‘27
Chase Lowery (Magnolia, TX)
Left-handed hitting backstops are always going to be en vogue, and Lowery has done nothing but hit this year to the tune of a 1.452 OPS and three homeruns. Down in Jupiter, he would club a pair of triples and drive in four runs. It’s a fast bat from the left side with a barrel that has proven to be more than able to adjust to offerings in different parts of the zone. The hands start high and get to a good position to launch around the back shoulder, creating good barrel depth and proving he can work his pull-side with authority in the air. There is more room to add muscle here as well… intriguing power upside from this uncommitted backstop.
‘26
Luke Hillegass (Warrington, PA)
Really, really easy to buy in to the 6’5/210 left-handed arm with more physical projection and velocity to come that does it easy… that is what you are getting with Hillegass. He has a full mix with FB/CB/SL/CH, showing unique movement profiles to both the breaking balls and was up to 90-mph in the first inning with his fastball. He works down the slope well with a low three-quarters slot release. It doesn’t take a lot of risk nor faith to bet on this getting better in every single aspect. Boston College commit
‘26
Tyner Flynt (Purvis, MS)
Four innings with ten strikeouts for Flynt, who overpowered bats all afternoon long and ran his fastball up to 92-mph with a good contingent of scouts in attendance to take in his start. Easy to project upon the long-levered 6’2 body, built well to hold plenty of strength and good weight as he continues to physically mature. The arm worked well and it got up on time, and he paired his fastball with a good slider that worked especially well against left-handed bats with feel to sweep it away from the barrel and off the black for chase. He showed a good change at 81-83 that featured good separation off of his fastball. He is a Troy commit.
-Michael Albee
Ethan Dodson (2026 MIF/RHP, Clinton, Miss.) continued to swing the bat well down in Jupiter, finishing 5-for-10 with a loud two-run homer that left the bat at 102 mph. The 6-foot righty hitter has a nice blend of strength and athleticism in the frame, making him a versatile piece both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. He utilizes a balanced operation in the box with plenty of evident strength and quickness in the hands. The Memphis commit has put together a very impressive summer, batting .574 with six long balls in 20 games.
Aiden Nguyen (2026 LHP/1B, Wesley Chapel, Fla.) made a couple of dominant relief appearances down in Jupiter, tossing three total innings while retiring eight batters on strikes. The 5-foot-10 left-hander proved to be very effective at hitting his spots and missing barrels. His fastball lives in the upper-80s with the ability to creep into the low-90s. The pitch plays up and gets released from a funky slot. Nguyen also showed feel for spinning his tight two-plane breaking ball, which mistimed hitters even more. The FIU commit has really impressed on the mound and taken that next step as a swing-and-miss type of arm.
Mateo Villanueva (2026 RHP/1B, San Diego, Cal.) turned in an impressive effort down in Jupiter, tossing three no-hit innings with six strikeouts and just one walk allowed. The 6-foot-2 right-hander really had it all working for him as he missed barrels with his entire mix. The heater sat in the low-90s mph range, ultimately peaking at 93 with late arm-side run and sink down in the zone. Villanueva mixed in an 11-5 curveball with good depth and late break. The Aztecs commit has really become dominant when it comes to locating and sequencing his stuff.
-Anthony Gambardella
Will Yow, SS, Charlottesville, VA. Richmond Braves Platinum (2026)
The WWBA Worlds serves as a stage for young talents to announce their presence on the national scene, and for
Will Yow, this event was nothing short of a revelation. Over the weekend, Yow showcased a level of performance that not only solidified his status as a top prospect but also hinted at a potential MLB Draft “pop-up” darling. A 6.2 runner and a few carry tools to brag about, Yow slashed .462/.500/1.269 and six hits over the weekend, proving he’s ready for the next level. As he prepares for his senior year and his new chapter at the University of Virginia, all eyes will be on this breakout candidate.
Devin Diaz, C, Yorktown Heights, NY. Northeast Pride 26 National (2026)
A breakout performance over the weekend at the WWBA Worlds for Diaz, whose skill set was on full display, slashing an impressive .429/.500/.929 with six hits and five stolen bases, highlighting his ability to impact the game both at the plate and on the bases. His performance underscores a high-level bat-to-ball skill set, combined with plus tools at a premium position like catcher, make him a dual-threat player that can impact the game at the next level.
Noah Hunter, RHP, Huntington Beach, CA. East Coast Sox National (2026)
Hunter emerged as a standout over the weekend, showcasing a blend of raw ability and polished mechanics that signal his potential as a breakout MLB Draft prospect in the 2026 class. Fastball sits comfortably in the 90-93 mph range with impressive carry. His slider clocks in at 84-86 mph, showing late, sharp break that tunnels effectively with his fastball, making it a legit weapon. Additionally, Hunter's wipeout changeup, could be his best offering, and one of the best in the class. The projectable 6-foot-3, 185 pound frame is dreamy as well. Look for Hunter to be in draft discussions in the spring.
-Steve Doherty
Jesse Covington (2028, Greensboro, NC) made the most of his first appearance in Jupiter for USA Prime 18u American as he showed off his two-way skillset. A long, lean 6-3/170 athlete with plenty of twitch to his actions, Covington has plenty of time to prove he can pitch and hit at the next level. While he only batted .200, he did launch a round tripper over the left field wall and finished with an .833 OPS. On the mound, he showed premium stuff with a fastball that reached 92 mph several times and two breaking balls that both project as out pitches long term. While the freebies did cost him a bit, Covington finished his relief appearance going 3.2 IP, allowing 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks but he did eliminate 7 batters via the strike out.
Jassel Bermudez (2027, Obregon, SO Mex) took the ball in a start on the mound for USG/Elev8 Rawlings National and had no intention of giving it back before the last out was recorded. The 6-5/205 righty was relentless as he attacked hitters with a 3-pitch mix at the rate of 77% strikes. He works down the mound in a linear path and hides the ball late in his delivery before releasing the ball through an over-the-top arm angle. Bermudez’s fastball held 86-91 until the end and blended a tight slider and changeup with fade consistently in any count. He took the hard luck loss as he went 6.0 IP allowing 4 hits, 3 earned runs, while surrendering only 1 walk and struck out an insane 11 batters.
Graham Houston (2027, Nokomis, FL) just batted leadoff and handled short stop for one of the most talented teams in the event in Canes National 17u. The 6-0/175 smooth fielding, switch-hitter can impact the game in virtually all aspects. His 6.6 speed shows on the clay as he ranges both left and right exceptionally and can take the extra bag when he wants on the offensive side. With the stick, he shows great adjustability with his posture and lets his loose wrists deliver the barrel with accuracy and violence. Houston ended up batting .375 with a couple runs scored, a couple runs driven in and an OPS of .732 for the week.
-Craig Cozart
Brady Marconi (2026, Fort Mill, SC) hit .333 in Jupiter with 4 total extra base hits and had a multi-HR game. A player that has always shown advanced catch and throw skills from behind the plate looks to have taken a big step forward offensively as well.
Matthew Mansbery (2026, Brecksville, OH) had an outstanding showing in Jupiter this year. Went 8-for-23 with 5 extra base hits in Jupiter. Will use and drive the baseball to all fields. Has a real fundamentally sound swing and the frame/projection to work his way into draft conversations next spring.
Jack Brenner (2026, Fon Du Lac, WI) a versatile defender that can catch and always seems to hit. Went 5-for-6 with 3 extra base hits, 3 walks and no strikeouts in Jupiter. Always a quality at-bat at the plate, controls the strike zone and some pop in the bat as well. Does all the little things well. Has really started to stand out this year and put together an eye opening performance in Jupiter.
Kam Gillespie (2028, Kansas City, MO) a 2028 with standout athletic traits. A left handed hitting IF/OF that should stick in the middle of the field. Went to Jupiter and hit .400 over 20 AB’s. Had 8 hits, 6 walks, and scored 7 runs. A fundamentally sound swing with bat to ball skills, runs the bases well and projects to only continue to get better. Was not overmatched by older competition at all.
-Blaine Peterson
Brodie Wilson (’27 AL) The recent Auburn commit, Wilson reached some new numbers in his WWBA Worlds outing and showed extremely well as a underclass in front of pro brass. Its electric arm speed with a smooth and sound delivery. Excellent feel to spin present with an air of confidence on the hill unusual of an underclassman on prep baseball’s biggest stage. Savvy in-state pickup for veteran head coach, Butch Thompson, with this moldable arm talent that is just coming into its own.
Hard to call
Marcus Greis (‘26 CA) a true breakout but definite a solid performance that could propel him to into the next tier of middle infield prospects nationally. It’s an athletic mold with well proportioned strength. Offensively, the swing has clean direction with real bat speed, advanced feel to barrel and overall hitterish traits in the box. Had no trouble squaring up premium arms. Horned Frog staff should be very happy with Greis’ trajectory as he comes closer to fulfilling his TCU commitment.
-Troy Sutherland
David Ojeda, Ghost National 18u
Ojeda is a name we’ve known for quite a while in Georgia, but we’ve seen Jupiter catapult players into a different tier and Ojeda may have done just that last week. The 6-foot, 185-pound outfielder came up with one of the loudest swings of the event, absolutely teeing off on one for a homer in game four of the weekend. He finished up the event hitting .500 against some of the tougher arms in the country and in front of a lot of eyes.
Ben Fussell, Stars Baseball 2026 Marucci
Fussell was another name from Georgia that stood out in Jupiter, playing with Stars Baseball. The 5-foot-10, 173-pound middle infielder just simply lived on the barrel, hitting .389 with a pair of doubles and seven RBI to his name. The hands are loose, and the body has continued to add strength and it shows in the way it comes off. There’s a lot of intriguing things here and was a fun watch in Jupiter.
Victor Acosta, East Cobb/SD Padres ST
Acosta not only was dominant each time he stepped on the rubber in Jupiter, he also took home MVP Pitcher honors for that dominance. The arm is lively and the fastball jumps out of the hand, working at 90-93 comfortably. The breaking ball is sharp and in the low-80s with spins north of 2700 RPM. Acosta turned in these dominant outings in front of a ton of scouts and is certainly a name they jotted down ahead of 2026.
Dexter McCleon Jr, USA Prime 17u National
McCleon Jr, the top prospect in the 2028 class, has just been flat out ridiculous to follow over the last calendar year. The “breakout” in Jupiter is something that we could see coming from a mile away from McCleon Jr, but it’s still crazy to see a sophomore sitting 94-98 mph on the mound with a three-pitch mix. On the mound it’s special but the bat has a chance to be special as well as he collected a pair of hits in Jupiter and is coming off a big showing this summer.
-Cam McElwaney
Logan Kriner (2026, Palmyra, Penn.) had one of the most impressive fastballs in the entire event. It’s a 91-93 mph rocket ship that jumps out of hand with carry and 20-plus IVB on the shape. He garnered whiff up in the zone with a low-80s slider to mix, and the 6-foot-1 frame and athlete show considerable upside going forward heading into the spring.
Zane Shaw (2026, Lawrence, Kan.) simply opened eyes with his pure stuff on the bump. He was 89-92 mph and topped 94 mph with some cut-ride action and IVB nearing 20 inches. He plays it at the top and it garners whiff from a pretty free and easy arm swing. He also showed a promising bullet-type slider and can spin it with intent. There is a big upside here.
Logan Schultz (2026, Lewisville, Texas) is a name to circle this spring as the fastball has good shape and traits that jump out of the hand. The Texas State commit was 91-93 mph, free and loose with some real armspeed. The slider is a low-80s offering with sweeping bite and good shape for a potent mix. His athleticism and frame stood out in a huge way.
Gavin Garcia (2026, San Bernandino, Calif.) is a live arm and showed it. He was 91-93 mph with a ride-run prifle that flirted with 19 inches of vert and upwards of 14 inches of horizontal. He mixed in a low-80s slider with shorter, lateral type shape and a developing changeup. He’s a wiry framed athlete who has a chance to really move down the mound well. Committed to Nevada.
-Isaiah Burrows
Aiden Ogando (2026, Rochelle Park, New Jersey) broke out in a big way finishing the tournament going 9-15 with a pair of extra base hits and added 10 stolen bases to go with it. Ogando is a high-end athlete who looked the part out at short all week. He is athletic and moves well all around. Instincts on the base-paths stood out as well as his innate bat to ball ability and can impact it line to line. Ogando is currently committed to James Madison and it’s looking like they got a stud of a player coming in.
Rylan Alaniz (2026, Fort Worth, Texas) is another dude who really shined throughout the week going 7-14 with 4 stolen bases to go with it. Alaniz has long been known throughout Texas, so it was good to see him compete at a high level out in Jupiter and he looked every bit the part. As talked about before, Alaniz is simply put, a ball player who checks a lot of boxes. He does all the little things right and you pair that with his baseball instincts and you end up having an extremely well-rounded player that will make an impact for any team at the next level. He certainly had some buzz around him throughout the week. Alaniz is currently committed to Texas State.
-Geoff Billock