GDC Tournament: EE "Red" Whitsett & Jim Luck Division Scout Blog

Thu February 27, 2020
PBR Georgia Staff

The Georgia Dugout Club Tournament Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the PBR Scouting Staff during the second weekend of the event. This running blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, draft prospects, and anything else that is notable from the EE "Red" Wihtsett Division and Jim Luck Division, who played on Fields 11 & 12. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the GDC Scout Blog is loaded with information …

EE “Red” Whitsett

Blessed Trinity

Jake Lankie, RHP, Blessed Trinity, 2023
Georgia commit. 6-foot 150-pounds, athletic build with proportional strength throughout. Avg width slope shoulders, Arm works easy through ¾ slot. Modified full windup is consistent & rhythmic, Repeats it like clockwork. Great feel for use of lead arm/position and back leg drive, delivery is very directional and repeats release with ease. FB 83-86 with arm side run, uses in & out for quality strikes. Misses intentionally to set up. CB 73-76 tight rotation; has true CB depth at 73-74; takes on more SL character 75-76, has power to get under hands of lefty. CH 74-75 takes on sinking life has good deception outta that delivery Bottom line, carves hitters up and he does it on purpose. No mercy, he uses aggressive tempo & the stuff stated above with a feel for pitching so far beyond his years. In the clip below watch the rhythm in the hands w/the rocker step & leg kick, while you watch this sequence of pitches that goes; FB, CB, FB, CH all in 32 seconds and imagine that for 7 innings 


Cherokee

Brady Caloway, RHP, Cherokee, 2020
Uncommitted. 6-foot-1 160-pounds. A lot to like about the lanky right hander. Was not overpowering, but he stayed in the zone and forced weak contact all game. His strength and most intriguing attribute was the SL. Velo was 74-76 and the spin rate was 2500-2600. Could throw it for a strike early in counts, or bury it for a strikeout. The mechanics were really clean, could work out of the stretch, and showed confidence with the slide step. FB was 81-83 T85. Definitely more in the tank for the uncommitted senior. The SL would be a valuable strikeout tool for  any bullpen at the next level.
Greyson Freeman, RHP, Cherokee, 2020
Uncommitted. 6-foot-3 180-pounds. Freeman was called on out of the bullpen with the bases loaded and 1 out. The senior did not seem to be phased by the situation. Ended up striking out the next to batters, one being the strongest ‘23 bat in the state. FB was 82-84. Quick delivery and arm. Some ASR, showed the ability to throw the high FB underneath the hands for swing and misses. CB was 70-72, stuck with the FB most of the time out of the pen. The frame is there to build on, and could see the velo jump with some gain in strength.
Tyler Presnell, UTL, Cherokee, 2022
5-foot-11 175-pounds. Athletic, strong frame kid. Mature body and game play for the ‘22. Seems to do everything well. Good actions in the INF, with a strong arm. Really like the left-handed swing. Very simple, and shows strength in the lower-half. Presnell is a follow for the ‘22 class this spring season.
Collins Hill

Samuel Horn, RHP/SS, Collins Hill, 2022
6-foot-3, 175-pound switch-hitting two-way prospect, long, athletic frame, some strength in lower half, but only just beginning to fill out his frame, much more to come as he continues to physically mature, high follow prospect. On the mound, arm works continuously with a stab on the back-side, quick arm speed allows from him to accelerate and get out front on-time to a ¾ slot. Stays tall throughout his delivery, short break in his back leg as he strides on-line, finishes square to home. Fastball sat 86-89, touched 90, with armside run, was not afraid to go inside with. Slider, 11/5 shape, good shape, 76-77, with how quick his arm is there is potential to throw the pitch harder. At the plate, looked comfortable hitting from both sides, with more strength will drive the ball gap-to-gap.
Benjamin Neadow, RHP/OF, Collins Hill, 2021
5-foot-11, 170-pound right-handed pitcher and outfielder, athletic build, only witnessed pitching on the weekend. Arm works quick and clean from a high ¾ slot. Fastball sat 82-84. Worked in a curveball at 67-69 and a changeup at 72-74.

Trevor Wall, RHP, Collins Hill, 2021
6-foot-1 150-pounds. Strong showing from the uncommitted junior. Lanky frame, with an easy delivery and quick arm action. Stays in his back-side well and really gets down the mound. Held the FB velo at 85-87 for his entire outing. Did not show any wear with more innings. SL was hard, and sharp at 75-77. I see him getting in the 90’s this summer or by next spring. The actions and consistency in the delivery projects well.

Mount Paran

Cam Collier, 3B/RHP, Mt. Paran, 2023
Louisville commit. 6-foot, 190-pound left-handed hitting two-way prospect, thick, strong frame, ample strength in his lower half and shows no signs of slowing down the addition of more muscle. Typically known for his power bat, hopped on the mound on Saturday night. Arm works with some length, quick arm speed allows for him to get out front. Used exclusively fastballs, sat 84-85, touched 87. Had some command issues, but in a high pressure situation, with his team winning by two runs with two outs in the seventh inning and the bases loaded, he rose to the occasion and collected the one out save.
Alex Adams, OF/INF, Mt. Paran, 2022
5-foot-10, 150-pound right-handed hitting utility player, lean, athletic build, good feel for his frame and its capabilities, may be taller and more filled out than listed, has really grown and added strength since we last saw him in the summer. Offensively, balanced setup, short heel lift stride, hands load back and barrel cocks. Takes a line drive approach with a level barrel path through the zone, gets his hands extended. Has feel for the barrel and good awareness of the zone.
Jim Luck

North Forsyth

Jess Ackerman, LHP, North Forsyth, 2021
6-foot-2 205-pounds. Strong frame, well built lefty. Has a solid base to build on. Super easy, and clean mechanics, arm works really well. Good rhythm and timing throughout the delivery. Slight drop in the arm slot, high ¾. FB was 83-85 T87 with ASR. CB was 70-72. Messed with timing some, showed good body control.
Garrett Staton, 3B, North Forsyth, 2020
Samford commit. 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-handed hitting third baseman, athletic frame with strength throughout, will add more as he continues to mature. Has simple pre-pitch rhythm with a toe-tap stride and load of the hands and weight back, good timing. Barrel works mostly level through the zone with some leverage, drives the ball with a strong lower half. In the opening game against Georgia commit Patrick Holloman (Ola), turned on a pitch and sent it sailing over the left field fence for a solo HR. Generated hard pull-side contact all weekend long.
Tyler Triche, MIF, North Forsyth, 2022
5-foot-11, 165-pound right-handed hitting middle infielder, strong study build, present strength with the opportunity to add even more, the weekend proved to be a coming out party of sorts for Triche, as he was named the Most Valuable Position Player of the second weekend at the Georgia Dugout Club Tournament, going 5-for-11, with two doubles, a triple and six RBI. At the plate, open setup, hands start high with little load to them, leg kick timing trigger. Hitting out of the two-hole spot, he showed a mature approach and the ability to handle velocity and advanced breaking balls against Georgia commit LHP Patrick Holloman, hitting two doubles off of him, one into the left center gap and another down the right field line.  Athletic hands and good hand/eye, sees pitches well and drops the barrel on them for hard line drive contact, present bat speed, gets his hands extended. High follow prospect.
Anthony DiMola, LHP, North Forsyth, 2020
Georgia Southern commit. 6-foot, 175-pound left-handed pitcher, athletic frame, strong lower half, has a good knowledge for pitching and feel for three pitches. Works out of an over-the-top slot, whippy hand speed, gets on top of the ball and works down. Cruised through a solid Ola batting order and went toe-to-toe with Georgia commit LHP Patrick Holloman, went 5.1 IP, striking out eight, allowing two hits and zero runs, to pick up the win. Fastball sat 86-89, downhill angle, worked all parts of the zone with. Changeup, 76-77, did a nice job turning over the pitch and producing fade. Curveball, 12/6, 69-70, good feel for, swing and miss type pitch. 
Baylor Homesley, RHP, North Forsyth, 2022
5-foot-11, 160-pound right-handed pitcher, strong, sturdy frame, beginning to fill out his lower half with strength, much more to come in all areas. Arm works short and quick, reaches on the back-side and then accelerates quickly to an over-the-top slot. Tall and fall delivery, keeps momentum on-line. Fastball sat 85-87 with late run to the armside. Curveball, 12/6 shape, depth and bite, snapped some off to the glove-side that had late lateral movement, will get swing and misses on. Good feel for fastball and curveball.
Brett Barfield, LHP, North Forsyth, 2022
Florida State commit. 6-foot, 170-pound left-handed pitcher, athletic build, more to come in the strength department. Full arm swing on the back-side, quick arm speed allows for him to get out front consistently to a high ¾ slot. Drop and drive delivery, works on-line, peels off the mound on his follow through to the third base side. Relied mostly on his fastball early in the game against Walton, and for good reason, routinely getting swing and misses at 85-87, pitch came in heavy, settled in at 82-85, showed life low in the zone.Slider, rarely used in the early parts, 75-77, 1/7 shape, sharpness to it, swing and miss type pitch.
Garrett Sagro, LHP, North Forsyth, 2020
Kennesaw State commit. 5-foot-10, 180-pound left-handed pitcher, strong, athletic build, broad shoulders and a thickening lower half. Arm works short and quick, hides the ball well on the back-side to a high ¾ slot. Came on to close out the game against Ola, used exclusively fastballs, did not throw a single pitch outside of the zone. Fastball sat 83-86.
Cason Engert, RHP, North Forsyth, 2023
6-foot-1, 175-pound right-handed pitcher, strong, sturdy frame for a young prospect, athletic build, has a high potential given what his frame currently carries and will carry down the line. Short arm action before whipping his arm out front to a low ¾ slot, lulls the batter with a slow draw and then explodes to release. Entered the game in relief in the sixth inning with men on base, handled the pressure well, especially as a freshman. Fastball sat 83-85 with running action, pitch routinely had late movement to it. Curveball, 64-67, still gaining feel for the pitch.
Ola

Nolan Sliver, RHP/SS, Ola, 2022
6-foot-2, 145 pounds; wiry, lanky. Talented two-way player who continues to show promise both on the mound and at SS. Got the start on Saturday and was very competitive all game. Fastball lived 84-86, early on, and stayed true the majority of the game. CB at 72-75 showed makings of put-out pitch; still developing feel, but has progressed well since the summer.
Caleb Fordham, RHP/OF, Ola, 2022
6-foot, 175 pounds; strong lower-half. Used drop-and-drive delivery. Clean arm with quick arm speed. Showed three pitches, all of which had feel for the zone. FB sat 80-84 with sinking action; has been up to 85 in the past. FB missed barrels. CB showed 12/6 shape at 73-78. Also flashed a CH to both side of the plate at 69. Mixed up timing on windup, at times.
Garrett Carter, MIF, Ola, 2021
6-foot, 160 pounds; lean frame. Hitting out of the lead-off spot, the left-handed hitting Carter impressed with the bat. Carter led game one of the day off with a double over the right-fielder. The barrel is loose and free. Battles in the box and plays hard. 4.35 on turn down the line.

Patrick Holloman, LHP, Ola, 2020
Georgia commit. 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-handed pitcher, highly athletic, lean muscle, showed premium stuff on the mound. Arm works with some length on the back-side, gets to a near over-the-top slot quickly and with little effort, more velocity in the tank. Gets downhill with his arm and delivery, stays on top of the ball. Fastball sat 86-91, got swing and misses with the pitch, especially high in the zone, used to all parts of the zone. Curveball, 77-78, 1/7 shape, sharp action, swing and miss type pitch. Changeup, 83, mostly straight, some sink to it.
Tift County

Conner Vansumeren, RHP, Tift County, 2022
Long legged, wiry frame. Showed a 3 pitch mix, and was feeling it early on. FB was 87 in the first, showed the CB at 71-73, could really spin it. Ended up settling in at 82-85. Faced a tough line-up and competed in the zone throughout his outing. Liked him out of the stretch, showed control with the slide-step. Really strong finish, loose arm. More to come for the young ‘22.
Owen Manning, 3B, Tift County, 2020
Big-bodied CIF that impressed on both sides of the ball. Presence in the box, hitting from a crouched stance. Seeping load with hands, gets to position in time. Barrel is very level through the zone, all the way to finish. Made loud contact at the plate. Hands were reliable at 3B. w
Walton

Eli Pilger, INF, Walton, 2021
5-foot-10, 160 pounds; untapped physical build. Athletic swing in the box, showing feel for the barrel. Hit balls on the nose in continuous at-bats. Level swing through the zone. Got a hold of a high FB for a double on Saturday.
Jared Jones, C, Walton, 2022
LSU commit. 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-handed hitting catcher, physically advanced in all areas with strength and shows no signs of slowing down. We have had the opportunity to see Jones a number of times early in the season, and he is consistently hitting for power. There is aggression in the swing, any time he makes contact the ball flies off the bat like very few can make it do. Has good feel for hitting and is able to use the whole field.
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