Prep Baseball Report

Fall Upperclass Games: Preview


Phil Kerber
Georgia Scouting Director



On Sunday, Nov. 8, PBR Georgia will host the second annual Fall Upperclass Games at LakePoint Sports. The event will bring together over 100 uncommitted prospects from the 2021 and 2022 class. Prospects will participate in a showcase in the morning followed by simulated game play in the afternoon. The entire event will be livestreamed on PlaySight. There are still limited spots available, click here to register.

This showcase will provide players in the state a platform to perform in front of our staff to earn invitations to future invitation-only events, like the Super 60 Pro Showcase and summer events like the Top Prospect Games.

Prospects have been broken up into six teams for the game play portion of the event. Today, we will take you through some of the prospects to watch on each team.

Team 1

Leading Team 1 on the mound will be LHP Riley Cruce (Loganville, 2022). Cruce is a crafty lefty with an aptitude and understanding of how to pitch. The southpaw mixes three pitches and can throw any of them for strikes when he wants. His 1/7 curveball is the go-to out pitch. We last saw Cruce over the summer when he sat 82-84, touched 85. The velo will continue to see upticks as his broad, athletic frame has plenty of room to fill out.


A big bat to watch on this team will be 1B/RHP Barrett Eldridge (Walton, 2022). Eldridge went on a tear offensively this fall at LakePoint, consistently finding the barrel and driving pitches to all fields. Listed at 6-foot-4, 200-pounds, he has a powerful frame that he is only starting to scratch the surface of physically. We got a brief look at Eldridge on the mound and it certainly is intriguing given the upside of his frame. Eldrige tops out at 85 while offering up a slider at 76-77.


We conclude our look at Team 1 with OF/LHP John Long (Glynn Academy, 2022). Long impressed our staff over the summer at the GA Future Games Trials, running a 6.6 60 yard dash and showing quick twitch actions at the plate. His performance there earned him a spot on Team Georgia at the 2020 PBR Future Games. Long continued to catch our eye and the eye of our national scout staff with his performance at the Future Games. Look for Long to make an impact at the plate and on the bases with his speed.


Team 2

One of the more powerful arms who will be taking the mound on Sunday belongs to RHP Cole Munhall (North Forsyth, 2022). It has been some time since we last saw Munhall, having to go all the way back to October 2019. However, in that appearance, Munhall sat 85-88 and and mixed in a curveball at 73-74 that he threw with intent.

Watch for OF/RHP Carson Huber (Union Grove, 2021) to make an impact both at the plate and on the mound Sunday. An athletically built 5-foot-11, 150-pounds, Huber takes a line drive approach with the ability to use the entire field. He utilizes his speed well to disrupt the defense. On the mound, Huber can run his fastball into the mid 80s and drop in a 12/6 breaking ball that will garner swing and misses.

The left-side of the infield will be in good hands for Team 2 with the likes of 3B Tyler Presnell (Cherokee, 2022) and SS/2B Jacob Fernandez (West Forsyth, 2022). Presnell will be one to watch at the plate. He had a standout performance at the Underclass Games back in June where he showed an easy effort gap-to-gap swing and the ability to hit for power to the pull-side. Fernandez is an advanced defender up the middle with soft, confident hands and smooth actions. At the plate he takes a line drive approach, peppering the middle/pull of the field.


OF Luke Boykin (Wayne County, 2022) is a toolsy, do-it-all type prospect who should stand out in both the showcase portion and game play. Athletically built at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds with quick twitch muscle, Boykin can really impact the game on the offensive side with a quick, whippy barrel that can drive the ball gap-to-gap with ease. A 6.75 runner, his speed lends itself on the base paths as well as in the outfield.


Team 3

LHP Dakota Corntassel (Pepperell, 2022) will get the start for Team 3 on Sunday. The left-hander has good feel on the mound, throwing three pitches for strikes. Corntassel’s fastball sits in the low 80s with more in tank as he fills out his lean frame. Offering up two offspeed pitches, his sinking changeup is an above average pitch that can induce swing and misses and ground balls.

We had the opportunity to see switch-hitting MIF JB Bell (Flowery Branch, 2021) frequently this summer. He will be one of the top 2021s in attendance on Sunday. The 5-foot-10, 165-pounder has a strong build and broad shoulders, packing a punch at the plate. Using a mostly line drive approach, he is able to spray the ball to all fields. Defensively, Bell is more than capable of handling shortstop, with an above average arm, good range and body control.


Look for switch-hitting OF Dallas Deas (North Cobb Christian, 2021) to surprise some people come Sunday. Listed at 5-foot-7, 145-pounds, he may get overlooked, but he has wiry strength and can impact the ball from both sides of the plate. Deas could be the quickest player in attendance, as we have previously seen him run a 6.63 laser-timked 60. His speed is game changing.


Team 4

C Dominic Elam (Union Grove, 2022) has a strong, physical build at 5-foot-10, 184-pounds. The backstop has a quick arm behind the plate and arm strength to go along with it. He is an apt receiver and not afraid to get his body in front of pitches to block. At the plate, he can effect the game with a gap-to-gap swing that continues to add power to it.

One prospect who may not be on many radars right now, but has a chance to make a splash is OF Evan Matela (Milton. 2022). Matela is a lean, athlete who is capable of running a 7.0 60 or better. What stood out for our staff when we saw Matela at a team Elite Scout Day was his swing. Matela has an aggressive swing with violent intent. With plenty of hand and barrel speed, the ball jumps off the bat as he uses the middle of the field.


Team 5

RHP Elijah Reece (North Hall, 2022) should garner some heavy attention entering this event as he has seen some major improvements over the past few months. Reece’s fastball has made a jump from 80-82, touching 83 to now sitting 84-86, touching 87. In addition to that he can mix in two offspeed pitches for strikes, a 12/6 curveball and sinking changeup. Reece has added some strength to his 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame and still has plenty of room to fill out with even more.


The definition of a gamer, SS Eric Snow (Mary Persons, 2022) plays the game with high energy and a chip on his shoulder. Snow has added significant strength to his frame over the past year and it shows throughout his game. His swing operates with whippy barrel speed and quick hand speed. Using the middle of the field he is able to drive the ball gap-to-gap. Snow is also a savvy defender up the middle with sure hands.


A legitimate two-way prospect, SS/RHP Matthew Morgan (LaGrange, 2021) has a smooth, line drive swing with athletic hands that work to stay on top of the ball. On the mound, his arm works clean on the back-side with a quick, continuous arm action. Working downhill, his fastball tops out at 85 while mixing in a 12/6 curveball that he throws with intent.


Team 6

Do not let the 5-foot-7, 145-pound fool you, RHP Conner Sizemore (Northside, 2021) can get after batters if they are not ready with a fastball topping out at 87 and curveball that has bite and induces swing and misses low in the zone. Sizemore has a clean, loose arm action and throws a high volume of strikes.


Physical 6-foot-3, 205-pound 1B/RHP CJ Whaley (Kennesaw Mountain) will offer his services as a two-way player on Sunday. We recently saw Whaley on the mound at the PBR Fall Classic where he put together a solid outing. Whaley has feel for three pitches and can garner swing and misses on his curveball. Sitting 83-85 with his fastball, he lives in the zone with a fastball and curveball combination.


1B Grey Brannen (Westfield, 2022) will be one of the most projectable frames in attendance, standing an athletic 6-foot-6, 215-pounds. Brannen takes a gap-to-gap approach with a level barrel path through the zone and quick hands. He has shown the ability to drive the ball as well as produce backspin on fly balls. Brannen continues to add strength to his frame which will only benefit his overall game.


To view the entire roster and teams for the event, click here

 

ITINERARY

  • Check-in for Position Players: 8:20 to 8:40 a.m.
    • 60-yard dash
    • Offensive Evaluations (exit velo, mechanical analysis, batting practice, TrackMan, Blast)
    • Defensive Evaluations (arm strength, mobility, positional reps)
  • Check-in for Pitchers only: 12:30-12:45 p.m.
    • Simulated Game (4-5 live AB session, mechanical analysis, TrackMan)
    • Catcher Evaluations (evaluating receiving/blocking skills)
  • Game Play (approximate start times):
    • Team 1 v Team 2 - 1:30 p.m.
    • Team 3 v Team 4 - 1:30 p.m.
    • Team 5 v Team 6 - 4:15 p.m.


Related Content