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Tournaments  | Story  | 6/6/2019

PG-EC Invite: Day 3 Scout Notes

Greg Gerard      Drew Wesolowski      Brian Treadway      Jacob Martin      Matthew Arietta      Colton Olinger     
Photo: Josh Shuler (Perfect Game)

2019 PG-East Cobb Invitational: Day 2 Scout Notes

Brant Baughcum (2022, Snellville, Ga.) is a strong righthanded hitting middle infielder with the ability to swing the bat really well at the plate. His righthanded swing projects for potential power while the actions in the infield are advanced for his age and graduation year. Although he did not collect a hit in this game, Baughcum has outstanding potential at the plate with a line drive swing plane and progressive barrel skills. Baughcum’s hits in the three-hole in the lineup and in his first at-bat he hit a well-struck line drive right at the shortstop. The ball came off of his barrel with a high exit velocity and jumps well when squared. Baughcum, with a continued strong summer, could see plenty of recruiting interest given his overall game. 

Sammy Leis (2022, Cumming, Ga.) is the starting catcher for Team Elite 15U Scout Team. On Wednesday morning he showed outstanding catch-and-throw ability with a strong arm and a clean reception on a pair of instances. Leis gunned down two different runners trying to steal second base in the game with sub 2.20 pop times on each of them. The first was a pop time of 2.13 seconds with a shorter throw to second while the second was a more accurate throw and upright release at 2.20 seconds. Given his age of just 15 years old, Leis has an advanced arm and overall skillset behind the plate and really projects well at the position.  



Jaxon Willits (2023, Fort Cobb, Okla.) is an already polished defender in the middle infield at his young age of 14 years old. His advanced hands and footwork as well as his overall body control and ability to read hops are outstanding given his young age. His hands are so clean and his movements are efficient to the baseball as shown in Wednesday’s contest where he made a pair of elite level plays charging in on the baseball and throwing a strike to first base from a low arm angle. At the plate, Willits did not walk away with a hit on the day but the switch hitter did produce a sacrifice fly for his team. Getting only repetitions from the left side in this game, Willits displays a strong swing and slightly uphill barrel plane. There is plenty of projectable power to the Oklahoma commit’s stroke and the continued growth and development to his frame will surely continue to improve that tool in his game. 



Georgia Tech commit John Anderson (2020, Grayson, Ga.) has shown his ability to drive the ball with intent to either gap for multiple years now. This event has been no different as the second baseman for the East Cobb Astros went to the opposite field for a grand slam Tuesday before following that up with a loud day at the plate on Wednesday. His righthanded swing is so easy and produces jump to all fields as it did on an elevated fastball in this contest that he drove to the base of the left field wall. Anderson uses a big leg kick while torqueing his hips to produce good bat speed and plenty of strength through impact. Anderson may use that big leg kick, but it does not take away from the balance he has at the plate as well as his outstanding hand-eye and barrel skills.

Josh Shuler (2020, Suwanee, Ga.) has had a loud week at the plate with a home run on day one of the event and just missed a second on Wednesday. Shuler has huge raw bat speed present in his stroke and when on time meeting the baseball, the ball really jumps. The primary outfielder is an outstanding athlete standing at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds with outstanding present physical physique. His hand quickness at the plate as well as his smooth swing are obvious. With improved barrel skills, Shuler could see an even more improved aspect taking that next step in becoming a high-end prospect in next year’s MLB Draft.

-Gregory Gerard

Tyler McLoughlin (2020, Milton, Ga) took the mound to start the game for Service Baseball 17U. Starting from the windup, McLoughlin would utilize a simple delivery and an over the top arm slot. The 6-foot-3 righthander showed big-time stuff with a mid- to upper-80s fastball. He mixed that with a curveball that had 12-to-6 break and plenty of feel for the offering. The uncommitted righthander produced plenty of soft contact that made it easy for his defense to handle. Through the two innings that he pitched, he did not allow an earned run while only relinquishing one hit. 

Trey Cehajic (2020 Shreveport, La.) started at first base for Byrd High School-Shreveport. He has tremendous size standing at 6-foot-5. The lefthanded batter carries a sweet compact swing and can really drive the ball all in the opposite direction. He really can gain some power as he adds some weight to his 190-pound frame. At first base, he displayed good defense and showed agility, being able to stretch out to make tough plays that people under his size wouldn’t be able to do.
-Brian Treadway

Payne Hobbs (2020, Madison, Miss.) surrendered only two hits in four scoreless innings while striking out seven. He was able to command his fastball in the bottom third of the zone creating a good downward plane well, topping out at 88 mph. With a high three-quarters arm slot and easy arm action he creates arm side run to miss bats. His second offering, a curveball, showed depth with 11-4 shape to it. He was able to keep hitters off balance with his good command of the breaking ball and ability to throw it in any count. With a 6-foot-1, 160-pound lengthy lean build he projects well to add better consistency to his velocity as he continues to fill out.

Hunter Ensley (2020, Huntingdon, Tenn.)  a Tennessee commit displayed his ability to drive the ball to all fields. Ensley was 2-for-3 on the day with a line drive single to left and a triple that one hopped the right field wall. He starts with an upright balanced stance and creates good separation through his load and quiet stride. His quick and compact swing path allow him to let the ball travel deep and use the whole field. With good bat-to-ball skills and explosive extension through the ball his line drive approach produces a lot of hard hit balls. With a strong athletic build, he projects well to add more power as he continues to grow and add strength to his 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame.

-Colt Olinger

University of Dayton commit Rafael Jackson (2020, Kennesaw, Ga.) showed off his speed and athleticism in center field and at the plate. At 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, he has a medium and athletic frame with room to fill out. The lefthanded hitter starts with a closed stance and transitions into a leg kick that moves in towards his body and back out towards the pitcher. His hands lead into and through the hitting zone as he employs an opposite-field approach. The swing is fairly short and simple. He makes decently hard contact with a swing on a level plane, typically hitting line drives and ground balls. His speed and athleticism are superb. After going 2-for-2, he stole two bases. In center field, the lefty took great first steps after contact and took efficient routes to balls. His speed played well in the outfield, as he ran down almost every ball, he really glides. Outside of tools, Jackson seems to always have fun on the field and a smile on his face.

Zayd Brannigan (2020, Kennesaw, Ga.) is a shortstop with a highly-projectable frame and room to fill out. He is a fast-twitch player, playing solid defense up the middle. Featuring a smooth glove, quick transfers, good footwork, and a powerful arm, his defense should play at the next level. The final play of the game was a chopper played on a long hop that seemed to never hit his glove because he transferred it so quickly and made a strong throw across the diamond. He also took command in the infield on every popup in his vicinity, showing leadership skills. At the plate, the righthanded hitter frequently makes hard contact. He transfers weight well from his base and displays quick hands during his short swing. His swing is on a level plane and he frequently hits line drives or ground balls. Based on his ability to make hard contact at his current 5-foot-11, 160-pound frame, he could project into a power hitter if he fills out.

Noah Dawkins (2019, Marietta, Ga.) showed an ability to hit the ball hard and with power. The Gordon Community College commit went 3-for-3 with a ground-rule double. All three hits were hit hard either on a line or in the air. His stance radiates intimidation as he stands nearly straight up with high hands, displaying all of his 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame. He uses a toe tap before stepping towards the pitcher as a timing mechanism. The swing has a level plane but the ball gets carry from extension during the backswing. He showed an ability to spray the ball all over the field as he hit a hard line drive to left.

-Jake Martin

Sam Brady (2020, Lake Quivira, Kan.) is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound lefthanded pitcher. The Kansas native performed very well this morning after getting the call to start for Royals Scout Team 17U at the East Cobb Complex. The first thing you notice about Brady is that he is an athletic figure on the mound, and has clean, balanced, well-rhythmed mechanics. He delivers from the first base side of the rubber and maintained a three-quarters arm slot throughout his start which helped add some deception to his arsenal resulting in a lot of swing-and-miss on the day from Nelson Baseball School 17U Red. His arm works effortlessly, with a free-and-easy arm action that works unrestricted through his follow-through and deceleration. Sam did a nice job today mixing his three-pitch repertoire of a mid-80s fastball which appears firm with some riding life, a low-70s curve with 1-7, high three-quarters break, and a changeup that had good fade and sink to both sides of the plate. Brady appeared confident on the mound throughout his start, and on his way to the type of appearance we have grown accustomed to watching at Perfect Game events over the last couple of years. Brady’s final line read six innings pitched where he scattered five hits, held his opponent to no runs, and ended with a final tally of nine strikeouts, earning himself the win. The University of Kansas commit is a very high upside talent, currently ranked by Perfect Game staff as the No. 2  overall lefthanded pitcher in Kansas for the 2020 class, and No. 4 prospect in the state overall

Gabe Buchanan (2020, Epworth, Ga.) is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound infielder who showed a lot of skill at second base for East Cobb Colt .45’s 17U Brown. An incoming senior in the fall at Fannin County High School in Blue Ridge, Ga., he is already seen to be physically mature with a tall, strong build. At the plate he went 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and a run scored. He uses a well-balanced, athletic setup at the plate, and consistently displayed a swing plane which travelled through the hitting zone a long time. Very good bat speed with strong quick wrists as well. Has some current raw power which he showcased on a clean double into the gap. Gabe moves well on the bases with awareness and a high baseball IQ. Displayed good actions at first-base and lists second base and third base as positions he is comfortable in as well. Very well-rounded, toolsy ballplayer with high upside. Gabe has been named to a number of All-Tournament teams in the past as he has consistently produced at the plate and on the mound. Gabe is uncommitted yet ranks in the Top-200 in the state of Ga. by Perfect Game in the 2020 class overall.

Jeremy Clark Jr. (2020, Stone Mountain, Ga.) is a tall, lean, athletically-framed middle infielder from The Wilson Academy in Lithonia, Ga. Hitting near the .400 mark in this tournament thus far, Clark Jr. displayed a quick swing path and good barrel control during his at-bats this morning at East Cobb. He appears confident at the plate and displays good balance and mechanics. A very good athlete, Clark Jr. moves well both on the bases and in both middle infield positions. With the glove, he has soft hands and makes all plays look easy at shortstop with good range and actions. Has a strong accurate arm as well. Very projectable ball player with not a lot missing from his game currently. Exciting player to monitor moving forward.

Marquis Grissom Jr. (2020, Atlanta, Ga.) is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound utility-type ballplayer who demonstrates above-average feel for the game regardless of where he is asked to play on the field. Marquis is a very strong, athletic kid with a projectable frame and plenty of room to fill in his current state. At the plate he demonstrates good balance and has really good hand-eye coordination which he showed this morning in his performance at East Cobb. He maintains a quick, level bat path which he keeps very short, and direct to the ball. Showcased a lot of hard barrel contact this morning with projectable tools in the box. Grissom Jr. played second base for MGBA 17U and showed smooth actions with the glove and plenty of arm strength from all over the right side of the infield. Moves well with great foot speed which translates to all phases of his game. Excellent athlete. Currently ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 2 righthanded pitcher in the state of Georgia for the 2020 class as well as the No. 67 overall nationally. A Georgia Tech commit, Grissom Jr. has been selected to participate in the Perfect Game 2019 National Showcase next week in Phoenix, Ariz.

Trevor Kardell (2020, Lees Summit, Mo.) is a 6-foot-6, 230-pound catcher from Lees Summit West High School in his hometown of Lees Summit, Mo. Currently, Kardell is ranked as the top catcher in the state of Kansas for the 2020 class and the No. 3 prospect overall. Trevor performed very well this morning in all phases of the game. At the plate, Kardell has plus power potential and showcased good balance and leverage paired with bat speed and good instincts to hit. He made consistent hard contact on his way to a 2-for-3 day at the plate and showed good speed for his size out of the box and on the bases. A very good athlete, Kardell displayed easy receiving actions with soft hands and good footwork behind the plate. He is very quick with alertness, anticipation, and aptitude. He showed the ability to block balls in the dirt, and control the running game with a strong, accurate arm and throws to bases. Knows the position. Very tough kid with a high upside. Committed to continue his baseball career at the University of Kansas. Demands your attention, fun to watch play the game.

Jack Ward (2020, Roswell, Ga.) is a 5-foot-11, 185-pound righthanded pitcher from Milton High School. An incoming senior in the fall, Ward showed promise on the mound this morning as he was rewarded the start for East Cobb Colt .45’s 17U Brown. Ward uses a slow and steady paced windup from the first base side of the rubber. He loads his weight well on his backside and uses a loose, free-and-easy arm action which he is able to hide throughout his windup which creates good deception on his pitches. Ward’s repertoire consists of a fastball (79-80 mph) with life and angle and a curveball (67-68 mph) with tilt and a slurvy break. Occasionally, he gets on top of his curve and they have more depth which works to his benefit as it almost appears as a completely different pitch adding to his effectiveness. Ward is a workhorse on the mound, and his team fed off his energy all game long. Control is better than command to this point, yet Ward did show the ability to maintain his velocity as he was still hitting 80 mph at pitch 73 on the day. Exciting player to monitor over the next year. 

-Matt Arietta



Andrew Estes (2020 Gainesville, Ga.) proved to be a threat both at the plate and in the field. He showed an athletic frame with broad shoulders and strength present in the lower half. The Furman commit also had some serious range making a great play up the middle with a strike of a throw to first base to steal a base hit and save a run. He also showed a quick bat at the plate while creating separation and driving the baseball to all fields. He had some pull side power as well and did a good job of working counts, being patient. He led his team to winning his pool and pushing the Georgia Bombers 17U into bracket play.

Beau Spears (2019 Macon, Ga.) flashed a stocky, strong build and put it to use roaming center field. He flashed great instincts while tracking down baseballs. The Gordon commit went all out for a ball in the left-center gap and made a great catch, ending the opposing teams rally. He also flashed that speed on the base paths with a couple easy stolen bases including one standing up. Spears also proved to have some pop at the plate. The smooth-swinging lefty started with a balanced stance and high hands while working with a smaller leg kick. With his linear swing path, he showed a gap-to-gap approach while squaring up the baseball on a line. Look for him to continue to create runs on offense & steal base hits in the outfield with his speed. 



Alex Muns (2020 East Dublin, Ga.) showcased a lanky, wiry frame with a lean build and room to fill. The righthanded pitcher showed a fluid, easy motion while staying on plane to the target. Once he settled into his outing, he pounded the lower half of the zone while delivering from a true three-quarters arm slot. The projectable righty had a mature mound presence and a confidence about him. He liked to work quickly, keeping his defense behind him in the game. His fastball sat in the low- to mid-80s topping out at 85 and showing arm side run. He liked to run his fastball in on righthanded hitters’ hands and did so effectively. His off-speed arsenal consisted of a splitter in the low-70s that had good movement when kept down in the zone and a slurvy curveball in the upper-60s with 11-5 action. He went three innings and picked up three strikeouts while only giving up two hits.

-Drew Wesolowski

Hudson Sapp (2020 Dawsonville, Ga.) had a solid day at the plate Wednesday afternoon. The Ole Miss commit went 2-for-3, getting hard solid contact on both hits. It was a slow day in center field for Sapp, he only got a couple balls all game, but he flashed a quick first step, speed, and sound defense. In the box, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder sets up in a tall, narrow open stance with his bat back in a load position. From there he starts his leg lift and begins his swing. The swing is fluid and simple. The lefthanded hitter generates power in his strong lower half and showed his ability to hit hard line drives the other way.

AJ Fiechter (2021, Cumming, Ga.) put together an all-around impressive performance for the East Cobb Astros 16U Z on Wednesday afternoon. At shortstop, Fiechter made his plays with ease. He showed soft hands and quick feet. A strong arm with a smooth arm action and accurate throws projects well defensively. Offensively, the uncommitted 16-year-old went 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored. The triple was a hard line drive to left-center field that made it to the way. Fiechter gets extended down the zone, when he barrels balls up, they leave the bat hard. With a lean 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame, the body is very projectable as well, he has plenty of room to grow and fill in.

Will Turner (2021, Auburn, Ala.) came in to close the game for the East Cobb Astros 16U Z. The lefthanded pitcher showed huge upside with a fastball with arm side run that sat in the 87-89 mph range, and a sharp slider at 76 mph, both from a three-quarters arm slot. The uncommitted 16-year-old’s fluid action, repeatable delivery and sound mechanics give Turner the look of a projectable lefthander that has the potential to throw even harder as he gets older. A 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame gives him more than enough room to fill out and put on muscle. 15 to 20 more pounds on his slim frame could make Turner a hot commodity.

Evan Carter (2020, Johnson City, Tenn.) is a primary outfielder but he showed that he can pitch as well on Wednesday for DRB Elite 17U. The Duke commit tossed four innings, allowed one hit, no walks, no runs, and posted six strikeouts. The righthander’s fastball sat in the 82-88 range, at some points it fluctuated three to four mph in the same at-bat. The changing in speeds really threw hitter’s timing off and proved to be effective. A 69-72 mph curveball was Carter’s go-to secondary pitch, it was big and loopy and he landed it for strikes. From a mechanics standpoint, the long, lanky 6-foot-4, 180-pounder made it look easy on the mound. Carter’s long, fluid arm action produced 88 mph with ease. He uses his long legs to get downhill and he throws from a high three-quarters arm slot.
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