Here is a look at of some of the young prospects that stood out the most at last week’s 14u WWBA National Championship.
Albert Hernandez, 3B/RHP (2020, Fla.) – An absurdly athletic player for his age with several strong carrying tools. Played a lot of third base and left field defensively and then pitched and sat at 84-86 mph with good life. He also showed feel for a curveball as well and missed plenty of bats. In the infield he continued to showcase his very strong arm over at third and also showed soft hands. At the plate, he hit very well with a smooth, line drive swing and good bat speed.
Liam Deegan, 3B (2019, Va.) – Deegan showed some of the better raw power of any player in attendance. Already listed at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds, Deegan hammered almost everything pitched to him and has natural loft in his swing with present barrel feel.
Aaron Nixon, RHP/3B (2020, Texas) – Nixon has an athletic, lean build with some present strength in his frame. He pitched in a pair of outings with impressive arm speed from a short stride and little to no lower half incorporation. In his two games he worked his fastball consistently at 86-88 mph with arm-side life and showed feel to spin.
Ryan Lynch, LHP/OF (2020, Ind.) – Lynch is another very impressive two-way talent with a strong, physical build at present that shows on the field. He showed good arm strength on the mound from a longer arm action with a fastball that worked in the low-80s and got up to 85 mph. He also flashed some feel for a curveball and a changeup and kept hitters off balance. Lynch showed well at the plate too with developing timing but loud contact off the bat with progressing bat speed.
Alex Freeland, SS (2020, Ga.) – Freeland showed some of the best pure fielding actions of any player in the tournament and moved exceptionally well laterally with above average footwork and a quick transfer. He has a strong arm as well getting to balls deep in the 5-6 hole and throwing across his body with accuracy. As he continues to add strength he’ll see more power from his swing, which is from a line drive plane with quick hands.
Maurice Hampton, OF (2019, Tenn.) – Hampton showed off one of the stronger arms from the outfield in the Banditos’ very first game. He gunned down a runner at third an inning after collecting a loud double. Hampton projects very well physically and should continue to improve and let his athleticism carry his tool-set.
Brody Westbrooks, RHP (2019, Ga.) – Westbrooks fired four no-hit innings on the mound in pool play for the Georgia Jackets, showing good arm strength with a fastball that worked 82-84 mph and he held the velocity well over his outing. He spun it well for an out-pitch, relying on a slower curveball that did show tight spin.
Josh Shuler, OF (2020, Ga.) – Another quick-twitch outfielder, Shuler showed good quickness all over the field and showed well overall in the outfield for the Jackets. He has an above average arm for the class with the ability to wait back on spin and drive the ball. Despite his smaller frame he possesses good strength and uses it to his advantage.
Patrick Holloman, LHP (2020, Ga.) – The MV-Pitcher of the event, Holloman has a lean, projectable build with present arm speed. He worked his fastball around 80-83 mph and showed the ability to generate run. He also displayed decent feel for spin and a throwing action that worked across his body.
Dalton Pearson, OF (2020, Ga.) – A very quick-twitch player who turned in above average run times from the left side, Pearson played left field for the eventual National Champion Roadrunners and helped terrorize opposing pitchers by stealing bases left and right. He employs a contact-oriented swing with the ability to put the ball in play at a high rate of effectiveness.
Myles McDermott, RHP (2020, Mass.) – A projectable arm who threw on the first day of the event, McDermott worked quickly and attacked hitters relying primarily on a fastball that worked in the low-80s and touched 83 mph. His feel for pitching should help him progress well moving forward.
Noah Keeter, RHP (2019, Fla.) – A very, very tall player for his age (6-foot-5), Keeter worked from a deceptive lower three-quarters arm slot with decent arm speed. He showed a fastball that worked up to 83 mph and feel for a changeup.
Samuel Infante, SS (2020, Fla.) – Infante was the shortstop on a very talented Banditos team that showed clean actions up the middle, moving well to both sides. He also showed good feel at the plate with rhythm and hand quickness to turn on the ball.
Dylan Strickland, SS (2020, Ga.) – Strickland showed good bat speed at the plate and incorporated his lower half, giving him some leverage in his swing, which helped set him apart. The ball came off his barrel loud with a double to the wall that left the bat at 89 mph.
Emmanuel Johnson, OF (2019, Va.) – Johnson has a lot of strength already in his frame working from a lower hand set with good bat speed. He swung the bat with a level swing plane, and used his strength well to create some leverage to drive the ball in the air.
Alex Greene, OF (2020, Md.) – A teammate of Johnson as listed above, Greene showed a very quick barrel with some lift and strength in his swing. He drove the ball well to all fields and will continue to do so consistently with additional strength.
John Pharris, RHP (2019, La.) – With a very tall, lean frame and lots of projection remaining, Pharris showed a live arm on the mound while working in the low- to mid-80s and hit 87 mph. He currently throwing a slider in the developmental stages, but at this age of competition his fastball is enough to get swings and misses.