2019 17U WWBA National Championship: Day 1 Notes | Day 2 Notes | Day 3 Notes | Day 4 Notes
2020 is proving to be an excellent year in Wisconsin, and early Tuesday morning Tyler Chadwick (2020, Marshall, Wisc.) took another step in solidifying his name amongst that cream of the crop in the state’s draft class. Chadwick is a physical, strong righthander committed to West Virginia, and by touching 96 mph early on with his fastball, definitely jumped his name up the board a bit. He’s full-on max-effort downhill with intent to throw the ball as hard as he can, and he showed the ability to dominate in the zone with the pitch. He touched 96 mph early on, sat in the 92-95 mph range and then tapered off as the game moved along, which is a normal phenomenon for young pitchers. The fastball quality is solid, with good plane to the pitch at times along with flashes of above-average life, though the consistency of both features will need to continue to be refined. He worked in a somewhat sweepy curveball that he could throw for strikes occasionally, though most of his approach on the mound was built around challenging hitters on both sides of the plate with his fastball. Committed to West Virginia, Chadwick joins Vukovich, Klassen, and Stefiuk as high-end draft names in Wisconsin.
Mikey Tepper (2020, Fort Mill, S.C.) made a lot of noise a few weeks ago at PG National, and followed it up with a good performance here at the 17U WWBA. Tepper has a projectable frame with a good combination of athleticism and present strength, and both the “now” and “projection” stuff stands out. He worked in the 90-93 mph range consistently with his fastball, topping out at 94 mph with good life to the arm side on the pitch and the ability to work the ball around the strike zone, albeit a bit inconsistently. The extension stands out, as he really does a nice job getting over his front side and downhill. He worked in a curveball in the mid- to upper-70s with good 11/5 shape and spin, flashing sharpness to the break with good tunnel out of the hand. Uncommitted at this point, Tepper doesn’t figure to stay that way for long given the overall upside his profile offers, not to mention that his stuff right now would play pretty much anywhere.
On the other side of the diamond, Foundation Sports sent a talented uncommitted righty to the mound of their own in Jeremy Gay (2020, Millen, Ga.). A solid-sized athlete with a good bit of projection left, Gay absolutely pounded the strike zone to the tune of a zero-walk, 68 percent strikes outing, punching out 12 while scattering four hits and not allowing an earned run. He ran his fastball up to 89 mph and sat mostly 85-88 mph with it, generating a fair bit of a sink and run at times. He worked in a curveball anywhere from 72-79 mph with the ability to add/subtract on the pitch and vary the shape a bit, and consistently was able to throw the pitch for strikes. He flashed a changeup as well, giving him a full three-pitch mix that he was able to challenge hitters with.
The Mid-Atlantic Red Sox and Go Pro 2020 locked into a pitcher’s duel en route to a 0-0 tie later in the day, with excellent pitching performances coming from both dugouts. Collin Bosley-Smith (2020, Washington, D.C.) got the start for the Sox and went five scoreless, allowing just one hit and a pair of walks while picking up eight strikeouts. Bosley-Smith is a well-built, physical righthander with a good amount of present stuff and control, as he did a good job pounding the strike zone even if the overall command wasn’t real fine. There’s some stiffness to the operation but he repeats well enough, working his fastball in the 87-92 mph range for the most part while touching 93 mph early on. He showed the ability to change eye levels with his fastball, working it up and down and getting swings-and-misses all over the zone with it. He threw his breaking ball at different speeds and with varying degrees of sharpness, but it was consistently a solid-average pitch with two-plane break, good spin, and a good bit of sharpness to it. Bosley-Smith is committed to Duke and will be a high draft follow in the Mid-Atlantic area in the spring.
He went 0-for-2 with a walk in the game, but there’s a lot to like about what Blake Badman (2020, Huntingtown, Md.) brings to the table offensively. He’s a physical, strong righthanded hitters with hitterish traits and lots of juice, showing the ability to get good swings off at pitches all around the zone, control his front side through his load and launch, and impact the baseball in a big way when he gets barrel on it. There’s some propensity to expand the zone but that can be refined, and his strength gives him a pretty legitimate power ceiling. Committed to Virginia, Badman could be a name to watch in the coming years.
Payton Hutchings (2020, Coal City, Ill.) got the start for Go Pro and was very good, working six shutout innings while fanning six in the process. Hutchings, who is committed to Illinois, has a good bit of deception to his delivery and creates a good amount of angle to the plate from the left side, working in the 82-86 mph range with his fastball. The fastball plays up off of that raw velocity given the combination of angle, deception, and movement, and his body projects a good bit as well, giving him pretty legitimate upside at Illinois. He showed the ability to land all of his pitches for strikes and consistently challenged hitters.
Canes National moved to 6-0 in pool play on Tuesday afternoon and got a huge relief performance from Chase Hampton (2020, Kilgore, Texas), a Texas Tech commit. Hampton came in out of the bullpen throwing fuel, sitting in the 90-94 mph range but the metrics of the fastball are what made it stand out even more, as he was consistently in the plus spin and plus extension range, ensuring that the effective velocity of the pitch sat more in the mid-90s range than the raw velocity readings. He’s a physical, strong, max-effort type of pitcher somewhat in the same style of former Tech flamethrower John McMillon, though Hampton throws more strikes. The slider was thrown somewhat sparingly in the mid- to upper-70s with average shape and action, though the opposing hitters had to be so geared up for that fastball that the slider did buckle a few knees, and he was able to land it for strikes.
-Brian Sakowski
Zac Veen (2020, Port Orange, Fla.) continued where he left off as a power hitting lefthanded bat with a feel for hitting the baseball on the barrel. Veen connected on a deep fly ball to dead center field for a home run in the Tuesday morning contest at North Cobb High School. Veen now has a pair of bombs in this event as well as a double to his name through six games. Veen showed a positive launch angle to his swing with a 6.54 second hang time on the bomb before losing it over the center field fence. The lefthanded hitter committed to the University of Florida has a loose swing with present loft to his swing plane. Veen meets the baseball out in front and the ball really jumps when on time to contact.
Colin Apgar (2020, Bradenton, Fla.) had a nice day at the plate for the Scorpions 2020 Founders Club. Apgar consistently put the barrel of the bat to the baseball ripping the ball to both sides of the field. Apgar laced a double over the head of the right fielder in his first at-bat and later struck a ball well the other way for a lineout to left field. The Florida State commit has a downhill swing plane that produced that loud barrel. The hard contact Apgar produces is impressive playing for a talent-filled Scorpions team.
Highlighted earlier in the week for his ability on the mound, Brady House (2021, Winder, Ga.) on Tuesday showed again why he is the No. 1 player in the 2021 class. House knocked a double to the pull-side hole barreling the ball nicely producing a high exit velocity. The Tennessee commit met the baseball out in front putting a fast and on-time swing to it. House is a physically-gifted middle infielder standing at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and has a chance to stick at shortstop while more than likely ultimately shifting to third base long term. His hands are so sure at the ball and he has an obvious plus arm across the diamond. House finished this day 1-for-3 while also just missing on a foul ball that had a hang time of 6.11 seconds.
Michael Morales (2021, Enola, Pa.) is an interesting arm in that even when it looked like opposing hitters were on time to the baseball, they were not barreling it up, saying a lot about his fastball and the life it has to it. The heater sat consistently at 90-91 mph from both the windup and the stretch position. Morales stays balanced throughout his delivery with a fluid leg lift without much coil on the back side before firing online to the plate. The Vanderbilt commit is a really athletic pitcher and it is evident in his mechanics on the bump. The fastball has a noticeably high spin rate even given the above average life to armside and sinking as it rides to the plate. The 6-foot-2 righthander has a feel to spin as well with a tight 12-to-6 breaking ball that helps him miss barrels on top of the fastball he offers proving to already be a true out pitch. Morales is one of the top arms in the 2021 graduate class and he proved why in a big way in relief for Team Elite 17U Scout Team on Tuesday afternoon.
In the Canes National’s sixth pool play game the team sent Clemson commit Bryson Hammer (2020, Stony Point, N.C.) to the mound. A fitting last name for a southpaw with a sharp 12-to-6 breaking ball, Hammer’s “hammer” breaks out of his hand and will show solid average with plenty of potential remaining to it. The fastball topped out at 90 mph once and sat mostly in the 87-89 mph range. The native of North Carolina has a nice two-pitch combination and uses a high front lever and an over-the-top arm slot to create a downhill plane to his fastball. Hammer’s ability to command the strike zone was solid in this one, but he did run into some trouble early on. He settled in well and consistently missed bats and producing swings-and-misses totaling six Ks in a four-inning start.
Samuel Swygert (2020, Springfield, S.C.) had a nice day on the mound settling into an upper-80s fastball range after bumping 92 mph a pair of times in his first inning of work. Swygert is a pitcher who will be an interesting arm for scouts to follow in the Carolinas this spring as he has a slender frame with room to fill and a chance to really pop this spring. His arm action is full and it works with some intent behind the baseball at release. The fastball has life to it to armside and the South Carolina commit did a nice job of throwing strikes early on in his outing. He showed a feel to land his breaking ball for strikes as well and it projects with maintained fastball arm speed at release. The future Gamecock put together a dominant five-inning performance to help lead the Dirtbags 17U Skrap Pak to a sixth win in pool play at the 17U WWBA National Championship.
Will Tynes (2020, Bossier City, La.) had a nice showing at the Sunshine Southeast and more recently at PG National. Tuesday night was no different. The Ole Miss commit is a solid athlete with a fastball that reaches the upper-80s. His arm works through the throwing motion as he sits on his back leg and drives to the plate. He pitches off of the fastball while also featuring a pair of breaking balls. His curveball proved to be the better of the two, flashing tight rotation and sharper spin when landing it at the bottom of the strike zone. Tynes finished off his dominant day with three no-hit frames striking out four batters.
-Gregory Gerard
Florida commit John (TJ) Curd (2020, Port Saint Lucie, Fla.) is a lefthanded-hitting first baseman with a 6-foot, 190-pound frame. Build has present strength and a good amount of athleticism. Defensively, he showcased excellent reaction skills and good footwork moving to his right and left. Also made uncomfortable-looking, yet athletic stretches look easy to shorten throws from infielders. At the plate, the lefty starts in a balanced and barely open stance. He uses a small leg stride before transitioning into a swing with lots of bat speed and extension. Lower half and hips create power into the swing. His explosive hands catch the ball out front with impressive barrel-to-ball skills. He has really impressive pull-side power and a mature, selectively-aggressive approach at the plate. During the fifth day of the tournament, he went 1-for-1 with a hard hit double to right field and two walks.
Trevor Kilinski (2020, Zeeland, Mich.) is a primary third baseman with a compact and athletic 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame with some present strength. The University of Michigan commit displayed excellent range and reaction at the hot corner with an above-average arm across the infield. His highlight play showcased his good hands as he picked a hard hit one-hopper to his left and made an accurate and powerful throw to first base. The lefthanded hitter starts in an even stance with high hands and a high back elbow. He uses a toe-tap mechanism towards his back foot before taking a long stride towards the pitcher. He has a smooth and fluid lefthanded swing with quick hands and good bat speed. Barrel typically trails behind the hands as he shows the ability to hit to all fields. Current frame and swing creates decent power on a line.
University of Southern California commit Nate Clow (2020, Federal Way, Wash.) showcased his smooth lefthanded swing and projectable 6-foot, 180-pound frame. The lefthanded hitter starts in an open and narrow stance with high hands and a high back elbow. He employs a pretty high and long leg kick with a medium stride, but he maintains balance during and after the kick. Hands are quick and loose generating lots of bat speed and acceleration. His repeatable swing mechanics give him consistent and competitive at-bats. Can hit the ball to all fields with loud contact and some lift. Clow is listed as a primary shortstop but he was slotted in the lineup as an extra hitter for Giants Scout Team-FTB.
Logan Malone (2020, New Market, Ala.) is a middle infielder with a small 5-foot-11, 155-pound frame with current athleticism and room to fill out. The South Alabama commit played second base for VBA 17U Black during the fifth day of the tournament. He showcased a pretty smooth glove, above-average range, quick transfers, and a decent arm. Listed as a primary shortstop, he probably projects as a second baseman moving forward but certainly has the ability to play both positions. The righthanded hitter had an impressive day at the plate going 3-for-3 with a single, double, triple, a walk, and two runs scored. Starting in a slightly open stance with high hands, he takes a high leg kick and maintains good balance through contact. Quick hands with a repeatable swing on a level plane and some jump off the bat. Every at-bat was extremely competitive and ended with a well-hit line drive to a different part of the field. Showed above-average speed on the bases as well. Played extremely well in his game action, seems like a grinder and a gamer.
Drew Brutcher (2020, Lakeland, Fla.) is an uncommitted righthanded pitcher with a large and athletic 6-foot-6, 195-pound frame. In the windup, he uses a high and pointed knee leg lift before working his long legs downhill and online towards the plate. He threw from a mid three-quarters arm slot with smooth and repeatable mechanics. The fastball averaged 87 mph with some natural run, but he touched 90 mph. It was an easy 87 mph, looking as if it was effortless. He also featured a tight curveball around 75 mph that had some late break. Struggled with some inconsistent curveball command but when he had a feel for it, it was an excellent pitch. Other than that, he generally showed incredible command while painting the corners and not allowing any walks.The athleticism showed defensively as he made several tough plays and throws coming off the mound. All told, he threw 4 2/3 innings with six strikeouts, one earned run, and four hits allowed. Brutcher also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored.
Max Wagner (2020, Green Bay, Wis.) played incredibly well on both sides of the ball for the GRB Rays. The Clemson commit showcased a compact 6-foot, 195-pound frame with present strength and athleticism. The righthanded hitter starts in a slightly open and crouched stance with low hands. Transitioning into a high leg kick with a medium stride, he uses his quick hands to create bat speed and barrel whip through the zone. His lower half generates power and balance. He does a great job hitting the ball to the opposite field with some jump off his bat, typically making loud contact on a line and frequently elevating the ball. Went 2-for-3 with a double, one RBI, and two runs scored. Listed as a primary shortstop, he played third base during the fifth day of the tournament. Showcasing great reactions, advanced range, plus athleticism, and a powerful arm, he certainly has the capability to play shortstop or an elite third base. His highlight play showed him snag a hard hit one-hopper on his right, making a really quick transfer to second base and starting a 5-4-3 double play. Has great potential and ability to be an all-around player at the next level.
Arizona State commit Joey Hauser (2020, Waunakee, Wis.) showcased a large 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame with lots of present strength and athleticism. The righthanded hitter starts in a really wide stance with a high back elbow and uses a toe tap mechanism for timing. He takes a short and compact swing on a level plane. Current frame and swing gives him some juice in his bat as he usually hits the ball with loud contact on a line. Showed advanced speed on the bases as he beat out an infield single and stole a pair of bases. He also has a really good understanding of the strike zone and employs a selective approach, only swinging when the pitches are in his hitting zone. Impressive two-strike approach as well, especially for a cleanup hitter. Hauser is listed as a primary shortstop but was slotted in the lineup as an extra hitter. Went 2-for-2 at the plate with a run scored and a walk.
John Marant (2020, Tyrone, Ga.) is an uncommitted outfielder with a large and physical 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame and present strength. The right fielder did not receive a lot of action defensively, but he took efficient routes and made athletic movements to the balls that were hit to him. The lefthanded hitter starts with an open and moderately crouched stance, using a small leg lift with a medium stride. He gets good bat whip through the zone on a powerful swing. Usually hits the ball out front and has serious pull power. That power was on full display as he went 2-for-2 with a long home run to right field. Employing a selectively-aggressive approach, he only swung at pitches in his hitting zone and drew two walks during game action. Definitely a power and walk combination player moving onto the next level.
-Jake Martin
Air Force commit Crawford Wade (2020, Charlotte, N.C.) put together a quality start for 5 Star Carolina 17U Wright on Tuesday. The lefthander pitched four innings, allowing no runs, two hits, and one walk while posting three strikeouts. An 85-87 mph fastball, a 75-77 mph changeup, and a high-60s curveball made up the three-pitch mix Wade utilized during his start. He landed all three pitches for strikes and was very comfortable with his changeup. At 6-foot-4, 170 pounds with a long lanky build, Wade’s long arm action is fluid and he looks effortless when throwing. He projects well with his arm and 6-foot-4 frame that he has yet to fill in. Higher velocity is surely coming soon for southpaw.
Trey Carter (2020, Martinsville, Va.) showed highly-projectable tools at the plate on Tuesday when he played designated hitter for 5 Star Carolina 17U Wright. The future Florida State Seminole went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, but he hit the ball hard in all three at-bats. The righthander shows present power with more on the way, a strong hit tool, and present speed on the base paths that also plays extremely well in the outfield, Carter’s primary position. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the 18-year-old is his swing. He has his timing down and is very fluid with no hitch. Generating big time bat speed comes effortless and power is generated from a properly used strong lower half; he also makes contact out front and drives the ball. At 6-foot-4, 212 pounds with a muscular build, there is plenty to like about Carter, and he isn’t slowing down any time soon.
Michael Colby Diduch (2020, Cleburne, Texas) showed some positive upside for C3 Futures-VP. The uncommitted righthander got off to a rough start but showed great poise and maturity by making the adjustments and finishing his outing on a strong note. At 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, the 17-year-old projects extremely well physically as he has plenty of room to fill out and add muscle. A long fluid arm action with a high three-quarters arm slot and good extension downhill are promising qualities of Diduch; he also pounds the strikes with three pitches. A high-80s fastball that was up to 90 mph several times could easily turn to a mid-90s fastball in the next couple years. Armed with a low-70s loopy curveball, and an extremely impressive high-70s to low-80s changeup, Diduch has the stuff to be a successful starter. Although Tuesday’s result was a loss, the future is bright for the young righthander as he will continue to develop.
Mississippi State commit Dakota Jordan (2022, Canton, Miss.) was extremely impressive on Tuesday afternoon for Dulin’s Dodgers 16U Ince. He went 2-for-4 with a double, triple, and two runs scored. Jordan is a line drive hitter with power to all fields, he didn’t flash home run power Tuesday, but it is certainly coming in the near future. He has quick hands and sees the ball well, while effectively using his lower half to generate his power. Defensively, the right fielder’s present speed is wildly impressive in the outfield, but it also plays well on the base paths. He shows good instincts with the proper reads and a quick first step. At 6-foot-1, 155 pounds, a wiry, athletic build with broad shoulders shows a lot of upside in the 16-year-old.
Logan Freeman (2020, Bryan, Texas) was extremely impressive in a relief appearance for Texas Twelve Maroon. The southpaw allowed two runs on five hits in four innings of work with one walk and seven strikeouts. His fastball sat in the 87-89 mph range with arm-side run and he paired it with a mid-70s curveball. Command was not an issue with either pitch, and he generated a lot of swing-and-miss throughout the outing. Freeman has an extremely quick arm that works easily and shows fluidity throughout his fairly long arm action with a high three-quarters arm slot. With a lean build on a 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame, the uncommitted 17-year-old has room to fill out a body that projects. Don’t be surprised if Freeman is throwing in the mid-90s within the next couple of years, he shows lots of upside and should be off the board soon.
-Jacob Jordan
Derrick "DJ" Jackson (2020, Meridianville, Ala.) is a 6-foot, 195-pound primary catcher. Taking the field at first base for Knights Baseball 17U Platinum, Jackson showed why he is one of the higher-ranked players in Alabama. At the plate, the uncommitted first baseman took a fastball and shot it deep into the right-center gap for a double. He has a quick swing that has some power behind it. At the plate, he has a good flow to his movement. Nothing seems forced as his load is fluid and has a smooth swing. He uses his legs for good power and has solid hip movement. A nice thing about his swing as well is that his bat stays in the zone for a prolonged period of time. He consistently makes contact on his swings and puts the ball in play.
Jake Fitzgibbons (2020, Mount Juliet, Tenn.) is a 5-foot-11, 150-pound lefthanded pitcher. With a small frame and potential to still grow, the lefthanded pitcher flashed great stuff as he helped his team to a big victory. Working with a quick delivery and bringing the baseball from a low three-quarters arm angle, Fitzgibbons was in total command of the game and the pitches he was throwing. The uncommitted southpaw threw a fastball that maxed out at 90 but sat comfortably throughout his entire performance in the upper-80s. To compliment that pitch, he introduced a curveball with 12-to-6 break to it and a slider that had good side-to-side movement. All three pitches were used effectively and he was able to locate them accurately. The Mount Juliet native gave up only two hits in four innings of work while striking out five batters.
Riley Stanford (2022, Gainesville, Ga.) is a 6-foot-4, 182-pound outfielder. Starting in right field for Georgia Bombers 16U, Stanford showed why he is one of the top players in his graduation class. In the batter’s box, the righthander has a closed stance and is right on top of the plate the entire time. He is able to get a good read on the pitches that are being thrown and has good patience to wait back on breaking balls to make good contact. His swing generates a lot of power and is able to make contact when he swings the bat. Though his hands remain high in his stance and load, he still has quick enough hands to be able to get pitches that are the furthest away from him. Stanford has a strong arm that was shown on defense, as he was credited with an assist throwing a runner out at second base. He also was tasked with coming in as a relief pitcher. The uncommitted outfielder showed a fastball that maxed out at 92 but sat most of the time in the upper-80s and low-90s. His curve dropped in with a nice 11-to-5 movement but still had some velocity to it.
Jalen Fulwood (2021, Johns Creek, Ga.) is a 6-foot-3, 175-pound outfielder. Starting in center field for the Georgia Bombers 16u, Fulwood showed one of his truest strengths in the game, which is his speed. The outfielder was most impressive in the game on the basepaths. With good jumps, the uncommitted outfielder was able to take full advantage of his speed and get into bases safely on steals. He’s also able to slickly slide into bases using a myriad of moves to avoid being tagged. The same speed was used in the outfield as the center fielder was able to run down balls in gaps. The Johns Creek native has a good arm and can get a quick release on balls that are hit for sac flies.
Luis Rodriguez-Gallo (2020, Miami, Fla.) is a 5-foot-10, 195-pound primary catcher. Used as just a hitter, Rodriguez-Gallo displayed a great offensive game. With a short and stocky frame, the righthander made solid contact with the ball almost every time he got up to the plate. Standing with an open stance and hunched over slightly at the plate, the uncommitted hitter had a quick, compact swing. His hands remained high near his head throughout the load but with his quick hands, he was able to get pitches difficult pitches and really drive the ball. With good power in his swing, each hit he delivered was a rocket off of the bat and was difficult for defenders to stop. This was exemplified in his two-RBI triple that he hit to left-center field that the shortstop couldn’t stop.
-Brian Treadway
Jake Berry (2020, Great Falls, Va.) came in from the pen for the Richmond Braves 17U National on Tuesday and showed why he is one of the most projectable pitchers in the entire country. At 6-foot-11 with long legs and arms, he actually has a quicker arm than you would expect. He has an athletic side-step delivery with some tempo, some depth to his arm swing on the back, slight crossfire, and arm works quickly from a high three-quarters slot. He drifted at times and the arm dragged, but when the limbs matched up it was very heavy with extreme downhill angle. His fastball sat 88-90 and showed occasional cut. His curveball can get loose but shows promise in the 70-75 mph range. Berry has one of the highest ceilings in the 2020 class.
Mason Manriquez (2020, Wellington, Fla.) was dominant today for Elite Squad American. He has a wiry 6-foot-1 frame and is very twitchy. He has excellent shoulder speed that helped him stay consistent with his fastball between 88-91/2 and averaged 89. The fastball was mostly straight but got some angle. The pitch got on hitters quickly as he hid it behind his body well during his delivery. His kept his hand speed up on his breaking ball that was in the upper-70s and he was able to bury it late in counts to help him get swing and misses. He is a high-end, pop-up arm that showed Tuesday what he is capable of; An incredibly-efficient 84-pitch complete game with one hit and 11 strikeouts to no walks. I cannot see this arm being uncommitted for long.
Jovan Gill (2020, Fort Myers, Fla.) continues to have an exceptional week here at the WWBA. Already showing a 94 mph fastball in his four shutout innings last Friday, he has swung a hot bat ever since. He was red-hot Tuesday morning for the Giants Scout Team-FTB. He quickly hit a loud two-RBI double to center field give FTB a lead. He later tripled and came around to score. He worked two walks later in the game, and also scored two runs to completely stuff a box score. He is hitting .417 this week while slashing a 1.400 OPS. His heavy hands and barrel accuracy will continue to make him a two-way prospect at the next level to go along with his top-level pitching prowess.
Samuel Infante (2020, Hialeah, Fla.) looked like one of the top infield prospects in the country when he took the field for the Banditos Scout Team 17U. He possesses soft hands, a quick transfer, and stays balanced throughout while fielding groundballs. He did a good job adjusting with his feet on a chopper and using a different arm angle with accuracy to get an out during the game. Offensively, he uses a simple hand load that stays smooth. He keeps his max stretch and turns the barrel easily showing ability to drive the ball to all fields. He had two hits today including a long double over the right fielder’s head. He continues to have a strong tournament as his .444 average on the week shows.
Albert Hernandez (2020, Davie, Fla.) Is a strongly built righthanded hitter that has long been on the radar of scouts. He uses a mostly pull approach, with a max intent swing, to hit balls very hard when squared. He caught a ball with the barrel out front today, hitting a no-doubt home run to the pull side on Tuesday afternoon. Hernandez has a simple set up and load that generates plenty of bat speed. He has good hand strength that allows the barrel to stay steady through contact. He has shown a big arm in the past and it looks like he can stay on the left side of the infield where his power bat will play nicely.
-Jered Goodwin
A very interesting uncommitted 2020 righthanded pitcher Ryan Rouse (2020 Morehead City, N.C.) worked three innings for Rawlings Prospects NC 2020 scattering three hits while striking out three. Rouse projects well on the mound with added strength. Showed a long arm action throwing from a three-quarter slot with interesting arm speed. Flashed a fastball up to 88 mph with occasional late run to go along with a sharp 11/5 curveball thrown for consistent strikes.
Luke Storm (2020, Easton, Pa.), a mature, strong built 2020 grad, showed loud power to all fields in a high intent swing with impressive bat speed. The Duke commit showed his power with a loud triple off the top of the left-center field fence. Showed impressive athleticism around the bases stretching the sure double into a triple.
Kevin Reardon (2020 Chester, N.J.), an athletic, uncommitted 2020 grad, worked 2 1/3 innings on Tuesday only allowing two hits while collecting two strikeouts. Reardon showed a quick compact arm action with good arm speed. Flashed a heavy fastball creating soft contact up to 87 mph complemented with a 10/5 curveball at 69 mph.
Keaton Anthony (2020, Hoschton, Ga.) worked an impressive inning on Tuesday to close out a win for Georgia Bombers 17U. In his one inning of work, Anthony allowed no hits while fanning two batters. The uncommitted 2020 grad features a long, athletic delivery with impressive arm speed. Employs a two-pitch mix with a fastball with good control to both sides of the plate up to 88 mph to go along with a 12/6 breaking ball with sharp break and good depth creating swing and miss at 74 mph.
Getting the start on the mound in the second game Tuesday for Georgia Bombers 17U was Casey Young (2020, Milton, Ga.). Working three innings, Young only surrendered one hit while striking out two. Young employs a compact arm action with good arm speed. The Gardner-Webb commit features a two-pitch mix including a fastball with occasional arm-side run up to 87 mph and a 11/5 curveball with good depth creating off balance swings and soft ground balls.
Val Cerna (2020, Ingleside, Ill.) flashed impressive bat speed working with the barrel out front creating jump off the barrel to the pull side. The uncommitted 2020 grad showed the pull-side power on Tuesday with a high and long home run to straight center field to drive in both runs on the day for the Pro Player Canes.
Cameron Ostmark (2020, West Jordan, Utah) enjoyed a loud day at the plate on Tuesday, collecting two hits including a home run and double. Ostmark showed an elevated barrel path through the zone with interesting bat speed looking to drive the ball to and through the gaps in the outfield. Flashed power to the opposite field with a loud no-doubt home run to left-center field.
Hitting in the three-hole for Mountain West 2020 was Brayden Taylor (2020, West Jordan, Utah). The TCU commit showed a smooth swing with a direct hand path to the baseball and a naturally-elevated barrel path through the baseball creating present gap-to-gap power. Taylor showed the gap-to-gap power in the game on Tuesday collecting two doubles while driving in a run.
-Ben Milks
Trey Baker (2020, Roswell, Ga.) is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound, strong, athletically framed, right-handed pitcher and highly ranked outfielder with some room to fill on his current frame. Baker took the mound at East Cobb on Tuesday and spun a masterful performance for his team, pitching East Cobb Astros 17u Orange to a three to zero victory. Trey uses a full wind-up from the first base side of the rubber. He has a quick pace to his windup with a fluid arm-action that is long-circled and unrestricted in back through release. He releases from a low ¾ slot and showed good extension while he released his repertoire out front before finishing over a rather stiff front side. Baker uses a three-pitch mix of a fastball (85 – 87 mph), a curveball (73 – 76 mph), and a change-up (79 – 81 mph). Fastball is firm with some riding life. He was able to move his fastball around the zone often getting ahead of hitters which helped him setup his off-speed, later in counts. Curveball has correct, 12/6 shape with depth and good feel. Change-up is a work in progress yet some show feel and fade, when he gets it right. Trey limited the use of his change-up throughout the start, needing only a fastball, curveball mix to mow down his opposition. Baker’s final line read a complete seven innings of work, only allowing two hits, and striking out four, while recording the win. Control is better than command to this point with his repertoire, yet Baker was around the zone most of the day with all three pitches. He showed good athleticism on the mound and fields his position well on a couple of occasions. Trey knows he can pitch and showed confidence on the mound all game long, fearlessly battling hitters with a me-against-you mentality. Baker is yet to record a loss in his Perfect Game pitching career which spans the course of three seasons currently siting at a perfect 6-0, while he is 3-0 with a 1.50 earned-run-average in 2019.
Jaylon Buckley (2021, Union, Miss.) is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound right-handed, strong and stocky pitcher from Union High School in his hometown. A junior in the fall, Jaylon came into today ranked as the number one righthanded pitching prospect in Mississippi and fifth prospect overall in the class. On the mound, Buckley uses an abbreviated wind-up from the first base side of the rubber. Windup has good pace, and he has nice timing with separation, paired with an unrestricted, smooth, long-circled arm action that released from a low ¾ slot. Upon release, Buckley showed good athleticism getting over his front side and allowing his arm to travel through to deceleration with minimal recoil. Buckley used a predominately two-pitch mix of a fastball that topped at 90 mph (84 – 86 mph H:90) yet sat in the mid 80’s most of the way. To compliment the fastball, Jaylon uses a curveball that has 10/4 break with minimal depth. Most are slurvy yet does produce swing and miss as he has a rather nice sell to the hook. He ended the day one out away from a complete game which ended due to the time-limit after six full innings. Buckley went 5 2/3 innings allowing nine hits, two earned runs, struck out four, and needed 106-pitches to wrap up his outing. Buckley is currently uncommitted, yet he is an exciting player to watch compete on the mound. Buckley who showed a bulldog type demeanor, battled hard for his team all afternoon and showed tremendous up-side to his current skillset. Very projectable, exciting pitching talent.
Kristian Campbell (2021, Marietta, Ga.) is a strong, athletically built, and projectably framed shortstop from Milton High School. A junior in the fall, Campbell is currently ranked as the third best shortstop in the state for the 2021 class and fifteenth nationally and showed why this afternoon displaying many advanced tools and positive contributions to his clubs 9-4 victory. Currently, Campbell is on fire at Perfect Game events this year sitting at a red hot .394 batting average, with a ridiculous .500 on-base-percentage in 2019. Today, Campbell continued to show his hitability going 3-for-4 with a double to the pull side gap and four runs batted in, in the win. At the plate, Campbell sets up with a wide, square stance with low hands outside his chest. He has a large step for timing back to square, and does a nice job keeping his hands back and eyes level tracking each pitch on its way to the plate. Upon contact, Campbell showcases a short, quick, levelled line-drive swing path that travels through the hitting zone a long time. He consistently gets good extension through contact and capitalizes with hard hit contact to all fields. A very tough out, Campbell already has a nice feel for the wood bat and centers the ball with consistency. A superb athlete, Campbell moves well all over the field whether he is turning it loose out of the box or chasing down a ball hit his way in the six-hole to either side. He has excellent first step quickness and stays light on his feet in all aspects of the game. A solid defender, Campbell uses his athleticism to consistently get in a keen fielding position, working through grounders and pairing them with strong, on-target throws that have carry through the bag. Campbell has all the groundwork to become a very impressive ballplayer. He is already polished and plays with natural instincts. It is clear that he knows the game and plays the game hard with confidence. Campbell will stay home and continue his baseball career at Georgia Tech upon graduation as part of their incoming 2021 class.
Joe Mack (2021, Williamsville, N.Y.) is a 6-foot, 187-pound, catcher from Williamsville East High School in East Amherst, N.Y. A junior in he fall, Mack has a strong, physically mature build to his frame, that profiles well to the catcher position. One thing is for sure and that Mack can hit and hit consistently especially at Perfect Game events where over a three-year period he is raking with a .418 batting average, raising his average to .471 on the year this afternoon. At the plate, he uses a square stance from the left side, with good balance and hands near his ear. He uses a large step to square upon pitch release, and does a nice job matching plane of the pitch with good bat speed through the strike zone. He showcases consistent hard-hit contact to all fields with good rhythm and timing to his approach and proper mechanics making him a very tough out. Mack moves well for the position and his build, with playable speed. He is a very good athlete and shows it behind the plate as he is a good receiver with quiet, clean actions. He works well with his battery-mate and displays obvious leadership. Throws are straight with zip and carry from a very quick release. Consistently under 2.0 pop with accuracy to bases. Very high upside catcher who leaves it all on the field and plays the game the right way. Committed to continue his playing career at Clemson University following graduation, Mack will enter next spring as the number one ranked catcher in the state of New York for the 2021 class and fourth overall in the class nationally. Quietly aggressive player who grabs your attention with his tools and solid approach to the game in all facets.
Dalton Pearson (2020, Johns Creek, Ga.) has been the straw that stirs the drink for East Cobb Astros Navy and proved once again with his advanced hitability at the top of their order this afternoon. The incoming senior at Johns Creek High School in his hometown proved why he is ranked inside the top 30 outfielders in his class and 4thin his home state having himself a 3-for-4 day at the plate with a pair of runs scored and a run-batted in. In the box, Pearson sets up with an open stance and hands high near his ear. He has good rhythm and timing in the box and displays a consistent, short, quick swing path through the strike zone with advanced control of the barrel and a sound approach. He knows his role at the top of the order and has good vision that makes him a tough out using patience to get ahead in the count then being able to spray the ball to all fields when he gets his pitch. Power is currently to the gap, yet it plays to his strengths as he is very quick out of the box, often making the defense rush. A definite green-light guy, Pearson plays with aggression in all facets of the game but often showcases natural instincts to steal bases with ease. Speed translates to centerfield where he is a sure-handed defender with sound defensive actions and good first step reads. Knows how to play the game the right way and has clear confidence in his ability. Pearson is hitting an impressive .320 at Perfect Game events this year with an on-base-percentage just south of .400.
-Matt Arietta