Daily Leaders: Southeast Qualifier #2 | Southeast Underclass Qualifier
Mark McLaughlin (2019, Johns Creek, Ga.) made a relief appearance for Team Elite Black on Friday and showcased some of the most projectable arm talent of the event. The Tennessee commit pitches with impressively low effort and one of the best curveballs in the class per Trackman and the overall eye test. With a spin rate of up to 3,000 rpm, McLauglin also produces true 12-to-6 shape on his breaking ball as well. The pitch was a serious weapon when ahead in counts. The righthander topped out at 92 mph with his fastball as well. His release point was a bit inconsistent due to timing of the clean arm stroke, but the overall projection and future potential of McLaughlin is very intriguing nonetheless.
One of the top 2019 uncommitted lefthanders in the class started on the mound Saturday night in a playoff game for the Georgia Bombers. Michael Harris II (2019, Ellenwood, Ga.) was superb and had some of the sharpest overall stuff of the weekend. Harris ranged from 88-91 mph with his fastball mixing in a power breaking ball as well. He repeats his delivery so well that his command is ideal to both sides of the plate. He worked primarily to the armside while showing he can locate his fastball or his curveball to the glove side of the plate as well. The arm action is clean and the delivery is efficient working with tempo and intent to work at a quick pace. He does so effectively filling up the strike zone and tallying seven strikeouts in six dominant innings of work.
Friday night’s first time slot of games included uncommitted lefthander Wyatt Crowell (2020, Cumming, Ga.) who has really made a nice overall impression throughout the summer circuit and into the fall. The crossfiring southpaw pitched a noteworthy pair of innings in a start for Team Elite Black that included a fastball, slider combination totaling five of his six outs via the punchout. His fastball sat 83-86 mph consistently with natural tailing life and a slider that projects extremely well moving forward. The slider was the out pitch flashing sharpness and the ability to land it consistently for strikes. Crowell pitches from a low three-quarters arm slot causing more deception to hitters from his aforementioned crossfire delivery.
2018 PG All American Nasim Nunez (2019, Lawrenceville, Ga.) was all over the field in all facets this weekend for Team Elite Black. Nunez, an elite defensive shortstop, made countless big-time plays at both shortstop and third base. One play in particular at third base on a sharply hit ball, Nunez picked it softly turned and fired a bullet across the diamond showcasing his arm strength as well. The switch hitter was able to take at-bats from both sides of the plate as well squaring up the baseball repeatedly and taking a high level approach to the plate. The swing is mostly compact with an ability to manipulate the barrel. His in game speed was on display Friday night as he beat out a routine ground ball to shortstop running a 4.00-second home to first from the lefthanded side.
Another talented uncommitted arm Team Elite Black sent to the mound is Logan Jones (2020, Milton, Ga.) of Milton High School. The righthander topped out at 89 mph working downhill with a loose arm action and nice involvement of his lower half off of the rubber. Jones worked an efficient 3 1/3 innings striking out six batters with a fastball and curveball combination of pitches. The curveball was a bit inconsistent but did flash nice 12-to-6 break and bottom of the zone location. His fastball and curveball combination of pitches helped the righthander get plenty of swings and misses during the outing.
Ryan Hagenow (2020, Knoxville, Tenn.) was able to log a total of 10 strikeouts of his own for eXposure on Saturday afternoon. The double digit strikeout total was noteworthy enough, but the fact that it came with a fastball up to a 89 mph and a lean 6-foot-5 frame is, from a scout’s eyes, really impressive. The righthander throws from an extended three-quarters arm slot and produces heavy armside life on his fastball. Hagenow, a Kentucky commit, has a loose arm action that is tough to repeat, but he does so effectively getting to both sides of the plate. He mixed in a developing slider that will improve with maintained fastball arm speed, but did also mix barrels consistently when located in the lower third of the strike zone. The Kentucky commit’s frame is ideal standing at a tall and athletic 6-foot-5, 192-pounds. With plenty more projection still remaining, the righthander from Farragut High School in Knoxville should continue to improve as a big-time overall pitching prospect.
Ramsey David (2019, Dacula, Ga.) has made many noteworthy appearances on the mound at different PG events and Saturday night’s playoff matchup was no different. The righthander’s fastball worked from 88-92 mph early on before settling into more of an 86-90 mph range later on in the start. David has a clean arm action and a low effort delivery producing easy velocity. The fastball is straight, but he creates plane and can fill up the zone with the pitch. He found the zone too often at times finding multiple bats, but the overall performance was impressive. He mixed in a slider the has sharp two-plane shape with feel. The pitch was a strike out pitch getting lots of swings and misses early in counts and putting hitters away with it with two strikes. The Auburn commit has a clean overall delivery and made another nice outing at a PG event on Saturday evening.
The talented night of big-time arms continued on the 13-16 quad as Blake Money (2020, Spring Hill, Tenn.) of the East Cobb Astros faced off with Zachary Maxwell of NBS for the pitching matchup of the tournament that was every bit as advertised. Money was in complete control for his six innings of work working primarily 90-92 mph early while touching 94 mph once in the first inning. His large frame and strength in both his lower half and right arm are going to both help him continue to throw harder in the future, but on top of that his command of all three pitches was special. Both of his secondary offerings are average right now with the changeup projecting in the future. His curveball has developing spin, but he throws it for strikes effectively. The LSU commit competes on the mound with an aggressive demeanor attacking hitters with the fastball and finishing off hitters with his two secondaries.
Money’s opposition was Georgia Tech commit Zachary Maxwell (2019, Acworth, Ga.) who was spectacular as well. The righthander totaled up 10 strikeouts with a fastball up to 95 mph and a slider in the low-80s. Maxwell missed bats over and over again allowing just one hit in his five innings of work. The big righty stands at 6-foot-6, 245-pounds and is an imposing pitcher on the mound. He works to both sides of the plate with a heavy downhill plane and loose arm action. The lower half is used to its full potential getting outstanding drive off of the rubber down the mound. Maxwell mixes in a slider with lots of feel and is able to bury the pitch down or dive it out away from righthanded hitters getting lots of swings and misses with the offering. His low-90s fastball and power slider both are weapons for the Georgia Tech commit to use and he did so very effectively on Saturday night.
BYU commit Mikade Johnson (2019, Dallas, Ga.) was in relief of Maxwell Saturday night during one of the more talent-filled time slots of the entire fall season at PG Park. Johnson has broad shoulders and really looks the part on the mound for NBS. The righthander has a full arm action producing a fastball that sat 88-90 mph consistently while touching 91 mph as well. Johnson repeats his simple delivery well and allows him to locate effectively with each of his pitches. The righthander pounded the corners in the relief role picking up a win in doing so. He mixed his fastball with a slider that he threw when ahead in counts to finish hitters off. The pitch complemented the heater well coming from a similar tunnel before diving sharply with late downward bite.
Duke commit Graham Pauley (2019, Milton, Ga.) had a nice weekend at the plate batting (.500) including a double for DRB. The lefthanded slugging infielder has a very smooth swing with raw bat speed and pop when squared. Pauley squares up the baseball frequently with plenty of barrel feel. He looks to hit the baseball hard and drive it to his pull side. The three hole hitter for DRB started the game at shortstop and moves well to the baseball in the middle infield. His frame is ideal for a position player with more room to fill and additional impact strength to the point of contact still to come.
Gavin Collyer (2019, Buford, Ga.) pitched Team Elite Black into the semifinals of the Southeast Qualifier and was in complete control from start to finish. Collyer, a Clemson commit, sat 89-91 mph with his fastball mostly while also touching 92 mph as well. The tall and skinny righthander has a quick and loose arm with a repeatable release point out in front. Collyer pounded the strike zone repeatedly inside and out with his fastball, his slider that flashed plus and a changeup primarily to lefthanded hitters. Collyer worked four complete innings with seven strikeouts.
Alex McFarlane (2019, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands) may have not had the best outing in terms of command and showing his full repertoire in his outing, but the projection is worth noting nonetheless. The righthander from the Virgin Islands produces a fastball that sits in the in the low-90s and was up to 93 mph in this relief appearance. McFarlane has a loose arm and a projectable frame that will only continue to fill out physically. He flashed a slider and changeup in warmups but did not throw either pitch in his 1 1/3 innings. The Miami commit has been up to 94 mph previously at PG events and, as the body continues to fill out, McFarlane is going to continue to be a fun player to watch on the mound.