Tournament Takeaways: 2026 PA Open
July 22, 2026
The PA Open brought some of the top talent in the region to Scranton, PA, with players from the 2026-2031 classes competing over three days of game action.
Numerous players elevated their stock throughout the weekend, showcasing high-end tools, impressive athleticism, and impactful in-game production. Below, we take a closer look at the top performers from the PA Open and the players who made the biggest impressions throughout the event.
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Mason Bicht 1B / 3B / Dock Mennonite Academy, PA / 2029The 6'2" - 210 lb strong and physical corner infield propsect had a loud weekend with the bat and being the main run producer for the Philly Bandits en-route to the 15U Championship. Across 6 games, Bicht put himself on the radar hitting .529 with 10 RBIs, 8 Rs, and 4 XBHs, including a grand slam in the semi-finals. Mechanically, Mason sets up with a slightly wider base, staying loaded into his back side with a slight upper-body tilt that allows him to generate leverage throughout the swing. During load, he takes a very short stride and keep his hands close to his body keeping his swing short and efficient with an uphill swing path that creates launch upon impact.
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Cooper Burkholder RHP / Germantown Academy, PA / 2029The 6'0" - 180 lb physical right handed pitcher had a strong weekend racking up 11 Ks across 10.1 IP and collecting 2 wins along the way. Mechanically, Cooper features a long, clean arm action through the backswing that effectively hides the baseball until late, creating deception and making it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball out of hand. His fastball sat 83-85 MPH, topping 86, getting on hitters quickly with quality ride through the top of the strike zone, allowing it to play above its velocity. He complements it with a curveball sitting 66-68 MPH that flashes a sharp late sweeping action and a changeup 73-75 MPH that create uncomfortable swings for hitters late in counts.
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Brayden Fallon OF / 3B / Malvern Prep, PA / 2028The 5'9" - 179 lb athlete was a spark plug at the top of the Pioneers 16U Red lineup leading them to a 16u championship. In the leadoff spot across 6 games, he hit .286 scoring 11 Rs, 6 RBIs, and 2 XBHs including a 3-R triple in the semi-final game. Mechanically, he utilizes an active lower half that works in sync with his swing. His hands work short and level to the ball, keeping the barrel on plane through the zone. The efficient hand path, paired with his lower-half engagement, allows him to drive the baseball with authority from gap to gap, showing present power with the ability to produce loud contact to all fields.
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Trey Jervis SS / RHP / Oneonta, NY / 2030This marked my second look at the rising freshman in the past month, with the first coming at the NY State Games, and he continues to impress with his maturity on both sides of the ball. He played a key role in leading his team to a 5-1 weekend and a berth in the championship game, consistently showing poise and making an impact both at the plate and on the mound. Mechanically at the plate, he has a wide, squatted setup with rhythmic hands. During load, he double taps his front foot and fires his back hip through impact with hands that stay above the baseball, creating backspin and displaying his potential for gap to gap power as he continues to fill out physically. On the mound, Trey worked exclusively from the stretch and has a long clean arm in the backswing. The FB sat 80-82 MPH, topping 83 combining that with a SL 72-74 MPH makig him an intriguing prospect both on the mound and at the plate!
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Jason Jones OF / RHP / Abington Heights High School, PA / 2028The long and wiry 2-way prospect displayed above average tools on the mound and at the plate making him an intriguing follow for the rest of the summer going into his junior year. At the plate, Jason has an upright setup with his weight staying backloaded and rhythmic hands held at ear-height. During load, Jason has a long stride which helps him shift his weight efficiently through the swing keeping his hands close to his body to create a whippy barrel effect through the zone. On the mound, he has a deliberate sidesaddle windup with a tall and fall delivery. He has a long and clean arm in the backswing that folds into a 3/4 release. The FB sat 75-77 MPH topping 80, paired with a 64-65 MPH CB. His lean, athletic frame offers significant physical projection, with added strength expected to translate into increased impact at the plate and on the mound.
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Anthony Williams SS / 2B / Calvert Hall College High School, MD / 2027The Duke commit had a loud weekend with the bat across 5 games hitting .429 with 9 Rs, 5 RBIs, and 4 XBHs including a leadoff HR to LF. Mechanically, Anthony has a balanced and squatted setup with rhythmic hands held at ear-height. During load, he has a short leg kick that helps him stay compact with a short path to the ball getting the barrel out infront of his hands leading to easy power to the pullside. In the field, he made numerous highlight reel plays getting to the ball with a quick first step, soft hands, and a strong arm that can sling the ball across the diamond from any angle.
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Eli Zapotoski C / 1B / Scranton Preparatory School, PA / 2028The 5'11" - 185 lb wiry backstop across 6 games hit .462 with 4 Rs, 5 RBIs, and 3 XBHs including a triple to right center field. Mechanically, Eli has an upright setup with his weight backloaded and still hands held at ear height. During load, he takes a short stride forward allowing the back hip to explode through impact with hands that accelerate and stay strong through impact allowing him to hit the ball from gap to gap with ease. Defensively, Eli showcased valuable positional versatility, seeing time at both catcher and first base. His soft hands and dependable actions translated seamlessly to each position, giving him the ability to provide value on both sides of the diamond.
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