Prep Baseball Showdown: Scout Blog

EMERSON, GA: The summer is well underway and the Prep Baseball Showdown carries into June at LakePoint. Teams from all over the counry were here as our scouting staff was out in full force watching games all weeekend long. We will be publishing scout blogs at the end of every tournament. Check out notes and videos on players than made an impression on our scouting staff. 

Prep Baseball Showdown: Scout Blog 

Daniel Tolentino, C/OF, 2029, Pope
Tolentino, standing at 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, started the tournament off hot. He came up with a 3-3 performance with 2 2B, BB, and totaling 3 RBIs. He started the game off with a rope down the RF line for a RBI 2B. Then, in his next AB Tolentino hit another hard line drive but this time to the left center gap for another RBI 2B. Tolentino was also really solid behind the plate by not allowing any passed balls and being really smooth with his frames. Tolentino has a very mature approach and a very smooth swing to go with his approach. This kid has a very bright future ahead as he is only 15 years old, so he will have more time to continue to get even better. 

Kaeden Holmes, C/MIF, 2029, J.R. Arnold (FL)
Holmes, standing at 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds, really got off to a hot start at the PBR Showdown. He helped get the scoring started with a back side 1B and a RBI. He has a great two-strike approach with a wide stance and simple toe tap. Behind the plate would look smooth throwing out two running and not allowing passed balls. Holmes ended the day being 2-3 with 2 1Bs and a BB. With Holmes only being 15 he has plenty of time to grow into his frame and develop behind the plate and in the box. Holmes is a kid with a very bright future ahead of him. 

Colt Spargur, LHP, 2029, Hilton Head Christian Academy (SC)
Spargur got off to a great start at the PBR Showdown. He has a great frame at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, which will only allow him to keep growing into his frame as he continues to develop. He looked nothing short of dominant during his start on Saturday morning, completing a 7-inning no-hitter while striking out 15 and only allowing 1 walk in the 6th. His fastball sat around 82-86, topping at 87, averaging around 2400 RPM. He was able to throw both offspeed pitches for strikes and in whatever count he wanted. Worked with pace throughout the game as he propelled his team to a win. Definitely a kid to keep an eye on as long as he can keep the spin rate up. 

RJ Westbrook, LHP/OF, 2029, Mount Paran
In his start on Monday, Westbrook proved his dominance with 3.1 innings of hit free baseball. Struggled at times with command, but it should not cause any worry. Fastball sat around 86-87 and topped out at 88 with heavy arm side run. Curveball was 76-77 with very tight, controlled spin on it. At just 15 years old, he is only going to get bigger and stronger and develop his pitches. 

Cayden Mader, 3B/RHP, 2028, Grayson
Mayder got the start in the final game of pool play for his team and answered the call. He is a quick mover down the mound who shows athleticism and good balance in the lower half. He attacked the zone with a firm fastball that sat 87-89 mph with life and ride through the zone. He was not afraid to work inside on hitters and generated weak contact throughout the outing. He also showed a curveball at 71-73 mph with good depth that played like a true 12-to-6 breaker and generated plenty of chases out of the zone. Mayder competed well on the mound, showing a strong frame with additional room to add strength. At the plate, he lived on the barrel and looked to do damage early in counts. He showed present bat speed throughout the zone with a natural feel to hit and used the entire field effectively, collecting multiple base hits to the opposite field. Mayder continues to show promise as a two-way player, and with added experience and physical development, he should continue to trend upward on both sides of the ball. 

Colton Zeller, OF/LHP, 2028, Farragut (TN)
Zeller was impressive at the top of the order and consistently found ways to impact the game. He is a tough out who works deep counts, puts together quality at-bats, and does a great job putting the ball in play while applying pressure to the defense. He shows the ability to use the entire field with consistent barrel accuracy and is comfortable driving the ball the other way. The bat-to-ball skills stand out, and he has shown the ability to catch up to velocity while staying within his approach. A good runner, Zeller also made several difficult plays in the outfield and displayed an above-average arm with additional strength still to come as he continues to mature physically. His advanced two-strike approach was evident, as he repeatedly spoiled quality pitches and extended at-bats to give himself a chance to reach base. Overall, the bat-to-ball skills are impressive, and he consistently competes every time he steps into the box. 

Cade Mcelwee, 1B, 2028, Pepperall
Mcelwee looked poised at the plate throughout the weekend, working deep into counts constantly. His 6-foot-2, 200 pound frame, he projects as a guy with tons of pop at the plate. The lefty has a very smooth and controlled swing that allows him to get the bat head out in the zone to drive it to all parts of the field. He went 2-3 monday morning with a loud backside double off the opposite field wall, turning around the 87MPH FB. Battled with 2 strikes constantly over his games, always waiting for a pitch he could drive. He has a swing that will continue to create a lot of power to the entire field. As he continues to develop, this will be a big left handed bat to keep an eye out for. 

Jordyn Triplett, OF, 2027, Mceachern
Uncommitted. The early game was no issue for Triplett despite only getting two ABs, he showed a really comfortable look and good results. His first AB, he had an early attack plan and went after the 1st pitch and lined a low LD at 98EV for a 1B UTM. The swing was compact, yet maintained violence through the zone. Next AB was more good contact on a line as he worked to the BS once he got some count leverage. He smoked a BS L9 at 88, showing more ability to live on the barrel to each part of the field. At 6-foot-1, 191-pounds, he projects as an athletic mover that can hit for both a bit of pop and contact with natural strength present. Triplett has been a name the staff has kept an eye out for recently as he keeps showing why he has a solid floor and projectable ceiling. 

Jackson Crippen, SS/2B, 2027, Hazel Green (AL)
An uncommitted rising senior, Crippen showed up strong at the plate, finishing the tournament 6-for-14 (.429 AVG) with two doubles, a 1.042 OPS, and two walks. He showed quick hands and consistent barrel control, repeatedly finding quality contact throughout his at-bats. Defensively, Crippen showed clean actions, quick transitions, and efficient footwork, consistently approaching the ball without wasted movement.  

Kaden Dunham, C/1B, 2027 Hazel Green (AL)
An uncommitted rising senior, Dunham put together a strong weekend at the plate, hitting .357 with two doubles and a home run. He showed a powerful yet balanced swing that allowed him to generate consistent impact while staying in control through his approach. Dunham consistently worked quality ABs and showed the ability to drive the ball with authority when he got his pitch. 

Hudson Will, OF/RHP, 2027, Cherokee (GA)
An uncommitted rising senior, Will had an outstanding tournament, finishing 9-for-14 (.643 AVG) with a 1.688 OPS and two walks. He showed advanced barrel control and consistently produced quality contact throughout his ABs. Will stayed consistent in his approach and impacted the game at a high level all weekend. 

Tyler McKinley, 3B, RHP, 2027, Cambridge (GA)
An uncommitted rising senior, McKinley had a strong weekend at the plate, finishing the tournament hitting .497 with three doubles and four walks. He consistently produced quality ABs with his ability to control the barrel. Drove for extra bases and kept pressure on opposing pitchers throughout. 

Aiden Brock, OF/1B, 2027, Tattnall County
Uncommitted. The 6-foot-2, 189-pound, rising senior put together some really good swings in game one of the tournament. Brock showed the ability to create some loud contact as he lined a triple into the left center gap that was 94 off the bat. Even with low hand placement, Brock showed he could get to the pitch at the top of the zone and drive it with authority. He showcased an all-fields approach with really fast hands through the zone, great barrel control, and showcasing some power to the gaps. Great start to the summer for Brock, look for him to have a good senior season. 

Quincy Hudson, C/OF, 2028, West Florida High School/Technical (FL)
Hudson brought his bat with him to the Showdown hitting .333 in 13 plate appearances with one walk and zero strikeouts. He showed patience at the plate waiting for his pitch and not missing it no matter where it is in the zone. Hudson also shows an aggressive plate approach using his smooth stroke to go foul pole to foul pole while only racking up one walk. There is not a lot of movement in Hudson’s hands as he works down through the ball creating consistent backspin off the barrel. He has the ability to sit into his balanced lower half and uses above average barrel control to adjust to different pitches. Hudson’s feel for hitting is only going to get better as he is playing above his age range and is already showing the hit tool come to life. While there is still room to grow from his 5-foot-7, 175-pound frame, he uses it well and eventually will start backspinning balls over the wall. 

Ty Bilbrey, C/1B, 2027, Macon County (TN)
Uncommitted. Bilbrey was impressive in the nightcap on Sunday, coming through with the game-winning hit. He shows good bat-to-ball skills with the ability to use the entire field and do damage on pitches over the plate. He worked several long at-bats, consistently putting together productive plate appearances and moving runners when needed. Behind the plate, he worked hard to stay in the right position and showed off a solid arm with accuracy. A vocal leader behind the dish, he does a good job picking up his teammates and helping guide the defense. His feel for the game and competitive nature stand out on both sides of the ball. Expect Bilbrey to continue improving with more experience as he faces quality competition throughout the summer. 

Savon Harper, 2026, OF, Westlake
Gadsden State commit. The 6-foot-1, 205 pound outfielder Harper had a very impressive tournament topped off by a 3 run home run that had a 100 EV and traveled 369 feet. Harper has a very smooth yet aggressive swing with good barrel feel. Has a small stepping load that lets him be on time for the pitch. Harper also had very impressive plate discipline limiting his swings to ones he knows he can crush. His feel for the game is unprecedented as he is very good in the outfield and at the plate. As Harper continues his summer run look for him to make noise throughout the rest of the summer. 

Jon Walker Brown, 2027, 1B/RHP, Lassiter
Uncommitted. The 6-foot-4, 210 pound first baseman made some noise in this tournament with the sound of his bat as his tournament is headlined by a 104.3 EV line drive that just simply sounded different off the bat. Brown has a very rhythmic load that allows him to be on time to mostly any pitch thrown his way. Stays on plane through the zone with a very aggressive and powerful swing. Brown looks to continue his summer on a high note. 

Graydon Sellers, 2027, 3B/SS, North Gwinnett
Uncommitted. Sellers had a stellar tournament that was headlined by his 3 hit game including a backside double and a 2 run home run that had an exit velo of 100.4 MPH. Sellers has a very minimal load with quick hands, generating his power from his lower half. He has a very whippy bat and is good at finding the barrel on anything thrown his way. Sellers worked the count really well as his backside double came on a 2 strike count as he was protecting the zone. When Sellers connects just know something special is about to happen as he looks to continue his dominance throughout the summer. 

Jaden Daise, C/SS, 2027, North Paulding
Uncommitted. Daise starts off hot early in the summer hitting .750 in 8 AB striking out once and walking twice. He showed off his exceptional bat to ball skills through three multiple hit games out of four games played. He uses his hands to load the barrel into the slot as he strides out and then he shows off his easy pop as he extends through the zone. He also showed his ability to be quick behind the dish on a backpick to second with a strong arm. Daise will be a name to watch this summer as there is a lot of ball left to play. 

Bryce Lee, 1B, 2027, North Paulding
Uncommitted. Lee has an excellent way of coming through for his team whether it be driving in runs or passing on the stick by getting on base other ways. He understands his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and uses it to his full advantage smoking balls to all parts of the field. His approach allows him to drive the ball UTM and oppo by sitting back and letting the ball get deep in the zone extending through it with his firm backside. Lee’s quick hands help him stay on the ball deep or get out front early on the inside pitch hammering the PS knocks. His power will continue to develop and the sky is the limit for this kid. 

Barrett Cook, RHP, 2027, Lee-Scott Academy (AL)
Uncommitted. Cook was dominant in his outing during bracket play tossing a no-hitter. The FB sat at 84-86 throughout his outing with some ASR. The CB sat 70-72 sweeping across the zone. Cook was able to pound the zone for 7 innings while creating soft contact. He looked in complete control from pitch one which helped his team advance on in bracket play. 

Thomas Hargett, SS, 2027, Darlington
Uncommitted. Hargett had a great showing at the tournament hitting .667 driving in two with an OPS of 1.714 striking out zero times and walking once. He has an excellent approach sitting UTM with the ability to throw quick hands at above average offerings. Hargett’s hands are along for the ride and stay on plane as he releases hips from a coiled load resulting in loud contact. He resets after every pitch and stays present in the moment through breathing which is a very overlooked trait. He also has smooth hands on the infield with an excellent arm throwing through 1B. Hargett is a very exciting player with a highly projectible ceiling. 

Case Davis, 1B/LHP, 2027, Shelbyville Central (TN)
Uncommitted. Davis put on a show throughout the tournament slashing .500 with an OPS of 1.183, 3 K, and 2 BB in 12 PA. He was a loud bat for his squad with twitchy hands and whippy bat speed. Davis’ bat path is level throughout staying on plane with the pitch as the head gets out front. He has a wide frame at 5-foot-11, 226-pounds and shows the ability to use it with a crack of the bat. Davis will be a big name to watch in the near future and an exciting one coming out of Tennessee. 

Brody Thomas, RHP/3B/OF, 2027, Shelbyville Central (TN)
Uncommitted. Thomas had an excellent outing for the Cyclones throwing 4 innings, 2 ER, 3 BB, 8 K, and only gave up 3 hits to a good 6-4-3 squad. He brought quality stuff even though it wasn’t his best night. He mixed in his repertoire of FB sitting 82-87 with late life, CH sitting 75-76, and CB sitting 72-74 breaking 11-5 with a feel for more in the tank. He had a feel for CMD later in the game and started to attack hitters using the breaker as a putaway pitch. Thomas has a linear, athletic delivery hiding the ball well for extra deception. He also had a feel for the barrel on the other side of the ball hitting .444 with an OPS of 1.101 with a good eye for the zone. 

Ty Nance RHP/CIF 2028 Rehobeth (AL)
Nance toed the slab for SBG Sox Prime Al Sunday afternoon and was extremely impressive posting 4IP 5K 2H 0BB and 1R (0ER). 6’0 190-pound physical build with a clean repeatable delivery that resulted in strikes often. He attacked with the fastball early in counts, and put them away with his breaking ball. Nance’s fastball got up to 86 and got onto hitters quick with ASR. He held 82-85 throughout his CG performance (4 IP). But the go-to weapon was the breaking ball. Consistently in the 2700s with a good feel for the zone and showed the ability to manipulate the shape that resulted in lots of S/M. Tunneled off the fastball well and was a nightmare for righties and lefties. 

Ethan Levanda RHP/CIF 2028 Montgomery Catholic (AL)
Levanda had a monstrous day at the plate for SBG Sox Prime AL Sunday afternoon. In his first AB Levaanda rocketed a ball 96.8 MPH on a line to the warning track giving him a 2 RBI double. To top that, his next AB he stepped up and launched a grand slam over the left field wall. Levanda has a 6’4 180-pound frame that’s very lean and lengthy. He starts in a wide setup and a small leg kick keeping it simple and letting his long levers produce the power while he consistently finds the barrel. Produced good AB’s all day as he was reading spin out of the hand early and showing ability to work counts. Levanda is already a name to watch for but as he continues to add size it’s scary to think what the power tool could look like. His final stat line today was 2-2 with a homerun, 2b, 6 RBI’s, 3 Runs scored, and a walk. 

2030 1B/LHP Calvin O’Dell 1B/LHP 2030 Central HS (TN)
O’Dell was handed the ball during the semi-finals and was fantastic. O’Dell finished all 7 innings only allowing 1 run against a respectable squad. What impressed the most was the overall pitch ability as he controlled all 3 pitches in any count that kept hitters off balance and guessing. The fastball reached 78.4MPH but held 74-77 throughout with HEAVY sink and ASR staying around 1800 rpm. The slider stayed around 74-76 and got lots of S/M as it tunneled with the FB very well. To round out his arsenal, he offered a 68-70 mph changeup that disappeared from hitters last second with lots of depth. Overall, was very impressed with the feel for all his pitches and the way he mixed them. 

Rocco Baxter, LHP, 2027, Calhoun
Uncommitted. Rocco Baxter had a great outing this weekend. In one game he pitched 3.1 IP and had 5ks. He had a consistent FB/CB combo that batters could not seem to time on a consistent level. His CB had excellent spin on it and to pair with his FB that got up topped out at 89, he gave batters fits all game. He’s 6’1 180 pounds, and has some long arms to pair with those pitches as he continues to grow this summer. A name to keep in a tab on this summer for sure. 

Daejeon Elder, RHP/SS, Harris County
The 2026 Prospect had a spectacular weekend. Pitched in 2 games 6.0 IP’s with 6ks across both games giving up just 2 runs this weekend in his outings. Very athletic build standing with a very strong ability to get move down the mound and really use that lower body. Has a 3 pitch command FB/CB/CH. CB has good spin with the CH to freeze batters, but the real catch is the FB that sits consistently at 88-90, topped out this weekend at 92. Ability to use that FB and throw it right past batters as they step into the box. The Enterprise State Community College commit continues to impress as he plays this summer. 

Everett Perkins, RHP/1B, Cedartown
Everett Perkins had an outstanding tournament this weekend. Showed his ability to string hits together and be an on base guy while also showing off his power in a game as well. He caught a hold of one and cranked it over the LFW for the homer showing his power, which also showed in the exit velocity which was 91. Good size at 6’1 195 pounds, while having torque in his swing which gives him the ability to hit homeruns. Also pitched well this weekend showing his ability to strike kids out while also making batters put the ball in play and letting his defense make plays as well. Although he is uncommitted he is for sure a name to keep track of as the summer goes by. 

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