By Justin Burgess
Florida Area Scout

In yesterday’s release of the updated 2018 Florida rankings, we broke down the players at the top of the list and examined what separated them from the rest of the pack. In a class that is so deep, we have to examine everything from tools, to size, to projection. Today we will be breaking down the players who made the biggest leap in the rankings and look at what made them really stick out.

Jonathan Gates, LHP, Nature Coast Tech HS
Gates has probably made the most noticeable jump out of any prospect in this class. The Miami commit has put on 20-30 pounds in the last year which has given him an impressive amount of strength for his age. A year ago, Gates was still one of the top pitchers in the class as he sat in the mid-80s with his fastball and showed off a solid curveball. The only issue was that there was not much of a difference between him and some of the other top lefties in this class. Fast forward to this season and he has gained five mph on fastball (he is now touching 91 mph), his curveball has more depth and he throws a sharp slider for strikes. His size, velocity, and clean arm action has allowed him to make the jump to now being the top left-handed pitcher in the class and the fourth overall prospect.

Levi Kelly, RHP, IMG Academy
Kelly is a pitcher who has had great physical stature and strength for a while now, which has allowed him to stay towards the top of the rankings. What has caused Kelly to make the recent jump into the top five is that he went from sitting in the 85-88 mph range to now sitting in the 88-91 mph range. His durability is also something that may be unmatched in this class as he has been clocked at up to 92-93 mph in the fourth inning of a start. He also shows off a four-pitch repertoire that is very advanced for his age. His curveball has great depth and a 12/6 break at 75-77 mph and his slider is sharp and very tough on righties at 79-81 mph. His changeup is also above average, making him very difficult to hit at the high school level.

McGuire Weaver, SS, Tampa Jesuit
Weaver is a player who differs vastly from guys like Gates and Kelly. Not only is he a position player, but he is much less physical as he stands at 5-foot-11, 150 pounds. Even though he may not catch a scout’s eye when he steps off the bus, he will certainly turn some heads when he beats out an infield single or turns (what would normally be) a standup double into a standup triple. The Florida State commit is one of the fastest players in the state as he has been clocked at a 6.46 in the 60-yard dash. Even though this is his best tool and what makes him stick out, he is also a polished defender and can really swing the bat. He is the only starting sophomore for one of the better programs in the state and he has the second highest batting average the team at .388.  Look for him to add some power and for his overall game to improve as he matures and adds strength. Weaver is now ranked 23rd in the state and is the fifth-ranked shortstop.