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Shipyard/Prep Baseball Showdown: Scout Blog Part 3

March 5, 2025
PB Staff
PB of SC

Now in its seventh consecutive year, the Shipyard/Prep Baseball Showdown high school preseason tournament returns bigger and better than ever. This year's event showcases a highly talented field, featuring 14 of the top teams from across South Carolina.

The tournament will take place from Friday, February 28th, through Monday, March 3rd, at the pristine Shipyard Park. This premier waterfront venue provides a truly unique experience, offering unparalleled views and unforgettable moments for both players and spectators.

Below, you'll find notes and video highlights of standout performers from each team in the tournament.

SHIPYARD PREP BASEBALL SHOWDOWN

Bryson Cothran 2026 INF/RHP Chapman

Bryson’s fastball sits at 80-82 mph with a smooth delivery that allows for consistent command. His fastball has decent life. His slider, at 73-74 mph, has a solid velocity gap from his fastball and shows potential as an effective secondary pitch. It appears to have more of a slurve shape rather than a sharp, late-breaking slider.. His overall mechanics are clean and repeatable, with a balanced leg lift and efficient arm action that provide a strong foundation for further development. 


Kevin Elias 2025 West Ashley

Kevin has a balanced stance with a strong, controlled load that helps with timing and consistency. The hand path is efficient, staying inside the ball for solid contact, and the barrel takes a direct path to the ball. The lower half is engaged well, with good weight transfer and hip rotation to generate bat speed. There is solid extension through the zone, and the follow-through is smooth, allowing for a complete swing.


Lawson Shirley 2026 INF Eastside

Lawson starts in an athletic stance with a strong base and a smooth, controlled load, allowing for good balance and timing. The hands stay in a strong position, working inside the ball with a compact and direct barrel path. The lower half is well-engaged, with a noticeable weight shift from the back leg to the front, creating efficient energy transfer. Hip rotation is well-timed, generating solid bat speed and allowing for a clean, powerful swing. At contact, the hitter maintains a firm front side, maximizing power and stability. The extension through the zone is strong, and the follow-through is fluid, showing a complete and well-connected swing.


Andrew Brandt 2027 RHP/INF Eastside

Andrew’s fastball sits at 80-83 mph, and he pairs it with a slider at 72-74 mph. His delivery is smooth and repeatable, allowing for consistent mechanics and command. His leg lift is well-balanced, keeping him controlled throughout his motion. His lower half engages efficiently, helping generate momentum toward home plate. His arm action is clean, with a good path that allows for fluid movement through his release. The fastball has solid life, and the slider features a noticeable velocity difference, making it an effective secondary pitch. His follow-through is balanced, ensuring a complete and controlled finish to his motion. Overall, his mechanics provide a strong foundation for command and pitch effectiveness.


AJ Jefferson 2026 INF/RHP Lugoff Elgin | College of Charleston Commit

AJ starts in a balanced, athletic stance with a slightly open setup, allowing for a strong base and clear vision of the pitcher. His approach at the plate is disciplined, showing patience in tracking pitches and maintaining a controlled load that keeps him ready for both fastballs and off-speed pitches. His weight transfer is well-timed, moving from the back leg through the front side without excessive drift, helping him adjust to different pitch speeds. At contact, his front leg firms up, creating a solid brace for energy transfer, while his barrel stays in the zone for an extended period, maximizing his ability to make consistent, solid contact. His ability to keep his hands back allows him to stay on breaking pitches, while his quick hands give him the ability to react to higher velocity fastballs. AJ’s extension through the zone is strong, with his top hand staying through the ball, allowing for consistent line drive contact with the potential for power.

Brannon Cunningham 2027 LHP Northwestern

Brannon’s fastball sits at 81-83 mph, complemented by a slider at 70-71 mph and a changeup at 76-78 mph. His delivery is smooth and repeatable, allowing for consistent command of all three pitches. His leg lift is well-balanced, keeping him controlled and enabling efficient energy transfer through his motion. His arm action is clean, with a fluid path that helps generate solid velocity while maintaining deception. His fastball has natural life, and he maintains good direction toward home plate, which aids in command. His slider has a noticeable velocity drop from his fastball, creating an effective off-speed option. It appears to have a more sweeping break rather than sharp, late movement, making it useful for generating weak contact. His changeup is firm but shows good separation from his fastball, allowing it to play well when tunneled effectively. Brannon’s lower half is engaged well, driving energy through the pitch, and his follow-through remains balanced, allowing for repeatability in his mechanics. His pitch mix gives him versatility, and his ability to maintain consistent arm speed across all three pitches adds to his deception.


Jeremiah Cannon 2026 OF Northwestern

Jerimah starts with a balanced, athletic stance that provides a strong foundation for his swing. His load is smooth and controlled, featuring a slight coil that helps create tension for power generation. His stride is well-measured, allowing him to stay on time while maintaining balance. His hands stay in a strong position, working efficiently inside the ball to produce a compact and direct barrel path. His weight transfer is effective, moving from his back leg through a firm front side without excessive drift. At contact, his barrel stays in the zone for an extended period, increasing his ability to make consistent, solid contact. Jerimah’s extension through the zone is strong, allowing for consistent hard-hit balls. His follow-through is balanced and controlled, showing a well-sequenced swing that maximizes his bat speed and power potential. His overall mechanics, combined with his ability to stay on time and maintain a direct path to the ball, make him a well-rounded hitter with the ability to generate quality contact.

Charlie Bailey 2026 RHP Legion Collegiate 

Charlie’s fastball sits at 83-85 mph, topping at 86 mph, and he pairs it with a slider at 75-76 mph. His delivery is smooth and repeatable, allowing for consistency in his mechanics and command. His leg lift is well-balanced, keeping him controlled and helping with proper energy transfer down the mound. His arm action is clean, working in sync with his lower half to create a fluid and efficient motion. His fastball has good life, maintaining carry through the zone with solid extension at release. He generates solid downhill plane, which can be effective in creating deception and inducing weak contact. His slider has a sharp, late break, showing good velocity separation from his fastball while maintaining the same arm speed. Charlie’s lower half engages well, driving forcefully toward the plate while maintaining direction to his target. His front side firms up well at landing, allowing for maximum energy transfer into his pitches. His follow-through remains balanced and under control, which helps with repeatability in his delivery. His pitch mix gives him the ability to attack hitters effectively with both velocity and movement.