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Tournaments  | Story | 7/13/2016

17u BCS Finals Day 2 Scout Notes

Brandon Hohl


Day 1 Notes | Daily Leaders | Top Ranked Players Team Database

The second day of the 2016 17u BCS Finals begins at Terry Park with two uncommitted, non-ranked players that were really impressive facing each other. On the mound, it was uncommitted righthander Nick Stoner (2017, Elizabethtown, Pa.) representing the Keystone State Bombers. Stoner and his skinny frame stands tall on the mound with his hands at his chest, hands raised with his high leg lift creating some coil. Nick, then drives off his back leg into a long stride synced with a long arm swing allowing his arm to gain speed at his over-the-top release point. While there’s direction to home plate, and he will fall off to first base side, he remains under control of his finish despite a head whack. Stoner sat 88-90 and touching 91 mph with his fastball attacking hitters early and working dominantly to his arm side. The fastball showed arm-side run and set the tone for his pitch sequences. He mixed a changeup at 72-75 mph and a 78 mph curveball once ahead with the fastball. The change showed depth and late arm-side run causing righthanded hitters to swing over it. He struggled with command of the curveball, and despite his tendency to spike the breaking pitch, it was most effective when thrown at the shoulder of righthanded hitters allowing for the sharp 11-to-4 movement to take shape. Stoner’s head whack added some deception to his off-speed pitches as well. Overall, Stoner’s outing was impressive, as he maintained his velocity and hit 91 mph on his 81st pitch of the game and did not lose velocity in the stretch while showing advanced pitchability while controlling the run game with varying holds and leg lifts.

Facing off against Stoner and the Keystone State Bombers was uncommitted prospect Josh Rulli (2017, Riverview, Fla.) and the 2017 Scorpions South Purple. Rulli, a catcher and a third baseman, is listed at 5-foot-10 185-pounds and has a strong and thick frame, showcasing that strength in his righthanded swing. At the plate, Rulli has an athletic, hinged stance with jis knees bent and shoulders leveraged over his toes. His hands are slightly in front of his back shoulder with his barrel tipped towards the pitcher. As he loads Rulli maintains his barrel angle as long as possible bringing him to a strong launch position, with his stride he creates elastic tension between the hands and lead leg that results in a lot of bat speed and power potential, finishing in the lower half power-L position, and working up to the ball. Josh had three at-bats against Stoner and the one that stood out the most was his last. Based on previous at-bats it was clear that Rulli went in to his third plate appearance anticipating he was not going to see a fastball. He was able to recognize some of Stoner’s best curveballs in his outing, laying off a wipe-out spiked curveball and singling on a 1-2 curveball. Rulli finished the day 2-for-3 with both hits coming off Stoner and is batting .500 in the BCS Finals.

Over at JetBlue Ballpark and Red Sox spring training complex, the 17u Super25 National Championship began. And we begin with another Perfect Game Top 150 prospect from the 643 DP Cougars, lefthander Brant Hurter. The Georgia Tech commit stands at 6-for-6, 230-pounds with a very tall and projectable frame on the mound. He sets his hands high, keeping them close to his chest, with a high leg lift and internal rotation creating torque in the rear leg and putting his body in a powerful position. He has a short quick stride that he syncs with a quick arm action and low three-quarters release. Hurters strides closed and finished around with his lead leg, with his direction taking him to the third base line. Brant worked his fastball at 84-86 mph, touching 87 (he was up to 89 mph at the National Showcase) that showed life and was most effective when he commanded the inside part of the plate. His length and extension added to the perceived velocity the hitters were seeing. He occasionally would miss far into the lefthanded batter’s box or leave his fastball up over the middle of the plate, which is where hitters saw the majority of their success off Hurter.

Hurter mixes in a changeup at 72-75 mph with depth and good arm action. He preferred his firm curveball over the changeup in this game, sitting at 68 mph, showing late break that was effective against lefthanded hitters. If Brant can add a slider to his repertoire he’d be devastating to face for both left and righthanded batters, as the pitch angle he creates with his low three-quarters slot and direction to the righthanded batter’s box would make a great combination for a wipe-out, back-foot slider. The Georgia Tech commit finished the day with six innings allowing six hits and three walks while striking out nine to earn the win.

It’s hard to see someone the size of Georgia State commit Stephen Cullen (2017, Braselton, Ga.) step into the batter’s box and not stop to see what happens. At 6-foot-4, 220-pounds, the Triton Rays Scout Team corner infielder and three-hole hitter didn’t disappoint and led the way for them offensively. Standing tall with his hands slightly above the shoulder and bat vertical, Stephen begins his swing with a small gather to the rear leg with a leg lift, coiling his front side as he falls into his landing leg with a long stride, generating a lot of force forward into the direction of the oncoming pitch. He uses a barrel tip as a timing mechanism with the pitchers release point to give his barrel the best chance to accelerate in the zone. Hunting fastballs, Cullen doubled to deep left-center in his first at-bat plating two runs. He finished the game 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and a run scored. From the short period I saw Cullen his approach at the plate seemed to be to drive the ball in the air, as the only time any of the balls that the Georgia State commit put in play touched the ground were when they landed. Living in the air is an approach he should continue to maintain because it fits the type of player he is and will be in his future.

Uncommitted Chandler World outfielder, Ian Diaz (2017, Philadelphia, Pa.) also grabbed attention at the plate. Sharing a similar body type to the previously mentioned Josh Rulli, Diaz stands at 5-foot-10, 185-pounds with a strong and athletic build. He has a tall, narrow stance with his hands set above his shoulder by the ear. Keeping the back leg braced throughout his swing he begins a leg lift while simultaneously tipping the barrel and dropping the hands into a low launch position below the shoulder. Utilizing a long stride, Diaz creates separation and elastic tension leading to easy bat speed. What I think will be the most beneficial to Diaz in his future is that he is able to stay on the pitch plane with his bat path for a very long time. He does by holding his hands back as long as possible and letting the barrel fall around his shoulder, which tends to create a positive attack angle (ZEPP) to the ball. Another factor that stood out in his swing was his ability to finish with his back foot off the ground at contact. This shows me that Diaz knows how to generate a lot of power into his lead leg and therefore into the pitch. This is not something that is necessary to a successful swing but is an advanced movement we don’t see a lot of amateur hitters do. He finished the game 1-for-3 and I’m really looking forward to seeing more of Ian in the days to come at the PG Super25.
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Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Midwest Invitational Scout Notes
Tyler Kotila
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Creighton Tuzzio (2024, Clarinda, Iowa) took the ball in the semi-final game and was able to get on the bump and carve for his team. Tuzzio is a taller 6-foot-6, 210-pound frame with plenty to like in the operation. The right-handed pitcher has a slower and more controlled operation as he works through the delivery. He lifts the leg up around the belt and then works through a three-quarters release with good whip through it. The fastball worked up to 86 mph on the fastball and held in the low- to mid-80s. He creates some angle on it with the taller & projectable frame. It runs arm-side and can be a problem for right-handed hitters. He also showed a low-70s curveball with a bigger 11/5 tilt to it and good depth to miss some bats. The Iowa Western commit threw 5.0 innings, allowing just 1 run, with 4 walks and 6 strikeouts to his credit.   There’s no surprise here, but...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

WWBA World Championship Pool Preview

Perfect Game Staff
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Pool A Team Top Pos. Player RK Class Top Pitcher RK Class Location Boston Red Sox Scout Connor Lane 500 2024 Tague Davis 59 2024 Boston, MA Cangelosi Sparks Tyler Bell  122 2024 Brady Chambers 500 2024 Lockport, IL Dirtbags National 2024 Dalton Wentz 74 2024 Riley Leatherman 251 2024 Sedalia, NC Florida Burn Colton Schwarz 214 2025 Presley Woodson 500 2025 Sarasota, FL Projected Pool Winner: Dirtbags National 2024 With one of the deepest and most physical lineups in the nation, the Dirtbags National 2024 club have been putting up runs in bunches. No hitter is hotter than Austin Irby, as the ECU commit is While sluggers Dalton Wentz, Will Craddock and Palmer Hornick won’t be in attendance, Lee Sowers, Will Brooks, Jon Young Jr. and spark plug Carter Richardson lead an offense that averages over 7 runs per game. They can cover ground on...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Coastal Soph. Fall Invite Scout Notes

Todd Coffey
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Michael Flores (2026, NC) looking great through 4 innings pitched with 11 k’s. Great command and completely missing barrels. #2023WWBACoastalSophmoreFallInvatational pic.twitter.com/Oqd3WD0E05 — PG Coastal Scouting (@PG_Coastal) September 24, 2023 Michael Flores (2026, Mooresville, NC) put on an electric performance to watch for the SBA Futures 2026 in their matchup versus the Carolina Reds. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound, RHP did his job for his team today to keep them in the game. Flores throws with a high leg lift and creates some good motions towards the plate with his whippy action. Flores has a great feel for the zone and pounded strikes at a 66% rate. Flores generated swing and miss after swing and miss and it was clear he was in control out there on the mound. He sat in the 70-mph range to 79-mph range with his fastball with the ability to pinpoint it wherever he pleased....
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Tournaments | Story | 9/26/2023

Fall Frenzy Scout Notes

Jason Phillips
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James Sherry (’26, Aiken, S.C.)- the 6-foot-1, 155-pound right-handed pitcher tossed a complete game for Xtreme Xposure Baseball-Bennett in an 8-1 win over 2 Way Athletics 16U. A primary outfielder, Sherry finished with 15 strikeouts and just one walk while controlling the zone at a 65% strike rate. Appearing in only his second PG tournament, Sherry turned in another great pitching performance after being selected to the All-Tournament Team at the 2023 16U PG Southeast Labor Day Classic. Aidan Petrocco (‘24 GA)- singles here into LF to load the bases for @643DPAthletics Primary MIF 2-for-4 w/ run scored on the day. #FallFrenzy @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/Ly7zEuRwyg — Perfect Game Georgia (@PG_Georgia) September 24, 2023 Aidan Petrocco (’24, Johns Creek, Ga.)- the 5-foot-9, 160-pound right-handed hitter for 643 DP Cougars 18U led the 18U Southeast Fall Frenzy...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/27/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3-5

Kyler Peterson
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A high speed look at this 2B from Keon Johnson... #WWBAWorlds @PG_Georgia https://t.co/Ejl8GirIgk pic.twitter.com/ate7ro35cp — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) September 24, 2023 Keon Johnson (2026, Macon, Ga.) started off the morning loud, going down to get a pitch down and smoking a double that split the opposite field gap at a 92 mph exit velocity. The shortstop has one of the best hit tools in the class and has tremendous feel for the barrel. The swing is quiet and simple, staying loose through the zone. The ball jumps and the parts really work. At short, Johnson looked silky with good actions, range, and plenty of arm strength across. The game comes easy for the Georgia native, and still just 15, the all-around game is very well-refined for the age.  Jaxson Wood (2026, Hoover, Ala.) finished batting .500 over the tournament, including three extra-base hits. The primary...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/25/2023

Deep South Fall Invitational Scout Notes

Alex Dorso
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Patrick Kovacs (2026 Knoxville TN) was dominant in his outing in game two of pool play for Exposure National. The southpaw tossed three scoreless innings allowing two hits while striking out eight. He showed plus command of the fastball dotting it to both sides of the plate while working off the corners at times. Patrick sat 75-78 topping at 79 multiple times throughout. He mixed in a tight breaking ball with two plane movement that he had no problem mixing in any count keeping the opposing hitters off balanced in the box. Coming from a mid 3/4s slot there was some deception within the operation making it tough to pick the fastball up out of the hand. The frame has plenty of athleticism within with plenty of more room for additional strength as he continues to mature. Kovacs should be a fun follow as he continues to progress through high school. Ryan Riojas (‘26 TN) drives this...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/24/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Day 3

Troy Sutherland
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Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2 Extended look at Gunnar Garrison... 7 IP, 1 H, OER, 13 K, 1 BB (70% K) #WWBAWorlds @PG_FourCorners https://t.co/V89oASpD8r pic.twitter.com/tsP1mWCoNz — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) September 21, 2023 Colorado right-hander Gunnar Garrison (2026, Eaton, Colo.) was magnificent in his start for Slammers Anderson 2026’s. The big and physical 6-foot-4, 210-pound arm threw a complete game, seven inning, one-hit shutout, striking out 13 and walking one. The fastball had downhill life to it, sitting in the 85-88 range for the entirety of the game. Garrison held the velocity and reached back for his fastest bullet of the game, at 89, in the seventh inning. Finishing the outing with 70% strikes, he filled up the zone and went right at hitters. He also induced swing-and-miss on a curveball, featuring late...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/22/2023

Northeast Qualifier Scout Notes

John McAdams
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Jack Harley (2024, Mendham, NJ) put together a dominant performance at the plate in the WWBA NEQ, leading his team to a coveted Jupiter bid while also earning MVP-honors. The 6-foot-1 left-handed hitter showcased his advanced bat-to-ball skills on several occasions. He batted .643 with two doubles, a home run and six stolen bases. Harley utilizes a repeatable, synced-up stroke with clean separation into launch. He has a great feel for the barrel and creates good strength at impact to all parts of the diamond. The future Hokie recorded a hit in all six of his games and proved to be a reliable bat at the top-of-the-order for Clubhouse 2024 EvoShield. Harley’s build offers a good balance of strength and athleticism, making him a well-rounded prospect with intriguing upside moving forward.  .#VandyBoys commit Aiden O’Connell (‘24, NH) is back on the bump in the #NEQ...
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Tournaments | Story | 9/23/2023

Sophomore WWBA Scout Notes: Days 1-2

Vincent Cervino
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Nathan Caldwell (2026, Columbia, S.C.) looked the part in the batter’s box as the Team Elite three-hole hitter had one of the hardest hit balls of the day. There’s really impressive bat speed and the ability to create violence and rotational acceleration through contact. He missiled a single during the game and there looks like there’s going to be pretty significant impact potential long term. He’s a strong kid with good indicators and offensive tools to like. Drew Borkowski (2026, Huntley, Ill.) showed plenty to like in the arm as he got the start in game one on the day for GRB. At 6-foot-1, 170-pounds he’s got a lanky frame with long limbs and plenty of room for physical projection. It’s a quick arm with solid arm speed throughout and he opened up sitting 85-87 mph with the fastball. The fastball showed good sinking life and he used it to get a lot...
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College | Story | 9/22/2023

Cape Cod Top 2025 Prospect List

Vincent Cervino
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Earlier this week we debuted our Cape Cod Top 100 Prospect List and mixed amongst the 100 names were some 2025 graduates who will be eligible for the upcoming 2024 MLB Draft. Below, each of the 50 names are eligible in 2025 and those listed with an "^" are continuing their careers at a new school this fall.  Name Pos. Team School Hometown State Adonys Guzman^ C Bourne Arizona Valley Cottage NY Aidan Jimenez RHP Chatham Oregon State Elk Grove CA Anthony Martinez 1B YD UC Irvine Fairfield CA Ben Jacobs LHP Bourne UCLA Huntington Beach CA Bradley Hodges LHP Hyannis Virginia Fleming Island FL Brady Neal C YD LSU Tallahassee FL Brody Donay^ C/1B Hyannis Florida Lakeland FL Caden Bodine C Bourne Coastal Carolina Haddon Heights NJ Cam Leiter^ RHP Orleans Florida State Island Heights FL Cannon Peebles^ C Cotuit Tennessee Mechanicsville VA Drew Faurot^ SS Orleans Florida State Tallahassee FL...
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