NORTHPORT, AL - The 2026 Yellowhammer State Games made its debut to River Run Park in Northport, AL, on June 16-17 for the third edition of the premier summer event on the Prep Baseball Alabama calendar. More than 210 of the state's top prospects from the 2027-2030 classes converged in Northport for two days of pro-style workouts and gameplay while competing alongside and against many of Alabama's top talents.

With Future Games, Junior Future Games, and other marquee summer events on the horizon, the Yellowhammer State Games once again served as one of the most important evaluation opportunities of the year for the Prep Baseball Alabama staff. The event featured high-level competition, loud statistical performances, and numerous prospects who further elevated their stock heading into the remainder of the summer.

The following Quick Hits article highlights several standout performers from the catcher group with brief scouting notes and observations gathered throughout the event.

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Will Carter C / Huntsville, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 29 / POS: 5 Carter continued to reinforce his status as one of the top uncommitted players in Alabama's 2027 class with another strong all-around showing at the Yellowhammer State Games. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound backstop possesses a strong, typical catcher's build and showcased a well-rounded skill set on both sides of the ball throughout the event. Offensively, Carter hits from a wider, relaxed setup and consistently met the baseball with a heavy barrel, allowing him to impact the baseball from gap to gap and produce a peak exit velocity of 97.3 mph. Behind the plate, he recorded pop times ranging from 1.98-2.09 seconds while working up to 79 mph on throws to second base. He also posted a 7.23-second 60-yard dash to cap off another impressive all-around workout.

Wyatt Rath C / Northridge, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 27 / POS: 4 Rath remains firmly in the conversation with Carter as one of the top uncommitted catchers in Alabama's 2027 class and carried plenty of momentum into the event following a dominant junior season that included double-digit home runs. The strength and impact in his offensive profile were once again evident during batting practice, as the 6-foot-2, 203-pound backstop recorded a 105.0 mph exit velocity, the third-best mark from the event. Rath utilizes every bit of strength within his physical frame, pairing strong hands with quality separation in the load to create considerable impact at contact. He also turned in the top defensive workout behind the plate, posting event-best pop times ranging from 1.90-1.94 seconds. The overall performance further reinforced why he remains one of the premier uncommitted backstops in the state's senior class.

George Brockwell C / Homewood, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 80 / POS: 9 Brockwell emerged as one of the quieter winners from the event after putting together a strong workout and following it up with quality at-bats during gameplay. The 6-foot, 198-pound backstop possesses a strong frame and consistently impacted the baseball throughout batting practice. He utilizes a quick, simple stride for timing and stays well-connected throughout the swing, allowing him to work gap-to-gap with present power in the profile. Brockwell posted a peak exit velocity of 98.0 mph and averaged 94.0 mph, a testament to how consistently he found the barrel during his round. Behind the plate, he recorded pop times ranging from 2.04-2.12 seconds while working up to 77 mph on throws to second base.

Mason Gandy C / Brooks, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 163 / POS: 24 Gandy's name appeared all over the leaderboards throughout the event and further highlighted the quality all-around tools that make him an intriguing uncommitted prospect in Alabama's 2027 class. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound catcher possesses an athletic frame and turned in a 6.86-second 60-yard dash to begin an impressive workout. Offensively, Gandy repeatedly laced baseballs back through the middle of the field and into the gaps during batting practice, finishing with a peak exit velocity of 100.3 mph. He hits from a relaxed, upright setup with rhythm and showcases evident bat speed within a clean, repeatable swing. Behind the plate, Gandy recorded pop times ranging from 1.98-2.06 seconds while producing a 79 mph catcher velocity.

Kaden Walters C / Kingsmen Baseball Academy, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 104 / POS: 11 Walters continued his impressive summer with another strong showing at the Yellowhammer State Games. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound catcher possesses a strong frame and profiles as an offense-first prospect with considerable power in the left-handed bat. He works on a pronounced uphill path through the zone and consistently looks to impact the baseball to the pull side, a trait that was evident throughout batting practice as he posted a peak exit velocity of 97.3 mph. Walters also showed quality defensive skills behind the plate, recording pop times between 2.09-2.12 seconds while working up to 76 mph on throws to second base.

Kellen Stewart C / 3B / Charles Henderson, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 82 / POS: 10 Stewart showcased an athletic, well-rounded profile throughout the event while continuing to demonstrate versatility across the diamond. The 6-foot-1, 184-pound prospect possesses an athletic frame with present strength and swings the bat well from the left side. He works with a clean operation that features tight turns and compact actions throughout, allowing him to consistently produce gap-to-gap contact. Stewart also flashed some power during batting practice, recording a peak exit velocity of 93.2 mph. In addition to his abilities behind the plate, he has the versatility to handle both the outfield and third base, further adding to the appeal of his overall profile.

Hunter House C / Dothan, AL / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 23 / POS: 2 House continued to impress offensively and carried over the quality at-bats he showed during the spring into another strong look at the Yellowhammer State Games. The 6-foot, 184-pound catcher possesses a projectable frame with present strength and additional room for development. The left-handed hitter features a quick barrel that moves efficiently through the zone with evident bat speed and works on a semi-upward path through contact. He posted a peak exit velocity of 94.8 mph during batting practice and consistently looked comfortable in gameplay throughout the event. The offensive upside remains the main appeal in the profile, as the left-handed bat shows traits that could translate to both average and power production moving forward.

Christian Thompson C / 1B / Alma Bryant, AL / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 8 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 263 / POS: 23 Thompson once again showed why he currently sits atop Alabama's rising sophomore catching class with another impressive all-around performance at the Yellowhammer State Games. The 6-foot, 200-pound prospect possesses an imposing frame that combines present strength and athleticism, both of which were on display throughout the event. Offensively, the left-handed hitter continues to be the main attraction in the profile, showcasing an advanced approach with evident bat speed and the ability to create lift from gap to gap during batting practice. He posted a peak exit velocity of 96.5 mph and consistently impacted the baseball throughout his round. Defensively, Thompson recorded pop times ranging from 2.09-2.14 seconds and worked up to 74 mph on throws to second base while also turning in a 6.75-second 60-yard dash. The bat remains the carrying tool and should continue to garner plenty of attention moving forward.

Drew Danner C / Enterprise, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 61 / POS: 7 Danner entered the summer as another highly regarded catching prospect in Alabama's 2027 class and continued to show why with a strong all-around performance at the Yellowhammer State Games. Coming off an impressive junior season in which he handled the pitching staff for one of the state's top programs while also providing offensive impact, the 5-foot-9, 188-pound backstop brings plenty of intangibles to the position. Offensively, Danner works with a simple, repeatable operation and utilizes a quick stride that allows him to consistently create impact at contact, finishing with a peak exit velocity of 96.7 mph. He also turned in a 6.99-second 60-yard dash and posted some of the top defensive numbers of the event with pop times ranging from 1.94-2.00 seconds while producing a catcher velocity of 78 mph. Danner remains one of the more complete catching prospects to monitor this summer and moving forward

Cole Austin C / SS / Piedmont, AL / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 50 / POS: 6 Austin turned in another strong all-around performance and was one of the more versatile backstops in attendance. The 5-foot-9, 174-pound prospect possesses an athletic, medium frame and ran a 6.86-second 60-yard dash, traits that have also allowed him to show positional versatility and handle the infield in previous looks. Offensively, Austin put together a line-drive round of batting practice, working the baseball to all fields while recording a peak exit velocity of 93.0 mph. Behind the plate, he showed noticeable improvement from his last showcase appearance in January, posting pop times between 1.94-2.02 seconds while producing a 76 mph catcher velocity with consistent accuracy to the second-base bag.

Evan Taylor C / Spain Park, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 37 / POS: 6 Taylor continued to build on the momentum from a strong spring and once again showed the offensive traits that have made him an intriguing follow since last summer's Future Games. The 6-foot, 195-pound backstop possesses a strongly built frame with proportional strength throughout and looks the part physically behind the plate. Offensively, Taylor works the barrel on a pronounced uphill path and showcases strong hands, present bat speed, and whip through the zone. He consistently gets the barrel out front and creates quality impact at contact, producing a peak exit velocity of 95.6 mph during batting practice. Behind the plate, Taylor recorded pop times ranging from 2.04-2.09 seconds while working up to 76 mph on throws to second base.

Jeremiah Killian C / Collinsville, AL / 2027 Killian wasted little time making his presence felt, opening batting practice on Field 3 with one of the loudest rounds of the entire event. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound backstop repeatedly pummeled baseballs to the pull-side gap, showcasing a strong, compact left-handed swing that generated considerable impact with seemingly little effort. He consistently compressed the baseball throughout his round and finished with an event-best 105.7 mph exit velocity. Killian also turned in a 7.21-second 60-yard dash to cap off an impressive workout and further reinforce the strength and offensive impact within the profile.

Declan King C / Fairhope, AL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 153 / POS: 20 King showcased some of the best arm strength among the catchers in attendance and continued to reinforce his standing as an intriguing uncommitted rising senior. The 5-foot-10, 194-pound backstop worked up to an event-best 85 mph from the crouch during the defensive workout and paired the arm strength with quality receiving skills throughout the event. Offensively, King utilizes an early stride to get down on time and swings the barrel with plenty of present bat speed. He works on a semi-upward path through the zone and showed some strength at contact with carry off the barrel, producing a peak exit velocity of 93.0 mph during batting practice.

UPCOMING EVENTS ⤵️

SHOWCASE	DATE	LOCATION
Gulf Coast Summer ID	June 23, 2026	Orange Beach Sportsplex
Gulf Coast Rising Stars ID	June 23, 2026	Orange Beach Sportsplex
Birmingham Summer ID	June 30, 2026	Pelham High School
Birmingham Rising Stars ID	June 30, 2026	Pelham High School
Tuscaloosa Summer ID	July 7, 2026	Northridge High School
Tuscaloosa Rising Stars ID	July 7, 2026	Northridge High School
Wiregrass Summer ID	July 14, 2026	Enterprise High School
Wiregrass Rising Stars ID	July 14, 2026	Enterprise High School

 

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