Daily Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6

Trying to find a successful switch-hitter in high school baseball isn’t an easy task, especially when looking at players who are entering their sophomore year of high school. Harder than finding a player who can hit from both sides is finding a pitcher who is able to pitch with both hands and do so at a high level. Anthony Seigler (2018, Cartersville, Ga.) is able to do both and put his talents on display throughout the tournament and into the East Cobb Astros playoff run.

With a strongly built 5-foot-11, 182-pound frame Seigler showed the same balanced approach at the plate from either side and did equal amounts of damage in the championship game. After hitting a double to begin the Astros rally in their semifinal win, Seigler put his team on the board in the championship game with a big two-run double to the left-center field gap (batting lefthanded) after fouling off several tough pitches. His next time to the plate Seigler matched up against a lefthanded pitcher to which he simply stepped in the righthanded batters and singled back up the middle, plating another run for the Astros.

As impressive as the switch-hitting is, Seigler’s ability to change hands on the mound as the hitter strode to the plate was even more impressive. Over the last two weeks Seigler has jumped on the mound, once relieving himself righthanded after throwing five innings lefthanded, but until the championship he hadn’t brought out the six finger glove to throw. Up to 82 mph in his previous lefthanded outing, Seigler worked comfortably in the upper-70s, but it was his off-speed that held hitters at bay as he showed a comfortable feel for both a curveball and changeup.

When he’s not pitching he takes a majority of his reps throwing righthanded when he’s at third or behind the plate so it would make sense that he showed more velocity from the right side on the mound. The uncommitted Seigler ran his fastball up to 85 mph and held it thoughout the game while exhibiting the same strong feel for his secondaries. To complement his 11-to-5 curveball in the upper-60s Seigler also showed a late diving changeup in the low-70s, leaving his hand just as his fastball would.

Detailed in prior recaps, the highly athletic Jared Hart (2018, Marietta, Ga.) put his defensive prowess on display in center field Friday morning in a big way. With the bases loaded and two outs in the semifinal game against Phenom Signature, Hart got a good read off the barrel and a quick first step to track down a deep fly ball to the left-center field gap, showing off incredible range for somebody heading into his sophomore year, and more importantly save at least two runs from plating in a very tight winner-take-all game.

The other half of the Astros' quick-twitch middle infield duo – joining Ryan Bliss – second baseman Jarrett Ford (2018, Decatur, Ga.) had a solid playoff on both sides of the ball. A high-end athlete, Ford continuously showed good defensive routes up the middle, whether it was ranging to his left or right, and he was always able to get behind the ball well and work through it. He proved that his bat was just as loud as his defensive ability as he showed a short and quick path to the ball from the right side creating solid line drive contact off the barrel gap-to-gap. Once he puts a shot into the gap Ford’s able to showcase another, and perhaps his loudest, tool in his speed as he rounded first today in 4.34 seconds.

Though they each only made a brief appearance on the mound during the Houston Banditos run through the playoffs and into the semifinals, young righthanders Nolan Crisp (2019, McDonough, Ga.) and Nate Wohlgemuth (2020, Owasso, Okla.) didn’t look out of place with either their poise or overall stuff.

The athletic Crisp is no stranger to Perfect Game events as he made his showcase debut last fall and has played in several tournament both prior to and following the showcase. After the rain thwarted an elongated start earlier in the tournament Crisp came out of the bullpen and didn’t disappoint. Working from a full hands-over-head delivery, the young righthander sat in the 84-86 mph range with his fastball and topping out at 87 while showing nice running life to his arm side. He does a nice job of remaining balanced though his delivery and when he stayed on top of the ball he was able to generate downward plane on his fastball and in turn was able to induce ground ball contact. His first couple of breaking balls were soft 11-to-5 shape curveballs before he brought out a harder version that took the shape more of a slider at 72-73 mph with tight rotation and short bite at the end of the pitch.

Coming in to pitch the sixth inning of the semifinal game for the Banditos was Wohlgemuth, who despite not entering high school for another full year showed overall stuff that already belongs at that level. With a strong 5-foot-10, 180-pound broad-shouldered build, Wohlgemuth came out and sat in the 86-88 mph range, peaking at 89 and did so without much effort. Along with the velocity the life he generates on his fastball is rather impressive and was evident by the two bats he broke by riding his fastball up off the barrel and onto the hands of righthanded batters. Wohlgemuth also did a nice job of maintaining his arm action on his 11-to-5 shape curveball and showed tight rotation with short depth at 72-73 mph.

While there were several big hits in the Houston Banditos and Chain National semifinal game, Leonel Perez (2017, Palmview, Texas) and Brandon Howlett (2018, Auburndale, Fla.) each provided one of the louder, more clutch hits for their respective teams.

Down four in the top of the seventh with two outs and the bases loaded Leonel Perez found himself undeterred as he was down in the count 0-1 with a championship berth on the line. After a quick mound visit by the Chain coaches Perez was thrown an elevated fastball and he certainly didn’t miss as he sent the ball past the left field fence for a game-tying grand slam, simultaneously erupting the Banditos’ bench.

With a similar situation in the bottom of the seventh, Howlett came to the plate with a runner on first, down one and with two outs. Though he didn’t go yard like Perez he did create solid extension in his swing and singled back up the middle to tie the game that Chain would eventually walkoff as winners.

Chase Wilkerson (2018, Headland, Ala.) was given the ball again for Chain National and up until the double by Seigler he was able to keep the Astros bats at bay and posted zeroes over the first three innings. Up to 90 mph earlier this summer, the projectable 5-foot-11, 165-pound righthander sat in the 85-87 mph range showing an overall clean set of mechanics which he repeated well with a fast arm coming through the back. He generates his velocity rather easily, and given his lean, quick-twitch frame it’s easy to see more velocity on its way. After seeing Wilkerson’s first start of the 15u WWBA National Championship another thing that stood out from his championship performance was his overall feel for his curveball. Working into the low-70s with the pitch, Wilkerson was able to generate depth and nice shape consistently as he stayed on top of the ball.




When there’s a young 6-foot-2 lefthander on the mound you usually take notice and that was the case as Patrick Wicklander (2018, San Jose, Calif.) toed the rubber for Phenom Signature in their quarterfinal victory. With long limbs and a lean, projectable build Wicklander came out sitting in the 82-85 mph range and continued to fill up the strike zone thanks to his short and repeatable arm action through the back. The uncommitted Wicklander shows a quick arm and with his release point is able to create solid angle on his fastball and located well down in the zone. He also showed an advanced overall feel for pitching as evidenced by his ability to throw four pitches for strikes, all coming out of the same slot, and by pitching off of his breaking stuff his fastball played up another tick. His slider worked in the mid-70s and showed shorter, more subtle life where his curveball showed bigger depth in the mid-60s while locating both to either side of the plate. Rounding out his arsenal, Wicklander flashed a changeup in the 72-73 mph range and featured late diving life on the pitch.

Two of the more consistent bats throughout the weekend for No. 2 seeded Phenom Signature, third baseman Jordan Keller (2019, Moreno Valley, Calif. ) and catcher Brendan Tinsman (2018, Cape Elizabeth, Maine), continued to swing hot bats though the first two rounds of the playoffs.

A rising freshman, Keller has shown a strong feel for the barrel of the bat throughout pool play and frequently created hard line drive contact up the middle and to his pull side. Thursday morning Keller put his righthanded power on display and turned on a ball for a loud home run over the left field fence.

Already committed to Wake Forest, Tinsman has shown advanced tools for a player his age, both behind and at the plate. With quick hands and a strong 6-foot-2, 175-pound build, Tinsman showed off his strength as he put a solid swing on an outer-half fastball and drove it into right field for a hard double.




It was only a quick look at Gunnar Hoglund (2018, Hudson, Fla.) but the long and projectable 6-foot-4 righthander made a lasting impression despite throwing to less than a handful of batters in his relief outing. With a long and loose arm action coming through Hoglund is able to create incredibly easy velocity to the point that it looks like he’s playing catch in the upper-70s when in reality the radar gun read anywhere in the 86-89 mph range, peaking at 90. Hoglund uses his long levers to his advantage on the mound as he’s able to get on top of the ball and create hard running life to his fastball. And along with the velocity and life he showed the ability to harness the life and would bring it back over the outer black to righthanded hitters. The late life of his fastball was enough to stay off barrels and induce weak ground ball contact, but to give hitters a different look Hoglund flashed a curveball in the 73-75 mph range and showed a solid changeup as well. The changeup showed flashes of becoming an above average offering as he maintained the same loose and whippy arm action generating late dive in the mid- to upper-70s.