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A's Scout Day Takeaways: Upperclass

March 3, 2024
By: Diego Solares
Central Region Media Director, Scouting

On February 10th, 17th, and 19th, the Prep Baseball Missouri staff traveled to the Athletics Baseball Academy in Fenton, MO, as well as the Athletics Baseball Academy in Springfield, MO, to host the A's Scout Day - a three part event that featured more than 100 players from throughout the A's travel program.

All of our events offer players the opportunity to update their recruiting resume and showcase their talents in front of our staff. We also use these events as identifiers for future invite-only events, like the Preseason All-State, our summer Top Prospect Games, and the prestigious Prep Baseball Future Games that takes place at the tail end of the summer.

For a full roster of those in attendance, click HERE.

Shortly after the event, our staff posted several of the day's stat leaders within our traditional 'Stat Story', which you can find HERE. 

On Friday, we took a look at the underclassmen in attendance and highlighted more than 25 standout names from the 2026-to-2028 from this event. You can find that story by clicking HERE. 

We’ll put the finishing touches on this winter’s A’s Scout Today by taking a look at 35 upperclassmen (2024 & 2025) that impressed our staff. 

QUICK HITS - UPPERCLASS 

+ RHP Tristan Hunter (Forsyth, 2024; Kentucky signee) took a jump in stuff this winter, solidifying himself as a high-follow, name-to-know prospect in the state’s current senior class that should draw professional attention throughout the spring. At 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, Hunter’s fastball played with more life than we’d previously seen (21.1” IVB avg) at 92-94 mph. He also throws a turbo-sinker at 91-93 mph and a changeup that mirrors it well at 81-85 mph. Hunter’s best pitch, however, is a true swing-and-miss breaking ball at 78-79 mph with sharp, late drop off a 12/6 plane. 


+ There’s no shortage of physicality with 6-foot-3, 205-pound OF Brady Picarelli (Eureka, 2024; Mizzou signee), who’s assortment of tools and inherent strength rival that of anyone in the state. Picarelli ran one of the fastest 60 times of the event (6.72), a metric even more impressive given his physical stature. He was all over the barrel in BP, generating explosive bat speed from a fast left-handed swing engineered to elevate the baseball. Picarelli drove the day’s furthest batted ball (404 ft.) and hammered baseballs on repeat, averaging 96.9 mph per barrel with a max mark of 103.9 mph. After an explosive spring season for a 30+ win Eureka squad as a junior, Picarelli will look to put the finishing touches on his high school career with an even more impressive offensive season this year. 


+ LHP/OF Casen Murphy (Park Hills Central, 2024; Arkansas State signee) continues to show our staff high-end impact on both sides of the ball. A considerable talent on the football field for the Rebels, Murphy swung a fast and physical left-handed barrel that averaged 93.6 mph per batted ball event, peaking at 99 mph, with a max batted distance of 353 feet (267 ft. avg). He took the mound and pounded the strike zone at 90-92 mph with a high spin fastball (T2643 RPM, 2496 RPM avg). Murphy’s breaking ball flashed sharp spin and late action at 76-78 mph and his 80-83 mph changeup played with natural arm-side run throughout his ‘pen. 


+ LHP Ross Lawrence (Logan-Rogersville, 2024; Missouri State signee) has long been known to have highly advanced pitchability and polish on the mound from the left side. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Missouri State signee filled up the zone with his entire arsenal, working his fastball on the corners at 85-86 mph. Lawrence threw two breaking balls with differing action; a 73-74 mph curveball with bend/depth to it and a harder, tighter, and laterally spun slider at 75-77 mph. He also turned over a 75-78 mph changeup with natural arm-side fade to it, giving him a true four-pitch mix to work with on the mound. 


+ One of the top catchers in Missouri’s 2024 class, C/INF Dominic Anselmo (Eureka; Bradley signee) put together one of the loudest BP rounds of the event. Standing at 6-foot, 200-pounds and packed with physicality, Anselmo generates effortless power with a smooth, easy right-handed swing. His average exit velocity of 97.2 mph was top among all attendees at the event and his peak EV of 101.1 mph finished in the top five. Additionally, Anselmo barreled his furthest ball 397 feet, which was also near the top of the event’s batted ball leaderboard.


+ Another backstop to know in the state’s current senior group that showed well at this event is C Connor Mendell (Fort Zumwalt South, 2024; Northern Illinois signee). Mendell looked to elevate the baseball in BP from a long, uphill right-handed swing and produced hard lifted contact to the pull-side gap as a result. He posted one of the highest average batted distances (270 ft.) of the day, launching his furthest batted ball 365 feet at 96.7 mph, per TrackMan. Mendell showed extraordinary arm strength from behind the dish too, leading all backstops in throwing velocity with an 88 mph high mark. 


+ RHP Seungmin Song (Parkway Central, 2024; Maine signee) threw his fastball at 87-88 mph at this event. Song showed an advanced feel to spin a low-70s curveball with arch and depth, while also mixing in a tighter slider at 73-74 mph, and he spotted a splitter down in the zone at 74-76 mph, too. 

+ C/OF Kody Brown (Seckman, 2024; Lake Land JC signee) has plenty of strength on a 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame. Brown showed off his arm in the field, posting a 84 mph mark from behind the plate as well as firing a 89 mph bullet from the outfield - both top three in the event. At the plate, he was on the barrel consistently with a right-handed swing that produced natural lift through the zone and worked gap-to-gap. Brown’s hardest ball came off his bat at 98.4 mph with an average of 89.3 mph.

+ RHP Connor Henke (Fort Zumwalt South, 2024) helped lead the Bulldogs to the Class 5 state playoffs last spring and has always been known as a highly polished strike-thrower to our staff. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior stayed in the zone with his fastball at 85-87 mph with late run at times. Henke throws a straight changeup from the same intent, though out of a slightly lower slot, as his fastball, and he’s able to consistently land a slurvy-type breaking ball for strikes at 68-70 mph. 

+ C/1B Jackson Edwards (Nixa, 2024; Drury signee) has middle-of-the-order type upside at the next level inside a highly physical right-handed barrel. Edwards repeatedly produced hard and lifted contact off the barrel, posting one of the higher average (96.1 mph) and peak (101.7 mph) exit velocity marks of the event. Edwards’ hardest throw from behind the plate reached 76 mph and he popped in the 1.98-to-2.06 range. 

+ RHP Evan Fulhorst (Fort Zumwalt South, 2024; Valparaiso), T92 mph, LHP Carter Cox (Fort Zumwalt South, 2024; Northern Illinois), T91 mph, RHP Tanner Sullivan (Fort Zumwalt West, 2024; St. Charles CC), T88 mph, and RHP Jackson Tankersley (Fort Zumwalt South, 2024; St. Charles CC), T88 mph, are four senior arms that were all 88+ with their fastballs. 

+ All INF Caeden Cloud (Nixa, 2025; Kentucky commit) has done over the last year or so is solidify his status as an upper-tier prospect on a national scale in the 2025 class. Physical and athletic at 6-foot-1, 182-pounds, Cloud showed more bat strength in BP than we’d seen from him ever before, barreling baseballs at an average of 95.6 mph with a max mark of 104.1 mph, and his furthest ball traveled 368 feet. Cloud continues to show advanced actions on the infield paired with a loose, athletic arm that reached 87 mph at peak across the infield. 


+ LHP Jake Collier (Pacific, 2025) is one of the top uncommitted left-handed arms in the Midwest. A 5-foot-11, 185-pound athlete with present strength and room for more, Collier continued to show impact-type stuff on the mound in his ‘pen. His fastball sat 89-90 mph with advanced raw spin (T2513 RPM, 2443 RPM avg) and he ripped off a tight slider with sharp late spin at 79-81 mph that flashed swing-and-miss upside. He showed a 78-79 mph curveball that had more arch and depth to it than the aforementioned slider, and Collier rounded out his arsenal by turning to a sinker-like changeup at 82-85 mph (-18” HM avg). His strength showed at the plate too, as Collier squared up his hardest barrel at 100.1 mph. 


+ A recent Mizzou commit, RHP Cooper Pumphrey (Ozark, 2025) takes the mound at a highly physical 6-foot-6, 215-pounds. Pumphrey’s fastball played straight and with carry up in the zone at 89-91 mph. His slider has true swing-and-miss potential; an intentful offering with power spin and late lateral break at 78-81 mph that should grab whiffs at a high rate. Pumphrey flashed arm-side feel on a firm 84-85 mph changeup to round out his arsenal. 


+ OF Gabe Huelsing (Oakville, 2025) has polish and bat strength from the left side, producing consistent hard contact off the barrel in BP. Huelsing creates leverage through contact with quick hands that naturally elevate the baseball, showing hard contact on average (88.4 mph) and peak (98.4 mph) with a 362 foot peak batted distance. He ran a 6.99 in the 60-yard dash and has shown our staff advanced arm strength in the past (T91 mph OF) though he didn’t throw at this event. 


+ 1B/LHP Mason Lee (Pattonville, 2025; Arkansas State) put together one of the more impressive two-way showings of the event. A PBR Future Games alum, Lee showed more bat strength than we’d seen from him previously and stayed flat through the zone with a loose, repeatable right-handed swing. His hardest batted ball (101.1 mph) was nearly eight miles harder than his previous high mark at our events and his average exit velocity (93.7 mph) was also a considerable jump. Additionally, Lee’s furthest batted ball (361 ft.) traveled more than 40 feet further than what we’d seen from him before. He took the mound afterwards and pumped a fastball with natural arm-side run from a loose, quick arm at 87-88 mph. Lee also consistently landed a low-70s slider for strikes and threw a firm changeup with gradual arm-side action at 78-81 mph. 


A pair of uncommitted junior southpaws to know from this event are LHP Wyatt Doak (Galena, 2025) and LHP Colin Muldoon (Kickapoo, 2025): 

+ Doak holds compact strength within a 6-foot, 170-pound frame and threw his fastball at 88-89 mph (19.8” IVB avg) from a long, continuous arm path. He consistently landed his curveball for strikes at 75-77 mph and also showed a firm mid-80s changeup. 


+ Muldoon is plenty projectable at 6-foot-3, 185-pounds and put together one of the more polished ‘pens of the entire event. He threw his entire arsenal for strikes, starting with a fastball that played at 85-87 mph, touching 88 mph on his firmest bullet - though there’s likely more to come quick as he continues to fill out his frame. He showed feel for a diving changeup at 79-81 mph and spun a tight curveball that flashed late break at 72-73 mph. 


+ OF Peyton Kight (Jackson, 2025) stands at a highly projectable 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame with noticeably loud tools to pair. At that size, Kight ran a 6.90 60 and controlled his levers well at the plate, staying short and uphill to contact while favoring the pull-side. He showed high level outputs at peak, barreling his hardest ball up at 101.2 mph while driving his furthest batted ball 383 feet. Still fully harnessing his strength and talents on the diamond, Kight showed one of the higher ceilings of any prospect in attendance.


+ A member of Team Missouri at the PBR Future Games this past summer, C/OF Crew Norden (Rock Bridge, 2025) is one of the more physical juniors in the state at 6-foot, 210-pounds. He generates easy bat speed and is able to produce above-average batted ball data (92 mph avg, T96.9 mph, T352 ft.) from a simple, controlled, and low-effort right-handed swing. Norden’s arm strength showed from the outfield (T90 mph) as well as from behind the plate (T82 mph) and he ran a 7.03 60. 


+ INF Cooper Rhodes (Jackson, 2025) swung a highly polished and rhythmic left-handed barrel throughout his round of BP. A strong compact athlete that ran a 6.85 60, Rhodes was on the barrel often and sprayed line drives back up the middle of the field, and to the pull-side, as a result. Rhodes showed more bat strength in this look, squaring his hardest ball up at 99.1 mph (87.9 mph avg) and swatting his furthest ball 346 feet. 


+ OF Parker Mann (Nixa, 2025) is a muscled-up 5-foot-11, 170-pound athlete with upside tools across the board. He juiced his hardest ball up at 101.1 mph from an uphill right-handed swing, ran the second fastest 60 time of the event (6.68) and peaked at 89 mph from the outfield. 


+ Built with strength and quick twitch at 5-foot-7, 160-pounds, Treyton Bowen (Belleville West, 2025) had a standout showing at this scout day. At the plate, Bowen used a slow and controlled load to quick launch to spray line drives through the middle of the field at an average exit velocity of 91.5 mph. At peak, Bowen showed above-average bat strength for his age from an exit velocity (97.3 mph) and batted ball distance (371 ft.) perspective. Additionally, Bowen ran a 6.88 60 and topped at 86 mph from the outfield. 


+ OF Ryan Kliethermes (Fort Zumwalt East, 2025) added muscle mass this winter, now standing at a strength-ladened, more physical 6-foot-2, 195-pounds. His jump in physicality showed at the plate, as Kliethermes blew away his previous best marks from an exit velocity perspective on average (84.8 mph) and at peak (92.2 mph). In this look, he produced barreled line drive contact with impact consistently, averaging 90.8 mph per batted ball with a max mark of 98.6 mph. He also juiced one of the day’s furthest batted balls, eleaving his deepest barrel an estimated 377 feet, per TrackMan. 


+ C/INF Jaxon Jones (Park Hills Central, 2025) showed some of the loudest left-handed power than we’ve seen all winter. The muscle-bound, highly physical 6-foot-1, 205-pound junior juiced his hardest ball up at an event-high 104.9 mph to pair with a max batted distance of 368 feet. His strength showed behind the plate, where Jones threw his hardest ball at 78 mph. 


+ RHP Colin Kelley (Nixa, 2025) looked more physical on the mound, adding strength this winter and now standing at 5-foot-11, 182-pounds. He threw a straight, four-seam fastball for strikes at 84-86 mph and complimented it with two secondaries; a 70-72 mph slider with slight lateral break and a 75-78 mph changeup. 

+ RHP John Hilpert (Belleville West, IL, 2025) has loud stuff on the mound with developing feel for it, starting with a fastball that played at 86-88 mph in this look. He ripped off a 76-78 mph slider that averaged 2532 RPM (T2603 RPM) and threw a changeup with gradual run at 79-80 mph. 

+ OF/LHP Jack Burle (Duchesne, 2025) was on the barrel throughout his round of BP, producing hard contact on average (89 mph) with a 93.3 mph max exit velocity. The 6-foot, 190-pound uncommitted left-handed hitter also ran a 7.14 60 and peaked at 88 mph from the outfield. 

+ RHP Hall Chapman (John Burroughs, 2025) threw three pitches for strikes in his ‘pen at this event. A strong, compact 6-foot, 190-pound athlete, Chapman’s fastball played at 84-86 mph from a short, compact arm draw. He landed all of his 74-76 mph sliders for strikes with tight spin and he also threw a firm 80-81 mph changeup that averaged 15.4 inches of horizontal movement from the same release height, on average, as his fastball. 


+ Another uncommitted junior that showed well on both sides of the ball was INF/RHP Matthew Rauser (Francis Howell, 2025). A switch-hitter, Rauser has loose hands and works uphill to contact from both sides of the plate. He impacts the baseball at a higher rate from the left side, however, with his loudest barrel (93.4 mph) and deepest batted ball (348) coming during his left-handed round. Rauser led all infielders in max throwing velocity (T88 mph) and he was also up to 86 mph on the mound with advanced feel to spin a low-70s curveball. 

+ OF Aidan Roland (Hillsboro, 2025) is a physical, muscled-up 5-foot-10, 190-pound athlete that showed notable bat strength at this event - 93.8 mph average exit velocity, peaked at 103.4 mph. Roland drove his furthest ball 368 feet and also ran a 6.98 60. 

+ 1B Cooper Siebuhr (Rock Bridge, 2025) swings a strong left-handed barrel with polish to pair. The 6-foot, 195-pound uncommitted junior sprayed consistent line drive contact off the barrel in BP, averaging 90.3 mph per batted ball with a max mark of 96.6 mph. 

+ 1B Joseph Sutton (Glenwood, IL, 2025) had the highest average batted distance (292 ft.) of the entire event and consistently produced hard contact in BP from a strong, fast, and level right-handed swing. He averaged 87.4 mph per batted ball with a high mark of 92.4 mph. 

+ INF/RHP Noah Jones (Francis Howell, 2025) has follow talents on both sides of the ball to pair with an upside 6-foot-1, 155-pound frame. He’s quiet at the plate with loose hands that work in rhythm and stay short to contact, keeping a level barrel through the zone. Jones had the second highest average batted distance of the day (291 ft.) and his firmest ball came off his barrel at 94 mph. On the mound, Jones pitched at 82-84 mph with his fastball (T2412 RPM) and consistently landed a slider with lateral tilt for strikes at 73-75 mph. 

+ INF Anthony Tocco (CBC, 2025) ran the fastest 60 of the entire event, darting to a 6.65 time on our lasers. At the plate, Tocco has fast athletic hands that sprayed line drives to the pull-side throughout his round of BP. He’s sure-handed defensively with athletic feet that cover ground easily, topping at 82 mph across on his hardest throw. 


+ INF Gunner Sutton (Hillsboro, 2025) has long and projectable levers to go along with a lean-limbed 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame. Sutton flashed upside at the plate, working long and level to contact with above-average raw power at peak (93.7 mph max EV, 356 ft. peak distance). Sutton’s arm played fast and loose on the infield, topping at 85 mph across the infield on his hardest throw. 

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