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Future Games: Team Alabama, Pitcher-Only Takeaways

August 6, 2024
Prep Baseball Alabama Staff

 

From Wednesday, July 24, through Sunday, July 28, Prep Baseball is hosting the next edition of its prestigious Future Games at LakePoint Sports Complex in Emerson, GA., featuring the country's best uncommitted talent. And, for the first time ever, the Future Games is hosting not just its typical set of incoming juniors and freshmen, but also a 17U division of uncommitted Class of 2025 players who will participate in the inaugural Senior Future Games.

On the first day of the 2024 Future Games, all players representing grad classes 2025, 2026, and 2028 will be participating in a pro-style workout in front of a fleet of Division I coaches alongside fellow prospects representing nearly every state in the nation.

Inside this piece, we'll be breaking down some of the top performers and listing our takeaways from Team Alabama the the four-day event at LakePoint Sports.

+ Click here to view all captured statistics from the 16U Division of the Workout Day.

Pitcher-Only's

+ RHP Grant Hill (Chelsea, 2026) more than looked the part of the top-ranked uncommitted pitcher in the 2026 class during his two-inning stint for Team Alabama to open the Future Games. Listed at 6-foot-3, 185-pounds, the right-hander boasts a high-waisted mature frame with the stuff and projection to pair. Operated mostly 87-88 mph and touched 89 mph during the appearance. Features two quality secondary offerings, one being a mid-70s slider with tunnel and a diving 81-83 mph changeup that was his best pitch in this look. Athletic mover down the mound and super-competitive traits. Long-limbed frame should continue to tap into more velocity down the road, but shows the pitch-ability now with three above-average offerings.

+ RHP Evan Malone (Northridge, 2026) is another highly-ranked right-hander in the 2026 class who did more than enough to boost his already-high stock. Measuring in at 6-foot-2, 219-pounds, Malone is built like a starting pitcher with a strong, durable build and has the stuff to match. On the back-end of the summer, the right-hander was still able to sit 89-90 mph with the heater after being up to 92 mph a month ago with strong command for the pitch. The slider, ranging 78-80 mph, has real horizontal bite and shape and can be used against both-sided hitters to get a strike. He rounds out the arsenal with a 82 mph changeup that has good dive/sink to it, as well. Moves well and competes. Finished going 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 B, 1 HBP, 3 K.

+ RHP Branson Hogan (Chelsea, 2026) arguably had the best outing out of any Team Alabama pitcher, as he retired all six hitters he faced in order while showcasing an intriguing three-pitch mix in his two-inning stint. Listed at 6-foot-1, 174-pounds, Hogan is a hard-throwing right-hander with a pair of above-average secondary offerings to keep hitters off-balanced. Sitting 86-88 mph and touching 89 mph, the right-hander lived in the zone with the heater with command to the glove-side while spinning a 76-77 mph slider (2300 RPM) with good intent in late counts for chase. Also flashed an 82 mph splitter with sizable vertical drop as his third offering. H 3/4 arm slot with quickness to arm stroke. Should continue to add more velocity down the road with added strength to frame.

+ In terms of pure stuff and metrics, RHP Edmund Cody (Dothan, 2026) may be one of the most intriguing pitchers on the Team Alabama pitching staff. After being sidelined for the majority of the spring this season, Cody certainly made a name for himself this summer and capped it off with a strong showing at the Future Games. Listed at 6-foot-1, 171-pounds, the right-hander has a lean, projectable build with plenty of room for growth and added strength and has the stuff to pair. Operated 87-89 mph and up to 90 mph during his outing with the fastball. Plays best at the top of the zone while back-spinning it at 2500 RPM consistently. Rips a hard-biting 11-5 curveball ranging 73-75 mph (2800 RPM) as primary secondary offering and also has an upper-70s slider in the arsenal. Control over command right now. Quick, whippy arm with clean operation and delivery.

+ RHP Dylan Olive (Muscle Shoals, 2026) should more another right-handed pitcher for Team Alabama on the call sheets for college coaches now that the August 1st date has passed. Measuring in at 6-foot-0, 180-pounds, the rising junior showed off a dominant two-pitch mix with the ability to throw any pitch in any count during his two scoreless innings of work. Sitting mostly 84-86 mph, Olive worked up to 87 mph and 88 mph a handful of times with late riding life to the fastball. Arguably his best pitch, the slider ranges 78-80 mph while getting short, late horizontal break to the offering and showcased a good feel to land it in the zone. Pitches with plenty of confidence and not afraid to locate the fastball inside to setup the slider. Forced plenty of weak contact and pitched in the zone during the outing.

+ RHP Wyatt Williams (Thompson, 2026) has really come along on the mound over the past year and capped off his summer with a strong outing at the Future Games. Listed at 6-foot-2, 194-pounds, Williams is a strong, physical right-hander who possesses some intriguing components on the mound. Facing a talented lineup, the right-hander ranged 85-87 mph while touching 89 mph during the outing using a fairly low-effort delivery. Laboring a bit during his two-inning appearance, he was able to induce some weak contact when locating his sinking fastball in the zone while also showing some feel for a firmer 79-80 mph slider as his go-to secondary offering. Rounds out the three-pitch mix with a fading changeup that operated 78-80 mph and was used mostly against left-handers. Notable two-way prospect with some upside on the mound.

+ RHP Matthew Hopkinson (Homeschool, 2026) featured a four-pitch mix during his outing for Team Alabama at the Future Games and found some success against a talented lineup. A strong 6-foot-3, 205-pounder, Hopkinson possesses some quality traits that should translate into success over the next couple of years and beyond. Mixing and matching throughout the outing, the right-hander operated 84-86 mph mostly while working up to 87 mph with the fastball that features some natural arm-side run. Features two distinct breaking balls, one being a slower 68-71 mph curveball (2550 RPM) and a firm, tighter sider at 78-79 mph (2400 RPM), both of which were landed for strikes. Can also turns over a fading changeup with the same action as the fastball at 74-76 mph as a change of pace. Adds and subtracts well and should continue to see jumps in velocity in the future.

+ RHP Cooper Pennington (Shelby County, 2026) is a physical, hard-throwing right-hander who was really effective for Team Alabama at the Future Games when he was in the strike zone. Listed at 6-foot-1, 229-pounds, Pennington features a physically-imposing, work-horse type build on the mound and has the lively fastball to pair it with. Using a higher arm slot, the right-hander generates natural heavy sink to his fastball that worked 84-87 mph and touched 89 mph during his outing. Produced numerous ground balls and weak contact when thrown for strikes. Keeps hitters off-balanced using a short slider at 76-79 mph (2300 RPM) has his primary secondary pitch. Lost the zone a bit in his second inning of work, but tossed a clean first inning getting mutliple swings-and-misses in the zone. Methodical delivery with good pace and higher leg kick. Possesses a bit of upside as he continues to develop.

+ RHP Keigan McClure (Madison County, 2026) may have been a lesser-known pitching prospect coming into the Future Game for Team Alabama, but quickly showed he belonged on the big stage with a pair of scoreless innings. Featuring a lean, projectable 6-foot-0, 141-pound frame, McClure is athletic in his delivery and exudes tons of confidence on the mound facing some high-level prospects. Pitched in the low-80s and worked up to 85 mph with the fastball and has been as high as 88 mph this summer. Calling card appears to be his low-70s curveball, showing an excellent feel for spin and the ability to land it on the corners for called strikes and beneath the zone for chase in deep counts. Changes speed of delivery at times to tinker with timing. Much more development and room for add strength and velocity down the road, but has the pitch-ability to match it with in the future.

 

Upcoming Fall Events

SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
Alabama Fall Games August 25th, 2024 University of Montevallo (Montevallo, AL)
AL/MS Border Battle (Invite-Only) October 12th-13th, 2024 Northeast Mississippi CC (Booneville, MS)
Central Alabama Fall ID October 20th, 2024 Prattville High School (Prattville, AL)
North Alabama Fall ID October 27th, 2024 James Clemens High School (Madison, AL)

 

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