-Jheremy Brown
Braxton Beaty, LHP, Class of 2026
National Rank: 149 | Commitment: LSU
Jay Johnson has quite simply had his way with recruiting of late and it’s no surprise that he beat out some tough competition for another talented young prospect. Beaty is one of the more fun young arms to watch each time out and he’s only gotten better rapidly. He’s a under-sized left-hander who was low-80s last spring, but is now up to 87 with some of the best pure pitchability in the class. He can command a full mix, with a sharp wipeout breaking ball he can bury and a changeup he’s got all kinds of feel for, and the ability to challenge hitters with any of his pitches in any count to any part of the zone is impressive; he’s got a chance to throw on Fridays at LSU.
Mills Carrillo, RHP, Class of 2026
National Rank: 15 | Commitment: Texas
Carrillo had a big year in 2022 as things trended up across the board in terms of strikes thrown, velocity, secondary quality and just the overall feel to pitch. After a big close to the summer, he was selected to the PG Select Festival and started the game for the East squad. It’s a huge mix of offerings already and a non-traditional look this young. He’s already into the low-90s with a fastball that has special traits in the significant turbo-running life he gets on it, getting on to the hands of hitters often. The feel for spin jumps out as well as he’s got both a slider and cutter in the mix right now, both thrown around the 78-82 range and can really miss bats already. He’s now the top-ranked right-hander in the country for ‘26s and the upside is quite vast long-term.
Niko Benestad, 1B/C, Class of 2024
National Rank: 375 | Commitment: South Florida
It’s been some time coming now as we’ve waited to find out where Benestad would call home at the next level given there’s an undoubted level of talent there offensively that plays at the next level. USF is getting a good one in the regard that he’s a physical bat who has gotten a bit more athletic with time and any time you can get power to campus it’s a plus, but what he has done for four-plus years on the PG circuit is just rake. He’s a .439 career hitter in our events, with numerous MVPs and a Tournament Player of the Year honor to his name. It’s a testament to just how good the overall bat to ball is; pair that with the strength and you’ve got real early impact potential on campus.
Max Hemenway, SS, Class of 2027
National Rank: 47 | Commitment: Tennessee
It’s obviously very hard to project certain things with prospects this young, but what’s certain is that there’s a level of talent to the profile that comes naturally and his athleticism/feel for the game are huge early components to build on. It’s a really pretty left-handed stroke that he now possesses with tons of looseness to the wrists, whip of the barrel and overall projectable bat speed and he’s shown that the approach is refined, hitting .450 over the last two years, and to add to it, he’s only struck out five times in over 40 games in his young PG career, a great plus. There’s plenty of ways to go to see where he impacts the game from defensively, but he’s a good athlete with natural feel, something that bodes well for his upside to stay in the middle.
Gerardo "Jerry" Medina, RHP, Class of 2024
National Rank: 500 | Commitment: Houston
There’s not many profiles that are more interesting than that of Medina’s; he’s every bit of 5-foot-9, 155-pounds with unreal arm talent, producing low-90s bolts from the right side with a significant amount of late explosive arm side life. It’s a longer arm stroke but the arm speed is huge as he’s more explosive than most in how hard he generates down the mound. There’s a little bit to do with the secondaries as he can soften up some on the spin, but given the huge arm talent, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that drastically change as he plays with some grips and gets some more work/innings under his belt through the spring; Houston got a good one.
Spencer Krasner, LHP, Class of 2026
National Rank: HF | Commitment: Virginia
UVA sticks with their tendencies here in committing young left-handed Krasner as he’s a guy that can just really pitch and performs without the tradition “big stuff.” He’s got some polish mechanically and looks athletic on the mound with excellent body control and how well he repeats, not to mention he’s 6-foot-3, 164-pounds with all kinds of big projection traits. He’ll work in the low-80s in looks right now, sinking the fastball for strikes with ease and the sharp hook is the bread-and-butter in the mix, snapping it off with excellent intent and getting real nasty bite/ugly empty swings. He was a Tourney All-American in 2021 & 2022 and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him do that once again this year, especially if his stuff keeps trending up.
-Tyler Russo
Tait Reynolds, OF, Class of 2026
National Rank: 88 | Commitment: Arizona State
The Sun Devils grabbed a huge in-state talent to its 2026 class in Reynolds. Reynolds is a two-sport athlete full of quick-twitch muscle that impacts the game in a multitude of ways. He is a 6.4 runner and has advanced hand speed at the plate with loud impact off the barrel. It’s a well defined frame and the strength he possesses immediately stands out. He’s beginning to calm his hands down in his pre-pitch load while incorporating bits of his lower half more and rotating a bit cleaner through contact. He showed more feel the other way in our latest look, but the hands remain electric and whip through the zone. Defensively, Reynolds projects in center field with advanced routes and carry to his throws. He’s physically advanced in many facets and a premium athlete up the middle. The tools are loud, and he can be a special product if everything clicks. ASU got one of the most enticing players in the entire class.
Sammy Kane, RHP/INF, Class of 2026
National Rank: 173 | Commitment: Louisiana State
LSU has been on a tear in its recruiting classes recently, and it traveled to California for an enticing arm and two-way product in Kane. The upside is immense on the bump, and he put together a loud summer on the circuit. It’s a potent three-pitch mix from a loose, whippy low three-quarter slot. His fastball has been up to high-80s with heavy run and bore that eats up right-handed hitters. He pairs it with a late tailing mid-70s slider and quality changeup with arm-side fade and looser shape. Kane makes for a difficult at-bat with his slot and louder stuff for the age, and there’s plenty more in the tank. He also shows up with the bat and has the ability to stick at third base and handle the left side of the dirt. It’s good bat speed with all-fields contact and some budding strength to the profile. Kane’s arm talent should only develop and he brings a considerable amount of upside with his athleticism. LSU got in early on a real enticing talent.
Troy Ueltzen, INF/RHP, Class of 2025
National Rank: Top 1000 | Commitment: Arizona
The Wildcats have put together a solid 2025 class to this point, and they grabbed a good NorCal talent in Ueltzen. Ueltzen sports a lean, athletic build that really fits at the next level. He’s added size this summer and it shows with good definition to his upper half. There is good upside in his left-handed stick with solid bat-to-ball skills and budding strength that plays to the pull side. It comes off well at contact and there’s more in store. He can also hop on the bump and work up to the mid/high-80s with solid arm-side run and good shape to an 11-5 breaking ball, landing both for strikes. The arm strength plays well at a corner defensively, and there’s good traits to work with both ways. Arizona nabbed another quality 2025 difference maker.
Tyson Lewis, SS/2B, Class of 2024
National Rank: 500 | Commitment: Arkansas
Arkansas got another good addition to what is becoming a depth-filled 2024 class in Lewis. Lewis really opened eyes in 2021 and battled a bit of injury last year but is all but poised to bounce back in 2023. The Yutan, Neb. native has real hitterish traits from a smooth left-handed stroke. He works the barrel to all fields with good hand speed that matches plane well. The actions play up the middle from either spot on the dirt with notable arm strength at short. Lewis also has some serious upside on the bump, working up to 90 mph with some feel to spin from a shorter arm slot. The traits and feel both ways gives Lewis’ profile a lot to work with long term. He found a good home in Fayetteville with the Razorbacks.
Graham Schlicht, RHP, Class of 2026
National Rank: NR | Commitment: Stanford
Stanford continues to hit the NorCal trial hard, evident with its latest commit in Schlicht. Schlicht really made strides this fall on the mound, working into the high-80s from an athletic three-quarter slot and showing real feel for a fading changeup that mimics armspeed well. There’s big upside and projection remaining in the frame, as well. Schlicht is bound to pop on the circuit this year, adding yet another high-end arm to Stanford’s 2026 class.
Rylan Lujo, SS/3B, Class of 2024
National Rank: 362 | Commitment: Dayton
The Flyers ventured into South Florida and grabbed a solid product on both sides for its latest commitment. Lujo is a well-rounded player with good tools. He has fast hands at the plate with impact strength that plays to both gaps. He’s added size last summer and it was coming off the barrel much louder. A primary shortstop, Lujo’s length and frame has moved him to the hot corner at points, and that can ultimately be where he fits long term. He still has shortstop-esque actions with above-average arm strength and is able to manipulate slots on the move. He can stick on the left side of the dirt alongside consistent offensive production in PG tournaments. Dayton has some sneaky good talent coming up in its 2023 and 2024 classes, and Lujo has the makings of an impact D-1 level player.
-Isaiah Burrows