Eric Agan (2020, Burnt Hills, N.Y.) got the 14u BCS National Championship under way with a stellar pitching performance. Coming all the way from New York, Agan pitched a gem to lead his team to an easy victory. His mid-70s fastball has great tailing action that dove hard in towards righthanded hitters. His over-the-top delivery makes it easy to get good downward action on his curve. Agan mixes his pitches well and keeps hitters off balance. He has a loose arm, which should help him continue developing future off-speed pitches. Agan threw a ton of strikes throughout his four innings of work and was rewarded with six strikeouts.
William Kindl (2020, Ballston Spa, N.Y.) helped provide run support for Agan. Kindl features a tall, narrow stance while his hands are located around the ears. His load consists of a big, loose leg kick that has an inconsistent landing spot. Kindl may need to tighten up his load in order to be in a better place to hit. However, his good uppercut swing plane and good bat speed should give him the tools to hit for power as Kindl matures. His defense in center field profiles as above average as well.
John Clarke (2021, Miami, Fla.) has interesting two-way potential. His narrow, straight batting stance leads him to lean slightly out over the plate. He features a good sized leg kick that seems mostly to be used for timing rather than to generate power. During his load, Clarke drops his hands to a lower position in order to create a clean, line drive oriented swing. He looks to shoot the ball back up the middle, and he should do so consistently with his above average bat speed. Clarke was a little slow down the line, however. Clarke later came in to finish the game on the mound. He threw only two-thirds of an inning, but recorded two strikeouts during that time. He throws a high-70s fastball.
Bryant Colon (2021, Greenacres, Fla.) got the start in center field for the Banditos Scout Team. His instincts in the field are good, and he often had quick first steps. Colon can really run, too, as he covered plenty of grass. His swing is solid as well. He comes up out of a crouch early in his load only to sink back down when starting to swing. He may have issues hitting too many popups because of this, but if he can manage to consistently barrel the ball, plenty of power should come. Colon has very quick hands and showed he can turn on hard, inside pitches.
One of the best overall athletes on the day goes to Dawson Ball (2021, Wellington, Fla.). His 5-foot-11, 160-pound athletic frame is incredibly projectable. His presence at second base is immediately noticeable just by the way he handles himself defensively. Ball’s actions are quick and decisive. The kid can hit too. His hands start low during his swing and explode towards the ball. His big, aggressive leg kick will often lead to pitches being blistered off the bat. Ball’s bat stays long through the zone, which will help his contact rates. And his uppercut swing should lead to plenty of extra bases like the double he hit over the center fielder’s head.
Blake Tipmore (2021, Wellington, Fla.) is a lanky righthanded pitcher and he really gets on top of his pitches with his overhead delivery. His fastball sat in the upper-70s and once hit 81 mph. The pitch tends to fly straight, but it has good downhill plane. His delivery is quick with plenty of moving parts. Timpore’s arm circle is short and compact, which tends to make his arm arrive early in his delivery. As a consequence, Tipmore struggled to throw strikes consistently. If Tipmore is ever able to harness his control and pour in strikes, he has the tools needed to get hitters out.
Ben Petri (2021, Lighthouse Point, Fla.) is another young, projectable bat. Petri is an athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound shortstop with the range and speed to stay at the position. Petri’s bat will play, too. He has a tall, open stance and leans slightly over the waist. He takes a small step to square himself with the pitcher as his load. Petri keeps his hands close to his body through his line drive oriented swing. Petri definitely has the talent needed to keep playing at higher levels.
Richie Belcher (2021, Fort Myers, Fla.) is another impressive all-around athlete. During Belcher’s load, he lowers his hands dramatically to below the letters. From there his hands glide easily towards the pitch. It’s a short swing and Belcher showed easy power by hitting balls effortlessly to the outfield grass. His uppercut swing should add to his future power. Belcher was the starting pitcher for the Gulfcoast Fury 14u team as well. His fastball sat in the low-70s with some tail. However, Belcher profiles better as a hitter than a pitcher.
– Kyle Zwenge
Day two of the 14u PG Super25 National Championship saw some outstanding play from teams and individuals. Key pool play games matched some outstanding clubs in tense, well-played games. Solid pitching, clutch defense and timely hitting defined the day.
Two undefeated teams locked horns in an early contest on Field 2. The MVP Banditos North and Five Star National squared off in an extremely well-played game. Although the final ended up 5-2, in favor of the Banditos, the score doesn’t truly tell the complete story. With the score at 3-2 in MVP’s favor in the seventh, the Banditos were able to take advantage of one of the very few mistakes (a throwing error) that the Five Star National team made all day to help secure the win.
The Banditos struck early for a quick 3-0 first inning lead. FiveStar National starter, Ethan Adkison (2021, Chipley, Fla.), then settled in and completely shut down the Bandito offense for five straight innings. The tall, slender, lefthander used a three-pitch mix that belied his youth. One could imagine a young Chris Sale at 14 looking eerily similar to Adkison. His low three-quarters arm slot aided in a very deceptive delivery that kept the Bandito squad off the board after the first inning.
Adkison’s fastball sat in the 74-76 mph range and was delivered with a whippy, crossfire motion that produced arm-side run that the Banditos struggled getting their barrels to. He pitched to both sides of the plate effectively and was especially tough down in the zone. His 61-63 mph 12-to-6 curveball had bite and was a great secondary pitch to his active fastball. His repertoire was completed with a very deceptive 65-mph changeup that he threw with an identical arm action as his fastball. The Banditos (and pitch limit rules) were finally able to chase Adkison in the seventh after he reached the daily 95 pitch limit. The tough-luck Adkison probably deserved a better fate, but his future certainly looks promising.
Starting MVP Banditos North righthanded pitcher, Kyle Murphy (2021, Lake Worth, Fla.), was as effective as Adkison, if not more so. Murphy shut the Five Star National club out for three innings (49 pitches), using a solid fastball (72-74 mph), a sharp breaking 62-64 mph curveball, and a very effective 68-mph changeup. His smooth, repeatable delivery and high three-quarters arm slot helped Murphy stay consistently ahead of hitters and get his team back in the dugout.
Offensively, Murphy also provided his team their biggest knock of the day, especially in a game where hits were hard to come by, when he delivered a two-out, two-strike single, to drive in two big runs in the top of the seventh inning to basically put the game on ice for the Banditos.
Following Murphy to the bump for the MVP Banditos North squad was Kobe Benson (2021, Boca Raton, Fla.). The righthanded throwing Benson was a strike-thrower, with a short and quick arm action, who brought a little more velocity to the hill with a fastball that sat in the 75-76 mph range, and a sharp, late-breaking 68-mph curveball that help keep the Five Star offense at bay for another 2 2/3 innings. Benson, who is a slick-fielding second sacker when he is not on the mound, used a bulldog demeanor and a rapid pace, to white-wash Five Star until the sixth inning.
With the Five Star club threatening in the bottom of the seventh, the MVP Banditos manager turned to the club’s right fielder, righthander Josue Martinez (2021, Lantana, Fla.) to help quell the National rally. With one out and two runners on, Martinez threw six pitches – all two-seam sinking fastballs at 72-73 mph – and recorded two straight outs to garner the save and the emotionally hard fought victory for the MVP Banditos North club.
Not to be outdone by the Banditos and Five Star game, taking place a field over, the EvoShield Canes-Pate and The Hurricanes squared off on Field 3 in an equally entertaining contest that eventually ended in a 2-1, hard fought victory for EvoShield.
Lefthander Cyle Phelan (2021, Fuquay Varina, N.C.), EvoShield’s starting pitcher, was probably the day’s most impressive hurler. The young lefty from North Carolina, was dazzling in his four innings on the hill. His mechanics were flawless, and his classic style and calm demeanor are traits usually reserved for pitchers much older and certainly more experienced. Smooth, clean, easy and highly repeatable actions helped Phelan get ahead and stay ahead of every hitter The Hurricanes sent to the dish.
During Phelan’s 44-pitch day, he mixed a solid and lively fastball, with arm-side run and sink in the 76-80 mph range, with a sharp 60-62 mph, 12-to-6 curveball and a very deceptive 71-72 mph changeup. He effectively worked both sides of the plate and stayed away from the middle of the dish. The one hitter who was able to reach base (error) off of Phelan was promptly picked off. If this outing, although brief, is any indication, the future looks bright for this young southpaw from the Tar Heel state.
Phelan, and the rest of the EvoShield staff, were supported with a very impressive defensive effort from their teammates. Two solid defenders of note for the Canes were catcher Grayson Irwin (2021, Wilmington, N.C.) and third baseman Jack Howell (2020, Fuquay Varina, N.C.).
Irwin was especially solid in handling the EvoShield staff. The tall, solidly built receiver showed easy movements, advanced receiving skills and a plus arm in guiding the EvoShield pitchers through this highly emotional contest. His maturity and approach were awfully impressive for a player in the early stages of his career.
Howell played the hot corner like a veteran infielder, making the tough plays look routine and the improbable plays look like no big deal. His athletic frame and quick feet, coupled with a plus-plus arm, make the rock solid third sacker one that will certainly garner attention as he moves up the ladder.
The hitting standout for the Canes in this tight contest was left fielder Payton Green (2021, Cary, N.C.). With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning, the righthanded hitting Green delivered the deciding blow when he singled to left, driving in the eventual winning run. Green also played a solid left field and handled a number of chances for the Canes, which helped make his game-winning offensive opportunity a reality.
Closing out the superlatives for the EvoShield Canes-Pate club was their closer, lefthanded pitcher Gregory Clucas (2021, Wilmington, N.C.). Clucas was almost a clone of starting pitcher Cyle Phelan, however he brought a quicker tempo and a little more fastball velocity to the bump with him. His smooth, easy actions and repeatable high three-quarters arm slot enabled him to spot his 80-82 mph fastball, showing arm-side run and sink, with precision. Although he relied heavily on his impressive fastball, he also showed two quality secondary pitches in a 70-71 mph curveball and a 75-mph changeup.
The Hurricanes also brought a talented crew to Fort Myers and a couple of their players made impressions. Third baseman Connor Holliman (2020, Saucier, Miss.) almost single-handedly kept his club in the ballgame with some impressive defensive plays. The EvoShield Canes tested the tough-nosed Holliman more than once and he was up to the task each time. The solidly built Holliman never shied from the tough chances. His keen body awareness, soft hands and outstanding arm were on display from the get-go and set the tone for this highly entertaining game.
The lone offensive highlight for The Hurricanes was provided by their left fielder, Braxton Hughes (2021, Saraland, Ala.). Hughes drove a double to deep left-center field that plated the aforementioned Holliman from first base with The Hurricanes lone run that tied the ball game 1-1 in the fifth. The righthanded hitting Hughes had a couple of solid at-bats in his 1-for-3 day.
In one of the final contests of the day, one which was eventually halted by weather, Tribe Baseball 14u was paced by righthanded pitcher James Dill (2021, Dayton, Tenn.). This club from Athens, TN, was tied 1-1 with the Mississippi Mets when the afternoon rains hit the 5-Plex.
Dill, a tall, yet solidly built righthander with a whippy arm action, was consistently solid for the Tribe for three-plus innings. His lively fastball (78-80 mph) was especially effective up in the zone. He did pitch to all quadrants with confidence, but his outpitch was a riding four-seamer that the Mets club just couldn’t get to. Dill also pitched inside effectively. He mixed in a sharp breaking ball at 65-66 mph that one might consider a slurve. His breaking ball made his explosive, riding fastball that much more effective. Dill gave the impression that he was very purposeful when he went to the hill. He had a very mature presence; he had a plan and executed that plan with every pitch. The lone run he surrendered was unearned and this young righthanded pitcher appears to have a very bright upside.
– Jerry Miller