The Midseason Rewind is a new edition taking a look at each uncommitted senior that has been featured in our Alabama Scout Blogs throughout the first half of the spring high school season. The goal of this article is to highlight some of the state's top uncommitted seniors that we've seen over the course of the first month and half and provide college coaches a one-stop-shop for some quality prospects still on the board. Provided are scouting notes, videos, pitching velocities, and more that will be broken down into three groups in Positional Players, Pitchers, and Two-Way Players. 

The PBR Scouting Staff will continue to be out in full-force throughout the rest of the season, and will be adding more player reports into the Weekly Scout Blogs. Once the season has come to an end, we will release another edition similar to this highlighting those players that we've seen in the second half of the season.

 

Uncommitted Pitcher-Only's

+ RHP Colton Willmon (Helena, 2023) is an uncommitted arm that is worth a follow this spring. Getting the start versus a talented Central-Phenix City squad, Willmon was impressive in his 2023 season debut. Willmon used a solid two-pitch that he was able to keep hitters off-balanced with as he very rarely left anything over the middle of the plate. The senior was forced to make multiple big pitches and he seemed to deliver each time needed for the Huskies. Willmon was the tough-luck loser but ended up tossing five innings on just 74 pitches. The fastball showed late arm-side run at 82-84 mph while the breaking ball showed tight, late spin with some down action at 74-76 mph. Still working his way back onto the mound after missing the season last year, Willmon is definitely worth a follow this spring.

RHP Colton Willmon (2/18/23)

+ LHP Benjamin Arn (Bob Jones, 2023) was handed the ball in game one for the Patriots on Saturday morning in Birmingham. The uncommitted senior logged five innings of work, allowing just four hits, one earned run, one walk and recorded six strikeouts in the Bob Jones 5-3 win over the 7A No. 1 Bucs. Arn showed the ability to pitch backwards to all hitters, commanding all three of his pitches in any and all counts. His fastball played in the low-80’s and the curveball and changeup were go-to pitches for the southpaw that generated weak contact and even forced several swings and misses. Expect Arn to continue to be that lefty that gives lineups trouble this spring and will be a good uncommitted senior to follow throughout this season.

LHP Benjamin Arn (2/18/23)

 

Uncommitted Positional Players

+ C Clay Spencer (Spain Park, 2023) continued his steady offensive hot streak out of the gate to start his senior season with a multi-hit performance hitting in the heart of a talented Jaguar order. Listed at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds with some refined strength throughout his build, Spencer is a gap-to-gap hitter from the right side of the plate with the ability to leave the yard in any given at-bat. The uncommitted senior is strong at contact and can leverage the barrel some, while also showing quick and strong hands through the zone offensively. He has been real selective within his approach to start the season continues to turn in quality at-bat’s and hit for extra-bases. Defensively, the senior backstop saved a multitude of runs blocking several dirt balls behind the plate with the go-ahead run standing on third base in a tightly-contested game. He has flexibility from the crouch and arm strength on throws to second base. Spencer plays the game hard and is one of the unquestioned leaders for the Jaguars. One of the top uncommitted seniors in the state.

C Clay Spencer (3/8/23)

+ 3B Ben Arendale (Tuscaloosa County, 2023) is a prospect back on the market in the senior class that showed why he will be a strong offensive addition to a program at the next level with a few multi-hit performances on the weekend. Standing 6-foot-0, 185-pounds, Arendale has some strength throughout his frame which he uses to drive the ball to the pull-side within his approach. The unsigned senior has some rhythm throughout his operation hitting from the right side, and uses a quick, controlled leg stride for timing before getting back down on time. He creates solid separation throughout his load and fires some quick, strong hands through the zone with a strong base using his lower-half. For the weekend, Arendale was one of their top run-producers against strong competition hitting .455 (5-for-11) with a double, three RBI’s, and four walks hitting in the heart of a talented lineup. The right-hander will be a quality addition for someone looking to firm up their senior class.

3B Ben Arendale (2/23/23)

+ SS Carson Barry (Hueytown, 2023) has seemed to be a prospect that has flown under-the-radar over the past year-and-a-half, but certainly showed his ability to impact the game offensively during yesterday's contest. Barry, an uncommitted senior, seems to be one of the leaders of the Gophers this spring and really sets the tone for the lineup hitting in the leadoff spot. Standing 5-foot-11, 150-pounds, the slick-fielding shortstop has a lean and wiry frame with present athleticism and moves well around the diamond in all facets. During yesterday’s game, Barry showed no issue using the whole field collecting two hits that were driven the opposite way to right field. The right-hander shows some bat speed in the box and can adjust to off-speed offerings while keeping his barrel in the zone long enough to deliver firm contact. Defensively at the shortstop position, Barry has smooth footwork with reliable hands and the ability to throw from different arm angles. For any program looking for a quality shortstop in the senior class, Barry should be one to follow closely this spring.

SS Carson Barry (3/7/23)

+ 1B Brian Henson (Buckhorn, 2023) is a top uncommitted bat in the senior class and seems to always hit whenever we see him. Hitting in the three-hole for the Bucks, senior took several quality plus-count swings while also showing the ability to fight pitches off and extend at-bats with two strikes. The big moment in the game was in the 5th inning as Henson came to the plate with the Bucks trailing 2-1 and the tying run at first base with two outs. After getting behind in the count and working it back to a full count, Henson got a pitch on the inner-half that he was able to get the barrel to for a liner that carried over the wall in right field. Henson has and upward path through the zone while doing a good job of keeping the barrel through the hitting zone. An uncommitted senior left-handed bat that will make a quality addition to a college program.

1B Brian Henson (3/10/23)

+ OF Ben Brewer (Mobile Christian, 2023) another uncommitted senior that swung the bat at a really high level over the weekend and was a main contributor to the Leopards offense. Brewer packs a punch to the 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame and shows plenty of present strength to his build. In his first at-bat on Saturday, the uncommitted senior jumped on an offering early in the count and blasted a two-run, no-doubter down the left field line to get the offense rolling in the first inning in game one. In his next at-bat of the same game, delivered with an RBI double down the left field line. Brewer continued right where he left off in game one, during his first plate appearance in game two, Brewer added another hit to his total with an RBI single in the early going to get the Leopards on the board and helped lead Mobile Christian in their game two win.

OF Ben Brewer (2/25/23)

+ 1B Nathan Guyse (James Clemens, 2023) seems to just show up ready to hit every time we see him. A year ago, the uncommitted senior had numerous huge moments during the Jets playoff run and he appears to be back to his usual way in 2023. Working from a taller stance and a small leg kick trigger, Guyse shows some looseness in the hands and some barrel lag through the hitting zone, keeping the barrel through contact very well. For the event, he was 4-for-9 (.444) with two doubles and an RBI. Guyse showed solid plate discipline and very rarely seemed to chase pitches out of the zone while showing a mostly middle to pull-side approach. A solid unsigned senior hitter that could be a quality addition to a college program.

1B Nathan Guyse (3/18/23)

+ C Shayden Romans (Russellville, 2023) is another prospect that returns to this year’s Golden Tigers team that played a vital role in last year’s state title run. Now being looked upon as one of their leaders and primary run-producers, Romans was just that this past weekend while showing the ability to hit for extra bases and drive in runs hitting in the two-hole of their lineup. Listed a 6-foot-1, 180-pounds, the uncommitted senior has proportional strength throughout his frame and is built like a prototypical catcher. Hitting from the right side of the plate, Romans recorded multiple hits throughout the weekend with some of those going for extra bases. One of his biggest swings of the event came in their first contest, where he belted a deep drive to the pull-side gap and banged off the wall in left-center field that resulted in a stand-up double. He has gap-to-gap pop at the plate and gets his barrel on-plane early while looking to drive balls to the gaps. He is a solid defender behind the plate and has some arm strength on throws to second base. A quality uncommitted senior to follow this spring.

C Shayden Romans (3/16/23)

+ 1B Barret Rodgers (Northridge, 2023) seemed to put together good swings all day as he continued to work deep into counts during both of the Jaguars games on Saturday. The uncommitted senior also showed advanced footwork around the bag and looked natural adjusting to throws off-line to possibly save runs for the Jaguars. With the bat, Rodgers had two doubles on the day which included a big RBI double down the left field in the Jaguars big sixth inning against Oxford. Rodgers, showing a mostly pull-side approach with a mostly upward bat path, doubled again in the second game of the day while also creating more loud contact with nothing to show for it. Quality uncommitted senior to keep an eye on this spring.

1B Barret Rodgers (3/11/23)

+ OF Mike Hamilton (Hazel Green, 2023) has missed some time with an injury and just got inserted back into the lineup and the Trojans are glad to see his name on the scorecard. The uncommitted senior seemed to have a plan each time in the box and took very good swings when he was able to get into plus counts. He drove balls to all parts of the field and concluded the week with seven extra base hits, including a triple and a home run. Setting the hands back in the stance, there is not a lot of movement with the hands as he does a solid job or working the hands and barrel inside contact. He also proved to be able to hit against upper 80’s/low 90’s on Saturday and was not overmatched at all. For the week, Hamilton was 9-for-18 (.500 BA) with five doubles, one triple and one home run with 11 RBI's. Due to his production, Hamilton was named the MIzuno Player of the Week for the state of Alabama.

OF Mike Hamilton (3/16/23)

+ OF Zane Watwood (Cullman, 2023) first caught our eye in pregame infield/outfield, as the arm strength from right field was very evident and his throws seemed to have a ton of carry with accuracy to the bases. Watching the uncommitted senior move around in the outfield made it obvious that there is a lot of athleticism in his 5-foot-11, 160-pound frame. During Friday night’s game, the uncommitted senior found himself in a big spot for the Bearcats as he came to the plate with his team losing 3-2 with one out in the sixth inning and a man on first base. Watwood showed a compact, direct path with the barrel to get to an upper-80’s fastball on the inner-half of the plate for a double down the left field line, barely missing a home run. An uncommitted senior to continue to follow during the spring season.

OF Zane Watwood (3/10/23)

+ OF Wesley Clark (Northridge, 2023) had a phenomenal day with the bat as he was a combined 4-for-7 over two games with two doubles, two runs scored and a run batted in as well. Hitting out of the leadoff spot for the Jaguars, the speedy centerfielder shows a very direct path to contact and does a nice job hitting according to the count. The uncommitted senior keeps the barrel in the hitting zone for a long time and shows a mostly middle of the field approach. Clark also showed the ability to cover a lot of ground in the outfield as he made several catches on the run look routine. The Jaguars will certainly count on the senior to get on base and be a table-setter for the offense this season.

OF Wesley Clark (3/11/23)

+ INF Caleb Robertson (Oxford, 2023) did not start the game for the Yellow Jackets but quickly entered the game and made the most of his three plate appearances. While he was credited with one hit that was a misplayed ball, the other two hits he was credited were the legitimate kind. With the Yellow Jackets leading 2-1 in the bottom of the 3rd and men on 2nd and 3rd base, the uncommitted senior spoiled several quality pitches before finally getting into a full count and getting a pitch over the plate that he drove back up the middle for a two-RBI single. Robertson really shortened up with two strikes and stayed inside contact with a direct path to contact with the barrel. Later, he struck a ball well to the left side and easily beat the throw across the diamond. The senior can also play multiple positions on the infield as well.

INF Caleb Robertson (3/11/23)

 

Uncommitted Two-Way Players

+ 1B/RHP Greyson Howard (Hartselle, 2023) was regarded as one of the top uncommitted offensive prospects in the senior class, but after showing intriguing stuff during his first start on the mound this past weekend, he has a chance to be a quality two-way player at the next level. Howard, a 6-foot-1, 205-pounder, enjoyed probably the most dominant outing out of any pitchers that threw at this weekend’s event while neutralizing an offensive that had scored plenty of runs in its previous games on the weekend. Taking the ball in Game 2 of their season, the senior right-hander operated at 84-86 mph with pinpoint command to the outer-half and bottom of the zone, while complimenting it with two distinct breaking balls using a tight 73-74 mph slider and a slower 68-70 mph curveball with 12-6 shape. He earned the win going 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, and 12 K’s with 59/84 going for strikes. Howard also delivered the big swing in their final game of the weekend, plating a pair on a deep drive to CF for a sacrifice fly out in the 9th inning.

RHP/1B Greyson Howard (2/18/23)

+ C/RHP Carter Kimbrell (Oak Mountain, 2023) has played a two-way role for the Eagles over the past couple of seasons, but it was the left-handed stick that jumped out in yesterday’s contest with a pair of extra-base hits. Listed at 6-foot-0, 190-pounds, Kimbrell is an uncommitted senior that looks to drive the ball to the pull-side using significant strength throughout his frame. The backstop wasted no time making his impact offensively during yesterday’s game, as he belted a fastball off of the scoreboard in right field for a two-run home run to give the Eagles an early lead. He later stepped back up and drove a double into the gap for his second hit of the contest. He showed the ability to create some extension out front with some leverage, and works his barrel up through the zone while looking to lift and create damage. He finished going 2-for-3, with a double, home run, and 3 RBI’s offensively. Kimbrell, who has also been up in the upper-80’s on the mound, will be a solid follow for a program looking to firm up their senior class.

C Carter Kimbrell (3/7/23)

+ RHP JohnRobert Thompson (Spain Park, 2023) was as good as a starting pitcher could be on Thursday night for the Jaguars in the night cap against Robertsdale. The uncommitted right-hander tossed four innings of no-hit ball in Spain Park’s five inning win. Thompson worked primarily with the fastball and breaking ball combo during his outing, the fastball played in the 82-85 mph range and topped at 86 mph multiple times with late life to the offering. The breaking ball showed great depth and 11-5 shape to the pitch at 70-73 mph that generated weak contact and several swings and misses. At 5-foot-10, 150-pounds, there is more left in the tank for Thompson as the frame continues to develop and fill out. Intriguing arm to watch from the Jaguar pitching staff.

RHP JohnRobert Thompson (2/23/23)

+ RHP/1B Parker Lomax (Daphne, 2023) made a quick impression both on the mound and at the plate for the Trojans in Thursday night's opening weekend matchup against St. Paul’s. Lomax got the start on the mound for Daphne, worked around a pair of jams early in his outing but was competitive throughout his start and minimized damage when runners were on. Filled the zone low-to-mid-80’s fastballs and worked to both sides as the plate as well, showed the ability to flip a 12-6 breaking ball in for strikes when needed. Lomax is an uncommitted 6-foot-2, 180-pound senior that shouldn't be on the market for much longer. Can also produce at the plate, swings the bat at a high level, pushed across the first run in game one for the Trojans with a sharply hit single back up the middle. Expect Lomax to continue to give Daphne a chance to win when he toes the rubber this season.

RHP/1B Parker Lomax (2/23/23)

 

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