16u WWBA National Championship: Event Page | Daily Leaders
Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6
Having already won a playoff game last week in the 17u WWBA, Sheets Baseball went to righthander Hayden Durke (2020, Abbeville, La.) again for a big performance and the future Ragin Cajun delivered with a near complete game performance. Young for the grade, though you’d never know given his strongly built 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, Durke went 6.1 innings against Chet Lemons Juice and punched out three while surrendering just two hits.
Working with a tempo and pace on the mound that proved to be as quick as his right arm, Durke worked in a fast forward type mode, getting the ball back from the pitcher and would immediately toe the rubber and look for the sign of the next pitch. With eh quickness to his arm he did a nice job of working on top of the ball and filled the zone while topping out at 91 mph. Even more impressive than his peak velocity early in the game was his ability to still show plenty of 89s and 90s in his final inning of work, working comfortably in the 87-90 mph range throughout. He mixed in both a curveball and changeup to keep hitters off balance and though he has some refinement to both pitches in terms of maintaining arm speed and release point, there’s plenty there to envision him being a starting arm in Lafayette in a few years’ time.
Liam Norris (2020, Cary, N.C.) got the start for Team Elite and while he’s be detailed in previous write ups thanks to his big left arm, a trait that once again ran his fastball up to 93 mph, it was the frequency in which he missed bats when in the zone that stood out in this look. With seven punch outs over four innings, Norris missed bats at an alarming rate in the first inning, especially against lefthanded hitters as he was able to work the glove side while generating solid plane through the zone. He gathers on his backside which at times causes for some inconsistencies to his release, though it’s something he can continue to iron out over his next two years. Along with his premium fastball, Norris once again showed his hard slider, running the pitch up to 82 mph and showing the potential to be an above average, swing-and-miss type offering.
Countering Norris was righthander Jackson Fristoe (2020, Paducah, Ky.) and though the Kentucky Wildcat commit didn’t have his sharpest of outings going just 1.1 innings, it’s plenty clear why the UK staff is excited about this in-state commit. Listed at a long and projectable 6-foot-4, 190-pounds, Fristoe continues to come into his own with noticeable jumps in terms of his arsenal. The arm action is short and compact through the back and offers plenty arm speed, producing a fastball that peaked at 91 mph and maintained 87-90 mph over the entirety of his outing, showing occasional cut from a slight cross-body finish, though that’s also something that helped aid the breaking ball. A mid-70s offering that peaked at 77 mph, Fristoe’s curveball showed tight rotation through the zone with solid hand speed and late break and proved to be a solid secondary offering. Don’t be surprised if there’s another jump or two left in the tank for Fristoe as he’s already been up to 93 mph on the mound this summer after peaking at 88 mph this past fall.
Trejyn Fletcher (2020, Portland, Maine) and Brandon Fields (2020, Orlando, Fla.) aren’t playing on the same team, but you’d be hard pressed to find a more athletic duo playing on side-by-side fields in the 16u WWBA. Fletcher, a Vanderbilt commit, continued to find the barrel for Team Elite as he helped his team advanced to the final day, finding the barrel regularly with loud contact typically being the end result. His swing is a simple one yet also a powerful one with ample bat speed and plenty of looseness through the zone, first pulling a ground ball single that registered 102 mph off the barrel before picking up two more singles at 92 mph and 97 mph, each, to the pull side. And while all three of those hits were impressive, it was his first swing in the final game of the day that produced the loudest contact as Fletcher jumped all over an elevated fastball and quickly put his team ahead with a deep shot over the left field fence.
Fields may not have filled the stat column like Fletcher but that doesn’t mean the recent South Carolina commit didn’t impress at the plate. His overall physical strength and bat speed will rival that of anybody in the tournament and when he connects with the ball you better watch out because odds are it’s coming off the barrel hot. Though Fields went 0-for-4 on the day against Sheets Baseball, he very easily could have been at least 1-for-4 had it not been for a fully extended catch by the center field on a line drive that left Fields’ bat at 102 mph. Facing Hayden Durke (above), Fields showed no problem handing upper-80s fastball as he simply spun on heaters and nearly put his team ahead in the top of the seventh, just missing the barrel on a ball that looked like it was going to split the gap with the bases loaded. While he’s a two-sport star and committed for both baseball and football, Fields has a definite future on the diamond and will be an exciting prospect to follow moving forward.
Similar to last year’s 15u WWBA, outfielder Austin Hendrick (2020, Oakdale, Pa.) seems to swing it best when it’s playoff day and the opening round of the 16u WWBA was no different. Stronger than he was last summer, Hendrick still utilizes his unique start in the box, one that’s yet to inhibit his ability to generate some serious barrel whip in the zone and impact the baseball as hard as anybody in the tournament. And impacting the baseball is just what he did throughout Thursday, driving a pull side home run that got out in a hurry while registering 100 mph off the barrel before nearly adding a second later in the day if not for the top spin, putting a 3-run double off the left field fence which left his bat at 97 mph. For the tournament Hendrick is now hitting .391 from atop the lineup, showing the ability to work the count and attack any pitch he thinks he can handle.
When you think about a profile for a leadoff type hitter you tend to think of a quick-twitch player with bat-to-ball skills and the ability to disrupt a game on the bases offensively. All of those traits describe Scorpions Select center fielder Dylan Brazil (2020, Lake Mary, Fla.), an uncommitted outfield who put together an impressive performance in his team’s playoff run. A lefthanded stick, Brazil showed no discomfort digging in against fellow lefthander Luke Wagner (below), twice picking up singles against mid- to upper-80s fastball and ultimately finished the game going 3-for-3 to raise his average to .414 for the week. His swing is a quick and direct one, creating extension out front while bringing that speed to the bases as he swiped four bags in his final game and six on the day. He may not be overly physical at his listed 5-foot-8, 165-pounds but Brazil has tools that can definitely make an impact on the outcome of a game.
Another uncommitted player who has played well on both sides of the ball in my looks this tournament has been shortstop Brendan York (2020, Buford, Ga.). While he’s not ultra-physical like other players in Team Elite’s lineup at 5-foot-10, 155-pounds, York has handled the barrel as well as anybody, consistently squaring up the ball to all fields and is currently working with a .538 batting average heading into the semi-finals. He’s also the starting shortstop and seems to make every play with lightness and athleticism to his footwork, moving well to either side while completely the play regardless of if he’s able to plant his feet or make the throw on the run.
Sticking with the uncommitted theme, righthander Zachary Bennett (2020, Port Orange, Fla.) got the ball for the Scorpions Founders Club and though he ultimately took the loss, he posted five straight zeroes after allowing two runs in the first and pitched well throughout. Long and projectable at 6-foot-5, 205-pounds, Bennett topped out at 86 mph early and often as he lived in the 83-86 mph range throughout the course of the game, all the while pitching exclusively out of the stretch. His delivery overall is a simple one and staying short through the back allowed for plenty of strike down in the zone, inducing ground ball contact thanks to his late cutting action on the fastball. Bennett’s go-to secondary was his slider, a 75-77 mph pitch that resembled his heater out of the hand and showed similar late action through the zone, just roughly 10 mph slower, though it was plenty effective and helped collect his five strike outs on the day.
Working out of the bullpen for Dirtbags Bad Company, righthander Ben Sieracki (2020, Rocky Mount, N.C.) came up big for his team, helping shut down the comeback in the bottom of the sixth before navigating the final two outs in bases loaded, one out tie breaker. Opening up in the mid-80s, Sieracki slowly saw his velocity climb as the pressure of the game intensified, eventually peaking at 89 mph on the final pitch of the game, an eight pitch at-bat in which he pounded the fastball in on a righthanded hitter for a called third strike in a 3-2 count to end the game. His arm action is both quick and on line through the back and he did a nice job of working on top of the ball, generating plane while working almost exclusively off of his fastball. Currently uncommitted, Sieracki showed he wasn’t afraid to take the mound in a big situation and was a key component in his helping his team win.
Speaking of big performances out of the bullpen, lefthander Luke Wagner (2020, New Cumberland, Pa.) was pivotal in helping Team Elite advanced with a gutsy performance in which he worked 5.1 innings and punched out eight while maintaining his arsenal and intensity from the first to last pitch of his outing. While not overly imposing on the mound at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, there’s no mistaking the quickness to Wagner’s left arm as he came out attacking hitters with a fastball that lived in the 87-90 mph range throughout and even bumped as high as 91 later in the contest. It’s an up-tempo delivery for the future Georgia Bulldog but his athleticism and feel on the mound allow for him to repeat his mechanics while also manipulating his release and dropping his arm slot on any given pitch, maintaining his velocity while still filling the zone. The fastball features short running life with which he can bust in on the hands of lefthanded hitters while also spinning a quality slider in the upper-70s, both landing it for strikes or burying it as a chase pitch down in the zone.
Already committed to Louisiana State, shortstop Connor Simon (2021, Mandeville, La.) did a little bit of everything for Sheets Baseball throughout their playoff run, both performing defensively up the middle as well as out of the bullpen when called upon for some crucial outs. With a lean and highly projectable 6-foot, 160-pound frame, Simon moves very well up the middle, showing smoothness to his actions with plenty of balance as well as a strong arm which he brought with him to the mound. Called in off shortstop to relieve Hayden Durke, Simon walked a batter and struck out a batter to face a bases loaded, two-out, up by one run situation in the top of the seventh with slugger Brandon Fields at the plate. Simon locked in, running his fastball up to 89 mph with a short and quick arm stroke and ultimately got Fields to line out to left-center field to preserve the win.
In what was a battle of the lefthanded pitchers between Georgia Jacket’s Sam Stratton (2020, Alpharetta, Ga.) and Sheet Baseball’s Brody Drost (2020, Sulphur, La.), it was Stratton and his Jackets who ultimately came out ahead. Working the first five innings, Stratton did a nice job of filling up the strike zone and keeps the opposing offense at bay, allowing just a single base knock while punching out seven and ran his fastball up to 84 mph, still showing low-80s into his final inning of work.
Drost, an LSU commit who shows very intriguing two-way potential, nearly went the distance and allowed a run on five hits, topping out at 87 mph along the way. Adding and subtracting to his fastball throughout the game, ramping it up into the mid-80s whenever it was needed, Drost did a nice job of working in the zone with a three-pitch mix which helped strike out seven in this look. While he tends to slow his arm action on his 73 mph changeup, he does a nice job of replicating his release point and generates fading life to the pitch while mixing in a tight curveball up to 74 mph with 1-7 shape.
-Jheremy Brown
On the mound in the first playoff game of the day for MWE was recent Oklahoma State commit Trevor Martin (2020, Byars, Okla.). The big righthander struck out the first six batters he faced, eight of the first nine, and 13 altogether. Running his fastball up to 89 mph early on before settling in to a mid-80s fastball range. Each pitch Martin throws lots of movement keeping the baseball off of opposing hitters’ barrels. The fastball shows riding cutting action while the curveball is a sharp pitch with slurve-type shape up to 77 mph. Martin stays online and has a good awareness of the strike zone. The Oklahoma State commit was in complete control from start to finish for his team. He stays online with his delivery and is able to repeat it enough to get consistent strikes in the zone. The arm does wrap a bit through the back-side but stays full through to the point of release.
A pair of hitters have swung a hot bat this week in Georgia and both connected on home runs during the playoff round. UCLA commit Eli Paton (2020, La Canada, Calif.) and recent Missouri commit Garrett Rice (2020, Willard, Mo.) each went yard and showed strong swings in doing so. Paton’s left his bat from his lefthanded swing at 93 mph and traveled a distance of 380 feet. The primary third baseman has a quick leg lift trigger that gets down on time repeatedly as it did on the home run swing. Rice recently commited to Missouri and the righthanded hitting first baseman struck an 0-0 fastball with impact as he launched the ball deep to left field with a 97 mph exit velocity. Rice has strength present on his 6-foot-2 frame and lots of strength to his hands.
There are a lot of things to like about lefthanded pitcher Davis Rokose (2019, Johns Creek, Ga.) and one of those is his outstandingly advanced ability to command the strike zone. Rokose throws with good velocity of up to 88 mph, but for a lefthander his age, the amount of strikes he throws is impressive. Rokose has three pitches that come out of his hand from a crossfire delivery and a clean arm action. His fastball sits in the mid-80s consistently, his curveball comes from a similar tunnel as the fastball with good 1-to-7 shape, and his changeup has late dive and is a true swing-and-miss pitch to righthanded hitters. On this day Rokose consistently kept hitters off balance and pithed to the daily limit of his pitch count while striking out three in a dominant winning effort.
James Triantos (2022, McLean, Va.) stood out Thursday as a rising freshman in high school while playing up two classifications. Triantos has a young frame that is still growing and is projectable as well. The righthander from Virginia can already run his fastball up to 86 mph while maintaining a low- to mid-80s fastball range. Triantos pitched 4 1/3 innings against a talented BPA team and held his own for his young age. The righthander has an advanced feel for pitching as well as an advanced arsenal of pitches to work with. He mixes three pitches keeping hitters of either handedness off balance. His curveball is a 12-to-6 in the low-70s that projects and his changeup was a nice offering that has sinking action up to 75 mph. There is a lot to like about the young 2022 graduate pitcher and it will be interesting to see how he matures moving forward.
Grayson Moore (2020, Longwood, Fla.) is a switch hitter and while only catching at-bats from the left side in this viewing he did show some interesting pieces to his swing that project well down the road. The outfielder has quick hands that allow him to hit the ball out in front and spray the ball to all parts of the field. Moore started FTB’s first game offensively with a triple down the right field line. Later in the day he put another good swing on the ball and showed that he could handle velocity too. The UCF commit put a true swing to a 94 mph fastball and lined it into right field for a pull side single.
Showing two-way potential this week and all summer long, what Jordan Walker (2020, Stone Mountain, Ga.) did with his bat on Thursday gave glimpses of his ability to truly do both at a high level. Walker stepped to the plate with the bases loaded in a crucial situation in Thursday’s win-or-go-home playoff game and delivered a double to left-center field that left the barrel of his bat at 96 mph. The uncommitted primary third baseman has shown recently that he can run his fastball up to 88 mph on the mound, but the way he swings the bat and overall potential in the infield are intriguing as he stands at an extremely projectable and athletic 6-foot-4, 194-pounds.
Getting his second start of the tournament for Team Georgia in their second game of a doubleheader was Michael Fowler (2020, Trussville, Ala.). The uncommitted righthander has deliberate actions to his delivery before whipping his arm through the stroke with intent and getting upper-80s velocity on his fastball. Fowler has a noticeably fast arm and it generates both deception to hitters and some issues at times with his command. He showed a straight fastball that topped out at 89 mph, a sharp breaking ball in the low-80s that gave glimpses of both curveball bite and slider bite, depending on interpretation, and a changeup at 82 mph as well. His frame is intriguing as it is projectable at 6-foot-2, 175-pounds and with some added strength and the speed of his arm, there will likely be more velocity from Fowler in the near future.
Two weeks ago at the 14u WWBA National Championship Samuel Dutton (2021, Rainbow City, Ala.) topped out at 85 mph on the mound and on Thursday during playoff action of the 16u WWBA the righthander ran his fastball up to 90 mph. The delivery is so clean for his young age as his arm is quick and loose as well. Dutton has a high pitchability for his age as well and drives down the mound with easy effort while staying online. His fastball sat in the 86-89 mph range with lots of life to armside. He flashed a changeup to lefties that was a weapon to lefthanded hitters and a 12-to-6 curveball that is very sharp with lots of biting action to it. Dutton is a special arm on the mound and has shown an outstanding velocity jump in a short amount of time.
Joshua Swales (2020, Porter Ranch, Calif.) burst onto the Perfect Game scene on day one of the 16u WWBA and made his second appearance on the mound as well in the quarterfinals. Swales is a lean and athletic 6-foot-2 righthander who can really pitched offering three pitches for strikes. His arm is loose while his lower half has drop-and-drive actions. The fastball ranged from 88-91 on this day with heavy life to armside consistently with each pitch. His curveball flashed sharpness at times when thrown with conviction and his changeup topped out at 80 mph. He stays online and with low effort making reason to believe that there is plenty more in his arm moving forward.
– Greg Gerard
BPA ended up falling in the quarterfinals on Thursday night, but not before putting on an impressive display over the course of the week, including a pair of wins in the playoffs during the day. Petey Halpin (2020, San Mateo, Calif.) stood out all week for his impressive hitting abilities and overall athleticism. He hit close to .400 over the course of the week with an OPS approaching 1.000, and added in 7 stolen bases along the way. The hands work tremendously throughout the swing, quick and easy, getting the barrel on plane early and on time, then showing very good bat speed through the zone on a linear plane. He shows the ability to work counts as well as drive the ball, and as he continues to get stronger and add a bit more loft to the swing, he will undoubtedly hit for more power as well.
Jared Jones (2020, Whittier, Calif.) got on the mound and got the start in the playoff game vs. FTB, ending up getting the win as well, throwing six innings and allowing only one run, scattering two hits and three walks while picking up six strikeouts. Jones stands out as a two-way prospect, showing excellent hitting abilities throughout the week, but perhaps his loudest tool is the arm speed he possesses on the mound. He worked up to 96 mph with his fastball per Trackman, with a loose, whippy arm that has a seemingly limitless velocity ceiling. He does a fair job of repeating his delivery and shows the ability, at times, to pound the zone. His slider is thrown firmly in the 80-84 mph range, and when he finishes spinning the ball out front, it shows sharp, late tilt with two-plane break, giving him the potential for a second plus pitch long term.
Dante Girardi (2020, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) has shown high-level hitting tools and defensive abilities all week long, and made one of the plays of the tournament on Thursday afternoon. From shortstop, Girardi ranged far to his left up the middle, diving to snag a ground ball. He did a half roll, still on the ground, from his fully-sprawled position and threw accurately from a seated position to nab the runner at first. Spectacular aside, Girardi’s baseball acumen is obviously advanced, and he’s done an excellent job of developing his tools to go along with that baseball IQ, and should be monitored closely moving forward.
Team GA Baseball Gold/MBA 16u won their playoff game vs. Hitters Baseball behind the left arm of Davis Rokose, detailed above. On the defensive side of the ball, Daalen Adderley (2019, Chattanooga, Tenn.) stands out as one of the top defenders in the entire class, and his name should be followed closely as a young 2019 who will be eligible for the draft in June. He’s extremely quick-twitch, with balanced and athletic actions in any direction from shortstop, showing the ability to control his body in an advanced way. He’s got solid-enough arm strength right now, and looks to be one of the standout prep defensive prospects in the class of 2019.
On the other side, AJ Vukovich (2020, Mukwanago, Wisc.) has stood out for years for his hitting abilities as well as his prodigious power from the right side of the plate, but he’s also an intriguing option on the mound. With excellent size and good athleticism, Vukovich has some restrictions to his mechanical operation on the mound, but still produces excellent arm strength with some deception to the operation as well. He worked up to 90 mph on the mound, producing good sink on the pitch when located down in the zone, and working in a curveball in the 70-74 mph range that, with refinement, projects well down the road.
MWE 16u advanced to the semifinals on Thursday evening, beating the Louisiana Knights 4-2. Cade Horton (2020, Norman, Okla.) got the start and the win, going 5.1 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five. Horton is a high-end, two-way Ole Miss commitment who is expected to be impactful both with the bat and on the mound in Oxford in a couple years, and he’s shown that two-way ability in a big way this week. On the mound, he runs his fastball up to 92 mph at present, sitting right at 90-92 mph early on before dipping more into the 86-89 mph range for the duration. He’s athletic on the mound with a quick right arm, and shows the ability to throw strikes with three pitches. The fastball features good, late life when down in the zone, making it tough to lift; and he’s very adept at spinning the ball, with a slider consistently in the 77-79 mph range with late, tight bite. The pitch shows above-average right now on the MLB scouting scale, projecting plus easily at this point. His changeup has good tumble to it but is thrown a bit firmly at the moment without much velocity separation from his fastball, but the feel for the pitch is apparent.
Michael Latulas (2020, New Iberia, La.) stood out offensively all week for the Knights, and the big, physical lefthanded hitter possesses some of the better jump off the barrel to the opposite field in the class. He’s got lots of strength right now, and while the swing is indeed geared for opposite field contact, he does so with tremendous jump, showing the ability to drive even offspeed pitches deep in that direction. As he continues to mature as a hitter and learn to pull the ball with authority, he’s got as much potential raw power as most any other hitter in the class.
Patrick Holloman (2020, McDonough, Ga.) was his usual tremendous self in the Georgia Roadrunners’ 2-0 playoff victory on Thursday morning, throwing a complete game shutout on only 81 pitches, while pounding the zone at a 75% strike clip. He picked up nine strikeouts and scattered a scant three hits, walking none. The Georgia commit was in control from the very first pitch, as he pounded the zone consistently with a two-pitch mix, working to all four quadrants of the strike zone at will. The fastball worked 84-87 mph range for the entirety of the game, never losing velocity and still popping 85’s right to the final pitch. The fastball features significant angle from his extended three quarters slot, along with some late life to it. His curveball worked in the low-mid 70’s, and has taken continued leaps forward over the past couple years in terms of its development. He’s always had great feel for spinning the ball, and he can manipulate the shape of the pitch at will as well as land it to either side of the plate, inducing both frozen called strike threes as well as some very awkward swings-and-misses. The delivery, arm action, stuff, and track record all speak to not only continued success at present, but also a tremendous future at the collegiate level.
-Brian Sakowski
The Rawlings Arkansas Prospects – Menard are on to the semifinals of the 16u WWBA National Championship thanks in large part to the left side of their infield. Cayden Wallace (2020, Greenbier, Ark.) put a number of impressive swings on the ball in Thursday’s action with exit velocities including 92, 95, 101 and 104 mph. Wallace is a physical third baseman standing at 6-foot-1, 200-pounds and he is a big presence when stands in the box. Wallace has quick hands and a bat path that goes directly to the ball, and the Arkansas commit also played exceptional defense on Thursday. The strength Wallace has mixed with his quick hands makes for a guy that can hit for power very well. Wallace consistently found the barrel all day, and he is a great prospect to follow in the 2020 class.
Marcus Brown (2020, Springdale, Ark.) joined Wallace with solid defensive play on for this group from Arkansas. Brown plays a very good shortstop, and his smooth hands and quick feet make him an exciting member of the 2020 class. Brown has quick hands and a smooth swing at the plate, and the swing was really impressive on a hard single up the middle in their round of 16 matchup. Brown finished with four hits and two walks on Thursday, and his defense up the middle was a catalyst for this team that is on to the semifinals.
On the mound, Dylan Carter (2019, Bentonville, Ark.) turned in an unbelievable outing in the quarterfinals. Carter tossed a complete game shutout, striking out three and allowing just two hits. Carter worked in the mid-80s with his fastball for most of the game, but what was most impressive was his ability to maintain that velocity and even bump it up in the final inning. Carter was 86-88 in his final inning of work, and he was able to really work in the zone throughout the game. Carter has a physical 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, and he has a repeatable lower half that allows him to get down the mound. Carter has a loose and quick arm action, and the lower half and arm work together well to stay in sync.
In other playoff action, Team Elite Prime pitcher Wyatt Crowell (2020, Cumming, Ga.) turned in a solid outing in the quarterfinals. Crowell tossed five strong innings, striking out and allowing just one hit. Crowell works from a three-quarters arm slot, and the angle he creates by coming across his body is tough on lefties. Crowell has natural run and sink he gets when working to the arm side, and he also showed great feel for a mid-70s slider. Crowell worked from 84-87 with his running fastball on Thursday, and the uncommitted member of the 2020 class is definitely a good arm to keep an eye on as he develops.
– Nate Schweers