Live Looks: High-A Spokane Indians at Everett AquaSox

This week marked the final week in the 2024 regular season for Advanced A-ball. As such, it was my last chance to catch a couple of high-profile prospects in Everett. With the Indians in town, that gave me a chance to see the 2024 third-overall pick, Charlie Condon. Also in the mix were Colt Emerson, Cole Carrigg, and Michael Arroyo. The AquaSox got out to an early 3-0 lead by the top of the fifth inning, but Spokane stormed back. A foul-tip non-call plated a run in what turned into a three-run inning for the Indians. From there, they never looked back. Spokane scored again in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings en route to an 8-4 victory over Everett. Notable prospects playing for the Indians included Charlie Condon (Rockies no. 1), Cole Carrigg (Rockies no. 7), Dyan Jorge (Rockies no. 15), and Kyle Karros (Rockies no. 18). LHP Welinton Herrera also made an appearance. He’s unranked but was featured in our underrated National League prospects earlier this month.

For the AquaSox, top prospects in this one included Colt Emerson (Mariners no. 1), Lazaro Montes (Mariners no. 3), Michael Arroyo (Mariners no. 12), and Jared Sundstrom (Mariners no. 30). It was a prospect-heavy matchup with plenty of takeaways to be found.

OF Charlie Condon (Rockies no. 1): 0/4, BB

It’s been far from smooth sailing for this year’s third-overall pick. None of that changed in the season’s final week, or in the game I attended on Wednesday. Condon failed to make any real hard contact on the night. Even the contact he made was stock full of pop-ups and weak foul balls. At one point, he entered the game with the bases loaded and one out. It was a key, clutch situation that saw Condon ground into an inning ending double play. Condon was visually frustrated most of the night, and it’s clear that he’s beginning to press a bit too much at the plate. An offseason will do him well. After the double-play groundout, Condon slammed his helmet to the dirt just past first base. Following a pop out to the catcher in another at-bat, Condon stood at the plate for an extra moment in clear frustration.

Much of Condon’s struggles at the plate looked to stem from a lack of confidence. On numerous occasions early, Condon would check his swing on hittable pitches. It seemed as if he was having a hard time with pitch recognition. More often, he’s simply swinging for elevation too much. Condon’s swing path could be straighter to the baseball. Instead, on his groundouts, Condon would swing upward and ahead of the pitch. It’s a poor swing plane that simply isn’t working right now. An offseason adjustment and some time off would suit the Rockies’ top prospect well. The talent is still clear for next season and beyond.

SS Colt Emerson (Mariners no. 1): 1/4, BB

Emerson has had a slow start since moving up to High-A earlier this season. Despite those struggles, he looks the part. Emerson has posted an excellent 83.8% zone contact rate with the AquaSox. His 19.4% whiff rate is among the best in the league and he rarely chases at just 17.4%. All of those things point to much better things to come from Emerson. In his lone hit on the night, Emerson got around quickly on a hittable pitch, lining a grounder into the outfield for a hit. His swing path is excellent and great bat speed really shines. Emerson passes the eye test on the diamond as well. His movement at shortstop is fluid with great footwork and a strong arm. The arm is accurate as well. He very well might grow into a third base profile, but he has the makings of an All-Star shortstop if he sticks there.

OF Cole Carrigg (Rockies no. 7): 1/4, HR, BB, 2 RBI

Carrigg had one of the best swings of the night. In the top of the eighth, Carrigg connected on a breaking ball, lifting it deep to right-center for a home run. His swing looks long at times, but his bat speed more than makes up for that. He put together a quality plate appearance every time he went to the plate in this one. Defensively, there weren’t many opportunities for Carrigg’s elite arm to factor in. He looked good in the field when given the chance to make a play and has the makings of a good big league center fielder. Despite the home run, Carrigg’s hit tool remains ahead of his power at this stage and should be good enough to carry the offensive profile. He also stole two bags on the night to help keep the runs coming for the Indians. That speed and defense provide an excellent floor for Carrigg as he continues to develop.

OF Lazaro Montes (Mariners no. 3): 0/5, SO

It was a difficult night at the plate for Montes. Beyond just the results, he simply didn’t put together many solid plate appearances. He worked the count in his first at-bat, eventually grounding out. His next two at-bats were balls in play for an out, swinging at the first pitch. He followed those two up with a three-pitch strikeout swinging. Montes was the final out of the game in his fifth plate appearance of the night, grounding out on — you guessed it — the very first pitch he saw. That makes five plate appearances for Montes and a grand total of 12 pitches seen. Six of those came in his first at-bat of the game. The outstanding raw power is evident at times, but the current focus on Montes has to be better pitch recognition and plate discipline. His whiff rate has ballooned to 35.3% with the AquaSox and he’s struggling to make contact. Until those things change, Montes may potentially offer a 30-grade hit tool that’ll make it difficult to get to his immense raw power.

2b Michael Arroyo (Mariners no. 12): 0/4, K

Michael Arroyo was uber-aggressive at the plate as well, much like Montes. He swung at the first pitch he saw to open the game with a quick groundout. Arroyo was able to get on base by hit-by-pitch in his next appearance but was picked off on the basepaths between second and third. His next plate appearance was a groundout on the second pitch. Arroyo’s final two at-bats of the evening featured a flyout on the first pitch, followed by a four-pitch strikeout. The season stat line for Arroyo has been great so far and he makes a lot of contact at the plate. Unfortunately, on nights like this one, that doesn’t always result in good contact. There’s a solid hit tool with Arroyo, but it’s unlikely he’ll add much power, and both fundamentally and defensively it can be rough. Arroyo committed one error and accompanied that with a handful of errant throws. He did make one excellent diving stop at one point, but the arm is difficult to trust at this point in his development.

3B Kyle Karros (Rockies no. 18): 2/4, RBI, BB

Cole Carrigg had the most standout performance of the game, but Kyle Karros wasn’t terribly far behind. He manned the hot corner and notched two hits. He got on base three times with sound swing mechanics. Karros put together quite a few gritty plate appearances. He has a great approach at the plate and regularly works a count well. He saw an average of seven pitches per plate appearance in this one. In the field, Karros also made an excellent diving stop with a strong throw to first to beat the runner. Long-term, it doesn’t appear that Karros offers the power profile needed to stick at third base. His hit tool should be at least average, and he has a strong enough arm to move to a corner outfield spot where his lack of power may be more suitable.

Switz Report: Recap Cape Cod "Best of the Best" Prospects

Summer baseball is in our rearview mirror, and we are a few weeks away from the start of fall ball for college baseball, with athletes returning to school and ramping back up for the next season. It’s been a while since I have contributed to the site. A large portion of that is due to my commitment over the summer to the Cape Cod Baseball League, as I was given the privilege and honor of helping the league this summer (an opportunity that I was unaware of when I first started Prospects Live and a change in course I had to make regarding previous promises I had made with readers earlier in my articles). Due to this, the inevitable occurred, and I had the time to watch a lot of college baseball over the 10-week Cape season. During my time up in the Cape, I had the ability to keep a close eye and get some early live looks for the upcoming 2025 draft class and top dudes eligible for the 2026 and 2027 classes.

For the next few weeks, I look forward to treating many of you to my views and evaluation process of some of the buzzing names in college baseball who participated in the Cape this summer. In doing so, I will provide full baseball scouting reports from dudes who grabbed my eye during the season and detailed prospect analysis with 20-80 scale grading, projected round selection, and brief overall summaries of the prospects. 

Further, these grades are based on my evaluation and rumblings that I heard while on the Cape and are not full or final summaries from the Prospects Live draft team or myself, as the next draft is (*checks watch), not for another ten months. Everyone sees prospects differently, even at the MLB level during draft day or for incoming prospects (Ex. There were people in baseball who thought Ohtani's bat wouldn't translate to MLB. Now, he's easy money to hit 30+ HR's each season). So, things can change regarding these prospects from the Cape season to next spring or draft.

Back to the topic at hand; early looks for next July are panning towards the 2025 class to be front-loaded with college-hitting prospects, and it seems to be anyone’s game to be selected inside the top 10 or even first round within a pool of 15-20 college hitters (with some teams getting the premium luck of possibly grabbing two or more of these guys next summer when adding in college arms and prep talent to the field). I do not see any Dylan Crews or Adley Rutschman-like prospects in this draft. However, there are desirable quality tools that project well for the next level, premium athleticism up the middle that we haven’t seen in a while for draft day, and future MLB starters that will become household names down the road.

Additionally, like back in the spring and carried into the Cape this summer, the general opinion and analysis in scouting circles regarding college pitching is that the talent is still down compared to years past. There are some outliers, but the overall crop of pitching talent is down. 

Now, to stop digressing from the article material at hand, below are five dudes that I believe were the top guys who grabbed scouts' eyes, balled out, and truly made themselves money over the summer.

| OF Brendan Summerhill | Arizona | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .286/.358/.441 (.798), 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 19 R, 12 SB, 9 BB (9.47 BB%), 15 K (15.78 K%)

OF Brendan Summerhill (@ArizonaBaseball): Long & lanky athlete with fun raw tools. Summerhill captured attention in college baseball in the last calendar year, starting with his outstanding summer in 2023 at Rockford (Northwoods League) that translating into Arizona this spring… pic.twitter.com/E3CMTH4Muo

— Brian Switzer II (@BrianSwitzerII) June 24, 2024

Brendan Summerhill picks up another knock. Smooth lefty stroke has been barreling up balls all summer, continues tonight with this LD up the middle @WarehamGatemen @ArizonaBaseball #PGCape pic.twitter.com/JffCbqp5mA

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) July 24, 2024

Switz’s Notes: Summerhill was among the first dudes that grabbed my attention in the west division over the summer. He has easy-to-see athletic traits, a desirable hit tool still maturing, and straight-up ballplayer talent to be selected early next summer. If you are a person who likes dudes who know the strike zone well with great poise, then Summerhill may be one of the best in this draft cycle from his advanced approach and batter eye. From his first game in the Cape till his final game, Summerhill played the game hard, running out infield base hits and making spectacular catches in CF. I’m a big fan of his and hope the best for him moving forward, as he is just a fun player to watch. If the in-game power develops and he still maintains that plus speed tool in his game, he could pan out to be a video game-like player at the MLB level.

| OF Ethan Conrad | Wake Forest | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .385/.433 /.486 (.919), 5 2B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 27 R, 19 SB, 8 BB 6.7 BB%), 18 K (15.0 K%)

Ethan Conrad flashing some big bat speed and loud contact tonight, this LD the other way part of a 2-for-3 night + an RBI sac fly @BourneBraves @WakeBaseball #PGCape pic.twitter.com/AkriTHUNnv

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) July 5, 2024

Switz’s Notes: I have to admit, regarding Ethan Conrad, which was no secret for anyone who talked to me during the summer, I have a massive admiration and man crush on Conrad’s game. This is the type of dude; if I were a Crosschecker for a team, I would fight to draft this guy until the last second is on the clock on draft night if available. This dude is a very special ballplayer that’s easy to root for in this draft cycle. I will acknowledge that he has some stuff he needs to iron out (especially contact vs offspeed/movement), but he’s got a tremendous ceiling if he can grab the brass rings at the next level of his development. Conrad is a superb athlete, and I’m willing to lay it out with the hot take that Conrad may have been the best athlete any scout saw during the summer wood-bat circuit in college baseball and even in the 2025 draft cycle. If he balls out next spring for Wake, he has the profile to be a potential lottery or top 10 selection in the draft to the already helium Conrad has on his draft stock. 

Our own Brian Recca had the ability to get a live look on Conrad at Marist over the spring Here.

| OF Devin Taylor | Indiana | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .296/.397/.510 (.907), 4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 18 R, 2 SB, 17 BB (14.7 BB%), 29 K (25.0 K%)

Hey @OfficialCCBL, are you accepting late applications for the Home Run Contest?

Devin Taylor (@IndianaBase) launches a BOMB to right field to open the scoring

EV: 98 mph
📏 401 ft

Mid 2
Cotuit 2
Hyannis 0 pic.twitter.com/QO5W7z9Gmg

— Cotuit Kettleers (@CotuitKettleers) July 23, 2024

Devin Taylor ➡️ Dead Center

The @IndianaBase Hoosier provides a big 3-run shot with 2 outs to put us in front

EV: 99 mph
📏 396 ft

Mid 3
Cotuit 4
Chatham 1 pic.twitter.com/4PLPBcMzeL

— Cotuit Kettleers (@CotuitKettleers) July 20, 2024

Switz’s Notes: Between being a standout ballplayer at LaSalle High School and becoming a blow-away Freshman Player of the Year in the Big Ten two springs ago for Indiana, Devin Taylor has become one of the most talked about prospects in the Ohio Valley for some time at the college level and rightfully so. When looking at Taylor’s summer, he started six games for Cotuit before leaving for Cary, NC. During that time, Taylor showed off his bread-and-butter of getting on base by any means necessary by hitting over .300 and accumulating a handful of walks. On the downside, within his first six games, he struck out more than any scout in attendance wanted to see, with 8 Ks through 16 ABs. However, when he arrived for Team USA in Cary, NC, Taylor found a different gear where he exploded during the primetime events for the red, white, and blue. Taylor came back and took that success from USA Baseball to carve out a successful season for the Cotuit Kettleers by producing a near .300 batting average, .907 OPS, and 5 HRs in 29 games with a wood bat. 

Taylor showed he belongs within the top 10 conversations going into the spring of 2025 over the summer. However, the 25% K rate in the Cape isn’t very appealing for major league scouts, with murkiness around the pitching talent and quality within the Big Ten going into next spring. Taylor, in 2025, will need to bounce back in this department and continue his declining K rate that he was showing at Indiana (roughly 19% in 2023 and 13% in 2024) before his time on the Cape. 

Going into the spring, I would like to see him take that next step into locking down that top 5 (maybe even top 10) status that early evaluations and industry talking heads are labeling him. In doing so, I would love to see him improve his defense and display more athleticism in the field while showing that I’m dead wrong on his 45 FV as a defender with current signs showing he may be playing CF next spring for the Hoosiers. When he added the 25 lbs of mass over the last calendar year to tap into more power, he lost some of the defensiveness and athleticism that made him look so appealing in his freshman year. 

Also, he can improve his stock on his hit tool by cleaning up his issues with + velo and offspeed while boosting his batting average into the .400s, and continuing a contact rate over 80%. Lastly, he can even do the fun route and just club everything he sees for HRs next college season like Condon and Cags did last spring that got them selected into the top 10 in July (granted, both these dudes also hit .400 while crushing everything to the moon). Overall, as outlined in the scouting report, Taylor is a future premium hit tool player and should be one of the quickest dudes to the MLB. However, it seems he is already losing some steam early in the 2025 draft cycle and will need to find a way to stay afloat at the top if he wants to be taken within the top 10 with the rise of so many helium dudes coming off of the summer season as right now it seems he is starting to meddle into the middle of the first round territory as a 10 - 15 overall selection. 

Lastly: Tyler Jennings caught him at USA Baseball during the summer with some video if you want to see more on Taylor Here. 

If you want to see Taylor from last Spring, you can check out Perkins' live look of Taylor at Maryland Here. 

| OF/1B Ethan Petry | South Carolina | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .360/.480/.760 (1.240), 7 2B, 11 HR, 25 RBI, 26 R, 16 BB (12.8 BB%), 26 K (20.8 K%)

Ethan Petry comes up huge with this loud PS drive that brings in two runs. Easy, compact, and physical swing, bat explodes through the zone to pick up the hit @YD_RedSox @GamecockBasebll #PGCape pic.twitter.com/rMVEmsFz3m

— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) July 25, 2024

Ethan Petry officially takes the LEAD in @OfficialCCBL home runs 🥇

Petry (@GamecockBasebll) pushes Y-D into a 7-3 lead against Chatham in the bottom of the fifth.

🎙️: @benstrobermedia pic.twitter.com/tpspNVis9U

— Y-D Red Sox (@YD_RedSox) August 2, 2024

Switz’s Notes: Petry is one of the biggest imposing dudes on the Cape this summer and is possibly one of the most extensively debated bat profile’s when trying to project him. He’s done and accomplished a lot within his short college career so far between being a career .300 hitter, having a career OPS over 1.100, hitting 20+ bombs in each of his first two college years, taking home the Cape Cod Baseball League MVP, the Robert A. McNeese Most Outstanding Pro Prospect Award, and Cape Cod Baseball League Home Run Derby title in the process. The dude hits the ball hard, and it is easy to see the offensive potential in his game. Nevertheless, even with his offensive upside, some limitations in his game are easy to see, such as his defense, athleticism, and eye at the plate. I strongly feel that teams will overlook his limitations and focus on the terms of the power and RBI-producing upside he has. Offensively, I see it being black and white: either he fixes these issues and becomes a freak for the next level, or they continue to haunt him, and it is a blemish that teams will have to work around in his game at the plate. As stated in the scouting report, with the universal DH being in play, I think he’s in a better boat as a prospect than he would be 5 - 10 years ago when scouts in the NL would have to project and find a defensive role for him. 

In giving him an Adam Dunn comparison, if the National League had the DH as they do now, I strongly feel that you would never have seen Dunn in the OF, and he would've been a straight DH with him playing 1B when Griffey Jr. was healthy and in the lineup. Like Dunn, I see Petry being that type of middle-of-the-order bat that teams are betting for HRs and RBI-producing abilities with the sacrifice of strikeouts coming within it. I do not see it being Joey Gallo-like bad where it is a career .195 hitter, and it's either K or HR with every swing. But, I think Dunn is a realistic comp with a ceiling batting average being a .255 - .265 hitter, crushing north of 35 + bombs a season with some triple-digit RBI abilities, and taking on the burden of having north of 25% strikeouts to go with it. However, with pitching movement and velo being the best baseball has ever seen (two things Petry does struggle with, unfortunately), I think the batting average and offensive production can easily fall into Kyle Schwarber-like territory as a floor or a readjusted comp later down the road if Petry does not fix these issues at the plate. 

| SS Marek Houston | Wake Forest | Draft Eligible: 2025 |

Cape Numbers: .306/.465/.329 (.794), 2 2B, 8 RBIs, 17 Rs, 7 SB, 26 BB (22.8 BB%), 21 K

(18.4 K%)

MAREK HOUSTON (@WakeBaseball) ARE YOU KIDDING‼️‼️

1 more out…

Top 9 | 7-4 Bourne pic.twitter.com/1HKv82KK16

— Bourne Braves (@BourneBraves) August 9, 2024

Houston, I see no problem…

Just an RBI single from Marek Houston (@WakeBaseball)!!!! 🫡💪

Chris Stanfield (@LSUbaseball) heads home & Ethan Conrad (@WakeBaseball) is at 2nd!

Bot 3 | 1-0 Bourne pic.twitter.com/FQPzsEUr8L

— Bourne Braves (@BourneBraves) August 8, 2024

Switz’s Notes: From the first time I watched Bourne over the summer, my eyes were glued to watching Houston in the field. He is a natural athlete on the diamond and is one of the guys who has a higher ceiling than most in the 2025 draft. This year, he was a key contributor for the Bourne franchise to make another appearance in the Cape Cod Championship game with his run-producing abilities at leadoff and stellar defense. Nightly, over the summer, Houston produced web gem-after-web gem defensive plays that showed that he can stay on the left side of the diamond for the next level. Many other talking heads will criticize his bat for the next level due to it not producing the batted ball metrics that the new-age fans and gurus want to see.  However, it isn’t as bad as this crowd wants to voice as he displayed a good feel for the zone and protects anything inside his hands (a skill many hitters over the summer seemed to lack that is desired by scouts). Further, he showed good abilities to hit to all fields and not let the Cape’s BABIP inflation dictate his hitting abilities while taking walks and not forcing a play to be made when nothing was there. To quote Aaron Rodgers, the new age fans and gurus need to “relax” regarding Houston’s bat profile because Houston has advanced intangibles that metrics cannot measure and should be alright. 

When drawing up a projection on Houston, it is tough to forecast what he will become. At first, I thought he might be a glove-first dude with below-average pop that he currently shows and could build into being a Dansby Swanson-like SS. However, when watching him play and looking at his build, there is more growth left in him as he has an unorthodox build of a large upper body frame and a smaller lower half. Between working on his mechanics in rookie development to add bat speed and going to the weight room for him to add muscle, I think there's a chance he could surpass the average 15 - 20 HRs (which is upside 45 FV and fringy 50 FV grades that vary based on organization grading and modeling) that Swanson averages each year (I know that Swanson crushed over that between 2021 - 2024 but, I see that as a too small of a sample size to call Swanson a genuine 55-60 grade power guy). 

One of my 2025 draft crushes: Wake Forest SS Marek Houston.

He's not known for his power, but he gets all of this for a no-doubt bomb off the scoreboard. 101.8 EV, 405 feet. Really good contact skills with great defensive instincts at SS. He'll be on our initial 2025 rankings. pic.twitter.com/91CEuTIbHK

— Tyler Jennings (@TylerJennings24) May 22, 2024

Next, I took the approach of thinking he may be a Trea Turner-like athlete whose arm is strong, where there is 25 HR + pop if he can tap into it, and he oozes athleticism all over the diamond. However, Turner plays at a lower weight than Houston, and he fills out nicely for the 185 lbs he is. Thus, it left me to think and draw up the athletic comparison that Houston has a similar athletic body type to young Manny Machado coming out of high school (I’m not drawing the idea he is the next Machado, so don’t go down that rabbit hole of conclusion). Granted, you shouldn’t compare a 17-18-year-old player to a 20-year-old prospect in college athletically. However, when looking at the current state of college athletics, where there is limited time given for development from the Power 5 level, and it’s a state of just “get up and go” mentality within their constructed rosters, Houston’s athleticism has carried him into a starting spot with his defense being an essential tool. 

Nonetheless, there is still time for Houston, where he is still a projectable and moldable athlete, and a franchise can build him into what they want him to become, as I outlined in my report. Returning to Machado, when coming out of Brito Miami, he displayed a tall, slim, lean, athletic large frame that appeared boxy with large square shoulders (similar characteristics of Houston). At a young age, Machado easily displayed his fluid movements and defense on the dirt with a good feel for the barrel (same Houston has done with Bourne and at Wake). In the development of Machado in the Orioles system, Manny went from the skinny 180 lb size that he was drafted and grew into a 210- 215 lb size when he appeared in the major leagues roughly two years later, displaying his bat speed and strength to generate pop for the pros. 

If a team wants Houston to stay light on his feet and is not concerned about tapping into the power, they can take the approach of him being that 1980s and 1990s style SS where it's less than 15 HR pop with contact and defense being the essential tools. If this route is taken, he should be a quick-to-the-show type draft pick. Yet, suppose Houston gets drafted by a strong development organization, and they work with him on improving his internal strength and bat speed, which are his clear blemishes. In that case, there is upside four to five-tool potential (he has the speed for SB’s but, hasn’t displayed the production for it to be a real tool at his disposal) at the end of the road where we can see that pop come into play on a nightly basis like many of the premium SS display in today's baseball style.  

Overall, Houston's defense and superb athleticism will overshadow his complete toolset. However, Houston has a solid bat and advanced approach at the plate that shouldn't turn scouts and franchises away when turning in his name next summer. As I harped in the paragraphs before, I still believe and see lots of projection within Houston's game, and he is a late bloomer within the power department than most in college. Houston has a solid chance to hear his name early in next year's draft, and he could be the first SS off the board. A lot of this ease in decision-making for teams regarding Houston comes from his limitless ceiling and the high athletic floor that he possesses. Houston should be a fun follow this upcoming spring and moving forward in his pro career; he is a non-stop defensive highlight reel and potential offensive threat in the making. 

Earlier in the spring, Jared Perkins had the opportunity to catch Wake Forest for some live looks and saw Marek Houston Here.

Next time I’ll have full reports and notes on some of the top performers that popped over the summer on the Cape.

Live Looks: Georgia @ Texas A&M

 Over the weekend, I made my way down to College Station to see two top ten picks face off in Charlie Condon and Braden Montgomery. It was a firework-filled weekend, with the wind blowing out 30 MPH both days, and there was plenty of offense on display. Below are some players that I liked.

2024 Eligible Players

Charlie Condon, 3B/OF, Georgia

Condon is one of the best fastball hitters I can remember. The list of power hitters who can cover the top of the zone as well as Condon does is incredibly short, and it includes names like Corey Seager, Manny Machado, and JD Martinez. It’s an incredibly flat bat path that is geared to hit the bottom of four-seamers with authority. It’s double plus raw power that he gets to in-game consistently, and Condon is consistently hitting balls 100 MPH+, with what feels like a 110+ a few times a week. He saw more spin vs the Aggies than he did vs any team this season. He didn’t chase much, but there was some swing and miss in the zone, specifically on same-handed changeups and stuff coming toward him. Alas, he adjusted and punished a right-handed slider off the scoreboard to extend the Dawgs lead in game three. I’d imagine he’ll continue to get spun and see less and less pitches to hit after this weekend and would expect him to adjust.

Condon played third every game this weekend. It looks a little clunky, but he’s a good enough athlete to make it work. He’s got solid hands and a nice first step, but the footwork and ability to throw from different arm angles is the question mark here. If I was the team drafting him, I’d throw him in right field to get his bat to the bigs as soon as possible. He’s an average runner at his top speed, but he looks more like a fringe runner going forward.

Great day of baseball ahead, so get it started with a Charlie Condon moonshot from last night.

27th of the year. 108 EV, 445 FT

Game 1 of a doubleheader today between @BaseballUGA and @AggieBaseball set to kick off at 1 PM. pic.twitter.com/XWtNvoGwoQ

— Patrick Bauer (@patrickbauer26) April 27, 2024

Braden Montgomery, RF, Texas A&M

Montgomery has had top-ten pick buzz since he got on campus at Stanford. Since transferring to Texas A&M, it looks like he has an even better chance to go top five, and maybe sneak into the top three. His swing looks much more connected (especially from the left side) and he’s making better swing decisions. There isn’t much adjustability in his swing, so there’s some swing-and-miss on soft stuff away, but he gets really good plate coverage and will hammer just about everything else. Like a lot of switch hitters, Montgomery has more loft and ability to pull from the left side, and more opposite field and contact driven from the right. His double plus raw power was on display this weekend, hitting a single 116 MPH, and hitting a homer 450 feet. There’s some swing and miss here, specifically soft away, but he’s hammering everything else.

Defensively, Montgomery is passable, but his bat carries his profile. He doesn’t get great reads or take great routes, but he makes the plays he needs to. Alas, he does possess double plus arm strength, but usually it takes a long wind up for him to get to it. He’s a below average runner, sp he should have a home in right long term.

Catching up on video from the weekend.

Braden Montgomery gets on top of this up-and-away fastball and launches it out to right center.

For how explosive of a rotator Montgomery is, it's really impressive plate coverage.

108 MPH EV, 450 feet. pic.twitter.com/KJn3EcYPlu

— Patrick Bauer (@patrickbauer26) April 29, 2024

Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M

The left-hander Prager isn’t a guy that lights up a radar gun or TrackMan dashboard, but he’s incredibly deceptive. His funky over the top delivery creates a tough angle to go with his cutting and riding fastball that he commands incredibly well. His go-to secondary is a high-70s splitter that falls off the table when combined with the steep plane his arm slot creates.

His breaking balls play now and should be at the lower levels of the minors, but eventually, I think some refinement will be necessary. Right now, he only throws short, sometimes gyro, low-80s slider. It plays well thanks to his feel for it, but going forward, I’d like to see him throw it in the mid-80s. I also think adding a curveball would do him well, especially given his high arm slot, perhaps even the trending “Death Ball”. Prager is a fun crafty lefty who looks like he’ll go in the 4th to 5th round.

Chris Cortez, RHP, Texas A&M

Cortez has had an electric right arm since he got to College Station, but there was inconsistency not only in command and mechanics, but he often had a hard time repeating his fastball shape and even velocity. Now, Cortez looks like the guy we’ve been waiting for. He pitched twice over the weekend, sitting 98-100 MPH, touching 101, with consistent plus sink and above-average run. His slider was in the mid-80s with above-average sweep.

Cortez is a smaller guy with a lot of effort and without a track record of strike-throwing. It’s possible a team could try him as a starter but sticking him in the bullpen should fast track him to the bigs. I do have some questions about his bat-missing ability once he gets into pro ball. He lacks the high, over-the-top arm slot you see a lot of bat-missing sinker ballers have and his feel for his slider isn’t great, getting a little too big at times. This isn’t to say he can’t be successful, but it’s more so I think he's a 6th or 7th inning pitcher as opposed to a setup guy or closer. It’s reminiscent of Brusdar Grateral to me. I like him to go in the 3rd to 5th round.

Slate Alford, 2B/3B, Georgia

Alford is a pretty typical power hitter at the plate. Burly, physical player who possesses plus bat speed and a steep bat path. While there is some swing and miss here, my bigger question is regards to his load. It’s very long and left him late on some normally hittable fastballs. Alford chases a good bit but has an all-fields approach and hits the ball really hard.

Defensively, Alford has moved around between second and third primarily and stayed at second this weekend. His range is limited, and he’s got solid hands, and has an average arm, but the accuracy is the question mark here. If he can show consistency in his throws across the diamond, he should have a home at third.

Ali Camarillo, SS, Texas A&M

Camarillo’s calling card is his defensive prowess. It’s plus hands and actions, above-average range, and really nice footwork. His arm strength is above average, but he shows great arm utility, throwing from multiple angles as well as from both feet. From the right side of the plate, Camarillo makes pretty good decisions and shows nice bat-to-ball skills. It’s an opposite field-driven approach with the ability to turn on inside pitches if he recognizes it. There isn’t much bat speed or impact, and the swing is pretty handsy so there are certainly some questions about his ability to hit high level pitching, but the glove should keep him on the field. He has the looks of an early day 3 pick.

Kolby Branch, SS, Georgia

A draft-eligible sophomore, the Baylor transfer is the everyday shortstop for the Dawgs. Branch has solid range going to his left and right, along with above-average hands and actions. It’s fringy arm strength, which holds him back from making plays deep in the hole, but really nice arm utility going to his left and coming in. He’s likely suited best for second base, but could certainly play shortstop in a pinch.

At the plate, Branch has a fairly rotational uphill swing from the right side. There’s some swing-and-miss here but he doesn’t chase much and covers the outer third pretty well. Given his size, Branch hits the ball hard consistently, and his ability to pull the ball in the air should help his power play up a half-grade or so. He looks like a late day two or early day three guy, depending on his price.

Other 2024 Players of Note

 

Fernando Gonzalez, C, Georgia

Gonzalez doesn’t have much impact at the plate, but he’s really solid behind the dish. He’s a nice blocker, an above average receiver, and has gotten rave reviews for how he handles pitchers. In an age where catchers are hard to come by, Gonzalez might have a place in pro ball.

Christian Mracna, RHP, Georgia

Mracna came in and closed out the final game of the series for Georgia. The right hander blew riding fastballs at 92-94 MPH by the heart of the Aggies order and flashed a nice top spinning changeup. It’s a three-quarters delivery and combine that with his riding fastball and extension and you get a dude that’s going to miss a ton of bats up in the zone.

Side note: There was a lot of talk after the game about Mracna going to his glove in between pitches, assuming for sticky stuff of some kind, Chris Cortez was going to his belt in between pitches too. Plenty of pitchers are using sticky stuff at this level, and I hope this shallow finger pointing at pitchers who are simply trying to get consistent grip on inconsistent baseballs doesn’t make its way to college baseball.

Corey Collins, 1B/DH, Georgia

Collins was injured for a lot of his draft year and it resulted in him coming back. He’s been healthy this year and is mashing. He features a compact rotational swing with easy bat speed and loft from the left side and not much chase. He’s not catching anymore and mostly DHing and playing 1st. Add in some swing and miss concerns and he’s likely a day three pick.  

Brian Zeldin, RHP, Georgia

Zeldin is a right-handed Penn transfer with a wide array of quality pitches coming from a high three quarters slot. He features a low-90s riding fastball, high-80s gyro slider, high-80s changeup, low-80s sweeper, and 79-81 MPH curveball. He’s struggled with control in this game but was also asked to come in in the first inning, something he isn’t used to.

High Follows

Jace Laviolette, CF, 2025, Texas A&M

Laviolette is a guy who catches your eye as he walks off the bus. At 6’5”, he’s an imposing presence in the box and there’s plenty of power to go with it. It’s double plus raw power and easy bat speed, and you’ll see shades of Matt Olsen. When his swing is on, he has lightning quick hands and is able to cover most parts of the plate, including the inner third, something you wouldn’t expect given his long limbs. However, Georgia pitched him incredibly well and got his swing out of whack, staying soft away and forcing his swing to get handsy. He sees the ball incredibly well and hardly chases. The next step for him will be swinging at better pitches in the zone, and/or making more contact without sacrificing power.

Defensively, Laviolette gets great jumps and reads in centerfield. He’s also an above-average runner and really glides around the outfield. Whether he stays in centerfield or not will depend on how much he fills out and is able to maintain his speed, if not, his average arm likely puts him in left field. Laviolette is a hell of a player, and for my money is the best in the 2025 class right now.

Gavin Grahovic, 3B, 2026, Texas A&M

Grahovic is the leadoff hitter for A&M’s three headed monster of likely first rounders at the top of the lineup. Grahovic’s rotational right-handed swing creates plus raw power that he gets to in game. He’s shown the ability to pull the ball in the air and hit it hard consistently. There’s some swing and miss, but that’s to be expected from a freshman playing every day. For a freshman, he’s shown nice plate skills that will continue to grow with age. Defensively, he has a great first step and has really nice range. It’s a below-average arm but good utility. I’d be curious if he gets some looks at shortstop next fall, he is an above average runner after all.

Shane Sdao, LHP, 2025, Texas A&M

Sdao came out firing from the left side on Saturday for the Aggies, sitting 93-96 T97 MPH with good carry from a three-quarters slot. His slider flashed plus, with nice sharp sweep at 79-82 MPH, and was average more times than not. He also flashed some changeups with good depth and good separation from his fastball. He threw plenty of strikes and put his fastball in good spots. Sdao has a starter mix and has started 3 games in his career, but Coach Schlossnagle has said he’s had more success out of the ‘pen. It will be interesting to see what role he slides into for his draft year next year.

Kolten Smith, RHP, 2025, Georgia

Smith started the final game of the series for Georgia and did not disappoint. He held mid-90s into the 6th inning, and showed feel for 3 offspeed pitches. His fastball gets good shape coming from a high three-quarters arm slot and it played up in the zone. His go-to secondary was a low-80s sweeper, that he would manipulate to have a more curveball shape at times. It gave a unique look to hitters and forced them to pick a shape when picking that velo range. He also flashed a high-80s gyro slider that showed more sweep than the traditional gyro slider. He turned over some high-80s changeups as well, featuring nice top-down movement while maintaining fade. Smith looks like a steady piece for the Bulldogs’ rotation in 2024, with a chance to in the first five rounds in the draft.

Leighton Finley, RHP, 2025, Georgia

Finley started Friday night for Georgia and came out holding mid-90s for five innings and 90 pitches. It didn’t have great shape but his three-quarters arm slot allowed it to play. His best pitch was a top-spinning upper-80s changeup. He showed good feel for this pitch and it gave left-handed hitters fits. He also flashed a 78-81 MPH sweeper. It was a bit easy to see out of the hand and got a little too big at times, but it flashed plus. He didn’t have a great feel for it, so having something a little harder that moves to his glove side could help it play more, even if it’s not always in the strike zone. Finley looks like another solid piece for the Bulldogs rotation in 2024, and should have a good chance of going of going in the first five rounds of the draft.

Justin Lamkin, LHP, 2025, Texas A&M

Lamkin is a crafty left-hander who slings it from a low three-quarters slot. His fastball is 89-92 MPH with good, running two-seam action. He shows solid command of it, especially to his glove side and up in the zone, where it plays thanks to his slot. He mixes in his tight spinning, low-80s gyro slider to both right-handers and left-handers. It plays for now thanks to how good of feel he has for it, but I’d like to see him add some velocity to it. He’ll also turn over a solid 81-84 MPH changeup that has more tumble than fade. Lampkin has a really nice foundation right now, with feel for three quality pitches. If he adds a tick or two of velocity, which isn’t unrealistic given how good A&M has shown they can develop, watch for him to go in the top 100 next year.

Live Looks: Northeast Prep Workout

Earlier this month, I was invited to a private workout featuring a handful of talented prep players from across the northeast region. This was a first for me. It was a moment in my career that felt important, a milestone of sorts. It was also a phenomenal opportunity to check out a large group of players at once, many of whom I intended on seeing at some point this spring.

An event such as this is helpful when putting the finishing touches on your priority list. You can only be in one place at a time, which means you are constantly being forced to choose between seeing one player (or group of players) over another player each day leading up to the draft. Strengthening that priority list ahead of the season helps an area scout maximize their limited amount of time. It’s not a perfect setting for a thorough evaluation, but you can gather a surprising amount of valuable information in a short window of time. This was a nice preview for the weeks, months, and years ahead. Below, you can find three players who made a strong impression and piqued my curiosity, followed by a handful of players who I’ll be tracking closely as prep baseball kicks into gear in my neck of the woods.

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alex ramos | ‘24

RHP | GOSHEN CENTRAL, NY

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL COMMIT

One of the stronger locales for the northeast 2024 prep class will be the Hudson Valley area of New York. Alex Ramos, a Hudson Valley righty at Goshen Central, is an arm that area scouts will be eager to check out this spring. He was someone who stood out to me after seeing some short clips of him on social media with the look of someone who was just starting to blossom as a pitcher. That feeling was confirmed after seeing Ramos fire off consistent 93-95 MPH heat during his pen. Ramos is a quality athlete with a projectable, long-levered frame (6’3-190) suited for the mound. It’s a bit of a longer arm action, but Ramos was able to sync the operation effectively thanks to his above-average arm speed. Ramos releases from a high, almost over-the-top arm slot and extends well during his delivery. This gives the fastball good hop, and at this velocity, it’s a power pitch that projects well at the next level. There’s some head movement on release that could use some cleaning up to improve command, but the overall development to date is highly impressive. Ramos also featured a 74-76 MPH overhand curveball that had good shape at times and a changeup in the mid-80s. Between the two, I preferred the curve. It’s probably fringy presently, but I see the makings of a legitimate weapon as he develops and starts using it more.

Overall, Ramos profiles as a projection righty, but one who has more present velocity than similar arms in the prep and college classes. He has made significant gains over the past several months and is on an upward trajectory. If the stuff he showed in this pen translates to game action this spring, Ramos could leapfrog a good chunk of the prep pitching class in the region.

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connor lane

CATCHER/RHP | OLD SAYBROOK SENIOR, CT

UCONN COMMIT

Connor Lane challenged Alex Ramos for the biggest surprise of the day. After showing off some good pop during BP, Lane jumped on the bump and caught the attention of every scout in attendance. Lane’s cannon arm is well-known to evaluators in the area, but now Lane has begun converting that arm talent behind the dish to the pitcher’s mound. He made a promising short appearance out of the bullpen in October during the WWBA tournament in Jupiter and has since taken things to another level. Lane has a physical 6’2-205 build, with immense arm strength. There was some variation to the arm action and delivery during this pen, but considering his experience level as a pitcher, it exceeded my expectations. The arm action is very short, at times resembling Texas Tech freshman Mac Heuer, though Lane releases from a higher slot. Lane sat in the 91-92 MPH range with his heater, with a few fastballs registering at 93-94 MPH (at least one scout in attendance had a 95 reading). The fastball had arm-side movement, with a few flashing good, late action. He complimented the fastball with a slider that had surprising polish. An upper 70s pitch, Lane showed feel for locating the breaker to his glove side. A couple had some “hump” coming out of the hand which made them easier to pick up, but the foundation for a solid secondary is present. 

Because Lane is both an integral piece behind the plate for his high school squad and a legitimate catching prospect, it remains to be seen how many opportunities he’ll receive on the mound in the months ahead. He showed enough in this look to suggest he has a real shot at “coming out” as an arm this spring, especially as he focuses more on pitching and accrues experience on the mound.

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JC Pacheco | ‘26

SHORTSTOP | DEPAUL CATHOLIC, NJ

UNCOMMITTED

The 2026 high school class in New Jersey has a chance to be special. Based on this brief look, JC Pacheco is a name that belongs in the upper echelon of prep talents for 2026. Playing for Jersey powerhouse DePaul Catholic, Pacheco made a great first impression with the potential for a plus arm on the dirt and both contact and power in the box. Pacheco has good physicality for his age at 5’10-170 and is likely to grow in the years ahead. He showed a quiet swing with good barrel whip during his rounds of BP with the potential for both above average (or better) hand/bat speed as he matures. Pacheco was able to produce quality contact in all directions, and his knack for making hard, elevated contact up the middle and to the opposite field was noticeable. 

Obviously, we are a long way from the 2026 draft cycle, and a lot can change over that time. We’ll need to see if the offensive tools he showed in this look will translate to live pitching. That said, Pacheco is someone I’m eager to track over the next few years as he shares the field with a slew of fellow draft talents at DePaul Catholic. Pacheco remains uncommitted, but he is sure to be a high priority for recruiters moving forward.

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QUICK HITS

Julius Rosado | Shortstop

South River HS, NJ | 2025

Rutgers Commit

I was glad to get another opportunity to see shortstop Julius Rosado before the high school season started. Once again, Rosado was cool, calm, and collected on both sides of the ball. He has well-defined strength while remaining smooth and nimble. We’ll see if he can stick at short long-term, but he checks a lot of the necessary boxes to play on the left side of the infield at the next level. He’s a confident hitter in the box with a swing that’s geared for explosive power to his pull side. It’s a swing that will be put to the test as he faces better, more consistent stuff, but he’s a kid that I expect will put in the work to make adjustments as he moves up the ladder. He would be a huge recruiting win for head coach Steve Owens and recruiting coordinator Brendan Monaghan should he reach campus.

Tyler Castrataro | Shortstop

Mahopac HS, NY | 2024

Hofstra Commit

I’ve now seen a good amount of Hofstra recruits up close and personal this winter and I’ve come away impressed. There’s been a clear, positive shift for Hofstra’s baseball program with skipper Frank Catalanatto at the helm. Like Rosado, this was my second look at Tyler Castrataro who serves as a good example of Hofstra’s enhanced recruiting thrust. A wiry, quick-twitch athlete Castrataro plays bigger than his listed 5’10-160 size. He’s an above-average runner and athlete who takes some ferocious cuts in the box. Castrataro’s ability to hammer the baseball is rare for someone his size. The violence in his swing is a big factor in that ability which, in theory, could impact his ability to make contact during live ABs. Regardless, Castrataro has plenty of raw tools to develop further and is the type of athlete that schools like Hofstra should be looking to work with.

Dylan Hansen | Right-Handed Pitcher

Downingtown East HS, PA | 2024

Coastal Carolina Commit

Out of the two Pennsylvania arms, Hansen showed the “louder” stuff but he also had more violence to the delivery. Hansen has good length and remaining projection at 6’3-205 with a strong, quick arm. The strikes were a bit scattered on this day, but Hansen displayed three quality offerings with a 91-93 MPH fastball, a slider between 78-80 MPH, and some decent. nascent feel for a changeup. Hansen is committed to Coastal Carolina, a school that has done a fantastic job developing players from the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions in recent years.

Kross Howarth | Third Base/Right-Handed Pitcher

Perkiomen School, PA | 2024

Tulane Commit

As with Dylan Hansen, Kross Howarth has the same kind of long, projectable build (6’4-205) that will fill up a jersey while providing teams with something to dream on. The Tulane commit has legitimate two-way ability with an ideal power bat/power arm skillset for the hot corner. There’s plenty to like as an offensive prospect, but I paid extra attention to him on the mound. I really liked how effortlessly he filled the zone with his deceptive delivery. He stays closed for an extended period of time with a crossfire delivery and a low ¾ arm slot. I think this opens up a lot of developmental and pitch-shaping opportunities with his fastball moving forward. His fastball had good sinking action at the bottom of the zone, but I could see the pitch acting as a “hybrid” fastball that induces grounders at a high rate but can also miss a healthy amount of bats. Logan Webb and Marcus Stroman are good examples of this. He sat in the 90-91 MPH range but has lived in the 90-93 MPH (t94) range multiple times, dating back to the summer. Howarth also flashed some really good sliders (79-82 MPH). There weren’t any batters, obviously, but I imagine that his best sliders would release from behind a right-handed hitter before sweeping across the zone to the outer edge of the plate. He also threw a curve (74-76), which traded some sweep for additional vertical action as well as a changeup at 84 MPH. 

It can be a challenge for a pitcher to maintain a consistent release point with a delivery such as Howarth’s, but it clearly wasn’t an issue on this day. Howarth is going to get dinged in draft models because he’s already 19 and will be closer to 20 years old than 19 years old on draft day. But this is the type of arm I love to watch and track because there are outlier characteristics that could really “pop” if everything comes together. I hope to get a second look at Howarth this spring to see if he can do what he did in this pen over a full outing. If I don’t get the opportunity to see him myself, I know Pennsylvania-based evaluator Jake Bargery (who lives near Perkiomen) is ready to see him live during the high school season. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any video of Howarth on the mound, but you can check out some swings below.

Cristofer Cespedes | Right-Handed Pitcher

North Rockland HS, NY | 2024

Maryland Commit

Cespedes popped up this past summer/fall and is a big body (6’4-220) righty who sat in the 91-92 (t93) MPH range with a low 80s curveball and a mid-80s changeup. The mechanics need to be ironed out, but it’s a nice, short arm action from a high ¾ release with some deception. He’s raw as a pitcher, but I could see him taking off at Maryland. The size and ability to touch 94 mph with the fastball will draw scouts this spring.

Harrison Lollin | Right-Handed Pitcher

Monroe Township HS, NJ | 2024

Penn State Commit

Lollin was the most “complete” pitcher of the four mentioned in this section. He has a strong, filled-out frame at 6’1-210 that looks ready for the next level of competition. His stuff was noticeably firmer with a four-pitch mix highlighted by a fastball in the 91-94 MPH range. He also threw a sinking fastball with running action that he threw down and to his arm side in the 88-90 MPH range. The slider featured two-plane action at 79-82 MPH, which was tight at times, and he completed his repertoire with a promising changeup in the low-80s with fade. This was my first time seeing Lollin and he looked much better than I expected. He moved up my priority list for the spring following this brief outing. Stock up.