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MLB Draft Buzz: South Walton Showdown

March 16, 2026
Shooter Hunt
Vice President, Scouting



Each spring, the South Walton Showdown has quietly developed into something of a sleeper favorite within the scouting community, drawing nationally relevant programs and a collection of talent that consistently attracts evaluators from across the country. Hosted by South Walton High School, the event serves as a natural gathering point for MLB evaluators and industry decision-makers eager to get extended looks at some of the top players in the country in a competitive environment.

The talent level on the field is evident from the first pitch. Rosters are filled with high-level prospects and committed college players, and the matchups frequently pit nationally ranked programs against one another in games that carry the intensity of postseason baseball despite sitting early in the spring schedule. With that level of competition comes a heavy scouting presence including clusters of radar guns lining the backstops and evaluators filling the stands throughout the week.

What continues to separate the Showdown, however, is the environment around it. Despite the influx of national attention and the steady presence of professional scouts, the event maintains a distinctly welcoming feel that reflects the host community. South Walton High School opens its doors to visiting programs and evaluators alike, creating an atmosphere that blends high-level baseball with a sense of hospitality that keeps teams and scouts returning each year. It is a setting where elite talent and genuine community intersect, making the South Walton Showdown as enjoyable off the field as it is competitive on it. 

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HEADLINERS:

Prep Baseball’s top right-handed arm, RHP Coleman Borthwick (South Walton HS, FL), was the big attraction of the week, thanks to his status as the top prep right-handed pitching prospect in the class. A two-way recruit at Auburn, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound behemoth, who also led off and played shortstop throughout the week, is an outlier prospect in the sense that his big frame, and polished athleticism are rarely seen together. Eliciting some comparisons to former Alabama Crimson Tide ace, and 2025 Twins 1st round comp pick, RHP Riley Quick (36th overall), Borthwick is impressively nimble for his size and while this particular outing in front of hoards of scouts and decision makers was less of a cementing of slam dunk status, it provided ample opportunity for those in attendance to evaluate at a higher level in appreciating the young right-handers ability to adapt and adjust in real time while still dominating without his best stuff.

Borthwick, who played shortstop the night before in a tough loss to IMG, came out in the first inning at 90-91 on the fastball, but ultimately found his groove in the final three frames where he sat 94-97. A bit out of sorts in the first inning in front of a jam-packed, raucous home crowd, Borthwick’s direction and posture correction in the final three frames, along with added intent were vital for the uptick in the overall stuff. Seeming to correct himself and compete his way to a feeling of good rhythm, any frustration that he may have held was not displayed visibly, and his tunnel-visioned intent shined in the final frames.


In what was more of a “gutted effort” against a nationally prominent program with multiple draft prospects in the lineup, Borthwick reinforced his high floor with five shutout innings that included seven strikeouts with just one hit and two walks. It was less of the pinpoint command that Borthwick has routinely shown in the past, but still posted a 60% strike rate while collecting double-digit swings-and-misses.



The ceiling is what the hoards of scouts and decision makers in attendance were assessing, and while the first inning might have caused some concern, the remaining look served to quell those notions. Almost reserving his strength early, the boost to the stuff allowed each pitch to jump a grade. The slider, which started off at 79-81, peaked at 85 mph (2600+) in plus-form. The former hopped up out of the hand as he appeared to guide it into the zone, still effectively, but the latter, thrown with fastball intent, took true-slider form with tilt, and late, hard-breaking action. It was a wipeout offering when at its best, and while not as consistent as it played throughout the summer and in early reports from the spring, still provided plenty for onlookers to get excited about. Still more, the big bodied right-hander showcased a quality changeup at 82-84 that likely grades out as a future average pitch that presently profiles well off the fastball with some arm side life. The fastball, which featured more control than command in this look, featured ride&run to the bottom of the zone when at its best, and procured multiple swings and misses in the final frames with the usual, explosive late life. What makes Borthwick such an intriguing pitching prospect is his athleticism and movement patterns given the hulking frame. There are polished movements with innate ability to repeat, and the arm action mirrors the look of an infielder on the bump. Utilizing his strong lower-half with a quality stack, his short quick arm routinely finds a low ¾ slot with ease.

It is important to note that Borthwick currently shoulders the heavy weight of a big season in a small town. Beyond the gaudy expectations that he holds every time he takes the mound, the big man also is the leadoff hitter and best fielder (shortstop) for the Seahawks. Because of the many roles that he plays, it seems likely that his stuff may fluctuate a bit throughout the spring. However, it is undeniable that he covets the big moment, and those coming in for late looks are sure to be greeted to some electricity, especially when considering the East Coast Pro performance that defined his summer:

On the tail end of the summer and starting a game on the third day of the event, Borthwick saw his fastball climb to 98 mph, sitting 94-96 with command to both sides of the plate. The delivery is controlled and compact before gathering and driving strong down the mound with a slightly crossbody step. The arm works quick and athletic to a ¾ slot from a lower release height while getting quality extension with nimble movement patterns. This look saw the slider climb to new heights. Short and tight while sweeping at times, it was a plus-offering at 84-87 with more than 2800 rpm. Flashing as a true wipeout weapon, this was the best that the slider has been, and provided ample reason to believe that it is only going to get better. He flashed feel for a faded changeup at 85-87, and he looked the part of a potential frontline starter in the making (he held velocity throughout whereas many others dipped).
-Shooter Hunt

In walking away from this particular outing, it was less of an assertive top 15 pick performance than some early spring looks, and definitely late summer looks (RE: East Coast Pro), provided, but hardly one of concern. Instead, facing some adversity while not at his best, Borthwick continued to excel and provided even greater context as to why he is the top right-hander in this year’s prep class. Far from just a big body with a good arm, Borthwick has the feel and competitive edge to continue making adjustments, and he is only scratching the surface of what he can become: not just a first rounder, but a top 2 starter in the making.

Prosek: Professional Hitter

Util. Cole Prosek (Magnolia Heights HS, MS), an Ole Miss recruit, proved to be the top hitter and position player prospect at the event. Light chatter coming into the event is sure to grow louder as the left-handed hitter, who stacked day on top of day on top of day, throughout the summer with a full collection of hits against high-level arms, did much of the same in the Panhandle. Almost seeming to graduate from “hopeful performer” to “expected prospect” in this look, Prosek’s left-handed stroke was in mid-season form with a more cleaned up, yet still athletic and physical, 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame. Setting up square with an athletic base and the hands held nearly in front of the face, he rocks back to a power position with a longer stride while maintaining a command of a forward move that features considerable stretch. Gaining momentum through impact, the head remains still, even while gaining some ground, while the quick hands drive a heavy barrel through the zone with incessant lag and a two-handed finish.

Prosek blasted a home run to left-center field to go along with multiple other hits across two games, and looked poised to leave the yard in each trip to the plate. The hit-tool shines thanks to keen strike zone awareness and pitch recognition, and the power appears to quickly be trending up.

Touted as a utility defender who can move around the diamond thanks to soft hands and a strong arm, Prosek hopped behind the plate for a couple late innings in the first game for Magnolia Heights and looked more than comfortable. Soft-handed with an ease to the one-knee receiving action, his near plus-arm put throws on the bag between innings at 1.95 with plenty of carry. The value potential in his ability to move behind the plate as a left-handed hitter is obvious, and Prosek hardly looked out of place, but rather almost natural behind the dish. Still more, he held 88-91 for six innings in a gutsy performance against a stout lineup the very next day. Prosek has made some strong statements throughout the spring, and when paired next to the production of the summer on the circuit, he has positioned himself into strong, earlier Day 1 consideration, especially when considering his upside behind the dish.

Draft Buzz:

+ RHP Denton Lord (South Walton HS, FL Mississippi State recruit)
Unmistakable at 6-foot-8, 220-pounds with long limbs and lean, athletic strength, Lord’s pure arm-talent and ability to move efficiently with the long appendages stood out, once again, in this look. Facing a daunting opposing lineup in front of more than one-thousand on-lookers all around the diamond, the big right-hander battled through four innings while giving up just one earned run against five hits while striking out four and walking four (64% strikes). Compact throughout a fluid delivery that includes a controlled, semi-shorter arm stroke, Lord ran his fastball up to 97 mph (2400+ rpm), creating a steeper angle from a near ¾ arm slot that took a somewhat low-slot/high release look when at its best. Working downhill, the fastball and slot varied at times, though he routinely went to a fringe average slider at 80-85 (2700+ rpm), flashing above average, for strikes. Less relied upon was an 11/5 curveball (73-76 2786 rpm max) with depth that was a mainstay on the summer circuit. He also flashed a firmer changeup at 87-88 for strikes. The majority of the hits/barrels from the evening came on the slider which featured less teeth in this look, but still has a chance to see a considerable jump given the innate ability to spin. More “around the zone” than pinpoint with the fastball, a closer look at Lord’s metrics, release height, and axis might provide ample opportunity for player development systems to unlock a significant amount of value and upside. While his frame and lean strength is impressive, there is less stacking of the back side which is likely why the stride length overall use of the lower-half still holds a significant amount to be uncovered with a present early Day 2 look and considerably more upside in coming years.

+ SS Parker Loew (Trinity Christian Academy, FL LSU recruit)
Unassuming in the box at a listed 6-foot, 180-pounds, Loew routinely got off swings from the right side that made his presence in the box feel bigger. While there was some swing-and-miss throughout the week, the impact ability and quickness of the hands stood out, and he had a marquee moment in a big, early morning matchup where a towering, likely triple-digit home run was belted. A more static, pre-pitch crouch gives way to a waterfall load with a normal stride, and the strength delivered from the back side is felt from the ground up. Smooth on the dirt in pregame with soft hands and quick, strong arm across, Loew looks to have a chance to stick at shortstop even with a couple miscues in game action. The LSU recruit should receive plenty of looks the rest of the way with a strong schedule for TCA, and some marquee moments in front of the right people might ultimately push him into earlier Day 2 consideration.

+ OF JT Darden (The Bennett School, TX Oklahoma State recruit)
Darden enjoyed the most productive week of any prospect at the event as he went 8-for-15 with three home runs and two doubles across five games. Noticeably more physical at 6-foot, 185-pounds, the high-waisted center fielder took a simple approach from the right side, rocking the hands back to a segmented load with a short stride before showcasing fast hands and compact strength. A premium runner with some rawness at the plate, there is a chance that Darden continues to build more helium throughout the spring.

+ SS Christian Doty (Magnolia Heights HS, MS, Ole Miss recruit)
Built with compact strength on an athletic, 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, Doty showed off a right-handed stroke with some present strength. Setting up crouched, he separates the hands slightly down and back with a short stride before remaining compact to the frame throughout the pursuit. The bat speed stood out in this look along with the ability to cover the plate with firm contact to all fields. More of an average defender at shortstop, he profiles best as a versatile infield defender who might blossom into an offensive second baseman with good value.

+ SS Tre Miller (Magnolia Heights HS, MS, Liberty recruit)
Just coming back from a lower-half injury, Miller looked to be nearly in mid-season form, getting off some outstanding hacks, even when facing difficult southpaws with velocity. A lean, 6-foot, 160-pounder with plenty of room to add strength, the left-handed hitter slowed things down at the plate while allowing his quick hands to produce quality bat speed with lag in the zone. Miller barreled multiple balls in this look, and also demonstrated innate hands and glovework to go with a strong arm on the dirt. Younger for the class, there is a chance that he makes bigger leaps forward in coming years.

+ RHP Ethan Wheeler (Trinity Christian Academy, FL Florida recruit)
The former Prep Baseball All-American re-established his status as a potential starter at high levels with a strong showing against a formidable foe on the road. Seeming to relish the big game atmosphere, the strong, 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-hander finished with eight strikeouts in five-plus innings with the brunt of his statline (four walks, six hits) all coming in the final frame as he tired while approaching 100 pitches. Wheeler worked 89-93 with a hoppy fastball (2639 rpm) that delivered out of a high ¾ slot. It was the secondary, however, that stood out as he distinguished between both a curveball (76-78, 2800+ rpm) and slider (79-83, 2800+) that both showed above average traits along with a plus-changeup at 82-85 (1500s rpm) that was a swing-and-miss offering. The changeup is a true weapon in the making, and while the fastball features more average life, the potential of developing a cutter-like offering feels inevitable. In short, it was a starter look at an ultra-competitive arm who might receive some Day 2 interest in July, but will have a firm foundation to jump off at the next level regardless.

+ OF Clayton Crosby (The Bennett School, TX LSU-Eunice recruit)
Crosby was one of the big winners of the week coming in less heralded, but leaving with significant intrigue. Well put together at 6-foot-2, 195-pounds with square shoulders and lean strength that still shows signs of more to come, Crosby’s balanced approach from the left side delivered multiple big barrels on the week. Gaining strength from the ground up, his compact, fluid load found a quality launch position off the back side with a tighter, two-handed turn.

+ RHP Griffin Loy (South Walton HS, FL Virginia recruit)
The ease of the operation from the 6-foot-5, 220-pound right-hander is sure to draw some intrigue from area scouts who hang around for Loy outings behind the two-headed monster (Borthwick/Lord) that South Walton turns to regularly. Loy’s initial relief appearance did not go to plan, but he bounced back in a big way by going four innings in a start with five strikeouts, one walk, three hits, and no runs to a nationally ranked program. Even-tempo’d with a repeatable delivery, his boring arm action lulled hitters to sleep before a future bowling ball, and presently heavy, sinking fastball came in at 89-93. He countered with a firm, tight slider at 81-83 (2691 rpm) with weapon upside along with a changeup (83-85) that profiled well against the fastball. The ease of operation exhibited starter potential, especially as a strike thrower, and seems inevitable that Loy’s velocity and stuff will all see a bigger uptick in coming years. Whether that is as a later pick in this year’s draft or after a three year residency in Charlottesville remains to be seen, but either way, the future appears bright for Loy.


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