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Labor Day Challenge Scout Blog

September 3, 2019
Kyle Colletta/Hudson Graham
Georgia Staff

The first weekend of Fall Events at LakePoint brought out talent from all high school ages. Take a look at some of the standouts from Upperclass and Underclass divisions.

Upperclass:

Team Carolina - 
LuJames Groover III, 2020, The Walker School (GA), SS
UNC-Charlotte commit. 6-foot-2, 190 pounds; very athletic frame. Had a huge weekend offensively and defensively. At the plate, showed fast hands with a very whippy bat. Did not see Groover make many outs; had one home-run over LF wall. Keeps head on ball and looks to drive to the OF. Very impressive approach and strike-zone awareness. Defensively, has very fluid actions. Made plays on the move with ease; ranged up-the-middle on a couple plays and made accurate throws from low arm-slot. Also showed ability to make difficult play on the move. Feet and glove really work. Very advanced player. 


Lucas Martino, 2020, Carmel Christian (NC), 3B/1B
UNC-Charlotte commit. 6-foot-3, 250 pounds. Stood out with physical presence and backed it up with offensive ability throughout the weekend. Left-handed power-hitting CIF. Hits from an upright stance, slightly open. Good rhythm with advanced hands. Uphill bat-path; power is present. Started weekend off with double in gap and did not slow down. Had an event-high 105 mph exit velo on a 2 RBI single up-the-middle in Championship Game. Moves considerably well for frame.


Grant Smith, 2020, Ardrey Kell (NC), RHP
5-foot-11, 180 pounds; strong, proportional body. Pitched well in outing. FB sat 80-82 with late life; heavy ball that induced weak contact. Had solid command of FB. Throws from a OH slot with a slight rotational finish. High front-side with a full draw on arm circle. Ball comes out clean and consistent.
AJ Ratchford, 2020, Providence Day (NC), LHP/OF
6-foot-1, 165 pounds; lanky, slim build. Threw complete game in Championship Game. Left-handed arm that sat 77-80 the whole game; velo was slightly higher in seventh-inning than the start of game. Competed well and pounded the zone. Short OH arm action and slight lean back-side on delivery. FB has slight run, armside. Threw a CH with conviction at 70-72 mph.

Adam Featherstone, 2021, Charlotte Catholic (NC), OF/SS
6-foot, 165 pounds; lean, athletic build. Very good athlete. Hits from wide stance; low-swinging load. Bat stays through the zone; level path. Swing works well and uses the middle part of the field consistently. Showed well defensively in CF getting quick jumps on balls. Also showed ability to play MIF. Good runner that plays hard. A solid uncommitted player to follow.

 

JH Vaughn, 2021, Porter Ridge (NC), C
5-foot-9, 176 pounds; solid build. Showed good presence in the box. Offensive player that has advanced hands and barrel control in the box. Gets hands extended on pitches in the zone. Showed pull-side power with a hard-hit double on a high fastball. Overall, good weekend at the plate.

Nick Smith, 2022, Charlotte Catholic (NC), 1B
6-foot, 210 pounds. Thick-bodied player that utilizes legs at the plate. Balanced stance and swing with solid swing bath and barrel control. Had some impressive at-bats, including an opposite field single on a middle-out FB. Also had 98 mph exit velo on a pull-side double. Has some present power that will continue to get better.


Pro Hitting Prospects -
Carter Grooms, 2020, First Baptists Academy (TN), LHP/OF
5-foot-8, 155 pounds. Had a solid weekend for the Prospects. Started game one on the mound and stood out with pitchability and body control. Has a slow, controlled delivery that is easily replicated. The southpaw worked down-hill after balance point and got over front-side consistently. Worked from a H¾ slot with glove-side shoulder tilt on release. FB sat 80-82 early in outing and sat in the high-70s after the third. Showed feel for breaking ball at 67-69 mph; good depth with control in the zone. CH had some arm-side action at 73; showed more trust in CB when went with off-speed. Also swung the bat well with fluid hands and a pull-side approach. Multiple solid hits that got through the 4-3 hole. 

Braden Caldwell, 2020, Bearden (TN), SS
5-foot-11, 155 pounds; lean frame. Hard-playing all around player that showed well defensively up-the-middle. Caldwell has quick actions on ground balls; reliable, confident hands with clean transfers. Uses active feet on approach and after receiving; helps with arm strength as he has solid carry on throws to first base. At the plate, keeps hands inside ball and shows ability to barrel balls all over zone. A 6.90 runner at previous PBR events and it translates well into games. 

Creed Werker, 2021, South Doyle (TN), CF
Lean frame that showed well at the plate and in the field. Strong hitter with a simple swing/approach. Slight low hand-load with sink in back leg. Barrel stays level and creates backspin. Had an opposite-field single that he let travel deep in zone. Also sat in low-80s on the mound with a low ¾ arm slot. Drops frontside early. Showed a changeup at 71-72 that he is still developing feel for. Action was there.  

Ridley Edington, 2021, First Baptist Academy (TN), OF/2B
5-foot-8, 150 pounds; compact build with thick lower-half. Hits from an athletic stance. Controlled load with pick-up, put-down front foot. Uses strong lower-half throughout swing. Showed he can drop barrel head and square-up pitch low in the zone. Quick swing that makes loud contact. Hit game-tying double in the seventh inning of last pool-play game.


270 Baseball Club - 
Truman Davis, 2021, Carlisle County (KY), C/RHP
6-foot, 200 pounds. Strong player that swung the bat with some force during event. Controlled, upright stance. Uses in and up timing with front leg. Has advanced feel when barrel gets out front. Had a couple really solid at-bats with balls hit square, but right at a defender. Has an aggressive approach and swings hard. Had two hits in game one on the weekend. Also got up to 80 mph on the mound, which is a slight increase from the last time we saw him. Brady Ives, 2021, Marshall County (KY), INF
5-foot-10, 160 pounds. Has made steady strides over the past couple years. Has grown into body and it shows at the plate. Uses a quick, short stroke. Bat path is simple and level. Uses path to stay back on offspeed pitches but can also handle velocity. Reliable defender in the INF. Evan Oakley, 2021, Marshall County (KY), RHP/OF
6-foot, 150 pounds. Did a great job of competing on the mound. Arm that will continue to gain velocity with frame maturity. Fastball got up to 81 with a ton of movement. Painted the plate on both sides, keeping hitters at bay. Delivery is clean; rotational finish. Arm works at a ¾ slot that hides ball well. 

John Kiebler, 2021, Paducah Tilghman (KY), RHP/SS
5-foot-10, 150 pounds. Impressed on the mound with fast delivery and solid arsenal of pitches. Drop and drive delivery. Fastball sat 80-82 paired with a tumbling curveball at 64 mph. FB is up 4 ticks since we saw him in February. Threw pitches with confidence and picked spots well. Also looked good at the plate, with a balanced approach. Has shown significant improvement at the plate and on the mound. Defensive actions continue to be easy and fundamental.  


Seth Hancock, 2021, University Heights (KY), CF/SS
5-foot-10, 135 pounds. Hancock had an impressive showing for 270. Showed a raw, level swing at the plate. Hits from a crouched, open stance. Was very good in CF. Made a diving play running in on a blooper.

Line Drive Academy-
Harris Bell, 2020, Gainesville (GA), RHP
6-foot-2, 182 pounds; athletic, strong build. Bell was a standout at the event, impressing with a fastball that climbed to 88 mph; lived in the 85-87 range. High front side and draw. Predominantly used fastball in outing, not needing offspeed. Saw CB at 70 mph that fell in the zone. Also showed plus action on a changeup in-between innings. Quick arm that is one of the top uncommitted arms in the state. Also showed pop at the plate with a double off the wall.

Jake Brooks, 2020, Lumpkin County (GA), 1B/RHP
6-foot-1, 190 pounds. Left-handed hitting first baseman. Hits from a tall, open stance. Steady tempo with hands. Fast hips that trigger early in swing. Smooth, fluid bat path. High, aggressive finish. Really impressed with loud contact throughout all games. Also got up to 81 on the mound.


Dylan Sargent, 2022, White County (GA), RHP
5-foot-10, 150 pounds. Sargent did a solid job out of the bullpen in his outing. With a FB that sat in the upper 70s, Sargent used location and movement to get his outs. A short, low ¾ arm slot, his fastball ran away from LHH, but also used it to run back over the inside of the plate.


Christian King, 2020, Habersham Central (GA), C/CIF
King had a good weekend at the plate. Athletic stance that stays within his legs. Short, quiet load. Fast hands that showed the ability to turn on FB. Legs and hands work in-sync at the plate. Solid uncommitted player to watch in 2020 class.

Giants Baseball-
Grayson Goss, 2021, Model (GA), RHP/1B
6-foot-4, 190 pounds. Goss is a projectable arm that we have seen in the past. He uses length to get out in front on pitches. Arm speed has shown increase recently, as he had a 9 mph spike in velocity since the North Georgia Prospect ID event in June. Topped out at 81 with some run on FB. Looks to be more in sync with size and body-type. Xavier Williams, 2020, Campbell (GA), RHP/3B
6-foot-1, 200 pounds. Stood out immediately with physical presence. Made hard contact with an aggressive swing at the plate. Started on the mound in game three for Giants. Started out with a heavy fastball that sat 83-86, touching 88. Velocity came down slightly in second and third inning. Showed an 11/5 curveball at 65 mph. Raw arm that uses size and strength throughout. An interesting uncommitted arm with physical ability present. 
Dylan Welsh, 2021, Woodstock (GA), 3B/OF
6-foot, 180 pounds. Athletic, lean frame. Performed well all weekend. Had two line drive singles in game one. Open stance, big gather on load. Low hands as pitch comes in. Strides slightly towards 3B. Showed an athletic, level swing. Long stride runner.


Underclass:

 T24-Majcina
Justin Skinnell, 2022, Clover (SC) C/1B
6-foot-1 165 pounds. He handled the bat well all weekend. Has sneaky power with his short quick swing. Gets great backspin on the ball. His approach at the plate allowed him to hit infield singles all weekend. Stays up the middle, but has the ability to hit the ball the other way. The tall lanky frame has room to grow. Good speed on the bases. Threw a 2.2 behind the plate. Has a short quick release and blocks the ball well. 

Cody Craig, 2021, South Pointe (SC) RHP/OF
College of Charleston Commit. First noticed him in CF. He gets great jumps, and has closing speed. One of the fastest kids of the weekend. He keeps his hands back at the plate, and looks to drive the ball the other way. He was on the mound day 2, and topped out at 87 in the first inning. FB 83-85 with a tight breaking ball 68-70. FB had late life and some arm-side-run. Commanded the outer half of the plate. Athletic kid. Could play anywhere on the field. 

Mathieu Curtis, 2022, Fort Mill (SC) RHP/1B
6-foot-0 155lb. The long lanky righty has a smooth ¾ arm slot. He hides the ball wall, and keeps hitters off balance. Great slider that he could throw in any count. FB 78-80 with run. With his frame and mechanics there is a lot more left in the tank. He stays in his lower half well, and gets great extension. 

Greyson Wild, 2022, Catawba Ridge (SC) 3B/RHP
6-foot-2 160lbs. Showed some pop at the plate. Hits with good tempo in hands and a steady load. Drove a double down the left field line. He keeps his hands inside the baseball, and does a great job of transferring his weight on his swing. Produced backspin on balls all weekend. 

Tiger USA/ATL Metro-
Devin Chandler, 2022, Stockbridge (GA) SS
5-foot-5 175lb. Hit the first homerun of the weekend. Went 325ft, exit velo: 85mph. Has some pop form his short stocky frame. Had some great at bats all weekend. Chandlers knows what he is trying to do at the plate in different situations. Watched him battle an 8 pitch AB with the INF in, and ended up driving a ball right up the middle. Also saw him hit with corners in and a runner on 3rd, he stayed on an outside FB and hit the ball to 2B to score the run. At SS he has a strong arm, and can move well side-to-side. Can throw well on the run, and stays low on the slow rollers and works through the baseball. 

Miles Carter, 2022, Stockbridge (GA) OF/2B
5-foot-6 155lbs. Batted 2 hole in front of Devin Chandler. The 2 make a great pair. Carter was one of the fastest kids of the weekend. Plays the game fast, hard, and with passion. Watched him steal 2nd and 3rd in 3 pitches then score on a past ball. Played a great CF all weekend. Makes the easy ones, and with his athleticism he can make the hard ones as well. He had a couple loud outs where he showed he has power in his small compact frame. Tries to hit the ball hard on the ground, and get down the baseline. 

Francis Thorne Jr., 2021, Stephenson (GA) LHP/OF
6-foot-4 180lbs. Stood out amongst the younger kids with his height. His mound presence was strong coming into a close game to try and finish it. FB was 79-81 and CB was 62-64. The CB was eye catching, and struck all the batters out with it. He worked down the zone, and got great tilt off the mound. Does not use all of his lower half, so there is more velocity there. Stays behind the baseball and get some late arm side run that hitters are not expecting. 

Tionne Witherspoon, 2022, Lithonia (GA) LHP/1B
6-foot-0 210lbs. Stands out amongst his fellow 2022’s. Big, strong kid. Played a solid first base all weekend. Stays down on the baseball and does a great job of keeping the ball in front of him. Can move really well for his size. Knocked down a lot of tough balls at 1st. He drove a 3B in the gap. He moved around the bases, and beat out a close play at 3rd. Has a strong swing, and keeps his bat through the zone. Has a lot of room for development. With his size he could be a homerun threat in the years to come. 

Warriors Powered by Rawlings- 
JoJo Martin, 2023, Jefferson (GA), OF/RHP
6-foot-3 155lbs. One of the most impressive players of the weekend. His 6’3 frame makes me stand out over everyone on the field. Stayed in CF most of the weekend. Has great speed, very athletic. Saw him make 2 diving catches on balls in front of him. Has a strong arm in the OF. Threw out a runner trying to score from 2nd. At the plate he stays tall, and has great connection on his swing. Can hit balls to both sides of the field. Legged out a triple on a hard hit ball in the gap. On the mound he as a clean effortless delivery. Look forward to watching Martin. He projects well. 

Spencer Muffuletto, 2023, Jackson County (GA), MIF 
5-foot-6 120lbs. One of the best defensive players of the weekend. Has a quick arm, and gets rid of the baseball well. Hands and feet work well together. Plays the game hard, and fast. At the plate he is a tough out. Has the ability to move runners when needed. He is a threat on the bases, and gets great jumps and reads on the ball. 

Andrew Nash, 2023, Jackson County (GA), OF/LHP
5-foot-7 180lbs. The lefty has a smooth swing. Hits the ball the other way really well. Plays a solid OF, makes the easy plays. Short, stocky frame that can move well. He is strong for his size, and has power when he pulls the ball. 

BGA Bombers-
Cayden Lord, 2023
5-foot-9 175lb. Lord played well behind the plate all weekend. The strong, physical frame took most of the innings for the bombers at catcher. Has a short compact swing. Strong lower-half that helps him hit the ball with power. Blocks well, and works really hard defensively. 

Macon Pain-
Fernando Washington, 2023, MT DE Sales (GA), OF/1B
6-foot-1 188lbs. Strong, athletic, compact frame allows him to hit the ball with power. He has a simple swing that makes solid contact consistently. Tough out all weekend, and reached base in every game. Good speed, and is a threat on the bases. 

Grind Rangers-
Max Oliver, 2022, Knoxville West (TN), MIF
5-foot-11 170lbs. Strong, compact, well rounded frame. Had 2 multiple hit games on the weekend. Showed some power driving balls in the gaps. Has a strong swing, and get his hands extended well. Solid defensively as well. Fields the ball out in front of him, and has a quick arm. 

Caden Petrey, 2022, Whitley County (KY), C/RHP
6-foot-0 175lbs. Strong, athletic player. Well rounded player. One of the better bats of the weekend. Made solid contact all weekend. Keeps the barrell through the zone, and hit the ball consistently. Good defensive, physical catcher. Hits the ball to all parts of the field with power. 

Brady Powell, 2022, Maryville (TN), RHP/OF
5-foot-11 160lbs. Swung the bat well all weekend. Athletic frame with quick hands. Strong defensive ability in the outfield. Takes good routes on balls and works behind the baseball to get his entire body into his throw. 

Nate Pitts, 2022, Alcoa (TN), LHP/OF
5-foot-9 160lbs. One of the better left handed arms of the weekend. FB 76-78. Moved arm slots from ¾ to over the top. Pounded the strike zone, and commanded the ball well down. Forced weak fly ball and ground ball outs. Good tempo and mound presence. His unique delivery kept hitters off balanced and allowed him to hide the ball well. Threw his off-speed for strikes, but mostly threw his fastball. Solid left handed hitter as well. 

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