Who were the best athletes this summer?

August 29, 2025
By: Andy Sroka
National Managing Editor, Scouting

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: Last week, we turned our attention to defense, spotlighting the top defensive prospects from the summer. For our final installment of the ‘Summer Awards’ series, we’re highlighting the best overall athletes from this summer’s events — regardless of class or position. Consider athletic testing numbers, multi-sport backgrounds, and in-game athleticism when making your selections.

+ 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’ (8/29):

Alabama

(7/1/25)

+ Jayden Robinson, 1B (Pelham HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Robinson put his freakish athleticism on full display at the Birmingham Summer iD on July 1, 2025. The uncommitted 2026 prospect, who also stars on the basketball court, officially measured in at 6’7”, 218 pounds and backed it up with elite testing numbers across the board. He posted a blazing laser-timed 6.60 in the 60-yard dash, reaching a top speed of 21.1 mph, and showed impressive power with a grip strength of 188.9 pounds in his left hand and 180.9 pounds in his right. At the plate, Robinson registered an exit velocity of 91.6 mph. To cap off his performance, he recorded a 40.5-inch vertical jump, cementing his status as one of the most explosive multi-sport athletes in his class.”

– David Sharp, Deep South Supervisor

California

+ Carson Richter, OF (Newbury Park HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Richter is an impressive physical prospect who has grown to just a tick under 6’5 (easily 6’5 in cleats) while starting to add strength to his frame which gives him an intriguing looking frame with sound athleticism across the board. While we always say the “little guy” needs time to develop, we often forget the “bigger kid” may need time to develop his full coordination to tap into the tools their size presents them. Richter got spotty playing time on varsity as a Fr. before moving into a full-time role this spring for the Panthers and for those who have been around this game long enough the strides the RH hitting power profile prospect has made from 2024 into 2025 have him directly on an upward path. The swing is uphill with loft in the contact profile which plays directly to the power in Richter’s profile and with any uphill path bat speed will be imperative to success to allow the hitter to get to contact and Richter is showing noticeably more bat speed now then in 2024 (a product of the strength he is beginning to add while being more comfortable with his body coordination) which flashed at times over a full year of varsity level at bats with six doubles and a homer (33% of his hits going for extra bases). He is solid present athlete who moves with confidence in RF showing the arm strength, athletic ability and feel for the position to remain in the corner OF long term. There is still rawness and development ahead of Richter to fully tap into all the potential in his profile, but the improvements he has made in the last 12+ months of following this young man have me confident he will stay on the upward trajectory he is currently on which would put him amongst not only the best 2027 players in Ventura County, but amongst the best 2027 recruits in the state of California in the future.”

– Vinnie Alfino, Manager, Content & Operations

+ Hunter Lynch, 1B/3B/RHP (Novato High School HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

‘26 3B/RHP Hunter Lynch of Novato HS

Screaming line drive single for Lynch coming at 104.1 mph off the bat. #PBCASG25 pic.twitter.com/jncnJznX1l
— PREP BASEBALL CALIFORNIA (@PrepBaseballCA) August 1, 2025

– Hank LoForte, NorCal Scouting Director

Canada

+ Gabe Fink, RHP/OF (AHP Academy HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Gabe Fink is one of the top 2027 two-way players in the country thanks to his elite athleticism. The Alberta native ran a 6.60 at the Future Games, 2nd on the team and his RSI score of 4.18 was best in the entire event. As good of a mover as you'll find in Canada among any class, leading to a ton of college interest over the past 3+ weeks.”

– Cam Black-Araujo, Assistant Director

Colorado

(7/23/25)

+ Cooper Vais, RHP/UTIL (Arvada West HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Colorado's #1 ranked 2027 prospect put on a showing at this year's Future Games thanks to posting a fastball up to 91 mph, a 6.6 60-yard dash time, 95 mph outfield throwing velocity, and a 106.5 mph top exit velocity. Vais also has advanced feel for spin with both his fastball and slider coming in at over 2,600 rpm. Last winter on the basketball court, Vais averaged 12.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and over 1 steal per game as a two-sport athlete. ”

– Caleb Dameron, Colorado Staff

Florida

+ Jake Cueto, OF (Belen Jesuit HS, 2027) | Miami:

“Cueto was one of the best athletes we saw this summer. He made a big jump in his 60 time between last fall and this summer. He ran a 6.91 at an event in November and then ran a 6.58 at this year's Future Games. He also had a max vertical of 29.4, which was one of the best verticals we saw all summer.”

+ Blake Davis, OF (TNXL Academy HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Davis is an uber-athletic outfielder who showed off his athleticism at our Miami Summer ID this summer. Running a 6.55 60 and jumping 29.5 inches, two of the best numbers this summer. His athleticism showed well in the outfield as well.”

– Rocco Iervasi, Director of Operations

Illinois

(7/24/25)

+ Brady Cunningham , CIF/RHP (Brother Rice HS, 2027) | Uncommitted :

“It's rare to find someone built like Cunningham with the athleticism he possesses. Standing in at a muscle-bounce 6-foot-2, 217-pounds, Cunningham runs an impressive 6.67 in the 60, but thats only part of the story - as he was ninth overall at the Future Games for peak run speed (22.2 mph) and ninth as well for jump height (30.3"). For his size, it is hard to find someone in the Midwest that rivals the overall athleticism. ”

– Peter Hamot, Assistant Scouting Director, Illinois/Wisconsin

Indiana

+ Drake McClurg, CF (Center Grove HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“The top-ranked CF in Indiana, McClurg is an outlier athlete that shines not only on the baseball field, but as a standout receiver for Center Grove's storied football program. As a sophomore, McClurg earned All-State honors on the gridiron while breaking the Center Grove single-game receiving record and also collecting over 1500 all purpose yards. The athleticism translates to the baseball field as McClurg holds several big time offers as a top 50 prospect nationally, a switch hitting center fielder with a plus run tool and developing power to go with top of the lineup type bat to ball. ”

– Cooper Trinkle, Scouting Director

Louisiana

+ Dekohta Jones, OF (Catholic (BR) HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“5-10, 185-pound athletic frame with a strong lower half. Jones is one of the premier all-around athletes in Louisiana, blending top-end speed with real power. At this summer’s Future Games, he turned in a Louisiana-best 6.62 laser-timed 60 and posted a 30.3” vertical, numbers that speak to his elite explosiveness. That athleticism carried over in game action as he tracked down multiple highlight-reel catches in the outfield. Offensively, Jones showcased impact power, registering a 101.1 mph max exit velocity and an 84 mph bat speed—both ranking inside the Top 5 on Team Louisiana.”

– Alex Armand, State Director

Massachusetts

+ Jack Frostholm, OF (Belmont Hill HS, 2027) | Rutgers:

“6-foot-3, 200 pound right-handed hitting outfielder. Threw 93 from the outfield, ran a 6.6 and had an exit velocity of 103 at a summer event. The skill set is legit for a big bodied player. ”

– Dennis Healy, New England Co-Scouting Director

Nevada

(6/1/25)

+ Matthew Kelley, IF/OF (Basic Academy HS, 2026) | Uncommitted :

“Kelley put on a show amongst the top players in the West region at our 2025 Prep Baseball ProCase - West event this past June. He led multiple categories on the defensive side with a 96 mph Infield Velocity, a 101 mph Outfield Velocity that the new ProCase - West record after posting a 6.66 60 time.”

– Brett Harrison, Mountain West Supervisor

North Carolina

+ Jacob Cesarz, SS (Pro5 Baseball Academy HS, 2026) | Navy:

“Cesarz jumped onto the scene with a solid performance at the 2024 Prep Baseball Future Games. A good runner with twitch and the ability to accelerate, Cesarz added to his profile with his 2025 NC/SC Border Battle performance. The numbers were elite again, running a 6.62 on a wet, slow track, and jumping close to 30 inches on the VALD Performance Vertical test. More importantly, it was the way the power and explosion played on the field. Cesarz went from a great workout guy who showed well on the field to a great workout guy that stood above his peers on the field. The strength and quickness played in the box and at Shortstop, attracting more attention as he went through his summer, ultimately committing to the U.S. Naval Academy to continue his career and education.”

+ Matthew Ulicny, C/RHP (Ravenscroft HS, 2026) | Princeton:

“Ulicny earned an invite to the Senior Future Games with a massive performance at the Team Carolina Summer ID: East. Ulicny checked a ton of boxes as he flooded the stat sheet, showing advanced arm strength from behind the dish and on the mound, created buzz with the way the ball jumped off his barrel, all while running a 6.73 sixty and jumping over 30 inches. At the Senior Future Games, with his future school in attendance, Ulicny upped his athletic profile, running a 6.63 sixty with a 1.63 10-yard split and 3.73 30-yard split. The combination of strength and acceleration will make him a unique follow through his senior year and as he heads to the Ivy League.”

– Brandon Hall, Mid-Atlantic Director

Oregon

+ Kyle Goodwin, OF (Jesuit HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“The Jesuit product put together one of the more well-rounded showings athletically this summer when attending both the Future Games and PNW State Games events. Goodwin ran a 6.69 60-yard dash, the best of any Oregon player at State Games, in addition to posting a 2.01 RSI and 24.9 vertical score on Vald. Goodwin's natural athleticism translates on the field, where he posted mid-90's exit velocities and mid-80's throws from the outfield, holding his own against some top-end competition.”

– Dylan Grenz, Associate Scout

South Carolina

+ Charlie Scott, OF (A.C. Flora HS HS, 2-26) | The Citadel:

“Electric athlete with loud tools across the board and natural twitch in everything he does. Immediately stood out during the workout portion, showcasing elite speed with a 6.37 laser-timed 60-yard dash, putting him firmly in top-percentile territory. Moves with ease and explosiveness, and that athleticism translates to all facets of his game.

From the outfield, he displayed a strong, accurate arm topping at 88 mph, showing the ability to stay on-line with carry through his target. Offensively, he generates high-level bat speed with real power potential, driving the ball with authority during BP and flashing the ability to impact the baseball to all fields.

A high-upside prospect with true dynamic tools, capable of changing the game on both sides of the ball. One to follow closely.”

– Sammy Esposito, State Director

+ Charlie Scott, OF (AC Flora HS, 2026) | The Citadel:

From the outfield, he displayed a strong, accurate arm topping at 88 mph, showing the ability to stay on-line with carry through his target. Offensively, he generates high-level bat speed with real power potential, driving the ball with authority during BP and flashing the ability to impact the baseball to all fields.

A high-upside prospect with true dynamic tools, capable of changing the game on both sides of the ball. One to follow closely.”

– Sean Smith, Mid-Atlantic Operations, Content

Utah

+ Jeremiah Hall, SS/RHP (Maple Mountain HS, 2028) | Uncommitted :

“At 6’2 200 lbs, running a 6.68, 92 across the Diamond, 98 EV, 91.9 Max FB, for his class he is a top athlete in the country and for any age. ”

– Taylor Berg, State Director

Washington

(3/2/25)

+ Beckett Turnbow, RHP/INF (Tahoma HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Turnbow was seen multiple times this summer, most notably at the Senior Future Games in Georgia and at PNW State Games in Vancouver. The medium-framed athlete's athleticism was on display throughout both events, highlighted by a 6.63 60-yard dash time and a 29.9 inch vertical. Turnbow also tested well at the S2 Cognitive Strength test with his Timing Control. The athleticism clearly translates on the field for the Tahoma product, who has run it up to 92 MPH on the mound in addition to triple digit exit velocities at the plate. Turnbow is one of the top remaining uncommitted players in Washington's 2026 class.”