EMERSON, GA: The 13u National Championship delivered all week long as the next wave of prospects made a strong impression amongst our staff. Check out a loaded scout blog with talented players from the 2030 and 2031 grad classes mentioned throughout. 

13u National Championship: Scout Blog 

Wyatt Laux, 1B, 2030, Pittsville (IL)
Laux had an enormous showing this week for Canes Midwest National finishing the week with a ridiculous .545/.615/1.000 slash line. Laux has a physical for the age 6 foot, 180 pound makeup. The biggest swing of the weekend came Sunday when he worked himself into a hitters count, and sent a ball 398 feet that left the bat at 101 MPH. To pair with this, he also launched a ball 93 MPH off the bat into the LCF gap for a two bagger Sunday. To start bracket play Tuesday morning, he launched a ball to deep center that would bounce over the wall for a ground rule double for a HUGE weekend at the plate. At the dish, Laux has an athletic setup with a simple load. He has a compact swing with an advanced approach reading spin out of the pitcher's hand. As Laux heads into his first year of high school he will be a fun one to keep an eye on. 

Hank Bates, SS/RHP, 2030, Reitz Memorial High School (IN)
Bates had a great showing this week and has been a consistent performer at the plate for Indiana Bulls. Bates hit .444 throughout the tournament with a 1.246 OPS. On Tuesday, he started off bracket play with a bang firing a triple into the LCF and RCF gap tallying 4 RBI’s in the game and propelling his team to victory. Bates has an athletic setup in the box, before rocking his weight back and doing a good job transferring his weight. He has quick hands through the zone and a linear bat path. He also showed an advanced approach walking as many times as he struck out. Bates will be an intriguing name to watch as he continues to grow his game and mature.

Jeremiah Kilgore, SS, 2030, Saltillo (AR)
Kilgore had a monstrous day at the plate Sunday showing off a unique skillset and a high motor. Kilgore’s biggest swing of the day was an absolute missile 109.5 MPH rope that cleared the center field wall before heading 408 feet. Adding onto this, he finished 3-3 with the HR, a hustle double, and a line drive shot up the middle. Kilgore has a tall athletic setup that rocks his weight back before transferring his weight and generating force from the ground. He has a whippy barrel and gets his barrel on plane well. Kilgore also impressed on the bases, hustling all day and trying to use his wheels to catch the defense sleeping as he did twice today. As Kilgore continues to improve his game and fill into the 6-1, 160 pound frame he will be a name to watch. 

Drew Burton, OF, 2030, Roncalli (IN)
Burton has been impressive this weekend, with a multi-triple game to start off the tournament for Canes Midwest. In his first at-bat, he barreled a ball into the gap in RCF to drive in 2 runs. Later on, he flicked the ball down the right field line, perfectly placed, for another three-bagger. Burton has an aggressive swing with a large leg kick that generates good power. At the plate, he has a good approach with a really good feel for the opposite field with an inside-out swing path. At 5’10” and 150 lbs, look to see him add weight and, consequentially, power as he grows in high school. 

Evan Arnold, C, 2031, Brownsburg West (IN)
Arnold showcased his power this weekend with an explosive swing that does damage. In his first at bat of the tournament, he smashed a ball to the wall for an RBI triple with an exit velo of 85 mph. Arnold has a bit of a longer swing, but everything is very controlled, and his leg kick generates a ton of power. His hands and bat pivot early in the swing, allowing the barrel to come on plane with the ball and stay through the zone for the duration of the hack. A fun hitter to watch in the heart of the Canes Midwest lineup.

Kash Scalf, SS, 2031, Stillwater
The incoming 8th grader looked very impressive this weekend with 3 hits across two bracket play games on Tuesday. A switch hitter, his swing was well-controlled from both sides of the plate. As a lefty, his twitchy load and fast hands contributed to a 2 RBI single and a 3 RBI bases clearing double. As a righty, there is a bit less movement in the stance, and he showcased a great ability to get on plane and stay through the zone for a long time. At 5’5” and 114 lbs, there is so much room to project growth in both height and size. As he ages and his body matures, there will be big returns in the power department, as his hit tool is already great. Coupled with his true switch-hitting ability, Scalf will be a very fun name to watch.