Prep Baseball Report

MD/DE Scout Blog: Walt Whitman at Northwest


Jamie Naill Jr
Maryland Scouting Director

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Week 2 for public school baseball across the Old Line State has made one thing very clear... there is a ton of parity and any team can be beaten on any given night. The Northwest Jaguars hosted powerhouse Walt Whitman on Thursday night in a game "most" thought would be controlled by the Vikings, especially with the departures of Northwest's three premier players from a year ago in Josh Zuckerman to graduation, Jayden Brown transferring to Pro5 in North Carolina, and Trent Adelman transferring to Pro5 in Virginia. 

The Vikings got out of the gate hot, taking a 5-1 lead after the top of the second inning, led by RBI singles off the bats of Senior Mitchell Hwang (Tufts) and Junior Ethan Murley, as well as an RBI double by Junior John Wayman. Northwest stormed back in the bottom half of the second, scoring three to cut the deficit to 5-4. Sophomore Sammy Berman added an insurance run for the Vikings in the fourth inning with an RBI single, pushing the lead to 6-4. Each inning Whitman scored, the Jaguars answered, as they did in the fourth to take the lead 7-6 courtesy of a few errors and a bases loaded walk. Whitman couldn't really string anything else together at the plate, as Northwest's Senior Joseph Drengwitz slammed the door for the final three frames as they took this one 7-6. 

 

 

Walt Whitman

 

Jacob Goldman RHP / 3B / Walt Whitman , MD / 2024

The highly touted uncommitted Junior got the start for the Vikings, working three innings, giving up four runs with six strikeouts. The pitch arsenal is certainly electric and you can understand and appreciate the 'buzz' that Goldman attains throughout the state. Working out of a minimal side-step windup and a bigger leg kick, the arm works quick from a high three-quarter slot. Long to short arm action provides some deception to the hitter, and the long 6-foot-4, 200 pound frame is imposing. The fastball worked the corners with some feel at 85-87 mph with fairly high spin around 2500 rpm. The curveball/slider combo showed promise and played well off the fastball when in the zone. The curveball showed bigger, gradual shape with some tightness to it at 75-77 mph, with the slider showcasing shorter, 10/4 shape at 76-78 mph. The stuff is there and the ceiling is high for the uncommitted righty, however Goldman's future will go as far as his command will allow it, as five walks and a 55% strike percentage shortened his outing on the night.  

 

Mitchell Hwang RHP / 3B / Walt Whitman, MD / 2023

I have had the luxury of seeing Hwang transform into the player he is today, and the maturation of the swing certainly opened my eyes on Thursday night. A much more relaxed presence at the plate, there's plenty of rhythm in the hands, incorporating a smooth, fluid back load and weight transfer with explosion the hands and hips. Utilizing a toe-tap load and stride, the foot gets down on time with a level path through contact, staying middle with the approach with plenty of line drive tendencies. Has shown the ability to life on occasion, and as the frame continues to get stronger, look for power numbers to rise. 

 

Ethan Murley C / RHP / Walt Whitman , MD / 2024

Murley was one of the many standouts at our MD Preseason All-State II event over the winter, as he showcased his two-way ability immensely. Up to 89 mph with the fastball at the event, I got the chance to see the hit tool in game on Thursday night. An aggressive approach with simple actions, the hands are fluid with a more pull side line drive approach. Catching pitches out in front, Murley utilizes his long levers to create some torque through with some extension created. As the awareness for the barrel gets stronger, look for the contact rate to rise and power numbers increase as well. 

 

John Wayman OF / SS / Walt Whitman, MD / 2024

Another uncommitted Junior in the 2024 class to keep eyes on his Wayman. An ultra-athletic outfielder with speed and feel for the barrel is intriguing, and Wayman showcases the ability to impact the game in multiple facets. Hitting out of a crouched, balanced stance, the hands show rhythm pre-pitch with a smooth back load and a kickout stride. The hands have some quickness to them with whippy barrel action through, showcasing the ability to backspin line drives to the pull side. A high contact, speedy bat that looks to be a prototypical top of the order guy. 

 

Sammy Berman SS / RHP / Walt Whitman , MD / 2025

It was my first opportunity to get my eyes on one of the top uncommitted two-ways in the state, and Berman certainly did not disappoint. At the plate, it's a simple, balanced setup with fluid actions throughout the swing. Creating solid hand separation, the hands and barrel speed are quick and explosive, showcasing a strong whole field approach with more line drive tendencies. The moxie and confidence at the dish stand out, looking to to damage with every swing with controlled aggression. As the frame continues to fill out, you'll see more and more power numbers come to fruition. 

On the bump, the arm has really made a jump since last year, reaching the upper 80's with the fastball and showcasing much more feel for the big 12/6 breaking ball. It's a shorter arm with some arm speed through release, getting over the front side well with plenty of intent through release. The feel for the zone is impressive, showcasing the ability to throw any pitch for a strike in any count, with the curveball playing extremely well off the fastball. As the delivery continues to get cleaner, look for Berman to be a mainstay on the bump for Whitman over the next couple years. As great as the bat and glove are, the makeup on the bump is intriguing and may allow for more opportunities throughout Berman's recruitment journey. 

 

 

Northwest

 

Myles Dickerson RHP / Northwest, MD / 2025

Dickerson got the start for Northwest on the bump, and he battled through a tough Whitman lineup, continuously working out of jams and showcasing a ton of confidence. Working with longer, clean arm action, the fastball worked the bottom portion of the zone at 81-83 mph, touching 84 mph early in the outing. The breaking ball was thrown with confidence, showcasing bigger 12/6 shape that shows some swing and miss capabilities when in/around the zone. Dickerson certainly controls the pace of the game on the bump, and it's an arm to keep eyes on this Spring/Summer, as I believe the ceiling is fairly high for another uncommitted 2025 in the state.