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High School  | General | 4/28/2021

Summer Preview: 2023 Middle Infield

Drew Wesolowski
Photo: Antonio Anderson (Perfect Game)
As high school baseball is starting to get going across the country in most regions, with some states actually heading into the playoffs, it all means the summer circuit is right around the corner. Over the next several weeks we will look at the top-ranked players at each position, in each class, while also taking a look at some gut-feel players that could be big risers. With players having more access to individual development, things will undoubtably change at a rapid pace in the early months of the Perfect Game schedule. This provides a good look at some of the top performers coming into 2021 who look primed to continue dominance or make their mark on a national level. 

Class of 2022: Catchers | Corner Infield | Middle Infield
Class of 2023: Catchers | Corner Infield
Class of 2024: Catchers | Corner Infield
Class of 2025: Catchers | Corner Infield
Braden Holcomb (Fla.)
 Commitment: Vanderbilt
PG Events: 35
Key Stats: 228 AB / .368 AVG with 73 RBI

Short Story: Holcomb has been nothing short of impressive over the last few summer circuits. Physical is an under-statement as he stands at a filled-out 6-foot-4. One of the best hit tools in the class and makes an argument for the most power as well. Also a strong defender with a strong arm throwing it mid-90s across the diamond. 

Big Moment: It would be impossible to sum up Holcomb’s prep career so far with one moment. Take a look at his PG career with the numbers listed above, he also totes an OPS over 1.000 and an OBP that is just shy of .500. He has found a barrel in every big event on the circuit and proved he can do it against some of the top arms in the country. 

Bold Prediction: It’s hard to even dream on Holcomb’s future as he is already one of the most well-rounded prospects we have seen in a long time. Look for him to continue to be feared by any opposing pitcher as he will continue to get stronger and add even more power in the bat down the road. 
 


Antonio Anderson (Ga.)
 Commitment: Georgia Tech
PG Events: 62
Key Stats: 393 AB / .359 AVG with 108 RBI / 32 doubles

Short Story: Anderson has been a standout on both sides of the ball as he is a legit switch-hitter and also flashes a live arm on the bump. The athleticism is on full display no matter where you see him on the field. He seems to quietly go about his business as he just flat-out dominates, even on the biggest of stages as he won MVP honors in the Select Fest just a year ago. 

Big Moment: The MVP honor from the Select Fest was a huge accomplishment, but we look to another event where he was equally as impressive. National Underclass Main Event from December of ’20 may have been his biggest statement. He took a professional round of batting practice before showing out in his defensive drills. Was also stellar on the bump that weekend. Received the possible PG grade of 10, which is huge for a young prospect. 

Bold Prediction: Anderson will continue to project as a two-way guy going forward, as he should. It would be easy to think that he will focus on his hitting in the future, but I wouldn’t be so quick to make labels. We could see him take his two-way talents to the next level if he continues on the path he is on now. 
 


Dylan Cupp (Ga.)
 Commitment: Mississippi State
PG Events: 65
Key Stats: 446 AB / .323 AVG / 133 RBI 

Short Story: Cupp has long been a standout on the summer circuit as he has done nothing but find barrels and showcase his smooth glovework at shortstop. Leads one of the top teams in the country and goes about his business with a competitive attitude. 

Big Moment: The number of times we have been impressed with Cupp's play makes just one moment hard to choose. After having a somewhat down year for his standards in 2019, he came back in 2020 stronger than ever. He hit .330 last season with a career-high 13 doubles and almost doubled his RBI count from the previous year. 

Bold Prediction: Look for Cupp to add some more strength to the frame as he is still a bit lean. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him start to add even more extra-base hits to his name going forward. The defensive skill set will also make strides as he adds some strength to the build. 
 


Cade Kurland (Fla.)
 Commitment: Florida
PG Events: 36
Key Stats: 345 AB / .374 AVG / 115 RBI 

Short Story: Kurland has showcased himself as one of the top middle infielders of his class for years now. The hit tool is polished overall as he impacts with juice. His defensive work is impressive also as he throws it around 90 mph across the diamond with pinpoint accuracy. 

Big Moment: You can cruise through a long list of solid play when you go back through his past events, but this past fall stands out in a big way. His performances in the WWBA Sophomore and WWBA Underclass were incredible. He went on to win a ring in the Sophomore as he hit .500 before coming back the very next week and making a deep run in the Underclass while hitting .353. A performance that most of us will never forget. 

Bold Prediction: Look for the right-handed stick to continue to punish baseballs as he has done so often in the past. If he is to continue to make strides in the box, the bat may be enough for him to generate draft buzz when his prep days come to an end. 
 

Steven Milam (N.M.)
 Commitment: Louisiana State
PG Events: 24
Key Stats: 242 AB / .401 AVG / 1.112 OPS 

Short Story: Milam has been a standout since 2018 as the young prospect is a legit switch-hitter who plays a rangy middle infield. His defensive abilities were enough to win him Defensive Player of the Year and he has also hit over .330 in the last four seasons at PG events. 

Big Moment: His performance this past fall at the WWBA Sophomore was one for the ages. He hit a staggering .667 in 24 at-bats as he drove in 11 RBI while scoring 16 himself. This was enough for him to receive MVP honors for the tournament as he cemented his legacy as one of the top-hitting middle infielders of the ’23 class. 

Bold Prediction: The LSU commit has just about every tool you can think of and it is going to play for years to come. If he is to add some more fast-twitch type muscle to the frame and pick up more speed, he could be a legit contender for the top middle infielder in the entire class. 
 

Austen Roellig (Calif.)
 Commitment: Arizona
PG Events: 8
Key Stats: 77 AB / .351 AVG / 10 Doubles

Short Story: You could argue that Roellig has some of the best hands in the class as he scoops the baseball up with ease before throwing it with carry across the diamond. That elite type of hand-eye coordination is put to good use in the box too, as he sprays it on a line to all fields.

Big Moment: His performance at the Fall National Championship this past September really pushed him to the forefront of being one of the top prospects in the class. Against legit competition, he hit .444 with a pair of doubles and ended the week with an OPS of 1.111. This was a statement to the rest of the country that he belonged at the top. 

Bold Prediction: We haven’t seen much of Roellig at PG events in his young prep career, but it would be easy to speculate that he is going to come back even further refined this year. Look for him to make a big jump with the bat this summer and add to his already solid resume. 

 


Eric Bitonti (Calif.)
Commitment: Arizona
PG Events: 1
Key Stats: 8 AB / 1 Double 

Short Story: Bitonti is one of the most physically-advanced middle infielders as he stands at 6-foot-4. He’s full of fast-twitch muscle and it translates into his game as he bounces around showing easy lateral range. Big arm strength as well, with him up to 90 mph on the bump. Also swings it with thump from the left side as he proves to have power in the box. 

Big Moment: Bitonti stood out in a big way as soon as our staff got our eyes on him last summer looking like one of the top players in the class. We got a goodlook at him in Surprise, Ariz. this past fall at the Fall National Championship and he looked every bit the part of top-level prospect. 

Bold Prediction: Look for him to start showing up on the circuit more in PG events and continue to showcase his big power in the box. With his size and projectability, it would be easy to assume that he is going to put up some legit numbers in the next few years and really cement his legacy as one of the top middle infielders in the ’23 class. 
 


Colt Emerson (Ohio)
Commitment: Auburn
PG Events: 18
Key Stats: 178 AB / .449 AVG / 61 RBI

Short Story: Emerson has one of the top hit tools in the entire class as the swing is as smooth as can be. Sprays it on a line to all fields. Has hit over .385 three seasons in a row and has impressed multiple scouts from our department. One of the top bats in the entire class, not just middle infielders. 

Big Moment: Had a solid showing last summer at the WWBA 15u National Championship where he it .619 and had an OPS over 1.502 in 21 at-bats. Carried that momentum all the way into 14u National Showcase before being invited to the coveted Select Fest Game shortly after. One of the best month-or-so stretches we have seen in some time. 

Bold Prediction: The bat is by far his best tool and look for that to carry him far down the road in his playing career. Look for him to start to work on his defensive skill set a bit more as he will need the glove to catch up to the bat if he is to keep moving up the rankings. If he is to do so, you could argue that he is one of the top prospects in the entire class. 
 


Trent Caraway (Calif.)
 Commitment: Oregon State
PG Events: 9
Key Stats: 52 AB / .442 AVG / 1.082 OPS 

Short Story: Caraway stands out from afar as he is listed at 6-foot-2 and is physically mature for the class. Legit two-way potential showing with him being up into the low-90s on the hill and swings it with the best hitters in the class. Pure athleticism showing in multiple facets of his game. 

Big Moment: Was outstanding last fall at the WWBA Sophomore World Championship. In 17 at-bats, he hit .647 with a pair of doubles and eight RBI. Mighty impressive against the top arms in his class. If that wasn’t enough, he jumped on the mound and blew the fastball right by hitters as he struck out three in 1 1/3 innings of work. A statement type week for Caraway. 

Bold Prediction: With his athleticism and tool set, he will continue to trend at the top of the list as far as rankings go. The power in the bat is going to be what sets him aside from all of the other ’23 middle infielders. Don’t be shocked when you see his extra-base hit numbers increase this summer. 

Carl Schmidt (Calif.)
 Commitment: Oregon 
PG Events: 10
Key Stats: 70 AB / .300 AVG 

Short Story: Schmidt possess’ everything you look for in a young prospect. Rangy defender with smooth actions and a strong arm. Also has some juice in the bat as he swings it with intent while showing off easy power. No weak spots in his game and he always performs at a high level. 

Big Moment: His entire fall of ’23 campaign was mighty impressive. He put up elite metric numbers at the ’23 All-American games before proving he could do it in a tournament setting a few months later. Earned back-to-back all-tournament team honors in the Fall National Championship and WWBA Sophomore Championship. Hit a combined .407 in 27 at-bats. 

Bold Prediction: You could argue that Schmidt is the most tooled-up middle infield prospect in his class. Look for him to continue to refine his game as he looks poised to make a run this next summer at one of the top prospects in the class. 

Gut Feel
Travis Sykora (Texas)
 Immense upside from the Baylor commit as he shows big-time power in the bat already. Smooth hands and confident glove are going to carry him far down the road. Don’t forget the arm strength either, as he throws it across the diamond in the mid-90s.

Stone Russell (Fla.)
 Has done nothing but hit at past PG events with a career average of .341 in 246 at-bats. We will see if the Florida commit can keep up with the everyday tasks at shortstop, but either way, the bat will always earn him a spot in the lineup. 

Jaxon Willits (Okla.)
 Fits the middle infield mold to perfection as he shows plenty of twitch in his 6-foot-1 frame. Elite type hand-eye coordination that translates into the box on offense. Sports a career PG average of .346 in over 100 at-bats. 

Kevin McGonigle (Pa.)
 Makes the game look easier than it actually is. Fluid defender who makes all the plays and utilizes a strong arm. Also, can flat out swing it with some power in the equation as well. Homered five times last summer against some of the top arms in the country. 

Cal Fisher (Wis.)
 Jumped on the scene this past summer and really rose in the rankings quickly due to his ability to flat-out rake. Launches baseballs to deep parts of the park and does it with minor effort. Homered in the ’23 All-American Games that was the cherry on top to a strong summer showing.  

Tai Peete (Ga.)
 Another one of those guys who just has tools to dream on, not to mention his lean 6-foot-3 frame. Up to 90 mph on the mound and puts it to good use at shortstop as well. Also has light tower power in the box. Homered seven times and has 22 doubles in his PG career. 

Will Burns (Calif.)
 Burns stands out as one of the most impressive middle infielders in the class when it comes to numbers. We haven’t seen much of him at tournaments, but his showcase numbers jump off the page. Ran a sub-6.7 60-yard dash and threw it in the upper-80s across the diamond during drills. A name to follow along closely this upcoming summer that could show out at any point. 

Kai Caranto (Calif.)
 Plays that classic West Coast style of middle infield that has all eyes fixated on his defensive play. Range showing as plus with a confident glove and quick release on throws that seem to be accurate every play. Don’t sleep on the bat here though, he hit .308 last fall at the WWBA Sophomore Championships against top tier arms. 

MJ Seo (Texas)
Seo is someone a bit further down the rankings who will be on the up after this upcoming summer. Is solid anywhere you put him on the field, but he flourishes in the middle infield. Always under control and makes the everyday play in his sleep. The bat plays here too, as he is a career .446 hitter in 168 at-bats in PG events. 

Isaac Armstrong (N.C.)
 Armstrong has been a key piece to one of the top ’23 teams in the country. The defensive abilities here are already showing as next level ready and he throws it with carry across the diamond. The hit tool is starting to come around too, with all signs point to this being the break out summer for the ECU commit.
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