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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/1/2019

17U WWBA: Day 3 Scout Notes

Greg Gerard      Brian Treadway      Jacob Jordan      Jacob Martin      Matthew Arietta      Jered Goodwin      Ben Milks     
Photo: Zachary Murray (Perfect Game)

2019 17U WWBA National Championship: Day 1 Notes | Day 2 Notes

Little Caesars Baseball picked up its first win of the weekend on Sunday morning in Alpharetta, scoring in bunches to take home a 14-6 decision. Nick Chittum (2020, Grosse Ile, Mich.) got the start and while he wasn’t in the game all that long, still showed pretty significant upside and projection on the mound. A good-sized, projectable righthander, Chittum’s control/command lagged in this one as he sprayed the ball a bit, but the combination of his projection and present stuff is nonetheless intriguing.

He worked his fastball up to 90 mph, sitting more in the 85-88 mph range, with good downhill plane and quality, though inconsistent, life to the arm side. The changeup stands out as his best secondary offering, flashing solid-average a handful of times. He throws it with conviction and out of the same high slot his fastball comes from, doing a nice job of tunneling the pitch and creating deception which, along with the action of the pitch, makes it a potential bat-misser long term. He’s uncommitted at this time.



The Georgia Jackets and SBA Canes locked into a 5-5 tie on Sunday afternoon. Patrick Holloman (2020, McDonough, Ga.) had an uncharacteristically wild outing, walking six in less than two full innings, something we’ve never seen from him throughout his career to date. Regardless, the stuff and overall feel still flashed very strong, and the upside of a dominant pitcher at Georgia still definitely exists. Holloman is a lean, projectable lefthander who has filled out some but still has plenty of room to get stronger moving forward. He ran his fastball up to 87 mph a handful of times, settling into the 83-86 mph range for the most part. His arm slot seemed a bit higher than it had been in the past, and this could explain why he missed down with the fastball so frequently, though at the same time he created a good amount of plane that made the fastball quality stand above the raw velocity when he was in the zone. The curveball was solid, thrown in the mid-70s with 1/7 shape and good depth to it, while the changeup was solid as well with good arm speed and fade. This was likely just an off day for Holloman, as he’s usually amongst the best in the country in terms of command, which, in conjunction with that three-pitch mix and excellent pitchability, gives him that very good upside.

Nate McCollum (2020, McDonough, Ga.) showed a bevy of tools a few weeks ago at PG National, including plus speed, plus athleticism, loud bat speed, and lots of ability in the outfield. He opened this game by smoking a liner to left field, stealing second base, and coming around to score without another hit being recorded. The bat speed and foot speed are both impactful, and he projects as a top-of-the-order hitter at North Carolina State with some serious punch in his bat as well. There is legitimate draft potential here given the tools and athleticism, and he’ll be followed closely through the spring as we work towards the MLB Draft next June.

Ostingers Baseball Academy moved to 3-0-1 on Sunday afternoon via a 7-2 win over Team Ohio Pro Select. Cole Stallings (2020, Lithia, Fla.) got the start and the win, going 4 1/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit and four walks while picking up a pair of strikeouts. A solidly-built righthander with strength throughout, Stallings ran his fastball up to 91 mph and sat more 85-89 mph, working the pitch downhill from a high three-quarters slot with good plane to the bottom of the strike zone. The command wasn’t real fine, but he wasn’t wild and was around the zone with his misses for the most part. The curveball flashed good bite on an 11/5-shaped plane in the mid-70’s, doing a fair job of throwing it for strikes as well as buried for chases. He flashed a changeup occasionally, but as is the case with most prep arms, it’s his third-best pitch at present. He looks the part of a durable, innings-eating type of pitcher who will miss bats at a solid level. He’s committed to Stetson.

Mackenzie Wainwright (2020, Aurora, Ohio) has been steadily climbing up this summer, including a very loud performance at an Area Code tryout, and has continued that streak this week at WWBA. A righthanded-hitting outfielder, Wainright has a pro-ready body right now with outstanding physicality, and the combination of athleticism and raw power is extremely enticing. The bat speed is impactful and while the finer parts of his game are raw in terms of pitch recognition and overall consistency, the tools package and overall upside are tremendous. He hit his second homer of the week on Sunday, a monster shot, and his 1.750 OPS with four steals through just three games is obviously high-end in terms of performance. He’s committed to Ohio State, and we’re looking forward to getting more looks at him this week. 



One of the top uncommitted players in the class of 2020, George Klassen (2020, Port Washington, Wisc.) threw later on Sunday night at Lake Point in front of a bevy of scouts and recruiters and certainly did not disappoint, allowing only two baserunners over five shutout innings. He worked his fastball up to 95 mph several times and held 93-95 mph for the first couple innings, and did not throw a fastball below 90 mph through his 73-pitch outing.

The arm speed is explosive, at least plus, and given that in addition to the projection remaining on his body, it’s certainly not out of the question to project Klassen to flirt with triple digits eventually. The delivery is max-effort and somewhat violent over the front side with an extremely closed-toe landing, which inhibits command (though Klassen obviously threw plenty of strikes). He showed the ability to work north-south with the fastball, doing a nice job of setting up the breaking ball by throwing fastball up with two strikes. The breaker is a slider in terms of how he throws it, though the action gets slurvy at times. It’s thrown in the 77-80 mph range with good bite to it, and he definitely has a propensity for spinning the baseball, though the pitch will need continued refinement at the next level given the inconsistency of the shape overall. Regardless, Klassen’s arm talent and projection stand out from the page, and he’ll be amongst the most heavily-followed prep arms in the general Midwest area heading towards the 2020 MLB Draft next summer.

-Brian Sakowski



As far as arm speed and sliders go, Marco Raya (2020, Laredo, Texas) has some of the top two in each of those categories throughout the 2020 classification. Raya, a Texas Tech commit, is not going to blow anyone away with his physicality standing at a listed skinny 6-foot, 160 pounds. Raya has that present quick-twitch muscle and projectable arm speed that already produces a fastball up to 92 mph. What is so special on top of all the traits Raya has on the mound is the spin rate of both his fastball and his breaking ball. His slider has a spin rate around 2,800 RPM in the 82-84 mph range while his fastball shows impressive spin of its own right around 2,700 RPM while creating frequent late cutting action on the pitch. The slider already flashes plus and is going to be a weapon for him moving forward. Raya pitched well on this day missing barrels and getting plenty of swings-and-misses. His velocity sat 89-92 mph early and showed plenty of reason to believe there is still more in his tank. 



Another day, another uncommitted arm at the 17U WWBA National Championship showing impressive velocity and projection in Texas native Jared Matheson (2020, Montgomery, Texas). The righthander is listed at 6-foot-2, 155 pounds and appears taller and more physical than that. The uncommitted righty topped out at 94 mph with his fastball while sitting consistently in the 89-93 mph range. The pitch is straight to the plate riding on a steep downhill plane from his tall frame. He offered up a pair of offspeed pitches in an average curveball that sat in the upper-70s and a changeup that he is able to pull the string on at 84 mph. His arm action is pretty compact with a plunge as the arm is taken back through the arm circle. Matheson showed the ability to fill up the strike zone best when under control to the plate while staying balanced and online. He did have a tendency to rush to the plate and when doing so the arm would be late causing the command to decline. The projection for Matheson is extremely high given his ceiling to fill out even more with a projectable frame getting stronger and throw even harder. 



Robert Ready (2020, Cape May, N.J.) is a strong-framed pitcher who showed a fastball up to 93 mph in his first appearance in a Perfect Game event in 2019. Ready is a physical 6-foot-3 righty with a working arm action that does wrap some through the back, but showed no signs of obstruction to his command as it was repeated and on time to the point of release. He has solid direction to the plate with an online release. The fastball flashes varying life at times and the slider he has is a sharp pitch with varying depth making it appear to break more like a curveball, but showing similar velocity between 81-84 mph. The East Carolina commit attacked with the fastball and overpowered his opposition while inducing soft contact as well. Ready pitched three innings for Team Combat/Scanzano Baseball 17U striking out four and not allowing a hit. 



A high-profile righthander in Nick Bitsko (2021, Doylestown, Pa.) pitched for the East Coast Sox 17U Select on Sunday afternoon at Cartersville High School showing some of the best velocity of the event regardless of the classification. Bitsko touched 95 mph with his fastball while also mixing in a curveball that has the makings of a plus pitch moving forward. The righthander has an ideal pitcher’s build standing at a listed 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. The right arm of the Virginia commit really works and when he consistently uses his lower half with timing to the plate, Bitsko is able to flash sharp 12-to-6 bite to his curveball and life downhill on his fastball. He displayed the ability to work to both sides of the plate effectively.

A pair of East Coast Sox 17U players helped lead the team to a pair of run-rule victories on Sunday. Samford University commit Colton Ledbetter (2020, Hoover, Ala.), who is having a monster offensive tournament thus far in terms of production, and Slade Wilks (2020, Columbia, Miss.), who has shown some of the best raw juice at the event as well as two weeks ago in Phoenix, Arizona at the PG National Showcase. Hitting in the leadoff and two holes in the order respectively, Ledbetter and Wilks each showed similar approaches as well as swings on the baseball in the 4:30 game. Ledbetter got a pitch to hit out over the middle of the plate and leveraged it well to the pull-side gap off of the right-center field wall for a double. Next to the plate was the Southern Miss commit, Wilks, who got a similar pitch in terms of location and did not miss it putting it over the 375-foot center field wall. Ledbetter and Wilks each are very strong lefthander power hitters with an approach to drive the baseball.

Jaden Bruno (2020, Wellington, Fla.) worked an inning of relief for Bitsko, tossing fastballs that sat in the 89-91 mph range and a curveball that flashed above average 12-to-6 shape in the upper-70s. Bruno showed the ability to elevate the fastball although the command had inconsistencies to it. He started to work off of the breaking ball showing plenty of success with it. Bruno, a Stanford commit, has a very loose arm and has a twin brother, Ryan, who is also committed to Stanford.

Jaylen Paden (2020, Lilburn, Ga.) is a righthander who showed a jump in velocity during the nightcap of games topping out at 92 mph on the mound. Paden is uncommitted and sure turned the heads of many recruiters in attendance on this day. He pitched off of the low-90s fastball while flashing a slider that shows potential at 78 mph. Paden utilizes a full arm action at take back and plenty of intent into his release. He has a nice feel for the strike zone and is able to fill it up with effective use of his fastball primarily. The arm speed is projectable with that similar quick-twitch muscle as mentioned in Raya’s scout note. Paden gets to both sides of the plate with his fastball and pitched well against a talented GRB ball club going five innings with eight punch outs.

-Gregory Gerard

Kansas commit Tavian Josenberger (2020, Kansas City, Mo.) is a quick-twitch shortstop with supreme athleticism. Playing for the Royals Scout Team 17U, he showcased a medium yet projectable 6-foot, 160-pound frame. Defensively, he displayed a lot of range, a strong and accurate arm, a smooth glove, and quick transfers. His highlight play of the day showed off his athleticism as he jumped and snagged a line drive that was destined for left-center field. The switch-hitter only batted lefthanded during the third day of the tournament. Starting with an open and crouched stance with a high elbow, he transitions into a small lift trigger. Hands are extremely quick through the zone and he has a smooth swing on a moderately downward plane. He displayed really good bat to ball skills and typically hits ground balls or line drives to all fields. His speed and instincts played extremely well on the bases. He stole several bases standing up and read the trajectory on balls in the dirt well to take extra bags.

Nathan Chester (2020, Liberty, Mo.) is a middle infielder with a medium and athletic 6-foot, 180-pound frame for the Royals Scout Team 17U. The righthanded hitter displayed a mature approach and a smooth swing at the plate. Starting with a wide and crouched base, he employs a medium leg lift for timing. He typically hits the ball out front to the pull field with a level swing plane through the zone. Creating extension through the backswing, he elevates the ball frequently with loud contact and has sneaky power. He used a selectively aggressive approach and swung at pitches in his hitting zone. Hit several major league fly balls. Defensively, the primary second baseman showcased good range, a smooth glove out front, good footwork, quick transfers, and an above-average arm. His highlight play of the day showcased his range as he made a sliding stop up the middle, quickly got up and made an accurate throw to first base.

Missouri commit Garrett Rice (2020, Willard, Mo.) showcased a large 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame with a lot of strength and athleticism. The righthanded hitter starts with an open stance and a high back elbow. He transitions into a toe-tap trigger with a medium leg stride. Swing is short and compact on a level plane. Hands are quick through the zone as his barrel lags behind giving him the ability to shoot the ball to the opposite field. He typically hits line drives with hard contact to all fields. During the third day of the tournament, he went 2-for-4 with a single down the left field line and a triple to right-center. He displayed really good instincts on the bases along with great speed and athleticism considering his size. His athleticism assists in defensive duties at third base. He showcased a smooth glove, good footwork, solid range, and a really good arm at the hot corner.

Avery Mabe (2020, Wytheville, Ga.) is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound righthanded pitcher committed to Virginia. Pitching for the Royals Scout Team 17U, he threw a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts, no walks, and only two hits allowed. In the windup, the tall righty takes a small step to the side before using a pretty high leg lift and then transitions downhill. The stride leg points towards the lefthanded batter’s box upon landing. His lower half generates power and his arm gets pretty good action from a three-quarters slot. The fastball averaged 87 mph but he touched 90 mph on a few occasions. It had a lot of run and downward action away from lefthanded hitters. His fastball spin rate sat around 1800 and 1900 rpm, quantitatively meaning it possessed ground ball-inducing downward movement. He also featured a really impressive straight changeup from 78-81 mph using the same arm slot as the fastball. Changeup is the true strikeout pitch thrown to both lefties and righties. A curveball is used as a pretty solid third pitch around 75 mph. He aggressively and confidently attacked the edges of the strike zone with success.

Tulane commit Zachary Devito (2020, Lithia, Fla.) is a righthanded pitcher who has a medium, lanky, and athletic 5-foot-11, 155-pound frame with room to fill. In the windup, he works quickly and uses an athletic leg lift before striding downhill. Works online and generates lower-half power combined with extremely live arm action from a three-quarters arm slot. His mechanics are smooth and repeatable. The fastball had a little bit of tail from 87-89 mph and touched 90 mph several times. He also threw a circle changeup with a lot of fade around 79-80 mph and a decent curveball that averaged 72 mph. Filled up the zone nicely and possessed pretty good command despite allowing one walk. All told, he threw four innings of two-run baseball with six strikeouts. Based on his current ability and frame, he could reasonably fill out more and gain additional velocity.

Brock Wilken (2020, Valrico, Fla.) showcased a large 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame with a lot of strength and athleticism in the build for Ostingers Baseball Academy 2020. The Wake Forest commit is a primary third baseman with a really good arm, smooth glove, and solid footwork. Based on his arm strength and frame, he could possibly project as a righthanded pitcher. However, pitching will not be in his future if he continues to hit the way he did during the third day of the tournament. The righthanded hitter starts standing nearly straight up with a slightly open stance and a high back elbow. He stays balanced during a large leg stride to generate power from his lower half. The swing is smooth and fluid on a level plane as he hits the ball out front. He gets pretty good extension, creating elevation and backspin on the ball. His smooth swing and present strength resulted in a 2-for-4 performance with a line drive home run over the left field fence.

Jose Valadez-Acuña (2021, Corpus Christi, Texas) is a lefthanded pitcher with a 6-foot, 210-pound and a lot of potential. The Texas Tech commit showcased a live arm on the mound for Team Warstic Sanguillen 2020. Using a medium leg lift, he works downhill with a really live arm action. His fastball averaged 90 mph during his one inning of relief and he touched 91 mph on several occasions. He also threw a pretty sharp 11-to-5 curveball with swing-and-miss ability. Struggling a little bit with command, he walked a batter and threw a couple of wild pitches. The raw ability is certainly present and he has a lot of interesting upside moving forward.

Dylan Brazil (2020, Lake Mary, Fla.) is a lefthanded outfielder with a small 5-foot-8, 168-pound frame with incredible athleticism and excellent speed. The Stetson commit played center field on the third day of the tournament for Scorpions 2020 Founders Club. He displayed excellent range and took great jumps manning the middle of the outfield. Cutting off balls most fielders would not have been able to get to, he limited baserunners on balls hit in the gaps. His arm is above-average. The lefthanded hitter starts with a slightly crouched and open stance. Using a medium leg trigger, he takes a small and smooth swing with quick hands leading through the zone. The bat stays on a level plane as he takes a line drive approach to all fields. His speed on the bases is deadly. He reached first base on a bunt single in 3.6 seconds. He also stole several bases, including second base on a lefthanded pick-off attempt; the first baseman did not even bother making a throw because he made it there so quickly.

Texas Tech commit Matthew Luna (2020, San Antonio, Texas) showcased a large 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame with an electric arm on the mound for South Texas Sliders 17U Mayer. The lefthanded pitcher worked well downhill moving online towards the plate and gaining good lower half extension. He displayed live arm action from a high three-quarters arm slot. Repeatable and smooth mechanics assisted in his ability to throw upper-80s fastballs during the last inning of his complete game shutout. His fastball averaged 88 mph while hitting 91 mph multiple times in the early innings. He also featured a really sharp 11-to-5 curveball with swing-and-miss ability averaging 74 mph. Working at his own pace throughout the start, he displayed a lot of confidence and incredible command on the edges of the strike zone. Pitch selection was mixed well, and he threw pitches in unpredictable counts. His skill and pitching comprehension are advanced for his age. During the complete game shutout, he threw seven innings with 13 strikeouts, one walk, and only three hits allowed across 94 pitches.

Alabama State commit Darrien McDowell (2020, Cantonment, Fla.) showcased a large 6-foot-3, 232-pound frame in relief for the Yalobusha Giants 2020. The lefthanded pitcher is a primary first baseman but showed some true ability on the mound. Using a medium leg lift, he works downhill with his leg pointing at the lefthanded batter’s box upon landing. With present lower half strength and a small stride, he still has additional velocity left in the tank. His arm has good whip and live action from a low three-quarters slot. The fastball had some natural cut averaging 86 mph while touching 88 mph several times. He also featured a slow curveball with a lot of break around 66 mph. The arm action is deceptive and the whole package is really intimidating for lefthanded hitters. From a lefthanded hitter’s perspective, it looks like he is stepping right at you with a deceptive arm slot, not to mention an upper-80s cutter that comes at you but breaks back over the plate. Across 2 2/3 scoreless innings, he racked up three strikeouts with one walk and one hit allowed.

-Jake Martin

Max DeJong (2020 Powder Springs, Ga.) is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound righthanded pitcher. Taking the mound for Nelson Baseball School 17U Black, DeJong flashed the stuff that has him ranked as one of the top righthanders in Georgia. Working out of the stretch, the Georgia commit would come at the plate with low hand separation and a high three-quarters arm slot. With a fastball that had some ferocity to it, the Powder Springs native would work his fastball comfortably in the low-90s. He eventually maxed out at 92 mph. From time to time, DeJong would find himself in tough situations, but he was able to get himself out of it. Whenever he lost a little control of his pitches, he would slow his velocity down a tad and start to aim the ball. However, regardless of drop in velocity or whatnot, the righthander still was able to make pitches when it counted and get punch outs when he needed it. 



Luis Guerrero (2020 Miami, Fla.) is a 6-foot-2, 210-pound righthanded pitcher. Starting for US Elite 2020 international Scout Team, Guerrero flashed some big-time stuff and had everyone in awe of what he could do. Working only from the stretch and delivering with a three-quarters arm slot, you could tell that the powerful righthander wasn’t losing any of his velocity or strength in his pitches. His delivery to the plate was uncanny and rather unpredictable. As the batter, you could either get a quick pitch from Guerrero, a long pause as he lifted his left leg, or he would twist his whole body around before he would explode from the mound. The uncommitted pitcher brought his fastball consistently in the low-90s and would sit comfortably around 94 mph. The majority of his fastballs were of the four-seam variety but he did show flashes of a two-seam that had quick movement away from the lefthanded batter. To complement those two pitches, Guerrero displayed a sharp biting curveball that had 11-to-5 movement. Even though the Miami native only pitched three innings, he still struck out six batters and didn’t look like he had any signs of slowing down.

David Castillo (2020 Doral, Fla.) is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound catcher. Behind the plate for US Elite 2020 International Scout Team, the backstop guided his pitching staff through tough innings on the way to victory. The strongly-built catcher showed his stuff offensively as he turned in a good performance with two opposite field doubles early. Castillo stands at the back of the batter’s box with his feet relatively close together in an open stance. Before the pitch comes, he keeps his hands near his head but drops them low when he begins his load. As the pitch comes in, Castillo takes a large stride back towards the pitcher and you can see all his weight move forward to his front leg. The uncommitted catcher showed that he could make solid contact with the ball and drive it to the opposite side as one of his doubles was hit well over the right fielder’s head. As a catcher, Castillo showed his trust in his teammates and you were able to see a positive relationship he had with each pitcher that took the mound. When they were struggling, he was able to go to the mound and help them get back on track. He knew what they were capable of and trusted in their abilities to get the job done. His leadership was definitely a plus for his team.

Nolan O'Shoney (2020 Clarksville, Tenn.) is a 6-foot-3, 165-pound righthanded pitcher. Starting on the bump for Knights Baseball 17U Platinum, O’Shoney showed the stuff that has him ranked as one of the better arms in the state of Tennessee. Looking even taller on the mound, the righthander brought his fastball in at a velocity of the upper-80s and maxing out at 88. He consistently was hitting those marks with that fastball and showed a nice curveball. The breaking ball had a small break back towards the lefthanded batter. The uncommitted pitcher was able to use his body well as he was able to really get a lot from his legs on his pitches. He threw with good hip rotation and brought his arm to the plate at a high three-quarters delivery. His velocity dropped as the game wore on, but he still was able to keep in control of his pitches through the majority of the game. With already good size and adding a some more weight to his already tall figure, O’Shoney could be seen adding some more velocity to his fastball.

Mason Olson (2020 Spanish Fork, Utah) is a 5-foot-10, 140-pound lefthanded pitcher. The southpaw took on a stacked offensive lineup and did what was asked for him as he helped Mountain West 2020 to a convincing victory. Olson had a smooth delivery to the mound as he worked from a three-quarters delivery. The uncommitted pitcher didn’t have an overpowering fastball as it was sitting in the low-80s throughout the whole of the game. However, he relied heavily upon movement and placement on his pitches and he kept the opposing hitters from ever getting good contact on his pitches. The Spanish Fork native was able to use his separate pitches effectively to hit the corners and to keep the batters off balance. His slider had nice side-to-side movement to it as it came in at a low-70s velocity. The lefthander also had good control of his changeup which would drop out on the hitter. Throwing a complete game for his team, Olson struck out five batters but also limited the baserunners by not allowing a single walk.

-Brian Treadway

Tiger Borom (2020, Jonesboro, Ga.) is a 5-foot-10, 155-pound, athletic and toolsy center fielder from Strong Rock Christian School in Locust Grove, Georgia. An incoming senior in the fall, Borom will continue his playing career at Lipscomb University upon completing his senior season next spring.  Today at East Cobb, Borom performed very well both with his bat and in leftfield with his glove for his club, East Cobb Astros 17U Navy. At the plate, Borom finished with a line that read 2-for-3, with a home run, double, two runs scored, and an RBI. In the box, Borom is patient and still, with an open stance from the left side and hands near his ear with a slight bat waggle for timing. Borom deploys a step back with his front foot upon release, before striding forward keeping his hands back through hip fire for optimal torque and power generation. He showed time and again the ability to get on plain and use his quick hands to fire his bat head through the zone for both home run and gap power potential. Both his glove and speed are carry tools as Borom’s athleticism shines in the outfield as well as on the bases. Tiger has good instincts and acceleration both out of the box and on the base paths. He uses that speed in the outfield as nothing seems to fall due to his good range to both the line in left and the center field gap. He is a smooth defender as well with ability to make all plays. Lastly, he has plenty of arm strength from left field with throws showing on-line carry to bases. Overall, Borom is an exciting player to watch compete as he is evidently confident in his current abilities and competes hard for his club while effecting the game in many positive ways.

David Coppedge (2020, N. Chesterfield, Va.) is a 5-foot-10, lean and athletic middle infielder who attends Clover Hill High School near his hometown in the Richmond suburbs. A University of Virginia commit following his senior season next spring, Coppedge showed why he is committed to one of the most prestigious college baseball programs in the nation at East Cobb on Sunday night as he went 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run, three runs scored, an RBI, and two singles, one through the right side in a successful hit-and-run opportunity that put the pressure on his opponent early in the contest. At the plate, Coppedge starts a slightly open stance and hands near his ear. He uses a slow bat waggle for timing, and upon pitch release uses a double toe tap before striding towards the pitcher in preparation for his swing. Once he has foot strike, Coppedge fires his hips while keeping his hands back and on plane with the pitch. He allows his hips lead his hands and fires his hands last through the hitting zone, with a short, quick path. Bat speed and leverage in swings indicate future average power that had backspin for carry especially on his long home run last night. Coppedge is very athletic and moves well on the bases in all areas. He profiles well for shortstop yet played second last night in a winning effort for his club, Virginia Cardinals 2020. David is a solid, sure-handed fielder with sound defensive actions. He has range to both sides and first step quickness allowing him to get to most balls hit his way. He fields out front with soft hands and mechanics. Coppedge is exciting to watch play the game and demands your attention when he’s on the field. He exudes confidence and plays the game the right way. Currently ranked as a top-10 shortstop in his home state and inside the top players in the 2020 class for Virginia as well.

Cody Ferguson (2020, Pelham, Ala.) is a 5-foot-10, 165-pound, middle infielder from Pelham High School in his hometown. A senior in the fall at Pelham, Ferguson displayed advanced tools all over the field on Sunday, despite falling in a well-fought contest this afternoon. At the plate the third baseman ended the day with a line that read 3-for-3 with a double, triple, RBI, and three runs scored. At the plate, Ferguson has a mechanically-sound approach and keen actions that help him regularly get on time and connect with pitches he sees with good rhythm and timing. He stays very short and through the ball and has current power to the gaps. A good athlete, Ferguson moves well out of the box and on the bases with baseball acumen and awareness. He stays light on his feet and showcases plus speed this evening when he legged out a triple on a hard, line drive into the gap. In the field he stays light on his feet and has the ability to get to all balls hit his way due to a quick lower half and good agility for his position. He has soft hands and fields balls out in front with good body control and athletic actions. Very smooth in the field which helps dictate the fact he profiles well to shortstop. Cody has a strong arm and regularly showcases on target throws with a live arm that has a short release and proper mechanics. Currently uncommitted, Ferguson will be an exciting player to follow heading into his senior season. Currently ranked as the eleventh-best shortstop in Alabama for the 2020 class, and inside the top-100 overall, Ferguson will sure be getting more looks his way for the collegiate circuit if he continues to perform as he did on Sunday.

Zachary Murray (2020, Buford, Ga.) is a 6-foot, 170-pound righthanded pitcher who entered the day already with a college commitment to Louisiana State University in hand. The fifth-ranked righthanded pitcher in his home state, and No. 15 prospect overall statewide, Murray pitched his team, East Cobb Astros 17U Navy to a win this afternoon at East Cobb after an excellent showing on the mound. Murray has good size and strength to his current frame as he deploys a full windup from the first base side of the rubber. He uses an up-tempo to his delivery and loads well into his backside before driving down the mound with good timing with his throwing arm. Arm works well and has a long, quick, unrestricted arm action that delivers his repertoire from a low three-quarters slot. A good athlete, Murray has good flexibility he used to get over his front side well helping him fill up the bottom of the zone this afternoon. Murray has a two-pitch mix that consists of a present, fringe average fastball with run and the occasional cut. He delivers really easy which gives his fastball a lot of life through the zone as well. Control is better than command to this point yet time and again he will show glimpses of command which helps one figure more will develop as he matures on the mound. Curveball is more of a slurve right now, yet most are in the upper-70s and with good location, it showed to be a really good swing and miss offering for Murray on the day. As he went Murray began to mix his curveball into all counts making things really difficult for the opposition. When all was said and done Murray completed five full, allowing two hits, an earned run, and struck out seven on his way to earning a win. Very high upside talent on the mound, Murray showed a no-fear approach, with some controlled aggression. Overall, exciting to watch pitch, as it is only the beginning to the true potential Murray is capable of reaching in his baseball career.

Jordan Thompson (2020, Chula Vista, Calif.) is a two-way talented ballplayer from Helix High School near his hometown. Thompson, who has a 6-foot, 160-pound frame, strong and athletically-framed with room to fill, did a little of everything for San Diego Show this afternoon leading them to a commanding victory. Thompson started the game on the mound and went two innings in a pitch-count limiting outing where he surrenders two hits, an earned run, walk and recorded a strike out in a winning effort. He has a mechanically sound windup from the first base side of the rubber with a loose and easy arm action that he delivers from a high three-quarters slot. Fastball is average currently as he was up to 92 in the early going yet maintained his velocity well over his abbreviated start, staying around 90 the entire time. Fastball has some run and life in the zone as he filled it up this afternoon at East Cobb inducing a lot of weak contact. He moves well off the mound and his athleticism translated to his at-bats as well. At the plate, Thompson helped himself going 1-for-3 with a single and a run scored. He stands tall in the box with a slight knee bend and hands near his ear. He has some pre-pitch bat movement for timing and a quick, line drive, level stroke that maintains through the zone a long time. Power is currently to the gaps, but he did display some hand-eye coordination and hitability in the three-hole this afternoon for his team. Very exciting player to monitor moving forward as he will join LSU’s club after his senior season. High-level competitor on the mound and in the box, gives the Tigers plenty to look forward to during Thompson’s collegiate career.

-Matt Arietta

Ryan Calvert (2020, La Plata, Md.) put together a solid start for Canes 17U North on Sunday morning. The righthanded pitcher went five innings, allowing three hits, two runs, and no walks with six strikeouts. Armed with a high-80s to low-90s fastball with run and a loopy curveball in the low-70s, Calvert pounded the strike zone all game and was very efficient. The uncommitted 17-year-old is sound mechanically. He gets good extension down the mound with a long smooth arm action and three-quarters arm slot. Physically, a filled out lower half and lean muscular build on 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame projects well. All around, the primary first baseman projects well as a pitcher and could continue to add velocity and he continues to develop.

Vince Bonanni (2020, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) showed real potential in a relief outing on Sunday morning. The uncommitted 17-year-old started off a little slow but settled in and performed well. His final line after pitching one inning was two hits and two runs allowed with three walks and two strikeouts. The righthander’s fastball was up to 92 mph but sat mostly in the 89-91 mph range. Bonanni also utilized a sharp late breaking slider in the low-80s. The fastball and slider that the 6-foot-4, 195-pounder possess has the potential to develop into impressive stuff. Velocity comes easy from a fluid whippy arm action with a high three-quarters arm slot. Nationally ranked as a top-500 player in the country, Bonanni is a highly-projectable arm that remains on the board for now.

Keaton Hopwood (2020, Wilmington, Ill.) was lights-out in his start for Cangelosi Sparks 2020 Black. The righthander threw four innings, allowed two hits, one run, and no walks, with eight strikeouts. Hopwood was dominant with a three-pitch mix of a low-90’s fastball with late life, a mid-70s sweeping curve, and a nasty changeup that consistently sat at 79 mph. He throws all three pitches for strikes and threw 75 percent strikes in the outing. The uncommitted 17-year-old throws with a quick arm and compact arm action from a three-quarters arm slot. He gets downhill well, using his long legs on his 6-foot-2 frame. Hopwood has real potential to develop into a big-time pitcher with his current ability to locate his pitches and his projectable frame along with his velocity.

Ben Abernathy (2020, Warrior, Ala.) had an impressive showing at shortstop Sunday for Southern Squeeze. The West Virginia commit went 2-for-3 with a double, triple, and two runs scored. At the plate, Abernathy utilizes a tall narrow open stance with a leg kick and minor hand load. He drives the ball well into the left-center gap with more power than his wiry frame might suggest he has. At 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, the 17-year-old is a pure athlete and shows impressive speed and strength. Defensively, he is a pure shortstop that makes it look extremely easy. Soft hands, effective range to both his right and left, and a strong accurate arm make Abernathy a sure-fire defender that stands out when he is on the field.

Connor Monroe (2020, Pfafftown, N.C.) was solid in his outing for the Dirtbags 17U Skrap Pak. He threw five innings while allowing four hits, one run, and two walks with six strikeouts. The N.C. State commit was up to 91 with his fastball but it sat in the high-80s and was paired with a sweeping mid-70s curve with depth. Monroe filled the strike zone all game and showed poise on the mound. The long lanky 17-year-old throws with a quick arm and fast delivery. The arm action is long and he releases from a high three-quarters arm slot. Physically, there is plenty of room for Monroe to add muscle to his 6-foot-2, 175 pound frame. He projects well and will most likely continue to add velocity as he grows stronger with the potential to one day possess a mid-90s fastball.

Dylan Carmouche (2020, Denham Springs, La.) threw a six-inning no-hitter in a 10-0 East Coast Sox Select 17U win. The southpaw ran his fastball up to 89 mph, but it sat in the 86-88 mph range. He paired his fastball with a loopy low-70s curve and high-70s to low-80s tight slider. The Louisiana-Lafayette commit delivers from an overhand arm slot with a compact arm action. He gets good extension down the mound with his long legs on his 6-foot-5 frame. With a long lanky build, there is plenty of room to add muscle as Carmouche fills out. He projects well and shows starter potential at the next level. 

-Jacob Jordan

Jake Gelof (2020, Rehoboth, Del.) had a very good day at the plate on Sunday for Canes American 17U.  the 6-foot-1 righthanded hitter uses a balanced set up with a slight leg lift to generate a lot of torque in his compact swing. He has quick hands that consistently allow the barrel to play out front.  There is minimal effort to create bat speed and he stays balance throughout his powerful stroke. Gelof looked good from his three-hole position in the lineup lacing a double down the left field line in the first inning that recorded an RBI.  In the fourth inning he unloaded on a pitch and hit a towering three-run home run to left field.

Johnny Castagnozzi (2020, Massapequa Park, N.Y.) had a great day at the plate picking up a pair of hits for the Canes National 17U club on Sunday.  He has a long torso that he uses to get good lag in his process and creates excellent barrel speed through contact. He squared up a fastball on the outer half and back spun it to the right-center field gap that got to the fence in a hurry.  He followed that up with a hard single to left field.  The barrel accuracy is very good and his hands are heavy.

Hunter Barnhart (2020, Paso Robles, Calif.) needed only 10 pitches to show how impressive his repertoire can potentially become.  He was a steady 90-92 mph with good feel for the strike zone.  He is a very good athlete and the arm speed is elite.  He worked the outer half today and mixed a swing-and-miss upper-70s slider, that grades as plus in the future.  He threw nine strikes out of his 10 pitches, and will be followed closely as he takes the mound next at this event.

Lucas Costello (2020, Miami, Fla.) looks the part at 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds.  He is well-proportioned and one can easily dream upon him being an elite power-hitting third baseman as he adds strength. He has a quick barrel and showed great hand adjustment today hammering a pitch that was in, off the plate, for a long home run to the pull side that he was able to manipulate the barrel to keep fair.  He does not expand the zone and never wavers from his approach. He has a big offensive profile as he continues to mature.

Drew Sturgeon (2020, Farmington, Ark.) is an uncommitted prospect who looks like he could be a top-of-the-lineup bat at the next level.  He hit from the leadoff spot today for the Rawlings Arkansas Prospects-Stroth and was absolutely stellar.  He recorded three hits including long triple over the centerfielder’s head.  He is a powerful runner that is aggressive on the basepaths. His lefthanded swing is loose and smooth and he adds top-level hand-eye coordination.  Over the first three days of the event Sturgeon is hitting .533 with a double and two triples, while slashing a 1.400 OPS.

Ryan Lynch (2020, Granger, Ind.) threw for the Canes Midwest Sunday afternoon and threw very well over his six innings of work.  He threw from an over-the-top arm slot and hid the ball very well behind his body that made his 86-88/90 fastball play up.  He did a good job moving it to all four quadrants of the zone.  He knows how to pitch effectively working an upper-70s slider backdoor and backfoot to keep hitters off balance. The Notre Dame commit forced weak contact throughout his outing and mixed regularly to scatter three hits while striking out five in what ended up being one of the better pitched games of the early tournament.

Matthew Luna (2020, San Antonio, Texas) took the mound for the South Texas Sliders Mayer to oppose Lynch on Sunday.  He turned in a stellar performance with a complete game shutout of a very good Cane MW line up. He has a mature 6-foot-4 body and dominated the strike zone with a low three-quarters slot that gave hitters problems because he his late arm-side run he produced.  He worked both sides of the plate with a fastball that sat 87-90/1, and he maintained velocity through his seven innings.  The Texas Tech commit had a sweeping breaking ball that had sharp 10-4 action and got multiple swing and misses on his way to striking out 13 batters and a completely dominant three-hit shutout to help STSM stay undefeated.

Nick Vieira (2020, Margate, Fla.) took the hill for Elite Squad National on Sunday.  He has a large 6-foot-5 frame that has plenty of room to fill out as he matures.  He has a repeatable box delivery, easy stride and does a good job driving with his back side. He gets good extension out front when he is on time and uses his long arms well to create extension.  He sat in the 86-90/1 range with his fastball and worked the bottom of the zone well.  His breaking ball sat in the mid-70s with 11/5 break and showed potential when he got it to the glove side.  This uncommitted prospect has big upside and showed some ability to miss bats today throwing four innings while striking out six.

-Jered Goodwin

Throwing a seven-inning complete game for Upstate Mavericks ST was Reid Fagerstorm (2020, Sharpsburg, Ga.). The strong, stocky righty showed varying lower half mechanics throughout the delivery keeping hitters off balance and guessing consistently. The uncommitted 2020 worked seven innings while scattering five hits and three runs, collecting 10 strikeouts. Flashed a fastball with some late arm-side run up to 89 mph complemented with a 11/5 curveball at 77 mph with good depth and sharp break. Showed the ability to throw the breaking ball in any count for a strike.

Blayze Haddock (2020, Toccoa, Ga.) drove in two runs with a two-RBI double in the game on Sunday. Haddock showed a clean hand path to and through the baseball with the ability to create good bat speed, working with the barrel out front. Flashed impressive pull-side power on the double turning the barrel over for a loud line drive to right-center field.

Demetrius Vizcarra (2020, Compton, Calif.) did not have his best outing on Saturday but flashed plus stuff and interesting mechanics on the mound. The Florida International commit showed an explosive delivery creating good arm speed to the plate from a low three-quarter arm slot creating good movement on the fastball. Showed a fastball with occasional heavy run up to 90 mph and a 10/5 breaking ball with sharp break creating a lot of empty swings at 74 mph.

The No. 154 overall player in the nation Jovan Gill (2020, Fort Myers, Fla.) did not disappoint on Sunday at the plate driving in a run for Giants Scout Team-FTB. The Stetson commit showed off his present power with a loud double off the left-center field fence. Gill features a high-intent swing with a naturally elevated barrel path through contact and good bat speed creating consistent loudly driven contact.

A long, lanky 2021 grad Michael Braswell (2021, Mableton, Ga.) flashed an athletic, explosive delivery getting extended out front well. Showed electric arm speed working four innings and only allowing one hit while striking out five. The South Carolina commit flashed a fastball with heavy life through the zone and good control to both sides of the plate up to 90 mph to go along with a sharp 11-to-5 breaking ball freezing hitters at 76 mph.

Jack Sokol (2020, New Albany, Ohio) opened some eyes with his impressive performance on Sunday, working five innings while striking out five batters and only surrendering two walks. The uncommitted 2020 grad showed a long, loose arm action with good arm speed while getting extended well. Flashed a heavy fastball with good control to both sides of the plate up to 91 mph complemented by a curveball with good depth and sharp break at 76 mph and a fading changeup at 84 mph.

Getting the start on Sunday for Team Georgia 17U National was Camden Hill (2020, Madison, Ala.) The athletic lefty was lights out in his four innings of work only surrendering one hit while striking out four. The Auburn commit showed a long, athletic delivery with impressive arm speed. Showed a fastball with downhill plane and good control to the arm side up to 89 mph complemented with a 1/7 curveball with sharp break creating a lot of swing and miss at 78 mph.

-Ben Milks
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