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Tournaments  | Story  | 10/5/2019

Underclass World Day 2 Notes

Jheremy Brown      Brian Sakowski      Vincent Cervino      Greg Gerard      Jered Goodwin      Nate Schweers      Jerry Miller      Taylor Weber     
Photo: Paxton Kling (Perfect Game)

2019 WWBA Underclass World Championship: Daily Leaders | Day 1 Scout Notes



Starting off the morning over at Cape Coral was a loud performance from Florida State commit Davion Hickson (2022, Orange Park, Fla.) as he showed off some swing-and-miss stuff on the afternoon. With 4 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball, Hickson punched out 10 batters and got into the double digits in terms of empty hacks against the fastball. The fastball was Hickson’s best weapon on the day as the pitch worked up to 90 mph several times and lived in the 85-88 mph range for the duration of the start, still bumping 90 in his final inning of work. Given the arm speed and athleticism there’s significant upside for Hickson and though there are some inconsistencies from a delivery standpoint the overall operation is very easy. Hickson showed a couple of curveballs in the low-70s that flashed some shape but Hickson showed on Friday that he should be monitored closely as he continues to develop.

Opposing Hickson on the mound was righthander Sam Morris (2021, Spring City, Pa.) who showed solid tools on both sides of the ball. Morris is a fairly physical prospect with a longer arm stroke through the back and a big fastball that was up to 89 mph in the first inning before dipping down into the mid-80s as the start progressed. He could land a low-70s curveball that offered a nice change of pace pitch. Morris swings the stick well too and shows some bat speed and impact when extended. He laced a couple of well-struck balls up the middle and notched two hits on the afternoon.

Radford commit Caleb Ketchie (2021, Pelham, N.C.) turned in a gutsy performance in what ended up as a Dirtbags victory on Friday morning. Ketchie ran his fastball up to 90 mph early in the outing before settling into the 84-87 mph range as the outing wore on. There’s good rhythm to his delivery as he loads onto his backside well and has a very short and compact arm stroke that he delivers from an over the top arm slot. The fastball doesn’t have exceptional life but he changes eye level well working north and south with the heater to set up his breaking ball which he has good feel for in the low- to mid 70s. He battled through some command issues but lasted deep into the game and allowed his team to grab the victory late.

Arjun Nimmala (2023, Valrico, Fla.) started at shortstop for Ostingers 2022 and showed a lot of intriguing tools and athletic projection, especially considering that Nimmala is still only 13 years old. Nimmala has a lean, high-waisted frame with looseness to his body and actions that portend future physical development. He moves well on his feet to both sides over at shortstop and the instincts and first step quickness are notable for a young prospect. Nimmala manned the leadoff role for Ostingers in this one and the swing projects nicely with very loose hands and an easy trigger into the stroke. The swing is simple and short and he got a hold of a fastball in his second at-bat with a loud double over the head of the left fielder. Nimmala is a prospect to keep an eye on as he’ll continue to make strides and already has a strong set of foundational tools.

Getting the start for the Under Armour Legends in the afternoon slot was righthander Xavian Gilmore (2021, Lakeland, Fla.) who showed some intriguing stuff during his start. Gilmore is a bit undersized but he’s an athletic righty with a compact arm slot and a fastball that worked out 85-88 mph in the first few frames. He worked mostly off a two-pitch mix, attacking hitters early with a fastball and putting them away with a tight-spinning breaking ball in the upper-70s. Gilmore comes right at you from an over the top arm slot and tunnels the slider from a similar plane, showing good bite to the pitch and the ability to miss bats with it as a put away pitch. Gilmore pounded the strike zone and needed just 50 pitches to make it through four strong innings and set up his squad for the victory.

5 Star National Burress had a big day from an offensive standpoint and two of the bigger standouts were Blaydon Plain (2022, Greenville, Fla.) and Sal Stewart (2022, Miami, Fla.), both of which went deep in this one.



Plain, a Florida commit, was seeing the ball very well throughout this one, just missing a number of well-struck balls and yanking them foul before finally going way over the right field fence in his final at-bat. He’s a very athletic 6-foot-3, 185 pounds with tons of room to fill out but already possesses big strength to the pull side. The load into the hand set an get a bit deep at times but from the end of the load through the finish Plain has a very smooth, uppercut stroke that combines a good bit of bat speed and natural leverage to really impact the ball with carry. The lower half is very sound through contact too with a clean shift and excellent use of his hips to generate a lot of power. Plain has had an outstanding summer and it looks like his smooth swinging is translating nicely to fall ball.



Stewart, a Vanderbilt commit, has a long track record of hitting at a young age and that showed as recently as last weekend as Stewart was named the MVP of the WWBA Sophomore World Championship. The physical righthanded hitter has a very easy and simple stroke that is able to generate a significant amount of bat speed at present and his strength at impact rivals that of any prospect in the class. He elevated a home run deep to left field in his second at-bat and it was clear that he didn’t even get all of the pitch, instead being able to backspin the ball and create such strength that the ball still sailed over the fence easily. Stewart followed up his second at-bat with a double off the right field wall in his third, showing that his power truly plays to all fields.

Michael Curry (2021, Brusly, La.) is an intriguing uncommitted catcher who showed some things to like both behind the plate and in the righthanded batter’s box on Friday. Curry has some physicality to the 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame but he shows good flexibility and athleticism behind the dish. Curry has soft hands and receives the ball well and made a pretty nice play early, going down to drop and block a breaking ball but was able to catch it cleanly on a foul tip to secure the out; Curry later showed off the arm with a 2.19 second pop time to nail a runner. He has fast hands in the box and showed some power late as he got an elevated fastball and drove it deep over the left field well. Curry has some things to like on both sides of the ball and at this point he’s a fairly interesting uncommitted prospect.

North Carolina State commit Michael Gupton (2022, Raleigh, N.C.) has some loud tools for Team Elite and he put those on display early on in the game. Gupton is listed at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds and is a tightly wound athlete with plenty of quick twitch athleticism. He generates loud bat speed with very good present strength and in his first at-bat he smoked a ground ball double down the pull side. The bat speed and hand strength are notable as is the end line speed; he turned a 4.48 time rounding first base on the double. The combination of strength and athleticism make Gupton’s ceiling fairly high and he put some loud tools on display on Friday.

A pair of righthanders showed promise during the afternoon slots at Cape Coral as Rueben Livingston (2022, Shillingston, Pa.) and Jack Owens (2022, Apollo Beach, Fla.) both ran their fastballs up to 89 mph.

Livingston is a large, physical prospect at a listed height and weight of 6-foot-3, 200 pounds and provided strong relief for the Next Level Showcase team to secure a victory. Livingston pounded the strike zone and struck out four while allowing no hits over 2 2/3 innings. The righthander has a straight-forward and simple delivery, with a compact arm stroke coming through that allows him to get on top of the ball fairly consistently. Livingston lived in the low- to mid 80s, topping out at 89 mph, and attacked hitters with the fastball primarily, having no issue blowing it right by hitters.

Owens, a Stetson commit, is fairly polished for a young pitching prospect and really showed off some good command during this look. Owens struck out eight over five innings while allowing just one hit on the board and most of that can likely be attributed to his ability to live at the knees. The delivery is simple with a turn step into a clean and repeatable arm stroke while living in the 83-86 mph range. Owens still had 87 or 88 mph in his back pocket whenever he needed a big pitch but the quality of the fastball was good too as he generated some short sink on the pitch. Owens has good feel to spin a breaking ball mostly in the 72-75 mph range that showed good shape and sharpness to the offering.

-Vinnie Cervino

Paxton Kling (2022, Roaring Spring, Pa.) jumped on the scene in a big way during the 15u WWBA this past summer and after a single game viewing in the 8 am slot it’s very easy to see the buzz surrounding the uncommitted center fielder. There’s something to be said about the way a batter takes pitches in the box and way Kling moves through his load and on his takes exudes the athleticism he possesses. He shows rhythm and fluidity on each pitch, looking to do damage while knowing he has the hand speed to unleash if it’s a pitch he can handle.

Currently ranked No. 37 nationally in the class of 2022, Kling drew a who’s who of college recruiters to Terry Park Stadium and a single swing left them all satisfied during his second at-bat of the day. The intent and hand speed mentioned above were on full display as he whipped the barrel through the zone and lined a fastball hard back up the middle, connecting for one of the hard pieces of contact on the day, jumping to the right-center field for a double. It’s best to describe his body as a live one, meaning there’s plenty of twitch and athleticism in everything he does, including running the bases as he showed long and easy strides once underway. The foot speed is a tool that also serves him well in center field where he showed nice range to either side with a quick first step, getting to everything hit his way while possessing solid arm strength no his throws in.

Wilburn Furniss (2022, Nacogdoches, Texas) is a recent Ole Miss commit and it appears the hit tool was passed down through genetics from his father, LSU great Eddy Furniss. The younger Furniss already stands at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds and has begun putting on noticeable strength over the last calendar year, a trait to his profile that will continue to trend upward on his overall profile by the time he graduates. That said, Furniss did nothing but find the barrel in the opening game of day two, finding the barrel in each of his first three at-bats, showing a pure feel for squaring the ball with loose wrists and whip to the barrel. The future Rebel stands tall in the box and limits his movements pre-pitch allowing for repeated swing mechanics while showing a fluid path from the left side. On the day he finished going 2-for-3 with two well struck singles, one to his pull side and another back up the middle with which he did a nice job of keeping his hands back to send the pitch back up the middle. The offensive components and overall feel to hit certainly stand out and it’ll be fun to track his progression as he continues to develop physically.

Joe Allen (2022, Hampton Falls, N.H.) attracted a nice group of college recruiters behind the plate for his start for Team Nike New England and the broadly-built, strong-bodied righthander showed things to like after a strong performance this summer. A young product of New Hampshire, Allen didn’t quite run his fastball up to the 90 mph mark he had in his two prior PG outing, but he did get stronger as his innings ticked on all the while showing the same tempo’d and balanced delivery on the mound.

Allen stands on the mound at a listed 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and employs a very deliberate set of mechanics and while he can continue to implement additional drive with his lower half, his arm works coming through the backside with very little effort at release. All that said, Allen worked in the 83-86/87 mph range early on, staying short through the back and hiding the ball well, before touching a couple of 88s on the radar gun in his third inning of work. The uncommitted righthander managed to induce ground ball contact by working down in the zone, flashing subtle life at times while consistently mixing a slider up into the mid-70s with short, tight spin when staying through the pitch. Given his past performances, his ability to hold his velocity and actually get stronger within his outing, and the fact he’s still a 2022 grad all make for an interesting prospect that schools will continue to pursue moving forward.

Owen Arndt (2021, Lewisburg, Pa.) made an immediate impression for the Rising Stars as he got the start against the MLB Breakthrough team, demanding the attention from the collection of schools behind the backstop. Standing at a long 6-foot-2, 170 pounds with a high waist, Arndt, like other arms featured today, offers a deliberate pace to his delivery while hiding the ball well through the backside.

Given his short and quick arm action, Arndt was able to repeat well pitch-to-pitch in the early going of his outing, filling the zone with his fastball which lived in the 84-87 mph range and while the pitch is a bit true in life, he creates nice extension out front and still projects for more velocity moving forward. The velocity is noteworthy, but in a tournament where plenty of arm live in the upper-80s, Arndt’s difference maker is his ability to mix three legitimate pitches for strikes, leaving a talented MLB lineup off balance.

It didn’t take long for Arndt to bring out his changeup, the best of his two secondaries as the first batter of the game go to experience the late diving 80-82 mph which he tunnels extremely well at release, leaving the hitter to read fastball out of his hand. He worked off his fastball-changeup combo well as they paired off each other nicely but he also mixed an 11-5 shaped curveball with depth and feel for strikes in the low-70s, giving him a pitch to break in the opposite direction for a full arsenal.

After bursting onto the national scene this summer, shortstop Rob Gordon (2021, Smyrna, Ga.) has continued to see his stock rise as he surged up the rankings to his current position of No. 46 nationally and went from uncommitted to giving his verbal to the coaching staff at Vanderbilt. With a young and plenty-projectable 6-foot-1, 174-pound frame, Gordon’s defense has long been at the forefront of his overall profile, not to detract from his offensive tools, and it was again the highlight of his performance Friday afternoon. Gordon got the start at second base and while the routine play is second nature, so is the difficult play as he shows quickness to his first step and put his lateral range on display, going far to his left on a well struck ground ball to the three-hole, fully extended and picked the ball before getting to his feet and getting the runner at first base. Offensively his tools continue to take a step forward and in his lone at-bat he showcased the ability to adjust to off-speed, keeping his weight back on a breaking ball which he promptly lined into the outfield for a single, finding the barrel while showing looseness to his swing.

Camron Hill (2021, Fayetteville, Ga.) was handed the ball for MLB Breakthrough Friday afternoon and before throwing a single pitch he managed to check a couple of boxes with his physicality, standing 6-foot-4, 195-pounds with broad shoulders and plenty of length to his arms, along with being lefthanded. Then after a couple warm up pitches it becomes clear what the Georgia Tech coaching staff saw in the young lefthander (young by age for the 2021 class) as the delivery is tension free and plenty loose with a long arm stroke and solid extension out front.

Like the other arms to throw for MLB it was a quick two-inning look at Hill and after coming out and filling it up in the opening frame he had some inconsistencies with his release in the second frame, missing up in the zone which led to a few free passes, all of which he was able to work around unscathed. When everything was on time with his delivery the pure stuff stands out as he lived comfortably in the 83-85 mph range, showing short life to his arm side while creating angle with extension out front. Given his release the breaking ball has some slurve action to it in the mid-70s, a combo of pitches that proved to be effective given his hitless to frame and three punchouts.

A single play Friday afternoon sent everybody who was watching to their programs to find out who the Rising Stars’ center fielder was, an activity that brought forth Wyatt Marshall (2021, Bethlehem, Pa.) as he made what could be the play of the tournament and definitely the best play I’ve seen this week. Marshall, a lefthanded bat who hits atop the order and has posted a .400 average thus far, took away what was easy extra bases off the bat of Ian Moller on a ball that had a very low probability of being caught upon initial contact. On a high arching fly ball that had plenty of jump off the barrel, Marshall put his head down and immediately broke backwards, tracking the ball like a wide receiver to ultimately make a Willie May’s type catch as his back was turned entirely to home play for an over-the-shoulder grab just shy of the 400’ marker, leaving fans on both sides applauding the effort and overall athleticism.

He may not be the most physical of arms to take the mound for the MLB Breakthrough team thus far and “RHP” may not be any of his first three positions listed on his profile, but Colby Guy (2021, Charlotte, N.C.) certainly showed things to like on the mound during his two innings of work out of the bullpen. With a lean, middle infield type build, Guy utilized his athleticism and arm speed to run his fastball up to 88 mph early in the contest, sitting in the mid-80s while showing short running life to his arm side while pounding the strike zone. There’s some depth to his gather on the backside and effort coming through his point of release but neither were subtractors from his overall performance as he continued to attack hitters and mixed both a mid-70s slider and upper-70s changeup and appears to have more in tank moving forward.

Devin Futrell (2021, Pembroke Pines, Fla.) is no stranger to the national scene having played in several high level tournaments with Elite Squad while locking up his commitment to Vanderbilt and while it’s easy to dream on the 6-foot-4 southpaw, you don’t have to squint by any means to see his present skill. With near limitless physical projection on his 180-pound long-limbed, high-waisted frame Futrell turned in three innings of hitless baseball, striking out seven while looking as though he were in complete control from the onset of the game.

The future Commodore utilizes a shorter gather on his backside before driving down the mound, shows plenty of quickness to his arm action while generating angle at release on his fastball which topped out at 85 mph and lived comfortably within the 82-85 mph range. The velocity may not jump off the page just yet but Futrell’s ability to locate to either side of the plate with intent and late riding life at the knees certainly demands your attention. All the ingredients are there for the Florida native to continue to make big strides on the radar gun, but his secondaries were just as impressive.

His curveball proved to be his go-to secondary and a pitch that served as his put away offering, a low-70s pitch with late and sharp bite with 1-7 shape to the bottom of the zone. There’s feel for the pitch as he can either land the pitch for strikes or bury it down at the backend of a count. And while that 1-2 combo would prove to be enough at this level, Futrell also showed a changeup in the 74-77 mph range with short fading life to his arm side to give him a legitimate three pitch mix that’ll only continue to make jumps prior to graduation.

By the junior year of a player’s high school career you can get a sense for what direction they will ultimately go in terms of being a two-way, but outfielder/lefthanded pitcher Renzo Gonzalez (2021, Tampa, Fla.) continues to shine on both sides and his latest exploits were with the stick Friday night. Committed as a two-way to the University of Miami, Gonzalez twice found the barrel in a loud way, back spinning the ball in each of his first two at-bats for extra base knocks while picking up a walk for a perfect two-for-two day. The first base hit was of the three-bag variety on a rising line drive to the right-center field gap with a swing that stayed linear and plenty quick through the zone. His second hit, a double, fell in between the left and center fielder as he again found the barrel and again showed gliding steps around the bases with solid footspeed once underway.

-Jheremy Brown

Getting a look at Northeast Baseball in the early time slot at the 5 Plex, Joshua Baez (2021, Boston, Mass.) continued to mash baseballs to all parts of the field. Baez took a bloop single in his first at-bat with a little luck on the play, but his next at-bat the uncommitted outfielder made a loud impression roping a single through the pull side for his first hard barrel of the day. His third at-bat produced his most impressive approach at the plate sitting back on a two-strike breaking ball and hammering it to the opposite field gap for a triple. Baez put on an impressive display with the bat in front of numerous collegiate recruiters looking on. His barrel whip, hand-eye and ability to barrel the baseball are advanced for his age and really project well as he stands at an athletic 6-foot-3, 200-pounds as well.

Adam (AJ) Shepard (2022, Manassas, Va.) had a big day at the plate showcasing his present middle of the field pop and juice. Shepherd lifted three balls during his Canes National 16U team’s victory on Friday driving each ball to both alleys one for a double, triple and another where he reached on an error. Each ball was well struck on the barrel as Shepherd was looking to lift the baseball with his lofted swing plane for power in the middle of the Canes order. Getting the start behind the dish as well, Shepherd was able to showcase his elite skillset throughout the day both offensively and defensively. The righthanded hitting backstop has a clean glove receiving behind the plate using a strong wrist to stick pitches well and steal strikes. The Indiana commit is a physical player at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds who had a big day at the plate and has a lot of promise moving forward as he is still only a high school sophomore.

UNC-Wilmington commit Cyle Phelan (2021, Fuquay Varina, N.C.) pitched a gem in a five-inning run-rule victory going five scoreless innings and striking out 10 with two walks and two hits. The lefthander was overpowering in this look touching 89 mph early and consistently sitting in the upper-80s with his fastball. Phelan is a physical pitcher with strength present and outstanding arm strength on top of that. The fastball showed plenty of downhill action with sinking life frequently. The breaking ball was a weapon that he used frequently showing feel for the pitch and burying the pitch down in the zone. He flashed a changeup as well really solidifying his feel for three pitches. Phelan was truly dominant and was one of the best pitching performances at the 5 Plex throughout Day 2.

Keegan Allen (2021, Rogers, Ark.) worked a quick and easy inning sitting 87-90 mph on the bump in a save situation Friday afternoon. The righthander from Arkansas has intent to his delivery along with an ability to generate upper-80s velocity down in the zone. He flashed one breaking ball in the outing at 78 mph. The slider has some sweep to it and he really did not have to go back to the pitch due to overpowering hitters with his fastball. The uncommitted righthander has been a frequent performer at PG events and got the opportunity to pitch in front of numerous collegiate coaches. Allen filled up the zone well and punched out a pair to earn the save for Team Elite 2021 Black.

Carson Starnes (2021, Monroe, N.C.) is a highly-regarded arm among the Carolinas for college recruiters who gave a solid reason why Friday. Pitching in front of a slew of Division I coaches, Starnes tossed a fastball up to 86 mph with a low-70s curveball, upper-70s changeup and a body that projects extremely well. The delivery is definitely raw in terms of the operation, but the arm strength and frame both give the impression of upside. Starnes has an over the top arm slot and effort to his delivery with a slurve-type breaking ball and armside running changeup for secondaries. He tossed seven innings with 11 strikeouts and one walk in an impressive outing for SBA Futures 2021.

Colton Sims (2022, Russellville, Ark.), an Arkansas commit, entered a tight contest between his Rawlings National Scout Team/Sticks Baseball Academy team and SBA Futures 2021. The righthander, a top-100 ranked player in the 2022 class has a fast and loose arm action able to produce fastballs up to 85 mph. There is more to come from Sims as he is still young and the frame has plenty more room to fill. The arm works and the ball comes out cleanly. Sims showed both a slider and changeup with the changeup being the dominant offspeed offering for him. The pitch has heavy sinking action to it late and is a nice variance in velocity at 74-77 mph from his mid-80s fastball. Sims projects well on the mound although the command was a bit of a struggle at times for him in this look.

Noted yesterday in the 2019 Underclass World scout notes for his contributions as a hitter, Will Cook (2021, Miamisburg, Ohio) took the mound for the Giants Scout Team Fall 2019/Hutter and is noteworthy as a pitcher as well. At a long-limbed and ultra-projectable righthander standing at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds, Cook has an ideal frame to dream about on the mound to go along with mid- to upper-80s velocity, a loose arm and plus sinking action. Cook tossed 87 mph sinkers frequently to opposing hitters getting ground ball contact at a high rate. Cook’s box score may not show it, but there are definitely things to like and project on moving forward for the two-way standout from Ohio.

-Greg Gerard

Tampa-based Hit Factory Pro got off to a fine start in morning action at Jet Blue Park as they road sound pitching and solid defense to a 2-1 win over a strong Long Island Titans club. Dominic Castellano (2021, Tampa, Fla.) started on the hill for Hit Factory and was dazzling. The junior at Tampa Jesuit mixed and matched three quality pitches and wasted little time getting his club back in the dugout. His 85-88 mph fastball showed consistent arm side run and sink and was never thrown to the heart of the plate. He complimented his well-commanded heater with a tight spinning, 12-to-6 breaking, 71-73 mph curveball. He also threw an impressively sharp and late breaking, 75-77 mph slider that was a true swing and miss pitch to all hitters.

Vandy commit Jonathan Vastine (2021, Barstow, Fla.) paced the Hit Factory offense. The lefty swinging lead-off hitter uses a short, direct, and compact swing path and seemingly always gets his barrel to the ball. His first inning triple to deep right field helped him score this club’s initial run. The Bartow Senior HS junior is also a plus runner. Lastly, Vastine is a quick footed, smooth fielding gloveman at shortstop who possesses a plus arm that shows both carry and accuracy.

Gaither HS junior Frank Perez (2021, Tampa, Fla.) is a powerfully built middle-of-the-order swinger for Hit Factory Pro who doesn’t miss many fastballs in the zone. He shows a quick trigger and a flatter plane, with a slight lift at contact. His plus torque, incorporating a solid lower half, helps Perez power the ball especially well to the pull side.

Riley Linne (2021, Gibsonton, Fla.) is a sweet-swinging righthanded hitter for the Tampa-based Hit Factory Pro club. The Riverview HS junior is a line driver who uses the entire field to barrel up the baseball. He has a keen understanding of the strike zone, never expanding unnecessarily. His quick trigger and flatter bat path allow the 5-foot-8, 155-pound speedster to use the whole field to drive the baseball with some authority. In addition to Linne’s ability at the dish, he is also a smooth fielding second baseman with plus range, soft hands, and a playable, accurate arm.

Coltrane Calloway (2021, Bay Shore, N.Y.) is the very talented lefthanded swinging lead-off hitter for the Long Island Titans. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Bay Shore Senior HS junior is a gifted athlete who truly understands his role at the top of the order. He sees a lot of pitches, works counts, and never appears too overwhelmed by the moment. He has a great feel for the barrel and uses the entire field to spray line drives. He has plus speed and is an aggressive, heady base runner.

Team Ohio Pro Select ran another quality arm out to the mound in their second pool play game of the tournament. Southpaw Esteban Tavarez (2021, Valrico, Fla.) was dazzling for the Aurora, Ohio-based Team Ohio club. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Durant HS junior was in complete control during his four innings on the bump. He ably added and subtracted velocity on his well-commanded fastball that he threw the entire day to both edges and all four quadrants. His heater, while not overpowering at 80-84 mph, was never straight. His ability to pitch backwards, mixing in a sharp, 12-to-6 tight spinning curveball, and a tumbling 75 mph changeup, to go with his active and heavy sinking fastball, was a key to his success. He worked with great pace and a plus tempo, using a consistent three-quarters arm slot and a whippy arm action to induce a lot of weakly contacted ground balls and soft pop ups.

Alabama commit Luke Holman (2021, Sinking Springs, Pa.), who had a great day at the dish during Day One play, showed many in attendance why he is headed to Tuscaloosa. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound righthander was dominant on the hill for the Blackhawks National club. He pitched off his almost overpowering four-seam fastball that was clocked between 88 and 91-mph and showed consistent riding life. His fastball induced a lot of swings and misses. He complimented his dominant heater with a knee-bucking, 12-to-6 breaking curveball that was thrown between 71 and 74 mph. The tight spinning curve is a mature pitch that consistently showed late and sharp break. Holman’s plus command and control make him a certain prospect moving forward.

Arizona commit Ryan Campos (2021, Mesa, Ariz.) hits in the middle of the Blackhawks lineup and is also a gifted receiver for the Lancaster, Pa.-based club. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound dynamo is a Red Mountain HS junior. He is a plus lefthanded swinger who gets his barrel to and through the hitting zone on time and with some quickness. The ball sounds a little different coming off his bat. He can drive the ball to both gaps with authority. In addition to his skills with the bat, Campos is also an advanced receiver who possesses soft hands and a great ability to handle a gifted staff. He frames pitches well and has a quick trigger and a strong and accurate throwing arm.

David Hagaman (2021, Egg Harbor, N.J.) is a West Virginia commit and a strong candidate to be a two-way player for the Mountaineers. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound righthanded pitcher threw a complete game and collected two hits in leading the South Jersey Sand Sharks to well-contested 2-1 victory over a talented 6-4-3 Cougars 17U club. Hagaman, a junior at Cedar Creek HS, scattered seven hits over seven innings and only allowed one walk in going the distance. He has a very loose arm and his fastball, clocked between 85 and 88 mph, showed riding life up in the zone and heavy sink down. His whippy arm action and deceptive mechanics, that he routinely repeats, allows the power tossing Hagaman to get ahead and put hitters away. His 75-76 mph sweeping slider is a great compliment to his active fastball and a plus out pitch. In addition to his ability on the hill, Hagaman is also the Sand Sharks very capable clean-up hitter who uses a strong lower half and a compact, crisp swing path to power the baseball. His two knocks led the Sand Sharks on the day.

The Nebraska Prospects out of Omaha ran their record to 2-0 with an 8-3 win over the Scorpions 2021 Select club. Leading the way offensively for the Nebraskans was their three-hole hitter and middle infielder, Kyler Randazzo (2021, Omaha, Neb.). The gifted and athletic 6-foot, 190-pound righthanded swinger can power the ball with authority and punishes balls middle-in. His pull side pop was evident in his first at-bat as he drove a ball to deep left field highlighting his advanced bat-to-ball ability.

Canes National 17U righthander Samuel Simpson (2021, Carrolton, Ga.) showed plus pitch-ability and almost overwhelming stuff in his outing, as he closed out his club’s 8-0 run-rule victory. His 87-89 mph fastball was thrown with purpose and pinpoint command, as the Carrolton HS junior struck out eight of the nine batters he faced. Simpson repeats his mechanics consistently well and uses a high three-quarters arm slot and plus tempo to pound the strike zone. He complimented his plus heater with a sharp, 11-to-5 breaking slider that was truly tough to track.

Show Baseball New England used a solid pitching performance, sound defense, and timely hitting to post a 5-2 victory in late afternoon action on Field 6 at Jet Blue. Righthander Brett Dunham (2021, North Andover, Mass.) pitched into the third inning allowing no hits or runs. His plus command and great poise allowed him to paint the edges with an active 83-85 mph fastball and a sharp breaking and highly deceptive 73-mph curveball. Dunham, a junior at North Andover HS, worked quickly and never threw a pitch to the heart of the dish.

Supporting Dunham’s efforts on the hill was 6-foot-3, 215-pound righthanded slugger Kyle Lavigne (2021, Bedford, N.H.). Lavigne, who is also a talented catch-and-throw receiver, uses a strong lower half and a power hitter’s approach to drive the ball especially well to the pull side. He didn’t miss pitches in the zone and his two-knock day helped lead the Show Club to their first-round victory.

Although he only threw one inning-plus for the victorious Richmond Braves, Timothy David Marshall (2021, Newport News, Va.) flashed an impressive assortment of pitches that had many college coaches in attendance bearing down on his outing. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound power tossing righthander pitched off his heavy sinking 86-90-mph fastball. He also flashed an impressive sweeping slider that was a swing and miss out pitch that showed plus tilt, late, and was clocked at 76-78-mph. He also mixed in a tight spinning 71-73 mph curveball and even showed a couple of tumbling 72 mph change ups. Although he had plenty in the tank, his coaching staff chose to remove the dominant pitcher as he reached the daily PG pitch limit.

-Jerry Miller

Day two of the WWBA Underclass World Championship got kicked off with one of the favorites in 5 Star National 2022 Burress. Hits were scattered throughout their stacked lineup as they combined for 13 runs on 12 hits in just four innings played. Nobody walked away feeling better about their game than seven-hole hitter Carlos Elian Martinez (2022 Coamo, Puerto Rico). He was feeling good throughout the game with a 2-for-3 day, scoring three runs himself and driving in three more. His lefthanded bat works through the zone well and gets on plane early and stays through extension really well. Martinez is a gamer and that easily shows on the bases as he’s always looking to grab and extra bag.

The second slot at the Twins complex, Century Link, featured both the 17u and 16u East Cobb Astros teams. The top three in the lineup of the 17u team were impossible to keep off the bases as they went a combined 5-for-8 and added four more walks. Bryant Herring (2021, Hampton, Ga.) is their lead-off and it didn’t take long for him to set the tone for those behind him. He cracked a line drive into the right-center field gap on just the third pitch for a quick double. Herring leans back into his load well, coiling his body and unleashing into the pitch with quick hands and a naturally leveraged barrel plane. He manipulates the barrel well and shows a lot of barrel turn, getting to the ball out in front. Herring would finish the game with a 2-for-2 line. He scored twice and added two more free passes.

Hitting behind Herring is 6-foot-1 LHP/1B Michael Sharman (2021, Woodstock, Ga.). Sharman is an athletic hitter with a middle-of-the-field, contact-oriented approach. His hands work well to the ball where he stays strong into contact and keeps the ball on a line drive path off the barrel. Sharman drove Herring in quickly in the first inning starting a four-run bottom half of the frame.

Joe Mack (2021, Williamsville, N.Y.) is the three-hole hitter for the Astros and the Clemson commit was eye-popping in his first at-bat. He connected with arguably the hardest hit ball of the day at Century Link, driving a ball deep into the pull-side gap that missed leaving a big yard by just a few feet. Mack is 6-foot, 190 pounds of pure athleticism. He’s the No. 21 ranked player in the 2021 class according to Perfect Game’s latest rankings and he really showed it in just one at-bat. His power potential is through the roof and he also looked the part working behind the plate as well.

Christian Okerholm (2021, Austin, Texas) came in as a long reliever for the Astros starting in the fourth and working three near-perfect innings. He’s fluid from the right side with a long lever arm slot standing at 6-foot-3. His wide shoulders and strong lower half radiate his strength that helps him sit 87-90 on the mound with a good fastball showing life through the zone. He also flashed a curveball with strong potential in the mid-70s. Okerholm tallied six strikeouts while maintaining a great 73 percent strike percentage as he filled the zone well and challenged hitters with his velocity.

The East Cobb Astros 16u team played a pair of back-to-back games allowing an extended look at a couple of their top hitters in Lleyton Lackey (2022, Grovetown, Ga.) and Thaddeus Ector (2021, Tyrone, Ga.). Lackey really shined in part due to his raw athletic ability. He’s got a ton of quick twitch working in the outfield and that translate some to his plate appearance showing twitch hands and barrel whip through the zone. While Ector is a bit stronger and looks to leverage the ball on an elevated plane. The pair drove in a third of the runs in their opener and Ector would add another RBI in game two, while Lackey went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.

Both players project well in the outfield moving forward with Lackey able to man centerfield without much issue with 6.7 speed and Ector working a corner spot with his arm strength touching mid-80s in his last Perfect Game Showcase event.

The 16u Astros rolled out a couple of solid arms to start their two games, with Elliott Bray (2022, Hartselle, Ala.) getting the nod in the first. Bray is advanced physically for a ’22 at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds and a barreled chest. He works up around 86 MPH with consistency and looks to work the edges of the plate with velocity and snap off a good curveball late in the count. He had no problems lasting five innings with a pitch count of 86. He was still comfortably touching 86 MPH late into that game showing that fatigue wasn’t much of factor for the uncommitted righthander. He allowed just five hits and a single earned run in his final inning while racking up seven strike outs.

In the second game the ball went to southpaw Luke Dotson (2023, Lake City, Fla.). Dotson, at 6-foot-3, 160 pounds is close to polar opposite as Bray. He works in the upper-70s and hits 80 mph on occasion but that doesn’t take away from how effective he is. He paints the corners extremely well for a 2023 graduate and already shows advanced knowledge of his stuff as he mixes very well. He goes to his curveball early and often with a ton of effectiveness. He’s able to snap it off showing late sharpness on the 1-to-5 shape with occasional lateral plane as well. Dotson’s frame projects for more which will help him tick up in velocity but as for now his location and deception were enough to work five shutout innings, surrendering just two base hits and collecting nine strikeouts.

Team Boston Braves was the opponent of the East Cobb Astros 16u and they put up a good fight as they rolled out a pair of talented arms as well. Sam Griesbauer (2021, East Falmouth, Mass.) started for the Braves and his numbers were very good through a pair of innings. The North Carolina State commit surrender a single unearned run while accumulating three strikeouts. He works three pitches for strikes going early to the fastball up to 89 mph and sitting around 86 with arm-side life. His go-to secondary was a slider with sharp tilt that he maintains release and arm speed on that creates some deception as it looks similar to the fastball.

Jayden Voelker (2021, Coventry, R.I.) followed up Griesbauer’s solid pair of innings with two more shutout innings of his own. The previous outing Voelker had on a Fort Myers mound he racked up a whopping 15 strikeouts. While he didn’t quite reach that number again he showed that his strikeout stuff is absolutely no fluke as he tallied five over just two innings of work. His fastball shows hard life through the zone as he worked a range of 86-89 mph. He utilizes his 230-pound frame in his delivery with an upper half dominate release. His curveball and changeup mix worked nicely with his heavy fastball.

The Florida Dodgers 2021 Scout Team didn’t travel far to get to Fort Myers as most are located just a few hours Northeast in the Jacksonville area. They were able to grab a 3-0 challenging victory in a pitcher’s battle in the third slot of the day off the back of four strong innings from righthanded pitcher Issac Williams (2022, Fleming Island, Fla.). Williams is a stocky 6-foot-1, 190 pounds with a wide upper half and long limbs. He creates solid arm speed into his three-quarter slot, showing looseness throughout. Williams worked two quick innings, going 1-2-3 in both. He faltered just a touch in the third allowing his first hit with two outs, but would get through unscathed. The power righty was able to maintain his velocity well still working up to 87 mph in the fourth, which was his tops of the day.

In the final game at Century Link facility the Baseball U CT team unfortunately suffered a tough loss 1-2 but Ian Cooke (2021, New Milford, Conn.) was outstanding on the mound. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound righthander was steadily at 90 mph throughout his four innings with sharp sinking life as well as occasional cutting action to the glove side. He is really able to command the black well getting a lot of strikes at the edge of the plate. He also shows feel for a curveball with a lot of vertical depth. Everything he throws stays down around the knees and below which allows him to get a good amount of swing and miss over the top of stuff. He also tossed a good changeup with sink that looked very similar to the fastball, with the velocity change being about the only differentiator between the two.

-Taylor Weber

The Cangelosi Sparks 2021 Black team got excellent offensive performances from a pair of bats in the middle of the order on Friday, helping lead the sparks to two big pool play wins. Ryan Kraft (2021, Mokena, Ill.) got things started out of the three-spot, collecting a pair of run-scoring doubles during the morning time slot. An Indiana commit, Kraft was able to showcase a smooth and easy swing from the left side of the plate with some present power to and through the pull-side gap. Kraft has a tall frame with present strength in the lower half, and he will only continue to hit for more power as the frame matures and adds strength.

The second Sparks player to put together a strong first game was third baseman Michael Maloney (2021, Mokena, Ill.). Maloney finished the game 2-for-2 with a double and four RBI, and really showed the ability to make consistently hard contact to all fields. Uncommitted and ranked as a Top-1000 player in the 2021 class, Maloney has quick hands and a direct path to contact in the swing. Maloney has an athletic frame that has plenty of room to fill out and add strength, and the junior has both the offensive and defensive talent to make an impact at the next level.



Behind the stadium at Terry Park, Travis Garnett (2021, Pasadena, Md.) put together what was an up-and-down start for Team Elite 2021 American. The southpaw allowed just three hits over six innings of work, striking out seven batters while also allowing seven walks. Garnett showed the most confidence throwing his lively fastball at 83-87mph to the arm side edge, and also flashed feel to land a mid-70s slider both in the zone and at the back foot.

The Maryland commit has a tall and physical frame with present strength in the lower half, and he flashes the ability to get down the mound and create steep plane to the fastball as well. Something that Garnett did really well in his outing was create deception while hiding the ball with a short and compact arm stroke. As Garnett learns to command both pitches with more frequency you can expect the strikeout numbers to rise while also keeping the pitch count much lower.

Connor Kolarov (2021, Chantilly, Va.) put together an impressive three innings of work for Stars Baseball Carroll, allowing just two hits and striking out five batters. Kolarov consistently attacked hitters with a heavy fastball at 84-86 mph, generating good down plane and some late life to the arm side when on time. Most impressive in the arsenal on Friday was a hard slider with late depth at 75-77 mph, and the right-hander was able to combo those two pitches effectively and with ease.

Uncommitted in the 2021 class, Kolarov is long-limbed and has plenty of room to fill out in the frame. With easy arm action from a high three-quarter slot, I expect Kolarov to continue climbing the velocity ladder as he matures.

Iowa commit Ryan Reyerson (2021, Marshalltown, Iowa) faced a tough opponent in the East Coast Sox Select on Friday, and he proved up to the challenge with an impressive performance for the Iowa Sticks Prospects 2021. The southpaw attacked hitters with the fastball at 82-84 mph, topping at 86 mph in his first inning of work. Reyerson flashes feel to spin a big breaking ball in the low-70s and shows an ability to throw both for quality strikes at a consistent clip. At 6-foot-4, 202 pounds, Reyerson has a super projectable frame from the left side and already shows the pitchability that translates to success at the next level.



My first look at Florida Gator commit Luke Heyman (2022, Longwood, Fla.) was a good one on Friday, as the primary catcher was able to put together a plethora of quality at-bats and hard contact in a victory. Heyman shows tremendous feel for the barrel to go along with good bat speed, and it is just a matter of time before Heyman starts to hit for some serious power. At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Heyman has plenty of room to fill out and will have an impressive frame by the time he matures fully. Ranked as the No. 26 player in the 2022 class, expect Heyman to be a must-see name as his career presses on.

Bobby Boser (2021, Wesley Chapel, Fla.) was lights out for FTB/Giants Scout Team 2021 on Friday, dominating over 1 1/3 innings to grab the save. Boser, who has an athletic frame at 6-foot, 185 pounds, is explosive down the mound with a fastball that he hides really and just explodes out of the hand at 86-88 mph. Boser ran it up to 89 on Friday, and paired the fastball with a tight slider that has late depth through the zone in the low-70s. A South Florida commit, Boser showcased his ability to command both edges of the plate on Friday, and seemingly located his entire arsenal with ease on way to three strikeouts in just the four batters faced.

Matthew Ward (2021, Tampa, Fla.) put together a strong day out of the leadoff spot for FTB/Giants Scout Team 2021 on Friday, going 3-for-3 with a pair of really well struck singles back through the middle of the field. Ward generates excellent bat speed at the plate, and shows advanced bat-to-ball skills that you love to see out of a leadoff guy. At 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, Ward does well to cover ground in the four-hole and really played a solid second base on Friday. Uncommitted in the 2021 class, I think Ward’s hit tool plays at the next level with his defense coming right along as well.

Iowa native and Kansas State commit Jackson Wentworth (2021, Urbandale, Iowa) was impressive as always during his four innings of work on Friday, allowing just three hits and striking out five batters. Wentworth shows excellent command of the fastball to both sides of the plate at 85-87 mph, running it up to 89 mph at times. Wentworth shows excellent feel to spin a sharp breaking ball with 11-5 shape and late depth through the zone in the mid-70s, and really does a good job of throwing it as a put-away pitch in the dirt for strikeouts. With such an athletic frame, Wentworth constantly creates clean and easy direction down the mound before getting excellent extension over the front side from a high three-quarter slot. The right-hander is definitely to watch for over the next year, and could develop into a top command right-hander in the 2021 class.

The final time slot of Friday’s action brought two of the more impressive swings I saw on the day, courtesy of Braxton Church (2021, North Wilkesboro, N.C.) and Justin Lehman (2021, Fort Mill, S.C.). A left-handed hitter, Church was able to get his hands extended and drive a ball down into the right field corner for an easy stand-up triple. An Appalachian State commit, Church shows excellent bat speed and good barrel control to go with good speed as well. Church finished Friday’s game 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in 5 Star 2021 NC’s 13-1 victory under the lights.

Just two batters later, Lehman delivered a triple of his own, driving a ball deep to the gap in right-center field. Lehman projects for more power in the 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, and he does a great job of catching the ball out front and generating good lift as well. A primary catcher and Army commit, Lehman has good actions behind the plate with present arm strength as well. With plenty of room to fill out and add strength in the frame, it is only a matter of time before Lehman starts hit for more consistent power.

-Nate Schweers

Canes National 17u moved to 2-0 in pool play on Friday morning, taking down a very good TSD 2021 club by a score of 3-2. Gage Ziehl (2021, Macedon, N.Y.) got the start and was outstanding in a short outing, needing just 34 pitches to strike out eight of the nine hitters he faced over three innings. A physically-built righthander committed to Miami, Ziehl ran his fastball up to 91 mph with good, heavy life; showing the ability to pound the ball down in the zone to both sides of the plate as well as work up when necessary. The slider is an equalizer pitch, thrown firmly in the 80 mph range, with sharp, late bite that misses bats with two-plane break. Given his low pitch count and the success of the Canes bunch so far this week, we may see Ziehl again in a playoff setting on Sunday.

Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman (2021, Leesburg, Va.) got a couple innings in relief, and the extremely physical, imposing righthander was dominant to close the game out. He’s listed at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and looking every bit of that, with broad shoulders and excellent strength throughout. He came out firing bowling balls at 87-89 mph, doing a fair job of repeating a more complex delivery, getting over his front side and creating plus extension to go along with that velocity and life. There’s very good feel to spin the ball as well, thrown in the upper-70s with late bite, tunneling it extremely well out of his hand with a fastball look. He’s uncommitted at this time, but assuredly will have his choice of schools as he moves along in his prep career.

In what was this evaluator’s first look at Elijah Lambros (2021, Fredericksburg, Va.) the Virginia Tech commit impressed offensively, picking up a couple knocks and being one of the few Canes to reach base more than once. A lithe, athletically-built righthanded hitter and center fielder, Lambros has some whip to the swing coming through, with hands that take a direct path and an overall offensive profile that projects quite well. He wasn’t tested in center field in this look, though the athleticism and speed were on display just in running down the line. We surely look forward to seeing him play more and more as we progress through the class of 2021.

No stranger to PG events, Canes shortstop Alex Mooney (2021, Rochester Hills, Mich.) picked up a knock and an RBI in this one, but where he really stood out was defensively. Long-lauded for his instincts and overall feel for defense, as his athleticism and physical strength have come along in his development, so to as the developmental trajectory of that defensive ability. Quick-twitch and innately balanced, he’s got plenty of range in any direction, with consistently excellent footwork, plus hands, and above-average arm strength across the diamond. It’s relatively uncommon to be able to project an underclassman to stay anywhere defensively, but it’s nearing a foregone conclusion that Mooney will be able to play shortstop for a long, long time.

Ohio Elite 2021 took down a talented Easley Baseball Club to move to 2-0 in pool play on Friday afternoon, behind the strength of a deep lineup and good relief pitching. Joshua Kross (2021, Medina, Ohio) got the win in relief, throwing the final four frames of a time limit-shortened game, striking out eight and allowing just a single run on three hits and a walk. A solidly-built, strong primary catcher, Kross was successful in just pounding the zone and throwing his fastball right by hitters, running it up to 85 mph with good arm side life, mixing in a big-breaking curveball as well that he could throw for strikes.

Offensively, a couple Ohio Elite hitters had loud days. Jake Johnson (2021, Medina, Ohio) had two doubles, including a missile over the center fielder’s head early on, showing off legitimate strength and bat speed to the overall profile. An infielder by trade, Johnson swings it from the right side of the plate and does an excellent job engaging his lower half and creating leverage out front off of a firm front side, driving the ball on a rising line while staying committed to the middle of the field. Leadoff hitter Drew Beckner (2021, Westerville, Ohio) had a big day atop the lineup for Ohio Elite with three knocks, consistently setting the tone by getting on base and coming around to score twice on the day as well. It’s a simple, easy swing from Beckner on a line drive plane, covering the plate well and employing a whole-field approach to great effect.

Though saddled with the loss, Brayden Sanders (2021, Olive Branch, Miss.) showed a lot to like in what was admittedly not his best start. A powerfully-built righthander, especially in his lower half and through his torso, Sanders ran his fastball up to 91 mph and sat in the upper-80s throughout, though the fastball was often flat and caught a bit too much plate, leading to some hard contact against him. He’s got feel to spin a curveball as well, mostly with 11/5 shape and some quality spin to it. He’s committed to Ole Miss.

Canes National 16u moved to a quick 2-0 with a pair of wins on Friday, including a 6-1 decision over the Southwest Monarchs at Terry Park later at night. James Triantos (2022, McLean, Va.) is an early commit to North Carolina, and hitting in the middle of the Canes lineup, continues to do damage at a high level. He’s got innate bat-to-ball skills with plenty of bat speed and ever-developing strength, with very good barrel accuracy and subsequently excellent results. He had two knocks in this game, including a double, and while he was the EH for this contest, he’s shown quality defensive abilities in the middle infield all summer long and looks the part of a future impact offensive piece to go along with good defensive value wherever he plays.

-Brian Sakowski

 MLB Breakthrough continues to play at a very high level. They have the ability to put runs up in bunches and things can get exciting quickly. Three of the hitters that did damage are Jacob Walsh (2021, Las Vegas, Nev.), Braden Montgomery (2021, Madison, Miss.), and Termarr Johnson (2022, Atlanta, Ga.).

Walsh is a physical lefthanded hitter that has long limbs and though he is strong, he still has lots of room to add weight. He has big hand strength and the barrel speed through contact is noticeable. The uncommitted prospect does a good job of getting extension and shows the ability to lift and drive balls a long way. He did a good job of identifying pitches and working counts throughout the game. In his last at bat he got something he could drive, and he quickly deposited the ball off the right field wall. An easy stand up double. As he gets reps his barrel accuracy will develop, and one could see his power showing up very frequently.

Montgomery is having a good weekend so far. On Friday he added two hits including a triple down the right field line. A switch hitter, he hit from the left side today and displayed a lot of feel for the barrel. He has long levers that allow him to stay in the zone for a great amount of time. He typically stays gap-to-gap, but does show ability to drive balls to the pulls side as he did today. His wiry frame is great to build on and his best days are still ahead, though he is showing extremely well right now.

Johnson is just exciting. He is tightly-wound and it shows with explosive bat speed. He keeps it simple and stays extremely short. His turn is tight, and he can get his bat going in a hurry. The ball flies off his bat when squared and the power is starting to show up. The lefthanded hitter has a high motor and seems to be all over the field. In his last at bat today, Johnson elevated a ball that cleared the centerfielders head and the uncommitted prospect got up to full speed in a hurry. He is an ideal table setter and game changing ability.

NEB has a talented group of bats and Luca Danos (2021, Hampton Falls, N.H.) looks like one that will stay in the middle of the field long term. He is a well put together prospect that is proportioned well, with wide shoulders and an athletic frame. His first step quickness at shortstop is very good and he has good body control. The uncommitted infielder went deep in the six-hole on one play and nicely rounded a ball, transferring and throwing quickly to get the out. He showed plenty of arm strength to stay at short and the actions play. Offensively, he has a simple swing with good bat to ball skills. He stays short to contact and looks to use the middle. The righthanded hitter had a sharp single in his first at bat and has a very competitive spirit about him.

The Scorpions Founders Club has an ultra-projectable shortstop in Deric Fabian (2021, Ocala, Fla.). He is tall, with a slender frame, with a lot of room to add bulk. He has done a nice job incorporating his base this fall and it is paying off with consistency in the power department. Just missing a homerun earlier in the day, he clobbered an advantage count pitch in his last at bat for a towering homerun. His swing creates easy loft with good back spin. The Florida commit has a relax approach helping to slow the game down immensely. At shortstop, he shows good range and timing in his approach, with an arm that has good carry.

Stewart Evans (2021, Laurinburg, N.C.) is a physical righthanded hitter for 5 Star 2021 NC. He is a true middle of the order hitter with big time hand strength. The uncommitted prospect has huge hand strength and already shows the ability to lift to the pull side. He turned on an inner half pitch for a homerun to left field Friday night. Not many people make Terry Park look small, but Evans certainly did. He added a double later in the game for good measure. This bat needs to be followed closely.

Flood City Elite 2022’s middle of the field is very talented. The young group has a few guys that are projectable and rangy. Jacob Kendro (2022, North Huntingdon, Pa.) played short stop on Saturday morning and has a mature set of skills on the diamond. He made multiple movement plays, moving far to his arm side with good foot work and exchange skills. The uncommitted player also charged hard and displayed the ability to change arm angles to record an out. The right handed hitter shined on the other side of the ball as well recording three hits including two doubles. There is projection in his slender frame and whip in his barrel. As he physically matures, he should be a force near the top of a line up at the next level.

Charlie Culberson Baseball has a dynamic player leading off for their club in Tyler Collins (2021, McKinney, Texas). The lefthanded hitter stays exceptionally flat through contact giving himself lots of room for error. He has good bat speed and attacks hard when he gets a pitch in the zone. The Oklahoma State commit uses a patient approach, seemingly knowing his job is to get on base and disrupt. He did just that today getting on four times, with two hits and two walks. When he was on, he looked to take extra bases and used his plus speed to score three runs. He also covers a lot of ground in centerfield and its easy to dream on his overall package.

-Jered Goodwin
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