-Cam McElwaney
Most Likely to make a Huge Jump in the Rankings in 2026:
Veer Patel (’26, Vidalia, Ga.) the 6-foot-1, 194-pound left-handed hitting third baseman is primed for a big jump in the ’26 rankings as he heads into his senior year at Vidalia Comprehensive High School. Patel has seen a massive jump in his power numbers throughout the ’25 PG season and culminating with an All-Tournament Team (Batting) selection at the 2025 PG WWBA World Championship in Jupiter. The Mercer University commit finished with six homeruns and 42 runs batted in over 51 games during the ’25 PG circuit. Patel was also named to the All-Tournament Team (Pitching) after not allowing a run over 5 and 2/3 innings pitched down in Jupiter as a potential two-way candidate at the next level for the Mercer Bears.
Most Likely to Hit .500 in PG events in 2026:
Luke Winbush (’27, Marietta, Ga.)- the 5-foot-9, 165-pound right-handed hitter finished the ’25 PG circuit with a .487 batting average and has seen his offensive output increase every year since joining the high school ranks. The Pope High School junior displays an innate feel to find the barrel and use the whole field while seeing his on-base plus slugging percentage steadily increase over the last four years to 1.306 in 2025. With his ability to make consistent contact (6 Ks in 94 PA), the uncommitted Winbush is a good bet to hit .500 on the ’26 PG circuit.
Caden Borcherding (’27, Acworth, Ga.)- the 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-handed hitter finished the ’25 PG season with a .459 batting average and has the work ethic to flirt with the .500 batting average mark in 2026. The No. 1 ranked catcher in the Georgia state class and No. 3 overall changed his stance and approach in the box with big dividends to his credit throughout the ’25 PG season. A talented and defensive-minded backstop, Borcherding has made a huge jump in his offensive output. With his noticeable added strength and ability to use the whole field, the Clemson commit is ready to make another jump on the offensive side of his game.
Most Likely to make a Velo Jump into Mid-90s in 2026:
Shane Jelenevsky (’26, Marietta, Ga.)- the 6-foot-7, 250-pound right-handed pitcher burst onto the Georgia scene after moving into the Atlanta area from New York. The University of Maryland commit dominated in Jupiter at the 2025 WWBA World Championships and was named to the All-Tournament Team for his efforts. The Hillgrove High School senior punched out 10 over five scoreless innings for Stars Baseball 2026 Marucci on just one hit. He ran the fastball up to 93 mph and is primed to make another jump as he continues to mature into his extra-large frame. A consistent performer on the PG circuit, Jelenevsky is just scratching the surface as he syncs up his long levers and delivery with the mid-90s velocity just around the corner.
Most Likely to Back Up a Breakout in 2026
Maceo White (Atlanta, Ga.)- the 6-foot-2, 165-pound right-handed hitter from Maynard H. Jackson High School took his game to the next level in 2025. A primary shortstop, White has seen his stock rise in the PG rankings as he continues to add size and strength to his lean athletic frame. After finishing with a .289 batting average in 2024, he raised his batting average nearly 100 points and saw the power tool blossom for the 643 DP Cougars during the 2025 PG season. The recently signed Vanderbilt commit checks all the boxes with his athleticism and defensive versatility to go along with his 6.45 speed at prime positions up the middle. With his present feel to control the barrel through the zone and leverage the baseball out front, the sky is the limit for White heading into his junior season.
Most Likely to Lead Region in Home Runs:
Colin Anderson (’28, Acworth, Ga.)- the 6-foot, 185-pound right-handed hitter has been displaying easy pop on the PG circuit for years after having been named to the 13U and 14U Select Festivals. The primary infielder made sure that high school baseball would be no different and made his impact immediately felt with a home run in his first varsity at-bat as a freshman. Heading into the ’26 high school season as the No. 3 ranked player in the entire 2028 class, Anderson has a chance to lead the region in home runs for Etowah High School. Not bad for a sophomore who won’t turn 16 years old until right around the start of the season.
-Jason Phillips
Most Likely to Make a Huge Jump in the Rankings in 2026
‘27 Justice Morrison (Westlake HS)
Twitchy athletic middle infielder who committed to Vanderbilt back in September. It’s not hard to bet on this improving over the next calendar year as he continues to add strength throughout his wiry frame. The angles and internal clock at shortstop are real, and he has the chance to stick there as he continues to move through his prep days and into his collegiate career. It’s switch hit ability with feel for the barrel from both sides of the box, with good length through the hitting zone and budding impact to either gap. As Morrison starts to lift the baseball consistently a bit more, you have a bundle of tools here with a good offensive profile to headline the entire package. Vanderbilt got ahead of the curve here with this pickup.
‘27 Will Richardson (North Oconee)
It does not take too much faith here to go out on a limb and say this has a really good chance to pop over the course of the next year. At 6’5/195 and throwing with the left hand, Richardson was really impressive in Jupiter for Team Elite. He tossed four innings of one hit ball and struck out four, running his fastball up to 91-mph and showed a slider and change in his arsenal. As more strikes start to come into the picture and he adds on more functional strength, this entire arsenal will only continue to improve. He’s got the size, ease of operation and the arm really works… going to be a player that collegiate coaches need to keep tabs on this spring and incoming summer.
Most Likely to Hit .500 in PG Events in 2026:
‘27 Daniel Biondo (Denmark)
Hitting .500 is no easy feat, especially for guys who play as much as Biondo does in a summer. But it’s easy to rock with a prospect who hit .410 over 78 AB’s and has a long, long track record of hitting at every stop. He gets the ball in the air to his pull-side consistently per his spray charts, lending itself well to future power projection as he continues to fill out his wiry 6-0/170 frame. It’s a quiet right-handed swing that has proven adjustable, hitting velocity and recognizing spin from a bevy of different arms and angles. He creates good angles, it’s simple and he’s consistent. Barrel finder. He has hit .400 or better in four of his last five years at Perfect Game events on very good volume. He is also uncommitted.
‘27 Evan Brand (Kell)
Brand is another bat in the Peach State that has consistently hit for higher averages than most of his peers, wrapping up the ‘25 campaign with a .429 average after a staggering .489 mark in ‘24. He simply doesn’t strike out, and has outlier barrel control/adjustability to cover the zone and identify spin. He’s got loose wrists with a toe tap timing mechanism that is always on time, flicking the barrel out to anything over the plate and practicing a true all fields approach. It’s a linedrive swing with lower attack angles, showing the consistent ability to put the ball in play and get on base. Count on Brand for another calendar year of production at the dish.
Most Likely to make a Velo Jump into the Mid-90s in 2026
‘26 Ty Tillery (Morgan County)
Tillery got his fastball up to 94-mph once this summer, but it was a majority of low 90’s heaters over the course of his starts. After an off-season of work, it seems quite plausible that we could see him come out in the spring working into the 94-5 band with some consistency, especially early on his starts. He was 90-93 at National this summer, showing an easier motion to get to that velocity with an arm that works and good physical size at 6’4-195. The body can easily hold more weight, and you don’t have to take a risk when saying there’s more in the tank here. Auburn commit.
Most Likely to Back Up a Breakout in 2026
‘26 Santos Wade
Wade has gotten on the radar of area scouts in Georgia and for good reason. He has a bundle of projectable tools, with the glove, arm and instincts to stick at short and some of the most explosive Blast Motion data you can find for a prep in the class. The hands have been called “robust” at the dish, assisting in creating substantial rotational acceleration and bat speed. He’s got impact in the bat too, as we got a glimpse of it in the fall. He would connect on a screamer of a linedrive homerun that left Field 1 at East Cobb over the big blue wall in left. Outside of the bat, he looks to be an above average runner with more to come in terms of physical projection as well. There more than likely isn’t too much more in terms of height given the proportioned look of his build, but he can pack on more strength without losing a step for shortstop. As he continues to refine his approach and get into advantage counts more often, look for Wade to pick up real steam on the MLB Draft trail.
‘26 David Ojeda (Buford)
He has been well ranked on the scene for a while now, but after a year that saw him attend a sunshine showcase and earn his National invite, he would end the year ranked #227 in the country with a 9.5 grade. He brings a tightly wound, physical frame to the table with strength in his hands/forearms. He is a 6.64 runner and has instincts on the basepaths in games, with the ability to play all three spots in the outfield grass right now with 91-mph arm strength. It’s a left-handed stick with a swing geared for getting the baseball in the air and he can do just that, slugging three homeruns this year at PG events and none of them were of the cheap variety - he would get one over the batters eye on Field 1 at East Cobb this fall. It's really easy to like everything Ojeda can offer right now, and the fact he is still uncommitted is a bit mind boggling… he is a contributor early at the next level.
Most Likely to Lead Region in Home Runs
‘26 Malachi Washington (Parkview)
Washington was awarded a bevy of silverware for his accomplishments last spring, including taking home Perfect Game’s Underclass Player of the Year award. He would hit .538 with 15 homeruns and 59 RBI, an absurd line as a part of a Parkview club that was competitive all year long. He is a Perfect Game All-American, an LSU commit and the 19th ranked player in the country right now. There isn’t too much else to say here… Washington is my bet for leading the Region in Home Runs.
-Michael Albee