Which Pitchers Have Stood Out This Preseason?
February 6, 2026
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 Preseason IDs underway across the country, we’re highlighting prospects who have stood out early and are worth following into the spring. Please submit a PITCHER (or a few) from your state who impressed at a recent Preseason ID. Include where you saw them, what stood out from the event, and why they’re a player to watch as the spring season approaches.
+ 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.
♨️ The ‘Hotlist’ (2/6):
Alabama
+ Inman Carson, RHP (Oneonta HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“RHP Inman Carson (Oneonta, 2027) showed a strong, durable presence on the mound at 6-foot-2, 193 pounds, working from a high three-quarter arm slot with controlled intent at the Huntsville Preseason ID in early January. The fastball ranged 88-91 mph and topped at 92.0 mph, showing spin rates north of 2300 rpm with some arm-side life through the zone. He paired the heater with a slider at 76-78 mph that showed good tilt and sweeping action, giving him a reliable second offering. A low-80s changeup rounded out the arsenal, and as a former Prep Baseball Future Gamer from this past summer, he remains a name to watch closely heading into the spring.”
– David Sharp, Deep South Supervisor
Arizona
+ Zayden Peltz, OF/RHP (EVIT - Chandler HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Explosive two way athlete with real national level tools. Fastball already into the low 90s with a power slider to match, and the right handed bat produces loud impact with ease, giving him serious upside in the 2027 class.”
+ Grant Garduno, RHP (Desert Mountain HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Athletic right hander with present arm speed and a fastball already up to 90 mph that plays with ride and life. The delivery is clean and repeatable, and with a developing slider and changeup, he projects as a high ceiling arm in the 2027 class.”
+ Anthony Solis, RHP (Desert Vista HS, 2028) | Uncommitted:
“Physical young arm with real stuff for his age, already showing a fastball into the upper 80s and a power breaking ball with depth. The delivery is athletic and repeatable, and the two way strength adds to the overall upside as a national follow in the 2028 class.”
+ Jackson Leigh, OF/RHP (Pinnacle HS, 2028) | Uncommitted:
“High end two way athlete with real national juice already showing, highlighted by a fastball up to 94.4 mph and an impact bat that’s produced triple digit exit velos. The combination of arm speed, power, and overall athleticism puts him firmly on the national radar in the 2028 class.”
+ Chase Fillman, OF/LHP (Milennium HS, 2028) | Uncommitted:
“Physical left handed two way freshman with real national upside, showing triple digit exit velos at the plate and a fastball already pushing 90 plus from the left side. The strength, competitiveness, and ability to impact the game on both sides make him one of the top 2028 follows in the country right now.”
– Antonio Torres, State Director
California
+ Miles Herbert, RHP/SS (San Marcos High School HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:
“Herbert has long been a favorite of mine for his work at the SS position, where he is a dynamic mover at the spot and shows impressive upside as an RH hitter. But, with a fluid arm stroke in his profile, the intrigue for what he could do on the mound has long been tantalizing. Now in his Sr. season at San Marcos, he has started to see innings as a reliever during the fall/winter schedule. He attended the LA Preseason ID event to work out as a two-way player, which provided my first chance to see him throw on the mound. Having just thrown the day before, a brief 13-pitch outing, he wasn't ripping it off at full speed, but it was a strong showing of his upside. The FB came out in the 81-84 range after a full position player workout, but spun with RPMs approaching 2300 and avg IVB of 17+". Backing up the FB was a pair of interesting breaking balls in his SLD/CB, each approaching 2400 RPMs and with plenty more in the tank as he polishes his feel for both offerings. Herbert threw the CB with vertical life, including an avg. of -8.2" and a 100% strike zone percentage. The SLD has a solidly different shape from his CB, with over -11" of glove side horizontal break. The delivery in and of itself was athletic, as anticipated, with natural arm speed that hints at a pitching profile that has intriguing upside in the future, should he continue to pursue it at the collegiate level.”
+ Logan Steenburgen, RHP (El Dorado HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:
“Steenburgen is a guy we've had an opportunity grow from a low-80's funky arm into an arm that projects to be a power pitcher in the future. He's consistently over 90 mph now with an above average slider and a fading changeup. He is physical and athletic - we've clocked him at 6.71 in the 60 - at 6'3" 223 and strength throughout the frame. At the La Mirada Preseason All-State he was once again on his game. The uncommitted Steenburgen struck out three and induced weak groundouts to his other two hitters. He used the slider in plus counts as a putaway pitch showing the confidence he has in the pitch. Induced some whiff with the changeup while the elevated fastball was a tool in this outing as well. Steenburgen will once again serve as the ace for El Dorado in a season in which they'll face one of their toughest non-conference schedules in recent years allowing him the opportunity to impress college coaches this spring. ”
– Les Lukach, State Scouting Director
+ Rourke Julio, RHP/3B (Vista Murrieta HS, 2029) | Uncommitted:
“A true freshman on the brink of turning 15 years old, Julio immediately stands out for his 6-foot-2, 183-pound frame, which offers plenty to dream on as he continues to grow and mature. The body looks like it’s built for innings down the road, and the projection alone makes him an intriguing long-term follow.
During his bullpen session at the Inland Empire Preseason ID, Julio worked 82-84 mph with the fastball, pairing the velocity with 2200+ rpm spin and flashes of carry through the zone that hint at future gains as strength and consistency come along. He mixed in a 71-74 mph curveball that spun 2400+ rpm, along with a 71-73 mph sweeping slider that showed clear horizontal movement. The changeup is still developing, sitting 75-77 mph that needs to kill spin later down the line, but he flashed at least one with real late dive… an encouraging glimpse of what could become another legitimate weapon down the road.
Julio is expected to see varsity time this spring at Vista Murrieta, both on the mound and potentially getting some at-bats as a corner outfielder, as his age relative to the competition, only adds to the intrigue. Given the frame, arm talent, and room for growth, he’s a definite freshman to follow this spring and a 2029 name in Southern California that’s well worth circling early.”
– Vinnie Alfino, Manager, Content & Operations
Illinois
+ Gavin Fuscone , RHP (St. Charles East HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:
“Gavin's bullpen this past Sunday cemented him as one of the top uncommitted arms not just in the state, but likely the Midwest. He's a long-levered 6-foot-5, 203-pound right-hander with easy, loose movement patterns and a fastball in the low-90s - sitting 91 in his 'pen and topping at 92 with above-average spin (T2400 rpm). He also flashed a wipeout slider to pair off it at 77-79 mph with over 20" of sweep and 2,400 rpm on average. He's a must follow arm this spring with the significant jumps he has made, and its safe to say he isn't done making strides. ”
+ Cormac Saunders , RHP (Homewood-Flossmoor HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:
“A recent standout from our Unsigned Senior showcase, Saunders has all the makings of a college-caliber arm. He has a strong, durable frame at 6-foot, 200-pounds to go along with a clean and simple delivery. The fastball was 84-86 mph in this look with some carry traits, setting up a high spin curveball (T2671 rpm) and sharp slider (T2432 rpm). He rounded out his mix with a negative vert changeup in the 77-78 mph range, killing spin effectively. It's hard not to like Saunders and dream on the starter upside when combining the frame, delivery and arsenal together. ”
– Peter Hamot, Assistant Scouting Director Illinois/Wisconsin
Iowa
+ Henry Birt, RHP/C (Iowa City HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Henry Birt is a 6'3" 185lb RHP from Iowa City. He showed up to our Fall Review and was up to 87.3mph with 2300 FB spin rate. He also showed a slider at 77.8mph and a changeup that clocked at 81.3mph. Coming off his first event he showed that he was ready to be ranked and currently sits at #31 in the class of 2027 Iowa rankings. Birt's large overall frame shows room for growth while using a quicker tempo delivery to mess with hitters timing. There is life on the fastball and creates whip down the mound. Prep Baseball Iowa gets set to host the first spring preseason ID event this weekend. Henry will also be a part of the Preseason All-State event hosted in March. Birt is looking to make an impact on the staff of the Iowa City Little Hawks who are coming off a 4A state championship last year and looking to repeat again this summer.”
– Tyler Cropley, Scouting Director
Kansas
+ KJ McGill, LHP (Bishop Carroll HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“After a breakout performance last fall, McGill reaffirmed his status as one of the state's premier arms at Sunday’s Wichita Preseason ID. Standing at a lean 6-foot-3, 156-pounds McGill filled up the zone with complete command of his four-pitch mix, anchored by a lively fastball up to 88 mph with heavy arm side action from a fluid 3/4 arm slot. Between his projectable frame and his role as a frontline starter for one of the top Wichita-area programs, McGill is a high-follow prospect who seems primed for another velocity jump this spring.”
– Eliott Wilk, Central Region Operations Director
Louisiana
+ Tanner Rouse, RHP (Metairie Park Country Day HS, 2028) | Uncommitted:
“There are always prospects who break out during our Preseason ID events, and Rouse was one of the biggest movers at last Sunday’s showcase. The Country Day product boasts a 6-foot-1, 175-pound lean frame with long limbs and considerable room to add strength moving forward. He worked exclusively out of the stretch from the first-base side of the rubber, showing a loose, quick, and easy arm action before releasing the ball from a three-quarter slot.
Rouse’s 85–89 mph fastball jumped out of his hand with riding life through the zone, averaging 19.6 inches of induced vertical break. He also flashed feel for spin, pairing the fastball with a 72–73 mph slider that showed short lateral break and spin rates up to 2,453 rpm. While it was more control than refined command on Sunday, there’s plenty to dream on, and Rouse will be firmly on our radar moving forward.”
+ Jiazan Chanthavongsy , RHP (Cecilia HS, 2028) | Uncommitted:
“6-foot-1, 170-pound wiry frame with plenty of room to continue adding strength as he matures. Chanthavongsy emerged as one of the more intriguing arms from our three Preseason ID events. A smooth mover down the mound, he works with a loose, easy arm action that makes his stuff play up. The Cecilia product showed the ability to command his 83–84 mph fastball to all four quadrants, while his 71–72 mph breaking ball featured tight, 11–5 shape. He rounded out his arsenal with a 76–77 mph splitter that kills spin and dives late. With his projectable build and effortless arm, there’s plenty more in the tank for the sophomore right-hander.”
– Alex Armand, State Director
New Jersey
+ Matthew Brogley Jr, RHP (Audubon HS HS, 2028) | Uncommitted:
“Brogley Jr was a standout arm at the NJ Preseason ID: South this past Saturday on January 31st in Moorestown, NJ. He flashed a fastball up to 84.4 mph and spun both breaking pitches over 2600 rpm. We are excited to see Brogley this high school season be an impact arm on Audubon's staff.”
– Nathan Goranson, Northeast Asst Scout
North Carolina
+ Carston Wedemeyer, OF (E.A. Laney HS HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Wedemeyer is scheduled to attend the Wilmington Preseason ID after a breakout 2025 campaign that helped propel the Laney Bucs to the State Championship Series. A staple in one of North Carolina’s most talent-rich areas, he carried that momentum into the summer, turning heads on the national stage at both the National Program Invite and 16U National Championships at LakePoint. As he gears up for his junior spring, Wedemeyer enters the offseason as a name to follow closely, with evaluators eager to see how his game continues to trend after a strong year of production and exposure.”
– Brandon Hall, Mid-ATL Director of Scouting
South Dakota
+ Kade Wede, RHP (Harrisburg HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Wede is one of the top arms in South Dakota and will be one to keep tabs on heading into spring. A Future Games participant last summer who represented the Dakotas on Team Minnesota. Wede continues to progress on the mound each time we see him. The right hander will be in attendance this winter at the South Dakota Preseason ID”
– Andy Judkins, State Director
Texas
+ Brendan Freeman, RHS (Frisco Emerson HS, 2027) | DBU:
“Brendan Freeman RHS 6’1 212 Repeats delivery and arm action. FB up to 91 with carry. Can spin two separate breaking balls, CB 2700+, SL 2800+, action present. Split with depth. Strikes, spin. Will throw harder. Starter stuff.”
+ Mason Duncan, RHP (Flower Mound HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Mason Duncan RHP 6’5 225 Big body with strength to lower. Low slot release. FB touched 91, worked 88-90, life present to both sides of plate, sink down. Slider developing ability to manipulate action, feel for pitch. Turnover change with action. Especially tough on RHH’s. Looking for velo to increase. ”
+ Ian Mulligan, RHP (McKinney Christian HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Ian Mulligan RHP 6’4 205 Great build/frame to add strength. Solid delivery, arm works showing arm speed. FB 87-89 around zone. Will throw harder. Slider varies action, flashes avg action. Change with fade action, feel present. Upside.”
+ Jayton Mulkey, RHS (Caddo Mills HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Jayton Mulkey RHS 6’2 190 Arm works, showing arm speed. FB 86-87, carry present up, arm side life, strike thrower. Velocity will increase. Spiked breaking ball with 2400 spin, feel for action. Slider, 2500+ spin, cutter action. Circle change showing feel. Like the upside, will improve. ”
+ Graham Hardin, RHP (Lubbock Coronado HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“Graham Harding RHP 6’2 185 Arm works, side arm release. FB 89-90 with life present. Slider 2600+ spin, sweepy/slurvy action, will get swing and miss. Turnover change with action/deception. Will develop.”
– Max Semler, Texas Scouting Director
Washington
+ Steven Doersam, RHP/C (Stanwood HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:
“The uncommitted arm broke out in a huge way at last weekend's Northern Washington Preseason ID, showcasing massive strides on the mound since his previous look last summer. The medium-framed righty sat 85-88 MPH with his fastball, pounding the strike zone with a whippy 3/4 slot release. He also flashed a 80-81 MPH changeup with heavy horizontal break and a mid-70's slider located well. Doersam's ease and fluidity in which he moved down the mound was consistent throughout. Few players have shown a bigger leap in stuff from one showcase look to the next, as Doersam was in the low to mid 70's with his fastball just last summer at the Spokane Summer ID. The righty immediately becomes one of the better arms available in the state and will be an intriguing follow heading into the spring.”
– Dylan Grenz, Associate Scout
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