Burton's Scout Blog: Week 5
April 16, 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 five, we take a look at seven teams and nearly two dozen players from across the state.
Burton's Scout Blog
Bishop O'Connell
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Cam Bates SS / RHP / Bishop O’Connell High School , VA / 2027Compact frame, more second or third base, contact bat, and gets wider and adjusts with two strikes. Had one of the biggest at bats of the day, working an eleven pitch at bat, ending in a RBI single. Bates' single extended the DJO lead to two in the bottom of the fourth.
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Shota Fogus RHP / OF / Bishop O'Connell, VA / 2026Medium length outing in relief. Came on in the fifth and got a pair of strikeouts with a pair of runners on base to end the inning. Got into a little trouble in the sixth, started by an error and followed by a single and homerun, but got another pair of strikeouts to end the 6th. In the 7th, after a leadoff double, retired the next three, including another pair of strikeouts. Seven total strikeouts of his eight outs, mostly overpowering hitters with the 88-91 mph fastball that touched 92. Small sample size, but did not land the mid 70's slurve and showed a few changeups at 79-80 mph. Deeper arm swing, lands closed down the mound, and has slightly above normal effort in the delivery.
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Bryant James SS / Bishop Denis J. Oconnell High School, VA / 2026Probably the best overall day I have seen from James in two years. The athleticism and tools have always flashed, but whether it be HS or travel, I have not been able to see it consistently in game. Saturday he made more than his fair share of plays at short, ranged to his left and right, came forward on slow rollers, and showed off his above average arm strength with accurate throws across. At the plate, James ambushed counts early on and showed some bat to ball skills. Seems to favor pitches low in the zone, and is not afraid or unable to produce solid impact on pitches below the zone. A couple of AB's late in the game, it almost came across as a good, bad ball hitter. His last two hits were on pitches down and out of the zone and the ball still jumped off the bat better than just about any swing from either team on the day. Picks and chooses when to show the run tool, but when he wants to go, he can accelerate with ease and get to top speed quickly. Overall, really strong day from the UVA commit.
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Robert Kilpatrick III RHP / OF / Bishop Denis J. Oconnell High School, VA / 2027Long and wiry 6-foot-3 frame. Down and out delivery, full arm swing, and lands closed down the mound. Slightly above normal effort with a little head knock at finish. Held his 87-90 mph velo well through the first three innings, showed two secondary pitches, and worked to a tune of 65% strikes on the day. The breaking ball is a little slurvy in shape, sitting mostly between 74-76 mph and showing two 77's. The changeup was firm at 82-83 mph and held armspeed well. Saw some traffic in a few of his innings, but did a really nice job making quality pitches to either minimize or escape any trouble altogether.
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Cosby
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Luca Briggs C / 3B / Cosby High, VA / 2029Walked away two straight weeks impressed by the freshman. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see Briggs at the plate on two separate occasions, but if the swing works in game anything like it does in BP, he has a bright future. When I watched it BP the things that stood out is that it was simple, focused approach to the middle and backside, and effortless backspin with above average feel for the barrel for a freshman. Defensively during pre-game the actions were solid. Arm strength is above average for his class. Caught Briggs on the mound on Monday. It was a short relief outing, and a tough situation for a freshman arm, but he handled it extremely well. Came in with bases loaded and one out in the fifth, he got a strikeout and a ground out to escape any damage that he inherited. In the sixth it was a clean inning of work, with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout. Showed three pitches, a fastball, slider, and changeup with each of them having their own value. The fastball was 85-87 mph and touched 88 and was more carry than sink or run. Breaking ball was 74-77 mph with more of a downer slider shape. Looked more like a chase and finisher type of pitch, as opposed to a starter or get over/ahead pitch. The changeup was as impressive as any pitch he threw on Monday. Comes out well at 79-81 mph and tunneled well off of the fastball. Solid feel with good arm speed. He is an athletive mover, the arm is quick on the backside, and has above average arm speed. It was a pretty athletic and good looking operation for a freshman arm. In 7 years, I have never moved a player into the rankings mid-cycle, but with where he is at (and our staff having never seen him), it was more than appropriate and certainly deserving.
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Blake LaMattina SS / RHP / Cosby, VA / 2027The past two weeks are the first two times I have seen LaMattina since Future Games last July, and certainly the first since his commitment to JMU. For a while I have leaned into position over arm, maybe because of the much higher value place on an infielder than a right handed arm, but that has probably flipped in terms of long term projection for me. On the mound it is a fairly normal effort delivery, longer and loose arm swing, and works from a three-quarter to slightly higher three-quarter arm slot. The fastball worked mostly in the 87-89 range with a 86 or two sprinkled in, but can add 1-2 onto the fastball, grabbing 90-91 mph when he wants. Got some whiffs and chases at the top of the zone and extended. A little because of the closed landing, the curveball is more 12/6 shape and gets up and down at 74-75 mph with solid feel. The slider has a little more horizontal to it, sitting 76-78 mph. Showed a few changeups at 80-82. Allowed only one hit over three innings and punched seven. Really solid outing. Played short for about eleven of the fourteen innings that I took in. Arm strength to stay on the left side and shows some actions, but definitely more third than short. At the plate he is closed off in stance, feet seem unsettled and adjust and move throughout his pre-pitch prep, and hands stay fairly quiet during the load. Level path with a higher finish and does a nice job staying behind the barrel at contact. Small sample size, but in the seven at bats I have seen it has not necessarily been swing and miss issues, more quality contact and ability to get on barrel and on time consistently. 
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Tyler Tapscott 1B / OF / Cosby High School, VA / 2026Probably the most impactful offense in this lineup. There is some swing and miss there at times, but the large frames left handed bat brings the ability to be a scoreboard changer and difference maker for this lineup. Overall this lineup features more bat to ball and contact driven players, while the Mary Washington commit has some impact and run production upside.
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Cox
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Henry Brown 3B / 1B / Frank W Cox High, VA / 2026Strong 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame. Hands set in the middle, deeper load, medium lift to stride, and gets it down on time. Well above average bat speed and strength through contact. He has progressed to one of the best hitters in the 757 and has an argument as one of the best LHH's in the state. He has a solid combo of hit and power, with the ability to get to the power in game without really chasing it. VCU commit.
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Santiago Gomez SS / C / Frank W. Cox High, VA / 2026From the side, looked like a breaking ball that he timed up really well and elevated for a two run homerun. It is a medium lift to load and showed some balance and feel for timing, specifically on that swing, where he delayed his plant just a bit and was able to trigger in rhythm.
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MJ Lemke RHP / 1B / Frank W. Cox High, VA / 2026Long and thin 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame. Good direction down the mound, lands on line, and repeats the delivery well. Normal effort, loose and full length arm swing, and works from a high three-quarter arm slot. Everything he did was under control and intentional. It was a lot of strikes early, got into trouble in some counts in short spurts, but regained control/command fairly quickly. One of the biggest takeaways was that a lot of the misses were competitive misses, unlike what you see with a fair number of HS arms. Most arms are either in the zone, or non competitive pitches out of the zone. He had close misses, flashed some glove side command with the fastball, and attacked hitters. Fastball was 85-88 through the first two innings and was more fastball/slider, which is a little switch up from the past when it was mostly fastball/changeup. Worked six innings, allowed one earned run, and struck out seven.
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Wyatt Rusak 3B / RHP / Frank W. Cox High, VA / 2029Projectable frame listed at 6-foot and seems to have grown since we last saw him two months ago. Medium length arm swing, high three-quarter arm slot, and a whippy arm action with above average arm speed. Lands on line on a softer front side. One inning of relief, working 83-85 mph with the fastball. Showed three secondary pitches, including a CB/SL/CH. None of the secondary pitches showed much separation from the others, but was able to show a little feel for each in a short window of work. Was competitive around the zone and not afraid to attack hitters with the fastball.
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Glen Allen
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Cooper McPherson C / 3B / Glen Allen High, VA / 2027Strong 5-foot-11 frame, listed at 223-pounds. The strength is proportional and very evident, especially when you see how it comes off the bat. Real power in this bat with above average hand speed and high end bat speed. The impact is real and because of how easily he generates the bat speed, he should not have an issue getting to the power. Small heel lift to stride, clears the front hip, and attacks contact out front. Can mishit balls for extra bases and has a chance to be a real run production bat that should be a close follow this spring and summer. Two sport athlete (football).
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Tucker Von Herbulis SS / RHP / Glen Allen High, VA / 2028Long and lanky frame with a higher waist. Square stance at the plate, small lift to stride, and lands slightly closed. Minimal moving parts, able to repeat, and shows some balance and timing. Level path through the zone and is hit over power. Works gap to gap with more line drives and doubles. The defense is where he stands out the most on the positional side. Can really defend. Hands work, arm strength to stay on the left side long term. More third base than shortstop because of some footspeed and lateral range questions.
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Gonzaga
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Tyler Majkowski LHP / LHP / Gonzaga College High School, VA / 2026We have watched this arm compete on the mound for 3+ years and that is exactly what he does, compete. The stuff has stayed pretty similar for the last 18+ months. While he can run the fastball into the mid 80's, he is going to pitch in the 79-82 range. Moves the fastball around, not afraid to try and get under RHH hands, and can spin the breaking ball for strikes and lands the changeup. Pitches with an edge. It is certainly pitchability over stuff, but every time he goes to the mound he gives his team a chance to win.
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Matteo Pipia 3B / RHP / Gonzaga College High School, VA / 2028One of the hottest hitting sophomores in the the NOVA/DC area. Hit over power, but flashes the ability to run a ball or two out of the yard occasionally. Even weight distribution in a slightly open stance. Hands are higher set and have just a little wiggle on load. Small lift to stride and lands on line. Level path to contact and barrel has some whip through the zone. Could use some more extension through contact and stay through the zone a little longer, but has shown solid hand-eye and bat to ball skills.
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Dylan Waits SS / 2B / Gonzaga College High School, VA / 2026
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James River
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Alex Adams C / OF / James River High, VA / 2029After seeing the freshman catcher two weeks ago, I came away even more impressed this trip. Seeing a young player one game can make that wave ride a little high, but when you see them a second time, see similar things, see him vs RHP's and LHP's with varying degrees of velo and secondary, and he handles himself as well, or better each and every at bat. The arm strength is solid for a freshman. He has not had many, if any, chances in the two games of action, but it shows well in between innings. Handles himself well behind the plate, blocking and receiving. At the plate, the biggest takeaway is the zone control and swing decisions on competitive pitches. He had some close takes on Monday, no swings and misses, and had a quality at bat to put James River up in the second.
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Wil Camera LHP / 1B / James River High, VA / 2028Just a flat out competitor. Got himself into a little trouble in a few innings, but was able to make big pitches to get out of it every time. Continues to show the developing and improving slider, that pairs really well with the bigger shaped curveball. He can land both breakers just about whenever he wants and shows a changeup as well. While the fastball velo sits low to mid 80's, his secondary usage rate and ability to land it consistently allows the fastball to play up just a tick. Worked 6.2 shutout innings on the mound and piled up eight strikeouts.
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Walsingham
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Corey Overmeyer 1B / RHP / Walsingham Academy, VA / 2026The offensive upside and production continues to show well this spring. Had three hits on the day, including a line drive single in his first at bat on a breaking ball and a two strike single in the middle innings. Setup wise, Overmeyer sets up with a little bit wider base, medium lift to stride, and hands are preset back. Medium length to the path with above average bat speed and has shown adjustability in the swing and approach. Spreads out a little more and goes no stride with just a heal lift on two strikes. The bat to ball that I have seen this spring has been much improved and has not sacrificed his power in order to improve the contact rate. Has six homeruns on the season thus far.
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Matthew Swanson RHP / 3B / Walsingham, VA / 2026Was really strong in his 7+ innings of work. Struck out twelve and scattered six hits across the 32 hitters he faced. Some hitters ambushed some early counts in the first two innings, but he was overpowering in the 4th-6th, retiring nine straight hitters with six of them being strikeouts. The fastball was 86-90 through the first three innings and touched 92 twice. It was fastball/slider only during his first three innings of work, with the slider sitting 77-80. Slightly lower elbow on the slider and tended to miss to the gloveside in the first two, but really started landed it consistently in the middle innings. JMU commit.
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