TROY:

The buzz from the pro scouting industry is that Troy has more draft impact arms than intra-state rivals Alabama or Auburn. Time will tell on those vibes, but the Trojans’ rotation does have plenty of potential high-end options. Juco transfer Dylan Alonso looked to be one of the stronger candidates, as well as a potential top five round pick. A 6-foot-4, 225 pound righthander from Columbia State CC (Tenn.), he’s everything that scouts look for as a strike-thrower with a loose, athletic delivery, a mid-90s fastball and quality breaking ball. Alonso sat 93-95 and touched 96 against Kennesaw State with an above average, up/down hammer curve at 83-84.

Another top rotation option is righthander Tommy Egan, a transfer from Illinois-Chicago. He doesn’t pitch with the same velo as Alonso, but Egan spins to win with a consistently better-than-average slider in the mid-80s and an occasional 82 mph sweeper. His fastball touched 90 and a fourth offering was a mid-80s changeup. It’s a balanced arsenal that most importantly finds the strike zone with consistency.

Sophomore Noah Thigpen did not pitch against Kennesaw State as he’s shut down for the remainder of the fall, but the 6-foot-2, 215-pounder righthander is an electric talent with a 92-96 mph heater, mid-80s slider and a plus 85-86 changeup. He’s also added a curve ball to his repertoire this fall. Last season Thigpen finished 3-1 with a 3.86 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 44 innings as a true freshman.

From the left side, senior Ben Stubbs impressed with a 93-95 fastball and spun three distinct breakers in an 80 mph curve, 83-84 slider and 87 cutter. Stubbs struck out 87 in 71 innings for D2 Flagler College (Fla.) last spring. If he continues to fill the zone and show this velocity with breaking stuff, he easily slots into the top ten rounds next summer.

Fellow southpaws Zach Crotchfelt, a Texas Tech transfer who began his career at Auburn, Hayden Smith (Kentucky transfer) and Lucas Litteral (Western Kentucky transfer) could also see key roles on the staff. The lanky Litteral struck out all three batters he faced, sitting 90-91 with his fastball and six swing/misses in his quick three up, three down appearance. Smith sat 90-92 with some natural cut on his fastball, while also showing a 76 mph curve and a usable 83 mph changeup. Crotchfelt hit some bats against Kennesaw, but was able to minimize the damage with a fastball up to 93 and a low-80s changeup.

Blake Dean (Kansas State transfer) has been exceptional this fall, showing a 91-94 mph fastball and a tight spinning (3000+ rpm) curve in the low-80s. His slider has good angle at 85 mph and he’ll also flash a good changeup. It all adds up to a front-of-the-rotation starter’s profile. At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds Matteo Pare is very intriguing and provides a different look. He has good horizontal life on a low-90s heater and an excellent work ethic. Freshman Matt Dill could also work his way into the mix along with Cooper Ellingworth. Ellingworth is a 5-foot-11 righthander with a 92-94 mph sinker and a low-80s slider from a three-quarter release point. He worked a quick, efficient inning against Kennesaw State, facing four batters, retiring two on strikeouts and the third on a routine ground out. Dill is still developing his velocity (currently 90-92), but he’s a high-level athlete with a couple offspeed weapons in his changeup and slider. Most importantly, he’s a strike-thrower and he’s given up just one run in five innings this fall.

A two-way arm that should contribute out of the bullpen is Brady Richardson. A high slot righthander, Richardson released a 91-92 fastball and a big-hump curve at 76-78. He gave up a solo home run against Kennesaw State, but should factor into a role out of the pen with his aggressive and confident demeanor.

Additionally, fifth-year senior Dylan King has stepped up his game this fall. He hasn’t allowed a hit over his first nine innings and was clocked at a team-high 96.7 mph this fall. He’s been a long time favorite prospect who might now just be putting it all together.

Righthander Judah Buckner was an all-Gulf South Conference pitcher at Division II West Alabama, where he had six saves. Other arms to watch include Michigan State transfer righthanded junior Tate Farquhar, Modesto (Calif.) JC righty Nate Criswell, senior lefty Drew Nelson, senior lefthander Brock Tapper, and sophomore southpaw Chase Cartron. 

The Trojans have a chance to produce one of the best lineups in the country. It starts with Blake Cavill, the fifth-year senior first baseman from Australia. The 6-foot-1, 218-pounder tied the school record for walks last season with 65 and reached base in every game. He plays the game with flair and is one of those players that you hate to play against, but love in your dugout. Cavill produced four RBIs, homering twice in the first game against Kennesaw State. Both were majestic fly balls that kept carrying and winded up easily clearing the rightfield fence.

Another anchor in the middle of the lineup is sophomore Jimmy Janicki who made 51 starts last season as the primary third baseman. This season, the 6-foot-4, 223-pound sophomore moves behind the plate. He has impressed in the role, both receiving and throwing, and has shown real power at the plate. At this point in the process, he’s a top three round prospect for the 2027 draft.

Sean Darnell returns at second base after starting 60 games there last season. He’s a coaches’ favorite type of player who is always working to make himself better. The 6-foot-1, lefthanded hitting infielder barreled ball after ball against Kennesaw State, ending the first game with a home run, a double, two singles and four RBIs. His only out was a lineout to center field. Look for Central Michigan transfer Aaron Piasecki to play shortstop. The senior has elite bat-to-ball skills, uses all fields with a compact stroke and finds his way on base. He’s also a plus runner, motoring down the line for a 4.02 from the left side. His arm strength and actions will need improvement to remain in place at the next level, but his offensive abilities make him a top ten round senior prospect.

Jabe Boroff has been a constant power threat all fall (he hit three homers in an intrasquad scrimmage with D1 in attendance) and barrelled up another for an RBI double his first at-bat against Kennesaw State. Boroff could play some third, first, catch, or DH, but the bat could force his way in there somewhere.

Redshirt freshman Ty McGraw transformed his body, had a good fall and could factor at first or in the outfield. There’s still some length to his swing, but he also showed power potential from his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame.

The talented two-way freshman Brady Richardson is also a factor. He’s an incredible athlete who could play shortstop or, frankly, any number of spots. He’s a 6.5 runner with a 65-70 grade arm.

Senior Gavin Schrader was a part-time starter last season and at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, brings a power stick to the lineup. The lefthanded thumper homered against Kennesaw State and also showed plus speed and average arm strength from left field. He has an interesting tools’ package that could develop into a later-round prospect for next summer.

Sophomore Cody Markham started 33 games last season and has impressed this fall, highlighted with a 3-for-4 performance against Kennesaw State. He’s also a plus runner and good athlete.

KENNESAW STATE:

It was a rough day for the host team, but there were some bright spots. Starting pitcher Cooper McMullen allowed one run over the game’s first two innings. The sophomore transfer from Georgia Tech pitched at 93-94 while mixing a plus 80-81 curve and an effective 87-89 cutter. He’s sophomore-eligible for the 2026 draft and slots into a top five round follow at this point in the draft process. Two-way sophomore Tyler Bayer impressed on the mound for the Owls. The 6-foot-3, athletic righthander pitched aggressively and confidently, running his fastball up to 94 mph with a quick arm and moderate effort. He also showed three usable secondaries in a 87 mph cutter, 83-84 slider and 83 changeup. Bayer was a 19th round pick by the Diamondbacks out of high school in 2024 and has everything to vault into the top five rounds for 2027.

 

Raw with his pitchability and light with his control, but big with his velocity was 6-foot-7 righthander Ethan Osada. The sophomore reliever touched 95 and sat 92-94, throwing mostly fastballs against Troy.

Charlie Jones turned around a 95 mph fastball for a double during his first at-bat. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound first baseman showed good bat speed to impact any fastball, but will need to identify spin in order to hit for average. Versatile infielder Josh Gibbs is a good athlete with some twitch to operation. He also saw the ball well at the plate, making consistent contact throughout the day. Junior shortstop Shamaar McDuffie has always stood out for his defense, above average arm strength and everyday availability for the Owls. He has started every game (114) during his two-year, and counting, Kennesaw State career. At 5-foot-11, 160 pounds there likely won’t ever be a ton of power from his slender frame, but his bat-to-ball and on-base skills are slowly improving since my first look in the spring of 2024 at Kentucky. Senior OF Jackson Chirello still shows tools to dream on in the 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame and will be vital for the Owls lineup after a forgettable junior season that was marred with injuries and pressing down the stretch. Showed the duality in the profile with a no-doubt HR to RCF as well as some ugly swing-and-miss on breaking balls.

GEORGIA TECH:

Travels to the Peach State also included an evening scrimmage at Russ Chandler Stadium. It wasn’t the best of times to see the Ramblin’ Wreck in action, as their homecoming football game ended approximately three hours before first pitch, but it was an opportunity to see four of the top 50 college prospects (Drew Burress, Vahn Lackey, Jarren Advincula, Alex Hernandez) for the 2026 draft, as well as some talented arms and an impressive freshman hitter.

Highly regarded as a prep, freshman righthander Charlie Willcox sprayed his 92-95 mph fastball, both 2-seam and 4-seam, but neither pitch was consistently in the zone. His 82-85 mph slider showed good and bad. Some had better depth to go under bats, yet others were flat and finished in the sweet spot. Willcox struggled throughout his two innings with his control, walking six, but there’s an awful lot to like with a quick arm on a strong 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame.

Strong-bodied lefthander Jackson Blakely pitched with a fastball up to 93 while flashing a plus 85 mph slider and an occasional hard curve at 78. He threw strikes with a strong three-pitch mix and looks to have a prominent role as a weekend arm for the Yellowjackets this coming spring. Another likely weekend arm was junior Porter Buursema. The righthander showed good stuff, flashing a plus 83-84 power curve, an average 85-86 slider and average 87-89 cutter as three somewhat overlapping breaking pitches. All broke sharply, especially his curve which produced the most swing/miss, but he struggled to repeat any of them in the zone. Buursema touched 96 and sat 93-94 with scattered control and a higher effort delivery. As a plus athlete with more stuff than control, he slots in 6-10th rounds right now, but could easily move up to the top five rounds with improvements to command.

Freshman outfielder Coleman Lewis missed some time in the early fall with a hamate injury but is back healthy now and hitting absolute rockets for the Jackets. Sent a frozen rope to right field at 108 mph EV for one of multiple home runs during the Fall World Series. He has some swing/miss in his profile, but the power is undeniable.

GEORGIA:

Freshman OF Ty Peeples comes into Foley Field as the top freshman for the Bulldogs after an illustrious high-school career that featured back-to-back Prep Baseball All-American game appearances. He picked up an early knock in the friday instasquad, showing quality barrel accuracy to fire a low and outside pitch for a pull-side single. Swing decisions will be vital early, but an immense hit/power ceiling for the freshman.

Jack Arcamone held real draft intrigue last summer after slashing .355/.463/.675 with 13 home runs and 22 doubles as an eligible sophomore with Richmond, but instead he found his way to the SEC and potentially a middle-of-the-order role with the Bulldogs. A well-leveraged left-handed swing shows easy carry to all fields backed by strong pitch recognition that will allow the C/OF to do damage consistently in a deep lineup.

Junior 3B Tre Phelps is one of the top returning bats for the Bulldogs after impressive freshman and sophomore campaigns, and looks poised to be a leader this upcoming spring. His bat speed looks electric this fall with some added muscle to the frame that will allow Phelps to feed the trees even easier.

Another freshman who’s having a standout fall and looking to force himself onto the field early on is OF Cole Johnson. Gritty, lunch pail profile with impressive bat-to-ball skills that show up regularly. Compact, left-handed swing stays on-plane well with ability to spray balls across the field. Had one of the best days in the intrasquad, on base three times including sending a ball off the scoreboard.

Senior OF/1B Jordy Oriach was highly sought after this summer as one of the power bats in the portal after swatting 34 home runs over the last two years at the JUCO and D1 levels. With a hulking 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame, Oriach has ability to drive balls to all fields with minimal effort and pairs it with an innate feel for the zone (1:1 K/BB ratio in 2025) for a potent power profile.