Burton's Scout Blog: Week 3
April 3, 2025
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The Prep Baseball Virginia/DC staff makes their way across the Commonwealth and DC throughout the spring to assist high school players in gathering evaluations, including video and some data, that allow our staff to assist in the potential recruitment of student-athletes.
Take a look at a few games and players that stood out over the past week of play.
*Schools and player names are in alphabetical order.*
*If a player does not have a profile, we do not have the ability to feature them in a story.*
Atlee
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Evan Salapka RHP / 1B / Atlee, VA / 2026The Future Games alum and Richmond commit was outstanding in relief. Salapka worked five innings of relief, gave up one hit, zero walks, no earned runs, and struck out eleven. He dominated with the fastball. The Atlee right hander moved it in and out, up and down, and missed bats and barrels with the upper 80's fastball. While he did use a low-mid 70's breaking ball to help keep hitters honest on the fastball, it was not the putaway pitch. The breaking ball has bigger shape with some depth. While he did show some feel for the zone with the pitch, the breaking ball will need to firm up as he continues to mature and prepare for that next step. Really good early look for Salapka.
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Noah Yoder RHP / 1B / Atlee, VA / 2025The Duke commit touched 96-97, was mostly 93-95 in the first and was more 91-93 in the second, grabbing a few 94's. While he did show some secondary pitches, he did not land many of them. The curveball sat 78-82 mph. Yoder got some chases out of the zone with the breaking ball and that is where the majority of the strikes on the curveball happened. Showed two changeups and what appeared to be one slider, but did not land any of them. While the fastball did overpower a few hitters, for the most part the fight in this outing was finishing counts. He was behind in some counts, and when he got even, or started ahead, hitters were fouling off pitches and making him work deeper into at bats. Still early in the season and I am sure he is still shaking off some of the rust from just ending basketball season. Our staff will give it another start or two, and then check back in on the power right hander.
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Chantilly
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Tyler Katz RHP / chantilly highschool, VA / 2025
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Ajay Parikh RHP / SS / CHANTILLY HIGH, VA / 2025
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Culpeper
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Adam Gessler RHP / OF / CULPEPER COUNTY HIGH, VA / 2026
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Clayton Golden LHP / LHP / CULPEPER COUNTY HIGH, VA / 2026Only one inning of work for the pop up junior left hander. Plenty to like and dream on. Very light effort, comes out easy, and showed average to above average control. As I have stated before, I do not want to go overboard on one inning of work, but there is certainly something there. Effortless upper 80's from the 6-foot-2 left hander. Golden has polish to add, the frame and arm talent to work with, and from my understanding, has the academics to match some of the ability. Next "want" for me? A somewhat extended outing (2-3+ innings) and to see what the story on the secondary may be. Is a no doubt guy for coaches to try and line up this spring/summer and see where it goes.
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Eastern View
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Isaac Babich SS / 3B / EASTERN VIEW HIGH, VA / 2026
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Tyler Caperton SS / OF / Eastern View, VA / 2028Talking about a young infielder that looks the part, Caperton is that. The way he carries himself in the infield, the way the feet begin to setup throws, and the way the arm works all point to this switch hitting middle infielder being able to stick there for the long term. The arm is above average at this point and he seems to have some feel for the pace of plays, as well as has shown some accuracy to the bag. It is a slightly above average run tool for his age/class. Caperton did have one diving play to the backhand side on a line drive that he caught. I did not get a clean in game run time, the one ball in play was a pop up where he coasted into a 5.18 turn. Had two at bats from the left side and one from the right. His first at bat he struck out looking on what he thought was a breaking ball off/down out of the zone. In his second at bat he popped up on the first pitch and then struck out swinging from the right side versus an upper 80's left hander.
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Freedom
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Brodie Carver SS / RHP / Freedom (South Riding), VA / 2026Listed at 6-foot, 174-pound even frame with a more narrow and lower waist. Defensively, Carver has held down the shortstop position for the Eagles for two years now. Solid defender with average arm strength. Long term probably more suited for an every day second baseman, but has some traits and ability to fill a role on the left side. At the plate it is a fairly balanced, wider stance. There is a medium leg lift and a hands load to create space and drop slightly. Somewhat upright posture and the swing path and operation lean more toward having its best impact to the middle and backside gap. Seems to show up and get it done on the offensive side with some feel for the barrel.
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Mills Godwin
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Camden Lockhart OF / 1B / Mills Godwin, VA / 2026
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Luke Smyers LHP / OF / Mills Godwin, VA / 2025Really strong outing for Smyers. Scattered five hits over 5.1 innings of work. Allowed only one earned run and struck out ten. The Alabama commit sat 87-90 through the first two and touched 91 mph once. As he progressed into the outing, Smyers sat 87-89 mph and would touch 90 on occasion. While he did plenty of damage with the fastball, it was the breaking ball that was the winner. He threw the 75-78 mph breaking ball whenever he wanted. He backed it up on numerous occasions versus hitters from both sides, pitch after pitch, using it early, even, and ahead. In addition to his strong start, Smyers had the walkoff triple and would score on a throwing error to end this one.
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Cal Travers LHP / 1B / Mills Godwin, VA / 2025
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Westfield
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Kase Cochran C / 3B / Westfield, VA / 2025
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Tucker Whitacre RHP / 3B / Westfield , VA / 2026While the velo was down just a tick from what we have seen at times in the past, Whitacre pitched on Friday night. He had some traffic early in the game, sometimes heavier than others, but he made the pitches that got him out of those situations time and time again. The fastball was 82-84 mph and held through the vast majority of the outing. While I labeled the 79-81 mph offering a sinker, it very well could have been a firm changeup, but I sided with a sinker. He killed spin on that pitch and out of the hand it had pretty significant late run and fade that tended to play like a changeup. He used it mostly versus left handers and got some of the most uncomfortable swings of the night on that pitch. Showed a gradual low 70's breaking ball that he landed for strikes. Struck out eight, walked one, and scattered five hits in six innings of work.
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Woodgrove
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Brodie Carley LHP / OF / WOODGROVE HIGH, VA / 2025
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Coltan Dezarn 1B / 3B / WOODGROVE HIGH, VA / 2026Even and athletic frame with some mature features. Slightly wider base, short and direct to contact, and more middle to backside tendency. Had a double in his first at bat, and followed that up with an infield single and a groundout to the right side in his third AB. Hit tool bat with some occasional doubles.
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Patrick Lyons OF / RHP / Woodgrove, VA / 2025Listed at 6-foot, 185-pounds, think that listing is a little light. Filled out, strong and athletic frame. Advanced bat speed and some obvious strength to pull. Hit a two run homerun in the bottom of the seventh to bring Woodgrove back within one. Average to slightly above runner with the ability to impact the baseball. Air Force commit.
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Bryan Miller jr C / RHP / WOODGROVE HIGH, VA / 2027This was my first look at the highly ranked Woodgrove athlete. Got a chance to see a little bit of everything during that first look. Caught for just over half of the game, played an inning or so in left, and then came in to pitch on the back end. Miller is a left handed hitter that starts with a slightly open stance, small lift to stride, and lands on line. Short, flatter path to contact and a whippy barrel through the zone. The swing and physical makeup looks more line drive/hit tool type of bat. Had a single up the middle, as well as two HBP's, and a groundout through his first four at bats. Behind the plate he showed solid hand strength when receiving, quiet and under control on pops, and had some solid direction on throws. While the arm showed as average in between innings, it showed much better carry and strength on the one in game pop that he had. The throw was on line and on time, but the coverage was a step or two late getting to the bag. On the mound Miller was up to 89 and sat more 86-88 working mostly to the glove side. He also showed a slurvy breaking ball and a changeup, with some ability to land both for strikes. While there is some ability on the mound, it seems more athlete pitching than pitcher. Not ruling it out, but the value lies in the left handed bat, positional versatility, and athleticism.
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