South AL Preseason All-State: Quick Hits
January 8, 2024
SARALAND, AL - The South AL Preseason All-State was held on Sunday, January 7th at Saraland High School in Saraland, AL. This event was an invite-only event that consisted of some of the top prospects from the 2024-2028 classes. These players went through extended pro-style workout that included batting practice using Trackman and Blast Motion, ran the 60 yard dash using Swift Performance, and much more. Pitchers were able to throw in simulated bullpens during the workout and were able to get numbers and metrics off of our Trackman unit, such as pitch velocity, spin rate, horizontal & vertical movement & much more. There were some players who showed up and continued to build off of prior performances, but there were also some new names who jumped onto our radar with a strong showing on Sunday.
Kicking off our post-event coverage for this event, we take a look back at some of the top performers and standouts from Sunday. Continuing over the course of the next week or so, we will release different statistical leaderboards for the event then transition into releasing individual scouting reports for each player in attendance.
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Drey Barrett SS / Holtville, AL / 2024Southern Miss recruit. 6-foot-3, 205-pounds. Impressive physical strength and certainly passes the eye test; possesses quality athleticism, as well. A top-10 prospect in the senior class in AL and showed he's likely to make another jump in the next rankings cycle with the best all-around showing from yesterday's event. Clocked one of the better 60 YD times on the day at 6.92 with a quick get-off using a 1.66 10 YD split, which was the best from the event. Advanced in all facets hitting from the right side of the plate with a real potential to hit in the middle of the order at the next level. Simple, athletic setup with some rhythm; showcased immense power with multiple balls belted well over the wall in LF and one off the football stadium that traveled an estimated 380 ft, another event-best. Led the event in nearly every single Trackman category during BP; max EV (101.1 mph), avg. EV (95.8 mph), avg. distance (319 ft.), max distance (380 ft.), hard hit % (90%), sweet spot % (100%), and line drive % (80%). Silky-smooth defender at the shortstop position and could easily move to third base at the next level with arm strength that's been up to 92 mph. One of the top overall prospects in the state of AL, regardless of graduating class.
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Judson Harris OF / RHP / Gulf Shores , AL / 2027Uncommitted. 5-foot-11, 150-pounds. Athletic frame with lean strength and more coming. Currently regarded as the No. 3 prospect in the recently released 2026 rankings and AL and is top-100 nationally. If anyone was to rival Barrett from the most impressive day during the workout, it was certainly Harris, who put up some gaudy numbers across the board for a freshman. An elite multi-sport athlete who also served as the starting quarterback for Gulf Shores this fall, and helped lead them to a perfect 15-0 record and captured a Class 5A State Championship. Also plays basketball and runs track. Hits from an athletic right-handed stance and uses a controlled stride; possesses elite hand (25.1 mph avg.) and bat (78.3 mph) speed, per Blast Motion, and helps him deliver firm contact to all fields. Posted a top EV of 100.2 mph, which was second-best from the event. Line drive hitter currently with a chance to hit for higher volumes of power output in the future. Also impressive in other stations during the workout, where he recorded an OF velo of 90 mph and clocked a 7.00 60 YD. Athleticism translates to the mound, where he worked up to 85 mph and showed feel for spin. Uber-talented young freshman to follow closely over the next few years in AL.
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Brodie Jones SS / Opelika, AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 50 / POS: 7
Uncommitted. 6-foot-1, 170-pounds. Athletic, wiry build. Regarded as one of the top uncommitted shortstops in the 2025 class in AL. Former PBR Future Games alum from this past summer where he performed against high-level competition. Continues to improve look-after-look and it was no different at yesterday's event. Has served as the starting shortstop for Opelika HS over the last couple of seasons and has consistently produced with the bat during that time period. Hits from a solid base and an upright stance that is slighly crouched; balanced throughout and possesses a whippy right-handed barrel that routinely finds hard contact. Line drive, top-of-the-order type hitter who can spray to all fields. Clocked one of the better 60's from the event at 6.88 and posted a top EV of 93.3 mph with consistent low-90's exits. Rangy defender who moves well laterally and is reliable with the glove. Can play mutliple spots on the infield to compliment above-average arm strength across. Talented junior infielder who has recieved interest from numerous programs and shouldn't be on the market for too much longer with a strong high school season.
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Nolan Phillips OF / Fairhope High School, AL / 2024Rankings StateRank: 147 / POS: 29
Uncommitted. 6-foot-2, 190-pounds. Strong upper-body with mass throughout; good athlete, as well. Toolsy prospect and is a name-to-know in terms of uncommitted seniors heading into this spring. Enjoyed a stellar high school season last year as a junior for Fairhope HS, where he recorded a plethora of extra-base hits during the season and looks primed for another breakout senior campaign. Passes the eye test and showcased loud tools across the board during yesterday's event. Balanced stance hitting from the right side and utilizes really quick hands to drive the ball gap-to-gap. Consistent one-handed finishes and recorded a top EV of 95.8 mph EV during his round of BP. Ball seems to jump off the barrel and sounds different than his peers. Clocked one of the better 60 YD times from the event at 6.84 mph and has a very strong arm from the outfield that worked up to 91 mph, an event-best. Another upperclassmen who shouldn't be on the board for too much longer after his showing from the event.
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Jacob Driver RHP / Marbury, AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 48 / POS: 9
Uncommitted. 6-foot-3, 215-pounds. Physical build with proportional strength; workhorse-type build with starter's ingredients. Another former PBR Future Gamer from this past summer with intrguing four-pitch mix and advanced frame. Unknown going into this summer, but performed at an open event which led to his invitation to the PBR Future Games. Continued to show flashes of what's to come with quality work during his extended bullpen. Deliberate delivery that slowly builds momentum that helps him drive down the mound with good intent. Fastball operated 86-87 mph throughout his bullpen; advanced induced vertical break with an avg. of 18.8 in. allows the offering that play a bit quicker and works best when elevated. Features three distinct secondary offerings; cutter (77-80 mph), slider (69-71 mph), and changeup (72-73; 15.5 in. avg. horizontal movement) should continue to develop into above-average pitches. Never gets sped up throughout delivery and has fairly easy intent with typical high 3/4 arm slot. Close name to follow in the senior class in AL this spring.
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Brady Richardson SS / RHP / Enterprise, AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 21 / POS: 1
Troy recruit. 6-foot-1, 205-pounds. Athletic, strong frame with brute strength; broad-shouldered. One of the top infielders in the junior class in AL and can double as a two-way prospect with possibly a higher ceiling from the right side of the plate. High baseball IQ and good makeup. Powerful right-handed swing that routinely delivers loud contact gap-to-gap. Stays fairly compact and connected throughout the swing; possesses elite bat speed with max of 88.4 mph and an average of 79.0 mph, some of the best from the event per Blast Motion. Consistent firm contact to all fields and recorded a max EV of 96.7 mph during his round of BP. Quality defender up the middle on the infield with good footwork and a strong arm across at 89 mph, an event-best. Also toed the rubber and pounded the zone using a compact arm action with a fastball that reached 86 mph and complimented it with two above-average secondary offerings.
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Bryce Rivers 3B / Mobile Christian, AL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 12 / POS: 1
Uncommitted. 5-foot-9, 180-pounds. Strong, compact frame. One of the more elite pure hitteres in the sophomore class in AL that continues to hammer anything that's thrown his way. A top-15 prospect in the 2026 class. More of the same impressive stuff offensively during his round of BP during yesterday's event, where he routinely squared up the baseball with nearly each swing. Possesses an innate feel for the barrel and some of the best bat-to-ball skills in his class. May be a smaller frame, but still doesn't take much to generate loud contact. Was consistenty on the barrel during his round and recorded a top EV of 96.2 mph and a max distance of 364 ft., second-best from the event. Offensive-minded infielder that can play third or second base defensively. Doesn't matter what setting or the type of arm he faces, the right-hander is a really advanced hitter for a prospect of his age.
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Edward Mcleod Jr. 3B / 1B / St. Pauls Episcopal, AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 38 / POS: 3
Samford recruit. 6-foot-3, 230-pounds. Extremely physical build with brute strength; can run well for his size, too. Another former PBR Future Gamer from this past summer; possesses some of the best power in the junior class in AL and put it on display during his round of BP during yesterday's event. Consistent loud contact to all fields and made the field look small. Very simple offensive setup from an upright stance and uses a minimal stride length. Looks to drive the ball with excellent intent working gap-to-gap within his approach. Belted numerous balls over the wall in left and right field while recording a max EV of 98.6 mph, third-best from the event. Has consistently performed with the right-handed bat over the past couple of seasons and is an extra-base hitting, run-producing machine that projects to hit in the heart of any order he finds himself in. The corner infielder is a threat to create instant offense whenever he steps into the box.
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Aaron Bailey 3B / RHP / McAdory, AL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 2
Uncommitted. 6-foot-3, 195-pounds. Strong frame with some proportional strength; possible room to add down the road. Another prospect ranked insde the top-20 in the sophomore class in AL that excelled both at the plate and on the mound during yesterday's event. Hits from a slightly-opened stance from the right side with a controlled stride to get back to square; takes aggressive swings and finds consistent high exits with each swing. Gap-to-gap hitter with sizable power and good projection to hit for more in the future. Hammered the ball to the pull-side with back-spun line drives throughout his round of BP; recorded a max EV of 97.2 mph with mutliple balls hit over 300 ft. and a max distance of 344 ft. Good athlete with a 7.14 YD, too. Also doubles as a talented right-handed pitcher on the mound, where he worked up to 86 mph with his fastball. Compliments it with a distinct breaking ball mix; curveball (72-73 mph; 2400 rpm avg.) and slider (75-77 mph; 2200 rpm avg.), but splitter may be his best secondary pitch with diving action and consistent spin rates around 1000 rpm. Noteworthy two-way prospect in the sophomore class in AL.
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Landon Cherry C / Moody, AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 63 / POS: 8
Uncommitted. 6-foot-0, 185-pounds. Strong built with some projectable strength down the road. Solid catcher's build with strength in lower-half. Ranked as a top-10 backstop in the junior class in AL. Equally as talented both from the right side of the plate and from the crouch with good skills for both. Took an impressive round of BP during yesterday's event with consistent firm contact to both gaps throughout. Hits from a strong base and utilizes a short, simple stride; does a good job of stay connected throughout the swing with consistent two-handed finishes. Drives through the baseball with good intent and recorded a max EV of 91.1 mph. Polished receiver behind the plate defensively and works hard to steal strikes for his pitchers. Clean with solid mechanics on catch-and-throw skills, posted 2.03-2.09 pop times and developing arm strength at 72 mph. One who looks poised for a breakout junior campaign after seeing quality playing time as an underclassmen at the varsity level over the past two seasons.
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Mason Piper SS / Prattville , AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 30 / POS: 3
Uncommitted. 6-foot-3, 190-pounds. Lean, athletic frame with projectable strength down the road. One of the top left-handed hitters in the 2025 class in AL. Made a sizable jump in the previous rankings cycle after a strong summer circuit and looks ready to carry it over into the spring season. Took quality swings throughout his round of BP while driving liners to the pull-side throughout. Hits from a slightly-open stance and possesses a quick leg kick for timing trigger; works back to square quickly. Short and quick path to the baseball with some present bat speed. Hit over power tool right now, but could change over the course of the next couple of years. Recored a max EV of 92.7 mph. Smooth defender at the shortstop position; has some lateral range with decent arm strength across. Size suggests he could potentialy move to third base in the future, as it's listed as his secondary position. Name to follow closely in terms of uncommitted juniors heading into the spring season.
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Fuller Chisholm C / SS / Saraland, AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 103 / POS: 18
Uncommitted. 5-foot-10, 180-pounds. Medium frame; some athleticism. Extremely versatile defender and smooth right-handed stroke. Experienced some meaningful reps during the last season as a sophomore and looks poised for a breakout junior campaign this spring. Took a quality BP and was impressive throughout the round lining balls to both parts of the field with consistency; recorded a max EV of 92.0 mph and an average of 86.1 mph. Hits from a tall, narrow stance from the right side and utilizes a controlled stride to get back square. Possesses a mostly level path to contact and is fairly strong at the point of contact. Hit tool stands out right now and profiles as a top/bottom order hitter. Can play numerous positions defensively, including catcher, where he routinely ranged 1.91-1.95 with his pop times to go along with an accurate 75 mph C velocity. Crisp defender on the infield with quality footwork, as well. Seems to be a tough, hard-nosed type player that also plays football.
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Brady Cole Harrison OF / Elberta, AL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 53 / POS: 15
Uncommitted. 6-foot-0, 165-pounds. Slim, wiry build; elite athleticism. Really jumped onto our radar after his standout performance at an event this summer, where he showcased high-end tools across the board. Posted a solid workout during yesterday's event and stood out in numerous stations during the event. Hits from a narrow stance that is slightly-open; controlled leg stride to get back even and gains ground. Hands stay slotted low and fires them quickly to the baseball using a level path and present bat and hand speed. Profiles to be a line drive type hitter with some glimpses of future power. Excellent athlete that was clocked at 6.88 in the 60 YD, which ranked fourth from the event. Covers ground well in the outfield using that speed, and possesses good arm strength with throws working up to 87 mph with accuracy. Under-the-radar prospect to follow going into the spring season.
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Jacob Rowell RHP / Saraland , AL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 29 / POS: 10
Uncommitted. 6-foot-5, 170-pounds. Extremely long and lean build; really high ceiling and tons of room to add strength down the road. Regarded as a top-10 right-handed pitcher in the sophomore class in AL and possesses some present stuff to match his projectable frame. Very long levers and moves fairly well down the mound understanding movement patterns. Operated in the 83-85 mph range consistently throughout his extended bullpen; possesses good tailing action and occasional sink to the offering. Features two distinct breaking balls; curveball (71-75 mph) and slider (72-73 mph) both spin north of 2500 rpm and have plenty of horizontal sweeping action. Changeup is a solid fourth offering and mimicks fastball sinking action sitting 79-81 mph. Compact, two-piece action with some whip to arm. Intriguing sophomore arm to follow in AL with future jumps likely.
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Riley Wilemon RHP / OF / Faith Academy , AL / 2026Uncommitted. 6-foot-2, 185-pounds. Medium build with some proportional strength. Noteworthy two-way prospect who posted some quality numbers both at the plate and on the mound during yesterday's event. Stance hitting from the right side starts slightly-open with hands slotted higher; possesses impressive bat speed for his age and is very strong at the point of contact. Gap-to-gap approach with a top EV of 95.3 mph. May possess and even high celiling and upside on the mound, showing an intrguing two-pitch mix with good metric on both offerings. Showcased the ability to back-spin a low-80's fastball that touched 86 mph and reached 2500 rpm while averaging 2380 rpm with good ride/carry through the zone. Breaking ball ranged 67-71 mph and showcased late bite while being able to spin it down in the zone. |
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