East Coast Super Sophomore Director's List: Team VA & Select
August 13, 2025
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More than twenty-five Virginia players competed for Team Virginia and Team Select at the East Coast Super Sophomore Games in Chapel Hill and Burlington, North Carolina. This event saw more than one-hundred and seventy-five 2028's from up and down the east coast. Today we take a look back at the second year mega event and how the players fared.
Team Virginia
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Elijah Archer OF / 1B / Highland Springs High, VA / 2028
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James Bacher C / SS / Madison High, VA / 2028
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Gibson Beck SS / RHP / St. Christopher's, VA / 2028Beck had an all-around solid weekend, where he had an impact wherever he played. He had a very impressive outing on the mound, where he worked the fastball up to 88 and sat in the 85-87 range. In his first inning of work, he was fastball dominant, working the corners early in counts and generating some chases up in the zone with two strikes. In his second inning he was in dominant fashion with a steady diet of a low seventies slider that has good shape and late depth that generated plenty of swing and miss in the zone. It is more of a low pulse that shows an extra gear when on the mound. Offensively he showed well, getting on time and finding different ways to get on base. It is minimal movement with some slight rhythm that gets him in sync. He is an aggressive baserunner that shows some above-average speed when swiping bags. There is good pace and fluid actions in the infield, and has the arm strength to stay in the dirt. There is plenty of room in the athletic 6-foot-1 frame to add strength which gives some intrigue on the future when that physical jump is made.
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Wil Camera LHP / 1B / James River High, VA / 2028
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Grant Capel 1B / LHP / Matoaca High, VA / 2028
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Tyler Caperton SS / OF / Easternview High School, VA / 2028Thin and athletic left handed bat. Put together some quality at bats and quality swings on Sunday and showcased himself really well on the mound on Saturday. Caperton is an average to slightly above runner and is a fluid defender in the middle, where he really separates himself from many others in his class. There is a maturity to how he carries himself on the defensive side and is capable of making plays to either side. Caperton is a two-sport athlete, slated to be the potential QB1 this year for a very strong Eastern View program. While this event was going on, Tyler was making trips back and forth juggling both sports. His ability to flip the switch like he did and show the flashes that he did, only speaks volumes to his athleticism and competitiveness.
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Ethan Foster 2B / SS / Wise Central, VA / 2028Foster possesses one of the best hit tools in this class, and it was on display all weekend. He showed a strong round in batting practice on the workout day, just delivering barrels to all parts of the field with a top exit velocity of 95.9 MPH. It is a quiet, balanced setup that keeps a repeatable, short stroke with line drive tendencies. The swing he showed on the workout day translated immediately into gameplay. It was multiple barrels on the weekend with an aggressive approach looking to barrel anything that came across the plate. It is more of a 2B/ corner outfield profile but, what you are buying is the offense that seems to show up against any quality arm.
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Josh Gunning 3B / RHP / Battlefield, VA / 2028There are not a lot of arms at this age that filled up a trackman zone the way he did. I wouldn't say that Gunning was working in thirds, he was working more sixths. His control, especially in his first inning of work, may have honestly leaned more command than control. He was 86-88 in his first inning of work and used mostly his breaking ball as his secondary pitch. It is a firmer breaking ball that while labeled a curveball, leans more slider. It is a short arm action and repeats the delivery well. At the plate, Gunning showed some patience and ability work counts, garnering three walks in six at bats. His loudest contact came on his first at bat where he hit a hard liner right at the left fielder. Higher pre-set hands, deeper hand load, and a smaller lift to stride. Defensively he leans more 3B/2B. He is not a flashy defender, but he is a very consistent defender with above average arm strength across the infield. Overall, as I said with the defense, there is not much that is "flashy" about what he does, he just plays. He hits in game, he consistently makes plays in the infield, and he gets outs on the mound. Gives you a chance to win baseball games when he is in the lineup.
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Tyler Howard 2B / RHP / Spotswood High, VA / 2028Howard has continued to make strides and shows some of the best pitchability in the class this summer. He had a strong showing where he attacked the zone with three pitches, all for strikes. He used the fastball to get ahead, attacking the corners early with some chases up in the zone late in counts. He landed the low-seventies curveball for K’s that has some gradual depth. The changeup has a chance to be a plus pitch that he showed feel for that had some late fade and tumble to left-handed hitters. He is an easy mover that throws with light effort from the lanky 6-foot-3, 155-pound frame. There is a lot to dream on with the next talented arm out of Spotswood.
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Tyler Jackson SS / 2B / Southeast Alamance, VA / 2028Like Caperton, another one juggling some QB responsibilities at this time of year. No matter where he is at on the field, he expects to succeed and he expects to win. Played outfield for a large portion of his high school season and plays a pretty strong infield as well. Average run that should continue to get better, with the potential of being an above average runner long term. Offensively, Jackson is very aggressive in the box. Saw four pitches in his first three at bats in game one. He hit a groundball single on the first pitch he saw and then flew out and grounded out in his next two. Starts slightly open and finishes very slightly open. Head is quiet and it is a shorter path to contact. Whippy barrel that has some doubles power from gap to gap and a chance for a little more long term. Hopped on the mound for one inning and as we learned last year at JFG, if you need a few outs, he is the guy. He will compete in the zone and attacks every hitter that steps in the box, no matter the situation or score. Jackson was 84-86 mph and threw a slider for strikes. Slider leaned more slurve, showcasing some depth and 11/5 shape. With his defensive ability and his advancements at the plate, he is certainly a position first guy, but because of his athleticism and competitive drive, I would not count out the arm completely.
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Conner Lockhart SS / 2B / Miller School of Albemarle, VA / 2028There was immediate impact from Lockhart as he showed some in-game production throughout the weekend. He picked up a big hit in game one that drove in a couple of runs in a 3-2 win. He keeps a balanced setup with minimal movement in the hands. His best swings seem to be where he stays up the middle and works to the backside. It is a long, wiry 6-foot-4, 170-pound frame that has room to grow into. It is a 2B/3B profile that may lean more towards third when the strength is added and the impact picks up. There is significant upside here that goes with the present ability that he possesses.
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Harley Matela OF / RHP / Cape Henry Collegiate School, VA / 2028Matela has a combination of tools that stands out in any setting. He started off the day turning in a 6.87 60-yard dash showing off the athleticism in the 6-foot-1, 194-pound. There were loud rounds of batting practice on the workout day where he had a top exit velocity of 103.7 MPH with an average of 97.3 MPH. Offensively there is a combination of hit tool and power that shows up in the game. He has the ability to impact the baseball that works from a gap-to-gap approach. To go along with those tools, there is adjustability in the swing, where he can adjust in different counts and be able to use the opposite field. There is rhythm in the hands with a whippy barrel that comes off a little different when that loud contact is being made. He has the chance to be an impact bat in the outfield with athleticism to go with the offensive profile.
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Chase Miller OF / RHP / St. Anne's-Belfield, VA / 2028
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Matteo Pipia 3B / RHP / Gonzaga College High School, VA / 2028Longer 6-foot, 165-pound athletic frame. Average runner that could end up above average long term. Hands preset back, slight bat wrap, and minimal moving parts in the pre-pitch. Shorter to contact and level path through the zone that has shown some solid impact from middle to pull. The arm strength and defensive instincts have stood out since we saw him during the high school season. Arm strength to stay on the left side, taller defender that is probably more suited for third long term, but could definitely be a physical shortstop with some offensive upside.
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Cole Plummer RHP / SS / Gainesville High School, VA / 2028
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Braxton Price C / 2B / John S. Battle High, VA / 2028
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Brody Snelson OF / RHP / New Bridge Academy, VA / 2028While there are obvious flashes of some big raw arm strength on the mound, at the plate is where he made his presence known during this event. Not a lot of hits to show for it, but it seemed like every single at bat Snelson was on barrel and producing loud contact. He had two well hit balls in game one and then had probably the hardest hit ball of the weekend to deep left center at UNC. More corner outfield profile with above average arm strength for the class and puts together complete at bats at the plate. I don't want to say bat over arm this early on, especially with some of the arm talent he possesses, but there is considerable pitchability that needs to be added to take over the positional piece, especially if he continues to produce the impact he showed during ECSS.
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Team Select
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Trevor Almond RHP / OF / St Anne's-Belfield School, VA / 2028
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Brayden Cronin SS / RHP / TBD, VA / 2028It was a quality outing from Cronin in his quick two innings of work. He attacked the outer half to hitters at 81-84 to get ahead, which has some downhill plane from an over-the-top slot.. He was able to land the slider in any count that worked well off of the fastball. He is a dynamic mover that works at a quick pace. With the movement patterns on the mound, he has a chance to have an increase in velocity as he gets stronger that will only help to go along with his present pitchability.
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Isaac Elder 3B / OF / Jefferson Forest High, VA / 2028
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Joshua Elmore 1B / RHP / Madison High, VA / 2028
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Cameron Feazell SS / RHP / GLENVAR , VA / 2028There is a sense of consistency each time we see Feazell. He was effective on the mound, making quick work, showing three pitches, all for strikes. The feel for spin was impressive as he used the slider late in counts that generated a lot of swing and miss. He worked the fastball at 82-84 to get ahead and mixed in a few low seventies changeups as well. It was quick work in two innings as he pounded the zone and got outs.
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Cole Krokus 3B / RHP / Floyd Kellam High, VA / 2028It was a strong offensive showing for Krokus on the weekend, as he had a couple of extra-base hits,including a big home run in the first game. It’s a balanced setup with a hovering leg kick that keeps him in sync. There is natural loft in the barrel path that creates easy lift to the baseball. It was easy to see the offensive production he can have when he steps up to the plate.
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Wyatt Liller OF / SS / ATLEE HIGH, VA / 2028
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Christian Mulroe C / RHP / Mills Godwin, VA / 2028
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Luke Torres OF / 3B / Marshall High, VA / 2028Hitters just find a way to hit each time out, and that is what Torres did all weekend. He was a hit machine with multiple hits, being on the barrel when he stepped up to the plate. It is a balanced setup and sinks into his back hip and lets the hands work. He has the ability to spray the ball to all fields. He did show some impact with a double to deep left in one of his at-bats. It is more of a hit tool with singles and a flash of some extra base hits. He brings some position versatility, being able to play positions in the infield and the outfield. He plays with a high motor that brings instant offense when he is in the lineup.
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