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High School  | General  | 2/18/2015

Regional HS Preview: Southeast

Jheremy Brown     
Photo: Perfect Game

2015 Perfect Game High School Baseball Preview Index

For all of Perfect Game's regional previews as part of the 2015 high school baseball preview content, the Dream Team is available for free. The region top tools can be viewed with an Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.


Southeast Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee

Last spring there were two underclassmen who made the Southeast Regional Dream Team, both of whom were outfielders and from the state of Georgia. They both return to the 2015 edition as Daz Cameron and Jahmai Jones continued to impress during the summer circuit, showing loud tools from the beginning of the summer to the end of the fall. Cameron oozes tools on both sides of the ball and Jones has made a comfortable transition from shortstop to center field where his athleticism really shines.

If you followed the top prospects throughout last summer several other names jump out as there are an additional six Perfect Game All-Americans on the Southeast Region Dream Team. Two are from the infield – with powerful Brandt Stallings and sweet-swinging Cornelius Randolph – a two-way player in Austin Riley, and three power arms in Donny Everett, Tristin English, and Hogan Harris.

The other two names on the pitching staff, Nick Neidert and Dakota Chalmers, were the talk of the WWBA World Championship as they both showed increased stuff on the mound and jumped up the Perfect Game rankings as a result.

The region is deep in talent both on the individual player side and in regards to the high school teams as a whole, with 11 teams ranked in the Perfect Game Preseason Top 50 High School Rankings. In fact, the top team in the country to open the 2015 season is from the Peach State as Lambert High School leads the way after a 6-A State Championship in 2014.


Southeast Region High School Dream Team


C - Christopher Cullen, Sr., West Forsyth (Ga.)
Gamecock fans are accustomed to having a 6-foot-5 catcher behind the plate over the last few years, thanks to Grayson Greiner's time with the program, and should Cullen arrive on campus he will fit right in. Although his length may seem out of place behind the plate, it speaks to his high level of athleticism, and with light actions on his feet and sound receiving skills, there’s not reason to see Cullen moving off the position anytime soon. He complements his defensive actions with an easy, accurate arm showing plenty of strength and carry on his throws. He uses his long limbs well to create solid extension in his righthanded swing, with lift and bat speed, showing the ability to square up mid-90s heat without a problem.

1B - Brandt Stallings, Sr., Kings Ridge Christian (Ga.)
Though listed as a primary first baseman, Stallings is more than athletic enough to play in the outfield showing above average straight-line speed, as he runs in the 60-yard dash in 6.65 seconds, which speaks to his athleticism as he stands 6-foot-4. His foot speed will catch your attention at first but watch one in-game at-bat and odds are you’ll see Stallings drive the ball to some part of the field and it will be the bat speed that you end up remembering. The Georgia Tech commit set the tone for the rest of the summer at the PG National Showcase, showing consistent barrel feel and strength while showing the ability to recognize off-speed and go with the pitch to the opposite field. He possesses plenty of strength to hit the ball out of the yard as he showed all summer and his ability to shoot either gap with his speed allows him to leg out an extra base more often than not.

MIF - Cornelius Randolph, Sr., Griffin (Ga.)
If there was one thing Cornelius Randolph did as consistently as anybody else in the entire country over the past calendar year it was hit. Though his physicality and strength may lead one to think he plays a corner infield position, the future Clemson Tiger is more than athletic enough to play second base, where he did so this summer and fall, and shows plenty of arm strength across to play shortstop as well. Should he wind up at second, Randolph’s bat will be a premium tool, not only because of his plus feel for the barrel, but because his smooth, lefthanded stroke packs power to his pull side. One reason Randolph is such an advanced hitter is his recognition of off-speed pitches out of the pitcher's hand coupled with the ability to adjust and go with the pitch. The other reason for his success is how fast and loose his hands are, allowing him to turn on inside premium fastballs while also showing he isn’t afraid to take an outside pitch to left field.

MIF - Jalen Miller, Sr., Riverwood (Ga.)
The last line of Jalen Miller’s PG National report reads “Young athlete who is just going to keep getting getter as he gets stronger.” Though it may have been in reference to a year or two worth of progression, Miller wasted no time and continued to progress from that point forward until the end of the fall. A light-footed defender, Miller shows ample range up the middle with quick footwork, showing fluidity in everything he does. His hands are incredibly quick and soft, a key piece to his defensive prowess that will be detailed below. Standing at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, Miller, who like Randolph is committed to Clemson, shows hands that are equally as quick with the bat as they are in the field. Even with the projected physical growth, Miller shows nice present strength with life off the barrel and the ability to drive it to all parts of the field, staying balanced through his repeatable swing.

3B - Bryce Denton, Sr., Ravenwood (Tenn.)
Bryce Denton is a highly versatile athlete who has seen his stock continually rise throughout the summer due to both his defensive work and his ability to control the barrel of the bat. Denton’s athleticism speaks for itself as he posted a 6.89 60-yard at the National and puts his quick feet to good use at third base as well. The tool that continues to elevate Denton up the rankings though is his righthanded bat, an area of his game that’s louder than the rest. Standing 6-foot-1, 195-pounds the future Vanderbilt Commodore shows the ability to lose the ball over the left field fence in a batting practice session, but it’s in games that the bat truly shines. Shortening up his approach, Denton shows an exceptional feel for the barrel and has no problem squaring up quality stuff as he proved all last summer. He shows excellent bat speed with hard jump off the barrel to all fields.

Although he may not be widely known, watch for Grainger's (Tenn.) Trey Cabbage, a sweet-swinging lefthanded bat and University of Tennessee commit. Cabbage proved to be one of the more consistent hitters throughout the summer, and with an athletic 6-foot-3 frame, the third baseman frequently showed the ability shoot either gap or just simply deposit the ball over the fence.

OF - Dazmon Cameron, Sr., Eagle’s Landing Christian (Ga.)
Finding his name on the team for the second year in a row, Daz Cameron has long been in the spotlight and rightfully so. A fast-twitch, projectable 6-foot-1 outfielder with obvious bloodlines, Cameron has continued to make strides to all parts of his game, even with everybody else looking on. He shows the knowledge and does things in centerfield that are well beyond his years, while also doing all the little defensive nuances well. The Florida State University commit has shown increasing arm strength and carry, both attributes that will continue to develop with additional strength. A right-handed hitter, Cameron’s bat speed has long been his calling card as he is able to generate elite level bat speed with ease and the flick of a wrist while maintaining a strong judgment of the strike zone.

OF - Jahmai Jones, Sr., Wesleyan (Ga.)
Along with Cameron above, Jahmai Jones is a repeat selection from last years “Dream Team” outfield and has made noticeable strides in the field since then. At this point last year the future North Carolina Tar Heel was beginning to make the transition from shortstop to centerfield, an easy switch due to Jones’ high-end athleticism. Now with a year ‘s experience under his belt, Jones shows more fluidity in in his actions with sound footwork to the ball and increased arm strength and carry on his throws. Of course the tool that Jones has become known for up to this point is his strong and effortless right-handed swing. With a physically built, quick twitch 6-foot, 210-pound frame, Jones shows fast hands and big bat speed with no problem overpowering an inside pitch and lifting deep to his pull side or taking an outside pitch into right field.

OF - Dexter “D.J.” Neal, Sr., Stephenson (Ga.)
Neal is the type of athlete that scouts love to dream on due to his plus athleticism, physical build, and overall tool set on the diamond. A two-sport commit to the University of South Carolina, (Neal is also a 4-star wide receiver recruit), Neal shows all the ingredients to be a big time player in baseball. At 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, the future Gamecock moves exceptionally well, running a 6.66 60-yard at the Perfect Game World Showcase and uses the speed to cover ample ground in the outfield with plus range. The arm strength plays anywhere in the field, topping 94 mph with his best throw yet it’s his bat that makes the most noise. With a simple swing path Neal is able to create big time extension in his right-handed swing with plenty of strength and lift to his pull side while showing the ability to also drive it to the middle of the field.

Outfielder Seth Beer plays for Lambert High School in Georgia, PG's preseason No. 1 high school team, and he just missed the cut. Physically Beer, a junior, looks the part at 6-foot-3, 205-pounds with broad shoulders and long, loose limbs and shows the tools to match. However it's his lefthanded swing that stands out the most.

UT - Austin Riley, Sr., DeSoto Central (Miss.)
A Mississippi State commit and Perfect Game All-American, Riley stands out for his physicality, standing 6-foot-3, 210-pounds with broad shoulders and a well proportioned frame. Listed as a primary third baseman, Riley shows quick and athletic actions with obvious arm strength that translates well on the mound. He uses his strength to generate tremendous bat speed coming through the zone and when the ball meets his barrel, it goes for a long ways. Riley looks just a natural on the mound, showing a steady tempo’d, low effort delivery before unleashing a full repertoire of offerings. Working comfortably in the 88-92 mph range throughout the summer, topped at 94 mph, Riley pounds the strike zone and shows three distinct off speed pitches, all of which he can spot throughout the zone.

P - Nick Neidert, Sr., Peachtree Ridge (Ga.)
Throughout the summer showcase season it became clear to anybody who saw him that Nick Neidert was one of the most consistent pitchers that threw more than a handful of times. He may not have the prototypical size, but his attitude, feel, and overall arsenal on the mound more than make up for his height. The Perfect Game National served as his first coming out party, topping at 93 mph with late life to his arm side while pounding the lower quadrants of the strike zone. The University of South Carolina commit would continue that theme throughout the summer and topped out at 92 mph or better in every subsequent tournament. Jump to last October and Neidert’s game took yet another jump on the biggest stage possible. Rarely dipping to 92 mph in his outing at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., Neidert maintained his velocity especially well, ending the game on a 95 mph fastball, having topped out at 96 in the game. As impressive as the velocity is it’s Neidert’s feel for his off-speed and advanced command that sets him apart from others in the class, as detailed below.

P - Donny Everett, Sr., Clarksville (Tenn.)
When watching Donny Everett on the mound there’s one word that comes to mind: power. A strongly built and physical 6-foot-2, 220-pound righthander, the Vanderbilt University commit is able to carry his plus-velocity deep into a game thanks to his strong lower half, something that doesn’t always occur in younger arms. As it stands now, Everett is able to generate a fastball that consistently peaks in the mid-90s, climbing as high as 97 mph in Jupiter without much effort in his delivery. Though he has the ability to say “here it is, hit it if you can” with his fastball, Everett shows a feel for two distinct breaking balls and flashes a changeup as well. Of the two breaking balls, Everett’s power slider is the more advanced of the two, showing late life and depth up to 83 mph with tight spin.

P – Tristin English, Sr., Pike County (Ga.)
It wasn’t too long ago that the primary position in front of Tristin English’s name read “catcher.” Evidenced by the 1.82 popped at the PG National, English is very athletic and controls his long 6-foot-2 frame extremely well, helping to make the transition to the mound easier. Showing a fast arm coming through the back with a compact release, the Georgia Tech commit consistently gets on top of the ball, creating severe downhill plane with the ability to work both sides of the plate. The arm strength is evident as he topped out in the low-90s throughout the summer showcase circuit and peaked at 95 mph in late June. He may be newer to the mound but English shows an advanced arsenal, throwing three distinct off-speed pitches for strikes, showing a nice feel for all three. The strongest feel is for his slider, a power pitch that creeps into the mid-80s with true slider shape and late break. He also shows a deep 11-to-5 curveball and mimics his fast arm action on his changeup, a pitch that shows nice fade to his arm side.

P - Hogan Harris, Sr., St. Thomas More (La.)
Prior to the PG National Showcase last June, the last time Hogan Harris threw in a PG event he topped out at 85 mph the previous October. Eight months later the University of Louisiana-Lafayette commit announced his presence with authority, consistently working in the low-90s, topping out at 94 mph while pounding the inner-third of the plate. He creates deception through his delivery with severe arm angle coming from the first base side, giving hitters a difficult look, especially those in the lefthanded batters box. And although his curveball may not show the harder velocity, it does show tight spin – evidenced by having the second highest spin rate on a breaking ball at the PG National – and depth to go along with the ability to spot in the strike zone. As the summer progressed so did his feel for his changeup, giving him a three-pitch mix while showing the ability to miss bats with each, hiding the ball extremely well.

P - Dakota Chalmers, Sr., North Forsyth (Ga.)
Take a quick look through Dakota Chalmers’ profile page and notice how the velocity on his fastball climbs in sequential order from one tournament to the next. Perhaps it was from some strength he added to young, long and lean 6-foot-3 frame, or maybe it was from minor mechanical adjustments he made over the course of the summer. Odds are it was a combination of both. Showing a lightning fast right arm, Chalmers saved his best stuff of the summer for the WWBA World Championship, bumping his fastball to 94 mph while showing three off-speed pitches, all of which grade above average at times. The University of Georgia commit mixes well, throwing any pitch in any count with the ability to locate them all when on top of the ball. Chalmers’ slider shows hard, late-breaking life up to 84 mph, a distinct difference in velocity and shape from his 11-to-5 curveball that features tight spin and big depth in the upper-70s.


Southeast Region Top Tools


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