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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/27/2019

16u Midwest: Day 1 Scout Notes

Nate Schweers      Ben Milks      Sam Bornstein     
Photo: Landen Looper (Perfect Game)

Ethan Voss (2021, Burnsville, Minn.) opened up day one of the 2019 WWBA 16u Prospect Meadows National Championship with a lights-out start for NorthStar Baseball Club 16u. Voss tossed four hitless innings in the victory, striking out seven and allowing just one walk. Voss was at 79-81 mph with the fastball Friday, mixing speeds well with a heavy dose of high-60s curveballs he could spin with confidence. Voss has a projectable frame at 6-foot-4, 175-pounds, and the 2021 righthander has advanced pitchability and command with clean arm action from a high three-quarters slot. An uncommitted member of the class, Voss has the initial pieces to develop into a really great pitcher.

Jack Whited (2021, Ellisville, Mo.) had a strong Friday at the plate for Rawlings Extreme-Sinovich, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in game one before grabbing another base hit in game two. Whited has a medium frame and athletic build, making his presence known in the box with a looming, even stance. Whited has some present bat speed at the plate, but I was most impressed with the way he played shortstop on Friday. Whited is a heady player that is constantly in the right place at the right time. Whited’s best play of the day came during a first-and-third steal where he cut the ball off and delivered a strike to home plate to nab the runner.

Landen Looper (2021, Frankfort, Ill.) put his athleticism and projectability on display during his start Friday, tossing two innings while allowing zero earned runs. Looper has a projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, and the Louisville commit featured a low-80s fastball up to 83 mph. Looper has a lot of quick-twitch actions to like, but runs into trouble at times when leading with the head and falling to his glove side. Looper has some developing feel for a mid-70s curveball and the 2021 righthander will only improve and add velocity as he shores up some of the mechanical deficiencies in his delivery. All in all, it’s easy to like the projectability of Looper’s frame and pitch arsenal as a high-level and incredibly interesting arm in the class of 2021.

Matt Maloney (2021, Mokena, Ill.) came out of the bullpen following Looper on Friday, tossing another two solid innings in the Cangelosi Sparks 2021 Black victory. Maloney is an athletic pitcher with a younger frame and the righthander attacks hitters with a good mix of low-80s fastballs and high-60s breaking balls. Maloney has excellent feel for the curveball, throwing it well in all counts. As Maloney adds size and strength to his frame the velocity could jump. Maloney is an interesting arm in the class and it will be exciting to see how the rising junior develops over the next year.

Tanner Mueller (2021, Wentzville, Mo.) was another exciting arm to take the mound on Friday, tossing three strong innings and striking out six. Mueller has an ultra-projectable 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame, and the tall and slender righthander has a whippy and fast arm from a true three-quarters slot. Mueller sat at 80-83, topping at 85 mph with a fastball that has late life when thrown to both sides of the plate. Mueller, who is an uncommitted member of the 2021 class, was able to locate the fastball well to the glove side on Friday, and the late and deceptive movement was enough to keep hitters off balance. Mueller has developing feel for a low-70s breaking ball and the development of that pitch will go along way toward increased effectiveness on the mound.

The South Oakland A’s – Lelli had an impressive day one win on Friday and a pair of hitters in the free-swinging lineup had noteworthy performances.

Nathan Riffe (2022, Troy, Mich.) was 3-for-3 and finishing just a home run short of the cycle. Riffe has a sound approach at the plate, and his present bat speed and strong lower half makes him a constant power threat at the plate. Riffe is a physically gifted middle infielder to keep an eye on.

Cole Prout (2022, Standish, Mich.) was the other A’s standout to have an impressive day at the plate Friday. Prout finished the game 2-for-3 out of the leadoff spot, highlighted by a triple and a pair of RBI. Prout is an athletic center fielder that provides both power and speed out of the leadoff spot and the rising sophomore has plenty of room to fill out and add strength. Prout’s aggressive, high-contact approach at the plate is one that plays well out of the leadoff spot, and there is no doubt that he will be an exciting name to follow in the 2022 class.

– Nate Schweers


Kyle Walter (2021, Minooka, Ill.) got the start on the mound for the Illinois Dynasty Black in the first game of the tournament. Working four innings, Walter surrendered one hit and zero walks while striking out eight batters. The long, lanky 2021 grad showed a deliberate delivery with present athleticism down the hill while flashing some arm speed from a high three-quarters arm slot. Walter cruised through his four innings of work without having to show an off-speed pitch, working exclusively with a fastball thrown with good control to both sides of the plate topping out at 83 mph.

Getting the start on the mound on Friday morning for Recruits Baseball Club was Cole Koonce (2021, Eureka, Mo.) The physical righty features a fastball with heavy life when thrown up in the zone creating swing-and-miss up to 82 mph and he complemented his heater with a sweeping curveball thrown for strikes in all counts up to 71 mph. In 6 2/3 innings of work Koolce only allowed one hit while fanning 11 batters on the way to a 0-0 tie.

Joseph Durso (202, Seaford, N.Y.) was impressive on both sides of the ball of Friday for Next Level Baseball 2021. Durso showed a compact swing with a line drive oriented approach. The New York native showed the ability to drive the baseball to and through the gaps in the outfield with a line drive double down the left field line. Behind the plate Druso confident actions behind the plate, to go along with a strong arm, throwing out multiple runners on the day.

Collecting two hits on Friday morning for GRB Rays Yellow was Justin Hausser (2021, De Forest, Wis.). The strong 2021 grad showed interesting bat-to-ball skills with good bat speed creating good jump off the barrel when squared. He displayed power to the gaps and athleticism, stretching a sure double hit into the right-center field gap into a triple.

– Ben Milks


It took Dylan Petrey (2021, Pingree Grove, Ill.) an inning or two to get into a groove, but once he settled in, he was nails. Petrey runs his fastball up to 80 mph with great command. From a low three-quarters arm slot the pitch has late run to it and he throws it often. He had hitters off balance as he collected nine strikeouts over seven shutout innings.

Reed Gannon (2021, Minooka, Ill.) is a tall, projectable lefty with smooth mechanics. Gannon’s fastball reaches 85 mph and has some sink to it. He pitches up in the zone from his three-quarters arm slot and explodes to the plate attacking hitters.

Ryan Kraft (2021, Mokena, Ill.) is another tall, projectable lefthanded pitcher. Kraft fills up the zone with his 82 mph fastball and collects plenty of swings-and-misses with it. He also features a big sweeping breaking ball that he can locate for strikes.

– Sam Bornstein
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