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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/14/2019

15U WWBA: Day 2 Scout Notes

Greg Gerard      Drew Wesolowski      Brian Treadway      Colton Olinger      Jacob Jordan      Jacob Martin      Matthew Arietta     
Photo: Brandon Barriera (Perfect Game)
2019 15U WWBA National Championship: Day 1 Scout Notes



One of the top ranked pitchers in the 2022 class and potentially the best breaking ball in the class, Jacob Miller (2022, Baltimore, Ohio) took the mound on Saturday morning at Joe Cowan Park. A Louisville commit, Miller showed lots of promising aspects to his pitching ability although the command was not completely what he expected. The righthander sat mostly 87-90 mph while touching 91 mph a pair of times as well. He featured a really sharp curveball that flashed really impressive spin given that Miller is still just a rising sophomore. The pitch was best when thrown with true 12-to-6 shape in the 76-78 mph range. He would release to the side of the pitch at times and it would show more sweeping action and was effective as well. He flashed a changeup to a lefthanded hitter early in the game showing some sinking action to it at 77 mph. The fastball blew hitters away and rode on a downhill plane to the plate when getting fully extended out in front.

Miller was really impressive in terms of long-term projection. He hides the ball in the back with a shorter arm action and releases it really cleanly. His best command came when he stayed under control to the plate with balance and an online lower half. The fastball was thrown around the zone both in and out and up and down and the breaking ball continually stayed down in the zone. His frame is young as well, standing at 6-foot-1, 160-pounds with plenty of room to continue to fill out with strength. The future Louisville Cardinal has outstanding potential on the mound and is going to be a fun arm to watch over the coming years.

A slew of Game On Stealth players showed elite level tools in this game including catcher Carson Murray (2021, Evans, Ga.). The way Murray moves laterally behind the plate is really impressive. His blocking skills are outstanding as he was able to show his flexibility often in this contest. The defensive skillset is certainly noteworthy as he moves quickly coming out of his crouch and into his throw downs as well. Murray is a nice defensive back stop and helps his pitchers out at a position that is a premium.

The next player is outfielder Jamie Felix (2022, Kingsland, Ga.). Felix is a righthanded hitting and righthanded throwing outfielder who starts in right field for the team from primarily south Georgia. Physically advanced is an understatement with Felix, as he stands at a strong 5-foot-10, 190 pounds with a shredded lower half and looks every bit the part of an elite athlete. The high-end talent in baseball that Felix is added on top of the fact that he is an elite running back with plenty of Power 5 football offers as well. At the plate, Felix’s raw bat speed is obvious and when he connects, the baseball jumps. His hands work directly to the ball and with continued improvement of his barrel ability, the Camden County High School product is going to make a college baseball as well as a college football recruiter very happy.

Despite being potentially the youngest player in the entire event, Landon Knight (2023, Gilbert, S.C.) showed some really nice tools with his quick hands at the plate and range up the middle. The starting second baseman for a talent-filled Game On Stealth team made a really impressive diving play up the middle as he saved his team from allowing a run with the diving stab. Knight turned 14-years-old on Saturday, the second day of the event, making him eligible to even play in the 13U age group. A truly outstanding feat since he fits right in at the 15U age group that he is playing in. Knight plays the game with high energy as shown by his play up the middle and with his fast hands and plenty of quick-twitch muscles present, he will be a fun player to follow moving forward through his high school years.

Ben Lumsden (2022, Simpsonville, S.C.) is a physical lefthanded hitting third baseman who made a really nice impression in this scout’s first look. The South Carolina native collected a pair of hits, including a double to the pull side. His swing has plenty of bat speed and strength to it and when on time the ball leaves the barrel with a high exit velocity. The ball did so in this game. Lumsden bats in the three-hole for his Game On Stealth team and the power potential that he brings to the middle of that order is interesting. Lumsden stands at a projectable 6-foot, 165 pounds and appears even more physical than his listed size. The J L Mann High School product is a player to keep an eye on throughout the rest of this tournament and on into the next three years of his high school career and beyond.

The No. 18 ranked prospect in the 2022 class was as impressive as advertised by his ranking as Tristan Smith (2022, Chesnee, S.C.) pitched in front of a huge crowd in the late game on field 15. After several rain and lightning delays, the weather finally subsided for Smith to pitch in front of double-digit college recruiters. Smith pitches from a low arm slot, creating a tough angle on his pitches to begin with, but when you add in that the fastball is coming out of his hand at 87-90 mph touching 91 and 92 as well, it is a really uncomfortable at-bat for hitters, especially lefties. Smith may not have had the command that he wanted in this contest but the overall projection is far superior than the “right now” product. Smith, at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, has a strong build especially in his lower half. The delivery is fluid with a clean arm action and a crossfire release to the plate. The fastball sinks and the slider he flashes has a chance to be a plus pitch moving forward. He did not have to go to the breaking ball much but when he did, he got some really off-balance swings-and-misses. The upside on Smith is outstanding and the fact the he is uncommitted should be intriguing to any collegiate recruiter in the southeast at this time.

The top catcher of the day seen by this scout belonged to Mississippi native Karson Evans (2022, Taylorsville, Miss.). He looks every bit of the part of an everyday backstop in a Power 5 conference right now as a rising sophomore in high school. Evans stands at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and is as physical as they come at 15 years old. Batting in the three-hole for the East Coast Sox, Evans may not have walked away with a hit in the book, but the swing and strength to his path are evident. Evans skied a ball to right-center field that went for a flyout but his strong wrists and hand speed are certainly of note to his stroke as the ball was driven much more than expected as he was slightly out in front of the pitch. Behind the plate is where Evans really shined in this game as he displayed excellent receiving skills and a strong arm both coming out of his crouch as well as from his knees. On a tough play in the game, Evans gunned down a runner trying to steal second base with a 2.15 second pop time as he had to reach all the way across his body to receive the ball on a tough pitch to handle. He did so well and transferred the baseball cleanly to his hand and fired a strike to second base. He also showcased a 2.11 second pop time in between innings throwing from his knees which was noteworthy in itself.

Andrew Citron (2022, Pacific Palisades, Calif.) showed out in a big way on Saturday in a really tight matchup that went in his team’s favor late in the ballgame. Citron has plenty of quick-twitch to his game manning center field for Pacific Baseball Academy 15. The righthanded hitting outfielder has range in the outfield and glides to the baseball with quickness. At the plate, the uncommitted prospect from powerhouse high school Harvard-Westlake finished the day 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, putting him over .600 for the tournament. Citron can run and gets out of the box really quickly, like he tracks down fly balls in center field. On one of his singles in particular, the California native burned down the line and turned first base with a 4.55 second home-to-first time with a slight pull up. In a game that was close throughout and had several college recruiters on hand, Citron produced in a big-way both offensively and defensively.

-Gregory Gerard

Itai Spinoza (2021, Fayetteville, N.Y.) is a straight over-the-top lefthanded pitcher. He has a high leg kick that helps him hide the ball well because it jumps on the hitters. His great hip routine and use of his legs allow him to drive the ball through the catcher. He moves the fastball in and out on the corners of the plate. Great spin rate on his curveball with 12/6 movement generated a lot of swings and misses. He kept the batters off-balance all night finishing with three innings, no hits, and nine strikeouts. Amazing performance tonight. With room to develop, he will add velocity.

Playing in a mid-morning game, Connor Crisp (2023, Locust Grove, Ga.) came to the park ready to hit. In his first at-bat he ripped a double down the right field line driving in two runs. The next at-bat, he crushed a pitch again down the right field line and showed off the wheels with a triple, scoring one. Great pull-side pop with good backspin on the ball and quick hands through the zone. Crowds the plate with a balanced stance and a good hip rotation that creates bat speed. Being 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, there is more power to come.

Andrew Dunford (2023, Centerville, Ga.) is a tall 6-foot-5. 190-pound righthanded pitcher with long arms that gives him great extension on release. He comes straight over-the-top and creates a great angle on the ball. The breaking ball comes out of the same arm slot and looks like his fastball on release. He has a free-and-easy arm that looks smooth out of his hand. His body type will fill out and velocity will improve. A pitcher to keep your eyes on as he develops into his fame.

Nicolas Perez (2022, Isabela, P.R.) showed off his defensive skills today with smooth hands and a quick release. He is a primary shortstop and leadoff hitter. He is very patient at the plate as he handles the bat well with fast hands and good barrel control. He came in to close the game out and shows off great arm strength, topping 88 mph off the mound. A lot of room to develop across the board with this one.

-Todd Coffey

Coming off of a 16U WWBA National Championship, the Team Elite program is looking to continue their excellence this week in the 15U event, and they got off to a 2-0 start on Saturday morning via a 9-0 win. Camron Hill (2022, Fayetteville, Ga.) got the start and was extremely intriguing on the mound, picking up the run-rule shortened win, walking three and striking out three over three frames, allowing no hits. Hill is a skinny, long-limbed lefthanded pitcher who is raw on the mound in terms of his mechanical profile, but whose arm speed and physical projection stand out in big ways. He ran his fastball up to 86 mph early on, settling more low-80s, with solid feel for spinning a curveball in the mid-70s. Hill’s upside is vast given the components, though he’s obviously quite a way away from reaching that ultimate ceiling. He’s going to be a fascinating one to follow in the class of 2021, given that he’s younger for the grade (just turned 16), and especially as he starts to fill out that lanky frame with muscle.

Tri State Arsenal Scout Team righted the ship Saturday afternoon, picking up a 6-2 win through several rain/lightning delays over USA Prime. Jack O'Connor (2022, Arlington, Va.) got the start and while he didn’t have the best outing, allowing three hits and a pair of earned runs in just 1 2/3 innings, still showed excellent upside. O’Connor is a physical righthander who is also a talented hitter and possesses legitimate two-way upside as a power-armed pitcher and a power-bat hitter. He ran his fastball up to 90 mph a few times early on, settling into the mid- to upper-80s, showing good ability to throw strikes though also leaving the pitch middle-middle too often, where it found barrel. He mixed in a curveball that has upside, thrown presently in the low-70s with some sweep and depth to it, flashing good bite at times. A Virginia commit, O’Connor’s upside is vast given his physicality, arm talent, and abilities at the plate, and will be a fun one to follow over the next few years.

Brock Porter (2022, Milford, Mich.) picked up the win in relief, shutting out USA Prime over 3 1/3 innings, scattering one hit and two walks while racking up five strikeouts. Porter is an uber-projectable righthander with seemingly limitless physical projection remaining on his frame, giving him a sky-high velocity ceiling as he continues to develop. He ran his fastball up to 89 mph, settling comfortably into the 85-88 mph range, pounding the zone with his fastball to both sides of the plate and challenging hitters with it. The curveball has come on quite a bit over the course of the last 5-6 months, continually developing in terms of trust, consistency of shape, and velocity; now thrown in the upper-60s with 11/5 shape and the beginnings of good bite. The changeup has always been and continues to be his best pitch, thrown with excellent separation and deception off of his fastball, with good fade to the arm side and quality command of the pitch. A recent Clemson commit, Porter presently sits as the No. 1 player in the state of Michigan in the class of 2022, and No. 74 overall nationally.

Tri State has a lot of talented hitters up and down the lineup, and Ike Irish (2022, Hudsonville, Mich.) has added some serious thump to the middle of the lineup this week so far. A lefthanded hitter, Irish’s opposite-field power has stood out in a big way already, as he’s shown the ability to really drive the ball the other way with authority, showing off advanced hand strength at contact that allows him to reach that power to all fields. A promising catching prospect as well, Irish’s best tool behind the plate right now is his arm strength, which certainly plays from the catcher position, and how he develops in terms of his receiving and lateral agility will determine how far he’s able to go back there. The offensive profile stands out first and foremost, and he’ll certainly add a lot of college interest this week if he keeps hitting like he has thus far.

An athletic, projectable infielder, Jack Crighton (2022, Rochester Hills, Mich.) stands out at present for his hit tool, his defensive abilities, and the versatility of those defensive skills. Crighton is highly-projectable given the leanness of his frame right now, with plenty of room for additional strength as he continues to physically mature, and as he grows, the present hit tool will continue to gain more and more impact. As it sits right now, Crighton consistently finds the barrel in an authoritative manner, with the ability to barrel line drives to all fields while showing some promising power to the pull side, as he roped a double down the line in this contest and hit a missile right at the left fielder in another at-bat. He’s primarily a third baseman, both for Tri State as well as for his high school team, though he’s more than capable of playing second base, anywhere in the outfield, and even behind the plate at the catcher spot.

Tri State is only two games into the tournament, but Dylan Dreiling (2022, Hays, Kan.) has already proven himself to be quite the table-setter atop the lineup, picking up three hits in Saturday’s contest, showing excellent hand-eye coordination with hitters’ hands and a direct swing path that covers the plate well. He’s got top-of-the-order tools with the ability to spray line drive contact around the field, getting on base at a high clip and using his speed well, both on base and in center field. Dreiling is committed to Tennessee, and should continue proving to be one of the better hitters in the class of 2022, where he’s already ranked No. 68 overall.

-Brian Sakowski

After hours of weather delay, Team Elite 15U American was able to take the field for their pool play game. With two innings in the books, Lukas Schramm (2022, Apex, N.C.) took the mound in relief. Normally used as an outfielder or a catcher, he was brought in to hold the lead for the team. And that is something he did as he immediately pounded the zone with fastballs and never stopped. Working from a three-quarters arm slot, the uncommitted righthander was able to max his heater out at a high of 88 mph but maintained it consistently from 84-88 mph. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 205 pounds, he has a super projectable frame with an already strong arm. Not throwing anything other than fastballs, Schraam was able to work his two innings with four strikeouts and didn’t allow a single hit.

Taking the catching duties for the Cincy Flames, Payton Ebbing (2022, Loveland, Ohio) showed why he is the top catching prospect in the state of Ohio. From the get-go, Ebbing was throwing the ball all around the diamond, using his arm to gun down runners on the base paths. Twice in the game, the uncommitted catcher was able to nab runners on the bases, one trying to steal and the other on a back pick at third base. The Ohio native’s arm is exciting to watch but what was more impressive was the accuracy of each throw. More than once Ebbing tried to back pick at third base and even though each one was close, never did he throw it away. He has full confidence in each of his throws that not only can they be close but he can make the tough throws with small throwing lanes.

Devin Taylor (2022, Cincinnati, Ohio) didn’t have too many offensive opportunities in the game but he was still able to impact the game as the Cincy Flames came away victorious in the long delayed game. The lefthander at the plate takes a quick path to the ball with an ability to hit the ball all over the field. With a wide stance in the box, Taylor used a big leg kick to time his swing and can make solid contact, which was shown by getting a down-and-in fastball and scorching a line drive into right field. Speed is a huge part of Taylor’s game as he constantly took advantage of overthrows or a focus on another runner by taking the extra bag.

Lucas Day (2022, Dayton, Ohio) took over the first base duties for the Bo Jackson Elite 15U and turned in a strong performance offensively. The big 195-pound lefthander looks all of his size as he has a mature frame with obvious power. At the plate, standing with an open stance, Day has a quick swing that is very quick to the baseball. The uncommitted first baseman doesn’t have a focus on pulling the ball, but goes with the pitch as he has power to all sides of the field. He displayed this with a sharp triple sent to the left-center gap. The 6-foot-1 Ohio native has good speed with his size and was able to turn his hit into a standing leadoff triple, later coming around to score. In his last at-bat, Day brought in two runners as well as he hit a double and later scored himself. With his ability to make contact and really drive the ball, it’s no wonder that Day is one of the top prospects in the state of Ohio and a top-10 first basemen in the nation.

Taking the mound for the Lonestar Baseball Club 2022 National, Lino Rodriguez (2022, Austin, Texas) turned in a stellar performance as he held the opponent off of the scoreboard through the majority of the game. With an unusual windup, Rodriguez would rock all the way back and use his weight to almost fall forward but with precision and control. With great control of his fastball, Rodriguez was able to get his heater to a high of 87 mph though he consistently sat around the low- to mid-80s. His velocity would dip every inning ever so slightly as he started in the 85-87 mph range through his first couple innings but started getting lower into the lower-80s as the game went along. Complementing the uncommitted righthanders fastball was a hard-sweeping slider. A pitch that froze most hitters, Rodriguez should be able to use it effectively as he continues to get a stronger feel for it, as what he used today still baffled hitters and could be used as a swing-and-miss pitch. Though struggling in the last bit of the game, it doesn’t take away from the strong effort Rodriguez showed as he struck out 11 batters in just over five innings of work.

-Brian Treadway

Luke Gaffney (2022, Dansville, Ky.) put on a clinic at the plate going 3-for-3 with two triples — one of which came off the bat at 98.5 mph — and a double in his three at-bats. He starts with a narrow stance and his hands set away from his body. His low leg kick allows him to get his foot down and be on time with his swing. His swing path is quick with a high finish allowing him to get the ball in the air. His strong lower half helps produce the serious gap-to-gap he displayed driving three balls off the wall. Behind the plate his solid defensive mechanics allow him to receive pitches well as he does a good job of sticking pitches on the corners to help his pitchers get strikes. With a 6-foot, 205-pound frame he already possesses a strong lower half that you would expect to see behind the plate. He projects well moving forward to continue to add strength as he continues to mature.

Mason Langdon (2022, Shreveport, La.) was a strikeout machine as he punched out 12 in five innings of work while allowing no runs on just two hits. He showcased a fastball that he ran up to 87 mph and sat 83-84 mph for most of his start. His three-quarters arm slot produced some arm-side run on his fastball as he was able to command it to both sides of the plate. He also showed the ability to mix in a breaking ball that sat in the low-70s with some depth to it. His long, quick arm action is repeatable as he maintains good direction towards the plate with his delivery. With a lean 6-foot, 185-pound frame he projects well moving forward with room to fill out as he continues to grow and mature.

Kassius Thomas (2022, Northridge, Calif.) came in in relief for Canes Central 15U, displaying a live arm. His fastball topped out at 91 mph and sat 88-90 mph. His over-the-top arm slot and quick delivery maintain good direction to the plate. His live, whippy arm is clean through the delivery as the ball jumps out of the hand. He also displayed a low-70s slider as a secondary pitch. His 6-foot, 160-pound frame is projectable moving forward as he continues to fill out and mature into his high upside arm.

Xavier Isaac (2022, Kernersville, N.C.) got his Canes National 15U team going in the first inning with a long opposite field home run to put them in the lead, 4-0. Isaac’s ability to stay patient at the plate allowed him to work the count in his favor before he unloaded on a 3-1 pitch that easily cleared the wall in left field. His swing starts with a narrow open stance and his hands set at shoulder height. His low leg kick trigger gets him in a good hitting position before his smooth lofty bat path takes over. His ability to stay connected paired with the drive he gets off his backside through his swing path allows him to drive the ball with authority to all fields. With a 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame he already possesses serious raw power with more to be expected as he continues to mature.

Kaden Varela (2022, Wake Forest, N.C.) came in and through a solid 3 2/3 innings of relief for Canes National to help secure their 10-1 win and help to move them to 3-0 on the week. His 3 2/3 innings consisted of no runs on just one hit while striking out six. He displayed a fastball that sat in the mid-80s and topped out at 87 mph with some arm-side life from his low three-quarters arm slot. His quick compact arm action is clean as the ball jumps out of the hands getting on hitters quick. He showed a secondary slider that sat 67-72 mph and showed some good, late bite. The slider developed more depth to it with the lower velocities but still proved to be a good pitch producing swings and misses. His 6-foot-1, 155-pound frame has plenty of room to fill out moving forward as he continues to grow and mature. His live arm is very projectable moving forward with his long lean frame.

-Colton Olinger

Tyler Lejeune (2022, Iota, La.) had a solid game Saturday for Louisiana Knights Black. He went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI, and a run scored. The Rajun Cajun commit’s triple was a hard line drive to deep right field that one-hopped the fence. The lefthanded batter has quick hands and barrels the ball up well. Defensively, Lejeune was solid at shortstop with quick twitch defense along with soft hands and a strong arm. A lean, athletic build on a 5-foot-9 frame has some upside and will certainly continue to grow.

Andrew Tabor (2022, Jacksonville, Fla.) played well on Saturday for 5 Star National 15U Weaver in their 9-1 win over East Coast Sox 15U Diamond. The center fielder went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk. At the plate, the righthanded hitter’s swing is smooth and generates good bat speed. His speed is effective both offensively and defensively. He has good range in the outfield with good reads and a quick first step and he is a stolen base threat on the basepaths. Tabor shows present strength in a lean 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame. Good projectable player ranked as a top-1000 player nationally by Perfect Game.

Henry Godbout (2022, Brooklyn, N.Y.) was very impressive on Saturday morning for the BL101 Baseball 15U Platinum. The University of Virginia commit went 2-for-3 with a double, triple, two RBI and a run scored. The righthander showed serious pop to the opposite field with both hits being hard line drives to the right-center field gap. The swing is extremely smooth and generates easy power and lift. Godbout is an athlete at shortstop and was solid all game. With a 6-foot, 165-pound frame, his body projects well. Godbout is oozing with potential and his national ranking of No. 178 overall for his class shows it.

Nathan Brewer (2022, Murfreesboro, Tenn.) showed some potential in a relief outing for Knights Baseball 15U Platinum. The southpaw didn’t have the best stats, but he showed promise. Brewer worked off of a low-80s fastball and high-60s loopy curveball. The arm works well within a long, whippy arm action with a high three-quarters arm slot. His arm works easily and projects well along with a muscular 6-foot, 175-pound frame.

Ben Bybee (2022, Overland Park, Kan.) did some good things in his start for UA Building Champions 15U Grey. The righthander went three innings, allowing three runs on three hits with five strikeouts and two walks. A mid-80s fastball was up to 88 and he commanded it well along with a low-70s 11-5 curveball. His arm works fluidly and easily and projects well along with a long lanky 6-foot-6, 185-pound frame. Bybee’s outing was cut short by a long lightning delay.

Walker Bevel (2021, Hamilton, Ga.) showed potential on the mound on Saturday for 5 Star West 15U Gold. Command was a struggle for the righthander, but his projectable arm shined through. A firm fastball was up to 88 and sat in the 85-87 mph range, and he paired it with a loopier 11-5 curveball in the low-70s. Bevel’s arm works well throughout a long arm action with an overhand arm slot. He gets good extension down the mound and shows good potential. A few minor fixes and Bevel could most likely top in the low-90s presently. Long term, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame is promising and projects well with plenty of room to fill out.

-Jacob Jordan

Tanner Zellem (2022, Fleming Island, Fla.) is a primary corner infielder with a large 6-foot, 200-pound frame and present strength in the build. While playing third base for 5 Star National 15U Dobbs, he showcased good footwork, a smooth glove, and fluid transfers with an above-average throwing arm. His highlight play showed him making an athletic diving stop to his left, highlighting his reactions at the hot corner. The righthanded hitter starts in a moderately open stance and uses a toe-tap trigger during his explosive hand load. He displayed excellent bat speed through his strength and quickness in his hands. Smooth swing on a level plane with some upward extension. Made loud contact to the pull side on a line during game action. One of those two at-bats ended in a hard hit double down the left field line.

Davis Green (2022, Blackshear, Ga.) is a primary outfielder with a medium 5-foot-9, 155-pound frame and room to fill out. Playing left field for 5 Star National 15U, he showed some athletic movements to the ball and smooth glovework with fluid transfers and an above-average arm. He also displayed good speed ranging the outfield and on the bases. The righthanded hitter uses a toe-tap trigger after starting with an even base. The swing is short and compact with quick hands. Displayed good control of the barrel through the zone. During the second day of the tournament, he got his hands inside the ball and hit it to the pull field during every at-bat. He went 1-for-2 with a hard hit line drive triple to left-center field.

Andrew Behnke (2022, Old Hickory, Tenn.) showcased a medium 5-foot-8, 155-pound frame with a lot of room to fill out and some true pitching potential for 615 Baseball Club. The lefthanded pitcher used a medium leg lift before working well downhill and striding towards the lefthanded batter’s box. He showed really live arm action while throwing across body from a high three-quarters arm slot. Used his lower half really well and repeated his mechanics throughout the start. Despite his current stature, he threw a fastball that averaged 84 mph across 87 pitches while touching 86 mph several times, maintaining velocity really well. He also featured a really sharp 11-to-5 moving curveball around 71 mph. A changeup was featured later in the game in the mid-70s. He struggled with command throughout the start, but he displayed some really good stuff with a lot of room to grow and time to do so. Pitching the first five scoreless innings of a combined no-hitter, he racked up six strikeouts but also allowed six walks.

Justin Vossos (2022, Missouri City, Texas) is a primary shortstop with quick-twitch athleticism. Projectable 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame with a lot of present athleticism and room to fill. Defensively, he made the position look easy as he featured a really smooth glove, excellent range, good reactions, quick transfers, and a decent arm with good accuracy. His highlight play showed him range up the middle, dive and catch a ball, and quickly get up to make a throw. The righthanded hitter starts in a moderately open stance with extremely high hands. Transitioning into a medium leg stride, he incorporates his lower half well into the swing. The swing is long, yet explosive through the zone and it has some natural upward extension. He worked the ball up the middle during game action with loud contact and some solid bat speed. Went 1-for-2 with a line drive single to left-center field and a sacrifice bunt.

Cade Climie (2022, Sugar Land, Texas) showcased a large 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame with current strength in the build and still room to fill out. The righthanded hitter starts in an even stance with inverted feet until he takes his medium stride. Swing is really smooth with quick hands and some linear extension through the zone. Takes a line drive approach with above-average bat speed, resulting in loud contact. His hitting abilities project well moving forward. The primary third baseman displayed pretty good glove action with fluid transfers and quick reactions. His arm was really strong across the infield.

-Jake Martin

Brandon Barriera (2022, Coconut Creek, Fla.) is a 6-foot, 155-pound, uncommitted lefthanded pitcher from American Heritage High School in nearby Plantation, Florida. Only a sophomore in the fall, Barriera was impressive yet again on the mound at Brook Run last night as he continues his dominance this tournament season for his club Cannons Baseball Academy 2022 American. Barriera went five innings of one-hit baseball, walking two, and striking out an impressive 11 of his opponents. Barriera generates a ton of swing-and-miss as he showcases four average to plus offerings already despite being just 15 years old. Ranked as the fourth overall prospect in the 2022 class, and top lefthanded pitcher, Barriera has been putting up impressive numbers at Perfect Game USA events all year long as he now owns a 1.60 ERA with 47 punchouts in only 21 2/3 innings. What might be even more impressive about Barriera, aside from his four-pitch mix, is despite all of his personal accolades, when you watch him in the dugout with his teammates, he always appears to be having a great time. He is also is the first out of the dugout to offer support and congratulations when there is a pitching change or one of his teammates came through at the plate to help the team. We already know he can pitch, but he seems to be an even better teammate, something that will help his career in more ways than one.

Jackson Kline (2022, Kansas City, Mo.) is a 5-foot-11, 175-pound lefthanded hitting corner outfielder from Park Hill High School in his hometown. A member of the Royals Scout Team 15U, Kline showcased an advanced hit tool and hand-eye coordination at the plate on Saturday at Brook Run. At the plate, Kline went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, and four runs batted in. With a perfect day at the plate, despite the small sample size, he is now hitting .714 in the first two games at the 2019 WWBA 15U National Championship here in Georgia. At the plate, Kline deploys a short, quick stroke with barrel control through the hitting zone that continually matches plane, shooting hard, squared up contact into the gaps with regularity. Power is to the gaps right now, yet he shows he can already handle wood, and bat speed and leverage in swings indicate future average power down the line. A solid athlete, Kline is aggressive on the bases and looks to make things happen and take the extra base for his club. He is a sound defender in the outfield as he continually got good reads off the bat and made all plays hit his way with good body control and reliable fielding actions. Arm translates to right field, as it is average right now with future above-average possibility. Throws are online and displays good throwing mechanics. Overall, Kline has advanced tools for his age all over the field, with his bat leading the way. Not phased by pressure, Kline has capitalized in at-bats where he can cash in runners on base, then seems to always find a way to score himself. His run-producing ability is impressive and should not go overlooked. A very smart ballplayer who plays the game the right way, doing everything he can to help the team win.

Miles McKenna (2022, Leawood, Kan.) is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound, tall, and lean-framed lefthanded pitcher with plenty of room to fill before reaching physical maturity. Only a sophomore in the fall, McKenna took the mound for his club, Royals Scout Team 15U last night at Brook Run and was lights out as he earned the win, and went the first four innings of a five inning no-hitter he shared with teammate Jackson Mervosh (2022, Lenexa, Kan.). On the mound, McKenna uses a full windup from the third base side of the rubber. He has upright, balanced posture, and uses a slow tempo delivery with keen mechanics and a long and smooth arm action with slight show in back, and good extension out front before clean deceleration through his follow through. Arm has good speed on both his fastball and curve and creates deception while receiving a lot of swing-and-miss throughout the night. Fastball (74-76 mph) has some arm-side run through the zone and life when he gets it down. Curveball (64-66 mph) had good shape (1-7) and feel for the pitch as he was able to mix both his offerings in all counts and fill up the strike zone with fringe average control, and what could be the making of average command down the line with further development. He helped himself on a number of occasions as he lands in a good fielding position and has soft hands paired with accurate, hard throws to bases. McKenna trusts his stuff on the mound and pitched with confidence all game long. He has a fearless approach to pitching and attacks hitters. Already demonstrating pitchability on the mound, McKenna is a name to look out for over the next three seasons of his high school career. Very high upside talent who wants to pitch and has the current ability and tools to make a difference on the mound and help his team win.

Tyler Overholt (2021, Abbeville, S.C.) is a 6-foot-1, 170-pound lefthanded pitcher from Abbeville High School in his hometown. A junior in the fall, Overholt got the start for his club, Canes National 15U, and was impressive as he went five full, surrendered three hits, a walk, and struck out five batters paired with over a 60 percent strike percentage on the day, earning the win for his club. Overholt has good size and strength to his current frame, yet there is still some room to fill before he reaches his physical maturity. On the mound, Tyler delivers from the third base side of the rubber with a balanced and up tempo to his windup. He loads well on his backside, then really drives down the mound and over his front side, which allows him to keep the ball down in the zone generating a lot of swing and miss as well as soft contact. Arm travels unrestricted through release, with clean, quick arm action that delivers his repertoire from a low three-quarters slot. Tyler uses a two-pitch mix of a fastball (82-84 mph, 87 max) with run and some cut late through the zone, and a curveball with proper shape and depth (70-73 mph). Overholt trusts his stuff on the mound and pitches with confidence giving off an ‘all business’ persona. He was able to mix his pitches as he went to both dexterities. A good athlete, Overholt showed plenty of athleticism all over the field on Saturday as he gets off the mound well and into a keen fielding position with good feel for his glove and pairs his actions with crisp throws to bases. Overholt is a very high upside talent that is currently ranked just outside of the top-100 lefthanded pitchers nationally for the 2021 class, and third overall in the state of South Carolina. Overholt has a promising future in the game, and already holds a verbal commitment to the College of Charleston, where he would enroll following his high school graduation in summer of 2021.

James Triantos (2022, McLean, Va.) and Cole Young (2022, Wexford, Pa.) are teammates on Canes National 15U, a club with a history of producing top-level performers at the high school level, while preparing amateur talent for their collegiate careers. Recording two wins in pool play on Saturday, Canes National 15U improved to 3-0 in pool play and sit in second in their pool at the end of the night outscoring their opponents 31-1 in the early going. Triantos and Young are a large part of their team’s success as the two talented shortstops are both ranked as the top shortstops in their home state, and Young edges Triantos in the national shortstop rankings for the 2022 class by one spot, as Young is ranked No. 2. The two talented ballplayers will both head to the ACC upon graduation in the spring of 2022 and spend their collegiate careers on the opposite side of Tobacco Road, at UNC and Duke, respectively. Both young, talented ball players showcase advanced hitability and power potential as Triantos finished the day 3-for-6 with a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI. Cole edged his teammate in overall performance at the plate today with a strong performance in the nightcap, going an impressive 4-for-5 on the day with a home run, three runs scored and a total of four RBI, raising his overall average for the tournament to a ridiculous, video game result of .857. Both prospects are super athletic with clean actions in the field, and strong accurate throwing arms to bases. They both stand around 6-foot and possess smooth, aggressive actions both in the box and on defense. Very high upside talents, they both make Cane National 15U a tough out as you have to get through both their bats around six-to-eight times a contest. It will be interesting to see how the two perform moving forward into bracket play after the weekend here in Georgia at WWBA 15U National.

-Matt Arietta
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