The summer has come to a close and the fall is getting ready to ramp up. We had a busy summer with covering tournaments at LakePoint to Summer ID's and Top Prospect Games. This class continues to develop with new prospects emerging and players starting to find their 4 year home. We will continue to follow this class closely into the fall and preseason then get more looks during the HS season. 

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As always, the evaluation process is a fluid and ongoing process with multiple viewings in order to get the best feel for players abilities. It’s important to note that as players continue their development some show marked improvement at a much more rapid pace. That doesn’t indicate that other players got worse or went backwards, it’s just how player development works. As the year unfolds, players make improvements and new prospects pop up on the radar expanding the Preo Baseball rankings universe. In addition to the evaluations of players, our scouts, both those in Georgia and nationally, have also had multiple discussions with each other to review our individual lists and then make adjustments based on what we've each seen. 

To see all 400 players in the 2028 rankings CLICK HERE 

Today we will take a look at the top 10, summer standouts and biggest risers. We have mutliple articles lined up for the rest of the week including staff selects from the summer. 

The Top 10

Breck Hemphill OF / Harrison, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 13 / POS: 6

Dexter McCleon Jr OF / RHP / Buford, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 1 / POS: 1

Lio Garcia SS / OF / Buford, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 11 / POS: 3

Colin Anderson 3B / OF / Etowah, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 8 / POS: 2

Rylan Jenkins OF / LHP / Washington County High School, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 117 / POS: 29

David Vargas SS / 2B / Cartersville, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 17 / POS: 5

Noah Harris SS / 2B / Benedictine Military, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 71 / POS: 23

Rylan Farlow RHP / SS / Greenbrier, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 102 / POS: 24

Gavin Gebhardt SS / RHP / Cambridge, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 95 / POS: 28

Thomas Gentry RHP / SS / Citizens Christian Academy, GA / 2028 Rankings  OverallRank: 100 / POS: 23

Summer Standouts

Rylan Jenkins, OF, 2028, Washington County

Jax Nystrom, MIF, 2028, Denmark

Lawson Moore, LHP/1B, 2028, Gatewood

Devon McLoughlin, RHP/SS, 2028, Greenbrier
One of the more projectable athletes in this class continues to ascend up the ranks after a banner past couple of months. Showed well across the entirety of the summer where he earned a Future Games bid and competed at a high-level on both sides of the ball. High-waisted 6-foot frame with present athleticism and excellent mover while repeating the delivery. Strike thrower at will with innate ability to command a 3-pitch mix while operating from a near over-the-top slot. Fastball creates arm-side run with command to multiple quadrants of the zone at 85-87 and plenty more velo to come in the next couple of months. Sharp slider with feel to spin at 78-80 and tunnels well off the fastball. Changeup has a chance to be a future advanced offering as well with right-right feel with tumble for whiffs consistently at 74-77. The bat would make significant strides throughout the year as well. Hit/power ceiling remains above-average with athleticism throughout that will carry. Shows a connected turn while staying compact in a flat path with ability to leverage the barrel for carry to the pull-side. Syncs up a bigger leg lift load with good balance and rhythm in the swing. Should stick defensively at shortstop with excellent instincts and range in all directions while showing arm strength to match. Bullish on the makeup and overall trajectory as this is the type of profile you simply buy stock in. 

Aiden Watson, SS, 2028, Harrison
Toolshed profile was electrifying across both the spring and summer circuits for the high-level dual-sport athlete. Quick, balanced trigger and shows a tight turn with explosive hands through the zone. Stays well-leveraged with present whip through the zone and feel to change planes with accuracy in the barrel to match. Ball simply jumps at contact with real impact out front and effortless pull-side carry in a gap-to-gap approach. Impact glove at the 6 with plus athleticism and foot speed alike while displaying range through the middle of the field. Watson should garner considerable interest throughout the next couple of months with dynamic tools that will translate at the next level. 

Braden Burroughs, OF, 2028, Fellowship Christian
Burroughs brought the productions all summer long in the midst of a breakout campaign. Above-average barrel accuracy in a flat path through the zone that matches plane both against velocity and spin while staying within himself in a mature all-fields approach. Ability to catch the ball out front and create loft at contact stands out with plenty more power to be tapped into down the line as well. Extremely athletic in the box with twitch throughout and impressive ability to rotate while showing advanced zone recognition. Slightly open stance while staying well-connected through the longer load with adjustability in-zone backed by present hand speed and quality pitch recognition. Defensively, Burroughs boasts a polished makeup while profiling across the grass backed by plus arm strength, 91 MPH, and 6.9 speed that will only improve in due time with fluid actions and quickness in all directions. Burroughs holds immense projection in the profile and is trending towards one of the higher floors in this class. 

Ledger Jones, OF, 2028, Walton
The stock for Jones has been on an upward trajectory ever since earning a key role this spring, and the outfielder did nothing but hit at a high-level throughout the course of the summer. Above-average athlete with lean strength and still plenty more to tap into while profiling across the grass extremely well. Stays balanced and well-connected through a controlled, simple leg kick load with zero wasted effort. Direct path to contact and barrel stays in the zone forever in a line-drive, all-fields approach. Truly a table-setting profile backed by advanced zone awareness and pitch recognition alike that make it really tough to beat in-zone. The raw power is on the rise as well with the ability to turn on balls and carry to the pull-side that will factor in more as muscle is added. It’s a high-floor profile with projection remaining and Jones looks to serve as a fixture for the Raiders state title aspirations in ‘27.

Owen McKeeby, RHP, 2028, Whitfield Academy
McKeeby was on a mission this summer and performed in every look amongst staff across the circuit. Deception to the operation and works from a tough slot with ability to repeat. Innate feel to spin with feel for a 4-pitch mix and projection remaining in the lean, athletic 6-foot-1 frame. Fastball shows some ride with late arm-side life in the upper 80’s that produces in-zone misses paired with weak contact. Two distinct breaking-balls that play extremely well of the fastball out of the same tunnel. Excellent feel for a sharp slider at 2700 + and 73-76 while consistently spotting it on the outer half. Curveball is shown at 71-73 and 2600 + with late depth that creates a different shape to freeze hitters. Mixed in a quality changeup at times at 77-79 to round out the arsenal. Pitchability and funk instantly raise the floor paired with stuff that will only continue to grow. 

Peyton Wilson, 1B, 2028, Heritage
The physical left-handed stick was on full display during the summer with in-game production that continues to stand out amongst the position. Quiet actions in the box with tons of raw strength in the frame and delivers an accurate barrel from a compact path. Hand, wrist strength is present with plus bat speed while showing twitch and in-zone instincts to match plane amongst different mixes. Minimal wasted effort throughout while showing a line-drive oriented approach with ability to generate easy carry to the pull-side and points to above-average raw power down the line. Hit tool is quickly catching up as well backed by plate discipline and zone awareness. Defensively, Wilson shows athletic actions with some flexibility and soft hands to become an above-average glove long-term. A massive junior season appears to be loading and could prove to be a major asset to a recruiting class amongst multiple levels.

Carson McQuillen, SS/RHP, 2028, Walton
We first saw McQuillen back in January at the LakePoint Preseason ID where the impressed staff then. McQuillen would go on to lead the Raiders in both ERA and saves while showing off the electric arm talent out of the pen. Fast forward to now and the overall profile has taken off after a statement summer campaign. Operates from a compact action with present arm speed and repeats the delivery well. Fastball jumps out of the hand with heavy arm-side life at 87-90. Spins a slider with depth and shape varies for both freezes and whiffs at 74-75. Innate ability to command a changeup to LHH while killing spin at 700-800 rpms at 77-79 for whiffs. Thriving in the spotlight with the ability to get outs at will only raise the floor on the mound. Two-way upside is present as McQuillen lived on the barrel throughout the course of the summer as well. Works from a balanced load with twitch in the hands while staying compact and creates leverage through the zone. Controlled movements and head stays quiet through impact with present feel for the barrel. Quiet confidence is a plus for McQuillen and his game appears to have been taken to the next level with still plenty of room to grow, and should have interest across multiple levels come next spring. 

Biggest Movers

Evan Litschke, LHP, 2028, Mount Paran
57th to 21st

Christian Osborne, RHP/C, 2028, Pierce County
76th to 27th

Jax Foust, UTL/RHP, 2028, North Paulding
88th to 28th

DJ Aull, RHP, 2028, Union Grove
77th to 37th

Grant Kunstbeck, RHP, 2028, Harlem
Unranked to 38th

DJ Jones, MIF, 2028, Homeschool
100th to 46th

Bradley Willingham, SS, 2028, Central
92nd to 61st

Brayden Hatcher, RHP/3B, 2028, Kell
112th to 72nd

Ryan Brantley, OF/RHP, 2028, Vidalia
150th to 73rd

Asher Evans, SS, 2028, Trinity Christian
136th to 80th

Brayden Allen, SS/OF, 2028, North Hall
133rd to 83rd

Anson Nguyen, SS/3B, 2028, Capstone Academy
229th to 84th

Griffin Treadwell, 1B, 2028, Hebron Christian
Unranked to 86th

Tucker Wingate, C/1B, 2028, Effingham County
Unranked to 90th

Cooper Rice, 1B/LHP, 2028, Jones County
155th to 92nd

Shane Walls, RHP, 2028, Clarke Central
189th to 99th

Wyatt Ridgley, RHP/1B, 2028, Brookwood
Unranked to 100th

Brady Fountain, SS/OF, 2028, Oconee County
175th to 111th

Noah Woodard, MIF, 2028, Bleckley County
Unranked to 116th

Jackson Greene, MIF, 2028, Cambridge
179th to 122nd

Davis Kunes, RHP, 2028, Tift County
Unranked to 125th

Kyle Coleman, C/1B, 2028, Pope
188th to 127th

Landon Spence, MIF, 2028, Effingham County
191st to 130th

Beck Hodges, SS, 2028, Pierce County
219th to 133rd

Daison Dukatz, 2B/RHP, 2028, Sequoyah
266th to 135th

 

Kayden Carter, C. 2028, Dutchtown
Unranked to 137th

Dane Brown, OF/RHP, 2028, Clinch County
Unranked to 142nd

Ryan Burgess Jr., OF/SS, 2028, Hillgrove
176th to 145th

Kyle Sims, SS/3B, 2028, Sequoyah
204th to 151st

Owen Shipley, C/RHP, 2028, Sonoraville
205th to 152nd

Tucker Thompson, 3B/1B, 2028, Jefferson
Unranked to 155th

Rylan Holloway, 3B, 2028, Mary Persons
337th to 158th

Jackson Beasley, RHP, 2028, Jefferson
210th to 161st

Brayden Beckwith, SS, 2028, Bremen
194th to 163rd

Cade Womack, 1B/LHP, 2028, South Effingham
Unranked to 165th


Max Lorio, MIF, 2028, Campbell
322nd to 169th

Javen Bearden, 1B/SS, 2028, Fayette County
Unranked to 171st

Dawson Allen, C/OF, 2028, Loganville
230th to 173rd

Luke Hill, 1B/3B, 2028, Strong Rock Christian
345th to 175th

Landry Williams, RHP/C, 2028, Stephens County
297th to 179th


Sam Burns, C/3B, 2028, Lagrange
218th to 180th

Isiah Nalls, OF, 2028, Calhoun
Unranked to 182nd

Tucker Markakis, 2B, 2028, Kings Ridge
Unranked to 188th

Lance Boyer, SS/RHP, 2028, North Oconee
241st to 192nd

Colton Whitman, RHP/1B, 2028, Newnan
Unranked to 198th

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