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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/19/2018

15u WWBA Scout Notes: Day 6

Photo: Grant Hussey (Perfect Game)

15u WWBA National Championship: Event Page | Daily Leaders
Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5

Louisiana Knights Black clinched a spot in the playoffs following their final pool play victory and righthander starter Andrew Lewis II (2021, Snellville, Ga.) turned in a quality performance on the day. The Georgia native struck out eight batters while allowing only one earned run over five strong innings on the mound. The lean, athletic righthander is listed at 6-foot, 172-pounds which leaves a lot of room on the frame to add strength and physicality. The delivery is pretty up-tempo with present arm speed and a clean, online stroke through the point of release. Lewis touched 86 mph early on and sat mostly 82-85 mph the rest of the way, maintaining his velocity well and throwing a good amount of strikes. The higher arm slot creates good sink and flashes of downhill plane when leveraging low, which he did often as he showed good feel for repeating his mechanics and consistently getting on top of the ball. The breaking ball was a solid secondary pitch as he could land the curveball for strikes and also showed feel for a changeup that he got a few swings-and-misses on. Lewis is an intriguing uncommitted arm from Georgia who has been a name to know for the past two summers now.

KBC Prime cruised to their final win of pool play to lock up 7-0 on the week and earn a top five seed in the tournament. The hitting ways continued, especially so for middle-of-the-order presence Grant Hussey (2021,Washington, W.Va.) as his power lefthanded bat continued to show out. The physicality, strength, loft, and bat speed all point toward the ingredients of a powerful lefthanded power profile and he gave a glimpse of that potential on Wednesday afternoon. During his second at-bat, Hussey deposited a hanging breaking ball far and deep over the pull side fence for a no-doubt shot. That batted ball left the bat at 96 mph and traveled an estimated 352 feet that was way gone and Hussey followed that up with a crushed triple to dead center field that left the bat at 93 mph. Hussey has been one of the more impressive bats in the tournament and KBC will be looking for a big bracket play performance out of their slugging first baseman.

Dig In Baseball’s physical first baseman Josh Moylan (2020, Stoney Beach, Md.) had a quality afternoon, creating consistent, well-struck contact from a powerful lefthanded stroke. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound presence is extremely large and physical, and he generates good bat speed and jump off the barrel from that well-proportioned strength. The load is a bit drifty and is very timing heavy, but he has the wrist strength to be able to fight off breaking balls should he get mistimed. When he gets a fastball he often doesn’t miss it as he crushed a double over the head of the centerfielder that left the bat at 93 mph. He also added a 91 mph fielder’s choice ground out later on in the game and the impact force in conjunction with the lefthanded power potential make Moylan an intriguing, uncommitted rising junior.

Playoffs got underway during the last slot and the Louisiana Knights saw another strong performance out of their ace Hunter Elliott (2021, Tupelo, Miss.) as the Ole Miss commit shut down the opposing offense en route to a dominant effort and a first round victory. Elliott struck out ten batters while allowing just one hit over six-plus innings and earning the win in the process. You could tell that Elliott was locked in early in the game as he came out firing bullets and struck out the side in the first inning while sitting 86-89 mph. He eventually settled into more of a 83-87 mph range while being able to bump up and touch 87s and 88s should he need them late in the game. There is some effort to the delivery but that could have been easily confused with intensity as Elliott was fired up and attacking hitters with fastballs throughout. The longer arm stroke creates whip through the back and there’s significant angle, especially so when working to the glove side. In my estimation, Elliot threw somewhere around 85 percent fastballs while mixing in both a breaking ball and changeup. The breaker wasn’t used too often but showed true 1-to-7 shape, though the changeup flashed potential as a true weapon. He used it often against the middle-of-the-order righthanded bats as he threw it with similar conviction and really generated some swing-and-miss on the pitch. Elliott reaffirmed his status as one of the top arms in the class with another dominant effort on Wednesday night.

Marucci Elite was granted an early exit from the playoffs thanks to the Colt .45s, but starting pitcher Robert Patrick (2021, Pearland, Texas) had been impressive for most of the tournament and showed intriguing tools yet again on the mound. Simply put, everything works well in the delivery and it projects very well. The lean 6-foot-1, 162-pound frame is high-waisted and athletic and ripe for physical growth. The delivery is fluid, athletic, and he drives down the mound well with good extension while the arm path is clean, online, loose, and extremely whippy. The velocity on the fastball was only 78-82 mph, while topping out at 83 mph, but there’s a lot of positive components presently. The feel to spin the ball is solid for Patrick as he can land the curveball at will in the 68-72 mph range while flashing some bit when he really snapped the ball off well. Patrick has all the makings of a quality lefthanded pitching prospect, and the projection, arm speed and whip, with present stuff makes him one to follow.

The Dulins Dodgers (TX) had an opening round victory over the Memphis Tigers and starting pitcher and three-hole batter David Jeon (2021, Coppell, Texas) had a very good day in the victory. The righthanded pitcher is a very physical arm, listed at 5-foot-11 and 210-pounds, and he uses that strength well to hold the fastball velocity throughout the game. The fastball peaked at 85 mph early on but he held 81-84 mph well throughout the game. The delivery featured a short, online arm stroke that he hides well and causes the fastball to play up due to the deception he creates. Offensively, Jeon added a single on the day and almost took deep a changeup that he got under. The hitting tools exude strength through the point of contact and there’s things to like from a two-way perspective going forward for Jeon.

– Vincent Cervino



It was the second appearance of the tournament for uncommitted righthander Shane Panzini (2021, Spring Lake, N.J.) and though he threw one inning less than his first outing (he worked three innings on Thursday), he managed to punch out one more hitter with seven on the day. The time off in between outing was only a few days but it appeared as though the young New Jersey native was doing a better job of staying on line with his lower half, filling the zone while working primarily off of his heater. Panzini worked comfortably in the 84-86 mph range, bumping a handful of 87s and one 88 early in the contest, showing the same compact and quick arm action while generating short life down in the zone. Another difference for Panzini, and perhaps the biggest one, was his ability to work ahead in the count while inducing weak ground ball contact off the barrel. He flashed both a curveball in the low-70s and a changeup that worked in the 78-80 mph which proved to be the more effective of the two with fading life and maintained arm speed.

There’s something to be said about a batter who consistently finds the barrel and that’s something that held true for uncommitted third baseman Aidan Corn (2021, Nokomis, Fla.) of the Florida Burn in my look Wednesday afternoon. With a broad shouldered 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame, Corn came to the plate three times on the day hitting out of the heart of the order and all three times found the barrel, connecting for hard shots to or through the -hole. Twice the ball found its way into the outfield for base knocks, the first of which registered 90 mph off the barrel and with the two-hit day saw his average raise up to an impressive .556 mark which he’ll look to maintain heading into the 15u World Series.

Termarr Johnson (2022, Atlanta, Ga.) maybe be one of the youngest players in the tournament having just turned 14 a month ago but that hasn’t stopped him from making noise this week while turning the heads of college coaches in attendance. Stronger and taller than his listed 5-foot-6, 110-pound, Johnson already demands the attention of the opposing pitcher when digging into the lefthanded batter’s box, utilizing an aggressive load but one that he stays balanced with and can adjust accordingly to the pitch. His hands are plenty quick and despite not yet entering high school, Johnson can already impact the baseball to all fields with looseness to his stroke and extension out front. He’s also a primary middle infielder who shows athleticism to his actions with quick feet and soft hands, all of which he shows in between innings as well as with his live actions, showing an overall skill set that’s advanced for his age.

Currently uncommitted, shortstop Bryan Padilla (2020, Brooklyn, N.Y.) has the actions up-the-middle that college coaches are looking for and they were on display throughout the game Wednesday night. Strongly built at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds, Padilla does a nice job of staying fluid and loose with his footwork, gathering well behind the ball while showing present range going back behind the bag. Padilla’s hands play softly at the ball with clean exchanges and the athleticism shows with his ability to drop his slot mid-stride and still make an accurate throw. Offensively his hands are just as loose, generating solid bat speed through the zone with the ability to impact the baseball at the point of contact.

Conner Whittaker (2021, Sarasota, Fla.) was handed the ball in the opening round of the playoffs for the West Coast Scorpions and he didn’t relinquish it until the final pitch of the game, going the distance on just 84 pitches. With a young and still highly projectable 5-foot-11, 160-pound frame, Whittaker did a nice job of maintaining his velocity throughout the game, living in the low-80s throughout while bumping as high 85 mph early in the contest.

Whittaker, who just turned 15 this month, employs a simple delivery with a short stride and a compact arm stroke, though he also shows enough arm speed to consistently get on top of the baseball from a high three-quarters release point. The young righthander may have only struck out three in the game but his ability to induce weak ground ball contact was evident as the opposing offense rarely barreled up the baseball. He flashed a curveball which tightened throughout his outing in the 70-72 mph though his changeup proved to be the most effective off speed later in the game with nice fading life and a maintained slot on the 77-78 mph pitch.

Starting at shortstop behind Whittaker was Nicolas Rodriguez (2021, Tampa, Fla.) who is listed as a primary outfielder, but fits the mold of a leadoff, up-the-middle type. A lefthanded stick, Rodriguez was held hitless on the day though he did show a direct path to the ball as well as some barrel skills, dropping a bunt down the third base line and turning in a 4.15 run down the line. It was his defensive abilities and overall footwork that stood out the most however, showing solid balance and a quick first step to either side. That first step appeared in a big way later in the game on a ball hit sharply to his backhand which looked like a single off the bat, though with the angle he took to the ball Rodriguez was able to cut it off, pivot and get the lead runner at second base for the force out.

It was quite the day for Joshua Sullivan (2021, Brandon, Miss.), an uncommitted lefthanded bat who is listed as a primary first baseman but got the start out in center field. After taking four pitches in his first at-bat for a walk without lifting the bat off the shoulder, Sullivan came out swinging in his next trip to the plate. On his first swing of the at-bat Sullivan connected for a long foul ball, which had it of been fair would have left the park, though his very next week he launched a double deep to the pull side, showing a similar full and loose swing path. That double proved to be the first of two two-base hits as he split the gap later in the game, driving in two to provide a three-run lead late in the game. While the offensive part of his game stood out, Sullivan also showed a solid first step in center field to come racing in and make a fully extended grab in shallow center.

The team’s leadoff hitter and second baseman, Colton Hegwood (2021, Brandon, Miss.) had a nice day on both sides of the ball, utilizing a full stroke from the left side of the plate. There’s looseness to his swing through the zone though he fits the mold of a leadoff type, dropping down a bunt single later in the game while running a 4.12 down the line to beat it out for a single. Similar to Rodriguez above, Hegwood showed a solid first step to get himself positioned well behind the ball, allowing himself to pick the ball and complete the play with a throw across his body.

Mason Nichols (2021, Jackson, Miss.) got the start for East Coast Sox Prime and didn’t disappoint with a near complete game effort, taking the ball into the sixth innings while maintaining his low-80s fastball throughout. Strongly built at 6-foot-3, 170-pounds and still projectable, Nichols was able to consistently create short running life while working on top of the ball, inducing ground ball contact while staying off barrels, not allowing his first hit until the sixth inning. And it was in that inning that Nichols dug deep as the Knights had runners on second and third with no outs, down by two runs while already plating one in the inning. Nichols proceeded to pump low-80s fastball in the zone while mixing in a tight, late upper-70s slider to go strikeout-strikeout-fly out to left field to finish the game.

– Jheremy Brown



Luke Holman (2021, Sinking Spring, Pa.) toed the rubber for Holman Hurricanes Elite on the final day of pool play. While the fastball showed above average velocity levels, at 82-85 mph early on, it was the curveball that really stood out. When he gets on top of it, it has great depth, often starting at the batter’s eye level before dropping in for a strike. Holman showed a great feel for throwing this pitch for strikes. In the second inning, he induced a first-pitch groundout with it before striking the next two hitters looking on three pitches apiece, most of them curveballs. He also threw it at a relatively wide range of velocities, anywhere from 65 to 71 mph. It is worth noting that Holman was not able to maintain the same velocity on his fastball after the first inning, but he projects well and as he builds strength and stamina, he should improve in this aspect. His final stat line included five strikeouts over three scoreless innings with a hit and a pair of walks.

There aren’t many better ways to open a game than a first inning, three-run home run, and that’s exactly what Michael Mitchler (2021, Alpharetta, Ga.) did on Wednesday. He gave Georgia Bombers White a lead they wouldn’t relinquish as he eviscerated a curveball and added on a sac fly later for insurance. Mitchler, a big first baseman at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds, has a presently powerful build that should continue to develop and allow him to hit for extra bases. He hits with a relaxed, open stance, and has some natural loft in his swing that helps him to generate backspin on the ball. It will be interesting to track his progress in the next couple of years to see if he can make further gains at the plate.

It was a quick look at Cade Kuehler (2020, Waxhaw, N.C.), but an impressive one nonetheless. He closed out the last two innings of an 8-0 shutout victory, striking out four batters while allowing a single baserunner via walk. Kuehler has quick arm speed and a clean, uncomplicated delivery that he repeats well. This allowed him to fill the zone with a fastball that reached 86 mph and averaged 84. Kuehler, the 17th-ranked righthander in the North Carolina class, isn’t quite the most projectable, but there is definitely a little room to fill out and add some velocity over the coming years.

As far as visibly pure strength goes for players in this tournament, one would be hard-pressed to find a peer to Kemp Alderman (2020, Decatur, Miss.). The Ole Miss commit is a colossal 6-foot-3, 230-pounds and takes advantage of his size to create easy bat speed. Pitchers mostly avoided giving him anything to hit and he showed good discipline in not expanding his zone given this reluctance by the pitchers to throw strikes. However, in one instance he did get a ball in the zone to hit and turned on it easily for a laser single to left. Alderman retains athleticism with the muscular and bulky build, seen when he stole second uncontested on the first pitch he could. While it didn’t show up today, one doesn’t have to stretch their imagination too far to see big power in the bat, and it appears that Alderman, the top catcher in the Mississippi class, has a bright future ahead.

– Cameron Hines



In one of the first time slots of the day, Texas Twelve Maroon righthanded reliever Austin Ford (2021, Cypress, Texas) turned in three hitless innings to help lead his team to a pool victory. Ford worked a fastball up to 85 on Wednesday before working from 81-84 for the rest of the outing. Ford has a projectable 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, and he is able to repeat his lower half very well. Ford has good arm strength on the mound, and the ability to throw to both sides of the plate with his fastball was impressive. Ford can throw two quality pitches for strikes, and Ford will continue to get better as he continues to grow.

In playoff action, a pair of starting pitchers led their team to the next round with outstanding performances. For Legends Prospects, Jack Beauchesne (2020, Chelmsford, Mass.) tossed five no-hit innings in an 8-0 win. Beauchesne was dominant and was able to sink his fastball to get a lot of ground ball outs. What was most impressive about his outing was that his two hardest fastballs came at 82 and 83 in his fifth inning of work. He got stronger as the game went on, and his mix in speeds and timing in the delivery was incredible to watch. He features a tight spinning breaking ball with good shape, and the uncommitted rising junior was able to throw it both for strikes and as a put-away pitch.

Over on Field 15, Evan Maldonado (2020, Mission, Texas) turned in an outstanding outing in the Banditos Scout Team’s playoff win. Maldonado worked six strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits. The two-way talent worked from 83-87 with a good fastball, and what was most impressive was his ability to maintain 6’s and 7’s into the sixth inning. Maldonado also showed great feel for a curveball in the high-60s, and the 6-foot-1, 163-pound rising junior was able to keep hitters off balance throughout.

In relief, Kobe Andrade (2020, Corpus Christi, Texas) was clutch as needed. Andrade worked in the mid-80s with a good running fastball, and he was able to shut the door on the Banditos win in extra innings. Andrade is an athletic two-way style player, and it shows on the mound. Andrade also had a couple hits in the game Wednesday night, and his baseball IQ continues to shine through in his ability to take extra bases and make the big play.

At the plate, Legends Prospects lefty Jack Penney (2021, Wakefield, Mass.) delivered one of the more impressive swings of the day with a long home run over the wall in right. Penney has quick hands and a smooth swing through the zone, and the ball really jumps off his bat. Penney had a pair of hard-hit balls in the game, and he also showed great actions up the middle as a primary shortstop. Penney is definitely a player to watch in the 2021 class.

– Nate Schweers
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