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Jackson Summer ID: Quick Hits

August 11, 2026
Matt Miller
State Director

FLOWOOD, MS — The Jackson Summer ID & Rising Stars ID was held on Saturday, August 8th at the Jackson Prep that featured top talent from the 2027-2031 classes. Players went through a pro-style workout with TrackMan and VALD Performance tech, while pitchers threw in a bullpen setting and were able to get data and metrics on our TrackMan unit.

Some prospects built on past showings, while others made strong first impressions.

We kickoff our post-event coverage with a look at the statistical leaderboards from the event, with more breakdowns and full scouting reports coming soon.

+ View all event stats HERE.

 

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QUICK HITS 📓

Sawyer Payne SS / RHP / Hartfield Academy, MS / 2028

INF Sawyer Payne (2028), the 5-foot-10, 145-pound shortstop from Hartfield Academy, made a strong impression in our first look at the 2028 prospect. Payne started his day with a 6.96-second 60-yard dash, showing good first-step quickness that translated well defensively. At shortstop, he displayed solid range and developing arm strength, producing throws up to 80 mph across the diamond with plenty of room for that number to climb as his frame continues to mature. At the plate, the right-handed hitter utilized a line-drive approach while working primarily from the middle of the field to the pull side, reaching exit velocities up to 88 mph. There is plenty of physical projection remaining, making his current collection of tools even more encouraging. Payne definitely caught our attention in the first look, and he is a 2028 prospect we are looking forward to seeing much more of moving forward.

Graham Leathers C / 3B / Presbyterian Christian, MS / 2028

C Graham Leathers (2028) the 5-foot-10, 185-pound catcher from Presbyterian Christian, continues to make significant progress in the 2028 class and showed noticeable improvement since our last look. Leathers turned some heads during his BP round, producing multiple loud barrels while working primarily from the middle of the field to the pull side. His added strength is beginning to show in the offensive profile, with exit velocities reaching 94 mph and the potential for more power to emerge as he continues to develop. Behind the plate, Leathers is progressing as well, showing improved actions with catcher velocities up to 78 mph and pop times around the 2.04-second mark. The overall game continues to trend in the right direction, and his combination of offensive development and improving tools behind the plate makes Leathers a 2028 catcher whose progression we will continue to follow closely. 

Walker Mims 1B / RHP / Lamar, MS / 2028

INF/RHP Walker Mims (2028), the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder infielder/right handed pitcher from Lamar School put together a solid all-around performance, showing a well-rounded skill set with plenty of physicality. Mims started his day by running a 6.93 in the 60, displaying solid speed and athleticism for a player of his size. At the plate, he produced an event-best 97 mph exit velocity, working primarily from the middle of the field to the pull side with occasional loft and some developing power. Mims also showed upside on the mound, running his fastball up to 82.4 mph while flashing developing shape to the slider. His changeup showed promise as well, killing spin while maintaining fastball arm speed to give him another potential weapon as the pitch continues to develop. With his size, athleticism, offensive strength, and two-way potential, Mims has several tools to build on and is a must-follow prospect in Mississippi’s 2028 class.

Carter Miles OF / LHP / Presbyterian Christian, MS / 2028

OF/LHP Carter Miles (2028), the 6-foot-1, 155-pounder from Presbyterian Christian put together a very solid all-around day, showing a well-rounded collection of tools with plenty of room for continued development. Hitting from the left side, Miles tied for the event-best exit velocity at 96.9 mph, using a middle-to-pull-side approach with consistent line-drive swings and solid barrel feel. He also showed athleticism by running a 6.89 in the 60, while reaching 81 mph from the outfield. Miles continues to show a solid foundation across multiple areas of his game, and his combination of left-handed hitting ability, speed, and developing defensive tools makes him a prospect we want to see again. We’re looking forward to getting another look at him during game action this spring.

Sam Murphy SS / OF / Homeschool (MS), MS / 2027

OF Sam Murphy (2027), the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder put together a terrific all-around day, showing a solid collection of tools throughout the workout. Murphy started things off by running a 6.97 in the 60, displaying solid athleticism and foot speed before reaching 84 mph from the outfield. At the plate, he turned in a strong BP round with exit velocities approaching 90 mph, consistently producing line drives while working from the middle of the field to the pull side and showing the ability to drive both gaps. Murphy’s overall skill set gives him plenty to build on, and he is certainly a player we would like to get another look at during game action.

Grayson Broome OF / RHP / Seminary, MS / 2029

OF/RHP Grayson Broome, (2029) the 6-foot, 165-pounder from Seminary HS showed solid two-way potential during his workout, beginning with a 6.89 in the 60 that highlighted his speed and overall athleticism. Broome was up to 84 mph from the outfield and showed a developing offensive profile at the plate, producing exit velocities into the upper 80s with more pop likely to come as he continues to add strength and mature physically. He later stepped on the mound and showed additional upside, running his fastball up to 81.3 mph while displaying solid feel for both a curveball and slider. The two breaking pitches showed significant differences in shape, giving him the foundation for a versatile secondary arsenal moving forward. A well-rounded 2029 with tools on both sides of the ball, Broome is a prospect we look forward to following as he continues his progression.

Jacob Russell 1B / RHP / Sumrall Middle School, MS / 2030

1B/RHP Jacob Russell, (2030) the 6-foot, 175-pounder from Sumrall HS showed a solid foundation of fundamentals with plenty of upside remaining on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Russell produced exit velocities approaching the mid-80s while displaying a repeatable, synced-up swing with consistent actions through the zone. There is more offensive strength and power likely to come as he continues to physically mature. Russell also showed promise on the mound, running his fastball up to 76 mph with additional velocity expected as he develops. He demonstrated solid feel for his changeup along with a developing slider, giving him the early foundation for a quality three-pitch mix. Still very young with plenty of development ahead, Russell has the tools and fundamentals to build on, and we look forward to following his progression over the next several years.

UPCOMING 2026 EVENTS ⤵️

SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
South Mississippi Fall ID 09/05 Pearl River CC - Poplarville, MS
South Mississippi Freshman Free 09/05 Pearl River CC - Poplarville, MS
North Mississippi Fall ID 09/12 The Farm - Oxford, MS
North Mississippi Freshman Free 09/12 The Farm - Oxford, MS
Mississippi Fall Games 10/18 Clinton HS - Clinton, MS
Top Prospect Underclass Showcase 11/08 Mississippi State University - Starkville, MS

 

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