The ‘Hotlist’ is a series that provides weekly insight into the high school baseball scene spanning the country, curated by Prep Baseball’s state directors who are situated nationwide, with vital intel on the prospects who are in their own backyards. Each week, we’ll publish our ‘Hotlist’ on varying topics that are timeliest to the national baseball calendar at that point in time.

This week’s topic: With many of our summer schedule's wrapping up, we'll spend the next few weeks highlighting 'Summer Awards'. We're starting with the M.I.P. (Most Improved Prospect), and we're looking for a player who went from a low rank, or unranked, to becoming a 2027 to know as this recruiting cycle officially begins for this class.

+ Learn of our directors stationed nationwide by visiting the staff directory.
+ View which Prep Baseball events are headed your way next at this page.
+ Read about previously published ‘Hotlist’ topics here.

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♨️ The ‘Hotlist’ (8/15):

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Alabama

+ Brayden Cash, RHP (Bibb County HS HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“RHP Brayden Cash (Bibb County, 2027) arguably had the top pitching performance out of any arm on Team Alabama, as he tossed two scoreless frames against some talented hitters from Florida. A 5-foot-9, 144-pounder, what Cash lacks in size, he makes up for in competitiveness and stuff. A consistent strike-thrower who isn't afraid to challenge, the right-hander sat 86-87 mph while topping at 89 mph with riding life and arm-side action to the FB. Has quality glove-side command, and tunnels a late-biting 73-76 mph SL with spin rates north of 2700 RPM at a high level. Also showed a 74-77 mph CH, as well. Fairly easy effort to the operation that is filled with athleticism throughout.”

– Austin Sharp, Scouting Director

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California

+ Roman Del Castillo, OF (Damien HS HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Del Castillo has been to a few events over the last couple of years, but it was at the 2025 California State Games that his physical gains finally broke through. At 6'5" the frame always caught your attention, but now at 185-pounds the added physicality has translated into a more consistent power stroke from the left side that saw him earn MVP honors at the prestigious event. Finishing 6-for-8 with a pair of double, a pair of triples, and two singles. It was the extra base hits (avg. EV of 99.5 mph) that really made an impression. Whereas in the past those barrels would've been lazy line line drives, at the State Games those barrels were hard hit balls that beat the outfielders - to the gaps and over their heads - for extra base hits. You can expect to see Del Castillo make a climb in the upcoming rankings update. ”

– Les Lukach, State Director

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Florida

+ Jameson Moan, C (Northside Christian HS, 2027) | Uncommitted :

“Jameson Moan was an unknown name to the Prep Baseball Florida staff going into this summer but opened our eyes as well as college coaches this summer. First coming to our Tampa Summer ID where he showed pop times into the 1.8s. He later showed well again in Clearwater behind the plate and with the bat earning himself a Future Games invite. Moan finished second at the Future Games with a 1.76 pop and threw out multiple runners in game. Moan will be a name to know in this 2027 class and should have a busy recruiting cycle. ”

– Rocco Iervasi, Director of Operations

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Illinois

+ Traxton Roberts , RHP (Armstrong HS, 2027) | Uncommitted :

“Roberts is easy to root for. A small town kid who quite literally was working on his farm before his outing at our State Games a couple weeks ago. His rise over the past few weeks has been fun to watch, starting at the Future Games, where he came away as one of our biggest winners with a pair of dominant innings and a low-90s fastball to pair. He was even more dominant at the State Games, earning MV-Pitcher honors after two more dominant innings, striking out all six batters he faced. He's set to be a big riser in our next rankings update, and he shows no signs of slowing down. ”

– Peter Hamot, Assistant Director, Illinois/Wisconsin

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Indiana

+ Ben Canada, INF (Guerin Catholic HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Leaving 2024 as the No. 80 ranked player in the class, no 2027 enjoyed quite the rise as Ben Canada in 2025. Growing four inches and adding twenty pounds of strength after the offseason, Ben returned to the All-State in March with a prospects' look at 6-foot-2ish, 180-pounds. His sweet left-handed grew to be impactful and he proved that in the spring by clubbing six homers, tying for the state lead amongst all 2027 grads. Now nestled inside the top ten as the No. 10 prospect in the class for Indiana, Canada continued his rise in 2025 with Team Indiana at the Prep Baseball Future Games.”

– Cooper Trinkle, Scouting Director

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Louisiana

+ Jack Lee, RHP (Alexandria Senior High HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Standing at 6-3, 200-pounds with more physical development still ahead, Jack Lee was one of the breakout stars of the 2025 Future Games. Virtually unknown heading into the summer, the Alexandria Senior High product made his mark at our July 1st Baton Rouge Summer ID event and earned an invite to LakePoint—and he made the most of it. After his Future Games performance, he’s no longer flying under the radar. Lee took the ball in Game 3 against Oklahoma and delivered two shutout innings with zero walks and four strikeouts. He operated with a clean, efficient delivery and a shorter, powerful arm stroke from a ¾ release. Working quickly and confidently, he pounded the zone with a riding 90-92 mph fastball that overwhelmed hitters and produced consistent in-zone swing-and-miss. While he also featured a 76-81 mph sweeping slider with spin rates in the 2333-2435 RPM range, he rarely needed to use it—his fastball was that dominant. Stories like Jack Lee’s are exactly why we do what we do at Prep Baseball. He’s another rising star who has seen significant attention from college programs and he’ll be a massive riser in our next state rankings update.”

– Alex Armand, State Director

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Minnesota

+ Keaton Wojcik, LHP (Mankato East HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“One of the big winners coming out of the Future Games for Team Minnesota is left hander Keaton Wojcik. Wojcik is a young projectable lefty arm that has plenty of room for continued growth and development. A mid to upper 80s fastball that topped 90.1 mph who showed pitch ability during both his appearances, Wojcik will be an arm to follow in Minnesota's 2027 class”

– Andy Judkins, State Director

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North Carolina

+ Leyton Guhl, C/OF (Metrolina Christian Academy HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Guhl jumped on the scene with an impressive workout at the Charlotte Preseason ID. A good athlete with quickness and strength, Guhl saw his play in workouts begin to translate in live game action. As the summer season began, Guhl jumped into the conversation with some of the top catchers in the 2027 class in North Carolina. At the NC/SC Border Battle in June Guhl saw his peak exit velocity climb to above 98mph, carrying an average above 93mph off the barrel. Behind the dish the velocity out of the crouch got to 82mph, carrying a 1.94 pop time. The impressive part of the event was the way the tools carried over to the live game action. Guhl has continued to see his athletic ability translate on the field and is a "riser" in the 2027 class.”

– Brandon Hall, Mid-Atlantic Director of Scouting

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Oklahoma

+ Drake Pace, INF (Yukon HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Pace has seen a steady development over the course of the last year and his work away from the field has paid dividends. He has consistently risen in our ranks over the winter, spring, and now into the summer months showing the tools to make him an impact bat at the next level. Comfortable using the whole field, Pace's long levers have shown flashes of big power to the pull side. Loaded with upside, the 6'3"-181-pound infielder's best baseball is still in front of him and is a name to know in the 2027 class.”

– Bret Schwarz, Oklahoma Scouting Director

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Oregon

+ Chase Kelly, LHP (Jesuit HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“LHP Chase Kelly has shown exceptional improvements on the mound in recent months, working his way well up the most recent rankings updates and earning our M.I.P. award. The 5'10 arm was ranked 43rd before a strong look at this winter's PNW Preseason All-State event, shooting his way into the Top 10 for Oregon's '27 class. Kelly impressed during multiple high school looks in the spring before delivering a dominant outing in Georgia as a part of Team PNW at the 2025 Future Games. The lefty changes speeds well from a repeatable delivery, mixing in three pitches in all counts with a FB in the mid-80's and a CH/CB offspeed combination. Kelly should be on recruiter's radars as a strike thrower who competes and misses bats well.”

– Dylan Grenz, Associate Scout

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Vermont

+ Andrew Nunziata, RHP (Champlain Valley Union (VT) HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Andrew showed up at the TPG in June and was sharp. We took him to the Future Games, he pitched 87-88 mph with the makings of a good breaking ball. He needs to add a changeup to the arsenal. The arm is quick and clean. ”

– Dennis Healy, State Director, New England

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Washington

+ Grayson Turnbow, OF/INF (Tahoma HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Versatile prospect Grayson Turnbow has made great progress in his overall skillset within the last calendar year to earn our M.I.P. award. First seen at the Ridgefield Summer ID in June of 2024, Turnbow made noticeable gains in his power output and arm strength during looks at a 2025 Preseason Scout Day and during in-game high school looks. Turnbow carried this momentum into the summer as he joined Team PNW at the Futures Game in Georgia, where he had a fantastic showing throughout the week. Turnbow set new PB's with a 6.90 second 60-yard dash and exit velocities up to 97.2 MPH, in addition to showing plus defense at multiple positions and slugging a HR in-game. Turnbow is a winning player that should be on coaches radars heading into the recruiting period.”

– Dylan Grenz, Associate Scout

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Wisconsin

+ Haaken Hovestol, C (Delavan-Darien HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Hovestol has greatly impressed our staff as the summer's winded to a close, especially when you more closely examine his year-over-year improvements that he showcased most recently at the 2025 Wisconsin State Games. Hovestol cut his run time down from a 7.32 in early 2024 to a 6.99 at the start of this month all while improving his batted-ball profile, which is up substantially from EVs in the mid-80s last year to an average of 89.3 mph at the State Games, including a 96.4 max from the left side. The left-handed swing is polished and efficient, which substantially raises his floor given the defensive skills he's already shown from behind the dish. Hovestol's due for a big rise when we update Wisconsin's incoming junior rankings soon.”

– Andy Sroka, National Managing Editor, Scouting

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