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Tournaments  | Story  | 10/22/2020

WWBA Freshman WC Breakdown

Greg Gerard      Tyler Russo      Jheremy Brown     
Photo: Tag Andrews (Perfect Game)
The Next Wave
Much like at the WWBA World Championship, several of the top prospects in their respected classes attended the WWBA Freshman and continued to show why they are thought of so highly. Whether it be with the bat or their defense, or their abilities on the mound, the players below stood out among their peers and delivered some of the loudest performances on one of the biggest stages the circuit has to offer. 

Derek Curiel, OF, USA Prime National
Curiel is the top player in the class and had another successful tournament batting in the middle of one of the most talented lineups in the event. The left-handed hitting outfielder collected five hits at the event and added on eight runs to his stat line as well. What he added to the event, however, is his outstanding defense in the outfield. He ranges to the ball with long strides and gets great reads on fly balls. His defensive ability combined with a lofted swing and continued power potential make him such a great player with a near limitless ceiling.



Theodore Gillen, SS, Lonestar National
The No. 3 player in the class was all over the field for Lonestar National and seemed to always be on base for his team. Gillen barreled the baseball well during Freshman World collecting four hits, but the extra stats are the noteworthy ones for him. Five walks, eight runs and 11 (!!) stolen bases in six games is pretty much remarkable. His stolen base number was way out in front as the top number at the event and with what he did with those stolen bases helped lead to his eight runs scored as well. Lonestar National, his travel team, made it into Monday morning’s action and the Quarterfinals in large part to Gillen as well as Matthew Scott, who is noted below.

Andre' Modugno, 3B, Canes National
The right-handed hitting third baseman is one of the most imposing hitters in the country as a 2024 graduate. With a long and super powerful swing already, Modugno has some of the best power in the class and has the ability to spray the ball to either gap. The Duke commit knocked a pair of triples, a pair of doubles and a pair of singles during the tournament while doing even more damage with runners on base. His eight RBI and eight runs of his own really helped Canes National go 7-1 at the event and finishing as the Runner-Up. Modugno and Arambula are all highlighted on this list as big-time performers in the Canes’ lineup.

PJ Morlando, C, Canes National
It was a pretty quiet week offensively for Morlando prior to playoff action and then the big, physical left-handed hitter really turned it on. After hitting just one single in his first nine at-bats, Morlando went 8-12 in his final 12 at-bats including a homer and a triple. The Mississippi State commit put up monstrous numbers after a tough start to the event, but really helped his club when his team needed it most. His eight runs and six RBI were key additions for Canes National as they finished as the Runner-Up at Freshman World.

Ross Felder, RHP, Ohio Warhawks
Felder was highlighted earlier in the week as a breakout performer at the Sophomore World Championships. Fast forward a week later and he is a part of the next wave of talent, looking at the 2024 class. An Arkansas commit and extremely talented pitcher with tremendous upside, Felder shined in his start in the playoffs for the Ohio Warhawks. Sitting in the mid-80s with his fastball and pounding the strike zone especially in his first two innings, Felder showed a pair of promising secondaries and a delivery that projects for significantly more velocity in due time.

George Wolkow, 3B/OF, Longshots Baseball
Wolkow is an athletic and very tall outfielder who is coming off an invitation to the PG Select Festival. The left-handed hitting outfielder has long and loose limbs at the plate that allow him to impact the baseball with power and high exit velocities. The South Carolina commit hit a sound .455 at the plate at Freshman Worlds and also showed off the arm strength on the mound topping out at 86 mph in 3 2/3 innings of work. All of his hits were of the single base hit variety but in an extended look at the No. 6 overall player in the class, Wolkow really impressed with how well he can handle the barrel and show big-time power flashes.

Chris Newstrom, SS, USA Prime National
The shortstop for USA Prime National had a loud weekend highlighted by his massive homerun that may still be going up off his barrel. The Arizona State commit is a great athlete with arm strength across the diamond, a longer and loose swing with obvious power potential and a hit tool that has shown promising flashes of late. Newstrom’s OPS was over 1.000 with that aforementioned bomb and his double as well. His 3 RBIs at the event as well as his five runs scored helped lead his team to a deep playoff run.

Matthew Champion, 3B/RHP, USA Prime National
Two-way star and Arizona State commit in USA Prime’s, Matthew Champion continued his explosive burst onto the PG national scene since the start of the year. On the mound he tossed 5 2/3 innings striking out eight and at the plate hit .313 with a pair of doubles and 5 RBI. Champion was one of only a handful of players to make the PG Top Performers list at the event as both a hitter and a pitcher. Champion is an excellent athlete and it shows up in his swing, actions in the infield and delivery on the mound.

Drake Purvis, LHP, 5 Star Carolina
Miami commit Drake Purvis has seen his velocity continue to climb this fall touching north of his previous best of 85 mph with an 86 mph mark at Freshman World. The week prior he touched 87 mph and earned himself an MVPitcher award in the process. In Fort Myers and pitching for 5 Star Carolina, Purvis was exceptional in his two innings of action. The left-hander sat 83-86 mph with one of the better breaking balls at the entire event. His mid-70s slider already shows power to it and he used it to tally up five punchouts in a pair of relief innings.

Jack Frankel, RHP, USA Prime National
One of the top pitchers in the class and number two overall righty pitched another pair of gems at the Freshman World Championships. Frankel has some of the best strike zone recognition and stuff in the class with his three pitch mix. His fastball reaches the upper-80s, he has a wipeout slider and really good changeup that he’ll flash at times as well. In his two games, Frankel tossed seven innings striking out 10 hitters and earned the No. 3 spot on the Top Performers list in doing so. The right-hander is a special talent on the mound and will certainly have lots of college coaches dialing his number.

Miles Ghossein, SS/RHP, USA Prime National
Tons of two-way talent was on display in Fort Myers and Ghossein was no exception. The shortstop has plenty of arm strength on the left side of the infield and he took that to the mound as well. Running the fastball up to 85 mph and pitching 5 2/3 innings over two separate appearances, Ghossein added to that with a .333 batting average, a double and eight RBIs. The uncommitted prospect from West Hills, California has hit and pitched at a high level at nearly every stop. That trend did not stop at the Freshman World Championships either as USA Prime National made another deep run at a highly touted PG tournament.

Jaxon Walker, OF, Home Plate Chili Dogs
2020 PG Select Festival standout and Georgia commit Jaxon Walker led the tournament in the triples category with three. The speedy outfielder hits left-handed and burns on the bases with outstanding in-game speed given his age and size. Walker is a 6.72 runner committed to the University of Georgia. His loose wrists and leveraged swing creates some jump to the gaps allowing him to use his speed to impact every game. Walker is the definition of a spark plug as he reached base in every game and scored at least one run in each as well. His three triple, eight run, four stolen base and four walk performance was pretty special in a four game span.

Ben Reiland, SS, Meta National
Shortstop Ben Reiland on Meta National stands out all over the diamond for his good footwork at shortstop, athletic movements ranging left and right and showing a loose and easy swing with a feel for contact to all parts of the field. Reiland collecting nothing but singles in the hit category but turned those base hits into extra bases with his five steals in his team’s four games and scored a pair of runs as well. Reiland has just turned 15 years old and already shows a mature approach beyond his years. His eye at the plate and patient approach allow him to make consistent contact when he gets his pitch.

Brooks Wright, C/RHP, 5 Star 15U White
A primary catcher with big-time arm strength that he uses to throw out runners and produce upper-80s velocity on the mound is what Tennessee commit Brooks Wright brings to the field. The 5 Star 15U White prospect had a monster week on the diamond as both a catcher and a pitcher. He hit over the .500 mark at .533 with a pair of doubles and six singles as well. He came in for short relief on the mound in a save situation striking out a pair and sealing the deal for his team’s victory. He needed just ten fastballs to retire the side sitting 84-88 mph in doing so.

Matthew Scott II, OF, Lonestar National
Tall and very projectable outfielder Matthew Scott is an early Oklahoma commit whose .357 average at the event earned him a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Scott is a 6-foot-4, 178 pound outfielder who pitches as well with a loose arm and is going to throw really hard when it is all said and done. With the way he swung the bat in Fort Myers, Scott’s hittability really shined as he reads pitches well and uses his long limbs to impact the baseball with his wiry and still very much projectable strength.

Brandt Munger, OF/RHP, USA Prime National
On the PG Top Performers list for the Freshman World Championships as a hitter, Munger shined collecting seven hits including two doubles helping USA Prime National reach the Semifinals. Munger is an all-around talent with two-way potential as a power hitting right-hand outfielder and a mid-80s right-hander on the mound too. The righty logged a pair of innings on top of his loud performance with the bat sitting 84-85 mph with his fastball in 2 1/3 innings of work. Munger was one of the most physical players at the tournament and he uses that strength to already impact the baseball with authority to both gaps.

Daniel Arambula, IF, Canes National
Arambula was one of a handful of players at the event who collected double digit hits during the Freshman World Championship. The second baseman for the Canes was red hot from start to finish in the tournament as he reached base safely via a hit in seven of his club’s eight games. His .417 batting average and .940 OPS was really impressive in the center of a loaded Canes National lineup as he added a pair of extra base hits during the event as well. Arambula is a California native with a very high level and intelligent hit tool already at 15 years old and is surely a player that college coaches can have on their radar on the west coast.

Kibru Pam, RHP, PFA Matadors
Pam was the starting pitcher for the 13U PG Select Festival in 2020 and continued to show promise as a very young pitcher playing up an age group as a 2025 graduate in the Freshman World Championships. Pam had a pair of outings in Southwest Florida, each in a relief role. The righty from Pasadena, California topped out at 84 mph with his fastball and flashed a breaking ball into his repertoire as well. The first outing was better from a performance stand point holding a talented lineup to no runs and striking out four in 2 1/3 innings. His next outing was a more elongated one as he shined in relief for four innings punching out eight hitters. This contest was in the first round of the playoffs and really helped guide his PFA team to a playoff run.

-Greg Gerard

Thomas Bly, 3B, Top Tier Prospects American 2024
At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds it’s easy to project what Bly’s game could look like down the road, though he has already made big strides over the last calendar year. Bly, a Louisville commit, hit .545 on the tournament and was tied for the home run lead with Rogers (above) with two and nearly added a third in the playoffs, instead settling for a double that hit off the fence. Despite his size Bly’s swing is rather short through the zone yet packs plenty of pop as he utilizes his physicality in whipping the barrel through the zone on top of showing a refined overall approach.

Nicholas Rovitti, RHP, Elite Squad
Dominant. That’s the best way to describe Rovitti’s performance at the WWBA Freshman event as he made two appearances totaling 8 innings in which he struck out 17 and allowed just one base hit while facing two talented clubs. Entering the tournament as the No. 108 ranked prospect in 2024, Rovitti certainly took his game to the next level. His fastball worked in the 84-87 mph range and hitters simply weren’t comfortable in the box due to its heavy life and the breaking ball also took a noticeable step forward for Rovitti as well.

Mason Brassfield, OF/LHP, Meta Prime
There’s no doubting the upside that the 6-foot-3, 165 pound Brassfield presents, whether that’s on the mound or in the outfield and left-handed batter’s box. The swing offers plenty of balance despite his size and he uses his length well to generate lift, making it easy to envision some big power potential at physical maturation. He hit .417 on the weekend, connecting for three doubles. On the mound the NorCal product ran his fastball up to 85 mph with a short and quick arm action, creating some serious angle when working in on the hands of right-handed hitters.

Aiden Harris, 3B, Richmond Braves 14u
Harris certainly doesn’t look like your typical 14u player at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds and in fact looks like he could don a University of Virginia (where he’s committed) jersey already. Young for the grade, Harris put his right-handed swing and strength on display throughout the tournament, finding the barrel more than a few times which resulted in some scorching line drive contact off the barrel. He finished hitting .455 with a double and triple and jumped on the mound where he topped out at 84 mph.

Carson Messina, RHP/3B, Canes National
Messina came into the WWBA Freshman ranked No. 99 overall in the class and did nothing to deter his lofty ranking, announcing himself with a couple loud statements on the mound while hitting .350 on the tournament. Strongly built with athleticism at 6-foot, 180 pounds, Messina worked comfortably in the mid-80s with his heater, topping out at 88 mph to strike out 10 in 6.1 innings while escaping a big jam out of the ‘pen in pool play. Messina also collected a hit in 6 of the Canes 8 games in the tournament, showing some real two-way potential.

Anderson Nance, SS/RHP, 5 Star Carolina 15u National
Nance entered the tournament as the No. 117 ranked prospect in the 2024 class and showed why he’s regarded as one of the top guys in the class. Listed as a primary shortstop, the athletically built 5-foot-10, 140 pound Nance looks the part of a middle infielder and shows quickness to his right-handed swing which helped post a .444 average. However, it’s on the mound where he may be the loudest generating a mid-80s fastball, bumping 86 mph, with relatively low effort while mixing a short 11-5 shaped breaker to punch out 8 in just 3.2 innings of work.

John Pearson, 3B/RHP, Louisiana Knights
Pearson is about as physical a prospect as you’ll find in the class, already standing at 6-foot, 205 pounds and he put that strength on display as a two-way in Fort Myers. A primary third baseman, Pearson does a nice job of staying short and compact to the baseball with big jump coming off the barrel and finished the tournament hitting .400. On the mound the righ-thander ran his fastball up to 86 mph, utilizing his strong lower half well to drive down the mound while pumping the strike zone and flashing a quality breaker to help miss bats.

-Jheremy Brown

Breakout Performances
While some of the players below already have their college commitments taken care of and several others are soon to follow, the prospects below enjoyed a breakout performance in Fort Myers, opening the eyes of our scouts with their level of play against some of the best in the country. 

Dylan Fien, C, San Diego Show
Fien came to Fort Myers with a red-hot performance under his belt and garnered check-ins from a number of the scouts on staff based on the hype trickling in from out West. At a well-proportioned 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, the body is what stands out at first glance, but the tools very much match the physical upside. With a left-handed stroke that works on plane and finds the barrel consistently, there’s impressive bat to ball skills already that translate well with the tremendous power potential he undoubtedly possesses, an offensive package that grades out extremely well for a catcher.

Sam Erickson, OF, Louisiana Knights
Erickson followed up a solid performance at his single summer event with similar success at the premier fall event, hitting to the tune of a .615 AVG with half of his eight hits coming in the form of doubles. Evidenced by his stellar numbers, the bat to ball skills show advanced already as he generates great bat speed on time and on plane when he attacks fastballs, but has enough feel and strength in the hands to put balls into either gap with when he’s off time and the lower half has already been fired through.

Truitt Manuel, RHP, 5 Star Carolina 15u National
Manuel was known by our staff from his performances at various smaller events over the course of summer and early fall, but made his presence really known in a playoff start in Fort Myers as he struck out seven in four innings of work. Although he fell on the losing end, the stuff was plenty good working up to 87 with great run/life on the fastball while mixing in a pair of distinct breaking balls that should garner success with further development.

Riley Williams, OF/RHP, Canes 15u American
Young for the class and impressive at the 14u World a week after this event, Williams put his name in the pool of those who should be followed closely as a two-way in the years to come. The left-handed swing is short and direct to contact with good barrel skills and strength in the hands at present, while he works comfortably in the low-80s on the mound with great arm speed, life to the fastball and feel for a slider that has the right pieces for swing-and-miss potential in the long term.

Dalton Hazlett, RHP, 5 Star Carolina 15u Harris
Hazlett needed just a single outing at the Freshman event to show the tremendous upside he possesses from a projection and stuff standpoint. Working up to 83 and holding around the low-80s for extended innings, Hazlett pounds the zone with great sink to the fastball and has a ton of comfortability going to a swing-and-miss type breaking ball. Pair the feel for the stuff at present with the arm speed, athleticism and long 5-foot-11, 162 pound frame and you have a package that should surely garner interest from college recruiters in due time.

Thomas Moore, RHP, SBA Futures 2024
Moore was forced from his first outing of the event due to pitch count but impressed with stuff that would garner nine strikeouts across six innings in his next start on the weekend. Up to 84 mph here, and slightly higher previously, he creates great run/life to the arm side from a lower slot with loads of arm speed that he is able to maintain especially well when going to a slider that already generates a significant amount of swing-and-miss in the lower half of the zone.

Elijah Selga, C, San Diego Show
Selga is another left-handed hitting catcher who stems from the West Coast but had no problems settling himself in the Florida heat as he picked up at least one hit in all four of his games on the way to a .625 finish for the weekend. With hands that are as strong as they are quick, he has no problem consistently firing the barrel head out front and driving the ball with authority to pull.

Zachary Hopper, 3B/RHP, Power Baseball 2024
Hopper was known for having two-way potential coming into the fall circuit and showed just that here with flashes of success on both sides of the ball early on in the event. He seems to do everything in a relatively easy way with a loose and fluid stroke at the dish as he lifts the ball with projectable strength while also consistently showing able to fill the zone up to 83 mph with feel for a breaking ball that should develop well with the ease in which he throws it.

Niko Benestad, C, Canes FL 2024
Benestad has had one of the more impressive years from a numbers standpoint and this event was no different as he finished with 12 hits in 21 at-bats and was awarded MVP honors as a result. The right-handed hitting catcher was tasked with most of the catching duties over the course of the weekend and does a good job managing a variety of arms, but the bat is what makes the biggest impact. With strength behind the swing and an obvious ability to recognize pitches, he finds the barrel at a consistent rate and it comes off well when he gets it.

Matt Hansen, MIF, Slammers Jenkins 15u
Hansen made his impression in the final consolation game slot of the event with a pair of nearly identical singles on a pair of nearly identical swings. The left-handed hitting middle-infielder has one of the smoother strokes of those in attendance with a good amount of looseness on a lifted path and great extension through contact. The power upside stands out as the swing is geared to generate loud contact as he fills out a plenty projectable 6-foot-0, 165 pound frame.

Sean Benjamin, OF, 5 Star 15u White
Benjamin hits atop a talented group of athletes in the 5 Star lineup and for good reason as he consistently sets the pace with both his energy and offensive tools. With a simple and plenty repeatable right-handed stroke, he finds the barrel at a consistent rate while recognizing pitches out of the hand early enough to manipulate the bat head accordingly. The athleticism plays well on the base paths and in the outfield, something that matches the leadoff-type player he is on the offensive side and makes for a certainly well-rounded profile.

Dawson Shelton, SS, 5 Star Carolina 15u National
Shelton struggled from a statistical standpoint, but had no problems putting the pieces on display as he showed a number of things to like on both sides of the ball. He did most of the impressing on the defensive side of things with comfortability ranging to either side at the primary position while showing softness to the hands and loads of arm strength to cut down runners on throws across. Offensively, there’s plenty of feel for the barrel as he generates consistent line drive contact but didn’t quite get the hits to fall here in this specific weekend.

Maddix Simpson, SS/RHP, Canes FL 2024
Simpson was noted multiple times in the scouting recaps of the Freshman event and for good reason as he finished with a .364 AVG at the dish while combining for 12 strikeouts in just under 11 innings of work and taking home MVPitcher honors as a result. The long and projectable right-hander uses his length and strength well at the dish to get on plane and impact the ball well while carrying his athleticism and productivity over to the mound where he can run it up to 83 mph with some life and feel for a curveball with bigger shape and depth.

Parker McCoy, 3B/RHP, 5 Star 15u White
After a strong summer as a two-way prospect, McCoy looks to have heightened his game a bit this fall, finding the barrel at a tremendous rate while also running the fastball up to 85 mph. He has transitioned to listing himself as a primary bat, where he grades out the highest, and has shown similar levels of strength off impact to the summer with the mentioned improvement in barrel skills. He still pounds the zone with a predominantly two-pitch mix but has seen a slight tick up in velocity, something we should continue to see trend in that direction moving forward.

Kalen Applefield, C, San Diego Show
One of three left-handed hitting catchers occupying the California-based San Diego Show roster, Applefield has similar levels of upside as his counterparts with great physical projection at a broad shouldered 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, a leveraged stroke with some polish and present strength in the wrists and maturity in how he manages a variety of arms with the necessary catch and throw skills to make an impact.

Cole Green, SS/RHP, Dirtbags 15u Chin Music
Making the most of brief time on the mound is an understatement for Green as he hopped on the mound late in a playoff loss and showed some stellar stuff picking up all five of his outs via the strikeout. Working up to 87 mph and showing just fastballs in this brief look, he was able to overpower hitters with a quick arm, great drive down the mound and easily generated life to the arm side.

Jason Bello, 3B, Canes FL 2024
Bello contributed greatly to the success of the Canes FL team that took home the Freshman championship but that was no different than what we have seen out of him over the course of nearly 180 plate appearances in the year of 2020. Using a simple, repeatable right-handed stroke, he gets the barrel head out at a consistent rate and lines pitches through the infield while occasionally getting lift to the path and showing able to drive the ball over the wall like he did once in a thorough pool play win.

Jace Dunn, OF, 5 Star Carolina 15u National
Dunn undoubtedly stands out from a physical standpoint at 6-foot-3, 185 pounds but it’s the simplicity he shows at the dish that impresses the most at present. With plenty of looseness in the wrists that allows him to control and adjust the barrel head, he generates great strength at the contact point and consistently extends well through it. It’s mostly line drive contact that he generates right now, but as he starts to elevate the baseball with authority, the extra-base hits should come in bunches and in turn make college recruiters take notice.

-Tyler Russo

Tag Andrews, RHP, Louisiana Knights
Andrews delivered arguably the best pitching performance of the tournament in the opening round of the playoffs for the Knights, tossing a complete game no-hit effort which fell just one hit by pitch shy of a perfect game. Up to 86 mph in this look, Andrews filled the strike zone as evidenced by his 10 strikeouts and mere 80 pitches to finish the impressive feat, still mainlining 82-84 mph on his heater later in the game. He didn’t need to utilize his curveball often but it’s a true out pitch with real downward bite into the mid-70s. Shortly after the event he committed to the University of Arkansas.

Everett Johnson, OF, Canes National
Johnson was the lone 2025 graduate on the Canes roster but that didn’t stop him from making an impact while fitting right in with a roster full of high profiled 2024s. Full of quick-twtich muscle, Johnson proved to be a prototypical leadoff hitter in that he found his way on base one way or another, whether via base hit (recorded 10 of them on the week) or by way of the walk (7) and came around to score 12 runs throughout the tournament. The combination of hand quickness and bat-to-ball skills make him a highly intriguing prospect moving forward.

Rowan Kelly, OF, Meta Prime
The young left-handed hitter from California proved to be a barrel finding machine during his time in Fort Myers, tying for the tournament lead with 12 hits despite playing in three less games than his counterparts atop the leaderboard. Posting a .667 on the week Kelly proved to be a real table setter for the Meta Prime squad showing a loose and fluid path through the zone with a natural feel for handling the barrel. Of his 12 hits, five went for doubles and though he profiles in the outfield at the next level he also worked into the low-80s on the mound.

Beckett Zavorek, SS, USA Prime National
Zavorek made his presence felt on both sides of the ball for USA Prime, whether in the dirt where he shows quick and refined footwork or in the right-handed batter’s box where he finished with a .368 average. His defense is what first caught my eye as he’s a high motor player with a good internal clock, taking the right angles to balls while showing soft hands out front. Along with the defense the NorCal product also showed his ability in the box with solid bat-to-ball skills and quickness to his hands, all of which played well towards the top of the lineup.

Drew Rogers, C, National Scout Team
The state of Minnesota has been more prevalent on the prospect scene over the last couple of years and Rogers certainly opened some eyes during the WWBA Freshman World Championship. Hitting .444 for the tournament out of the middle of the order, Rogers connected for two long balls over the replica Green Monster at North Fort Myers Park showing rhythm and balance in the box along with the ability to recognize off speed pitches. It was a strong performance for Rogers in his first of several WWBAs of his career.

Drew Graham, LHP, Ohio Warhawks
It’s safe to say Graham delivered a breakout performance during the WWBA Freshman as it was his first ever Perfect Game event. A lean and projectable 5-foot-11, 150 pound left-hander out of Ohio, Graham ran his fastball up to 85 mph in his first PG outing, creating angle from his release while showing plenty of arm speed through the back. The pitch offered short running life through the zone while Graham’s slurve in the low-70s proved to be his go-to secondary, seldom flashing a changeup as part of a three-pitch mix.

Chandler Henry, RHP, San Diego Show
The 6-foot-3, 170 pound Henry was outstanding during pool play for the San Diego Show and the frame and his overall operation make it easy to envision what the young right-hander could develop into down the road. Keeping things simple by working exclusively out of the stretch, Henry ran his fastball up to 84 mph and uses his length well to generate big extension out front, helping the ball jump on hitters while pounding the zone. Henry made two appearances and filled the strike zone both times, punching out 12 in 7 innings while walking just a lone batter, thanks in part to a tight spinning, mid-70s slider which served as his go-to secondary.

Domaine Vann, SS/RHP, 5 Star Carolina 15u Gresham
Vann turned some heads and had people talking behind the backstop when they found out he was just a 2025 commit working in the mid-80s, showing a smooth and almost effortless release on the bump. Athletically built at 6-foot-2, 168 pounds, Vann certainly looks the part of a player to monitor closely and he has the all-around tool set to follow. On defense he moves with fluidity and quickness to his feet while showing soft hands which play nicely at the ball. Vann utilizes the quickness in his hands at the plate to generate some big whip through the zone and generate some impact at contact.

Joey Tonnotti, RHP/SS, Team Georgia
The top-ranked pitcher from the state of Connecticut, Tonnotti continued to build upon his fastball, running his heater up to 86 mph in Fort Myers while leaving belief that there’s plenty more to come. During his start Tonnotti lived in the 82-84 mph range, bumping an 86 mph, with a fast right arm through the back with hard running life to his arm side at times. The life of the fastball helped induce ground ball contact though he’s more than just a fastball pitcher, turning over a quality changeup and showing the ability to spin the ball for strikes as well.

Aden Knowles, RHP, Top Tier Prospect American 2024
Knowles made two appearances throughout the tournament, including a complete effort in the playoffs following a brief appearance at the start of the tournament. At 6-foot-2, 165 pounds the projection is evident in terms of physicality and he already presents plenty of arm speed through the backside, remaining short with his arm stroke while pumping the strike zone. Knowles ran his fastball up to 85 mph and struck out 10 in 10 innings pitched, issuing just one walk while showing a breaking ball up to 71 mph.

Daquan Cox, OF/RHP, Canes National Cox did a little bit of everything in helping get the Canes to the championship game, including racking up 10 base hits over the course of the tournament which helped place him among the most in Fort Myers. Athletically built at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds, Cox covered ground in the outfield and made his loudest impression with the bat, picking up at least one hit in all but one of the Canes 8 games showing quickness to his hands and some whip to the barrel. He also got the start on the final day and ran his fastball up to 84 mph with very limited effort and developed a feel for his curveball the more he threw it.

-Jheremy Brown
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