2019 15U WWBA National Championship: Day 1 Notes | Day 2 Notes | Day 3 Notes
One of the very best 2023s in the class, Dylan Lonergan (2023, Duluth, Ga.) got the start for the Georgia Jackets in their Monday afternoon victory over TPL Pro Elite. Lonergan is a projectable, athletic righthander who will most certainly have his pick of high-end baseball schools in the coming months and years, given just how talented he is. He ran his fastball up to 89 mph early on, settling into the 85-88 mph range, with outstanding control of the fastball as well as the beginnings of high-level command, consistently pounding the zone down with his fastball, which featured quality arm-side life on it as well.
The slider stood out also, thrown firmly in the upper-70s with good bite and tunnel, showing the ability to consistently miss barrels with both pitches. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out six over his 4 2/3 innings, allowing just a few scattered infield base hits along the way, remaining completely in control throughout. He’ll assuredly be highly-ranked in the next update of the 2023 class rankings.
The Tri State Arsenal Scout Team picked up a pair of wins on Monday, including a 6-0 decision over at Shiloh High School on Monday evening. Dylan Dreiling (2022, Hays, Kan.) has been highlighted before in these scout notes, though bears repeating in the sense that he continues to hit and expand upon his profile. He got the scoring started for Tri State in this one, drilling a deep home run to right field (pull-side) to give Tri State the lead, which ended up being the winning run in a 6-0 game. Dreiling has shown this week that he has the ability to spray the ball around with line drive contact, so by really showing the ability to get the barrel out and drive the ball deep to the pull side with home run pop, he’s just adding to what is already a highly-attractive profile long term.
Blake Grimmer (2023, Spring Lake, Mich.) didn’t start in this one but, as he’s shown for a while now, the next rising star from the state of Michigan has some of the better hitting tools of any prep player in his age range. He got one pinch-hit at-bat in this one, lacing a double the opposite way for a pair of RBI. The hands are special, whippy and loose through the zone with elite hand-eye coordination, and while projecting out 14-15-year-olds is just about impossible, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t continue to hit at a high level.
The East TN Crusaders have been a fun team to watch all week, extremely well-coached and just enjoyable to watch play in general. They ran their record to 5-0 late Monday night, taking down Stars Baseball 4-3. Charlie Smith (2022, Johnson City, Tenn.) came on in relief for the Crusaders and was very good, allowing just one run over 2 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, striking out three. He’s got solid size to go along with projection and athleticism, running his fastball up to 85 mph with a fair bit of sink, showing the ability to land a quality breaking ball for strikes as well, thrown in the low-70s with 11/5 shape and solid depth.
There’s a lot to like about the way Jack Torbett (2022, Johnson City, Tenn.) plays defense in the middle infield, as the young shortstop showed a bevy of defensive tools that allow for him to project up the middle long term. He’s light on his feet with range and balance to both sides, showing the ability to move in any direction with fluidity and quick-twitch, making plays to both sides on the ground as well as straight backwards in the air. The arm strength is fine right now and projects, with a quick release, consistent accuracy, and online carry across the diamond on his throws. He’s going to be interesting to monitor over the course of his prep-years development, as shortstops with advanced actions like that at a young age are usually somewhat hard to come by.
-Brian Sakowski
Matthew Grabmann (2022, Dartmouth, NS, Canada) came into relief for NEB Pirates Monday afternoon showed some promise with his velocity despite being a primary shortstop. The righthander topped out at 88 mph on the mound with some rawness to his delivery and a longer arm action. The arm action is more compact and cleaner when working from the stretch where he showed the ability to maintain similar velocity as in the windup. The ball really jumps out Grabmann’s hand and the command is still improving, but the promise he shows with some refinement is certainly interesting. He mixes in a breaking ball to his repertoire that showed some potential when releasing the pitch fully out in front. The pitch sat in the low-70s and was a good offspeed pitch to mix in with his heater.
Jaxson Pastore (2022, Delray Beach, Fla.) was a really nice uncommitted arm to get the start for Elev8 Select on Monday afternoon. A quality matchup that put him facing off against a talented KBC Prime team as well in the game of the day on the 9-12 quad. Pastroe started the game and maintained his velocity in the 84-86 mph range and showed some outstanding projection in doing so. He is still young as he is a rising sophomore currently but the body and stuff both project in a really nice way. The righthander from South Florida stands at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds with plenty of strength to continue to add to his frame. The arm works with a compact arm action at take back and drop and drive lower half actions to the plate. Pastore is able to already create mid-80s velocity with plenty more to come moving forward. An uncommitted, projectable arm like Pastore is easily identifiable by talent evaluators as noted by the several college recruiters that were on hand to see him pitch. Pastore is able to get to both sides of the plate with the fastball and creates plenty of extension out in front. He featured both a curveball and a changeup as his offspeed offerings with the breaking ball being the better of the two currently with sharp 11-to-5 shape.
Justin Colon (2021, Carolina, P.R.) showcased some of the top defensive skills up the middle in the entire tournament of Monday. His hands are outstanding with softness that fields the baseball so surely. His arm strength is impressive as well as he has the ability to throw both on the run and when setting his feet. The frame projects as he is a 6-foot-2, 170 pounds right now and only going to grow and fill out more physically moving forward. He also showed a quick release when needed as well. When he needed to, Colon would transfer the baseball and get it out of his hand with outstanding quickness which was another key attribute to his skillset at shortstop. His funnel is clean and his ability to play the middle of the infield is really impressive.
Top catching talent of Day 4 of 15U WWBA belonged to Salvador Alvarez (2022, Miami, Fla.). The starting backstop for Elev8 Select is a Florida commit with outstanding flexibility and agile movements laterally behind the plate. A Florida Gator commit, Alvarez has all the tools behind the plate already at just 16 years old with outstanding blocking ability, a strong and accurate arm and some of the best receiving skills in the 2022 class. The quickness of Alvarez is impressive as well as he comes out of his crouch inline to second base before firing a strike to second base. He made an incredible block in this contest on a ball that bounced in the opposite batter’s box from where he was set up, still managed to get his chest in front of it and make a clean block and keep the ball close to his body. He followed that up with an impressive throw out of a runner trying to steal second base throwing a strike from his knees.
Last August, Sal Stewart (2022, Miami, Fla.) was selected as a third baseman for the 14U PG Select Festival as one of the top pure hitters in the 2022 class. With some pop to his swing and a strong, physical frame, Stewart has one of the more promising overall hit tools to follow long term as well. Monday was no different as he finished his day 1-for-3 with a hard-hit single to his pull side and a deep flyout to center field. He noticeably shortens up with two strikes and still manages to hit the baseball hard using fast and strong hands to get the bat head to the baseball. Stewart plays with high energy at the hot corner as he has smooth hands at his primary corner infield position as well. The hit tool is the carrying presence for the Vanderbilt commit and with continued production at the plate, Stewart is going to continue to be a top-10 player in the 2022 class.
Elliott Bray (2022, Hartselle, Ala.) is another uncommitted pitcher with plenty of promise as the righthander manages to produce a fastball in the 85-87 mph range. Bray pitches only from the stretch and his arm action is really clean. He stays online to the plate with a clean hip turn and extension downhill. Bray creates a plane to the plate especially when down in the zone as he throws from a high arm slot where the baseball is released. His fastball already has good velocity and the projectability to continue to increase zip to his fastball is noteworthy. He mixes in a curveball that breaks out of his hand in the low-70s and a changeup that has armside life to it. Bray has plenty of room to improve his command and with the three pitch mix he has, the uncommitted righthander is able to carve hitters at his current age group. Bray tossed four innings on Monday with a strikeout per inning and only two hits allowed.
Chandler Pollard (2022, Winston, Ga.) showcased really nice all-around talent with quick foot speed and quickness to his transfers from his glove to his hand up the middle. Pollard beat out a bunt single in his first at-bat running a 4.01 second home to first base time from the righthanded batter’s box. The starting second baseman for the East Cobb Astros has elite level quickness and bats in the two-hole in the Astros lineup. Pollard is an interesting athlete in the infield with really nice hands and a quick bat at the plate.
Ayric Robinson (2021, Meridian, Idaho) is the number 312 ranked player in the country for a reason and he showed why on Monday night. Robinson opened up the game with a bang as he connected on a 93 mph exit velocity home run that resulted in a grand slam. The ball traveled 359 feet per Trackman and put his team into a quick lead in the first inning. The pitch Robinson hit was not the easiest pitch to pull and hit for power either as the ball crossed on the outside corner. Robinson displayed outstanding plate coverage to get the barrel of the bat to the outer half of the plate and enough strength to lift the ball out of the field of play. His bat speed is noteworthy as he uses his athletic 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame to create great bat speed through the hitting zone. On top of the impressive hit tool he has, Robinson showed outstanding arm strength on the mound as well topping out at 92 mph.
-Greg Gerard
With pool play games rolling on, Gage Tomlin (2022, Statesville, N.C.) from Canes South is making a big splash with his bat. The righthanded hitter has been hitting over .500 on the week and has multiple extra base hits while doing so. He shows a bigger frame with an already filling out frame and a mature physique. With that strength, he showed big bat speed while creating power with the lower half. In the first inning, he smoked a single to right field to kick off his day and the loud contact continued. Later in the game he would go on to drive a towering fly ball to leftfield that would end up taking a big hop over the fence crashing into the scoreboard adding two RBI to his name and help put his team out to an early lead. Later in the action he hit another double to right field that would end up scoring two more runs. With him going 3-for-3 on the day, he led his team to a win. The power hitting catcher shows to be very projectable as he has the frame in place with a maturing skill set.
As bracket play nears, Josh Tate (2022, Fayetteville, Ga.) and the Home Plate Chilidogs Thompson looked to win two ball games today to help put them through. The uncommitted middle infielder/righthanded pitcher showed a medium frame with a very athletic look with plenty of room to fill out down the road. Tate would go on to have a great day at the plate as he is currently hitting over .500 on the week. While doing 2-for-3 in the first game, he knocked in two RBI giving Home Plate a big lead to work with. He showed great instincts at shortstop as well with quick feet and a good feel for the position. He made a next level type play on a big chopper that he threw off balance getting the runner just in time. With him being hot at the plate, he also showed that he could create runs on the base paths with aggressive play. He hustled out a run going second to home on a base hit in just under 6.0 seconds.
Tate also went on to pitch in the second game played against Flood City Elite. Although Home Plate went on to lose the ball game, he proved to be a projectable righthanded arm. He did a good job of mixing pitches while working against a very solid Flood City lineup who came to play. His fastball showed some slight cut while sitting in the upper-70s touching 79 throughout his outing. He showed a slurvy type curveball as well in the upper-60s that had depth. Although Tate worked on the mound in the second game, he projects as a shortstop with a late in the order bat who can create runs with his feet. Keep an eye on this uncommitted prospect as he continues his push toward the next level.
Teammate of Tate, Barry Manning (2022, Stone Mountain, Ga.) was another big bat in the lineup for Home Plate. The righthanded hitter showed a very projectable frame with long limbs and lean build with plenty of room to fill out down the road. In the video shown above, he took a narrow stance with calm hands to plate and squared up baseballs all afternoon. With his linear swing path, he looked to go gap-to-gap and let his speed do the rest of the work. He would go on to pick up two RBI on the day while stealing multiple bases. Manning flashed great instincts in the outfield as well tracking balls down in center field with ease keeping runners from advancing from poor routes or missing cut off men. This pure athlete will be a very interesting follow down the road as he has a very projectable frame and strong bat to back it up.
With Home Plate splitting its games today, the win came with a rare feat. Alex Ukleja (2022, Fayetteville, Ga.) went on to throw a no-hitter against a Knights Baseball team. While only two walks away from a perfect game, the righthanded pitcher went on to pitch to contact as he trusted his solid defense behind him to get it done. He only struck out two batters, but he did a great job of hitting his spots and getting weak contact from the opposition. In five innings thrown, he only threw 46 pitches total, which is a great accomplishment in itself. The big righty utilized a lanky frame with a strong build and wide shoulders. His fastball was his best pitch on the day as he had total command. It should late life while sneaking up on hitters as it sat 80-82 while touching a few 84 early in his outing. His off-speed arsenal consisted of a big 11-5 curveball with tight spin in the upper-60s and a late breaking changeup that he rarely threw in the low-70s. If he continues to hit his spots and work ahead in the count as he did today, he will be a very projectable arm that schools will look to add to their pitching staffs when his time comes.
As Flood City looked to close out Home Plate and take command of the pool, Chase Kranitz (2022, North Huntingdon, Pa.) got the start on the bump. The big-framed, lean-looking righthanded pitcher showed be a dominate force as he carved up the opposing team. He sat on his back leg generating power before delivering downhill with intent. With a full arm action, he showed a fast arm while working from a high three-quarters arm slot. The projectable righty showed some easy velocity, especially when down in the zone. His fastball showed late life while getting in on the hands of hitters as it sat in the low- to mid-80s while touching 86. He got multiple swings and misses with a big, slurvy curveball that showed depth in the low-70s and a changeup that is work in progress in the low-70s. Kranitz went on the throw 6 1/3 innings as he struck out six batters and picked up the win. He showed young mechanics but with his frame and skillset, he will fix those up and should be a very strong arm to look out for down the road.
As Kranitz got it done on the bump for Flood City Elite, Paxton Kling (2022, Roaring Spring, Pa.) did the damage at the plate needed to come out victorious. Kling showed a bigger frame with a mature build and a very strong lower half. In today’s action, he kept his weekly average over .500 and he did so with a bang. Early in the action with the game still close, he took a first pitch fastball and sent in deep over the left field fence for a solo shot that set the tone for the rest of the game. He would later go on to walk and then create a run himself on the basepaths with a stolen base and heads up base running. Look for this projectable, power hitting outfielder to continue as one of the top-ranked outfielders in the state of Pennsylvania and make some noise on the college recruiting scene.
As Flood City Elite poured it on Home Plate, Jake Willis (2021, Thomaston, Ga.) got the call to shut down the rolling Flood City Elite offense. The tall, lean righthanded pitcher entered the game and got comfortable quickly. He filled up the strike zone with a heavy fastball that showed some arm side run and sink sitting in the mid-80’s touching 86 multiple times. The uber projectable righty also worked with a downhill action that proved to extend his velocity to looking even quicker than it actually was. His fastball proved to be the out pitch, but he also flashed a great 12-6 curveball in the upper-60’s that got a few ugly swings and misses. With its depth and tight spin, he could take his two-pitch arsenal and dominate opposing teams with it. Keep a good watch on Willis as he projects to be a big right arm who also shows a great catcher. He will be an interesting look in the upcoming years and should make some noise on the recruiting trail.
-Drew Wesolowski
Taking the mound for Rake City in the late innings was Luka Radicevich (2022, Aurora Ill.). Losing in the game already, Radicevich was called upon to keep the game close and provide his team a chance to win and that’s what he did. Working through two innings of work on only 16 pitches, the 5-foot-11 righthander relied upon his fastball to get outs. Pushing his fastball up to 84 mph and sitting there through his outing, the Illinois native was able to pitch to contact and produce softly hit balls that were quickly turned into outs. The curveball was a pitch that he turned to as a secondary out pitch but with a struggle to find a feel for it in the game, the heater was the out pitch that he turned to and used effectively. Working quickly on the mound, Radicevich was able to get his heater to the mid-80s by using the legs of his 145-pound frame and explode off the rubber towards the plate. Though he didn’t get any strikeouts, he also didn’t give up any walks, runs, or hits in two flawless innings.
Joseph Massa (2022, Homosassa, Fla.) started the game at third base before he was asked upon to come in and get a six out save. His hitting went well as he ended up going 1-for-3 in the game with a run scored. Keeping his hands high, Massa is able to get good extension on pitches across the plate and put the ball into play. His swing doesn’t generate too much power but putting the bat on the ball isn’t difficult for the Florida native. The uncommitted primary shortstop has good speed on the bases to, being able to generate runs with his legs.
Brodie Morrow (2022, Hartselle, Ala.) looks all of his 6-foot, 240-pound frame as he came to the plate for the Team Elite 15U Premier. Though he ended the game without a hit, he showed an ability to make contact with the ball and really drive it even though he wasn’t able to get clean contact. Morrow has a quick swing and keeps his elbows tight throughout. The uncommitted first baseman showed his skill to go down in the zone and drive a ball deep into the outfield. With obvious power in his swing, Morrow showed pretty evidently that he feels he has the capabilities to do damage with the baseball anytime he makes contact with it.
Starting the game for the Florida Dodgers Scout Team 2022 was Bradley Hodges (2022, Fleming Island, Fla.). Working out of the windup, Hodges delivered the baseball from a high three-quarters arm slot and was able to bring his heater in at 86 mph. Impressive as his velocity was, he was able to maintain that same speed throughout his outing. Complementing the fastball was the a 12-to-6 curveball that he could drop in around 68-70 mph consistently. With a spin rate sitting above 2200 a majority of the time, Dodges was able to generate swings-and-misses on that pitch and rack up strikeouts throughout the game.
-Brian Treadway
Dallas Hairfield (2022, Mechanicsville, Va.) got the start on the bump for the Richmond Braves 15U National team and displayed a live arm with a fastball that topped out at 87 mph while sitting 83-85 mph. Once settled in he was able to locate his fastball to both sides of the plate from his high three-quarters arm slot. He was also able to land a slider that sat in the low-70s with tight spin and some bite on it. His quick arm action is smooth as he maintains good direction driving down the mound. His 5-foot-9, 165-pound frame has room to continue adding strength as he fills out and matures moving forward.
Carlos Pena (2021, Bayside, N.Y.) has been getting it done with the bat all tournament but Monday night he showed some serious upside as a two-way guy on the mound. In his one quick inning of relief Pena showcased an electric fastball that sat 88-92 mph. His long, clean arm action help create some arm-side life and sink on the fastball as he pounded the zone with it creating weak contact. He broke off one slider at 77 mph with sweeping break to it. He does a good job of getting his lower half involved as he drives down the mound and creates good plane with his extension. His 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame already shows present strength throughout with room to continue adding more as he fills out and matures.
Shane Thorson (2022, Zebulon, N.C.) was next out of the pin for DBacks Elite as he came in and made short work of his one-inning outing. The lean lefty pounded the zone with his fastball sitting 83-85 mph with some natural arm-side run from his three-quarters arm slot. His quick delivery and short quick arm action really allow the ball to seem to jump out of the hand. He paired the fastball with a nice 12-6 curveball that showed good depth with swing-and-miss type break. His plus command of both pitches allowed him to stay efficient as he threw 10 of his 13 pitches for strikes in the inning while striking out two. His 5-foot-11, 150-pound frame is projectable moving forward as he has room to fill out as he continues to grow and mature.
Like his teammate Pena, Teo Banks (2021, Odessa, Texas) proved to have some serious two-way potential as well. Started the game at third base and was 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple and a double as he raised his tournament batting average up to .714 and added two more RBI to his tournament total of eight. His quick hands and good use of this lower half allow him to drive the ball to all parts of the park with authority. Later, Banks would enter the game in relief where he proved his arm strength from third base played on the mound as well. His fastball sat 85-87 mph and reached 89 mph a handful of times. His high three-quarters arm slot allows him to create some arm-side run on the fastball as his extension help get good downward plane. His slider showed some promise at 74 mph with late bite as the young 2021 graduate struck out two in his clean two innings of work. His lean athletic build already shows present strength with more to be expected as he fills out his 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame moving forward.
-Colton Olinger
Graham Smiley (2022, Stanley, N.C.) is a primary catcher with a projectable 6-foot, 175-pound frame and current strength in the build. Defensively, the North Carolina State commit showcased a really strong arm and quick feet with athleticism. Making accurate throws consistently, he registered his best pop time at 1.88 seconds. Absolute hose behind the dish. The righthanded hitter displayed some offensive skills as well. Starting in a moderately open stance with high hands, he uses a small leg lift and stride. Quick and fluid hands generate bat speed and loud contact to the pull side. He showed a good understanding of the strike zone as he would not offer at pitches outside of the zone but was aggressive inside the zone. Swing is on a level plane with some natural lift.
North Carolina State commit Matt Heavner (2022, Lincolnton, N.C.) showcased a medium and athletic 5-foot-10, 150-pound frame playing for the South Charlotte Panthers 2022. The primary shortstop makes defense look easy as he displayed good range, quick transfers, and a solid arm across the infield. He moved to and through the ball and made several accurate throws on the run. The righthanded hitter has a short swing on a level plane through the zone. He displayed good bat-to-ball skills as he consistently worked the middle and pull parts of the field. Takes a line drive approach and should hit for additional power once he fills out further.
Nathan Chrismon (2022, China Grove, N.C.) had an impressive day at the plate and defensively for the South Charlotte Panthers 2022. The righthanded hitter went 2-for-2 with one walk, one RBI, three runs, and three stolen bases. Taking a contact-oriented approach, he displayed some quick hands through the zone on a level plane. Hit the ball to all fields during game action, finishing with a single to left field and a single to right field. Defensively, the primary middle infielder played second base during the fourth day of the tournament. He showcased smooth hands, good glove action, solid range, and an above-average arm. His highlight play showed him range far up the middle to stop a ground ball and quickly make a strong throw to first base off his back foot. Sporting a medium and athletic 5-foot-8, 150-pound frame, he has a lot of room to fill out.
East Carolina commit Jake Hunter (2021, Rockwell, N.C.) threw an efficient four innings of scoreless and no-hit baseball across 41 pitches while racking up five strikeouts for the South Charlotte Panthers 2022. The righthanded pitcher showcased an extra-large 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame with current strength in the build. Striding towards the righthanded batter’s box, he threw across body with live arm action from a low three-quarters arm slot. His fastball sat around 86 mph during the start, but he touched 89 mph once and 88 mph several times. He also featured a really impressive and sharp slider around 71 mph that was thrown as a strike and as a swing-and-miss pitch. The command he displayed was impeccable, throwing an off-the-charts 80 percent strikes and unsurprisingly walking zero batters. He showed legitimate pitching skills and should be an interesting pitcher in the future.
Drew Wyers (2022, Columbus, N.J.) is an impressive middle infielder with a projectable 6-foot-1, 183-pound frame and current athleticism in the build. The primary shortstop made several plays where he would charge the ball and make a quick transfer with an accurate throw on the run. He showcased good range, quick transfers, a smooth glove, good footwork, and a decent arm. Listed as a switch-hitter, Wyers only hit from the right side of the plate, even against righthanded pitchers. After using a long leg stride, he took a short and compact swing with quick hands. Incorporating his lower half well, he swung with some force and typically hit the ball on a line. Made loud contact to the pull side during game action. Impressive player on both sides of the ball, projectable moving forward.
Grayson Hollingsworth (2021, Belton, S.C.) is a primary catcher with a projectable 6-foot-1, 160-pound frame and additional room to fill out. Behind the plate, he showcased a really good arm and athletic movements. He registered pop times during warmups and in game around two seconds. Footwork was really good, and arm took a full circular motion before carrying well down to second base. Starting in an open stance with a narrow base, the righthanded hitter uses a medium leg stride and maintains balance. Could incorporate his lower half additionally into the swing but still made solid contact to all fields. The swing took a long path through the zone on a linear plane. Hit the ball with force on a line but still has additional room to fill and bat speed to gain.
Justin Sanchez (2022, Brooklyn, N.Y.) is a lefthanded hitting and throwing outfielder with a medium 5-foot-11, 167-pound frame and additional room to fill out. Playing center field for the Bronx Bombers 15U, he moved quickly to the ball and played it out front. Transitioned ball from glove to hand quickly and showcased a really good arm back into the infield. The lefthanded hitter starts in a moderately open stance with high hands. Using a small stride, he takes a swing on a level plane with some natural leverage worked in to elevate the ball. Hands led through the zone and stayed inside the ball as he displayed the ability to hit to all fields. He got the best extension and made the loudest contact on balls he hit to the pull side. Made some decently hard contact and showed some sneaky power. Should be a legitimate power threat due to the room in his frame left to fill and his current ability to elevate the ball.
Brock Hill (2021, Chelsea, Ala.) pitched extremely well for the Excel Blue Wave 15U, finishing a seven-inning complete game with 11 strikeouts, two earned runs, three hits allowed, and only allowing one walk. The righthanded pitcher has a large 6-foot, 190-pound frame and throws across body from a high three-quarters arm slot. Repeated mechanics well as he maintained velocity throughout the start. Featuring a three-pitch mix, his fastball averaged 85 mph while touching 87 mph several times. His curveball was absolutely filthy with 10-to-4 movement and spin rates around 2800-2900 rpm. He mainly threw those two pitches but also showed a fading changeup occasionally around 78 mph. Showcasing excellent command, he painted the corners of the strike zone with the fastball and curveball, finishing with 70 percent of his pitches resulting in strikes. Displayed current pitching skill with sustainable velocity and the potential to gain more.
-Jake Martin
Nick Correll (2021, Nashville, Tenn.) is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound righthanded pitcher from Nashville Christian School in his hometown. Correll was called upon in relief this afternoon at Brook Run for his club Knights Baseball 15U Platinum and was lights out holding the fort and earning the win, as his lineup battled all game long, eventually taking the lead late in the contest. When all was said and done, Correll’s line read 3 2/3 innings where he scattered two hits and collected eight strikeouts. On the mound, Correll has good size and strength to his current frame. He is very athletic for his size, yet still has plenty of room to fill before reaching physical maturity. Correll, who sets up from the first base side of the rubber, rocks into his leg lift with a large step, then brings his leg high past his waist. Arm works well and was on time releasing each pitch out front with good extension. Nick rotated around a stiff front side yet made up for it filling up the bottom of the zone with advanced control during his start. Correll integrated his two-pitch mix into all counts as he went along, mixing to both dexterities keeping his opponents off balance generating a lot of swing-and-miss. Nick’s fastball has some riding life, with occasional bore arm side, (82-88 mph). Complementing his fastball with a hook (67-74 mph), the pitch had tilt with occasional depth and added deception with good arm speed through release. A good athlete, Correll showed good actions getting off the mound to field his position when the opportunity was presented to him. Correll, who is currently ranked as the tenth-best righthanded pitcher in Tennessee in the class of 2021, lived up to the hype this afternoon showing confidence in his potential and advanced pitchability. All signs point to a bright future for Correll if he can continue to pitch the way he did Monday at Brook Run.
Hitting leadoff for East Coast Sox 15U Diamond, Cy Craig (2022, Jackson, Miss.) capitalized in the role for his club this afternoon at Brook Run as he went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, and a triple, in a loss. Despite the unfortunate outcome, Craig was impressive at the plate, as the lefthanded hitter showcases a short, quick stroke, with good rhythm and timing in the box. Cy starts his swing with an open stance and hands high near his ear. He deploys a small leg kick to square, and upon foot strike, he loads his hands outside his chest and then shoots his hands inside the ball, keeping his barrel in the hitting zone a long time. Keen hand-eye coordination is evident as he continually barreled baseballs with strong contact to the gaps. Power is not his game currently, yet he has good bat speed, and added strength would help to project more power as he physically matures. A good athlete, speed translates in all phases of his game as he continually showed first-step quickness out of the box, on the bases, and in center field. Craig plays with aggression and instincts, with a “leave it on the field” approach to his game. In the outfield he was able to get to all balls hit his way with sound defensive actions and strong throws to bases with carry. Lastly, there is no shortage of hustle in Craig, making him a fun prospect to watch and one who should be monitored throughout his high school career.
Sam Griffith (2022, Greenwood, Ind.) is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound shortstop from Center Grove High School in his hometown. A sophomore in the fall, Griffith displayed his advanced hitability at Brook Run yesterday as he finished with line that read 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two doubles with a run batted in, in the loss. A righthanded hitter, Griffith stays very short and through the ball, using good quick twitch actions in the box. Good hand-eye coordination is evident due to the consistent production as he stands with a .385 average after five games at the 15U National Championship this week. With current power to the gaps, current bat speed and leverage indict more power is on the way with further development. A good athlete, Griffith moved well out of the box and on the bases as he is a definite green-light ability with aggressive demeanor and good instincts. In the six-hole, Griffith had good first step quickness, helping him showcase lateral range to both sides with soft hands, and sound defensive actions. Pairs his fielding ability with strong, accurate throws across the diamond with on-line carry. Sam has natural ability that helps him contribute during a game in many ways. Confident in his ability, with further development, Griffith can be a name to remember, as he looks to continue his baseball career at the collegiate level starting in the fall of 2022.
Jordan Santos (2022, Charlotte, N.C.) is a 5-foot-10, 185-pound righthanded pitcher from Providence High School in his hometown. A sophomore in the fall, Santos was excellent on the mound for his club, SBA 2022 Americans today at Brook Run. Santos has keen mechanics, and showcased a good, long and steady arm action that was on-time through release, and unrestricted through deceleration. With advanced pitchability, Santos used his two-pitch mix of a fastball (74-77 mph) and a curveball (61-65 mph) to keep hitters off balance all game long. Santos is noticeably confident in his ability and knows how to pitch, battling hitters all game long. When all was said and done, Santos went the complete game, scattering six hits, and striking out nine batters on the way to his second win during the 15U National Championship in Cartersville this week. Santos is fun to watch as he has excellent mound presence and exudes confidence which rubbed off on his teammates. With projectable ability in all phases, Santos is definitely a high-upside talent with a bright future in the game especially with his ability to fill the strike zone which is evident due to his 12:1 strikeout to walk ratio this week.
Braydon Wooldridge (2022, Chino Hills, Calif.) is a 5-foot-10, 145-pound lefthanded pitcher from Glendora High School, in Glendora, California, a suburb of his hometown. With good size to his current frame, Wooldridge has plenty to room to fill to reach physical maturity. On the mound, he starts from the third base side of the rubber, uses a slow tempo through his belt high leg lift, then loads well on his back side with good timing and pace on his arm action which was long and unrestricted through release. Wooldridge used a consistent three-quarters slot with both pitches, that added deception and masked his off speed well creating loads of soft contact. Control is better than command currently, yet with almost a 70 percent strike percentage, Braydon was around the zone all game long, consistently getting ahead of his opponents keeping his foot on the gas throughout his start. Wooldridge has good athleticism which he showcased by getting off the mound well and pairing his athletic actions with soft hands and the ability to field his position. Having been used three times for BPA 15U at PG’s 15U National Championship, today was his coming-out party as he was dominant all game long. If Wooldridge can continue to produce at the high level he showcased today, he will be a name to remember as he continues to grow and develop on the mound through the rest of his high school career.
-Matt Arietta