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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/8/2018

16u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 2

Photo: Jack Bulger (Perfect Game)

16u WWBA National Championship: Event Page | Daily Leaders | Day 1 Scout Notes

Toeing the rubber for the first start of the day over at Allatoona High School was former PG Select Festival participant Brody Drost (2020, Sulphur, La.) and the Louisiana State commit had a very strong outing on the mound for Sheets Baseball. The southpaw is an athletic two-way player and tossed a gem for a Sheets Baseball win with nine strikeouts in six innings while only allowing one run. The delivery is very clean and fluid with a loose, low effort arm stroke that accelerates well through the point of release. Drost was up to 85 mph on the bump and maintained that for most of the game as his final fastball of the day at his maximum pitch limit was recorded at 85 mph. The breaking ball was a good pitch for Drost as he has very good feel for landing it and can throw it with 1-to-7 shape. Drost is a high level two-way player for the class and he showed the pitching chops on Saturday morning with a dominant display.

Drost’s teammate and shortstop Connor Simon (2021, Mandeville, La.) had a very strong game and displayed tools on both sides of the ball that bode well as positive indicators for the future. The fellow Louisiana State commit was excellent at shortstop all game, with smoothness to his actions, easy and light footwork, and the ability to manipulate slot and get rid of the ball very quickly moving up the middle. He made a number of fairly difficult plays, specifically up the middle, where he got rid of the ball quickly and fired a strike over to first with conviction and balance. The offensive approach works well for him with a compact, controlled swing with quickness to his hands and balanced swing overall. The approach allows him to put the ball in play on a line and the overall athleticism makes him a very intriguing follow going forward in the class.




The following game at Allatoona featured a big victory for Team Elite Prime and earning the win on the mound was the No. 18 prospect for the class Charez Butcher (2020, Kokomo, Ind.). The Mississippi State commit is a big, physical righthanded pitcher with a 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame, broad shoulders, and room there to fill out and add some more strength.

Early on, Butcher sat in the 90-94 mph range for the first few innings with a simple, low-effort delivery that the ball came out of the hand very cleanly. The arm stroke is longer through the back but the fastball comes out of the hand well with flashes of life down and to the arm side when working that corner of the plate. He eventually settled into more of an 88-92 mph range on the afternoon and he threw a good amount of strikes early on before walking a couple batters late.

Butcher’s breaking ball was a solid pitch that flashed good potential; it mostly worked in the mid-70s with consistent shape and he could throw the pitch for a strike on occasion. Butcher also made a very athletic play in the first when he caught a hard hit line drive back to the pitcher’s mound. Overall, it was a solid look at Butcher and he provided a look that continued to establish his profile as a prospect at this stage.

Competing against butcher for Hunter Pence Baseball was shortstop Hunter Cramer (2020, Conroe, Tex.) and the Arkansas commit has the rare combination of size and grace out at the shortstop position. The athleticism stands out on the frame with the ability to move to both sides well and the hands work well into the throwing hand on exchanges and releases. His 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame is a bit understated, as he is a large, projectable infield prospect who has some considerable room to fill out on the frame. He took a couple of very good swings at the plate with present bat speed and looseness to his hands. Cramer had a couple of hard hit balls, but unfortunately for him found no holes in the defense.

There were a lot of standout performers for the Team Elite Prime lineup and that includes Jack Bulger (2020, Bowie, Md.) and Austin Hendrick (Oakdale, Penn.).

Bulger got the scoring started right away with a loud grand slam in the first inning of the game deep to the pull side. The Vanderbilt commit showed off loud tools during the recent Jr. National and the impressive bat speed, torque, and leverage in the swing were not exception. Bulger is a very strong 6-foot, 205-pounds and that strength exudes off the well-proportioned build and impressive wrist strength. Bulger turns the barrel over effortlessly and with intent and barrel whip to create that big power to pull. Bulger also notched a hit later in the game but the power, strength, and catch-and-throw ability, he posted the best pop time at PG Jr. National of 1.80 seconds, make Bulger a very high-level prospect and more than deserving of his rank as the No. 25 prospect in the class.




Hendrick comes into this event as the No. 1 player in the class and has been some time. Fresh off a dominant display for USA Baseball at TOS and 18u Trials, in which a scout mentioned that Hendrick was the best hitter there regardless of class, the Mississippi State commit has elite hitting tools and all the components to be a very early selection in the 2020 draft. Hendrick’s hitting tools, and hand-eye-coordination in general, are very impressive as he has a very timing heavy stance to start out with an inward toe tap but always uncoils well and out in front of the pitch. The timing was a bit early, that can happen when you’re used to low- to mid-90s, but the whip of the barrel and added strength and bat speed to the frame allow him to impact the ball with excellent impact force. Hendrick roped two hard hit singles out of the leadoff spot and looks to be continuing his already very hot summer.




Uncommitted, 6-foot-6 righthanders aren’t exactly a very available commodity on the market for schools right now, but Connor Bruce (2019, Loganville, Ga.) has just that package with a very low effort, easy delivery and some impressive present stuff. The delivery is very simple and he generates very good extension down the mound while releasing the ball out in front to help the fastball play up to create impressive swing-and-miss numbers within the strike zone. The fastball sat 84-87 mph with short life consistently and Bruce is so athletic that he is able to repeat the delivery and get down the mound well to pound the strike zone. He only flashed a breaking ball once or twice, a 78 mph slider, but the projection, effort, and the ability to command the fastball with life make him a notable Division I college prospect and the righthander tossed four shutout innings while allowing one hit, nothing squared, and striking out five batters.

Starting out the night cap for the BigStix Gamers in a big victory was righthander Jaylen Paden (2020, Lilburn, Ga.) and the primary position prospect showed a lot of things to like both on the mound and at the plate. Payden is an athletic middle infield prospect with hitting tools and present bat speed; Payden notched a hit and a stolen base in the game with a smoked leadoff single up the middle off a 90 mph fastball. On the mound, the arm stroke is longer through the back but very fast, and that arm speed allows him to be on time while he did a very good hob at getting on top of the fastball. Payden sat in the 83-86 mph range while bumping 87 mph a number of times and threw a lot of strikes. He showed both a breaking ball and a changeup, and the change piece was his best offspeed pitch on the evening. The pitch was thrown with similar fastball conviction and got a lot of sink and life to the bottom of the strike zone. Payden is a fairly intriguing prospect with lots of tools that all project nicely going forward.

– Vincent Cervino





The GRB Rays moved to 2-0 early in pool play on Saturday morning, taking down 5 Star Eady behind an excellent performance on the mound from Ryan Stefiuk (2020, Green Bay, Wis.). Stefiuk has done a very good job of improvement on the whole of his profile over the past year or so, and now certainly looks the part of a higher-end arm in the 2020 class. He went five innings, allowing only an unearned run on two hits and two walks while striking out eight. 

He does an excellent job hiding the ball through the back, with a smaller scapular load that isn’t violent and does keep the arm inline for the most part, taking a shorter crossfire stride to the plate but showing the consistent ability to get over his front side and throw strikes. The fastball, consistently able to get to the glove side, has all kinds of angle to it, making it a tough at bat for hitters of either handedness. The fastball worked in the 83-87 mph range for the most part, peaking at 88 mph a few times early on, and while the pitch lacks life, the deception/angle combo help it play up. He has good feel to spin the ball as well, showing a slurvy breaking ball in the 70-71 mph range, caught between a curveball and slider a bit but still showing sharpness and spin. 

Eddie Saucedo (2020, Oregon, Wis.) really got the scoring underway in the first inning by taking an elevated fastball and lofting it over the right fielder’s head for a two-run double. Saucedo is a lefthanded hitter with a lithe build, and should project for a fair bit of power as he starts getting into the weight room and putting on real strength, as he already shows the ability to strike the ball squarely and into the air. 

A defender to keep an eye on in the class of 2020 coming out of Wisconsin is Taiten Manriquez (2020, Waunakee, Wis.), who played shortstop for GRB in this game. He’s a medium-build, lithe-framed rising junior whose footwork impressed on Saturday, as he showed the ability to move quickly to the ball to both sides while retaining his balance and athleticism, as well as showing smooth hands at the ball and an arm that works well. 




Max DeJong (2020, Powder Springs, Ga.) got the ball and the win for Nelson Baseball School Red 16u on Saturday evening at LakePoint, allowing a scant one run on three hits and three walks while striking out 11 in his five innings. DeJong is a projectable young righthander who, while not projecting to be a physical monster, has some room to continue filling out and when combined with his quick arm, give him a pretty solid velocity ceiling. He worked up to 92 mph in this one early on, showing the ability to create plane to the plate in spite of some drop-and-drive components to his delivery, and doing a fair job of throwing strikes. He also worked in a solid curveball with depth in the mid- to upper-70s, an inconsistent pitch in terms of shape and overall action but there’s no denying his ability to spin the ball, and this has the makings of a very good pitch at the next level. 




Later on Saturday night the MWE Bombers lost their first game of the tournament, but still showed a loaded roster. Jovan Gill (2020, Overland Park, Kan.) got the start for the Bombers and the big, physical righthanded showed a lot of things to like, even if he did get saddled with the loss. Gill has some deception to his delivery with a significant spine tilt back over his rear hip, hiding the ball well with a compact arm stroke and striding open with his front hip to get downhill. The fastball is very straight but, when he’s on top and down in the zone, the pitch comes with significant plane to the plate. He worked up to 92 mph early on and settled into the 86-90 mph range for the most part, showing the ability to throw strikes but not command the zone all that well yet. He worked in a curveball in the 70-75 mph range that has a chance to be a very good pitch, with very good spin and depth on a shape between 11-to-5 and 12-to-6. He also showed off a Bugs Bunny changeup with a ridiculous amount of velocity separation from his fastball, approaching 20 mph, a pitch that might end up being a bit gimmicky at the next level but certainly working for him now. 

Gill’s catcher, Yanluis Ortiz (2020, Grapevine, Texas) continues to show off high-end upside both offensively and defensively, something we’ve seen from him for years now. The Miami commit has very advanced strength and physicality to go along with plenty of athleticism behind the plate, showing quick feet and an absolute cannon of an arm, pretty close to a plus tool right now that will only improve as he continues to refine his footwork. 

– Brian Sakowski
Equipped with an explosive bat, Wyatt Langford (2020, Trenton, Fla.) was a threat all day long on Saturday. The well-built Florida commit showed great barrel control as he consistently squared up the ball for hard hits. Langford began his day with a scorcher up the middle for a single and followed with a long and high RBI double that got over the center fielder’s head. He proved impossible to retire on the day as he whipped a single to left-center for his third hit. He has a patient approach at the plate, but when gets his pitch he is not afraid to unload and do damage. His quick hands, quiet stance, and effortless bat speed should allow him to catch up to higher velocities with little issue. Additionally, the heart-of-the-order masher showed some athleticism on the basepaths, stealing second without a throw. The third-ranked Florida third baseman in his class, Langford possesses some defensive versatility as he started at catcher. He displayed a strong arm in addition to athletic movements and good receiving skills, suggesting the position can be a legitimate backup option. Langford later returned to third and turned a double play on a ball that he backhanded smoothly.

Lucas Quezada (2020, Denver, Colo.) overpowered hitters in a nice outing Saturday morning. His fastball was up to 89 mph early, occasionally showing some late running life. Quezada spotted it to both corners and elevated it well on his way to recording nine strikeouts through four, most of them with the heater. It is worth noting that the velocity did diminish quite significantly after the first two innings, down to around 81-84. This drop made him much more hittable than he was for the first few dominant frames. Nevertheless, as he continues to add strength, he should be able to maintain his velocity deeper into games. Quezada, uncommitted, was around the strike zone frequently, throwing with a clean arm path and staying online. While he will need to continue developing feel for the breaking ball, he was able to record at least one of his strikeouts with the pitch. Quezada is the fourth-ranked Colorado player in his class and showed the necessary tools to become an effective pitcher at the next level.

Noah Smith (2020, Houston, Texas) offered a glimpse at some exciting potential for the Premier Baseball Futures team. He was a sparkplug atop the lineup where he tallied two hits and scored twice. His contact-oriented approach and good speed should make him a fixture at leadoff for any team he plays for. While not necessarily a physically imposing player yet at 5-foot-11, 130-pounds, there is plenty of physical projection left in his lean frame and he possesses some wiry strength and good bat speed at the present time. Smith’s good foot speed plays well in center field, where he exhibited great range and instincts. He made an extraordinary catch in the fifth inning, ranging way in on a dying line drive and timing a head-first dive perfectly to barely snag the ball in what initially seemed to be a sure hit. The talented Texan looks to be an impact player on both offense and defense.

– Cameron Hines



A super projectable righthanded pitcher made his debut in a PG event on Saturday morning in Canadian Simon Lusignan (2021, Varennes, Quebec). The righthander has an intriguing frame at 6-foot-4, 185-pounds and has plenty of room to fill with added strength moving forward. He is also worthy of a high follow by high-level colleges as the righty can already run his fastball up to 89 mph with frequent sinking action. His arm works well as it is very loose through the arm circle. His delivery has plenty of tempo to it and he stays balanced throughout. Lusignan stays tall on his backside before coming down the mound landing closed.

Lusignan fills up the strike zone enough with his sinking fastball in the 86-88 mph early on in the outing while the velocity did decline a bit staying mostly in the 84-86 mph for the rest of the outing. His curveball has lots of depth to it in the upper-60s. While he is still developing the pitch, it very well could be an out pitch with the proper adjustments. The ceiling of Lusignan is limitless at this point as the uncommitted righthander had coaches rapidly flocking to his field to watch him throw. He should be followed very closely in the coming years as there is still plenty to project on with him as a pitcher.

Facing off against Lusignan was lefthander Joseph Everett (2020, Hickory, N.C.) of Dirtbags Griffin. In his first inning of six that he pitched, Everett sat 84-86 mph with his fastball and topped out at 87 mph. His fastball comes from a three-quarters slot causing some armside run to be added to the pitch at times. He throws with some effort with drop and drive actions while creating plane when down in the strike zone from his 5-foot-11 frame. He filled up the strike zone well with his fastball and curveball. The uncommitted lefty’s curveball had 1-to-7 shape and depth to it while showing its best when thrown with the same arm speed as his fastball.




Hector Alejandro (2020, Waterbury, Conn.) is very physical righthander who can run his fastball up to 90 mph with tremendous arm strength and a well used lower half. The rising junior from Connecticut varied his arm stroke from compact to long in the contest while getting good velocity from it. His fastball is mostly straight but it lived in the upper-80s for all three of his innings. He did struggle a bit with command but did get a lot of swings and misses when in the zone with the pitch. He tallied seven strikeouts in the contest as a result of the consistent swings and misses as he also featured a curveball that sat in the mid-70s with late bite. The pitch comes from a similar tunnel as the fastball before dropping hard downward up to 76 mph. Before being pulled at the 60-pitch count mark, the uncommitted righty showed the makings of a potential Division I talent on the mound.

Ben Peterson (2020, Cary, N.C.) is another highly projectable righthanded pitcher that could be seeing himself on a next level mound in the coming years. Peterson had multiple Division I schools in attendance on Saturday as he ran his fastball up to 88 mph on a pair of pitches. He stayed mostly in the 85-87 mph range with the pitch generating a solid amount of plane when down in the strike zone. Peterson is a tall and lanky uncommitted righty who offered a pair of pitches in his game in his upper-80s fastball and sharp downward breaking curveball. He has a great feel for the pitch as he threw it in 2-0 counts for strikes. He lives mostly to armside with his fastball that dips slightly in velocity from the stretch. Peterson projects well physically and could get more from his lower half down the mound. He has the ingredients to likely throw harder with a few minor adjustments as well as putting on additional strength to his 6-foot-3 frame.

Brody Hopkins (2020, Summerville, S.C.) plays the game at a very advanced level both on the mound and at the plate. The physical primary outfielder has an outstanding frame that is noticeable as soon as he steps on the field. The brother of University of South Carolina outfielder TJ Hopkins, Brody, can hit for power and throw with plenty of arm strength on the mound and from the outfield. He did not collect a hit on the day but did showcase a swing that is very raw and strong. He sets up in a relaxed and open stance with hands that move directly to the baseball. When on time, he has the ability to impact the baseball with intent to drive it to either gap. In his game, he also came in to pitch the final inning and topped out at 91 mph.

Getting the start for Premier Baseball Futures on Saturday afternoon was lefthander Javen Coleman (2020, Richmond, Texas). The southpaw stands at 6-foot, 165-pounds with an arm that work with a deep reach in the back. He stays online throughout getting plenty of strikes mainly from his fastball while not having to throw the curveball often he showed he could land it as well. Coleman’s fastball sat early in the contest at 84-86 mph while topping out at 87 mph as well on one occasion. The lefty racked up five strikeouts in four innings mainly on well located fastballs. There is an advanced pitchability factor in the rising junior’s skillset. He locates the fastball well although coming from an over the top arm slot with a high front lever that can tend to make the arm’s timing slightly off. He stayed on time with his arm throughout the contest repeating his delivery pretty well.

Caught a quick one-inning look at righthanded pitcher Reese Morrison (2020, Heflin, Ala.) and he did not disappoint. Showing all three offerings in his 10-pitch inning that included three strikeouts, Morrison topped out at 87 mph with his fastball and mixed in one of he best sliders seen thus far in the tournament. His spin rate on his slider was 2400 rpms and his fastball spin rate was slightly better at 2500 rpms. The pitch had very sharp biting action leading to hitters swinging and missing at the offering. The changeup that he flashed on his last pitch of the inning showed late sink at 79 mph. The one inning was electric for the righthander who throws with a loose arm and effortless arm action. The uncommitted 6-foot-1 righty turned several heads of scouts in attendance.

– Greg Gerard


A lot can happen in a year and if you were to jump to the 2019 rendition of the 17u WWBA World Championship daily recap, don’t be surprised to read that righthander Gage Bradley (2020, Clarksville, Tenn.) is putting up big numbers on the radar gun. Up to 88 mph this past fall in October, Bradley rarely threw a fastball under that mark on day two and remained in complete control over his four innings of work after pitching out of a two on, no out game in the first.

With added strength to his 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame since our last look and plenty of room to still fill out physically, Bradley showed some of the better balance to his delivery and finish which allowed for repeatability and a plethora of strikes. The future Vanderbilt Commodore works with a compact and fast arm stroke through the back and remained on time well at release, showing a fastball that sat in the 89-91 mph range and bumped as high as 92 in the second frame. Along with the velocity Bradley showed consistent running life to his fastball, making for a combo with which he was able to miss bats and rack up the strike outs, collecting seven in total.

Bradley is much more than just a fastball only type as he went to his slider with confidence and threw the pitch with conviction, landing the pitch particularly well to his glove side while working away from righthanded hitters. An upper-70s pitch with later action and maintained arm speed, it’s not often you find a pitcher who’s coming off his sophomore year that can land his slider as often as he did, doubling up on the pitch with little hesitation.

The combination of athleticism, arm speed, and overall soundness of his delivery are all things that bode very well for Bradley down the road as the velocity is only going to increase on a pair of pitches he shows a strong feel for already.


 

After a single swing Kyle Teel (2020, Upper Saddle River, N.J.) will stand out as his hands are among the quickest on a talented Canes National roster and his aptitude and feel for the game are plenty advanced for a player his age. Not overly physical (yet) with his listed 6-foot, 160-pound frame, Teel’s confidence in the box and ability to command the zone -along with his aforementioned fast hands- yield plenty of barreled baseballs. Teel went 1-for-2 against the Houston Heat as he shot a line drive back up the middle, giving him an .800 batting average over his team’s first two games. He wasn’t challenged defensively at third base, but has shown well behind the plate as well in past viewing, allowing for some versatility on that side of the ball which will make him a coveted commodity when he gets to Charlottesville.

The up-the-middle combo for the Scorpions Founders Club 2020 of Richie Morales (2020, Bradenton, Fla.) and Jarod Wingo (2020, Plant City, Fla.) proved to be a pivotal duo in the team’s early morning victory. Neither are overly physical – Morales is listed at 5-foot-9, 165-pounds and Wingo at 5-foot-8, 160-pounds – but both made their presence felt on either side of the ball.

Morales helps set the tempo from the top of the order for the Scorpions, showing a short and compact stroke from the right side which helped produce a key single in the bottom of the fifth, plating two runs which proved to be just enough for the victory. With runners on second and third, the uncommitted Morales turned on a fastball, finding the barrel for a single through the six-hole. He also moves well up the middle defensively, working quickly to the ball while showing plenty of range up the middle on a soft chopper with which he funneled and delivery a throw from below his hip to nail the runner at first base.

Wingo, like Morales, is currently uncommitted but also picked up the lone extra-base hit for the Scorpions, turning on a hanging curveball for a double down the line. What stood out even more was his defensive play at second base with runners at first and second and the opposing team threatening. On a shot back up the middle which would have plated a run had it made it to the outfield, Wingo reached full extension to knock the ball down, quickly recovered, and gathered himself while making the throw to third base to get the force out.

Colin Apgar (2020, Bradenton, Fla.) recently committed to Florida State and it’s easy to see why the Seminoles would want the 6-foot-1, 180-pound outfielder involved in their future plans. Situated in the middle of the order for the Scorpions, Apgar continued to swing a hot bat this tournament going 1-for-2 after a two hit game on opening day. He’s listed as a switch-hitter and took all his reps from the left side in this look, offering a short and compact yet quick and powerful stroke through the zone. It’s not hard to envision Apgar driving balls out of the yard given his current swing and the fact he has plenty of room and time to still develop physically.




It was a very much anticipated summer debut for lefthander Brock Selvidge (2021, Chandler, Ariz.) judging by the number of college recruiting coordinators who stood behind the backstop for the uncommitted southpaw’s first pitch of the game. Selvidge, who is currently ranked No. 49 in the latest Perfect Game rankings, immediately checks the “present size” and “ability to dream on” boxes in regards to his physicality, standing 6-foot-2, 175-pounds with square, angular shoulders and long limbs.

Immediately in the first inning Selvidge showed his ability to work out of trouble without giving in as he looked at a bases loaded, no out jam following a defensive miscue, a single and a walk. Selvidge went to work inducing two fly balls before getting some help from his catcher to escape the inning unscathed and ultimately went on to throw five innings of shutout baseball.

Working with a shorter and quicker arm stroke through the back, Selvidge throws from a high three-quarters release which when it’s timed up with his lower half mechanics, can provide some angle to the plate on a fastball that bumped 87 mph early on and lived comfortably in the 83-86 mph range throughout. He didn’t have his sharpest command early on with the fastball but as the innings wore on he continued find his timing, still maintaining the sinking life to his fastball, and lived in the lower third while showing comfort in getting to either side. The fastball itself comes out of Selvidge’s hand cleanly, and given his physical stature it’s not a matter of if he’ll make a jump, but more so when he’ll take that jump and how much will it be.

His curveball proved to be the go-to secondary as it was a pitch he could land for strikes and worked down in the zone with for the most part throughout his time on the bump. The pitch hovered in the 69-71 mph and showed sweeping finish to it with some 1-7 shape, though with the better arm speed at release and the physical projection, it isn’t hard to see the pitch developing into an even bigger weapon for Selvidge down the road.

Noted in past events for his arm strength behind the dish, uncommitted catcher Ildefonso Ruiz (2020, Chula Vista, Calif.) certainly put it on display again in his team’s win over the NY Gothams and did so early on in the game in a big moment. With the bases loaded and two outs Ruiz came out of the crouch, popped behind the righthanded hitter and delivered a strike down to third base to back pick the runner and escape the jam with a zero on the scoreboard. It’s only fitting that after delivery a big throw defensively that he then came to the plate and nearly went deep, lining a hard double that hit off the left field wall for one of the better struck balls in the contest.

– Jheremy Brown
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