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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/18/2018

16u BCS, Super25 Notes: Day 2

Photo: Caleb Marmo (Perfect Game)

16u BCS National Championship: Event Page | Daily Leaders
16u PG Super25 National Championship: Event Page | Daily Leaders
Day 1 Scout Notes

Day 2 of the 16u BCS National Championship had teams finishing up the first round of pool play and looking to improve their records heading into the reseadings. East Cobb Angels 16u moved up to 2-0 in the tournament and looks to remain undefeated. William Koch (2020 Canton, Ga.) started on the bump for the Angels. He was able to eat up 2 2/3 innings while allowing just one hit and one run. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound pound lefty shows good command of the fastball as he’s able to command some short running action from an extended low three-quarters slot, throwing almost 70 percent strikes. He works primarily from the stretch which allows him to maintain repeatability. He throws a good combination of curveballs and changeups, The curve has some sweeping shape to and he’s able to land it for strikes on the glove side edge of the plate. The changeup is his third pitch in the arsenal with short arm-side run.

The offense for the Angels came in the middle of their order with Jack Lassiter (2020 Acworth, Ga.) and Mitchell Walker (2020 Acworth, Ga.) doing the damage.

Lassiter is a 6-foot, 185-pound catcher with a simple approach in the box. He has some jump off the bat but looks to do damage more with line drive hits than with power swings. His swing is compact and balanced and his mechanics are easily repeated. Lassiter is able to make consistent solid contact while staying in the middle of the field as well as going the other way. He singled both back up the middle and to right field driving in a trio of runs.

Walker hits just one spot behind Lassiter and has a similar approach at the plate. He stays up the middle with a bit longer swing and meets the ball out front. He has a bit more pop off the bat with a 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame. The lower half works well and he can generate good torque through his swings. Both of Walker’s hits were line drives right back up the middle and he would score Lassiter on one of them.

Christopher Kahler (2020 Coral Springs, Fla.) started on the mound for Elite Squad 16u American and helped them move to 2-0 in the tournament. Kahler is a medium framed pitcher at just 5-foot-11, 160-pounds but he shows promise with pretty good command of his pitches. He topped out at 83 mph with a cutting fastball due to the fact that he gets around the pitch from a lower three-quarters slot. Due to the movement on the pitch he has much better command when working to his glove side. He also flashed a projectable pitch in his slider. It shows sharp lateral movement with some break late in the zone. Kahler worked 2 2/3 innings and allowed just a single hit with no runs.

Playing extremely solid defense behind Kahler was shortstop Jesus Pacheco (2020 Weston, Fla.). Pacheco is just 5-foot-9, 160-pounds, however, he shows excellent arm strength across the diamond. He fields with soft hands out front with a smooth funnel into exchanges. Pacheco has excellent range when working to both sides and he made several accurate throws while moving. Though he didn’t have a hit in the game, Pacheco shows some strong ability with the bat as well. His bat is quick through the zone with a smooth swing and really looks to line the ball to the pull side of the field.

Going 2-for-2 in the game for Elite Squad was No. 3 hitter D’Mani Scarbriel (2020 Hollywood, Fla.). Scarbriel has some present strength in his build and he attempts to use it in his at-bats. He generates some leverage through the swing and looks to do damage with a hard swing. Though he didn’t do too much damage in the game he still collected two singles on hard struck line drives into center field and left field.

Florida Burn 2020 Premier scored five unanswered runs in the middle innings to grab a 5-1 victory to move to 3-0 through the first round of pool play and should be among the top seeded teams moving forward. The top of the order did most of the damage Tuesday as Daniel Blitz (2020 Fort Myers, Fla.) drove in two of the five runs in the game. Blitz is a 5-foot-9, 165-pound second baseman and although he isn’t a large frame player he’s able to control the barrel well and put the ball in play after working the count to his favor. He’s a patient hitter and waits for a pitch he can drive. He swings the bat hard while staying on plane with a linear weight shift into contact. Blitz drove in two runs on a single to the opposite field.

Hitting two spots behind Blitz was JT Lambeta (2020 Odessa, Fla.). He’s a strong 6-foot, 185-pound first baseman who fills the position well. He displays clean glove-work with an advanced feel for snagging balls in the dirt. He also handled the bat well. He has a flat path and utilizes a middle-of-the-field approach. With his size and strength, Lambeta could benefit from a bit more of a lifted path through the zone. He showed good jump off the barrel with a hard-hit ball into center for an RBI single, however, he could allow himself to hit for some gap-to-gap power.

On the mound for the Burn was 6-foot-3, 175-pound righty Jeb Schrader (2020 Venice, Fla.). Schrader was solid in his two innings of work as he allowed just one hit and an unearned run. He shows a lot of potential on the mound with his long frame and his fastball that runs up to 80 mph. He’s able to throw the pitch to all four quadrants of the zone, as well as mixing in an 11-to5 curveball with depth. Though his stuff has potential he can cut of his arm action, which limits his velocity. If he can use his length a bit more he should be able to start to reach his true potential.

Moving to 1-1-1 in the tournament was Team DeMarini Intensity. After a lightning delay to open the fifth inning, the game had to be finished a day later. Starting for Intensity was Joseph Mucilli (2019 Fords, N.J.). Mucilli threw all four innings before the delay and allowed just one hit against a tough opponent. He has a quick tempo to his approach on the mound getting the ball back quickly and prepared to come to plate again. He has simple mechanics with excellent repeatability which allows him to fill the zone up. His fastball shows some good angle down the mound topping out at 82 mph. Mucilli generated weak contact by missing barrels with a short slider that he was able to command around the knees.




One of the biggest power potential bats in the Intensity order was four-hole hitter John Albrecht (2020 Monroe, N.J.). Albrecht has good power potential at the plate, as he utilizes a lifted barrel plane and looks to get under the ball some and drive it in the gaps. He’s able to stay on plane with the ball and has easy bat speed in his swing. Albrecht is a bit rotational, which keeps his best contact to the pull side of the field, and on Tuesday he connected with a ball out front for a long drive into left-center field for an RBI double.

Hitting a few spots behind Albrecht with a bit different approach was Peter Ostensen (2020 Staten Island, N.Y.). Ostensen is a 6-foot-1, 160-pound pound infielder that uses a high contact approach at the plate, looking to put the ball in play with line drives to all fields. He doesn’t have much jump off the bat, with gap power at his best, however, he knows his strength which is to keep the ball low and hit it around the park. Ostensen went 2-for-2 with a single into left field and a double down the line in right.

– Taylor Weber



The Knights Prime Nation club based in Pinehurst, N.C., came out swinging Tuesday morning at CenturyLink Park. Riding the very capable left arm of Brian Rubin (2020, Raleigh, N.C.), the Knights bolted to an early lead over Langan Baseball and never looked back. The 5-foot-11, 155-pound, Rubin, a rising junior at Middle Creek HS, is a command and control hurler who pitches to the edges with a fastball that showed consistent arm side run and enough sink at the plate to force many swings and misses. Rubin controlled the pace of the ball game with easy, repeatable mechanics and a consistent high three-quarters arm slot. He mixed in a very credible curveball (64-65 mph) that showed 12-to-6 break and depth at the plate.

Michael Clayton (2020, Timberlake, N.C.) is the Knights very capable and talented leadoff hitter. The left-handed swinging junior-to-be at Roxboro Community HS, is a very patient hitter who truly gets his role at the top of the order. He is patient and never unnecessarily expands the zone. He has a short, compact swing and a middle-of-the field mentality. He has a flat bat path and uses the entire field to hit line drives with authority. He also possesses a plus run tool that he uses effectively on both offense and defense. He is a steady outfielder with a strong and accurate arm.

West Virginia commit Michael Kluska (2020, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.) is gifted baseball player. The 6-foot, 160-pound Kluska will be a junior next year at Greenbriar East HS and appears ready to complete his last two years of high school ball and move on to the Big 12. He brings a wealth of talent to the field and noticeable feel for playing the game at a very high level. He is extremely instinctive in every phase. He has a short, compact, and powerful swing and shows the ability to drive the ball to the gaps with authority. He is also talented and speedy enough to bunt for a hit. On the bases, he uses his plus speed and aggressive running style to often take an extra base. Defensively, Kluska plays with an ease and grace matched by few. He has very soft hands and outstanding lateral movement in either direction. He makes difficult plays look fairly routine. His has a plus arm that is consistently accurate.

Nick Tyler (2020, Zebulon, N.C.) is the Knights talented catcher. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound rising junior at Corinth Holders HS, is a capable receiver who handles his pitching staff like a seasoned veteran. He has an easy and smooth style and frames pitches extremely well. He transitions well to throw and gets his throws on the way quickly and with accuracy. Tyler is also a presence with a bat in his hands. The righthanded swinger shows a compact, yet powerful swing and has gap-to-gap pop.

Manalapan, N.J. is home to the Langan Baseball Club and their very talented infielder Lucas Eosso (2020, Monroe Township, N.J.). The 5-foot-7, 150-pound Eosso is a gritty gamer who plays with great energy and focus. Eosso shows plus actions at shortstop and appears to always be in position to make plays. He has soft hands and a playable arm that is highly accurate. At the dish, the rising junior at Monroe Township HS, brings the same focus to his offense. He has a middle-of-the-field mentality, very strong hands, and looks to hit line drives from gap to gap.

Chandler World 2020 out of Windermere, Fla., is a solid club from the traditionally strong organization that has long been a part of Perfect Game play. This CW entry follows in a long line of fundamentally sound teams. Christopher Fetters (2020, Windermere, Fla.) is the speedy and rangy center fielder for Chandler World. The 6-foot-2, 150-pound Fetters, who will be a junior at Windermere High School next year, is a quick-twitch ball hawk. He understands positioning and gets great jumps. He also has a very accurate arm. Offensively, Fetters hits in the two-hole and is a contact-first hitter with a very patient approach. He is very short and quick to the ball and shows plus bat-to-ball skills.

Jonathan McMath (2020, Brooksville, Fla.) is an imposing figure at first base and a very talented cleanup hitter for Chandler World. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound McMath is a very graceful athlete who shows plus range, quick feet and a very strong arm. He plays the very tough first base position with a quiet, yet noticeable confidence. At the dish, the big lefthanded hitter has a classic power-hitter’s swing path and shows advanced bat-to-ball skills. He looks for pitches middle-in and hunts fastballs like a veteran slugger.

Manning the hot corner for Chandler World is sure-handed Matthew Valdes (2020, Rockledge, Fla.). The 5-foot-9, 140-pound third baseman plays with an assured fearlessness. He is unafraid to get in front of any grounder and makes all the difficult plays look routine. He has outstanding first-step quickness, especially to his glove side. He completes his defensive prowess with a sound arm that is highly accurate. At the dish, the righthanded swinger is a contact-first offensive player who has a short, flat bat path and appears to look for pitches he can hit up the middle or to the off field.

Righthander Jake Moldrem (2020, Melbourne, Fla.) used simple and repeatable mechanics to pound the strike zone and lead Chandler World to their early morning pool play victory. He used two different fastballs (two-seam at 75-77 and four-seam at 78-80), a tight-spinning curveball (66-68 mph) and a very mature changeup (63-64 mph) to command the zone from first pitch to last. The 6-foot-1, 160-pound, rising junior at Viera HS showed consistent poise and a veteran’s presence throughout his outing.

RBI Tri-City Red is a gritty, tough, fundamentally sound club out of Johnson City, Tenn. The high-energy team from the northeast corner of the Volunteer State played with a quiet confidence, displaying talent at every position. Brody Goodwin (2020, Gray, Tenn.) is the table-setter at the top of the Tri-City lineup. The gifted lefthanded swinging junior-to-be at Daniel Boone HS is a selective top-of-the-order hitter who uses a short and compact bat path to drive the ball from gap-to-gap. On the bases, the speedy Goodwin is an instinctive and aggressive baserunner. Defensively the strong-armed, lefthanded thrower plays right field and understands positioning and has a very reliable glove.

Hitting in the two-hole for RBI is Jake Wilhoit (2020, Knoxville, Tenn.). The 5-foot-11, 170-pond second baseman is a very accomplished hitter who understands his position in the batting order and approaches his at-bats accordingly. He is very patient and has the ability to hit behind the runner, lay a bunt down or drive the ball to the gaps. Defensively, the junior-to-be at Knoxville West HS is steady and sure. He makes all the routine plays and shows soft hands and a very strong and accurate arm.

Evan Carter (2020, Johnson City, Tenn.) is a dual threat for the club from Tennessee. The Duke commit started on the bump for RBI and was dominant for five-plus innings. He lived on the edges with a two-seam fastball (78-81) that showed consistent arm-side run and sink at the plate. He mixed in a 12-to-6 breaking curveball (68-69) and changeup (73-74) that were both well commanded. Offensively is where the future Blue Devil shines. He is a classic power hitting lefty swinger who has noticeable lift at contact. He looks middle-in and is an accomplished pull-side hitter. He doesn’t miss fastballs in the zone and his massive three-run homer to right-center field early in the ball game helped set the tone for the RBI Tri-City win.

Center fielder Caleb Marmo (2020, Johnson City, Tenn.) is the 5-foot-11, 170-pound, athletically gifted middle-of-the-order hitter for the RBI team. The lefthanded swinger attacks pitches in the zone. He is a definite pull-side oriented hitter who looks for fastballs middle-in. He stands on top of the dish and clears his hips like a veteran power hitter. He shows advanced barrel-to-ball skills and the ball jumps off his bat. Defensively, he takes command in the outfield and gets great jumps, often flagging down balls that seem like hits coming off the bat. He has a playable arm that is true on all throws.

The unsung hero of the RBI club is their catcher, Karson Dillard (2020, Elizabethton, Tenn.). The 5-foot-11, 140-pound rising junior at Elizabethton HS would probably not be confused with the typical looking backstop. He is not a big guy, but he certainly plays big. He is tough player at a tough position. He receives with the poise of a veteran. He has a plus arm and a quick release. He shut down the opponent’s running game early with a throw that was on the bag at second. He controls the pace of the game and keeps his infielders on their toes. He is also a very capable back-of-the-order hitter who is accomplished at doing the team things with a stick in his hands. He can lay down a sac bunt, hit behind the runner and do the little things that help his team win games.

The BPT Hurricanes-White club from Fresno, Texas brought some talented individuals to the tournament this week and none is more gifted than their center fielder Khaalid Taylor (2019, Fresno, Texas). The greater-Houston area club features the talented Taylor by hitting him in the two-hole and having him play in the middle of their outfield. To say that Taylor is a blur on the field would not tell the entire truth about his speed. He can, and did, cover the vast majority of the outfield defensively. He understands positioning and gets outstanding jumps on the ball. He has a playable arm and routinely shows accuracy on his throws. Offensively, the righthanded hitting rising senior at Elsik HS has a contact-first approach and understands that his No. 1 tool is his plus-plus speed.

Another very talented and complete team is the Go Pro-Daly club out of Greater Chicago. The Go Pro squad is as fundamentally sound as any team in the tournament as they do not beat themselves in any phase of the game.

Toeing the rubber for the Chicago-land nine was righthander Andrew Stevens (2020, Indian Head Park, Ill.). He mixed and matched three pitches effectively for six-plus innings holding down one of the tournament’s top offensive clubs in the East Cobb Angels. His well-commanded fastball, while not necessarily overpowering, was consistently thrown between 78-80 mph. His heater showed enough sink and run to keep the Angels hitters from squaring up too many. He also capably added a tight-spinning curve (68-69 mph) and a changeup (70-71 mph) that had tumbling depth at the plate. His ability to add and subtract on all of his pitches, and to pitch backwards, added to his performance.

Payton Hutchings (2020, Coal City, Ill.) is a gifted hitter who leads off for Go Pro. The lefthanded swinging Illinois commit shows the ability to hit line drives to all parts of the field. When pitched inside, the future Big Ten player can turn on that pitch and hit it out of the park. On the bases, he is an aggressive basestealer who is very instinctive.

Shortstop Nate Gehrke (2020, Joliet, Ill.) is the key to a very sound Go Pro infield. He is quick footed and shows outstanding lateral movement in both directions. He has a very loose arm action and shows the ability to throw the ball from any angle. At the plate, the rising junior at Joliet Catholic HS has some pop in his bat. He can drive the ball with authority to all parts of the field and shows advanced bat-to-ball ability. He is also a disruptive force on the basepaths.

Hitting in the middle of the Go Pro lineup is center fielder, Tyler Cwik (2020, Elmhurst, Ill.). An athletically gifted junior-to-be at York Community HS, Cwik is also a go-getter in center field. He gets great jumps and can flag down just about anything hit to the gaps. He also shows a plus arm that is highly accurate. He flashed some raw power in his lefthanded swing witha classic power hitter’s swing path and can consistently get his barrel to the ball.

– Jerry Miller



In center field for the Tampa Terror Stealth on Day 2 of the 16u BCS National Championship was Kyle Murphy (2020, Trinity, Fla.). Murphy had an impressive showing going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. The uncommitted junior looks impressive with a 6-foot-1 and 185-pound build. Offensively the leadoff hitter sports a wide stance with comfortable hand placement throughout the load process. Murphy uses a small leg kick for timing that creates momentum towards the baseball, allowing him to hit the ball with power. On the basepaths, the young outfielder displays his speed and aggression by taking extra bags whenever possible, putting a lot of pressure on the defense.

At shortstop for the Tampa Terror Stealth is East Lake High School junior, Ryan Slater (2020, Palm Harbor, Fla.). The future Florida Gator has an imposing build for a middle infielder, standing 6-foot-2 and 170-pounds. Slater has a plus arm at the shortstop position and he uses his athleticism to range both to his left and right swallowing up a lot of ground balls to the left side. At the plate the tall infielder, who has room to fill out and get stronger, stands high with a big stride towards the pitcher. During his stride he keeps his hands back very well and helps his body create a lot of torque. When ready to swing, the righthanded hitter releases his hand and hips so they can whip through the zone and create a lot of pop off the barrel.

Also delivering two hits for the Tampa Terror Stealth on Tuesday was the game’s designated hitter, Ryan McCauley, (2020, Trinity, Fla.). The Tarpon Springs High School junior showed out on the second day of the BCS tournament with a 2-for-3, two RBI performance this morning. McCauley is an imposing figure in the batters-box with his 6-foot-5 and 225-pounds. The University of Tennessee commit has a big swing that hits for power instead of average. His long arms help create an uppercut swing that can get underneath balls to help put them over the fence.

Starting on the mound today for the Roos American team was right-hander, Jake Little (2020, Tampa, Fla.). The Berkeley Preparatory School junior, who stands at 6-foot-5 and 205-pounds, looked good on the hill on Tuesday. Little threw over four innings for his squad and held a good hitting team to only two earned runs. The uncommitted pitcher has a commanding presence on the mound with his towering frame. His arm action is very long and loose with a quiet and simple motion that is easily repeatable. The delivery is from straight over the top, allowing the tall righty to stay on top of the baseball and command the bottom of the zone. Littles' breaking ball is slow with a 11-to-7 break that has a lot of movement. The changeup is the righthander’s best pitch that could be thrown more often to hitters wishing to time up the fastball.

Logan O'Brien (2020, Pinellas Park, Fla.) was at second base for the Roos American team on Tuesday and he had a great performance. Showing out at the plate, the uncommitted junior went 2-for-3 with a run scored. O'Brien starts his stance in a high position with high hand placement. His stride works towards the pitcher and is quiet and balanced, allowing the young hitter to stay back on off-speed pitches. The second baseman is especially good at hitting the low ball with his hands and barrel sweeping down in the zone striking well-placed pitches.

For D-BAT Elite Zack Baskin (2020, Great Falls, Va.) put on a show at shortstop. The 5-foot-8 and 160-pound athlete led the game off with a triple to right-center and scored the only run for his team. The uncommitted junior from The Bullis School also flashed his glove in the field making a couple of good plays on defense. The defender up the middle has a plus arm for his size and can range up very well. At the plate Baskin has an open and tall stance that loads back on to his back leg. He is a back-foot hitter who strides forward only when ready to make contact, allowing him to see the baseball deep and lay off bad pitches.

Starting on the hill on Tuesday for Elite Prospects International was righthanded hurler Wagner Guevara Cueva (2020, Guerra, Dominican Republic). The senior from the Dominican Republic was red hot with 10 strikeouts in five innings of work. Guevara Cueva was up to 87 mph on the radar gun using his fastball frequently to make hitters miss. The righthanded pitcher is tall and long with a 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame that bodes well for future strength gains. Guevara Cueva uses a long arm action and rocks his shoulders and hips back during this motion. He lands stiff on the front leg and whips everything over the top creating a strong downward angle on his pitches. The fastball has some late life on it that runs towards righthanded hitters and the curveball is slow but breaks very well.

– Carter Sibley
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