Prep Baseball Report

Top Prospect Games: Upperclass - Quick Hits


PBR Georgia
Staff

Emerson, GA - The Top Prospect Games: Upperclass took place on June 13th at LakePoint Sports. This event consisted of the top uncommitted prospects from the 2024 class. These players went through a pro-style workout and took batting practice using Trackman to record hitting metrics. Pitchers were able to throw in gameplay and were able to get numbers and metrics off of our Trackman unit, such as pitch velocity, spin rate, horizontal & vertical movement & much more. There were some players who showed up and continued to build off of prior performances, but there were also some new names who jumped onto our radar with a strong showing on Tuesday.

Kicking off our post-event coverage for these events, we take a look back at some of the top performers and standouts from the event. Continuing over the course of the next week or so, we will release Statistical Leaderboards for the event, along with our scouting reports.
Click HERE to view all positional stats from the event.

Quick Hits

+ SS Gavin Savage (Sequoyah,2024) Uncommitted. Savage had a full year of a starting role at shortstop in high school, and it has really paid off at the plate. He has added strength and size, and showed one of the best BP rounds of the day. He has an athletic frame and strong build that would allow him to stick anywhere on the field at the next level. The actions are clean and consistent at short, and posted an 84mph velocity across the diamond. He had a barrel to center in game play, but was right at the guy. Look for Savage to continue to develop at the plate, and have a big spring his senior year.

+ LHP Carson Small (Houston County, 2024) Uncommitted. Small was a big factor in Houston County’s state championship run. He continues to add physical size and strength making him that much more effective. He stands tall until balance point, and does a good job of getting into his back side and up and over the front knee. His fastball will sit in the low-mid 80’s, and he ran it up to 85.6 on Tuesday. Look for Small to have a big summer and senior year at Houston County.

+ MIF Talan Shirey (Darlington, 2024) Shirey impressed late in the playoffs for Darlington. He has all the right actions in the field, and can make the tough plays with the range and athleticism. At the plate he can handle the bat from both sides. He has easy line drive power with a really consistent bat path. He will be a tough out at any spot of the order, and is the type of player you want on your team. He competes in games, and plays the hard.

+ MIF Luke Sanders (North Hall, 2024) Sanders was a standout this spring for North Hall. Known for his defensive ability, he can also hit for average, and make plays happen on the bases. He is a mutli-sport athlete, so the athleticism is always on full display on the diamond. On the mound he is a strike thrower with a quick and easy arm action that can get outs when needed. 

+ 2B/OF Luke Hill (Kings Ridge, 2024) Uncommitted, 5-foot-11, 175 pounds. Hill is well-built with proportional strength and has a swing that is very pleasing to the eye. Consistently hit balls in the sweet spot in his BP round, topping 96 EV. With a 6.61 60 time, he can be a threat on the basepaths with good outfield defensive range. Had some sneaky power with good bat-to-ball skills, noticeable athleticism. Keeps his top hand palm up through contact, some small adjustments in timing could really show his power potential and that swing shouldn’t be overlooked.

+ MIF Cannon Jones (Coffee, 2024)Uncommitted, 5-foot-7, 170 pounds. Jones impressed in the Top Prospects: Upperclass game,where he reached base multiple times. Good bat-to-ball skills and sees the ball well, put the ball in play in every plate appearance. Short, compact frame and swing, his frame aids him in working the glove at the middle infield positions. Defense is one of his stronger tools as he has shown the ability to make difficult plays in a crunch. Line drive approach with good spray to all fields with a barrel to the opposite field down the line in the game.

+ CF Casey Comerford (Marist, 2024) Uncommitted, 6-foot-1, 165 pounds. Comerford impressed in multiple areas, the first being his plus speed with a 6.55 60 time. His speed makes him a threat on the basepaths and has displayed plus range in centerfield. High level bat to ball skills, good power-speed combo with a high bat speed and strong wrists. Unorthodox swing but consistently produces. Noticeable athleticism with a strong baseball IQ, well-defined upper half. Had a deep barrel to the opposite field right in front of the track in the game.

+ 1B/RHP Austin McCabe (North Forsyth, 2024)  Uncommitted. 6-foot-4, 207 pounds. McCabe had an impressive showing at the Top Prospects: Upperclass showcase at Lakepoint. He went two way as a 1B and RHP. In his 1B appearance you could tell he was an athletic kid based off his large, tall, athletic, frame. McCabe has a patient approach at the plate as he ripped a hard hit single into CF for an RBI. He starts his load with a big defined leg-kick while coiling up his upper half. As he plants his lead leg, he rotates his shoulders + hips with force, this allows him to keep his hands inside and drive his barrel through the zone while staying strong throughout his extension and also maintaining his balance. Defensively, McCabe is all of 6-foot-4 which allows him to get to any grounder that is hit his way. Also, His glovework was smooth as he was able to get multiple picks at 1B due to poor/rushed throws by the other infielders. McCabe was also able to reach high throws as he was able to use his massive frame to go up and get it. Overall, McCabe is an impressive athlete that has tons of potential not only as a 1B but also as a RHP.  

+ 2B/SS Tyler Bennett (East Jackson, 2024) Uncommitted. 5-foot-9, 145-pounds. Bennett has a small, slim, frame with athletic actions. Bennett has a very narrow, upright, stance. He starts his load with a massive leg-kick which signals his hips and shoulders to rotate. As he plants his lead leg, his hands are already moving quickly with his barrel through the zone as he makes hard contact with the ball before it reaches the plate which is why it was barrelled to LF. Bennett is also able to use all of his body to create power through his barrel as he coils up just before contact while also maintaining his minimal head movement and balance throughout his extension. Bennett is able to keep his bat tight to his body which is why his extension throughout his swing is so fluid and connected. Defensively, Bennett is a good athlete which above average glovework especially when getting to slow rollers. Bennett has a smooth transition when fielding with an even quicker release making him one of the better defensive MIFs at the showcase. His arm has average strength but + accuracy and light footwork making it easy for him to turn the DP. Bennett is a gamer that plays the game hard with good fundamentals. 

+ 3B Landon Moran (Whitewater, 2024) Uncommitted. 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. Moran has a short, stocky, athletic, frame with defined lower half strength. Moran has an open stance with bend in the knees. He has a noticeable leg-kick load and quick hands, which is why he is able to get his barrel flat through the zone with power. Moran stays strong through the zone throughout his extension and shows serious pop to all fields. His swing is very fluid and repeatable which is why he is able to stay connected throughout the entirety of his swing. Defensively, Moran is an above average athlete at 3B as he has sure hands and light feet making him ideal to play the hot corner. His transitions when fielding are effortless and his release is quick which is why he can make all the routine plays at 3B. He can also move well despite not having a blazing 60 time which is why you have to keep a watch out for him on the bases. Overall, Moran is a really good player that is only going to keep impressing throughout the summer. Good follow to keep an eye on. 

+ MIF Jaxon Pate , (Sonoraville), Pate has shown well thus far in the early goings of the summer at the NPI/PBR showdown and will continue to trend upwards after his performance yesterday at the Upper Class TP. Jaxon turned in one of the most consistent rounds of BP being on the barrel , showing the ability to back spin baseballs to all parts of the field and a innate feel to manipulate his hands+barrel for different pitch locations. The fluidity + tightness in the LH swing stand out immediately, everything works in proper sequence, the hands and stride work together at the same pace & are tight + compact to his body allowing him to stay connected throughout and change planes on a dime. Repeatable launch position that he flows in and out of with minimal head movement. Easily one of the best rounds + swings of the day yesterday. A QB in HS Jaxon possesses athleticism that should allow him to impact the game on the base paths and defensively. He is a steady defender that has light feet and sure hands and a quick release paired with instincts, enough arm to turn the double play. There is a lot to like from this uncommitted 2024 grad who is someone college coaches may not know a whole lot about but as the summer progresses that should change. Good follow. 

+ RHP Oz Eckard , (Woodstock), Was one of the biggest winners from yesterday's Upper Class TP turning in 2 flawless innings of work with intent to dominate and something to prove. Immediately the 6-4 225 LB frame stands out and should allow him to handle a load of innings at the next level either out of the pen or as a starter. What impressed the most was the ability to move down the mound given his frame, the delivery was properly synced up with tempo and balance throughout the up+down+out phases which allowed the arm to be up on time. The ability to sit in the back side and keep pressure on his legs throughout the entire delivery allowed for his arm to work directly with the biggest muscles of his body resulting in a connected arm path which came out of H ¾ slot. The delivery + arm action are both extremely repeatable which is why Eckard could potentially be a starter at the next level if the secondaries + velo  continue to develop the way they should. He showed the ability to locate the bowling ball FB to both sides of the plate , sink it below RHH hands and produce weak contact, showed the ability to spin the SL for strikes and whiffs, short + late downer action that stays on FB plane & thrown with conviction. This Pop up 2024 arm should be a follow for college coaches this summer and going into next fall. 

+ OF, Caden Tuck, (Woodstock) ,The definition of low effort and fluidity, Caden showed one of the best swings at the event yesterday and was spraying the ball to all fields. He possesses a handful of traits that you would see in an advanced hitter. Tuck has produced in game each time we have seen him. Effortless throughout all phases of his swing. Proper weight distribution in his set up keeping his back knee inside back foot, he gains ground fwd while keeping his head so still and in the center of his body which will allow him to adjust+see spin. Repeatable load + trigger that flows at the same pace of his stride. All of these traits point to Caden having a chance to hit at the next level. Good follow for this summer. 

+ RHP, Austin Mccabe, The 6-4 righty had his FB/SL mix coming out of the mountaintops yesterday due to a rare 6 '10 release height and elite IVB numbers. The steep+downhill angle allows his FB to play up and give hitters trouble matching plane. With the rare metrics and as the  velocity continues to tick up it will be really interesting to see where he ends up in the future. FB 82/85 (87) 18/22 IVB SL 72/74 , over hand ,12/6

+ RHP Blake Myers (Cherokee, 2024)
Uncommitted. 6-foot, 162-pounds. Myers is a right handed sidearm pitcher that fills up the zone and lives on the corners of the plate. With the movement from both of his pitches, he produces a lot of weak contact while getting big outs. His fastball ranges from 81-83 with a lot of run/sinking action to it. His slider is a good pitch to come off of the sinking fastball. It ranges from 70-73 with some frisbee action to it. Myers will produce a lot of outs in the future.

+ LHP Zac Miller (Hillgrove, 2024)
Uncommitted. 6-foot, 180-pounds. Miller had a good outing in the Top Prospect games. He threw two solid innings where his fastball sat 82-85. His fastball was a good pitch for him, it had some nice arm side run to it. The curveball was a good out pitch where he often buried that pitch down to get a lot of whiffs. His best pitch was his changeup coming off of that fastball. The change up looked real similar coming out of the hand. He killed the spin on the changeup, really getting that late fade action on the pitch. Miller has the potential to have a velo jump in the future where he could really take off.

+ LHP Jackson Leach (Milton, 2024)
Uncommitted. 6-foot-1, 175-pounds. Leach is a tall, physically built left hander that has good upside in his delivery. Creates steep angles with his over the top delivery. His fastball sat 80-84 while topping out at 85. The fast had good late life to it carrying through the zone. His breaking ball was 69-70. It was a true 12-6 curveball that he was able to throw for strikes. His change up was his best pitch coming off of the fastball. The change up was very deceptive fooling both LHH and RHH.

+ OF Owen Primm (Jefferson, 2024) Uncommitted. 5-11, 185 pounds. Primm showed some major presence in the box during the game. He led off the game with a bunt single down the third base line and followed it up with a deep single to the wall to the left fielder. He played great defense, making a few plays, and throwing one person out at second. He has a strong frame but he moves it well. Primm recorded a 6.69 60 being one of the quickest this year. His swing is a very smooth fluid swing. He stays through the ball very well and drives the ball to all parts of the field.

+ C/OF Caleb Miele (Cherokee Bluff, 2024)Uncommitted. 5-11, 180lb pounds. Miele was a very tuff out all day long. He lined out twice to the center fielder and ended up having one fall when he smoked a line drive to the left fielder. Miele’s approach at the plate was very solid. He looks to drive the ball to the opposite field and reacts to the inside pitch. Good follow throughout the summer. 

+ C/RHP Payton Bryant (coffee, 2024) Uncommitted. 6-0 165 pounds. Barrels up two balls to the outfield and got robbed of a hit by the Shortstop. He’s a wall behind the plate and doesn’t let anything get to the backstop. A 1.97s pop time with a max catcher velo of 78. On the mound he ran it up to 83 and and a good changeup to go along with it. He didn't spin it much but he showed a good 2 pitch mix, being able to throw both pitches in any count. Good uncommitted follow for the summer.

+ OF Jayden Clark (Buford, 2024) Clark turned in an all-around solid performance at the upperclass showcase. His athletic build allows him to perform well in all facets of his game. During BP, he was able to consistently find the barrel and drive the ball to all parts of the field. His low, crouched stance allows him to use his strong lower-half effectively. His barrel is preset near launch position making his swing more efficient. He has a minimal leg kick that gets his lower-half going. Clark has a simplified forward move after his gradual coil that allows him to keep his head still, creating explosiveness in his swing. He has a short and direct bat path that allows him to keep the barrel through the zone. Not only did Clark show off his athleticism during BP, he also turned in a 6.85 60-yd dash being one of the faster times on the day. He uses this speed to his advantage in the outfield while tracking down balls. Overall, Clark had a solid day showing off all aspects of his game. 

+ OF/2B Jack Zehner (Etowah, 2024) Zehner was one of the impressive performances from the upperclass showcase as he showed off his skillset. His athletic frame allows him to succeed in all facets of his game. During BP, Zehner was driving the ball well to all parts of the field. He was able to consistently make hard contact. His leg-kick triggers his load where he is able to find his timing. His shoulders work south gradually in stride in order to go north post-landing creating natural lift. He maintains solid fluidity throughout the swing and builds momentum allowing him to post ev’s averaging 86.2 and topping at 98.1. Not only does Zehner impress at the plate, but he is a quick and solid defender. He has good range in the outfield and infield due to his quickness. He was able to put up a 6.62 60-yd dash, having one of the better times in the showcase. Zehner will be a fun player to follow in the future. 

+ SS/OF Xaden Benson (North Atlanta, 2024) Benson had an impressive day at the upperclass showcase. He is built with lots of athleticism and was able to perform well in all facets of his game. He showed off his explosive swing by turning in one of the better rounds of the day. He begins his swing with a minimal leg-kick that allows him to begin his load. He has a gradual coil, while bringing his barrel to launch position allowing him to make hard contact to all parts of the field. Benson does well at finding the barrel and driving the ball with good carry and backspin. He was also able to show off his speed and turned in a 6.58 60-yd dash giving him one of the quickest times on the day. He shows off his speed by having good range in both the infield and outfield. He has a solid arm allowing him to throw out quick runners. He topped out at 89 from the outfield and 84 from infield. Overall, Benson had a solid performance and is one to follow.

+ INF John Dickerson (Lassiter, 2024) Uncommitted. 6-foot, 195-pounds. John turned in a very solid performance at the Top Prospect: Upper Class Games. He has an athletic build with room to add strength that will allow for some more pop in the coming years at the next level. Dickerson showed smooth hands in the field. He had a sweet lefty swing that was short and compact. Displayed a toe tap load that was simple and repeatable. He had a very nice swing in the game that resulted in a triple to right center.


+ LHP Jacob Arnberger (Lakeside, 2024) Arnberger is ranked the number 19 Left Handed Pitcher in Georgia for the 2024 class. Arnberger attacked the strike zone early in at-bats. He showed a short arm action which added some run to the fastball and allowed the fastball to get in on hitters hands. Breaking ball is a strikeout pitch that will get hitters out and to chase out of the zone. Arnberger showed solid pitch ability throughout his two innings of work.