EMERSON, GA: The summer is is in full swing and the National Program Invitational continues to delivery some of the top talent of the summer. Our national scouting staff made the trip down to cover one of the top tournaments in the country. 

Shooter Hunt and staff released the "NPI: 2027 Draft Report" yesterday. If you want to check that out. CLICK HERE

We also relased the first edition of the "National Select Team", which is a team put together with the top performances from all across the country from out Prep Baseball Tournaments each week. Check out who made the team for "June 4-8", HERE.

National Program Invitational: Scout Blog 

Payton Walker, 1B, 2027, Buford
Uncommitted. From the first offering Walker saw at NPI, he was living on the barrel as he pounced on the inner FB and sent it out in the LCF gap for an impressive solo shot. In his next AB, it was more aggression early on as he took the second pitch to deep CF off the base of the wall for a leadoff 3B. He pairs his big 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame with a violent cut to produce easy pop. Despite his 3rd AB ending in an out, he showed ability to fight, spoil, and spit on tempting OTZ pitches. With the present power and good BTB ability, Walker will be a really fun, slugging 1B to watch this summer.

Shane D’arcy, 1B/3B, 2027, JSerra Catholic (CA)
UC-Irvine Commit. It was a punishing afternoon on the barrel for the stout 6-foot-1, 200-pound corner infielder today as it did not take long to make noise. With a chance to do damage, he came through with a screaming HR to the PS gap, 98.6EV. The cut has some upward tilt that allows for quality backspin, paired with a very snappy/quick upper half. Later in the game, he worked UTM with a low LD off the bat that deflected off the P for a 1B as he hustled hard out the box. His swing shows a clear middle of the field approach and he executes by living on the fat of the bat. D’arcy’s slugging tool is already obvious with a projectable ceiling. 

Carson Reeves, OF, 2027, Buford
GA State Commit. Game two was a high intensity effort from Reeves as he collected a trio of knocks, two of which got him extra bases. Against low 90s velo, he stayed within himself and kept a good I/O approach as he shot one into the RCF gap to bring home a run on the standup 2B. His next AB, he showed his ability to grind and be a tough out as he fought off a handful of pitches and won the 2K battle with a simplified swing to line a 1B into CF. Reeves had one more opportunity at the dish and he showed more oppo ability as he lined a ball into the RCF gap again, hustling out the box and getting himself an extra base for his second 2B. The speed also proved to be a solid piece manning the OF as he covered a lot of ground on a couple occasions in CF. At 6-foot-even, 162-pounds, Reeves looks to be a table setting piece with respectable pop. 

Wyatt Cantella, LHP, 2028, John Paul Catholic (FL)
Cantella was given the rock for ECA 16U for their day 2 game, and he delivered a good performance that kept them in the game and in line to the W. He has the classic FB, CH, CB mix, but uses each well and in any count. The FB was 83-86 and always reliable to get ahead and get outs. His CB broke with very slight sweep at 70-73 and enticed many weak hits off end caps. The CH also produced weak GBs and pop ups at 74-76 and was his go-to offspeed as he could throw it whenever he pleased. Across his 4.2IP, he collected 5Ks, gave up 3H, two of which were weakly hit, and 3R (only 1 earned). With quality velo coming from the left side and feel for the breakers, Cantella will be a fun southpaw to keep an eye on. 

JonLuke Harper, MIF, 2029, Northern (NC)
Harper’s name can be seen in every aspect of the exciting extra-innings walk-off W for the start of bracket play as he went 2-4 with 3 QABs. The first of which was a BS 2B that he went up to get and matched plane for the LD as he hustled into second and put pressure on the OFs. His next AB he showed some PS ability as he whipped the hands to a middle-in offering and roped it at 94EV, again hustling into 2B for another XBH. Despite getting out in his last AB, he came through in a huge role with runners on 1st and 2nd in extras with no outs he made sure to keep in on the ground as he grounded into a FC as the winning run advanced to 3B and soon after score. The hit and speed tool were on display in each PA as Harper projects to be a fun, scrappy sparkplug for any squad. 

Elijah Prisciandaro, 2028, OF, TNXL Academy (FL)
Prisciandaro had a great day at the plate for the Orioles Scout Team day 2 game. In Prisciandaro’s first AB he got a first pitch FB that he ambushes and drives through the 5-6 hole for the RBI and to extend the early lead. In Prisciandaro’s third AB of the day he again ambushes the first pitch FB but this time he drives it 103.9mph over the CF head for the easy standup 2B. Prisciandaro has a really smooth level swing which allows him to hit the ball to any parts of the field and always generate good contact with the ball. Whenever he came up to the plate today he knew that if the pitch was there he was going to take it regardless of the count. Building with Prisciandaro’s good day at the plate he looked really smooth in the OF as well. Whenever a ball was hit in his direction he constantly had good reactions and routes to whichever way the ball led him. Prisciandaro looks like he will be ready for a great upcoming high school season and to finish out summer strong. 

Daylen Woods, 2029, MIF, Buckhorn (AL)
Woods had a very impressing day at the plate in his second pool play game against a loaded Jason Kidd squad. Woods got the hands inside on an upper 80s fastball and rifled it down the left field line for a double, then later in the inning against the same arm, fired one through the six hole for two hits in the same inning. Woods moves very well, extremely athletic and physically mature at the dish. Defensively, his actions are smooth. For as good of an athlete as he is, his arm also allows him to make throws from deep in the hole at short, but could play anywhere on the infield. As Woods continues to grow into his body, he’ll tap into more strength and physicality, further propelling his baseball career. 

Will Schaefer, LHP/OF, 2028, Fayetteville (AR)
Schaefer came in out of the pen early in his squad’s quarter final game against a loaded East Cobb team. Schaefer had some ridiculous action on all of his pitches. FB was upper 80s and 2400 RPM with sinking action. Was really effective away to RH, but also tunneled it extremely well and off the hands against LH. He used his slider with extreme command and it was nasty all day. The slider was scraping 3000 RPMs all day, sitting around 2900 with some gnarly bite. As Schaefer continues to fill out, his pitches will continue to find more bite and miss even more barrels, Schaefer didn’t pitch into a barrel all day long. Lots of upside with an advanced feel for command on the mound.