2015 WWBA World Championship Pool Previews | Event Preview: Quick math: Jupiter + 5 = MLB
Writing
a mock draft is easier than the annual Jupiter handicapping exercise.
Working on class top prospect rankings is a belt-high 83 mph straight
fastball by comparison. When dealing with teams and pools and
schedules, trying to figure out what is likely to happen at the WWBA
World Championship this week is more entertainment than anything that
can be authoritative.
However,
let's take a couple of basic premises to be true.
First,
most of the teams competing in Jupiter realistically know that their
chances of winning the championship are slender at best and their
leadership is hoping to get a break or two and win their pool and
reach the playoffs, along with getting premium exposure for their
players from the college coaches and scouts. That is what Jupiter is
about for perhaps 65 of the 85 teams competing. There have been
longshots that have played in the final four on Monday and that is
something to look forward to and enjoy when it happens.
Secondly,
the difference between those approximately 65 teams and the 20 that
are far more likely to contend is the depth of their respective
pitching staffs. The reality is that to go home with the hardware, a
team will have to play eight games between Thursday afternoon and
Monday afternoon. That's a 96-hour window to play up to 56 innings of
baseball. Imagine the Cubs, Mets, Blue Jays and Royals doing that.
It isn't going to happen without a long strike-throwing pitching
staff and maybe some two-way players.
That's
why we emphasize pitching depth, versatile athletes and even dual
strength at catcher in the evaluations below. It's simply a
prerequisite to being one of the 20 or so teams that will be playing
in the most heavily scouted event in baseball and thinking they have
a real chance to win.
The
biggest complication for the prognosticator is not knowing which high
level pitchers are stretched out and able to throw 80-100 pitches and
which will be more limited. Simple variables like this can make all
the difference. Side conversations with coaches at any tournament
frequently include summaries along the lines of "we're going to
run out of pitching at this point."
The
bottom line is the more quality innings you have available to you on
the mound, the better chance you have of winning. That, and a hot
hitter and a couple of lucky breaks or big plays, go a long way.
Teams
are listed in alphabetical order within each grouping
Comments/numbers
based on rosters as of Monday, October 19
Pre-Jupiter
Favorites
Astros
Scout Team/FTB Tucci
College
Commitments: 28/32 | Primary Pitchers: 16
The
FTB organization is coming off a championship at the WWBA Underclass
World Championship earlier this month and will come in brimming with
confidence, not to mention perhaps the deepest roster in Jupiter.
Offensive firepower looks like the strength of the team and there
will be redundancy at plenty of positions, especially in the infield
with players such as PG All-Americans Francisco Thomas and Max Guzman
as well as Bo Bichette and Delvin Perez. Although not as highly
ranked, first baseman Zach Zientarski and third baseman Mason
Studstill are also consistent high level performers with big
righthanded power. The catching is extremely solid with All-American
Herbert Iser and 2017 standout M.J. Melendez sharing the duties. The
pitching staff is deep, with PG All-American Ryan Zeferjahn, rapidly
improving lefty Travis Hosterman and 6-foot-9 junior southpaw
Mitchell Stone likely to pitch high leverage innings during pool play
and early in the playoffs. Do note the change in team name, as the
former Cardinals Scout Team has changed as General Manager Charlie
Gonzalez now works with the Houston Astros.
CBA
Marucci
College
Commitments: 22/24 | Primary Pitchers: 10
A
deep run into the playoffs, let alone a championship, would mark CBA
as perhaps the organization of the year in Perfect Game after their
17u WWBA National Championship this summer and their impressive sweep
of the September PG/EvoShield Upper and Underclass tournaments. A
trio of very talented seniors in PG All-Americans Blake Sabol and
Dominic Fletcher, along with fast-rising outfielder Josh Stephen,
form the core of what is actually a heavily junior-oriented team.
Shortstop Nick Allen is arguably one of the most enjoyable players in
the country to watch play regardless of class, while outfielder
Garrett Mitchell, infielder Ben Ramirez and two-way prospect Sean
Ross have huge tools. Piecing together enough quality innings from
their pitching staff will be CBA's biggest challenge. But to not rank
CBA among the favorites at this event would be disrespectful of what
they've already accomplished in 2015.
EvoShield
Canes
College
Commitments: 24/25 | Primary Pitchers: 12
Given
that that the Canes are looking to become the first ever Jupiter
three-peat champions and have a star-studded roster that includes six
Perfect Game All-Americans it would be impossible not to call
EvoShield the tournament favorites. However, the Canes failed to
reach the playoffs at both the WWBA 17u WWBA National Championship
and the 17u PG World Series, so there is some tarnish on the armor
coming in. A peerless infield in All-Americans Nicholas Quintana, Joe
Rizzo and Grant Bodison will be a primary strength of the team,
although the outfield of Avery Tuck, Khalil Lee and Seth Beer is
almost on par with the infield. 2014 Most Valuable Player Brad Debo
will share catching duties with offensive standout Brandon Martarano.
The Canes only list 12 primary pitchers on their roster so they are a
bit behind their competition in pitching depth but righthanders Matt
Manning and Gianluca Dalatri and lefty Rian Haire are very high level
performers.
GBG
Marucci
College
Commitments: 27/31 | Primary Pitchers: 17
GBG
reached the semifinals last year in an impressive run for the West
Coast based team and return a core of players who seem like they've
been with the team forever, especially third baseman Spencer Steer,
shortstop Will Proctor and second baseman Ben Baird, a PG
All-American. This being Jupiter, GBG has brought in a number of
other very talented players in Hunter Greene, perhaps the best
two-way prospect in the 2017 class, slugging first baseman Christian
Jones from Washington, and another top 2017 two-way talent, Daniel
Cabrera of Louisiana. If All-American righthander Kevin Gowdy makes
the trip and is stretched out GBG has one go-to starting pitcher, but
the hallmark of this and past GBG teams is a deep staff of arms that
pound the strike zone and let the team's defense handle things.
Mets
Scout Team/Scorpions
College
Commitments: 26/30 | Primary Pitchers: 14
The
runner-up in 2014, the Scorpions have to be considered championship
contenders in any event they enter every year and this tournament is
no different. The pitching staff looks especially strong, with PG
All-Americans Cole Ragans and Tyler Baum ready to go and D.J. Roberts
and Todd Peterson joining them as talented and battled tested
starters. Still, the Scorpions top pitcher this summer was
righthander Tobias Myers; look for him to pitch on Sunday in the
playoffs should the Scorpions reach that point. PG All-American
outfielder Carlos Cortes was perhaps the top hitter in the country
this summer and it is easy to imagine him putting together an MVP
type of performance, while fellow All-American third baseman Drew
Mendoza will also be spotlighted by scouts. As a sign that things
aren't likely to change for the Scorpions in the near future, look
for big contributions from 2017 infielders Christopher Seise, Brady
Smith and Tim Elko as well.
Deep
Playoff Run Potential
Braves
Scout Team/Ohio Warhawks
College
Commitments: 20/27 | Primary Pitchers: 14
Is
this the year the Warhawks finally escape a critical pool play upset
and make a deep playoff run? It could be looking at the roster and
how it works together. PG All-American Josh Lowe is the best two-way
player in the country and could be a first rounder either at third
base or on the mound. Righthanders Davis Daniel, Weston Bizzle and
Kyle Hurt are pitchers any team would want starting an important
game, especially Bizzle, whose track record is exceptional at Perfect
Game events over the last year. Lowe will lead the offense,
supported by shortstop Carter Kieboom and under recognized but very
talented outfielder Akil Baddoo.
Elite
Squad Prime
College
Commitments: 22/25 | Primary Pitchers: 13
The
middle of the Elite Squad line up ranks with any team in the
tournament and no opposing pitcher will look forward to running the
gauntlet of first baseman Alejandro Toral, catcher Michael Amditis,
shortstop Colton Welker, third baseman Rylan Thomas and catcher Zach
Jackson. Where the team has come up a bit short this year is on the
mound. Lefthander Jesus Luzardo is one of the best pitchers in the
tournament and will be next to impossible to beat if he is on his
game and able to pitch deep into a pitch count. Big performances from
righthanders Anthony Molina and Gregory Veliz will be important to a
deep playoff run.
Florida
Burn
College
Commitments: 23/29 | Primary Pitchers: 13
The
Burn are built for tournaments such as Jupiter and it's no surprise
that they are successful in virtually every event that features an
intense schedule of games. They have a deep roster and emphasize
fundamental baseball, almost to an extreme at times. The Burn also
have about the largest collection of two-way talent in Jupiter, not
an unimportant consideration. All-American Austin Bergner is the
team's standout both on the mound and as a two-way performer, but
senior Nick Long and juniors Jordon Butler and Sam Keating will also
impact the tournament on both sides of the ball. Butler, a
lefthander, is one pitcher that no team in Jupiter will want to face.
In the end, though, if the Burn are still playing late Sunday or even
Monday it will be because of a team effort.
Team
Elite Prime
College
Commitments: 24/25 | Primary Pitchers: 13
The
first thing that stands out about Team Elite is that 17 of their
players have commitments to an SEC or ACC school, so talent is not an
issue. The second thing, especially having seen the team play, is
that this is a seriously big and strong group of athletes. With the
possible exception of 6-foot-4 PG All-American shortstop Nolan Jones,
this is a team that won't rely on finesse to beat you. Righthanded
slugger Cam Shephard joins Jones to form a strong middle infield,
while All-American Luke Berryhill and Austin Bigger are one of the
best catching tandems at the event. Watch 2017 lefthanded hitter
Steven Williams carefully; he's a primary catcher who is athletic
enough to play center field and is one of the strongest juniors in
the country. Mid-90's righthander Zach Linginfelter heads a deep
pitching staff that is stocked for a deep playoff run.
Texas
Scout Team Yankees
College
Commitments: 17/22 | Primary Pitchers: 11
The
Yankees are a true scout team brought together just for Jupiter every
year and history shows that such teams rarely play on Monday.
However, history also shows that the Texas-based team almost always
makes a strong playoff run and is annually one of the heaviest
scouted teams in Jupiter, and neither of those two things should
change in 2015. Shortstop Hudson Sanchez has high-round potential if
his bat continues to shine as it did late in the summer, while fellow
Texan Ulysses Cantu is one of the better two-way prospects in the
country and a powerful righthanded hitter. Two talented juniors that
will be heavily watched will be outfielder Cole Turney, one of best
2017 hitters in the country, and lefthander John Kodros.
The
Talent's There
Houston
Banditos
College
Commitments: 16/22 | Primary Pitchers: 9
The
Banditos are ironically in the same pool with the Dirtbags, as the
two organizations are very similar in their team chemistry and their
tradition of success. In two-way standout Lael Lockhart Jr. and
outfielder Connor Capel, the Banditos have two of the most
experienced players in the country and a pair that is likely to rise
to the occasion. Shortstop Andres Sosa is also a talented and
veteran performer and will be steady on defense and in the middle of
the Banditos batting order. Vanderbilt commit Christopher Machamer
will lead the pitching staff and it seems likely that either he or
lefty Richard Gilbert will get the ball in the all important Dirtbags
matchup.
Marucci
Elite
College
Commitments: 19/25 | Primary Pitchers: 11
Marucci's
national profile hasn't been as high the past two years after winning
it all in 2011, but they've clearly decided to peak for this event.
The team's Louisiana roots are still evident in players such as
shortstop Zach Watson and outfielder Jacob Peterson, two of the
fastest players in Jupiter, plus shortstop Josh Smith, but the roster
is filled with quality players from around the country. Where to
play all the infielders will be a pleasant issue, with PG
All-American shortstop Nonie Williams, third baseman Austin Shenton
and second baseman Morgan McCullough joining Watson and Smith in the
mix. Righthanders Easton McGee and Joe Fulcher will lead what looks
like a deep pitching staff. Keep an eye on 6-foot-7, 245-pound
righthander Alex Moore from Missouri, a late riser who is reportedly
hitting the mid-90s.
Northeast
Baseball
College
Commitments: 22/26 | Primary Pitchers: 12
Northeast
might be a misnomer for this team, as their 26-player roster hails
from 16 states plus Puerto Rico. They will have to jell quickly, as
their first game on Thursday is against the stacked Braves Scout
Team/Ohio Warhawks, with the Warhawks tentatively scheduled to pitch
their top pitchers in hopes of having them ready for a deep playoff
run. Still, Northeast has the talent to pull an upset. The left
side of their infield in shortstop Shane Martinez and third baseman
Kevin Milam, both California natives, are battle-tested performers,
while catcher Michael Rothenburg is one of the top 2017 catchers in
country. Who Northeast chooses to pitch on Thursday (Andrew Belcik)
and how they perform could determine everything for the team.
St.
Louis Pirates/Elite Baseball Training
College
Commitments: 22/30 | Primary Pitchers: 15
The
melding of two very solid programs has produced a roster that has
both star power and enviable depth across the board. A pair of PG
All-Americans – infielder Tyler Fitzgerald and righthander Drake
Fellows – provide the star power while 6-foot-3, 225-pound
outfielder Jordan McFarland and 6-foot-5, 210-pound third baseman
Joey Polak will provide plenty of firepower in the middle of the
lineup. The Pirates/Elite are in a well balanced but winnable
division, with their must-win game appearing to be the Tri-State
Arsenal on Friday afternoon for a path to the playoffs and a chance
to test their 15 pitcher deep staff.
Tri-State
Arsenal
College
Commitments: 16/26 | Primary Pitchers: 11
The
Arsenal's fate will be in the hands of a star-studded core of their
pitching staff. All eyes will be on the consensus top prospect in the
2016 class, lefthander Jason Groome, when he takes the mound, but
fellow PG All-American Anthony Locey, Tyler Mundile and top 2017
southpaw D.L. Hall all have low- to mid-90s stuff that can dominate
any team, too. The potential drawback of the team will be in that it
only has nine seniors on the roster as opposed to 17 underclassmen. A
pair of senior Duke commits, two-way standout Matt Mervis and
lefthander Adam Laskey, should play prominent roles in any Arsenal
playoff run.
Don't
Sleep On Them
Chicago
Scouts Association
College
Commitments: 18/20 | Primary Pitchers: 9
The
Upper Midwest has three teams in this final handicapping, a nice
indication that talent in the area is very substantial right now.
Chicago Scouts Association is especially talented in the field and up
the middle with a pair of PG All-Americans, catcher Ben Rortvedt and
shortstop Gavin Lux, plus catcher Sam Ferri ready to play, along
with lefthanded hitting outfielder Christian Bullock. Righthander
Nate Brown, a Florida commit, is scheduled to pitch against the
Florida Burn on Saturday night, their major obstacle for getting out
of pool play.
Dallas
Tigers
College
Commitments: 13/15 | Primary Pitchers: 7
One
senses that the Tigers roster as listed on the PG website isn't
complete in terms of numbers but one thing is for certain, it is very
talented. PG All-American righthander Charles King will likely start
whatever game the Tigers feel is the must-win contest to reach the
playoffs, while Ray Gaither is one of the best two-way talents in the
2016 class and will make a big mark both offensively and defensively.
Shortstop Ryan Vilade is one of the best position talents in the 2017
class and is an especially enjoyable player to watch because of his
energy and powerful righthanded bat.
Reds Midwest Scout Team
College
Commitments: 22/24 | Primary Pitchers: 12
The
Reds have made deep runs at Jupiter before and the roster is again
constructed for a deep run should they be able to escape a tough pool
that includes CBA Marucci and perennial playoff participant Chet
Lemon's Juice. Catcher Cooper Johnson is the big name prospect on
the team and his defense in particular will impact the Reds' games,
but it is a deep Upper Midwest pitching staff that will be the key to
the team's chances.
Dallas
Patriots Stout
College
Commitments: 10/19 | Primary Pitchers: 7
The
Patriots will have confidence on their side, as their team, with a
very similar roster, finished as the runner-up in the 17u WWBA
National Championship in July. They will also have a pair of
Oklahoma State commits who have brought home MVP honors from WWBA
championships in slugging catcher Michael Neustifter and righthanded
pitcher Jonathan Heasley.
Team
EvoShield
College
Commitments: 20/24 | Primary Pitchers: 13
There
is plenty of precedent for an organization's second team making a
deep playoff run and it would surprise few if happened again,
especially with the strengths of the EvoShield Canes, Orlando
Scorpions, Elite Squad and FTB organizations. Team EvoShield gets the
nod over the Twins Scout Team/Scorpions South, Elite Squad Louisville
Slugger and FTB Mizuno as having the best chance to emerge, in large
part due to a deep pitching staff and a stellar outfield that
includes Edward "E.P." Reese and highly ranked juniors
Jordon Adell and JeVon Ward.
Programs
That Know How To Win
There
are a number of teams that are veterans to the competition in Jupiter
and always seem to do well, even when their rosters might not always
match up with other teams. It would be no surprise whatsoever if a
couple of these teams made an impact on the playoffs.
• Chet
Lemon's Juice
• Diamond
Devils
• Dirtbags
• Dulin
Dodgers
• East
Cobb Astros
• East
Cobb Yankees
• Elite
Squad Louisville Slugger
• FTB
Mizuno
• Midland
Redskins
• Mountain
West Slammers
• Ontario
Blue Jays
• Richmond
Braves National
• SGV
Arsenal
• South
Charlotte Panthers
• Twins
Scout Team/Scorpions South