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Tournaments  | Story  | 9/9/2018

Southeast Qualifier Scout Notes

Vincent Cervino      Greg Gerard     
Photo: Tres Gonzalez (Perfect Game)

WWBA Southeast Qualifier #1 Daily Leaders




Jackson Finley (2019, Richmond Hill, Ga.) is an ideally built pitching prospect that one can dream on the development of the frame. Standing at 6-foot-3, 206-pounds, Finley gets lots of extension out in front and is able to repeat his pitching mechanics very well. The fastball ranged from 87-90 mph on this day with frequent sink on the pitch. The curveball was the out pitch and projects extremely well as a swing and miss pitch in the future. The 2019 commitment to Georgia Tech has a loose arm that projects for plenty more in the future.

Coming out of the bullpen for Game On, Finley threw a pair of dominant innings where he was in complete control from start to finish. He commanded each of his pitches well with the fastball primarily in the lower third of the strike zone and the curveball down in the zone as well as burying it for swings and misses out of the zone. With Finley’s ability to command each of his pitches and his projectable frame combined with an above average curveball, Finley has all the likings of a future big-time pitching prospect.

Also pitching in a relief role for Game On was young righthander Bradley Wilson (2021, Irwinton, Ga.). In a quick one inning appearance, Wilson showed lots to like on the mound with his clean arm stroke as well as his arm strength to produce a fastball up to 87 mph. He pitches with some effort but the arm works and he is able to repeat his delivery and throw strikes with consistency. In this game, Wilson sat 83-86 mph while touching 87 mph once in the contest. He also flashed a trio of pitches to work with while each offspeed offering has some potential. Wilson creates some angle and finishes out over his front side well. Wilson attacks with the fastball and threw the number one frequently in this outing. With more reps on the mound, the listed primary catcher could see a future on the mound.

A young and scrappy player that has the ability to manipulate the barrel well and flashed some juice in his stroke is Georgia Scorpions middle infielder Easton Oxenreider (2020, Cedartown, Ga.). Not overly physical standing at 5-foot-6, 150-pounds, Oxenreider plays the game with a high motor and lots of quick-twitch athleticism. The uncommitted primary shortstop has the all-around skillset that scouts and coaches love to watch. His actions in the infield are clean with soft hands and lots of range. As mentioned, Oxenreider has lots of barrel control and a compact swing. From his small frame, lefthanded swinging shortstop produces lots of bat speed and the ball jumps when squared and Oxenreider squares up the baseball frequently.

One of the more intriguing draft names for catchers in next year’s MLB Draft is backstop from Southern Alabama Nathaniel LaRue (2019, Mobile, Ala.). LaRue had a big weekend specifically behind the plate showcasing high level catch and throw ability as well as the ability to swing the bat for power. LaRue threw out multiple base runners at second base including a 1.97 second pop time to nab a runner on Saturday night and a quick release on a back pick to first base to pick off a runner in the first game of a double header for TPL National. The strong righthanded hitter committed to Auburn is still raw at the plate but will hit for true raw power. There is a lift to his swing and his approach is looking to impact the baseball hard in the air to his pull side. The power at the plate combined with the catch and throw ability present make LaRue a name to follow closely for the 2019 MLB Draft.

– Gregory Gerard



Starting out the first night of the Southeast Qualifier #1, and delivering a terrific performance, was uncommitted lefthander Sterling Richardson (2019, McDonough, Ga.) and the lefty kept a talented Power team off balance all night. Richardson isn’t an imposing physical presence, listed at 5-foot-11 and 165-pounds, the southpaw showed that he is certainly talented enough to not only pitch at the next level but potentially thrive as well. What stands out about Richardson’s demeanor on the mound immediately is that he works in attack mode, and during his five-inning performance that saw him allow only one earned run with eight strikeouts, what impressed was his ability to manipulate spin and land the breaking ball for strikes. He landed the mid-70s pitch at will with good shape and could effectively manipulate how the pitch reacted and pitched off his breaking ball. Richardson has a solid three-pitch mix, including the not-yet mentioned changeup with nice fading action that he used against righthanded hitters, and the southpaw showed immense pitchability during his start while also showing two-way potential as he hit .375 in the middle of the order over the weekend.

Richardson’s backstop, and Bullpen Redstitch’s leadoff man, Brent Burford (2020, Jackson, Ga.) had himself a very nice weekend as well, showing off some tools behind the dish with a short, loose stroke at the plate. The uncommitted backstop hit a blistering .615 on the weekend with a couple of extra base hits as the swing plays really well in game as the stroke is simple, repeatable, and incorporates a nice lower half shift through the point of contact. Burford utilizes the entire field and is able to manipulate the barrel nicely while the leadoff tools are evident with his solid athleticism, he recorded a 6.77 second 60-yard dash time at his most recent PG showcase. The hands are soft and easy behind the plate and the catch-and-throw skills stood out during warmups as he was routinely in the 2.0 second range on throws. Burford has all the looks of a solid uncommitted prospect and the bat was very hot all weekend.

Providing three scoreless innings of relief in an early-tournament look, Will Sanders (2020, Atlanta, Ga.) certainly shows the makings of a high-end pitching prospect, as the velocity continues to tick up and the ease of operation and project all bode well moving forward. Sanders is an uncommitted, 6-foot-6 and 184-pound prospect with a lean build, longs limbs and plenty of room to fill out. The low effort delivery, coupled with a loose and compact arm stroke, allows for a very easy motion with good-pacing, athleticism, and the ability to repeat it well. Sanders whips his arm through the zone nicely to run his fastball up to 87 mph during this look, along with very good feel for his breaking ball, a tight spinning mid- to upper-70s pitch that he located nicely and functioned as a swing and miss pitch. Sanders clears his lower half nicely and is able to spot up to both sides of the plate, and he struck out four batters in three innings as Sanders showed that he has a lot of things to like.

There were a number of home runs hit during the quarterfinals and that included the efforts of the Astros’ Zion Spearman (2019, Philadelphia, Penn.) and Nelson Baseball School’s Justin Tew (2019, Powder Springs, Ga.).

Spearman, a Pittsburgh commit from the northeast, has an incredible physical presence at a listed 5-foot-10, 220-pounds with the build of a middle linebacker at the plate. That strength obviously aids in Spearman’s ability to impact the baseball and generate tons of raw bat speed through the zone. This ability to impact the ball plays nicely to present home run power as he deposited a long shot deep to the pull side that left the bat at 89 mph. Spearman is a very intriguing prospect, with rare strength and athleticism that could be able to pay dividends for him on a baseball field at the next level.

Tew, a recent Middle Tennessee commit, is a very athletic dual-sport prospect with a tools package that offers significant upside with added refinement and reps. The arm strength is solid to profile at right field at the next level, while the speed and run tool stands out as he has shown above-average run times in the past. Tew has made strides over the summer and the offensive tools shined throughout the weekend for Nelson Baseball School. Tew hit above .300 on the weekend which included a laser shot to help pad the lead in the quarterfinals. The deep pull side shot left the barrel at 94 mph and Tew’s raw bat speed coupled with the offensive upside make him a very intriguing prospect.

Showing some interesting upside in a quick look was lefthander Narada Monge (2019, Atlanta, Ga.) who started game one for the Georgia Bombers in a 30-pitch performance. The future Alabama State Hornet stands at a tall and very lean 6-foot-3, 150-pounds with a surprisingly simple and easy delivery throughout. The arm stroke is compact through the back and he releases from an over the top arm slot to create some plane upon entry to the strike zone. Monge sat in the 84-87 mph range for his performance and also dropped in a slowed, big-breaking 12-to-6 curveball that he could land for strikes in the mid-60s. There are certainly attractive components to the profile, and Monge is a prospect who could have a very high ceiling as he enters his senior year of high school.




Bracket play always brings out the big arms of the event and Nelson started with a notable MLB Draft prospect in physical righthander Zachary Maxwell (2019, Acworth, Ga.). The Georgia Tech commit allowed a couple of runs during his start that lasted just under three innings, but the stuff was certainly loud especially in his fifteen pitch, three-strikeout first inning on the mound. In that first inning, the 6-foot-6, 245-pound righthander sat 90-93 mph showing sink, plane, and the ability to run the fastball above the hands to generate swings and misses. The arm stroke is compact, loose, and fast through the zone although the inconsistencies in the arm action can lead to some command difficulties. The fastball was a power pitch, however, and Maxwell utilized it well to get ahead of hitters and attack them to get in two-strike mode where he would unveil a hellacious slider. The pitch was very impressive, with tight spin, downward bite and worked in the low-80s with spin rates in the 2400-2600 rpm range. Maxwell’s slider has the makings of a plus pitch, and out of the eight recorded outs Maxwell racked up seven of them came via the strikeout. The swing-and-miss potential coupled with the size and stuff makes Maxwell a very interesting prospect as he looks to build off a strong summer to impress during the fall season as he enters his senior year.




One of the stars of the weekend, both in terms of tools and performance, was Tres Gonzalez (2019, Sandy Springs, Ga.), the eventual MVP of the event, and the Georgia Tech commit showed what makes him a fascinating MLB Draft prospect. The 6-foot, 165-pound outfielder is extremely athletic and twitchy, and that allows him to add a distinct element to all facets of his game. Gonzalez is a plus runner, turning in run times to first base routinely in the 4.0s, and that speed makes him so dangerous both with his quick burst out of the box to beat out ground balls or to steal bases, which he recorded six of on the weekend. The swing itself is very loose, compact, and quick through the zone. He is able to utilize the swing to play to all fields but does a good job at recognizing pitches and controlling the barrel to make sure wherever he is hitting the ball is hard. One such example stood out as he sat back on a 3-2 changeup to drive it to the opposite field gap for a triple during the playoffs, but really he showcased his hit tool throughout the weekend smoking line drives all over the yard. There are centerfield traits to his profile with good reactions and reads defensively, as the glove was one of his standout tools over the course of the summer. There is certainly a lot to like with Gonzalez and he had himself a tremendous weekend.

Gonzalez’ teammate Ethan Anderson (2019, Woodstock, Ga.) is a fellow Draft prospect in his own right and his loud righthanded swing certainly stood out over the course of the weekend. His wiry, strong frame of 6-foot-3 and 190-pounds certainly packs a middle-of-the-order punch and the power in his swing is what makes him a fascinating prospect. There’s plenty of bat speed for the Tennessee commit to go along with some natural loft and he crushed the ball all weekend to the tune of a .457 batting average to go along with numerous 90-plus exit velocities and extra base hits. Anderson wasn’t catching this weekend, but he has impressed in the outfield in the past where his arm strength, recorded up to 92 mph at PG National, certainly plays. Anderson had a number of big hits throughout the weekend including a 92 mph double in the semifinals, and a 90 mph, 360 foot double during pool play.

Zane Faulk (2020, Phenix City, Ala.) stood out with loud tools during the Sunshine Southeast Showcase and continued to show off the thunder in his bat during the course of the weekend. The uncommitted junior showed some serious juice, particularly in the playoffs with a long, no-doubt shot to put the opening playoff game away for Next Level. Faulk’s tools need no introduction as his plus arm plays from almost every corner of the diamond, while the raw bat speed and power ooze through the swing. Faulk jumped all over a first pitch elevated fastball to send his shot deep into the night.

Uncommitted righthander David Warren (2019, Dothan, Ala.) turned in a dazzling start during the aforementioned playoff game, a performance that would eventually nab him MV-Pitcher honors for the event. Warren has a long, projectable frame at 6-foot-1, 150-pounds and did a good job at mixing pitches while creating a good amount of deception to earn the win. The delivery shows athleticism while the arm stroke is loose, and Warren topped out at 87 mph with his fastball, though he went to his slider and changeup early and often. He would drop slot to throw either but showed a good feel to tunnel his pitches as they all looked fairly similar for the first 30 or so feet of the ball path. The slider was short with some late bite while the changeup effectively disrupted lefthanded hitters, and Warren showed all the makings of a pitcher who can succeed at the next level.




A pitcher who has done nothing but continue to grow, refine, and improve since we’ve first had eyes on him is TPL’s Antoine Harris (2019, Meraux, La.) and the New Orleans commit is a bona fide MLB Draft prospect for this upcoming draft cycle. The 6-foot-4, 170-pound righthander has a long, lean, and projectable frame with a lot of ingredients that scouts look for. Harris, who will be young for the grade on draft, has a super low effort, simple delivery with a whippy, fast arm stroke that was able to generate velocity in the 90-93 mph for his first two innings. As the outing went on the stuff began to wear a bit, however he was electric early on, showing short sinking life on the fastball and generating a ton of swing and miss within the strike zone on the fastball. Harris showed a predilection for his changeup as the primary secondary pitch for the first time through the order. The pitch was solid with lots of sinking action and working in the 80-83 mph range early on. Harris unveiled his breaking ball the second time through the order and the pitch has shown a good amount of improvement from the summer. The pitch worked in the 73-75 mph range with solid spin, 11-to-5 shape, and he landed one of the few for strikes. Harris’ draft trajectory certainly appears to be on the uptick and with his fall already off to a hot start, scouts are going to continue to monitor Harris’ progress closely.




Harris’ teammate, and PG All-American, Gunnar Henderson (2019, Selma, Ala.) also had a solid performance on the weekend, showing off his tools which make him a high-level MLB Draft prospect come next June. Henderson is an incredibly gifted athlete, with a strong 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame that limits neither his power nor his athleticism. The actions over at shortstop are very advanced, with good footwork, hands, and plenty of arm strength to stick at the position at the next level. Henderson’s size might ultimately push him towards the hot corner, however the athleticism is still there as he routinely recorded above average run times including a best time of 4.14 seconds. The offensive tools will ultimately determine the Auburn commit’s ceiling, and they are very impressive as well. Henderson has a clean, quick load with whippy hands and gets the barrel on plane nicely. There will be times when he gets a little ground ball happy, but that wasn’t evident this weekend as he was looking to drive the ball with authority; his most impressive batted ball of the weekend came on night one as he crushed a triple to dead center that left the barrel at 92 mph and traveled an estimated 360 feet. Henderson is a definite name to monitor throughout the rest of the fall and looks to be on the upswing in terms of draft status moving forward.

– Vincent Cervino
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