THE WORLD'S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE SCOUTING ORGANIZATION

| 2,031 MLB PLAYERS | 14,466 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

2,031 MLB PLAYERS | 14,466 MLB DRAFT SELECTIONS

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Tournaments | Story | 7/21/2023

16U BCS Preview

Hannah Jo Groves

Riley Sheppard

The 18th annual BCS National Championship kicks off in Fort Myers, Florida, this week, with 132 teams battling out for one title.

Starting Saturday, each team will play five games against the opponents in their respective pools. From there, the 22 pool winners and 10 wildcard teams advance to a 32-team single elimination tournament where a champion will be named Thursday morning at JetBlue Park.

One team that could be playing late into the week is Scorpions 2025 Scout. Making the trip from Orlando, Florida, the Scorpions come into the week with a No. 21 national ranking and several noteworthy names. One of those names, a household one in the baseball world being Ethan Holliday. The No. 1 player in the Class of 2025, Holliday is off to a blistering start through nine games in 2023, posting a 1.251 OPS with two doubles, a triple and a home run.

Along with him, Scorpions also bring Lamar Edwards, Gavin Stedman, Noah Campbell, Stephen Chucka and Luke Beeler to the table - all of which rank within the top-115 nationally.

Another team that should be a contender as well is South Carolina Panthers 2025 Marucci, heading in with a No. 14 national ranking and 15-3 record on the year. Home to elite talent in Sam Cozart, Ryan Mitchell, Tyler Baird, Nico Soul, Parker Lakey, John Lash, Kaden Hart, Mylo White and Sam Harris, the Panthers come in with nine players ranked within the top-300 nationally.

Cozart, a Mississippi State commit, is a huge force on the mound - literally and figuratively - and looks to replicate a dominant 2022 campaign. Standing at 6-7 and 235 pounds, the 17-year-old has low-90’s velocity on his fastball to go along with a nice slider and curveball.

Along with Mitchell, the No. 1 ranked shortstop in Tennessee, who is just as dominant behind the plate as he is on the bases. Heading into the week, the Georgia Tech pledge is up to 15 hits on the year, including four extra base knocks, along with eight stolen bases and 17 runs through 24 games.

Journeying all the way from Honolulu, HI is No. 9 ranked Hawaii Elite 2G. The team currently stands at an overall 27-9-2 record and is ranked No. 3 in the western region. With a stacked roster featuring lethal, versatile players like Tanner Fujino, Alaka'i Kiakona and Elai Iwanaga, the talented team is sure to make a splash in Fort Myers.

Fujino, who hails from Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, is ranked No. 312 overall and No. 75 in the shortstop category. He has pitched 17 innings in 2023 and has kept his ERA down to an impressive .40 with only one earned run and 23 strikeouts. In the box, his batting average is .316 as he’s contributed 12 RBIs with 16 singles, nine doubles, a triple and a home run.

Ranked as Hawaii’s No. 1 outfielder, Kiakona from Kailua, Hawaii shows defensive strength on the mound as well - as he’s pitched 22 innings and astonishingly has struck out 36 batters - managing a 2.20 ERA. Kiakona shows even more versatility with the power in his offense with a .395 batting average. He’s driven 21 RBIs with 19 singles, 12 doubles and a triple on the year.

Another Hawaiian No. 1 is Iwanaga from Mililani, Hawaii - who is at the top of the list when it comes to the state’s right-handed pitchers. With an ERA of only 1.60, Iwanaga has ruthlessly struck out 32 in his 21 innings on the mound so far in 2023. He’s shown a lot of growth since last year - improving in ERA, hits, earned runs and walks - only not yet matching his 49 Ks in 2022. His clever strategies on the mound will definitely make for engaging battles against batters.

Just above Hawaii Elite 2G in the national rankings is No. 8 Canes Midwest. Though the team has only played a total of 11 games together, it touts an extremely skilled roster including Brandon Logan, Jaden Fauske and Will Coleman - just to name a few.

Logan, ranked No. 42 nationally and a Vanderbilt commit from Fort Wayne, Indiana, has impressed in the box with a .407 batting average, four RBIs, 8 singles and three doubles. With 11 hits so far, his on base percentage is at .514. His speed and skill on defense will show why he’s the No. 11 outfielder in the country.

A Louisville commit from Willowbrook, Illinois, Fauske leads his team when it comes to batting average at .471. So far this year, he’s knocked in 18 RBIs, 11 singles, four doubles and a triple and has gotten his on base percentage to .486. At shortstop, he ranks at No. 70, using his height and strength on offense and defense.

Hailing from Newburgh, Indiana, left-handed pitcher and Missouri commit Coleman has had a strong year so far - racking up 19 Ks in only 14 innings pitched and keeping his ERA down at 1.50. Most recently, his fastball clocked in at 85 mph - with his best ever at 86 last year. His craftiness and power on the mound will be sure to stump a few in Fort Myers.

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