On Wednesday, October 1st, the Prep Baseball Alabama staff headed to River Run Park in Northport, AL to help partner the 2025 ACCC Fall Showcase. Featuring 20 teams with many need-to-know prospects who are capable of contributing at the next level, we share some of the standouts from the event.

Position Players

• Sophomore outfielder Drake McBride (Bevill State) has quickly become a must-watch prospect heading into next spring, showcasing high-end athleticism and impressive impact off the barrel. With advanced bat speed and the strength to drive the ball to both gaps, McBride plays the game with a smooth, effortless look that jumps out all over the field. One impressive at-bat showed the high end bat speed as he got the barrel to an upper-80’s inner-half fastball for a no-doubt HR to deep Left Center on the stadium field. Difference maker in Center Field with ability to make tough plays look easy.
  
  

• Freshman catcher Jeffrey Diaz (Coastal Alabama-South CC) was featured as a notable newcomer coming into the event as a true freshman and certainly looks like he’s got a chance to make a big impact this spring. A shorter build with impressive compact strength, Diaz showed big-level impact in the right-handed barrel that produced a no doubt HR to CF & a single in his single game action on the day. There’s low effort to impact at a high level showing ability to flick the barrel with ease from a simple right-handed operation. Defensive ability stood out behind the plate, as well.
  
  

• Sophomore catcher Cody Walsh (Lurleen B. Wallace) Walsh did a little bit of everything for LBW in their doubleheader action on Wednesday. Put multiple barrels on the ball in both games as he picked up a HR, double and several other knocks throughout the day. Showed the two-way ability on the mound as he was up to 93 mph with the fastball and flashed a tight slider at 80-82 mph.
  
  

• Sophomore MIF Noah Berning (Bishop State) solidified himself as a prospect to follow after an impressive showing at the plate. The left-handed hitter features a fluid, well-connected swing with a middle-of-the-field approach and the ability to drive the ball with authority to both gaps. Demonstrated advanced plate discipline throughout the day and flashed pull-side power, highlighted by a towering home run over the right-field fence.

  SO Noah Berning (@Baseball_bscc)
  
  Berning having a impressive day in the box w/ a deep 💣to RF here showing he can have both power & contact ability w/ little swing & miss #ALJUCO || @PB_JUCO https://t.co/U67825Z6uA pic.twitter.com/5w7jMnUX72

  — Prep Baseball Alabama (@PrepBaseballAL) October 1, 2025

Pitchers

• RHP Blaze Gerhart (Snead State CC) featured the best heater of the day sitting 92-93 mph (2500 RPM) and topping at 94 mph in his outing, using it to bully hitters while being painted on the outer-black of the plate. A physical RHP with a bulldog mentality, Gerhart attacks hitters with the FB and pairs it with a firm SL at 82-83 mph while spinning north of 2600 RPM. He was sharp in this outing with quality command for both pitches and appears to be comfortable in a back-end role. Coming back for his sophomore campaign after punching out 25 in 15 IP a season ago, Gerhart is a must-know going into the JUCO season this spring.
  
  

• RHP Gunner Dodd (Shelton State CC) picked up on Wednesday where he left off last spring. The long, projectable 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander worked his fastball at 88–90 mph and paired it with a sharp 75–79 mph curveball that spun at 2500 RPM. He showed confidence spinning it in all counts, generating several whiffs and weak contact. Coming off a freshman season where he went 4-1 with a 2.74 ERA, he looked poised and efficient on the mound once again, pounding the zone and keeping hitters off balance throughout his outing.
  
  

• Sophomore RHP Eli Driskell (Shelton State) was a winner on the mound for Shelton State in the nightcap. Driskell is a strong right hander with a physical, strong build. Displayed a quick arm action from a higher ¾ slot. Worked in the upper-80’s with the fastball and showed confidence with the breaking ball that generated several whiffs and had late bite.
  
  

• Sophomore RHP Gabe Benton (Snead State) continues to trend upward, showing an extremely high ceiling on the mound. Sporting an athletic 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame, the right-hander has plenty of physical projection still ahead. The fastball worked comfortably at 91-92 mph, touching 93, with life through the zone. The separator is a wipeout slider that comes in at 82-85 mph (2295 RPM), generating consistent whiffs and proving to be a true out-pitch. With the size, athleticism, and two above-average offerings already in place, this is a definite name to circle.

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