Pool A
Projected Pool Winner: Dirtbags National 2024
With one of the deepest and most physical lineups in the nation, the Dirtbags National 2024 club have been putting up runs in bunches. No hitter is hotter than Austin Irby, as the ECU commit is While sluggers Dalton Wentz, Will Craddock and Palmer Hornick won’t be in attendance, Lee Sowers, Will Brooks, Jon Young Jr. and spark plug Carter Richardson lead an offense that averages over 7 runs per game. They can cover ground on the defensive end, and it will be interesting to see what they can put together on the mound. If they get some length from their starting pitchers, this club could be playing for another Jupiter crown.
Dark Horse: Cangelosi Sparks
If you appreciate the classic, blue-collar fundamentally sound and hard-nosed version of our game than you will love the Cangelosi Sparks. This club fills up the zone on the mound with workhorses, Brady Chambers, Max Kaplan, and Nathan Anderson leading the way with their swing and miss repertoire. Plus, with their stock of LHPs they can neutralize the lefthanded power hitters in their pool. However, if any team has a chance to slug with the Dirtbags the Sparks are the ones to answer the call. Louisville commit, Collin Mowry, is a monster in the middle of the lineup having hit a couple home runs in just six fall games to date. Cash Campbell, Enzo Infelise, Dayton Murphy, and Dominic Catalano can all slug and are all a part of the reason this team averages an impressive 8 runs per contest. Watch for this group to make a legitimate run and hang around deep into the event.
What to Look For: Offensive Firepower to Lead the Way
The high-end talent in this pool is heavily tilted towards the offensive side of things and with the way pitching depth is always challenged in Jupiter, the team that slugs the most will come out as the winner. The blend of power and speed that these clubs possess will create problems for opposing defenses and should make for exciting games across the board. Free passes and mishaps with the glove will turn into big innings and crooked numbers on the scoreboard. So, whoever cashes in the RBI situations at the highest level will set themselves up to advance.
Uncommitted Impact: Jon Young
The 6-1/190 infielder has had a productive fall thus far for the Dirtbags National 2024 club and is primed to have a breakout week in Jupiter. Young is a gifted athlete who brings tremendous value with his flexibility to play anywhere on the infield and has the quickness and lateral range to cover a lot of ground. He is an average runner at best, but he profiles as a run producer with the stick. His fall batting average is deceptive as he has been on the barrel a ton, walks more than he strikes out and has a knack for driving in runs. There is natural loft to his swing, enough strength in his hands to drive the ball through the gap and is a killer for his team in the bottom half of the batting order. Young is getting plenty of interest and with a solid week in Jupiter, I would imagine he lands at a quality college program soon.
-Craig Cozart
Pool B
Projected Pool Winner: Texas Twelve Red Sox
Texas Twelve is well-rounded in all facets with big time bats and deep arms. Braylon Payne was one of the hugest risers this summer with legitimate tools to garner draft buzz next year. Carson Luna is smooth up the middle and brings upside on the hill. Cooper Markle simply gets it done at the plate with his hitterish traits and bat-to-ball skills. Jacob Silva is dynamic behind the dish, and Ryler Smart is a physical lefty with three pitches from a fast arm. Karson Reeder is one of the top incoming sophomore arms in the country and can be used at any given situation. Texas Twelve can make a deep run if it all comes together.
Dark Horse: Home Plate Chili Dogs
Home Plate is no stranger to big time tournaments, and this year shouldn’t be any different. They bring in a good group of outfielders highlighted by Jaxon Walker and Bo Walker. Ariston Veasey is one of the top two-way talents in the class with an absolute rocket behind the dish. Wesley Alig offers some versatility on the dirt, as well. There’s a solid group of arms that can step up in key spots. The Chili Dogs are a feisty, gritty bunch of ballplayers and have all the traits you want to win in Jupiter.
What to Look for: Impact Lefty Bats
This pool is not short of high end left-handed bats. Brady Ebel is one of the best uncommitted talents in the class with real hit/power upside in a smooth left-handed swing. Michael Torres and Braylon Payne offer plenty of bat speed and budding pop from that side all while roaming center field. Heath Whitlock and Jaxon Walker are another enticing combo of left-handed sticks with legitimate power upside and bat-to-ball skills. The left-handed sticks should come to play in Jupiter, and can bring plenty of fireworks as a result.
Uncommitted Impact: James Rheaume
Rheaume is a big time two-way talent who stood out in multiple facets this summer. He’s a physical left-handed stick with a real handle for the barrel. The 6-foot-4. 200-pound frame bodes well for some future power projection, as well. He can spray the opposite field gap in looks, and there’s untapped upside on the mound. Runs it up to low-90s with heavy life and mimic his slider from the same window with late tunnel and sweep. Traits are present to be an asset at the next level and he’s a high academic along with it.
-Isaiah Burrows
Pool C
Projected Pool Winner: Power Baseball 2024 Marucci
Coming off winning that gauntlet that is the 17u WWBA National Championship, Power looks poised to pull off the rarely seen WWBA-Jupiter combination with the same group of guys. Three PG All-Americans are on the roster in 17u WWBA MVP Brodie Johnston along with two-way stars Talan Bell and Kaiden Lopez. This is a tight-knit group who should expected to be a title contender all week.
Dark Horse: Lonestar National 2024 – Sanders
Lonestar is another group that has been playing together for multiple years and their up-the-middle duo of Theo Gillen and Kayson Cunningham should be among the best of the tournament both offensively and defensively. Their offense looks like they’ll be able to score in bunches as Matthew Scott, Trey Craig, Sage Sanders, and AJ DePaolo should be able to provide length to the lineup. The pitching will need to step up and provide innings as this isn’t a huge roster but if they get hot they will be dangerous.
What to Watch For: Deep Committed Talent
This pool is pretty impressive from top to bottom as all four teams in the pool boast at least double digit college commitments. These lineups are full of players who will be playing college baseball in 2025 and that can make pitching depth even more of a scarce resource. The pool winner here will likely come down to who is able to get the biggest pitching performances out of their staffs.
Uncommitted Impact: Eliezer Rosario
Clubhouse 2024 EvoShield boasts a pretty impressive uncommitted arm in 2024 right-hander Eliezer Rosario out of Holyoke, Massachusetts. Rosario is a strongly build 6-foot-3, 226-pounds and is coming off a performance at the Northeast Qualifier where he struck out nine hitters over five innings of one-hit baseball. Rosario was up to 89 mph during the start as well, marking a jump in stuff from last year and should be a solid target from Northeast based college coaches.
-Vinnie Cervino
Pool D
Projected Pool Winner: Sticks Baseball Brewster/White Sox Scout Team
The White Sox Scout and head coach Chase Brewster have a sense for what it takes to make a deep run at a title in Jupiter and that’s a stable of quality arms with a few guys that are well seasoned in high leverage situations. A rotation of Russ Martin, Grant Wren, Minjae Seo, Mark Brissey, and Tyler Guerin on paper is a fierce-some 5-some, not to mention stand out right-hander Lance Davis. Hard to be more impressed with the new Hogs commit, Eli Crecelius and his exceptional execution in relief. The squad's positional talent should provide defensive excellence behind those big arms, headlined by rangy outfielder Griffin Enis and several versatile middle infielders guarding the dirt. Offensively, the lineup is far from a bunch of thumpers but filled with tough outs that will put the ball on the barrel.
Dark Horse: Canadian Premier
This certainly the definition of a true “dark horse” pick, a team packed with future division one talent that hasn’t received the level attention they rightfully deserve. Will Hynes and Matthew Brown will headline the pitching staff, both of which can run it up north of 90. The right-handed hitting infielder, Jordan Jacob will certainly be a name to watch at the plate as an uncommitted top 100 2025 player. Lots of professional attention will be on the top ranked Canadian in 2024 class and Perfect Game All-American, Brendan Lawson, who will surely have an influence in the outcomes for the squad. The team is balanced with more than enough talent to make some noise.
What to look for: Jupiter Experience to show
The White Sox Scout Team is loaded with arms that have been through the full cycle and have experience pitching on amateur baseball's biggest stage. Nowhere else in prep baseball are these 16- and 17-year-olds playing in front of this type of conglomerate of collegiate and professional scouts. So, having more than a few guys that have done it and can be healthily numb to the eyeballs can play a role in the success of the ball club. The staff of the White Sox Scout Team has been running out these stud underclassmen for years to prepare them for this year. Come in, get the job done, survive, advance, and attack success.
Uncommitted Impact: Jordan Jacob
The uncommitted Canadian infielder is tabbed as a Top 100 player in the 2025 class and has a limited sample size of Perfect Game at-bats in 2023. Expected him to firmly re-establish his name and ability in the minds of many both collegiate and professional decision makers. His quiet load with controlled violence through the zone produce big strength off the barrel that headlines the prospect profile. He is a more than capable defender with a strong arm that is usable from the position he best profiles long term, third base.
-Troy Sutherland
Pool E
Projected Pool Winner: Canes National 17U
Canes National brings a roster to Jupiter with a depth of high level talent. From power arms to pitchability arms and power bats to elite table setters, this roster on paper is very well rounded. Vaughn Neckar is one of the hardest throwers in the 2025 class, while fellow arms Sawyer Deering, RJ Cope, and Evan Amos are prospects that have really performed in 2023. This team has plenty ability to score runs with Everett Johnson hitting a the top of the order and power bats Bryden Bull and Brady Murrietta driving in runs. Look for a group of high level two-way talents led by Ty Thompson to round out the roster and help make enough impact to win the pool.
Dark Horse: Royals Scout Team 2024
This roster features not just a talented group but a group with some continuity as well. Many of whom have played together for several years now. A group of talented infielders stand out with power hitting Drew Dickerson and well rounded players Grant Hollister and Tytus Cissell. Two-way talents Connor Shouse and Jordan Martin will make an impact on the infield as well as on the mound. Hard throwing right handers Victor Christal and England Bryan will give them a chance on the mound. Continuity can make an impact in tournaments and this team will certainly have that.
What To Look For: A Midwest Influence
The Royals Scout Team will feature the majority of the prospects from the midwest in this pool. However, two other teams in this pool will have at least one player from the midwest on the roster. It’s an underrated region that has high level arms and bats every year. The prospects from the midwest in this pool will get a chance to prove that once again.
Uncommitted Impact: Jackson Glueck
A left-handed hitting middle of the order presence. Performed well at several events over the summer being named to two All-Tournament teams and showing plenty of raw power at the 2023 National Showcase. A simple swing with some natural loft and real strength to drive the baseball. This is a profile that could slot into the middle of a college lineup and drive in plenty of runs with home run pop from the left side.
- Blaine Peterson
Pool F
Projected Pool Winner: East Coast Ghost Scout
After months of seeing this squad dominate on a weekly basis up in the Northeast, the NJ based boys have their sights set on bigger hardware. Stacked up with eleven 90+ arms and a staggering 23 total commits, Ghost certainly have the depth to make a deep playoff run as well as the experience to win it all. Led by names like Taylor Tracey, Chase Harlan, and Jordan Serrano on the offensive end, the lineup is assuredly not going to give any breaks 1-9 and is going to be a headache for opposing pitchers trying to navigate through it. Harrison Lollin and Cory Sheridan are expected to lead the staff on the mound, not to mention the athletic two-way freaks like Charles Batista also on the roster. Opposing teams are going to want to steer clear of this matchup if possible.
Dark Horse: Chicago Scouts Association
If there’s a team to pull off an upset, Chicago Scouts Association may be in the best position to do it. JD Dix is slated to command the IF, a guy who we had at #116 on our recent 2024 MLB Draft Board back in December. Alongside Dix are two quality arms in the form of Ethan Bauerschmidt and Nolan Buss, both ranked in the top 450 of their respective classes. Expect this squad to bring the tough, blue-collar mentality of the Ohio Valley region and create chaos for other teams in multiple ways. This is a multi-talented group of guys that in no way should be underestimated coming into the tournament.
What To Look For: Uncommitted Arms
Though there’s already plenty of guys with schools attached to their names coming into the event, you can find plenty of hidden uncommitted gems up and down the rosters just waiting to be picked up. Just looking at East Coast Ghost Scout alone, William Vieira, Ryan Walsh, and Lucas White are all high quality arms not to mention studs from other teams like Will St. Onge from Florida Burn Scout. The best part about these tournaments is watching the unexpected happen, and this pool specifically could have serious diamonds in the rough on the mound.
Uncommitted Impact: JD Dix
This is an obvious one, as the former Roll Tide commit has recently reopened his recruitment with Draft buzz also surrounding his name. I don’t think this tournament will tell us anything we don’t already know, but will only reinforce the fact that the #1 overall player in WI for 2024 can straight up play, and dominate. Whether it be the ability to effortlessly impact the baseball from either box or make smooth plays from the left side of the IF, Dix is going to have his fingerprints all over the box score each time Chicago Scouts Association takes the field.
-AJ Denny
Pool G
Projected Pool Winner: Scorpions Scout Team
Scorpions Scout Team is once again loaded this year and is the clear-cut favorite to win Pool G. Ethan Holliday, the number one ranked player in the 2025 class, and Duke commit Lamar Edwards can change the game with one swing of the bat and on the defensive side of the ball with impressive glove work. UCF commit Stephen Chucka and Oklahoma State commit Ty Kennedy give the Scorpions a dynamic duo of table setters able to make consistent contact and reach base at a high clip for their two headed monster to drive them in. There is good balance amongst the pitching staff with left handers Noah Campbell, Patrick Jones, and Brandon Reiter and right handers Merrick Beamish, Arron Watson, and Gavin Stedman all capable of throwing meaningful innings. Look for Scorpions scout team to make a deep run towards the WWBA title.
Dark Horse: Marucci Elite Texas - Dunn
It’s sometimes hard to consider the number 2 seed in a pool with 12 commits a dark horse, but that is the case when you’ve assembled a team the Scorpions have. Marucci Elite is that said dark horse with a lineup full of Texas natives that can rake. The battery of Southern Miss commit Cade Adams and Texas Tech commit Dane Perry give Marucci a pair of solid defenders behind the plate and much needed depth at the catcher position always necessary in a long tournament. Braylon Mitchell, Devin Nunez, and Nicholas Partida can all handle the stick well on the dirt and can provide that extra thump needed to advance throughout the tournament. Texas commits Jordan Stribling and Matthew Millet are power arms who when their stuff is on can match up against any opposing line up in the country.
What to look for: Ethan Holliday
Ethan Holliday will surely command a ton of eyes when Jupiter begins and rightfully so. There will be high level decision makers and scouts from all over trying to gain insight on how he fairs against the best of the best. A solid performer at last year’s event, he is not new to the spotlight and seems to produce at every big tournament he goes to. I’m excited to see the progression and high level tools that place him at the head of the class. Will this WWBA cement him as a top 5 pick in the 2025 draft? Go and see for yourself!
Uncommitted Impact: Gavin Stedman
Stedman has seemingly dominated the past three years on the national circuit with a sub 2 ERA throughout. He can reach into the low 90’s but his command of his arsenal is a separator. The long right-hander spins two distinct breaking balls with high RPM and has no problem manipulating the shape and placing them where he wants to. He is a top 150 ranking and an impressive showing down in Jupiter shouldn’t keep him on the uncommitted scene for long.
-Jake Cosart
Pool H
Projected Pool Winner: MLB Breakthrough Series
The Breakthrough squad enters pool play as the early favorite in H and rightfully so given the offensive firepower they'll have at their disposal, basically 1-9 in the order. A quintet of PG All-Americans in Aiden Harris, Samuel Richardson, Kaiden Lopez, David Hogg II and Noah Sheffield lead the way while fellow senior Sir Jamison Jones and a three-headed underclass monster in Quentin Young, Rashad Hayes and Donavan Jeffrey will all prove they have the talent to compete with the older crowd on both sides. Each of the 9 names mentioned are capable of delivering a souvenir on any given swing and with a full 27 man roster, there's plenty of depth to be had. Left-handed Justyn Hart is a lefty already up to 90 mph and committed to Mizzou who'll be one of the arms counted upon, though of the 27 players rostered, 9 are listed as primary arms meaning Hart won't be solely relied upon.
Dark Horse: Team Indiana Bulls
Not every team in the tournament, nor many for that fact, can lay claim that their entire time hails from the same state, but the collection of talent within Indiana's boarders shines bright on this Team Indiana Bulls roster. With 10 players already committed to various powerhouse programs across the Midwest, from Louisville to Wabash Valley, this club is one that'll come together and plays a unit which is a crucial element in making a run at a tournament like Jupiter. They have their power arm at the front of their rotation in Nash Wagner, a 6-4 Alabama commit who has worked his heater into the low-90s and is one of 7 primary arms on the roster, meaning some players will be pulling two-way duty. JD Stein is a spark plug at the top of the lineup as well as in the dirt up the middle and though he's just a 2025, he'll make an impact on this club in a variety of ways. Add in the athleticism of Jayce Lee, Richard Cromartie (both Notre Dame commits) and the rest of the club, and they squad should make some noise in Pool H.
What To Look For:Aiden Harris
Ever since his days at the 13u level where he was making a AAA stadium look small during the 13u Select Festival, Harris has been regarded as one of the premier power bats in the 2024 class and his time on the national circuit this past summer did nothing to shake that notion. His titanic blast at the National made its rounds on social media, and rightfully so, given the sheer strength he's able to produce in his right-handed swing despite still being just 16 years old. The combination of strength, performance and age will keep Harris under a microscope from scout's perspective throughout his at-bats during Jupiter, though that's nothing new as he has continued to surge up the rankings in 2023.
Uncommitted Impact: Take Your Pick
Throughout each of the four rosters you'll find a variety of uncommitted players, from bats to arms who could very easily change the course of a game, or even the entirety of the pool. The biggest name here is of course Quentin Young, a power hitting outfielder from California who recently jumped back to the 2025 class and landed at No. 2 overall after a summer in which he hit baseballs extremely hard coast-to-coast, unlocking very real juice to all fields. Team Indiana Bulls have a 6-foot-3 right-hander in Aiden Schwartz who has already been up to 91 mph while 5 Star Performance possess some intriguing pieces in Tyler Simpson and Aiden Poirier and the Slammers have a potential impact bat in left-handed slugging first baseman Connor Larkin.
-Jheremy Brown
Pool I
Projected Pool Winner: Wow Factor National
The Wow Factor organization has surged to the top of the ranks in the travel ball industry over last couple of years, and this collection of talent they’ll bring to Jupiter speaks to the caliber of player they’ve attracted. They’ve got players from 16 different states rostered, and while they have some key pieces in the form of seniors, this group is made up of a chunk of very talented underclassmen. The group of Omar Serna (#13), Sebastian Norman (#20), RJ Holmes (#43), Eli Pitts (#49), Justice de Jong (#64), Jax Bishop (#86) and Miguel Sime Jr (#90), as well as younger Kevin Roberts Jr (#11 in 2026), gives them EIGHT guys in the Top 100 of the 2025s (1 in 2026), a staggering number. They’ve got real depth on the mound, which is key here, but the position guys they have are a pretty dynamically athletic and physical group that’ll stand out playing up.
Dark Horse: HP 2024 James
When you look at this roster on paper, it’s not going to blow you away from a ‘guys throwing 90+, committed to powerhouse programs or ranked significantly amongst this year’s class’ perspective, but this group is chalked full of guys that both have a track record of winning and are the type of guys that can certainly go in and win a pool at Jupiter. Their core of position players given them top-to-bottom balance both athletically and in terms of higher-end contact rates, while they’ve got just enough top-end arms and depth behind it to win 3 games early if they can get clicking right away; they showed well at the South Qualifier with the same group.
What to Look For: Evan Taylor vs Wow Factor?
Just about every team that comes to Jupiter has that one arm that certainly can knock off the top dog in the pool, and if we see Team Northeast go with Evan Taylor against the favorite of Wow Factor, we’ll get a good one. He’s missed a ton of bats on the circuit this year, while also throwing steady strikes, and his low-90s heater paired with two strong secondaries, is good enough stuff to churn through good innings against those big bats; now it’s just a matter of if we’ll get the chance to see that matchup and if Taylor brings the stuff we’ve seen all of 2023.
Uncommitted Impact: Arms
When looking at the four rosters here, there’s not a ton of position players left on the market amongst the 2024 & 2025 classes, but there are a ton of arms coming to Jupiter looking to find their place to play at the next level. It’s been a trend that higher-end/committed arms don’t always make the trip to this event, which leaves room for the next tier to step up and make a name for themselves. DS3 has a few uncommitted senior arms, like Christopher Petersen, who is 6’4/210 and was up to 87 this month; Team Northeast has a couple, with Eamon McDermott having been up to 88. HP has a handful in both classes, and while Wow Factor is mostly comprised of 2025s that are still uncommitted, they've got a good one still uncommitted in their senior group in right-hander Damian Brown; this is a solid pool for college coaches to go and check in on.
-Tyler Russo
Pool J
Projected Pool Winner: Cincinnati Reds Scout Team
The Reds Scout Team always brings a very talented, Midwestern-based club down to Jupiter following a few other stops in the early fall, and 2023 is no exception. A quality blend of talented bats and versatile arms comprise the Reds roster, along with a few choice underclassmen sprinkled in per usual. Righties Jack Detienne, Cody Freitas, Kellen Klosterman and Noah Wech comprise a formidable row of power righthanded arms, not to mention the two-way righties like Trevor Baumler and Jake Hanley, both of whom bring serious power to the plate as well. Joseph Broughton is the leading lefty arm on the club, an athletic Michigander whose developmental trajectory has been pointed skyward since high school season. Offensively, the aforementioned Hanley and Baumler bring serious thump, with outfielder Logan Dunn also providing serious offensive firepower in the middle of the order as he looks to continue a huge fall in PG events. Cole Crafton had a good summer on the circuit and should hit near the top of the lineup and play the middle infield somewhere. This team always brings a handful of high-level underclassmen with them as well, and this year is no exception with catcher Carter Kutz, the aforementioned Freitas, and infielder Matt McKnight headlining the group.
Dark Horse: Alpha Prime 24
Alpha Prime, based primarily in California and pulling from the general West Coast, brings a talented group to Jupiter this year though, interestingly, the headliners in terms of ranked players on this roster come primarily from underclassmen. Jupiter has been a launching pad for a ton of high-level underclassmen over the years, and don’t be surprised if Alpha Prime has one or two of their own in 2023. Mason Pike is one of those underclassmen, a 2025, a switch-hitting infielder from Washington who should lead the charge both offensively and defensively. Infielder Brock Sell and power-hitting first baseman Maverek Russell are two more high-end 2025’s on this roster, and they are joined by highly-ranked Dillon Moses, a Stanford commit ranked No. 57 overall in the 2026 class. They are more veteran on the mound, however, and that’s always a good thing in Jupiter. Senior righties Ross Felder, Nick Fazio and Micah Bujacich bring a good mix of talent, upside and experience to the pitching staff. Lefties Carson Kuehne and Michael Lejeune should be key pieces from the southpaw side of the mound. The talent is high-end here, and while they might not be as experienced in key spots as others, talent often plays and there’s no better stage than Jupiter to let talent shine.
What To Look For: Can the Reds Make a Push?
The Reds Scout Team, as stated above, traditionally does a pretty good job of bringing together some of the best players in the general Midwest and coming to Jupiter. The last few years haven’t gone great in terms of results, however, with a first-round playoff exit in 2021 followed by an overall playoff miss in 2022. This team is very strong, per usual, and every one of their games will be heavily attended by scouts–but is this the year they make a deep push? I’m staking my personal claim that they win a playoff game or two, at least.
Uncommitted Impact: Carter Kutz, C/RHP, Cincinnati Reds Scout Team.
Kutz, a true two-way prospect at this juncture as a power-hitting catcher and power-armed righthanded pitcher, is sure to have been one of the more popular calls when the 2025 recruiting window lifted a few months ago. He’s big and physical with some room to fill remaining, showing burgeoning approach skills at the plate to go along with above-average bat speed and the projection for above-average power. He’s got some athleticism behind the plate and has a chance to play there long term, though he’s seen time at both infield corners and his arm will be an above-average tool as well. He’s no slouch on the mound either, working up to 90 mph with his fastball and showing a softer breaker and flashes of a changeup. He’ll surely be followed closely by the RC’s in the building once we tee it up.
-Brian Sakowski
Pool K
Projected Pool Winner: Canes National/NY Mets Scout Team
Over the years the Canes have been a well-balanced team in terms of having both elite arms and bats scattered around the roster. The depth has always been one of the biggest strengths of the juggernaut organization. This years roster is no different. The line up is led by Perfect Game All Americans: Noah Franco, Jack Haferkamp, PJ Morlando, Dante Nori, and Owen Paino. About as starred studded as you can get, with Morlando potentially being the crown jewel of the class. That doesn’t mean its one sided as the pitching staff is loaded with both stuff and pitchability. Chase Mobley will certainly get one of the starts and when he gets the ball, you certainly feel good about your chances regardless of the opponent.
Dark Horse: Top Tier Roos Americans 2024
This is a gritty team that knows how to win. Cole Huddleston, Jace Kohler, and Ethan Burkhardt have all been very good on big stages and all have the type of ‘hard nosed’ personalities it takes to pull off a run to bracket play. On the mound, there are a lot of upper-80s strike throwers that can pitch. This is a team that can make some noise.
What To Look For: The Stars
In a year where there are a lot of questions about the high school class in terms of where prospects may stack up come July 2024, PJ Morlando and Chase Mobley will be clearly in the discussions when it comes to top arm and bat. It will be fun to see when Mobley is used and he has a monster WWBA World Championship performance under his belt as an underclassman and will look to punctuate a huge Perfect Game career in Jupiter. Morlando was on the Canes big team a year ago and he hit .333 with a 1.243 OPS so he is ready to lead! We know what he is capable of but this is about leaving with a championship. We will know soon!
Uncommitted Impact: Top Tier Americans Roster
This roster is just absolutely littered with kids that will be very good players that are prepared to play at the next level. Using ‘grit’ again come to mind, but it isn’t for a lack of a ceiling. It is just a really good roster of players that will come off the board during and soon after Jupiter.
-Jered Goodwin
Pool L
Projected Pool Winner: South Charlotte Panthers 2024 Marucci
The South Charlotte Panthers have a roster full of some of the most competitive players in the nation every season. They have an all-around ball club with pitching and hitting that match up extremely well. Their pitching rotation is led by Sam Cozart, Wes Estes, and Tyler Baird. With these star prospects on the mound, runs will be very scarce for the opponents. Offensively, this team, from top to bottom, can hit and score runs, which are led by Tyler Howe, Brady Marshall, and Skyler Hegler.
Dark Horse: USA Prime Scout Team 18u
USA Prime is loaded with talent and should be able to make a big run. It would come as no surprise to see them come out on top in this pool. They have a slew of quality infielders including Arnold Abernathy, Cole Green, and Brayden Leonard. All 3 of these players can man short with their athleticism and feel on the dirt so keep an eye on them. They have a pair of catchers that have both posted elite pop times and velos from behind the dish. Keep an eye on Caleb Daniel and Ryan Schwartz. Ajay Jones, Judson Hartwell, and Terrence Kiel II will roam the outfield and they can all cover ground. USA Prime is also loaded with arms who can get the job done so expect some dominant outings from this crop of players. USA Prime is a highly athletic bunch and that should show up on the diamond when the time comes. Expect to see a lot of quick movers on the dirt.
What To Look For: Pitching
This pool is loaded with pitching talent on every team and pitching wins championships. The amount of top tier pitchers in this pool will have scouts watching each and every one of these ball clubs. There will be quite a few one run games, which will be quite entertaining to watch.
Uncommitted Impact: Tyler Baird
Baird showcases a power arm and the ability to make any hitter look silly. The right-handed pitcher has a very projectable frame coming in at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds. He displays a fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches the mid 90s. Baird will go right after the hitters from pitch one and rarely gives up more than one to two runs an outing, which makes him a must see for all scouts, period.
-Todd Coffey
Pool M
Projected Pool Winner: eXposure National Scout Team
It certainly isn’t easy trying to pick against a team whose entire nineteen man roster is made up of D1 commits. As it turns out, that is exactly what eXposure is bringing to the table when they arrive in Jupiter. Seasoned with experience from a summer of winning at every stop, this is a fundamentally sound group of ballplayers who know how to play ball and win games. Spearheaded by 2023 All-American Conrad Cason, the lineup can and will mash. Chase Fralick has arguably one of the highest level hit tools in the ‘24 Georgia class and can be expected to lock down the middle of the order, while guys like Lukas Bukner can and will set the table for the rest of this offense. Filling in the gaps throughout the rest of the lineup card include prospects such as Mateo Gray and Trevor Johnson, special athletes in their own rights who have performed all year long. As for the arms, they bring a plethora of right-handers to the table. Stratton Scott & Co. are all proven strike throwers who will challenge hitters, fill up the zone and sequence in their off speeds with ease. Pitchability is present here throughout the rotation as opposing lineups are going to be forced to grind for hit and run they get. This is a very well rounded squad who has proven all year to be a difficult head to head matchup.
Dark Horse: Hawaii Elite 2G
The Hawaii Elite program always proves to be a threat in any pool they get placed in, and this year is no different. Bringing fourteen players ranked in the Top 500 or better will always give your club an edge when it comes to winning games, as this roster has loads of talent to dissect. A must watch arm on the week is Kaimi Kahalekai, a recent Texas commit who stands at an intimidating 6’8/207 and brings a polished three-pitch mix to the table. He ran it up to 92-mph in our most recent glimpse and has feel to spin a depthy curveball, giving way to self explanatory intrigue given the size and stuff. Isaac Ahokovi looked solid all summer behind the dish, handling his battery mates well with comfort receiving between the shoulders, a strong/accurate arm down to second as well as an interesting hit tool to follow. The likes of Tanner Chun (#419 ranked) and Jace Souza (#262 ranked) speaks for itself, as you should expect consistent offensive production from these two in the order. There is a lot of talent on this roster, both committed and uncommitted to keep an eye on.
What To Look For: Pop-Up Prospects
While the entirety of the eXposure roster has been unearthed and discovered by scouts and coaches alike, there are still three other squads in this pool who could have some hidden gems on the roster. Upstate Mavericks arm Michael Vandemark is a 6’5 right-hander who hasn’t seen action at Perfect Game events in over two years but is set to make an appearance, having sat mid to upper 80s throughout high school with some feel to spin a curveball. Elite Squad National is bringing a pair of prospects in Ronny Cruz and Willy Mendez over, both of whom are ‘24 grads from the touted Top 10 Academy that helped produce the likes of Deivi Garcia and Cristian Javier. Both of these prospects produced in a big way with the stick at the East Memorial Day Classic and it will be interesting to see how they fare against a step up in overall competition. Hawaii Elite 2G has an intriguing arm in Nakoa Moses-Gomera, currently ranked a high follow who comfortably sits 83-86 and spins both a CB/SL with a cambio rounding off the mix.There is good size here at 6’4/200 and has shown to be tough to barrel up when his stuff is in the zone. The beauty of Jupiter is the competition and finding new talent, all of which are going to be abundantly present in this pool.
Uncommitted Impact: Kamden (KJ) Scobey, Chandler Murray
Kamden (KJ) Scobey has had a very impressive summer that culminated in National Showcase appearance which saw him reach max exit velocities off of wood at a staggering 101-mph. A strong, physical 6’2/190 primary shortstop, the power projection for the spot here paired with clean actions and a good arm across creates a very interesting overall dynamic. You won’t find many uncommitted prospects in the class with these kinds of tools that show up in the game, as he posted a 1.014 OPS with four homeruns and a 13:12 BB/K ratio in the box this year. All of these aforementioned factors make KJ one to watch in Jupiter with the Upstate Mavericks ST. Chandler Murray is another highly touted uncommitted prospect in the ‘24 class playing for Hawaii Elite 2G. Currently ranked #298th nationally, the 6’4/220 corner infielder has done nothing but produce at PG events over the course of his career and that trend hasn’t stopped this year. With an OPS of 1.037 and only two strikeouts over 44 plate appearances, the bat to ball skills here are evident and quite honestly special for a corner guy with this size. With good bat speed present and a compact swing to pair, keep an eye on Murray throughout the week as he looks to perform against the highest level of competition in the country.
-Michael Albee