MD Fall Championships: Upperclassmen Standouts

Nicky Dello Buono RHP / Conrad Schools of Science, DE / 2026

Tournament Stats: 3.2 IP, 2 R, 5 K

Currently the #2 uncommitted right-hander in the Class of 2026, we’ve gotten a ton of looks at Nicky Dello Buono over the past four months, and the consistent outings continue to stack up. One thing to mention is the ability to not only hold mid-80s velocity, but often sees his velo uptick as he gets deeper into the outing, this one being 86-88 in the fourth after starting off 84-86. The fastball has some ride through the zone, working from a shorter arm action that gives hitters a different look. The feel can vary at times for the curveball, but as the secondary mix sharpens, I wouldn’t expect Dello Buono to stay on the board for much longer.

Nate Fraccaroli INF / North Dorchester, MD / 2026

Tournament Stats: .417 AVG, 4 RBI

Fraccaroli has been one of the more under-the-radar bats across the Eastern Shore, and that led to a breakout summer concluding with a commitment last month to Neumann. This tournament was no different, highlighted by a 4-for-4 game during pool play with a pair of extra-base hits. It’s been a pull side barrel in the past with that present XBH power, but now we start to see him using the whole field at a higher rate. With North Dorchester returning a majority of their roster for 2026 and picking up a notable transfer, expect Fraccaroli to take leadership and lead the offensive charge.

Owen Hauser RHP / Montgomery Blair, MD / 2026

After not having the opportunity to see Hauser on the bump this spring, our first look in over a year came at MAPI down in Richmond. After a breakout summer, he got the well-deserved call and committed to Bucknell. He took the fall in the matchup of the weekend, filling up the zone and battling against one of the top offenses in the tournament. It’s a lean 6’5” frame with some strength, mixing the high-80s fastball with a tight slider that worked both sides of the plate at a high rate to collect a pair of strikeouts, surrendering not a single walk. Consistency has always been his issue, but it seems as if it's steadily improving and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him leading the Blazers rotation next spring.

Chris Rowinski 3B / Century, MD / 2026

Tournament Stats: .400 AVG // 7 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K

Moving to the Elkridge Hurricanes, one guy who contributed heavily on both sides was Century’s Chris Rowinski. Elkridge made a deep run to the championship game on Sunday, and Rowinski’s efforts on both sides can be thanked. The consistent ability to land all three pitches for strikes allowed him to kick off his weekend with an efficient complete-game shutout, striking out six without surrendering a walk, pounding the zone with the fastball in the high-70s at 76% strikes. On offense, he continued to find barrels, finishing 4-for-10 over four games with a pair of doubles. Rowinski could very well be a significant contributing piece to Century’s team next spring, and his durable 6’0” frame leaves some future promise.

Dennis Bailey RHP / Chesapeake, MD / 2027

Kicking things off, let's start with the top velocity of the weekend. This is our first in-game look at the athletic right-hander since the middle of the spring, and the arm continues to mature over time. The fastball consistently sat high-80s while touching 90, collecting swing and miss to both sides of the plate. The feel for the curveball has continued to increase, and we have never seen the splitter much before, but clearly the confidence in that third pitch is starting to become more and more present. The athleticism is there, so as the secondary mix starts to sharpen, Bailey will be another “must see” arm in the Cougars rotation. 

Derek Grossi C / Kent Island, MD / 2027

Tournament Stats: .500 AVG, HR, 3 XBH, 3RBI

It’s safe to say that Derek Grossi transitioned into his new threads quite nicely. The Kent Island catcher impressed in multiple facets of the game, and I’m not sure which side he looked better on. Behind the plate, he was a wall and prevented multiple passed balls from causing damage. From previously playing up at 17u last year with Marucci Prospects, he’s had the time to adjust to more mature pitching and it paid off, showcasing the physicality while batting .500 on the weekend with 3 RBIs and 3 extra-base hits, one an absolute bomb down the right field line. There could very well be a breakout fall incoming for this uncommitted junior. 

Colton McCarthy RHP / Sherwood, MD / 2027

As if Sherwood needed another arm to help replace their substantial losses following their state championship run, insert Colton McCarthy. This was our staff’s very first look at the junior right-hander, and although it wasn’t his sharpest or cleanest outing, he showed some promise for the future. McCarthy worked exclusively fastballs during this outing, sitting in the mid-80s up to 86. In total, it’s a three-pitch mix, occasionally working in the curveball and changeup to keep hitters off balance, striking out four in the process. As the arsenal sharpens and the outings become more consistent, McCarthy could be a beneficial bullpen addition to the Warriors pitching staff.

Justin O'Connor 1B / Conrad Schools of Science, DE / 2027

Tournament Stats: .636 AVG, 7 H, 8 RBI

It should not come as a surprise to anyone that he made this list. There aren’t many players in the 2027 class better than O’Connor when it comes to putting the ball in play. Hit nearly .550 in the spring, went down to Future Games and hit .500, and now kicks off his fall campaign with an outstanding weekend in Salisbury. The ability to use the entire field has been present, and the barrel awareness through the zone allowed him to collect five hits and six RBIs in six ABs during pool play on Saturday. On top of the hit tool, the sub-7 run tool allows him to draw attention on the basepaths, swiping a couple of bases over the weekend. The physical makeup is evident, and as he starts to showcase the pull side power more in-game, expect this to be one of the hottest bats on the market heading into the fall.

Matthew Sowers RHP / Chesapeake, MD / 2027

Tournament Stats: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K // 1-1, HR, 5 RBI

Why not talk about another Future Games alum? Matthew Sowers came down and took the ball for Dig In under the lights and did his usual. Sowers struck out five batters over three shutout innings, working the fastball up to 89 from his low-effort delivery. The confidence in the secondary arsenal continues to increase, collecting multiple strikeouts off the slider below the zone. The Chesapeake righty was one of the top arms down at LakePoint in late July, and our first look of the fall was much of the same. The arm is what draws so much interest, but just to add to his performance, he mashed a first-inning grand slam out of left field to highlight the Dig In offense. 

Trenton Thomas OF / Georgetown Prep, MD / 2027

Tournament Stats: .700 AVG, RBI, 6 R

The Dig In offense was firing on all cylinders all weekend, and to do that you need a good leadoff hitter. Insert Trenton Thomas, who it felt like he was on base and producing the entire weekend, culminating with a 3-3 outing in the championship game to secure the trophy. It’s a shorter swing, and although may not be the most fluid, continuously finds barrels and was able to collect base knocks to all parts of the field, with emphasis put on the gaps for extra bases. It’s a lean 6’1” frame, and the mix of a high contact bat and a premium run tool creates a makeup for an extremely effective leadoff hitter. One to follow this fall.

Maison Walsh SS / Mount Saint Joseph, MD / 2027

Tournament Stats: .583 AVG, 3 RBI, 6 R // 4 IP, 3 K

This was an opportunity to see an in-depth look at him in-game following a strong showing at our Maryland Top Prospect Games, and the hit tool certainly made an impression. It’s a simple operation, logging a couple of multi-hit games with the ability to impact the baseball gap-to-gap. There’s some present strength in the 6’3” frame with more to be added, and that has been attributed to a couple of hard base hits, including a 3-3 game in Sunday’s bracket play. It’s a bat first guy, but the actions on the bump allowed him to compete and eat some innings when needed. Expect for him to earn some innings and contribute at MSJ next spring.

Ethan Wayman RHP / Christiansburg, VA / 2027

Let’s head down to SW Virginia and talk about a 2027 right-hander that showed flashes this weekend. Wayman, a durable 6’0”, 190-lbs, tossed five innings for Five Star Virginia in pool play against the eventual tournament champion, and competed in the zone while striking out six. The fastball sat 85-87 with feel at the knees to both sides of the plate. What really stood out was the ability to spin two different breaking balls for strikes, especially the slider at 2700 RPM. The high-spin breaking stuff paired with a heavy fastball makes him an intriguing follow throughout the fall. 

Jackson Wineke SS / Linganore, MD / 2027

Tournament Stats: .455 AVG, HR, 2B, 9 RBI

Our third and final Future Games alum on the list, Jackson Wineke, made another notable impression from the middle of the order for the ultimate upper bracket champion. All you can ask for is productivity, and Wineke embodied that by driving in at least one run in each game played, including four in the championship game. That work ethic mentioned a couple of months ago contributed to a present increase in power to the opposite field, launching a game-deciding home run late to secure the trophy. His ultra versatility defensively makes him a hot commodity in the recruiting world, and at this rate, I don’t expect Wineke to be on the board for much longer.