Burton's Scout Blog: Week 4
April 9, 2026
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Throughout the VA/DC high school season, our staff travels far and wide to identify the best players in the Commonwealth. In additon to that, our staff delivers evaluations and video to assist players in their recruiting process. Every week our staff members provide notes and video in an assortment of scout blogs. Jason Burton, the Virginia/DC Scout Director, will be delivering his weekly scout blog on some of the players he saw during his travels.
In week four, we take a look at six teams, mostly western based teams from travels over the past week.
Burton's Scout Blog
Auburn
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Canyon Calhoun SS / RHP / Auburn, VA / 2028Listed at 5-foot-8, 180-pounds. Calhoun started on the mound, working upper 70's with the fastball and upper 60's with the breaking ball. Higher set hands at the plate, level path through the zone, and used the whole field in apprach.
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Brody Hensel 1B / LHP / Auburn, VA / 2026Has thinned out and physically, he looks the part. Controlled the zone fairly well, did not chase out of the zone, and the bat to ball is beginning to catch up with the power potential. Beat out an infield single early on and showed some improved athleticism.
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Alex Young OF / LHP / AUBURN HIGH, VA / 2028Thin and fairly narrow frame. Weight set on backside at the plate, higher hands, and make a direct load to a slight wrap on leg lift. Average bat speed and a whippy barrel through the zone. Worked gap to gap in approach and while it is certainly more hit over power, there is some extra base ability there. Had three doubles on the day.
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Broadway
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Colby Fesler RHP / 2B / Broadway, VA / 2027Fesler is as consistent of an arm as you will find at the high school level. A ton of strikes, uses three pitches, and works deep into games. He started off 22 of the 27 hitters he faced with a strike. That is a recipe for success, especially at the high school level. Velo was 85-86 for the first three innings, and that held into the sixth and seventh innings. The slider is shorter shaped with more 10/4 shape and sat at 73-75 mph. Solid feel for the 79-80 mph changeup, but definitely his third pitch, more so because the fastball and slider are all he really needs vs high school hitters, and because he seems to use the changeup more so to left handers and he just does not face many in HS. Scattered four singles, one of which that went about 8 feet in front of the plate, walked two, and struck out ten. Extremely efficient in the zone and dominated this game from start to finish.
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Northside
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Camden Spangler OF / RHP / Northside High, VA / 2027Spangler continues to show why he is one of the best players in the western part of the state. While he had his moments on the mound, it was at the plate where he did the most damage last Wednesday. Spangler was 3-4 on the night, just a homer shy of the cycle. Each hit was bigger than the previous, with the night capped off with a bases clearing triple that gave Northside the lead. It is contact over power, hit tool type of bat. Works gap to gap and seems to hit everything where it is pitched. It was good bat to ball skills and a controlled approach at the plate. On the mound, Spangler is one of the best strike to ball ratio arms in the state. Last week he worked to a 72% strike percentage and followed that outing up with a 59% strike percentage outing on Monday. The fastball usually works in the mid 80's and will run an occasional 87-88. Mostly two pitches, with feel for a low to mid 70's breaking ball. While throwing strikes is very important, especially in the era of stuff over pitch that we are currently in, he is almost in the zone a little too much (if that is such a thing). Hitters came to the plate ready to attack, but at times he did a nice job expanding the zone and getting some chases, especially with the breaking ball. Tallied nine strikeouts in six innings of work.
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Brett Taylor 3B / RHP / Northside High, VA / 2027Plenty of raw tools for the physical and athletic junior. Advanced bat speed and power potential at the plate. Above average arm strength in the infield, enough to stay at third. Depending on the level of play, could be more first base/right field, but again, Taylor has the arm strength to make it work at third. Did have two strikeouts on the night and there is some swing and miss at times, but he is a guy that can impact it enough to where it does not take much to get to some of that power. In the sixth inning, Taylor did a nice job staying on an outside pitch for a line drive single into left center. It was a six pitch at bat, fouling off three pitches and two called balls before hitting a liner over shortstop.
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Justin Tucker 1B / RHP / Northside, VA / 2027Simple and quiet setup at the plate, hands preset back, and a direct path to contact. Is slightly open at setup and stays open after a simple heel lift to trigger the swing. Level path through the zone and more line drive oriented. Was 3-3 on the night with line drives sprayed from the left field line to the right center gap.
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Rappahannock
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Daniel Morrison LHP / 1B / Rappahannock High, VA / 2027The junior left hander worked 4.1 innings on the mound and navigated his way through a solid Auburn lineup. Pitchability over stuff, average arm speed, and a fastball that sat in the upper 70's. Everything worked mostly to the arm side and threw 57% strikes over the course of the outing. At the plate, it is an open setup, some wiggle in the hands, and works in a tight window with the swing. Whippy barrel and clears it well. Was 2-4 on the day with a double and two RBI.
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Salem (Salem)
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Zach Bocock RHP / Salem High, VA / 2026Large and filled out frame, especially noticeable in the upper half. Stretch only delivery, coils closed, and unravels down the mound. Full arm swing, low three-quarter slot, and lands very slightly closed with some crossfire to the delivery. It is a bit of a stiffer operation and reliever feel, but it is a lot to look at for hitters and most of the lineup just did not seem to be able to settle in and look comfortable in their at bats. There were some chases out of the zone, a few by a wide margin on pitches that were never strikes, just showing that hitters seemed to not be able to get comfortable facing the JMU commit. The fastball was 87-90 for the first three innings and worked mostly to gloveside on right handers. He had two breaking balls, a curveball and slider. The curveball was 74-76 mph and seemed to be the better of the two, feel and shape. Tended to work around the slider a little bit. The slider was firm, sitting 78-81 mph. Showed a handful of 79-82 mph changeups that could be the third or fourth pitch.
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Aiden Poff 3B / RHP / Salem High, VA / 2028Proportional frame listed 6-foot-1, 202-pounds. Poff has shown some strength this spring, running a ball out of the yard in front of our staff earlier last week. This day was more defense than offense on this day. Had an in-game 2.07 pop time to throw out a runner. Was under control on his in-game throwing opportunities, showed average to slightly above arm strength, and accuracy around the bag. Did have a single on the night, but for the most part it was a down offensive night. Right now, the offense seems more power over hit. Physical, true 2028, solid arm strength with some catch and throw ability, and has some power potential at the plate.
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Turner Ashby
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Colton Jennings LHP / OF / Turner Ashby High, VA / 2029Not a ton to add here, especially a freshman facing an arm like Fesler, but definitely passes the look test (added bonus being a LHH). Listed at 6-foot-2, 175-pounds and looks every bit of it. Wider and square stance at the plate, feet seem a little unsettled at times, and uses a small pickup and replace to stride. Hands and head are quiet and it is a pretty simple, repeatable operation. Shorter path and does a good job staying inside at contact. Did have an infield single in his last at bat. Ran a 4.48 Home-1st during his last at bat.
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Mason Mantz C / OF / Turner Ashby High, VA / 2027Compact frame, high energy, and positional versatility. Squatted and wider stance at the plate, quiet hands, and a direct path to contact. Hit over power type of bat that has produced at a high rate for the three years he has been on the TA varsity. There was not a ton of offense for the TA team that night, but he was able to manage a line drive single in his second at bat. In his other two at bats he struck out and had a couple of swings and misses on sliders that got him behind in counts. Positionally, is a solid high school catcher. High energy, vocal, leadership qualities, and does not wane in terms of ability to stay mentally engaged every pitch. Did not have many, if any, opportunities to throw in game during this one, but was accurate in pre-game I/O, as well as between innings. Arm strength is average. Long term positional projection appears to be left field or behind the plate, and he is athletic enough to be a solid defender at either. 
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