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College  | Recruiting | 4/20/2020

Recruiting Notebook: April 20

Jheremy Brown
Photo: Bryce Eldridge (Perfect Game)

Recruiting Notebook: April 13

Grayson Gates, rhp, Class of 2021
Commitment: Northwestern State

If you take a look at Grayson Gates’ Perfect Game profile, you’ll see a steady upward trajectory in terms of velocity, even throughout last summer, while his long and lean build leads one to believe another jump or two is one its way. From the start of last summer at the 16u South National Championships where he topped out at 85 mph for Banditos-Black, Gates came out strong in the new year, topping out at 89 mph while rarely dipping below the 85 mph mark during the MLK West Championships with 3n2 Sticks Baseball. With a quick and loose arm action and still ample room to fill on his 6-foot-1 frame, Gates shows a present feel for three pitches with 11-5 shape to his curveball and short fading life to his upper-70s changeup which shows best when located down in the zone.

Outlook for the class: Gates commitment is a big one for the Demons as he gives the club a top-500 ranked prospect, No. 450 in the most recent PG rankings, but more importantly shows all the traits of a starter at the next level. The physical projection is a big play here but given the jump he showed in January as well as his success in his last six Perfect Game outings, Northwestern State has a big piece to their 2021 class in Gates and it’s safe to say he’s still just scratching his surface.


Christian James, rhp, Class of 2023
Commitment: Virginia

Already standing at a long and projectable 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, James brings plenty of athleticism and balance to his delivery on the mound which help when looking at his overall projection moving forward. James was sharp throughout last summer and fall for the Richmond Braves, running his fastball up to 84 mph though reports from early this spring have the fastball showing a couple ticks better. He’s younger for the grade and eligible to play at the 14u level again this spring where he could dominate opposing hitters as he struck out 37 batters in 32.2 innings of Perfect Game events, pairing his fastball with a low-70s curveball.

Outlook for the class: The Cavaliers have done a nice job of identifying talent at an early age and they’re no strangers to the expedited recruiting process as their six commits in 2023 show. The Mid-Atlantic has long been a honey hole of talent and a constant go-to on the recruiting trail with the ’23 being no exception as James’ commitment is the fourth in-state grab, alongside Tommy Roldan of Maryland and Aidan Teel of New Jersey. This class is off to a hot start and ranks amongst the best in the early process and the addition of James is a big one, giving the Cavs their fourth primary arm.




Brayden Jones, rhp, Class of 2021
Commitment: Ole Miss

Righthander Brayden Jones jumped onto the scene in a big way with one of the top performances from this past WWBA Underclass Championships in October, showing swing-and-miss stuff as well as the potential to start at the next level. In my look while throwing for the East Coast Sox, Jones was in complete control from the start, spotting his 88-90/91 mph fastball to either side of the plate with intent, sinking it well while inducing weak ground ball contact around the infield. His ability to command the fastball certainly stood out in an underclass setting, as did his ability to miss bats throughout the zone with late, hopping life. Jones also spins a quality breaking ball with in the mid-70s, offering tight, late biting life with similar extension out front, repeating his release well.

Outlook for the class: Jones’ commitment last Saturday provided the Rebels with their 12th commitment of the class and while the staff may add another one or two players, picking up an in-state talent like Jones at this point of the process is a big win. Of the top seven committed players out of Mississippi, the Rebels now have four of them with Jones (ranked No. 297 nationally) in the mix. With seven primary arms, depth on the mound is aplenty in this crop of talent assembled by Head Coach Mike Bianco and staff, led by lefthander Hunter Elliott who shows true two-way potential with a fastball into the low-90s and offensive thump from the left side.




Bryce Eldridge, rhp, Class of 2023
Commitment: Alabama

Alabama is at it again, pulling in a high level, out-of-state prospect in 2023 righthander Bryce Eldridge of Virginia. Already standing at 6-foot-7 on the bump, Eldridge impressed both last summer at the 14u WWBA Championships and during the fall’s WWBA Freshman Championships, not only for his arsenal but also for his overall athleticism. Despite his size Eldridge does a nice job of staying simple on the mound, repeating his delivery while filling the zone with a fastball that works into the upper-80s with severe sinking life. Along with the fastball Eldridge features a present feel for both his changeup and curveball, which along with his near endless projection, makes the No. 6 prospect in 2023 a foundational piece for this recruiting class.

Outlook for the class: I said it earlier with the Tide’s commitment of Hagen Banks two installments back, the coaching staff has done an excellent job on the trail and locking up a top-10 ranked prospect in Eldridge is further proof. He’s the fourth commit in 2023 for Alabama, joining fellow hard throwing righthander and 14u PG Select teammate Walter Ford, lefthanded hitting outfielder Dallas Dale and 13u PG Select Festival alum Parker Picot, a two-way prospect out of Michigan.



Alan Espinal, c, Class of 2020
Commitment: Vanderbilt
While Espinal could very likely be the final piece to this 2020 Vanderbilt crop, don’t make the mistake of thinking he can’t be as impactful as any of the other players recruited by Head Coach Tim Corbin and his staff. A wiry, strong and plenty athletic backstop, Espinal shows all the requisite tools to stick behind the plate in Nashville and do so while making an impact from his framing to his plus raw arm strength and everything in between. He’s a 6.7-type runner and that twitch shows in his footwork and overall actions, allowing for him to be an immediate contributor on defense. The defense may get talked about first, but the righthanded swing from Espinal isn’t anything to overlook as he possesses present quickness to his hands and you can still project upon the power as he continues to physically mature.

Outlook for the class: Per the usual, this Vanderbilt class ranks amongst the best in the country and their ability to land a talent like Espinal this late in the process speaks to the club’s draw, especially as Espinal is a native of Viera, Florida. He joins PG All-American Jack Bulger as the two backstops now committed in 2020 and as I’ve mentioned in the past, the ability to have depth behind the plate is crucial, especially for a club who looks to make it deep into the postseason each and every year.


Gavin Mez, c, Class of 2021
Commitment: UNLV

It’s always a good feeling for a coaching staff whenever they can land one of the top in-state talents and such is the case with the Rebels as they welcomed in catcher Gavin Mez last week as a key piece to their 2021 crop. A top-10 player in Nevada, Mez is best known for his lefthanded swing, one that produces plenty of quickness through the zone and solid extension out front. His strength stands out and it’s an element of his game that continues to evolve, as do his overall actions behind the plate. As he showed at the PG Junior National, his catch-and-throw skills translate into live action thanks to excellent accuracy and a smooth transfer with a clean release.

Outlook for the class: The Rebels now have five commitments listed on the Perfect Game website and Mez leads the way on the national rankings front, sitting at No. 306, respectively. As his collection of All-Tournament selections on his profile suggest, Mez’s tools translate well into live action and for UNLV to lock up an in-state, lefthanded hitting catcher, it was a no brainer commitment for the Rebels.


PJ Morlando, of, Class of 2024
Commitment: Mississippi State

Morlando, like others featured before him in this segment, has yet to enter high school but he had already made a name for himself amongst college coaches and recently gave his verbal commitment to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs are no strangers to gathering young talent early in the process and Morlando certainly checks plenty of boxes you look for in a prospect at this point of the recruiting process. Already standing at a strong 6-foot-1, 170-pounds, the South Carolina native may not resemble your typical eighth grader physically, nor does he swing the bat like one. His lefthanded swing packs plenty of strength and he’s already showing the ability to impact the ball, sending it a long way out to his pull side.

Outlook for the class: Morlando is the lone 2024 commitment for Mississippi State at this point, but given how quickly they assembled their 2023 class, it’s only a matter of time before this group begins to grow. That said, being able to go into a state like South Carolina and pull out a bat of Morlando’s caliber is a big starting point for the Bulldogs heading into the summer season.


Joseph Gonzalez, rhp, Class of 2020
Commitment: Auburn

The commitment of Gonzalez isn’t the first time Auburn has committed a talented player from Puerto Rico as their 2017 class signed PG All-American shortstop Ricardo De La Torre, though he ultimately signed with the Twins in the sixth round. A physically gifted righthander who stands at 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, Gonzalez more than looks the part on the mound and shows both the arm strength and quickness to produce a fastball that steadily works into the low-90s with plane and life. Along with the fastball, Gonzalez also spins a slider in the upper-70s to give him two quality pitches as well as a frame to dream upon as he continues to fill out physically.

Outlook for the class: Gonzalez checks in a No. 321 on the latest Perfect Game draft list, meaning he’s an excellent late add for the Tigers in their 2020 class and was one of the top uncommitted 2020s available. This Auburn class itself is full of quality and depth around the diamond, complete with seven primary arms, four of whom are ranked within Perfect Game’s top 500 and should make an instant impact upon their arrival on campus.


Landon Russell, ss, Class of 2022
Commitment: Auburn

This isn’t the first time and likely not the last that Auburn lands a talented prospect out of Russell County, already have 2020 righthander Logan Austin and 2023 catcher Colton Wombles committed. Russell’s addition is a welcomed one for the Tigers as he has already shown high level athleticism which allows for defensive versatility, showing big arm strength both across the diamond and from the outfield. Though he’s already physically advanced compared to some of his peers, Russell retains his quick-twitch muscle as he’s a 6.7-type runner in the 60 and his righthanded swing already produces big time juice. During the PG High School Showdown he also showed his abilities on the mound, running his fastball up to 88 mph over a seven inning complete game victory.

Outlook for the class: The Tigers have been regulars throughout the first three installments of my Recruiting Notebook, staying active on the trail while landing some big pieces for their classes. Russell becomes Auburn’s 10th commitment in the class of 2022, joining a crop of talent from all over the Midwest and Northeast, from Michigan to New Jersey and down to Florida. His overall athleticism falls in line with the other shortstops in the class, sporting loud tools around the diamond and though he’s currently ranked No. 463 nationally, he could be a candidate to break out this summer.
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