 88-91 mph range through the duration of the start, flashing some sink when working low in the zone though, at times, that arm would fall behind and he would leave fastballs up. That is where most of the damage from the opposition came from as Childers did find a couple of barrels, but the three pitch and ease of the delivery all offer positive indicators projection-wise.

The arm stroke is loose through the back and Childers looks very young in the face, with a long-limbed, high-waisted 6-foot-4 and 205-pound frame. The breaking ball worked in the 76-80 mph range with varying shape, though he could throw the pitch for strikes. Childers also flashed a straight changeup at 83 and given the athleticism and potential upside, he should be monitored closely.




Uncommitted lefthanders who throw upwards of 90 mph don’t usually make it unsigned to their rising senior summer, however Michael Harris II (2019, Ellenwood, Ga.) is an exception as the young, projectable southpaw showed a lot of raw traits and projectable tools on the mound. With a listed height and weight of 6-foot, 180-pounds, which seems to undersell the height a bit, Harris has a strong, projectable lower half and the athleticism is evident by his ability to play center field.

The velocity comes fairly easily for Harris, with a low-effort, athletic delivery featuring a short, repeatable arm stroke that allows him to get on top of the fastball consistently and downhill well. Harris didn’t end up with the best line, he got roughed up a little bit towards the end, but maintained the 88-90 mph fastball range throughout the start. He also featured a tight spinning curveball in the low-70s with 1/7 shape and continued to improve as the outing went on; Harris also flashed a changeup at 79 mph. Harris has established himself as one of the top uncommitted arms available, not to mention his two-way ability, and shouldn’t find himself on the uncommitted for much longer.

Turning in a stellar and dominant performance was Georgia Tech commit Zachary Maxwell (2019, Acworth, Ga.) who shut down the opposing offense to the tune of a complete game (five-inning) with only one hit surrendered while striking out ten. The stuff was particularly high-octane for the 6-foot-6, 235-pound righthander as he worked his fastball up to 93 mph early on in this game.

The delivery is well-paced while the arm stroke is long and loose through the back. This can create some timing and command issues with the fastball, however it allows him to build up the requisite arm speed and strength through the point of release that culminates in an explosive fastball. Maxwell sat 89-93 mph in the first before settling into the 87-90 mph range from the second inning on. He gave up two runs early on but hit cruise control after, overpowering hitters with his fastball-slider combination. The slider was a biting, swing-and-miss offering in the low-80s with two-plane snap and garnered a number of ugly chases.

Speaking of uncommitted lefthanders who touch upwards of 90 mph, Nick James (2019, Clarkesville, Tenn.) was another such prospect to make an appearance at Lakepoint and show off Power-5 quality stuff. The southpaw pumped his fastball up to 92 mph in the first inning before settling around 86-90 for the duration of the performance.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 195-pounds, James’ build is mostly slender and he doesn’t have the usual dominant height, but the arm speed is the difference maker to the profile. With a loose and fast stroke that he repeats extraordinarily well, James was able to create serious velocity on the fastball while also adding significant life to the pitch as it seemed nothing he threw all night was straight. Similarly to Maxwell, James got off to a bit of a slow start by giving up a run in the second, but hit cruise control shortly after to dominante the opponents.

James’ curveball was a very impressive pitch, with tight 1-to-7 shape that he could both land for strikes and bury in the dirt. He flashed a changeup at 83 mph, but James worked in attack mode all night, disrupting hitters with a tremendous combination of angle, life, and effective sequencing. The uncommitted prospect from Tennessee likely won’t be available for long, as lefthanders touching 92 mph often aren’t.

After making an impressive summer debut at the Sunshine Southeast Showcase a week ago, Andrew Washington (2019, Sharpsburg, Ga.) followed up his impressive performance with a strong relief effort for the Triton Rays. With a very slender 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame and tons of present arm speed, the velocity might not have peaked yet as Washington could just be beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. The arm stroke is long through the back, but when timed up he can sink the ball some in the lower third of the strike zone. Washington’s fastball worked in the 89-91 mph range while bumping 92 mph early on. The breaking ball showed promise as it flashed some tilt and shape when he got on top of the pitch, registering a best spin rate of around 2250 rpm. The arm talent alone is notable, and Washington represents another touted uncommitted talented who was above 90 mph over the weekend.




Perhaps no starting pitching performance was more anticipated than righthander Daniel Espino (2019, Statesboro, Ga.) as the pitcher had generated a tremendous amount of talk throughout the baseball community following his loud performance at the PG High School Showdown-Academies a few weeks prior. Somehow, the Louisiana State commit was able to be even more impressive, working up to 97 mph in the first inning and sitting 94-96 mph early on.

Espino’s effort level is as close as you can get to zero for someone throwing in the upper-90s, as it gives off the appearance of him simply placing the ball in the catcher’s mitt like he’s warming up. The arm stroke is long, and the delivery is not as balanced as one would hope, however those are mostly moot points as Espino is on time, repeats the delivery, and has flat-out overpowering stuff.

The aforementioned fastball settled around the 92-95 mph range for the duration of the start and the arm stroke generated a lot of whip throughout the smooth path to release. Espino rotates his upper half well to create some separation which gives his delivery more momentum without costing any effort or command concerns. The slider has developed very well as the pitch worked in the low-80s with late bite and significantly late tilting life. Espino flashed a changeup at 89 mph and also showed a curveball, giving the righthander four pitches to dissect opponents with, should he ever feel the need to stop blowing 97 mph past hitters.

With regards to velocity gains, no one in the entire event might have taken a bigger jump than Auburn commit Logan Austin (2020, Selma, Ala.) as the righthander increased his best velocity from 85 mph to 93 mph on Saturday night. The righthander’s stuff has taken a clear step forward and adds another strong piece to what is shaping up to be a very strong Auburn recruiting class. It is evident from simply looking at Austin that he has filled out tremendously since our last look at the young prospect, with broad shoulders and a filled out chest and upper half to help create strength through release.

The righthander throws with significant effort toward the plate which results in head violence, however this only adds to his approach as a dominant, power pitcher as it creates some deception with moving parts. The fastball worked up to 93 mph but worked mostly in the 88-92 mph range for the afternoon, dipping further at times in the stretch. Austin still showed that changeup that made him very unhittable as an underclassman, this time in the 81-84 mph range with significant arm side life and tumble. The breaking ball was a solid offering too in the 75-77 mph range and Austin was dominant during the outing, striking out eleven batters over five frames.

– Vincent Cervino



Austin Parr (2020, Inman, S.C.) a 5-foot-11, 160-pound righthanded pitcher, was very sharp on the mound Friday pitching for the Carolina Prowl, pitching seven very solid innings. Parr has a very repeatable and fluid delivery with low effort from his high three-quarters arm slot. His fastball sat low-80s with a bit of sink to it as well, causing plenty of swings and misses. Parr is very projectable with his lean frame at the moment, but as he builds strength it is very easy to project improved velocity on his fastball. He doesn’t fade as the pitches pile up either, he goes after hitters with good command, poise and a bulldog mentality.

Trevor Cumberland (2019, Powder Springs, Ga.) has a very solid four-pitch mix, including a fading changeup and a fastball that reached 86 on Friday. The righthander, who stands 6-foot-2, put his 200-pound sturdy frame to good use, really competing on the mound and commanding the zone well. He has a clean arm action and slot and simply knows how to get guys out, both with soft contact and with the strikeout. Not a lot in the way of projection, but he neutralizes this by hitting his spots and outsmarting hitters at the plate putting in a great performance for Nelson Baseball School 17u.

Brandon Lawrence (2020, Conyers, Ga.) is the very definition of a productive two-way player. He began his tournament on the mound for the 16u GBSA Rays and turned in a very sharp outing, only allowing one hit through six innings. Lawrence exhibits great command and uses his very low effort delivery and clean arm action to pound the zone while also keeping the ball down. The 6-foot, 170- pounder also helped himself out at the plate with a double down the third base line on Friday, showing a quick bat and above average speed on the basepaths. Brandon also happens to be a nationally ranked catcher, only adding to his versatility.

Ben Smith (2020, Decatur, Ga.) began his tournament on Friday with a bang as he hit an inside the park homer to the gap in left-center. The 5-foot-11, 180 pounder displayed impressive pull power while making hard, loud contact all day. Playing for the 16u Ninth Inning Royals, Smith showed a quick bat while getting the barrel through the zone with ease. He is a solid baserunner and displays quality defense in the outfield as well. Simply put, Smith is able to do everything well on the baseball field, which explains his consistency over the first two days of this Memorial Day tournament.

Max Beckerman (2020, Atlanta, Ga.) showed a very advanced plate approach when his 6-4-3 DP Tigers went up against the 16U Home Plate Chili Dogs. Beckerman displayed both pull power to left while also barreling up a double to right-center. His 3-for-3 day at the plate was capped with two RBIs in addition. He is able to swing through the zone with ease and it’s easy to imagine his power playing up as he continues to get stronger and completely fill out his 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame.

Tyler Lyles (2018, Fairmount, Ga.) a 6-foot-1, 215-pounder, has some serious pop in his bat. He is an aggressive hitter by nature, but he really does a great job taking pitches when he needs to while also crushing balls when he sees one that he likes. He got his day started with a ground-rule double, quickly turning on the ball with force to left field. The USC-Sumter commit plays a fluid third base as well, with a rocket arm and good instincts. His team, the Georgia Scorpions Select 2019, really benefitted from Lyles’ plate approach, defense, and power to all fields.

Christian Martin (2020, Bean Station, Tenn.) stands out both defensively and at the plate. At first base, Martin exhibits great hand-eye coordination and picks balls out of the dirt at first with ease. At the plate, he brings a balanced approach with great power exhibited by a double to the wall over the batters eye to dead center. His swing is compact and he loads his hands and hips well. The baseball really explodes off his bat and he gets his hands through the zone with ease thanks to his level swing. The 6-foot-4, 250 pounder maintains a strong build and frame playing for the 16U Exposure Prime

Cameron Gill (2019, Alpharetta, Ga.) is a powerful catcher and middle infielder for the 17u/18u Nelson Baseball School tournament team. Gill displayed significant pop early, ripping a rocket double off the left-center wall. He has quick hands and his bat explodes through the zone. His hips turn quickly and smoothly which in turn allows for a very balanced approach at the plate. The 6-foot, 195 pounder provides a bit of versatility defensively as well which really helps complement his bat and power from the right side of the plate.

Brian Zeldin (2019, Marietta, Ga.) came out Saturday with a very consistent outing on the mound. The 5-foot-11, 181-pound righthander threw his fastball upper 80s with a complementing curveball and changeup that got some swings and misses. His command is solid and is combined with a fairly low effort delivery. The University of Pennsylvania commit helped lead his 6-4-3 Cougars team to a Saturday win over the Diamond Aces. His stuff was fairly overpowering and stands to only improve as he continues to fill out his frame. Improved velocity is not out of the question at all.

John Giesler (2019, Marietta, Ga.) also performed very well on Saturday as a teammate of Zeldin. His 6-foot-3, 188-pound frame provides some excellent raw power as he pulled a double clean off the left field wall. He truly has a lightning quick bat and explodes his hands through the zone. His speed is a plus as well, as he stole two bases against the Diamond Elite Aces. Giesler also has quick hands defensively as well, playing a very efficient shortstop throughout Saturday’s game. His balanced approach and patience at the plate waiting on a pitch to drive is a plus as well.

– Matthew Brothers



Haden Dow (2019, Edmonton, Alberta): While he doesn’t necessarily light up the radar gun, Dow was nonetheless effective in mowing down hitters. He relies on heavy fastball usage, pounding the zone with the 79-82 mph offering, which looks as if it gets in on hitters quicker than expected based on the numerous late swings and misses. He pitches with a repeatable delivery and shows good control and command, hardly ever behind in counts. He also displayed a useful 72 mph changeup, mixing it in well and more than once able to locate it for called strikes in the lower half of the zone. Overall, in the three innings I was able to watch, he struck out five and generated frequent weak contact, while holding the opposition scoreless.

Derek Radtke (2021, Marietta, Ga.): Radtke’s pitch mix consists of an 82-85 mph fastball, a 68-70 mph curve, and a 76-78 mph changeup. He relied on the fast-curve combo with much success, pounding the zone while pitching with a big lead. His curveball was especially effective when started high, as it has enough movement to fool hitters into taking before it suddenly drops in the zone. He has a repeatable delivery and looks as if he can even gain a tick or two on the radar gun by leveraging his height to his advantage with a longer stride. Over his first four innings he struck out four and looked in control the whole time.

Tres Gonzalez (2019, Sandy Springs, Ga.): Gonzalez made solid contact in both ABs I was able to watch, first with a opposite field triple to left, then with an RBI single to left again. Both hits came against a lefty. He also made the best of being caught in a rundown, staying alive long enough to let the other runners advance, putting both his athleticism and instincts on display.

Charlie Taylor (2020, Dunwoody, Ga.): In his first AB, Taylor showed off his quick hands on an RBI double down the left field line on a fastball in on the hands. He followed this impressive knock by barreling a ball for a long, loud homer to anchor the Roadrunners’ offensive explosion.

Carter Stanford (2022, Mobile, Ala.): Stanford shows a good feel for pitching and sat at 75-81 on his fastball. He also mixed in a curve and a change, demonstrating the ability to throw each for strikes. He is tall and projectable, and showed improvements in control as the game progressed. Most ABs ended in strikeouts or weak contact. At the plate he hit a screaming opposite field triple to right and later scored to help his own cause.

James Kerley (2021, Indian Trail, N.C.): Kerley, listed at 6-foot and 235-pounds, looked like a threat coming out of the on-deck circle and delivered on that promise, launching a towering homer to left. It was evident the ball was clearing the fence right off the loud crack of the bat and was an impressive power display for Kerley’s age. The opponent clearly took note of his power, intentionally walking him in his next plate appearance.

Nolan McLean (2020, Willow Springs, N.C.): McLean opened up the scoring for Dirtbags with a loud, hard-hit double to the opposite field in right for two RBIs. He is tall with a strong, athletic build (6’3” and 220) and shows good bat speed, making him a hitter to watch for in the power department. He kept the hitting ways going in his next game, with a hard-hit single to right in the first inning. McLean later pitched and was up to 94 mph during a brief appearance.

Charlie Goldstein (2019, Alpharetta, Ga.): Goldstein throws downhill with an over the top throwing motion, and makes the most of his modest frame, wielding an 84-86 mph fastball and an effective 70-74 mph curveball, with good horizontal and vertical movement. Over his first three innings, he kept the game scoreless while working out of a couple jams and looking in control.

Xander Hamilton (2019, Raleigh, N.C.): Hamilton was a player we were eager to see after watching him rake in last week’s showcase, and while there weren’t necessarily any offensive fireworks today, he still stood out. He came up to the plate twice in the first inning as the Dirtbags batted around, and walked both times, displaying great plate discipline and patience while keeping the line moving for his hot-hitting team. Hamilton swings to do damage until getting to two strikes, where he noticeably chokes up a bit and focuses on putting the ball in play and fouling off tough pitches. While his tall, strong frame and excellent balance and bat speed usually lead to big time pop, he is also capable of working long ABs when he doesn’t get his pitch.

Brett Banks (2019, Garner, N.C.): Banks made a one-inning cameo in his team’s blowout win and put his filthy stuff on full display. His fastball sat at 88-91 mph and he also boasts a wipeout slider at 76-77 mph. When he can avoid control problems and pound the zone, his stuff is hard to touch, as evidenced by three Ks in his lone inning of work.

– Cameron Hines
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