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The I-75 to 285 Chronicles: Future Game Hopefuls 2.0

April 16, 2026
Ian Smith
Assistant Scouting Director

The spring is the biggest time of the year for our staff. Covering each corner of the state has become one of our constant goals and something that I’ve taken extreme pride in since moving here three years ago.

The I-75 to 285 Chronicles speaks to those travels in full as I take a broader look at the state of Georgia as a whole.

I know it’s only April, but Future Games scouting and preparation is a year-round event here for our staff here in the Peach State.

Georgia’s 2028 class has had long-standing talent at the top with multiple nationally ranked players but the depth has really begun to show over the last 12 months, and especially this spring.

The breakouts have been across the state in the 2028 class and for me, it seems to be at least 3 names a week that are putting themselves into consideration for the biggest scouting event of the year.

Earlier this week we released a list of over 50+ sophomores who have stood out among our travels this spring. Take a look at that HERE

The two-way talent in Georgia’s 2028 class provides some of the best depth you’ll see across the state and coming at premium positions.

Names like Lawson Moore, Rylan Farlow, Noah and Landen Harris were all picks to click for our staff this spring and are breaking out in a big way. Even names like Hemphill and Stafford are providing value on the mound.

Today I’m going to talk about five more two-ways from every corner of the state that bring some of the highest value this state has to offer.

The gamer type profile has been something I value at a premium as a scout and when you have tools and projection to match, it only cements those thoughts even further. That is the exact case when talking about SS/RHP Tripp Sapp. Armed with an athletic 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame, the sophomore has bouncy actions in the dirt with fluid footwork and ability to cover ground in all directions that will help Sapp stick in the middle infield long-term. Arm strength is only growing with a chance for a plus tool at ceiling. At the plate, Sapp exudes strong bat-to-ball skills with a budding feel for the barrel that helps lead to quality at-bats nearly every time he steps in the box. Confidence has stood out against elite pitching in multiple looks this spring with the results to match and bullish on the overall hit tool. Strength is steadily growing for Sapp that will aid the power ceiling down the line. Confidence and bulldog demeanor carries over to the mound where he gets better with each outing. Excellent mover with ability to repeat well while throwing strikes with the full mix. Fastball lives in the mid-to-high 80s with some carry and much more to project. Curveball in the mid-70s is building into a put-away pitch this spring with tight, late depth that will miss barrels often. Changeup following close behind at 74-77 with advanced feel to throw R/R with some late arm-side that gets whiffs from both sides. The floor couldn’t be higher on both sides for Sapp with a significant ceiling to match.

The progression for RHP/MIF Thomas Gentry over the last year has been impressive to say the least, and now presents himself as a clear top-10 player in the class. Arm talent is obvious for the RHP as Gentry has been up to 93 already with easy ride/run and even more velocity to tap into. Shows command to land to both sides of the plate with ability to create soft contact and in-zone misses alike. Secondaries have grown quickly for Gentry with the slider being the bread and butter at 79-81 with tight horizontal break that pairs off the fastball well. Low-70s curveball is shown often as well with 11/5 and ability to freeze hitters early in counts. Changeup rounds out the strong mix with ability to kill spin and velocity at 71-75 while generating some late arm-side fade that tunnels well. There’s a chance for a high-level profile on the mound here for the sophomore and that ceiling carries over to the plate as well. Hit tool has stood out in multiple settings for our staff with a quick trigger and ability to maintain advanced balance while keeping the barrel on-plane in the line drive oriented approach. Barrel feel is present and the impact shows often both in-game and in BP where he can generate 95+ EVs regularly. Gentry still feels a bit hidden in the small town of Douglas but I’d suspect the full breakout is on the way this summer.

The raw talent that SS/RHP Gavin Gebhardt is blossoming into tangible tools that are showing on both sides of the ball. Pound-for-pound, one of the best athletes in the class at 5-foot-11, 170-pounds with twitch and significant projection to go. Present plus runner with an elite first step that shines in-game and could be a sub-6.4 runner at peak. Athleticism carries over to short where Gebhardt looks to have long-term potential with present above-average arm strength with excellent footwork and range to match. Longer load at the plate where the sophomore syncs up very well paired with the ability to create separation alongside easy leverage in the path. Feel to hit has been present for awhile now, showing a gap-to-gap approach with the ability to turn on balls at time and flash some sneaky raw power. The ceiling on the mound is equally as loud with an explosive mix coming from a tough over-the-top slot. Quality mover with repeatability, Gebhardt shows potential for a future plus fastball, operating at 89-92 with carry (Avg. 20” IVB) that jumps on top of hitters in-zone with ability to create chase alike. Already showing he can maintain velocity deep into outings with even more to come as he develops physically. The RHP will show a pair of breaking balls with distinct shape in the low-70s CB and tight SL at 77-80. Curveball holds 12/6 shape well and has the aptitude to miss barrels in-zone often. Changeup in the low-80s is used sparingly but has made strides with each look this spring and will round out the mix well. I’ve felt bullish on the ceiling for Gebhardt for quite some time and if you’re looking for a high-end ceiling comparison, the similarities in the profile are eerily similar to two-time Prep Baseball All-American and 2025 1st round pick, Josh Hammond.

The floor for 3B/RHP Matthew Zander has been substantial for a while, but now the two-way profile is proving that the ceiling might be just as high. Athletic 6-foot-0, 180-pound frame that holds wiry strength throughout and plenty of room to grow as one of the younger kids in the class. Hit tool ceiling has a chance to be above-average or better at peak with a quiet setup at the plate that exudes advanced pitch recognition with a balanced RH swing that shows strong barrel length in-zone. Spoils good pitches often with the ability to drive the gaps with ease against spin and velocity. Strong defender at the hot corner with bouncy lateral actions and present arm strength to make any throw necessary. Athleticism can be maintained long-term even as he develops physically and will be able to stick in the dirt at the next level. On the mound, pitchability is a premium for Zander with a deceptive over-the-top delivery and innate ability to create soft contact with the full mix. Up-tempo demeanor with the confidence to attack at all times and fills up the zone while doing so. Fastball works in the mid-to-high 80s with some ride through the zone and much more in the tank. Pitches to his spots well and rarely leaves anything middle/middle. Slider pairs well with some late bite at 75-78 that will run away from barrels against RHH. Changeup has a chance to be the putaway offering with present feel and arm-side fade to play off the fastball well. In-game track record of production is already high with a profile that keeps getting better, and Zander could be in for a massive summer campaign.

The spring has a chance for RHP/SS Dylan Schmidt to break out and make real waves in Georgia’s sophomore class. Upside on the mound has jumped out for the RHP with multiple great looks this spring against high-level competition. Funky, slightly crossfire delivery gets on top of hitters often with the athleticism in the 6-foot-1, 175-pound to repeat well. Generates some natural cut on the fastball, working 86-89 and shows ability to be effective to both LH and RH like with the late movement proving tough to barrel up. Tighter CB at 70-74 shows some two-plane movement with command to land both early and late in the count. CH will mimic the fastball well at 77-78 while showing feel to land on the outer-half often. There’s a “gamer” personality that Schmidt brings to the mound and allows the sophomore to attack with confidence often. Top-of-the-order profile for the SS at the plate to strengthen the profile even more. Stays simple with rhythm to the load and strong hands/wrists showing through the zone. Keeps the barrel on-plane and in the zone forever while working through the middle of the field extremely well. There’s value all throughout this profile for Schmidt, and with the jumps he made this year, it’s safe to say there’s much more to come.

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