Which prospect has the best power tool in your state?
December 19, 2024
The ‘Hotlist’ is a series that provides weekly insight into the high school baseball scene spanning the country, curated by Prep Baseball’s state directors who are situated nationwide, with vital intel on the prospects who are in their own backyards. Each week, we’ll publish our ‘Hotlist’ on varying topics that are timeliest to the national baseball calendar at that point in time.
This week’s topic: From now until the New Year, we'll be using The Hotlist to highlight the Top Tools of 2024, and this week we're looking at the best power tools from your states. Feel free to share 1-2 players from any class that best fit this description – this could be a player who led the state in home runs last spring, registered the highest max EV at an event in 2024, etc.
+ Learn of our directors stationed nationwide by visiting the staff directory.
+ View which Prep Baseball events are headed your way next at this page.
+ Read about previously published ‘Hotlist’ topics here.
♨️ The ‘Hotlist’ (12/20):
Alabama
+ John Stowers, C (St. Paul's Episcopal HS, 2026) | Auburn:
“Stowers has one of the better hit/defend tool combos in his class and showcased both at the Yellowhammer State Games in June and at the prestigious Prep Baseball All American Game in September in Miami. Known for his ability to slug after belting 14 home runs last spring, the junior showed off that clean left-handed swing that generated high exits (99.8 Trackman max EV) with wood during his rounds of BP and during game play at both events. He generates such easy gap-to-gap power using his strength and a loose, whippy barrel that works on a mostly uphill path through the zone. ”
– David Sharp, Deep South Supervisor
Canada
+ Jalen Jacob, 1B/Batter's Box (Ontario Blue Jays HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“It should say something when Canada's biggest power threat comes from the 2027 class. Just north of 15-years-old, Jalen Jacob was the youngest player on our 2024 Canada Future Games squad. Standing 6-1/240-pounds & up to 101.6 at the dish, it's tough not to stop-and-stare during his Batting Practice.”
– George Halim, Assistant Director
Colorado
+ Ethan Fillinger, SS/RHP (Windsor HS, 2025) | University of Northern Colorado:
“Fillinger is a West Coast Games alumni who comes with plenty of natural power at the dish thanks to a top exit velocity of 104 mph. In spring 2024 across 89 at-bats, Fillinger mashed 8 home runs with 9 doubles, 2 triples, and a .416 batting average. The strong and athletic infielder is committed to playing college baseball at the University of Northern Colorado in 2026. ”
– Caleb Dameron, Colorado Staff
Connecticut
+ Jacob Budarz, INF (Loomis Chaffee HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Super Sophomore; Positional Profile: 3B/Right-Handed Pitcher
Body: 6-foot-1, 185-pound, stronger, larger, athletic frame, projection to fill out.
Hit: A RHH, wider, balanced setup, hands are loose, loaded and tilted. The lower half is simple and under control. The swing is super fluid, a level to up path,
Power: The exit velocity was clocked at 96 mph, plenty of power, serious power guy down the road.
Arm: The arm was clocked at 72 mph, works with minimal effort, with carry across the diamond.
Defense: Moves well at third base, soft glove, gets off the blocks quick, clean gather into transfer.
ATH: Ran a 4.78 down the line from home to 1st. ”
– Trevor Brown, State Director
North Dakota
+ Kellen Burke, C/OF (Minot (ND) HS, 2025) | Cloud County CC:
“Burke won't jump out at you from a profile stand point, but his metrics will. Last March at a Preseason All State event, Burke put up some of the most impressive numbers of the event and in the state of North Dakota. A strong and athletic frame, the swing puts up near 100 mph exit velocity and both high end bat and hand speed. A combination of speed and strength makes Burke one of the more feared power hitters in the Dakotas”
– Andy Judkins, State Director
Hawaii
+ Judah Ota, OF ('Iolani HS, 2026) | Arkansas:
“The 6-foot-5, 205-pound left-handed-hitting Arkansas commit put on a big league BP show for the ages at the Hawaii Fall Showcase. There's a noticeably different sound of his bat compared to the rest of the players. Ball exploded off his bat with max exit velo of 102.8 mph, premium loft and max distance of nearly 400 feet. Easy swing with easy all-fields power that projects as top-of-the-scale raw power for MLB scouts.”
– Dan Cox, West Coast Crosschecker
Illinois
+ Enzo Infelise , C/CIF (Providence Catholic HS, 2025) | Cincinnati :
“All C/INF Enzo Infelise (Providence Catholic; Oklahoma commit) has done since we first saw him is hit. The 6-foot-2, 229-pound right-handed hitter has easy strength in his bat, juicing a no-doubt home run over the left field wall during game play. He continues to show well above-average bat-to-ball skills, making it hard for pitchers to get a strike past him. He had one of the more impressive rounds of batting practice during the event’s showcase, barreling balls for an average exit velocity of 94.4 mph (T102.4 mph), while sending his farthest hit ball 356 feet, per TrackMan. Infelise’s average bat speed was 74.4 mph, including an average hand speed of 22 mph. ”
– Peter Hamot, Assistant Director Illinois/Wisconsin
+ TJ McQuillan , 3B/OF (Mount Carmel HS, 2026) | Wake Forest :
“Few boast the sheer physicality at the plate in the Midwest that 3B/OF TJ McQuillan (Mount Carmel, 2026; Louisville commit) does. At 6-foot-1, 215-pounds, the left-handed hitting Louisville commit blistered baseballs on repeat throughout BP at Saturday’s event. He averaged an event-best 98.4 mph per batted ball, with eight of his 10 swings resulting in exit velocities at 96+ mph. Five of those eight came off his bat at 100+ mph, including a 102.4 mph high. McQuillan comfortably produced the furthest batted ball of the event (381 ft.) and he had four other outputs that traveled more than 340 feet into the right-center gap. All of his Blast Motion metrics are highly advanced; 24.6 mph average hand speed, 77.1 mph average bat speed, and 32.1 g of rotational acceleration on average.”
– Peter Hamot, Assistant Director Illinois/Wisconsin
Indiana
+ Grady Nelson, OF/1B (Warsaw HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Nelson has the most usable in-game power, for class, of any prospect in the state. Standing at a physical, 6-foot-4, 230 pounds - Nelson led all freshman in Indiana's 4A class last year in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage. On top of a big spring, Nelson showed off big power at the Midwest Super Sophomore Games with the third-highest exit velocity of the event, and multiple XBH in gameplay. Nelson's power continues to climb, recently reaching a peak exit velocity of 104 mph, and his big power bat will continue to draw interest from Division 1 programs from across the country as we near Aug 1 of next year. ”
– Cooper Trinkle, Scouting Director
Iowa
+ Bridger Schmidt, 1B (Linn-Mar HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Currently the #14 ranked player in the state- Schmidt is a physical left-handed hitting prospect with present juice in the bat. To date- the 2027 grad has posted a top exit velocity of 106.6 mph and projects future plus plus power.”
– Rob Allison, Upper Midwest Supervisor
Massachusetts
+ Morrie Fried, 1B (Pittsfield HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:
“Strong, physical right-handed hitter. Serious juice to all fields with more to come. Should hit a bunch of home runs in college play. He may swing and miss a bit, but he will get you a bunch as well.”
– Dennis Healy, Co-Scouting Director New England
Michigan
+ Isaiah Domey, 1B (Anchor Bay HS, 2025) | Michigan State:
“Domey has been punishing baseballs for a while now, with good authority. Registers off the bat upper 90s into low 100s. Domey profiles a strong, physical body who also did well on the gridiron this fall for Anchor Bay. We're excited to see Isaiah this spring at our annual ProCase.”
– Adam Goodwin, Michigan Scouting Director
Minnesota
+ Seth Thompson, SS (Northfield HS, 2025) | Creighton:
“Thompson has an eye popping top exit velocity of 103.5 mph paired with high end blast metrics for both hand and bat speed. The smooth swinging lefty has separated himself as one of the top power threats in Minnesota. A senior future games invite, Thompson impressed at the event that eventually led to him signing with Creighton. One of the top bats in his class and state, look for Thompson to put up power numbers this spring”
– Andy Judkins, State Director
Mississippi
+ Jackson Moore, Corner Infielder (Tishomingo County HS, 2025) | Northeast MS CC:
“Jackson has been one of Mississippi’s top power prospects for a few years. The former Junior Future was a probable Future Gamer had he not undergo Tommy John a couple of years ago. Now healthy, the power in his back never left. Regularly registering 100 plus exit velocities, do not miss with this guy! Another big time pick up for Richie Harrelson at Northeast MS CC! ”
– Matt Miller, State Director
Nebraska
+ Cordell Clinkingbeard, C/3B (Papillion LaVista South HS, 2026) | Nebraska:
“Talented two way player with a ton of high athletic traits. #2 player in the 2026 class posses a 103.4 max exit velo. Husker commit that has a chance to impact the game both at the plate and on the mound at the next level”
– Pascal Paul, Scouting Director
New Jersey
+ Julius Rosado , 3B (South River HS, 2025) | Rutgers:
“Rosado homered 14 times last spring. He has the best raw power in NJ for the 2025 class. It's a controlled swing with an uphill path. He has a small hover forward move with still hands. He packs a punch with the barrel and can drive it over the fence to all fields. At a summer showcase we host. He had a peak max exit velo 104 mph with max distance of 408 feet.”
– Dan Valerio, Director of Scouting
North Carolina
+ Josh Hammond, 3B (Wesleyan Christian Academy HS, 2025) | Wake Forest:
“Hammond was a highly regarded pitcher with an intriguing hit tool entering his Junior Year. At the inaugural Prep Baseball All-American Game, Hammond turned a lot of heads with his raw power display during the workout and again in the BP on game day, launching balls into the 2nd deck of American Field Family, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. As he landed in Miami for this past year's All-American Game, the debate was in full force as to how he projected. Again, two days of elite level raw power, plus game production against some of the top arms, now have the Prep Baseball grading scale in North Carolina clearly tipped toward an infield/hitting prospect first. The ball absolutely launches off the barrel and there is advanced feel for the barrel, showcasing this skill with consistency against high level arms.”
– Brandon Hall, Mid-Atlantic Director of Scouting
+ Riley Cuddy, OF (Grace Christian HS, 2026) | William and Mary:
“One of the better power tools to come through North Carolina in our 7+ years of coverage of the state, Cuddy has put on some shows during BP. He stopped the workout, launching balls with an exit velocity over 110mph at the Team Carolina Trials East. Earning his way to the 2025 Prep Baseball Future Games, Cuddy led all hitters with his exit velocity during the workout of the event. Still working to translate the raw power into game play, there are flashes of his feel for hitting when facing high level arms. Still young, the raw power is hard to ignore and will get him a lot of chances in the coming year for scouts to continue to project his future in the batter's box.”
– Brandon Hall, Mid-Atlantic Scouting Director
Oklahoma
+ Carson Brumbaugh, SS (Edmond Santa Fe HS, 2025) | Arkansas:
“Brumbaugh jumps off the page with elite metrics in bat speed, hand speed, and rotational acceleration that have led to big exit velos as well as in-game success. The Arkansas commit will be a Super 60 participant this Winter and his consistent loud contact promises a bright future.”
– Bret Schwartz, Oklahoma Scouting Director
Pennsylvania
+ Jason Fultz, 3B (Cathedral Prep HS, 2025) | Clemson:
“Fultz’s powerful profile is unmistakable as he gets the most out of each forceful swing from the right side. Results driven with the ability to drive the ball to all fields including some light-tower power to the pull side, there is gritty intent to each swing, and the ground force is felt with his presence in the box. The brutish strength is less similar to fellow Pennsylvania product, 3B Chase Harlan (2024; Dodgers, No. 98 overall), but the third base profile holds more similarities along with the power. Regardless, Fultz has a track record of substantial success and the impact of his right-handed stick will have hoards of scouts flocking to Pittsburgh in the spring.”
– Pennsylvania Staff
South Carolina
+ Christian Galasso, C (Waccamaw HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:
“Open, upright stance with weight preset back, hands between ear and shoulder with a high back elbow. Short, direct stroke in a tight window with legit present juice. At recent winter hitting update had max exit velocity up to 103.6 mph and a max distance of 411 feet. ”
– Sammy Esposito, State Director