Archbishop
Moeller Fighting Crusaders (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Top
Prospects (Position, Class, PG Rank):
• Nick
Bennett (LHP, 2016, 269)
• Grant
Macciocchi (RHP/1B, 2015, Top 500)
• Josh
Hollander (SS, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Bryan
Soth (OF/1B, 2015, Top 1,000)
• Joe
Vranesic (RHP/DH, 2015, Top 500)
• Kyle
Dockus (SS/2B, 2015, High Follow)
Pitching:
The
Fighting Crusaders—currently ranked in the top 20 of the Perfect
Game High School Team Rankings—will travel south to Georgia with a
full stable of talented arms at their disposal, even without Top 500
senior Joe Vranesic, who will not be cleared to throw quite in time
for this event. They are led by lefthander Nick Bennett, a Louisville
Cardinal commit, who offers outstanding size and present stuff to go
along with significant projection. He already pitches in the
upper-80s, touching higher, and projects to throw even harder in
years to come. He complements the heater with a wipeout slider, and
will undoubtedly be fun to watch. He’s joined on the mound by
fellow Division I commits Grant Macciocchi (Missouri) and Joe
Vranesic (Kent State, once he’s healthy). Macciocchi, a
righthander, can sling it in the upper-80s from a three-quarters
slot with quality off-speed stuff, giving Moeller a deadly 1-2,
righty-lefty combo at the top of their rotation.
Offense:
Up
the middle is no problem defensively for Moeller, as Top 1,000
shortstop Josh Hollander (Kent State) and High Follow prospect Kyle
Dockus (Wright State) form the keystone combination and provide the
Fighting Crusaders with excellent defense to go along with two
integral pieces of their batting order. Hollander will hit in the
middle of the lineup and provide some pop, while Dockus is an on-base
machine towards the top of the order. Joining them will be outfielder
Bryan Soth, a 6.6 runner with legitimate gap power and overall
intriguing offensive tools. Vranesic will DH as he rehabs his arm,
and provides home run power in the middle of the lineup.
Synopsis:
Archbishop
Moeller provides extremely talented starting pitching to go along
with a deep, loaded offense, making them a serious contender to win
the championship at this event. They have as good a 1-2 punch at the
top of their rotation as anyone, although it will be interesting to
see how the rest of the rotation—as well as their bullpen—shakes
out.
Dunwoody
Wildcats (Dunwoody, Ga.)
Top
Prospects:
• Kevin
Smith (LHP/1B, 2015, Top 500)
• Chandler
Dinsmore (RHP, 2015, High Follow)
• Chase
Hawkins (OF/RHP, 2015, High Follow)
Pitching:
The
Wildcats of Dunwoody High School will be led into battle by a trio of
senior arms, all of who will also contribute offensively as
legitimate two-way players. Top 500 prospect Kevin Smith, a
University of Georgia signee, anchors the staff and is the ace. The
tall, ideally-built Smith stands 6-foot-5 and weighs in around 200
pounds, and can work his fastball up into the 90s from the left side.
He complements his fastball with a very good changeup and solid
breaking ball, both of which are legitimate swing-and-miss offerings.
Joining him on the mound are senior righthanders Chandler Dinsmore
and Chase Hawkins, both High Follow prospects and both able to throw
fastballs in the mid- to upper-80s. Both offer good size and
projection, and naturally, both will be counted on heavily at this
event.
Offense:
The
offense will be led by the same trio of seniors, as any or all of them
could be seen playing the field and hitting in the everyday lineup
for the Wildcats. Kevin Smith plays first base when not pitching, and
offers legitimate power from the left side of the plate. He may end
up hitting in the cleanup spot for Dunwoody in the hopes that he can
showcase his power. Chase Hawkins is primarily an outfielder, known
for his 6.8 second speed and his legitimate top-of-the-order
offensive tools. However, what makes him a complete prospect is his
ability to play center field at a high level right now as well as in
the future at the next level.
Synopsis:
The
Dunwoody Wildcats have something that not every team has: A bona fide
ace pitcher, and a lefthander at that. That luxury in it of itself
makes them very dangerous, especially when one considers their
overall depth in the pitching staff as well as their potentially
dangerous offense.
Gloucester
Catholic Rams (Gloucester City, N.J.)
Top
Prospects:
• John
Murphy (RHP, 2015, 216)
• Dante
Scafidi (LHP, 2015, Top 1,000)
• Jake
Gillis (3B/RHP, 2015, High Follow)
• Fran
Kinsey (OF, 2015, High Follow)
• Tyler
Mondile (RHP/IF, 2016, 149)
• Nicholas
Seccia (C, 2016, High Follow)
Pitching:
Gloucester
Catholic will head south to Georgia, escaping the still-chilly
Atlantic April, with a loaded stable of arms at their disposal.
Senior John Murphy, a Maryland signee and the No. 216 overall
prospect in the country, is a big righthander with an even bigger
fastball. The 6-foot-4 Murphy has been clocked as high as 92 mph at
PG events, and projects to throw even harder as he continues to
develop. Top 1,000 senior Dante Scafidi, a lefthander signed with
Rutgers, works his fastball up into the upper-80s already with more
to come. Junior Tyler Mondile, also a legitimate prospect as an
infielder and the No. 149 overall prospect in the class of 2016, may
have the highest upside of anyone at the event. He’s already up
into the low-90s as a junior, and the Florida State commit could
see his stock skyrocket at this event.
Offense:
Gloucester
Catholic, to go along with an absolutely loaded pitching staff,
carries a deep offense as well as a strong defense. Tyler
Mondile, while being arguably one of the top pitching prospects at
this event, is also a legitimate talent in the infield and in the
middle of the lineup. Behind the plate, junior High Follow prospect
Nicholas Seccia will do most of the catching, where his solid arm
strength and 2.0 second pop times will keep opposing runners from
getting too aggressive. He’s also a highly projectable and talented
hitter who should do some damage. Jake Gillis will help out of the
bullpen but primarily play third base in the everyday lineup, and
senior Fran Kinsey will start in center field and hit near the top of
the lineup.
Synopsis:
It’s
hard to argue that this team isn’t one of the most talented and
most well balanced in the entire event. They have a loaded rotation
and a legitimate offense top to bottom, and they play good defense as
a team. They may come from a cold weather state, but their play
should be anything but cold when they take the field this week.
Greenbrier
Christian Academy Gators (Chesapeake, Va.)
Top
Prospects:
• Hunter
Payne (RHP/3B, 2015, High Follow)
• Colby
Lee (RHP, 2016, 369)
• Carson
Henry (SS/2B, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Casey
Williams (RHP/1B, 2016, High Follow)
• Erik
Stock (IF/RHP, 2017, High Follow)
Pitching:
The
Gators offer a deep pitching staff consisting mostly of two-way
players who will contribute both on the mound and with the bat. The
lone “pitcher-only” is staff ace Colby Lee, the 369rd ranked player in
the Class of 2016. Lee offers good size to go along with fastball
that can get up near 90 mph, and complements that offering with a
very good breaking ball/changeup combination to round out his
arsenal. Joining him on the mound will be senior Hunter Payne, a High
Follow prospect who also works with a fastball in the mid- to upper-80s
and a quality changeup with fading action. Junior Casey Williams and
sophomore Erik Stock will also see time on the mound for Greenbrier
Christian Academy.
Offense:
Most
of the pitching staff listed above will also be in the starting
lineup when not pitching, including Hunter Payne, who will play third
base, and Casey Williams, the probable starting first baseman. Both
of them will hit in the middle of the order and look to provide power
for the offense. Junior Top 1,000 prospect Carson Henry will captain
the defense from his shortstop position, where his excellent defense
and on-base skills will play well at the top of the order. Sophomore
High Follow prospect Erik Stock may join Henry up the middle and play
second base, but he could play all over the field if needed.
Synopsis:
This
team is younger compared to others in this event, but that
doesn't mean they are any shorter on talent. They
have a deep pitching staff, and that staff is composed of two-way
players who can all hit the baseball and play solid defense, making
Greenbrier Christian a very tough team.
IMG
Academy Ascenders (Bradenton, Fla.)
Top
Prospects:
•
Austin Bates (C/OF,
2017, 95)
•
Ian McEachern (RHP,
2016, Top 500)
•
Sam Joyce (2B/OF, 2016,
Follow)
•
A.J. Hemmelgarn (RHP,
2015)
•
Brett Tivnan (OF/RHP,
2016, Top 1,000)
•
Coby Ghajar (LHP, 2016)
•
Jacob Salim (3B/RHP, 2016, Follow)
Pitching:
The
Ascenders of IMG Academy, having already shown well at the Perfect
Game High School Showdown with their Varsity Black team, will head
back to Georgia to compete in the Louisville Slugger Classic with
their Varsity Blue team. This team still offers plenty of talent,
especially on the mound, being led by junior Top 500 prospect and
Pepperdine commit Ian McEachern. McEachern is an ideal-sized
righthanded pitcher, standing 6-foot-5 with long limbs and a loose
arm. He already works in the upper-80s and touches 90 mph with his
fastball, and he should gain a good amount more velocity as he
physically matures. He’s joined on the mound by several two-way
prospects, including junior righthanders Brett Tivnan and Jacob
Salim, both of who can reach into the mid-80s (and higher) with their
fastballs when needed.
Offense:
Offensively,
the Ascenders are lead by a good mix of upper and underclassmen, all
of whom project both with the bat and with the glove. The highest
ranked prospect on this roster is 2017 catcher/outfielder Austin
Bates, who is ranked as the No. 95 prospect in the class of 2017. The
North Carolina commit already pops in less than 2.00 seconds, has a
very strong arm, is athletic and has projectable offensive tools.
He’s a legitimate high-end prospect, as evidenced by his ranking.
He’ll do the majority of the catching and hit in the middle of the
order, but can play the outfield if needed. Junior Sam Joyce will do
a little bit of everything, as he is a good enough athlete to handle
either the middle infield or the outfield depending on the lineup of
the day. Junior Follow prospect Jacob Salim could start at third base
and will also contribute on the mound for IMG. Top 1,000 prospect
Brett Tivnan will probably start in center field, as his 6.8 second
speed plays well there, as well as at the top of the lineup.
Synopsis:
The
Ascenders are a pretty solid squad top to bottom, and they do have
star power at the top with McEachern on the mound and Bates behind
the plate. Even with those two, they still have solid depth behind
them, on the mound, at the plate and in the field. They are
especially strong through the middle of the field and with
righthanded pitching.
King’s
Ridge Christian Tigers (Alpharetta, Ga.)
Top
Prospects:
• Brandt
Stallings (1B/OF, 2015, 41)
• Tarez
Miller (OF/SS, 2015, Top 500)
• Connor
Burns (LHP/OF, 2015, Top 500)
• Adam
Moore (IF/RHP, 2015, Top 1,000)
• Austin
Higginbotham (LHP, 2015, Top 1,000)
• Cullin
Monette (IF/RHP, 2016, Top 1,000)
• Lawson
Hill (C/RHP, 2017, Top 1,000)
Pitching:
The
Tigers of King’s Ridge Christian have a big stable of arms,
including a few lefthanders, which is something that not many teams
have in this event. Seniors Connor Burns (Top 500) and Austin
Higginbotham (Top 1,000) both sling it from the left side and all are
key components of the pitching staff, giving the Tigers potential
matchups throughout the tournament. Connor Burns has been up to 88
mph at PG events in the past and figures to have gained velocity over
the winter, while Higginbotham can work in the low- to mid-80s from
the left side. Senior Adam Moore, a righty, is a physical player who
can also throw in the mid-80s. Rounding out the staff are junior
Cullin Monette and sophomore Lawson Hill, who will also handle the staff from behind the plate.
Offense:
King’s
Ridge Christian offers one of the top players in the entire nation in
senior Brandt Stallings, the No. 41 overall player in the class of
2015. Stallings offers one of the highest ceilings with the bat of
anyone in the nation, with legitimate hit and power projections at
the next level. He’s also a very good athlete, running the 60-yard
dash in 6.65 seconds at the PG National last summer. He’ll play the outfield and
hit in the middle of the order. Tarez Miller, a Top 500 prospect,
will play shortstop and hit at the top of the lineup. Adam Moore
figures to play a corner infield spot when not pitching, while Cullin
Monette offers a similar profile. Lawson Hill, a sophomore, should do
most of the catching for the Tigers, and could end up pitching out of
the bullpen as well.
Synopsis:
King’s
Ridge Christian offers legitimate star power in the form of Brandt
Stallings, who will almost definitely draw multitudes of scouts to
his at-bats. However, they are also a very well balanced team top to
bottom, both throughout the lineup and in the pitching staff. They
have the arms to present matchup problems, and the bats to do damage
against whoever they play.
St.
Johns Cadets (Washington, D.C.)
Top
Prospects:
• A.J.
Lee (SS/RHP, 2015, 484)
• Brett
Simon (C, 2015, High Follow)
• Brian
Tagoe (CF, 2015, High Follow)
• Ryan
Olsen (LHP, 2015)
• Josh
Simon (C/OF, 2016, Top 500)
Pitching:
Senior
righthander A.J. Lee will lead the staff, but is also the primary
shortstop for the Cadets. The Maryland signee is an excellent athlete
with advanced arm speed and feel for pitching, and can run his
fastball up around 90 mph when he wants to. He’s a next-level
prospect both on the mound and in the field. Joining Lee on the mound
is fellow senior Ryan Olsen, a lefthander. Olsen is
committed to Central Alabama Community College and shows excellent
pitchability from the left side with a fastball that can work in the
low-80s.
Offense:
The
Cadets offer a deep, talented lineup that consists of several
talented prospects. The aforementioned A.J. Lee will start at
shortstop when he’s not toeing the rubber, and will either hit leadoff or right in the middle of the lineup. Senior Brett
Simon will handle most of the catching duties behind the plate, and
the High Follow 2015 prospect is no slouch with the bat either.
Senior High Follow prospect Brian Tagoe will play center field and
captain the outfield for the Cadets, and junior Top 500 prospect Josh
Simon will play the outfield as well, when he’s not picking up time
behind the plate.
Synopsis:
The
Cadets have as good a two-way prospect as there is in this event with
A.J. Lee who offers the potential and athleticism to be a two-way
player at the Division I (Maryland) level as well. Lee and Olsen
offer a very good 1-2, righty-lefty punch at the top of their
rotation, and Lee, Simon, and Tagoe form a very good lineup nucleus
for St. Johns.
Sumrall
Bobcats (Sumrall, Miss.)
Top
Prospects:
• Alex
Knight (3B/RHP, 2015, High Follow)
• Drake
Pace (RHP/1B, 2015, High Follow)
• Landon
White (1B, 2015, High Follow)
• Briar
Russell (RHP, 2016)
• Trace
Jordan (OF/1B, 2016)
Pitching:
The
Bobcats have started the 2015 season hot, holding a 17-1 record at
the time of this writing. This outstanding record is due in large part to their pitching staff, which currently holds a 1.48 ERA as a
team. They are led on the mound by several players, including junior
Briar Russell and seniors Drake Pace and Landon White. Russell leads
the team in innings pitched and strikeouts to go along with a
sparkling 1.24 ERA. Pace and White both offer ERAs in the 2.00's to
go along with excellent strikeout totals, and that's not even
including the team leader in ERA, senior Joseph McLaurin. McLaurin
has allowed only eight hits in 20 innings, and is striking out
nearly two batters per frame.
Offense:
As
stated above, the Bobcats have compiled a team ERA of 1.48 on the
season, but it’s not only their pitching that has been impressive
so far. They are hitting an astounding .322 as a team, a truly
remarkable number. They are led on offense by senior third baseman
Alex Knight, who is hitting .309 with extra-base pop while getting on
base at an excellent clip and limiting strikeouts. Senior Drake
Nightengale is putting up some eye-popping numbers so far, with a
triple slash line of .339/.441/.535 with double-digit extra-base
hits. However, the leader in the clubhouse for most impressive line
so far is junior Trace Jordan. He’s hitting .434/.536/.792 with
13 doubles and a pair of homers. 'Impressive' doesn't even
begin to do that justice.
Synopsis:
It
would be hard for one to find a more statistically daunting team in
this event, as Sumrall has done nothing but dominate their
competition so far in 2015. They have limited runs to less than two
per game, all while scoring bunches and bunches of runs, seemingly at
ease. They'll surely be tested in this event, perhaps more so than
they have been this season so far, but the numbers say that the
Bobcats are up to the challenge.
Whitney
Young Dolphins (Chicago, Ill.)
Top
Prospects:
• David
Craan (C/RHP, 2015, 418)
• Jonathan
Eng (1B/RHP, 2015, High Follow)
• Justin
Lo (SS/CF, 2015, High Follow)
• Andy
Hayes (DH/C, 2015)
• Sam
Reichert (OF, 2016)
• Aram
Wilkinson (RHP, 2015)
• Sam
Shuman (LHP, 2017)
Pitching:
The
Dolphins of Whitney Young will travel down to Georgia having really
just started their season, as the Midwest weather is traditionally
difficult to play baseball in at this time of the year. However, they
won’t be coming to Georgia with a lack of talent.
They are led on the mound by several seniors, including David Craan,
an Illinois signee. Craan is the starting catcher but also works as
the team's closer with a fastball that has touched 90 mph. The rotation
will be filled out by senior High Follow prospect Jonathan Eng,
senior righty Aram Wilkinson and sophomore Sam Shuman. They've all
gotten off to solid starts so far in 2015, especially Wilkinson, who
has an ERA of less than 1.00 through two starts.
Offense:
Craan
is the offensive leader, as the senior is hitting .500 through six
games, with several doubles and a home run already. He hits in the
middle of the order and is a legitimate power threat every time he
steps to the plate. Senior Justin Lo, a former shortstop who has made
the move to center field, is second on the team in hitting at .381 and hits at
the top of the order. Eng joins Craan and designated hitter Andy Hayes in the heart
of the order, where his extra-base power and excellent on-base skills
translate to an impressive hitting line so far this season.
Synopsis:
This
is a team who can get hot at the right time and run through the
competition, but at the end of the day it will come down to how well
they can balance their hitting and pitching performances against some
of the best competition nationwide. They have their days of dominant
pitching and their days of offensive explosions, but haven’t really
put them together quite yet. Will they do so at this event? Time will
tell.