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Tournaments  | Story  | 12/12/2024

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Tyler Russo     
Finest in the Field: Class of 2025 | Class of 2026 | Class of 2027

We've been able to watch many of these players grow over the last handful of years and there's no stopping them now, so let's dive in on some of the standout defenders from across the country. 





P – Luke Esquivel, Grapevine High School (Grapevine, Texas)

Selecting this position is always an interesting task as you don’t typically think about defense when it comes to the pitching position, but Esquivel does a lot of things right, in addition to the fact that he could win the award at the first base position as well. He throws a ton of strikes, with some of the best pitchability in the class, and the game comes easy to him at times in term of how he handles himself on the diamond.

C – Julian Martinez, The Stony Brook (New York, N.Y.)

There were some solid defensive catchers in this age group this year, including his travel ball teammate Dariel Carrion (who is a 2027), but Julian’s combination of ability to block and receive at a high level paired with a rocket of an arm made him an easy choice here. He’s also athletic enough to play the infield some if needed, which he has done well in the past.

1B – Ethan Stewart, D H Conley High School (Winterville, N.C.)

Stewart is a primary outfielder now, but he also plays first base as a secondary position and has done so at a pretty high level this year. He’s athletic and plays the game loose, showing both an ability to move around the bag well and receive throws comfortably.

INF – Aiden Kearney, Hagerty High School (Winter Park, Fla.)

Kearney has transformed himself as a player over the last year, taking home Player of the Year honors at the 14U Select Festival, and his comfortability at the shortstop position has come with it. He moves well laterally and has good glove work, while the arm strength is a huge differentiator when it comes to his ability to make throws from all over the left side.

INF – Lio Garcia, Buford High School (Suwanee, Ga.)

We’ve seen Garcia as a slick defender for a couple of years now and he continues to handle himself well when it comes to playing up the middle. He’s really athletic giving him standout range and the hands are some of the best in the country, while the arm strength is coming along nicely and should be the final aspect to round out projecting him to play shortstop at the next level.

INF – Bryan Mesa, Doral Academy (Hialeah, Fla.)

Mesa is another that has been viewed as a standout defender on the dirt for a couple years and his projection to play the left side makes him a great choice for a spot here. He’s 6’3 but moves around the diamond with fluidity, shows good hands and has easy arm strength.

OF – Dexter McCleon Jr, Buford High School (Suwanee, Ga.)

Dex is the top-ranked player in this class due in part to his impressive tools at a young age, but he’s done a really good job at cleaning up elements of his game over the last year. He’s a high-level runner which gives him ability to patrol the gaps in the outfield, while his arm strength up to 94 also gives him one of the strongest outfield arms in the country, a definite plus.

OF – Carter Shouse, Bishop Fenwick High School (Middletown, Oh.)

Shouse sits right behind Dex at the #2 spot in this class, and similarly plays the game at a high level. He’s an easy mover at the outfield position with good timing and routes to the ball, while the arm strength is truly a weapon for him as well as he can cut down runners consistently.

OF – Dru Wilson, Notre Dame High School (Porter Ranch, Calif.)

Dru is an explosive athlete who can create a lot of force, both in his first step quickness and arm strength. That combination is something that comfortably projects him to playing the outfield at a high level long-term, while he’s already making impactful plays out there now.

UT – Aaron Garcia, St. John Bosco High School (Pico Rivera, Calif.)

Garcia is as versatile as it gets and has taken home defensive player of the year in back-to-back years as a result. He’s a high-level catcher with great management of the game, blocking, receiving and excellent catch-and-throw skills, but he’s an equally talented defender on the dirt up the middle where his glove work and just overall instincts stand out.