VA/DC Midseason Momentum: Upperclass
April 30, 2025
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As we approach midseason, we take a look at some upperclass players from VA/DC that have some serious momentum heading into the back half of the season, or into the playoffs for private schools.
*Please note that these are players that our staff has seen and these players have performed to the highest degree when our Prep Baseball staff has been in attendance.*
MIDSEASON MOMENTUM: UPPERCLASS
*Reflecting stats as of 4/27/25*
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Jett Bristow | 2025 | OF |
Collegiate |
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+ Click here for notes & video.The Virginia commit has exceeded expectations this spring. He has improved a bit on the swing and miss, and most importantly he is allowing his elite bat speed and strength at the plate to showcase in game. Bristow is currently hitting .535 on the season with more than fifty-percent of his hits being doubles and homeruns. He leads Collegiate in RBI's, HR's, BABIP (Batting Average On Balls In Play), OBP, SLG, and OPS. His OPS is a whipping 1.747. OPS is On-Base Plus Slugging, and in terms of scale, anything 1.000+ is elite, and he is nearly doubling that number. This is all with having missed a few games this season. He is a frontrunner for a first team All-State outfield position. |
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Casey Cuddyer | 2026 | SS |
Great Bridge |
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+ Click here for notes & video.The North Carolina commit has been everything we thought, and some. Cuddyer is hitting .463 with nearly half of his hits coming as extra base hits. The impact and quality of contact is improving as he continues to physically mature. In addition to the impact at the plate, the zone control and barrel feel continue to help separate Cuddyer from his peers. He has walked/HBP twice as much as he has struck out, which is only three times. Yes, thirteen games into the season, he has struck out three total times. While he does not possess elite or high end footspeed, it plays faster in game. He has ten stolen bases and has only been caught stealing once. The baserunning instincts are well above average. During our looks this spring, he has shown defensive traits that should allow him to stay in the infield. Overall, this is a player that continues to make significant strides with his tools, but most importantly how they play in game. |
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Ren Devereux | 2025 | RHP |
St. John's College HS |
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+ Click here for notes & video.While we have only seen Devereux once in game, it was worthy of mention in this article. In addition to the one game where he was outstanding, he has continued that trend all season. The Penn State commit has always had some electricity to how he operated, but at times it lacked in efficiency. He has flipped that script a bit. Not only has the stuff gotten better, but the pitchability and ability to maintain deeper into his outings has improved by leaps and bounds. In his outing vs PVI that we were in attendance for, Devereux threw six innings, allowed two hits, walked one, struck out seven, threw 73% strikes, and was up to 93. The stuff and pitchability all point towards this arm having a serious chance at significant early contributions at the next level. |
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Nick Felton | 2025 | OF |
St. John's College HS |
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+ Click here for notes & video.Felton exploded onto the radar this past summer at the 17U National Championship where he showed some big gains all over the field. This spring has been no different, if anything it has been even better. The Old Dominion commit is hitting .532 for the year, scored thirty-two runs, drove in twenty-one, six doubles, five triples, and six homeruns. Oh, and we forgot to mention the nineteen stolen bases. He has the physical and athletic capabilities to play all three outfield positions, as well as be an offensive impact up and down the lineup. The bat to ball and advanced approach leave little to no concern in terms of where this left handed hitting outfielder stands when it comes to his chances of being an early contributor at the next level. |
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Jalen German | 2026 | RHP |
Trinity Episcopal |
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+ Click here for notes & video.German has been one of the most impressive arms we have seen this spring. This has been a trend for him all season long, not just in the outing we were there for. The Coastal Carolina commit has thrown thirty-one innings, struck out fifty-nine, walked nine, and has a 1.1 ERA. In German's extended work through the spring, he has only allowed fifteen hits, holding opponents to a .138 BAA. His velo continues to sit in the low 90's range with sink and has a much improved slider. This is an arm that is really trending up and will be a close follow this summer and fall. |
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Nate Hawton-Henley | 2025 | OF |
St. John's College HS |
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+ Click here for notes & video.The Maryland commit is on an absolute tear this spring. Some improvements in balance and hand setup have at least partially been a huge help to the quality of contact that Hawton-Henley has shown this spring. Multiple homeruns when we have been in attendance, improved ability to control the zone, and just a steady presence in the middle of the St. John's lineup. |
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Willie Hurt | 2025 | SS |
St. Christopher's |
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+ Click here for notes & video.The Virginia Tech commit has been on a tear this spring, leading the Saints offense by hitting .463. Hurt has put up a staggering 1.401 OPS, has seven doubles, two triples, and four homeruns. In addition to that he has a nearly 2:1 BB/K ratio and has driven in fifteen, while scoring twenty-three. His offensive output has been one of the main reasons that St. Chris has turned things around, going from a 8-13 record a year ago, to now a 17-6 record this season. Certainly an All-State type of year from the future Hokie. |
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Aidan McKeating | 2026 | 3B |
Princess Anne |
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+ Click here for notes & video.One of the hottest hitters in the state since the fall, McKeating continues his blazing pace at the plate. The GW commit is hitting .444, has a 1.272 OPS, has five doubles, two homeruns, and has only struck out twice all year. The bat to ball has improved, as has his ability to impact with added strength. When you watch him play, you see how invested he is in the game and his results have mirrored his day in and day out approach. |
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Lawson McLeod | 2026 | RHP |
Trinity Episcopal |
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+ Click here for notes & video.McLeod has turned a page this spring. The strikes are better, the stuff is better, and his outings have shown. Outside of his most recent outing, the LSU commit has dominated opposing hitters. Before this past outing he owned a .656 ERA and opponents were hitting a meager .100 off of him. McLeod has ran up fifty strikeouts compared to thirteen walks, totaling roughly fourteen strikeouts per seven innings. Between he and German, this two headed monster makes up one of the best pitching duos this spring. |
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Caden Merritt | 2025 | OF/RHP |
Gainesville |
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+ Click here for notes & video.Merritt is having the type of year that everyone expected, an All-State, Player of the Year type of year. He has done it on the mound and at the plate for the Gainesville Cardinals. Merritt was First Team All-Tournament for the Commonwealth Classic and has been more than good basically every time we have seen him. The Coastal Carolina commit is hitting .439 on the season with ten extra base hits, includign five homeruns. Merritt has driven in eighteen, scored nineteen, has a 2:1 BB/K rate at the plate, and has stolen fifteen bases. On the mound he has thrown twenty-six innings, allowed sixteen hits, struck out thirty, and boasts a .808 ERA. Merritt is an ultra-competitor on the mound and at the plate and is a big reason this Gainesville program has a chance to challenge for a state title this season. |
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Luke Smyers | 2025 | LHP |
Mills Godwin |
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+ Click here for notes & video.Another Richmond area arm that has been up for the challenge this spring. Smyers has thrown twenty-four innings and allowed only eleven, yes ELEVEN, total hits. In addition to that the Alabama commit has allowed just two earned runs for a .583 ERA. During his twenty-four innings of work, Smyers has struck out fifty-five hitters, walked nine, and has a sixteen strikeouts per seven innings ratio. Opponents are hitting just .134 off of the senior left hander. To put it simply, he has dominated opponents this spring, and he faces all of the best teams that Godwin plays. |
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Kason Wagner | 2026 | RHP |
Miller School |
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+ Click here for notes & video.One of the best uncommitted PITCHERS in the state. 28.1 innnings pitched, sixteen hits, three earned runs, all leading to a .741 ERA. While the strikeout numbers are not big gaudy numbers, he has faced some of the toughest teams on the MSA schedule, including Stoneman Douglas (FL), Grace Christian (NC), Madison, Lexington (SC), and Calvert Hall (MD). Every one of those teams are ranked inside of the top twelve of their respective state, with multiple top five teams. In these starts, he has only allowed three earned runs, all of which came in the one start versus Lexington. It is not flashy, it is not power stuff, it is "here it is, come and get it". He pitches and he competes, he wins. |
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