2,075 MLB PLAYERS | 14,476 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS
Create Account
Sign in Create Account
Tournaments  | Story  | 6/19/2019

18U WWBA: Day 3-4 Scout Notes

Drew Wesolowski      Brian Treadway      Colton Olinger      Jacob Jordan      Jacob Martin      Matthew Arietta     
Photo: Chris McElvain (Perfect Game)



Jett Jackson (2019, Burns, Tenn.) kicked off the action early while filling it up on the mound. The projectable righthanded pitcher showed a long, large frame with an athletic build and broad shoulders. He liked to work with a longer arm action before delivering from a high three-quarters arm slot. Jackson stayed on plane with a slightly upright upper half during his motion. While pounding the zone, he had a nice mix of pitches keeping hitters off balance. His fastball showed great arm-side run and sink sitting in the upper-80s and topping at 89 mph. His curveball showed good bite when he got on top with it. It showed slurvy actions sitting in the mid-70s. The Purdue commit allowed only four hits while going three innings for a stacked Knights Baseball squad. Keep an eye on him next year at Purdue as the 2019 grad is mere months away from stepping on campus.



Chris McElvain (2019, Thompsons Station, Tenn.) is another Tennessee prospect from the Knight’s Baseball squad to make the trip down for the weekend. The top-ranked catcher from his state showed a large frame with a mature, strong lower half build. The Vanderbilt commit flashed the leather over at third base with a couple of nice plays including one on a slow roller coming through the baseball well and firing a throw on the money from a very low arm angle. He also showed he could get it done in a big way at the plate. The righthanded hitter had a slightly spread out stance before working into a big, slow leg kick that he started early. He flashed a very quick bat while attacking the baseball out front. When he gets extended, he drives the baseball gap-to-gap with ease. He hammered a double down the leftfield line off a solid lefthanded pitcher that tried to bust him inside. He knocked in an RBI on that double and continued to square balls up all morning. Continue to follow along as he looks to make an impact in the Vanderbilt system as early as next year.

Payton Pennington (2019, Hamilton, Ohio) is another prospect who made a long journey from Ohio to compete in this week’s action. He showed a medium build with a lean, athletic look and room to fill down the road. The smooth-swinging lefthanded hitter showed he could hit for power and contact. He started with a relaxed stance before working into higher hands while creating separation. With his above average bat speed, he covered all parts of the zone making him a very difficult out. The Cincinnati commit also flashed some serious speed both on the basepaths and in the field. He drove one into the left-center gap while legging out a triple with two RBI to go with it. He also played a solid second base showing great instincts, showing very quick feet and working around the baseball with ease. His arm showed to be legit as well with a quick release and accurate throws. Keep an eye on this fast twitch prospect to make a splash at Cincinnati and possibly at the next level as well.



Matthew Cassandra (2020, Cumming, Ga.) proved to be one of the top-ranked uncommitted prospects in this week’s action. He showed a lanky, wiry frame with a lean build and plenty of room to fill out down the road. The big righthanded hitter showed he had all the tools already in place to be successful at the next level. He started with a slightly spread out stance before working into a small leg lift and then separate. His hands started a bit high and then went into a slight drop before showing a linear swing path. He flashed very quick hands resulting in bat speed before getting the barrel out front. Although he swung through a few pitches, you could see the projectability as he was just missing. Cassandra also proved to be a threat in the outfield with a big, strong arm that showed great carry from rightfield. He stopped a runner from tagging from third base with a missile to the plate. With his projectable build and mature tools in place, this uncommitted prospect will be an interesting follow for the rest of the summer and into his senior year of high school.

-Drew Wesolowski

Ethan Stamps (2020, Madison, Ga.) is a 5-foot-11, 190-pound second baseman. The righthander at the plate batted cleanup for the East Cobb Astros 17U Navy and showed his part. With a nice build, Stamps showed his power as he recorded a couple hits for his team including a grand slam that really opened the scoring. The Lipscomb commit has a slow load while lifting up his lead foot. As he is loading for the pitch, his elbow pops high and his hands drop near his chest. He has a strong compact swing and can really drive the ball. In the field, the Madison native is a good defender with solid glove work. He shows the capability to make tough plays and a smart IQ to know what he can be able to get.

Will Sanders (2020, Atlanta, Ga.) is a 6-foot-6, 195-pound righthanded pitcher. Sanders started on the mound for the East Cobb Astros 17U Navy and immediately went to work with his pitches. The righthander showed excellent command of all of his pitches and demonstrated the big-time stuff that has him ranked as one of the best pitchers in the nation. He pounded his fastball down and away constantly. His slider had a sharp break to it and came in around the same velocity as his changeup, which tumbled out of the zone quickly. The South Carolina commit has athletic ability as well and can field his position comfortably. On top of his performance and talent, Sanders is a team player. He can be seen throughout the game helping his team with bats and constantly supporting his teammates.

Dalton Pearson (2020, Johns Creek, Ga.) is a 5-foot-11, 185-pound outfielder. Pearson showed why he is rated as one of the top outfielders in the state with a great performance at the plate. The uncommitted outfielder started at leadoff for the East Cobb Astros 17U Navy team and did a good job at getting on base for them. The righthander stood at the plate with a bit of an open stance and has a quick, compact swing to pitches. The Johns Creek native had a good two-strike approach and was able to make contact on hard pitches. He has good speed and makes things difficult for the defense once the ball is put into play. On the bases, he looked very comfortable and took aggressive secondary leads which helped him get good jumps on balls in the dirt. He ended the game scoring two runs for his team on three hits while driving in three runs.

Narvin Booker (2021, Lithonia, Ga.) is a 5-foot-3, 140-pound outfielder. Starting in center field for MGBA 18U, Booker was able to hold his own and contribute for his team. In the field, Booker has the speed to get to balls hit deep in the gaps and make it routine. At the plate, the uncommitted lefthanded batter would consistently make contact with the ball and did a good job of getting on base for his team. With a frame that is still maturing, it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to show more power and arm strength in the future. However, with the speed he already possesses, he’s a threat to any defense once he is able to put the ball in play.

Ty Floyd (2020, Rockmart, Ga.) is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound righthanded pitcher. Floyd started the game for 643 DP Cougars 17U-Pralgo and showed why he is one of the highly-ranked pitchers in Georgia. His windup consists of a fluid rock backwards and then deliver his pitch from a three-quarters arm slot. Occasionally on two-strike counts, Floyd would switch to a quick pitch and skip his big leg kick which he usually does. The LSU commit’s fastball would usually sit in the high-80s and low-90s, maxing out at 94 mph. He would then take almost 20 mph off of that pitch and bring his 11-to-6 curveball in there in the lower-70s. He seemed to have a great feel for that curveball and could control it in high leverage situations and get him out of tough jams. As he works on his feel of his changeup, his fastball and breaking ball are two pitches high caliber pitches that he could use in almost any situation.

-Brian Treadway

Kyle Booker (2020, Southaven, Miss.), a Tennessee commit, showed great barrel-to-ball skills in his three at-bats with loud contact each time. He starts with an open stance, wide base, and low hand set. His leg kick allows him to get his weight transferred to his backside. He does a good job of staying connected through the swing while attacking the inside part of the ball and looking to drive it back up the middle. His ability to use his lower half through his swing paired with his quick hands should project for more power as he continues to fill out his 5-foot-10, 168-pound frame.

Jaylen Nowlin (2019, College Park, Ga.), a long, lean lefthanded pitcher committed to Jackson State, had a solid outing going six innings giving up only four hits while striking out five. He topped out at 87 mph with his fastball from a three-quarters arm slot with some arm side run. He also showed good feel for a curveball with 2-8 shape to it using it as a quality out pitch when up in the count. His easily-repeatable delivery and smooth arm action allowed him to maintain his mid-80s fastball throughout his six innings of work. His 6-foot-2, 187-pound frame leaves plenty of room to continue to fill out as he matures.

Dominique Page (2019, Atlanta, Ga.) has a large, physical frame measuring at 6-foot-2, 228 pounds. He displayed good bat control, barreling the ball up three times while displaying some pull-side power on his way to collecting two hits on the day. Page starts with a tall, slightly open stance, and a low hand set. He uses a quiet stride to trigger a smooth swing with a bat path that shows some loft to it. His lower half gets good rotation at contact to help provide so more power in his swing. With his build and swing mechanics he projects as a gap-to-gap hitter.

Coleman Crow (2019, Concord, Ga.) a Kennesaw State commit had a dominant outing on day four of the 18u WWBA National Championshipsgoing six scoreless innings while striking out 12 batters. Crow used a mix of an upper 80’s fastball that topped out at 90 mph and a mid-70’s slider to keep hitters off balance. The fastball showed some good arm side life while ranging between 2500-2600 rpm on its spin rate. Even more impressive was the slider that ranged between 2800-3000 rpm on its spin rate with late break. He throws mostly from a low three-quarters arm slot but showed the ability to mix his arm slot with both of his offerings. He comes right after batters getting ahead in the count with either pitch whileutilizing a compact delivery and loose whippy arm. His ability to stay on line while working down the mound also allows him to throw both of his pitches to any part of the zone. It will be interesting to watch as he continues to fill out is 6-foot 15 pound frame.

Andrew Allanson (2020, Lancaster, Calif.) put together two solid at-bats, both resulting in line drive singles to right field. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound switch hitting catcher definitely displayed the ability to get the job done from the left side of the plate. He starts in an open stance with a slight crouch. His hands start higher but dip down through the load. The bat path works level through the zone with a high finish creating some loft and the ability to get the ball in the air. He does a good job of keeping his frontside in and staying connected with his lower half through the swing. His natural swing path combined with plenty of room to fill out on his frame project well for big time pop from the left side of the plate. Behind the dish he displayed good control of the game, commanding the field. His large frame presents a friendly target for pitchers to throw to with soft hands and the ability to work around the ball. There is a lot to like from a tools standpoint and will be interesting to see how he continues to mature.

-Colton Olinger

Charlie Taylor's (2020, Dunwoody, Ga.) performance Tuesday afternoon was nothing less than spectacular. The Tennessee commit went 0-for-1 at the plate with two walks but it was his performance behind the plate that turned heads. Taylor was 3-for-3 at throwing out runners at second base. Two of the runners were attempting to steal and the third was attempting to move up on a wild pitch curveball in the dirt. After the ball bounced about eight-to-ten feet out to his left in foul territory, the catcher charged the ball, barehanded it and fired an absolute rocket to second and got the runner just in time. The arm is clearly plus, and all throws were extremely accurate and on the bag. Taylor’s quick pops and fast hands make him extremely projectable. His catching ability is also impressive. He sits low, frames correctly with soft hands and blocks well.

Patrick Holloman (2020, McDonough, Ga.) put together a strong outing for the Georgia Jackets 17U National Tuesday afternoon. The lefthanded pitcher threw a complete game shutout while allowing four hits, four walks, and posting six strikeouts. A University of Georgia commit, Holloman shows promise with his mid- to high-80s fastball that he pairs with a curveball and changeup. The curveball sits at 73-75 mph with tight spin and is the main secondary pitch. He also showed feel for his changeup that he threw to lefthanded and righthanded hitters. Holloman’s arm action is long and fluid with an overhand arm slot. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, a lean frame allows plenty of room for growth.

Austin St. Laurent (2020, Elon, N.C.) showed off his strong arm on the mound Tuesday. His fastball was up to 92 mph but sat in the 85-88 mph range. The primary shortstop also flashed a changeup at 80 mph and curveball a 75 mph, with feel for his changeup, and the slurvy curveball. He releases the ball from a high three-quarters arm slot. At the plate, the East Carolina commit went 1-for-3 with an RBI. With a projectable 6-foot-1, 190-pound lean frame, he shows present strength and a projectable body.

Ben Brantley (2019, Hernando, Miss.) pitched well in a 13-0 shutout win on Tuesday. The Louisiana Tech commit pitched five innings allowing two hits, two walks, and posting five strikeouts, with a mid- to high-80s fastball that was up to 88 mph paired with an 11-5 curveball that sat in the 73-75 mph range. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder gets downhill well with his physical frame and releases from a three-quarters arm slot. The arm action is fluid and works smoothly. The primary first baseman projects very well physically and could pitch at the collegiate level.

-Jacob Jordan

Army commit Ross Friedrick (2019, Alpharetta, Ga.) showcased his advanced offensive and defensive abilities for the East Cobb Yankees. The catcher has a large 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame with a strong and athletic build. Despite his size, he sets up low behind the plate which assists in his ability to block and frame pitches. His quick and explosive footwork makes this low stance possible in addition with a decent arm. A warm up pop time was clocked in at 1.88 seconds. Showed advanced leadership and communication skills behind the plate. The lefthanded hitter starts with a crouched and slightly open stance with a medium leg lift. His quick and fluid hands created a level swing plane. He takes a line drive approach to all fields especially in the gaps. Really good barrel control through the zone and excellent ability to make contact. During his fourth game of action, he went 4-for-4 with a double while peppering left-center field.

Coastal Carolina commit Brayden Moore (2020, Talking Rock, Ga.) is a shortstop with a projectable 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. Plus speed and athleticism give him really good range defensively as he gets in front of most ground balls. He displayed a smooth glove and quick transfers with a strong arm across the infield. The righthanded hitter starts with an open and slightly crouched stance with low hands out front. A small toe-tap trigger precedes his compact swing. He swings on a moderately downward plane as he hits a fair amount of ground balls and line drives. His bat speed and hand-eye coordination give him advanced contact skills. The speed out of the batter’s box puts pressure on infielders and assists in his ability to take extra bases.

Caleb Reis (2019, Marietta, Ga.) is a righthanded pitcher committed to Georgia Tech. With a 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame, he showcases a live arm with smooth and repeatable mechanics. From a three-quarters arm slot, he displayed a fastball with heavy run that sat around 88 mph and hit 90 mph. He also throws a fading changeup around 80 mph and a good slider around 78 mph, showing a lot of confidence in all three pitches and good control, locating well on the corners of the zone. Reis picked up the win while throwing 4 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, four hits allowed, and one earned run against a tough Chi Town Cream 18U team.

Arkansas commit Nathan Stevens (2019, Waunakee, Wis.) showcased his lefthanded stroke while batting for Chi Town Cream. He has a projectable 6-foot, 197-pound frame with a strong and athletic build and room to gain more strength. The lefthanded hitter starts with a wide base and an open stance with swaying hands. His hands drop down when he loads and simultaneously has a small toe-tap trigger. Advanced leg strength combined with really fast hands creates loud contact. His swing is fluid and smooth on a level plane. The hands and current frame are really projectable moving forward. Stevens is listed as a catcher, but he was slotted in the lineup as an extra hitter during the game. His catching abilities have previously received sparkling reviews.

-Jake Martin

Keaton Anthony (2020, Hoschton, Ga.) is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound first baseman from Mill Creek High School in his hometown. Keaton performed very well at the plate in the early game at KSU Poly this morning, going 2-for-3 with a steal and 2 runs scored. In the box, Anthony uses an open stance with hands back level with his ear, and a slight knee bend. He uses a slow bat waggle for timing and a rather large leg kick to start his swing as well. He demonstrated the ability to turn it loose with excellent bat speed and hand-eye coordination. Currently his power is to the gaps, and he moves well out of the box and on the bases. Good instincts on the bases as well. Displayed soft hands around the bag and receives the ball well. Reliable at first defensively where he showed good instincts with confidence and hustle. Plays the game the right way with intensity and desire. Currently ranked by our scouts as a righthanded pitcher and is in the Top-10 for the 2020 class in the state.

Graham Duncan (2020, Birmingham, Ala.) is a lefthanded pitcher from Vestavia Hills High School in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia, Ala. An incoming senior in the fall, Graham took the ball for his club, East Cobb Colt .45’s 18U, and was masterful on the mound, scattering three hits, walking four, and striking out 10 of his opponents. Duncan definitely fits the bill of the crafty lefty with his two-pitch mix that he showed confidence in and filled the zone all outing. Duncan uses a slow-tempo windup with good balance and pace. Arm works well and he delivers both pitches from a high three-quarters slot which is consistent and adds deception. Graham showcased a fastball with stayed around 80 mph, with arm-side run and sink, some in which was heavy at times. He mixed his curveball in all counts continually getting ahead of hitters. The curve has nice tight rotation and 1-7 break. He showed the ability to add and subtract with it on occasion as well. Duncan did a nice job filling up the strike zone and staying ahead of hitters all morning. A good athlete, Duncan was able to field his position well throughout his start. Exciting prospect to monitor moving forward.

Matthew Lerner (2019, Atlanta, Ga.) is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound backstop who recently graduated from Riverwood High School, located in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs. Lerner showcased his ability both at the plate and behind it this afternoon as he went 1-for-2 during the game with a sharp-hit single up the middle. Lerner has a short quick stroke through the hitting zone with good balance and rhythm in the box. He moves well out of the box for his size and is athletic behind the plate. Matthew showcased the ability to receive pitches well and communicate effectively with his pitching staff. He plays the game hard and showed a no-fear approach behind the plate. Lerner also displayed agility and was able to move well laterally, smothering pitches in the dirt, blocking with ease and regularity. Lastly, his throws to bases were crisp and accurate with a quick release and decent pop. Threw out two runners on the day, one attempting to steal second, and the other he caught drifting off of third base. Lerner definitely has a good feel for the position and translates well there. Overall, solid performance, looking forward to gauge more of his abilities throughout the summer.

Zachary Maxwell (2019, Acworth, Ga.) is a highly touted right-handed pitcher who recently graduated Riverwood High School in Atlanta. Rated as the fifth-best righthander in Georgia for the 2019 class and inside the Top-30 nationally, Maxwell was dominant in his two innings of work at East Cobb this morning throwing 32 pitches through two hitless innings and striking out three. Maxwell is a domineering figure on the mound, as he’s listed at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds. He is physically mature yet still might be able to add more strength and fill out his frame throughout his college career. Maxwell uses a slow-tempo windup from the first base side of the rubber. He stays balance well through delivery and loads his weight well on his backside. Arm works well throughout, and he delivers from a high three-quarters slot. Arm is free and easy through release with unrestricted recoil through his finish. He also gets over his front side well and down the mound for his size. The hard-throwing righty showed the ability to pound the zone with fastballs staying with the pitch his entire outing. Baseball is downhill with natural tail & sink. Maintained his velocity throughout his start and was up to 93 mph. Very high upside. Was selected by the New York Yankees in this year’s draft in the 30th round yet will honor his commitment to play college baseball in Atlanta at Georgia Tech. Good name to follow moving forward.

Jack Orlowski (2019, Madison Heights, Mich.) is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound third baseman from Brother Rice High School in Madison Heights, a suburb of his hometown. The recent graduate performed well all over the field Tuesday morning at KSU Southern Poly, going 1-for-1 with a double, RBI, and a walk. At the plate, Jack sets up with a slightly open stance and hands outside his peck. He steps to square, and does a nice job getting his hands loaded with his weight on his backside. He uses a quick, level bat path with quick hands and wrists. He makes strong contact with demonstrated barrel control and feel. Power is currently to the gap, yet size and strength indicate that more is to come as he continues to develop. On the bases, Jack moves very well with natural instinct and aggression. Smart ballplayer all over the field. Showed sound defensive actions at third and pairs his keen fielding ability with a strong arm that showcased strong, on target throws through the bag with a loose, easy arm action. Very athletic ballplayer who knows the game and his abilities. Plays the game hard and the right way. Very exciting prospect to watch moving into his collegiate career.

Peyton Rawlins (2020, Cumming, Ga.) is a 5-foot-10, 174-pound corner outfielder from South Forsyth High School in his hometown. An incoming senior in the fall, Peyton performed well all over the field Tuesday morning at the plate and in right field. At the plate, Rawlins went 2-for-2 with a double, a steal, and a run scored. He showcases a short, quick swing from the right side with current pop to the gap. He moves well on the bases and in the outfield with good instincts and fluid actions. In the outfield, Rawlins showcased the ability to cover a lot of ground and get quick, clean jumps on balls hit his way. Made a spectacular play hit deep to the right-center field gap running down a gapped liner for an out this afternoon that definitely turned some heads. Very athletic corner outfielder that has good arm strength as well and is accurate with his throws to bases. A good athlete and interesting player to see develop during his senior season. Confident in his current abilities with tools and feel all over the field. Exciting player to monitor moving forward.

Justin Tew (2019, Powder Springs, Ga.) is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound corner outfielder from Hillgrove High School in his hometown. At the plate Tuesday morning, Tew performed very well showing his advanced hitability and barrel control going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. He sets up with an open stance and hands near his pec and showed good rhythm and timing all afternoon. He has a good eye and showed it at the plate with consistent hard contact to the gaps, more often than not to the pull side. He moves well all over the field and is aggressive on the bases with good speed and instincts. In the outfield, Tew covers a lot of ground, demonstrated the ability to get good reads on balls hit his way, and has a strong, on-line, throwing arm that showed some carry and accuracy. Very athletic with a good, reliable glove in the outfield as well. Showed a ton of athleticism all over the field on Tuesday, as he will begin his collegiate career at Middle Tennessee State in the fall. Very high upside talent, that will be exciting to monitor throughout his career at the next level in Division I-A baseball.

Dylan Williams (2019, Kennesaw, Ga.) is 6-foot-1, 165-pound lefthanded pitcher from Kennesaw, Ga. A recent graduate from Kennesaw Mountain High School in his hometown, he performed very well on the mound this afternoon for his club, Nelson Baseball School, getting the start at KSU Southern Poly. Williams showed his keen pitchability going the distance and earning the win where he scattered four hits over seven innings of work and striking out seven of his opponents. On the mound, Williams has good size and strength to his current build. He sets up on the third base side of the rubber, and uses a slow-tempo, full windup. Arm works well through delivery with a slight hook in back, and he showed the consistent ability to release his repertoire from a three-quarters slot. Dylan uses a two-pitch mix of a fastball, and curveball. Fastball is firm with some riding life and some run down in the zone. He showed the ability to even add and subtract with it as he went keeping his opponents off balance all game long. To mix with his fastball he showcased a 1-7, three-quarters breaking curve with some depth and tilt. Had the ability to manipulate his curve adding to it when he needed which resulted some offerings getting some more tilt than his traditional 1-7 break, appearing more slurvy at times. Worked with good pace and kept the pressure on his opponent all game long. A good athlete, Dylan showed the ability to field his position as well. Overall, a solid lefthanded pitching prospect with ability and confidence who can locate his repertoire for strikes and battle for his team on the mound putting them in a good position to win.

-Matt Arietta
PG Special Events
Travel, Lodging, Entertainment
PG Partners
Recommended
About Perfect Game :: Contact us :: Terms of Use :: Privacy Policy :: Testimonials :: Job Opportunities
Copyright 1994-2024 by Perfect Game. All rights reserved. No portion of this information may be reprinted or reproduced without the written consent of Perfect Game.