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High School  | General  | 11/23/2023

Regional Superlatives: Coastal

Craig Cozart     
Most Likely to Make a Huge Jump in the Rankings in 2024:
Sam Schwamb, 2025, C, SC
A relative unknown on the Perfect Game circuit with only 5 games in the calendar year. However, we got a great look at him at the Fall Atlantic Coast Showcase, and he impressed with his raw strength, feel behind the dish and ease of developing high end bat speed. At 6-1/195 he has the prototypical catchers build, showed 1.90 pop times on the bag, and has the look of an impact bat long-term. Schwamb is currently uncommitted but will be a priority in 2024.

Gavin MacDonald, 2025, RHP, NC
Everything about this righty screams top end arm, starting with his 6-4/225 frame that gives him quite the presence on the mound. He backs that up with a power fastball that will grab 93 mph and live in the low-90s. His late low-80s slider profiles as a legit out pitch as well and he carries his stuff deep into his outings. MacDonald remains uncommitted solely due to his 1-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio but we have the feeling he will lock in come the new year.
 

Sam Koerner, 2025, C, NC
The more you see Koerner play, the more you appreciate his ability to impact the game with the stick and the glove. The Radford commit had a big year on the circuit as he batted .364 with an OBP of almost .500 in 44 at bats. His power from the left side of the plate is starting to come and he has an advanced feel for things with the leather. He has a steely, confident competitiveness about him and its exactly what you look for in a field general.
 

Clayton Armah, 2025, RHP, VA
The Auburn commit is just starting to come into his own and has yet to fill out his 6-4/180 frame. In the past 12 months he has steadily added velocity and is now grabbing 93 mph with his heater. He is long and loose and operates with an ease that allows you to believe there is plenty more to come. Armah possesses a quality 3-pitch mix with a short, horizontal slider and a fading change up to go with it. If he adds physicality to the frame in this offseason, watch out in the new year.



Harrison Ailshie, 2026, OF, NC
Super-athletic with a lean, wiry 6-0/165 frame, the uncommitted outfielder already displays elite barrel awareness as seen with his .462 BA in 22 PG games. He already controls the zone and creates offense in a variety of the ways with his .540 OBP and projectable, lefthanded lofted power. He can also swipe a bag when necessary and cover plenty of real-estate in the outfield. Ailshie is uncommitted as of now but will be heavily scouted starting this spring.


Most Likely to Hit .500 at PG Events in 2024:
 

Everett Johnson, 2025, OF, NC
It feels almost like cheating with picking this PG Select Fest alum in this category because Johnson just rolls out of bed and collects hits. In 2021, the NC State commit hit exactly .500 in PG events with almost 100 ABs and get this, he walked 32 times while only punching out 5 times. He followed that up batting .364 in 2022 and went ahead and hit .408 this year with an OBP% of .592 and swiped a crazy 25 bags. The saying goes, “hitters hit” and there is no better example than this lefty.

Peter Mershon, 2025, C, SC
Committed to South Carolina, this catcher gets in the box ready to hit and looks to do damage. He walks very little which is what makes his .441 BA this year so impressive, and he keeps the barrel in the zone well through impact minimizing swing and miss. Mershon reached base over half of his ABs and shows gap power with plenty of anticipation that once his puts the finishing touches on his 6-2/190 frame it will translate to real home run juice.

Micah Matthews, 2025, OF, VA
A two-time Perfect Game Select Fest alum, this uncommitted athlete has taken his game to an astronomical level in the last calendar year. Matthews is arguably the most complete offensive force in the region. He hits for average, .429 BA, is showing elite bat speed leading to above average power and being a 6.42 runner makes him a threat anytime he moves the ball forward. He controls his at-bats as he walks more than he strikes out and built an amazing .630 OBP.

Tyler Howe, 2025, OF, NC
Since starting his high school career and playing heavily on the competitive travel ball side of things, this lefty has never hit lower than his .391 average of 2023. His approach is simple and his mechanics repeatable as he uses an all-fields approach to stay on the barrel. Howe has gap power, collecting extra-base hits and puts high value on putting the ball in play. There is an instinctual feel to his game and if you see Howe play once, it’s exactly what you’ll see the next time.


Brady Marshall, 2026, IF, NC
 
Very few prospects are on the trajectory that Marshall currently is and there’s no end in sight. The Tennessee commit is a true blend of power and speed at the plate and was one of the youngest hitters in Jupiter and still batted .300 for the event. He is strong, with explosive hands and creates hard contact with seemingly every AB. He finished 2023 batting .422 with a slugging percentage of .797 with 3 home runs and walked more than he struck out. Marshall is going to be an exciting watch for the next couple years.


Most Likely to Make a Velo Jump into the Mid-90s in 2024:
Max Luzarraga, 2025, RHP, NC
This time a year ago, Luzarraga was topping out in the low-80s with a clean delivery but not much physicality. Now, he is an athletic 6-1/195 with loose actions and freedom in his delivery as he gets down the mound with good posture. The extra strength in his core has allowed him to create easy arm speed and has peaked at 92 mph in recent outings. The Dallas Baptist commit can really spin the ball as well and his velocity should continue to trend upward.
 

Luke Roupe, 2025, RHP, SC
A Vanderbilt commit, Roupe has added on an average of 5 mph a year since he was thirteen years old. At 6-5/205 he is long limbed and creates excellent leverage down the slope. However, his shorter arm path allows him to fill up the zone at an elite level and his hand is quick as it works through a ¾ arm angle. His heater has been living in the low-90s for months now and peaking often at 92 mph. With another productive offseason and added bulk, we should see some mid-90s heat by the summer of 2024.

Sam Harris, 2025, RHP, NC
Well renowned for his ability to spin one of the tightest sliders in the region, Harris has dominated hitters out of the bullpen for years now. He relishes the role of closing out a game and wears his emotions on his sleeve in an aggressive manner. There is some effort to his delivery and at 6-0/170 he still has room to fill out. Topping out at 85 mph a year ago, the NC State commit started grabbing 90 mph towards the end of this fall and as quick as his arm is he should continue to light up the radar gun in ’24.

Austin Dean, 2025, LHP, VA
There may not be a more projectable arm in the class than Dean at 6-8/225 and being a southpaw adds even more appeal as we well know. The Virginia Tech commit has done a nice job of refining his delivery to a repeatable level and the efficiency has spurred a nice jump in velocity in the last 12 months. His full arm path and significant extension to the plate has him showing 92 mph heat that gets on hitters quickly. With added strength and stability in the lower-half, Dean could very easily be bumping the mid-90s soon.
 

Caden Glauber, 2026, RHP, NC
Glauber has the classic, symmetrical build you look for in a power arm at 6-3/195 and has a well-integrated delivery already. He moves athletically over the rubber and shows true adjustability as he typically pounds the strike zone with his upper-80s to low-90s fastball. Glauber’s arm path is short, and his hand works quickly through a low-3/4 angle possessing all the components in a young pitcher that you expect to see for an eventual mid-90s hurler.


Most Likely to Back Up a Breakout in 2023:
 

Matt Murchison, 2025, OF, NC
Slashing the ball around the park and playing fast in all aspects of the game, the UNC-Wilmington put together a massive 2023 season. Batting from the left-side, he has always been accurate with the barrel but is starting to show extra-base power in the calendar year. With a slash line of .460/.591/.740, Murchison walked twice as much as he punched out and was a threat on the bases as he swiped 12 bags in just 22 PG games. Expect the 5-11/150 athlete to continue to put up similar numbers in the new year.

Jack Strom, 2025, OF, NC
Committed to ECU, the 6-2/180 outfielder is densely muscled with strong hands and loose wrists that allow him to generate violence at impact. He gets on plane and stays connected with good extension creating natural loft and he was able to get to his power regularly in 2023. Beyond an OPS of almost 1.000, Strom also added over .100 points to his summer circuit batting average. Anticipate this prospect to make similar jumps in all areas over the next 12 months.
 

Nathan Caldwell, 2026, C, SC
A younger athlete, even for his class, Caldwell performed very well in his first full season on the PG circuit. The uncommitted 6-0/160 catcher is finding his game and starting to put together his complete skillset into impactful play. Hitting in the middle of a potent lineup, he slashed .326/.494/.431 and displayed tremendous zone discipline walking twice as often as striking out. His rotational acceleration in the core allows him to create high-end bat speed projecting power to come.
 

Lawson McLeod, 2026, RHP, VA
A popup arm that had very little track record on the travel ball scene, the uncommitted 6-5/210 righty burst onto the scene and into the rankings with an elite fastball. McLeod is long, loose and is a good mover, maintaining ideal posture in transition and accelerates his arm with ease. Pitchability is present and with a heater that has already reached 93 mph, he is surely primed for a big 2024 and quite the recruiting ride. We anticipate him putting together an all-american type campaign in the new year.


Most Likely to Lead the Region in Home Runs in 2024:


Kelvyn Paulino Jr, 2025, IF, NC
The Miami commit seems to be hitting a different gear at the plate right now. Not only is he showing elite bat-to-ball skills as he only struck out twice between the WWBA Underclass and Jupiter, but he also batted .500 for the fall. With the added strength and his frequency on the barrel, Paulino Jr is averaging mid-90s exit velo and is primed to produce home runs at a high rate in 2024. There is already easy lofted juice in his bat and at a twitchy 6-1/185 he should be one of the best power bats in the region.

Will Craddock, 2025, IF, SC
When Craddock steps into the box, there is very little doubt about his intentions. At 6-3/190 the South Carolina commit is all about doing damage and backs it up with the violence he creates at impact. In just 32 at bats in PG events this calendar year, he produced 3 home runs and finished with an OPS of 1.176 as be batted over .300 all told. Very few hitters rival his hand strength and the ease with which he creates loft. There is justifiable swing and miss, but don’t be surprised if Craddock approaches double digit home runs in ’24.

Noah Franklin, 2025, C, SC
Playing the physically demanding position behind the plate, it is often difficult for young athletes to perform with the stick but not so much for Franklin. The 6-1/195 backstop is durable and uses a simple approach with the stick to generate impact in the middle of the field. He turns the barrel hard through the zone, whipping the bat head at impact and the ball gets off his barrel in a hurry. The Duke commit produced 4 home runs in 48 official ABs, an impressive ratio for sure and walks as much as he strikes out. There is more room to add strength, so he could double his output in the coming year.
 

Evan Hankins, 2025, IF, VA
This may seem like an interesting pick since Hankins did not leave the yard in his 21 games on the PG circuit in ’23. However, the strength in his 6-5/215 frame is undeniable and the amount of torque he creates is next level. There is some length to his path, but he gets on plane and has the ability to build majestic, lofted power, especially to the pull side. Some prospects just put it all together in their own time and the feel is that 2024 will be the crowning season for this Tennessee commit.
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