2029 Players to Watch: Jr. Future Games Standouts

As we roll out the first look at the Class of 2029 in North Carolina, it’s important to spotlight one of the most meaningful early evaluation touchpoints for this group: the Prep Baseball Jr. Future Games. Each summer, this national event provides the first true opportunity for rising freshmen to compete on a major stage, and many of the prospects highlighted in this class release made their initial impressions at LakePoint.

The Jr. Future Games are part of the larger Future Games Week, held annually in late July at LakePoint Sports in Emerson, GA. The week features three premier national showcases:

• Jr. Future Games (JFG): Top rising freshmen from each Prep Baseball territory
• Future Games: The top uncommitted rising juniors (Class of 2027 in this past cycle)
• Senior Future Games: The top uncommitted rising seniors

In total, the 2024 event drew over 400 college coaches, making it one of the largest recruiting environments in amateur baseball.

The Jr. Future Games operate in a championship-style format, with every territory guaranteed three pool-play games before advancing into a single-elimination bracket. Team North Carolina delivered one of its strongest performances to date, earning the No. 2 overall seed out of pool play after defeating Texas, Kansas, and New York. They then opened bracket play with a win over Arkansas, showcasing the depth, competitiveness, and upside within the state’s rising 2029 class.

For many of these players, the JFG marked their first exposure to national competition and provided Prep Baseball scouts with meaningful in-game evaluations. The event featured the top 2029 prospects in the country, offering an early look at how North Carolina’s talent stacks up against other territories.

Looking ahead, the next national stage on the horizon for this group will be the 2026 East Coast Super Sophomore Games in Richmond, VA. This event will bring together top rising sophomores from 10 territories up and down the East Coast, with Prep Baseball North Carolina assembling a single Team Carolina roster. Performances there often help shape the trajectory of a prospect’s early recruitment and future rankings.

---

2029 Players to Watch: Jr. Future Games Alumni

Below are several Class of 2029 prospects who participated in last summer’s Jr. Future Games and have positioned themselves as names to know in the first release of the rankings.

CJ Nixon LHP / OF / Grace Christian School, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 1 High level arm that has plenty of projection left.  Attacks with a fastball that seems to jump on hitters plus a breaking ball that is in position to be an advanced offering.  Good athlete - Should be in the mix to be a high profile follow in the coming years.

Chase Woodley 3B / C / Charlotte Christian, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 13 / POS: 3 Youthful look with plenty of projection ahead.  Swing has natural leverage and he showed an ability to get to high level arms for the age group.  Body suggests the frame will handle plenty of strength in the coming years.  High baseball IQ and should not be limited on positional offerings for his coaches in the next few years.

Whitton Butler 1B / RHP / High Point Christian Academy, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 14 / POS: 1 Captured the highlight moment of the Jr. Future Games event hitting a go ahead grand slam that travelled over 400' per TrackMan.  Physical with solid quickness and still young.  The power potential is real. Solid athlete that should give coaches some options on how to get him in the lineup.

Lawson Tyndall C / OF / Eastern Carolina Academy, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 16 / POS: 3 High level athlete with maturity and strength present. Advanced arm strength behind the dish with good enough athleticism and quickness to give him a chance to stick in the middle of the field if he needs to move from behind the dish.

Logan Grainger 3B / RHP / Emsley A Laney, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 17 / POS: 4 Good feel for pitching.  Clean, repeatable delivery.  The change-up is a weapon.  Lots of projection left and if he continues to climb to his ceiling he will be a high priority for coaches and evaluators in the coming years.

Ryder Sheffield SS / RHP / North Stanly, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 18 / POS: 6 Good defender with solid ball to barrel skills in the box.  Showed quickness and good strength for the build. Showed feel for the game and an ability to play faster than his measurables.  A top level competitor throughout the week in Georgia.

Will Brincefield C / 3B / Needham Broughton, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 19 / POS: 4 Baseball player... Good feel for the game and adapted to a lot of different situations in the week at LakePoint.  Long, lean frame is easy to dream on as he continues to fill out.

Reed Holt SS / 2B / Ravenscroft, NC / 2029 Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 8 Solid athlete with good bat skills. Produced positive at-bat after positive at-bat for Team NC.  Showed an ability to get to high level arms and there is gap power for the age.

---

Names to Follow:

Walter Wishon OF / SS / New Hanover, NC / 2029

Grayson Durrant C / OF / Pro5 Academy, NC / 2029

Bronx Carter OF / 1B / North Stanly, NC / 2029

Anthony Maceda 1B / 3B / Fuquay-Varina, NC / 2029

Broxton Bevington 1B / 3B / Porter Ridge, NC / 2029

---

North Carolina News