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Jordan's Scout Blog: Week 3

April 2, 2025
Jordan Jones
VA/DC Assistant Scouting Director

 

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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.*

Battlefield

Grayson Abell 2B / OF / Battlefield, VA / 2026

The hot bat for the Bobcats came from the bat of junior Grayson Abell. He was aggressive each time he stepped up to the plate, and that resulted in a multi-hit night. It is a balanced setup that keeps a simple barrel path with line drive tendencies. He showed good pitch recognition throughout the night that uses the big part of the field. He is a high-energy type of guy that gives the lineup a spark, and he did exactly that on Tuesday night.

 

 

Josh Gunning 3B / RHP / Battlefield, VA / 2028

In a big-time game, Gunning was composed and had a veteran-like presence on the field. He delivered in big moments in multiple ways that played a key part in the win. He was strong defensively at shortstop, helping turn a key double play in the late part of the game. He also came up with a big hit, sending a line drive into left for a double that turned the momentum for the team. In the seventh inning in a tie game, he took the mound and put up a quick zero that got them back in the dugout to have the chance to win. He filled up the zone working with the fastball and the curveball. The fastball was 85-86, and landed the curveball with confidence in any count. He brings extreme versatility to this team, and it is only the beginning for the freshman on this talented roster.

 

 

Sam Michel LHP / Battlefield, VA / 2025

In a big game, Michel is the one that you want to get the ball, and he delivered. He gave them a quality start that they needed. He had to work around a leadoff double in the top of the first and escaped with minimal damage. He would follow up the next inning by striking out the side. He finished his outing with three solid innings, picking up seven strikeouts with only one walk. It is a low-effort delivery from a three-fourths slot. The fastball was up to 90, settling in at 86-89, which produced some whiffs up in the zone. The slider was impressive, where he could land it in any count at 75-78 that produced whiffs and some chases for strikeouts. A healthy Michel throughout the spring will be important for Battlefield’s success.

 

 

Luke Raflo C / 3B / BATTLEFIELD HIGH, VA / 2027

Raflo turned in a good at-bat in his first plate appearance, where he worked the count and stayed back on a breaking ball and sent a line drive into right for a single. It is a hit tool type of bat that can use the whole field with impact gap to gap. He shows confidence when he steps into the box with plate discipline. He attacks pitches in the zone, making him a tough out. Defensively he was strong behind the plate, letting the hands work and presenting pitches well. There weren’t many chances in the game to throw any runners out, but the arm strength continues to improve in between innings. It is a bat first, but the defense can still be more than serviceable for the sophomore.

 

 

Josh Weppner RHP / OF / Battlefield, VA / 2026

The appearance that Weppner made out of the bullpen was all that the Bobcats could ask for. He worked into the sixth inning, maintaining the Gainesville bats. He filled up the zone and showed a four-pitch mix that kept the hitters guessing. He ran the fastball up to 87 and sat at 84-86. He mixed in two different breaking balls for strikes as well. The changeup had a lot of success with right-handed hitters. He killed spin on the pitch, and it induced weak contact that made hitters uncomfortable. He is an arm that just knows how to pitch and gives you a sense of comfortability of knowing what you are going to get out of him when he steps on the mound.

 

 

Brentsville District

Daniel Search 3B / RHP / BRENTSVILLE DISTRICT HIGH, VA / 2028

The offense got started early in the bottom of the first when Search got the barrel to a fastball on the outside corner, and sent it down the right field line to leg out a triple. It is a solid 6-foot-0, 190-pound frame that can hit for extra bases. It is a balanced setup with a slight rhythm in the hands that looks to lift the baseball. Being in the heart of the order as a freshman is a big duty, and he has taken that role and run with it early this spring.

 

 

Briar Woods

Dani Jensen RHP / OF / BRIAR WOODS HIGH, VA / 2027

Jensen got the start on the mound for Briar Woods and gave them a quality start. He was attacking the zone with a fastball and changeup combination that kept hitters off balance. He induced weak contact and got outs. The changeup had success in the zone that got some swing and miss as well as weak contact. The fastball worked in the low eighties, and the changeup was in the low seventies. He finished the night with five solid innings, picking up seven strikeouts.

 

 

Blake Mingo SS / 2B / BRIAR WOODS HIGH, VA / 2027

Mingo has taken some strides since my last look. He has added some lean strength to the wiry frame that showed up in the game. In his first at-bat he was aggressive early in the count and jumped on a fastball that was sent to deep center for a triple. He later came up and picked up a single to the backside. Throughout the night he showed aggressiveness each time he stepped to the dish. The bat has trended up in this look, and he looks to be a key part in the heart of the Briar Woods order.

 

 

Gage Strucko SS / RHP / BRIAR WOODS HIGH, VA / 2025

Strucko put on a string of quality at-bats throughout the night, including a double into the right center gap. It is lean strength in the 6-foot-1, 162-pound frame that works gap to gap with doubles power. Defensively he’s a key guy in the dirt for Briar Woods. He has the fluid hands and footwork to go along with arm strength. What he brings to both sides makes him a valuable piece to this team.

 

 

Franklin County

Reid McElvain OF / C / Franklin County, VA / 2027

McElvain brings a physical presence when he steps to the plate. He was on pitches throughout the night, including a hard hit single into right. It is a quiet, balanced setup that has some rhythm in the hands in the load. He has quick hands looking to do damage. It is more of a middle-to-pull side approach with the strength playing mostly to the pull side. He shows zone awareness and swinging at pitches in the zone. It is a corner outfield profile that can impact the baseball in the middle of the order.

 

 

Gainesville

Matthew Eidemiller 2B / SS / Gainesville High School, VA / 2026

Every time I see Eidemiller, one thing seems to stay the same, and that is the kid just flat-out hits. It was a multi-hit night where he was able to find barrel after barrel. It is a wider setup with high hands that keeps a simple load to spray line drives to all parts of the field. He used the backside well, picking up a triple and a single on the night in that area of the field. He is comfortable with hitting with two strikes and being able to cut down on the swing to put the ball in play. It is a hit tool type of bat with more room in the frame to add strength to impact the baseball.

 

 

Gavin Genovese 3B / C / Gainesville, VA / 2026

It is hard to miss Genovese when he steps onto the field. It is a physically imposing frame that definitely plays the part in the game. He picked up a hit on a night where he used the above average bat speed and turned the barrel for a loud line drive into left for a single. Each time he steps into the box, he is a threat to impact the baseball. It is a quick, uphill barrel path that is looking to impact the baseball. If the impact can be consistent, then he can be a run producer in the middle of the order.

 

 

Caden Merritt OF / RHP / Gainesville, VA / 2025

Merritt is the spark plug for this team whether it's on the mound, in the outfield, or at the plate, and he did just that early on for Gainesville. To lead off the game he turned the barrel on an 88 miles per hour fastball and sent it to left for a double. He would make his way to the mound in the bottom half and put up a quick zero. He threw four strong innings, making competitive pitches and getting the outs necessary to keep the offense at bay. The fastball worked in the mid-eighties and the slider was the go-to pitch. He showed confidence in the slider being able to land it in any count. He plays with a high motor and competitive spirit that you love to see from the two-way standout.

 

 

Halifax County

Garison Colwell 3B / SS / HALIFAX COUNTY HIGH, VA / 2026

Colwell led the charge in a comeback effort on Friday night for Halifax. He was aggressive early in the count and sent a breaking ball into left for a knock to bring in a run. It is a compact frame that is a corner profile defensively. Offensively, each look Colwell just seems to hit. It is a gap-to-gap approach that has doubles power. As the spring continues, he will be a key guy for the Comets lineup.

 

 

Miller School

Mandela Browman OF / Miller School of Albemarle, VA / 2026

No matter the type of competition, Browman likes to step up to the occasion. Browman picked up a hit late off a low 90’s fastball for a single. Throughout the day he seemed comfortable in his at-bats, staying in his approach and knowing the strike zone. It is a balanced setup with quiet hands that shows feel for the barrel working gap-to-gap. He gets out of the box hard with his premium speed always making him a threat on the basepaths. He has plenty of tools that can impact the game in many ways.

 

 

Evan Hankins 1B / LHP / Miller School, VA / 2025

Hankins turned in some quality at-bats on Saturday, including a double into the opposite field gap in his first at-bat. He is a physically imposing 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame that can be a threat to leave the yard each time he steps to the plate. There is some controlled aggression in his approach as he shows feel for the zone and really attacks pitches in the zone. He was on the barrel throughout the day, working gap-to-gap with some loud outs. Defensively he is one of the top defenders at first base. He made multiple plays showing off the athleticism for the frame. It is definitely a good sign that the impact at the dish is continuing to pick up.

 

 

St. Albans

Myles Upchurch RHP / 3B / St. Albans, VA / 2025

It was a strong six-inning outing against a quality lineup for Upchurch. He had to work through some traffic due to some defensive miscues but minimized the damage. The fastball was up to 94 early and settled in at 90-93 that held late into the sixth, inducing weak contact throughout the outing. He showed the best feel for the curveball at 77-80. The feel for the mid-80’s slider wasn’t as sharp as it was in my last look, but he still managed with other pitches. When the changeup was used to left-handed hitters, it was effective with a significant speed differential compared to the fastball with late fading action. With him on the mound, it showed he gives his team a chance to win no matter the opponent.