Dickerson Doppelgangers: 9 Breakout Seniors To Know
August 21, 2024
Sometimes in the world of baseball scouting, a right/right profile can be met with some initial hesitancy and maybe even a sigh of disappointment. It forces a player to prove his value daily versus a left-handed hitter who, many times, is assumed to have greater strengths and upside. This is particularly true for those prep prospects whose position is less defined and most likely headed to a non-premium defensive spot.
This does not necessarily mean that there is always a lack of premium upside. Ultimately, the bat will dictate the WAR, and to exclude a demographic (right-handed hitters) that makes up approximately two-thirds of all Major League Baseball hitters would be inherently detrimental to any farm system.
The value of the area scout was on full display throughout the spring of 2024 as the prep class was hardly settled prior, even in the run-up to July’s MLB Draft. A mainstay in Prep Baseball’s top-100 national rankings throughout much of his high school career, Luke Dickerson (NJ; Nationals, No. 44 overall) set the record for a pick outside the first round when he inked a deal worth $3.8 million. A forceful athlete with an ultra intriguing hit/power profile, Dickerson bucked the trend, and emerged as a valuable player “despite” that right/right profile and the question marks surrounding his positional impact.
Looking ahead to 2025, below is a group of nine prep prospects who might follow a similar path to the one Dickerson forged:
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Gavin Fien SS / OF / Great Oak, CA / 2025The whispers of Fien’s similarities to fellow Southern California product, Gavin Grahovac (2023; Texas A&M), are likely to grow much louder in coming months, as the Temecula native holds an impeccably similar physical and prospect profile to the Aggie freshman phenom. An infielder by trade, his positional versatility has been on display throughout the summer with a standout residency in the outfield and all over the dirt in leading Team USA to a gold medal last month. However, it was the bat that screamed the loudest for the 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-handed slugger, and the premium exit velocities and bat-to-ball skills shined throughout the summer on the national circuit. Turning a heavy barrel with authority, the hit-tool has shined against some premium arms, and while he will have to maintain that production to drive value, he has already built a strong foundation to fall back on for Day One consideration. |
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Boston Kellner SS / 3B / Hamilton, AZ / 2025If hockey standouts remain en vogue, Kellner might jump to the top of many lists. A talented hockey player in his home state of Colorado, Kellner’s family moved down to Arizona and powerhouse Hamilton High School, prior to his eye-opening junior season. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound infielder possesses a sturdy frame with lean, defined strength throughout and the athleticism to play all over the diamond. His right-handed stick features a compact look with a short stroke that delivers loud contact to all fields with a propensity for driving gap-to-gap. His quiet confidence and intensity exhibit his insatiable winning mentality, and while his positional profile leans more heavily towards third or second base, it is the bat that will ultimately be the driving force. Hard-nosed on the diamond without flash, Kellner’s track record as a performer is becoming well-documented, and he even shows upside on the mound as a real two-way player at the collegiate level. |
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Danny Wallace OF / Papillion La Vista South High School, NE / 2025Given the monster success of Nebraska natives in recent years, it seems wise to build a longer track record with Wallace ahead of July. A tantalizing athlete whose analytics and athletic metrics jump off the page, it is the swing decisions that he displays which hold the most intrigue as to how high his ceiling might ultimately be set. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound outfielder (who also pitches) is equal parts impact and acceleration as the barrel churns out high exit velocities with a quiet approach that opens into controlled aggression to the path before exploding to a quick first step with a chance to stick in center field long term. A cold weather hitter with a right/right profile, Wallace is a difficult follow next spring, but one who might yield considerable dividends to those who do. |
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Nicky Becker SS / Don Bosco Prep, NJ / 2025If we are talking “Dickerson Doppelgangers” why not return to North Jersey for another highly athletic, ultra-intriguing infield prospect. Hailing from national power Don Bosco Prep, Becker had a monster spring for the Ironmen before maintaining his prowess throughout a big summer. At 6-foot-3, 180-pounds, he passes the eye-test with ease, and the look of a plus-athlete with above average speed helps his profile at shortstop while the right-handed stick provided ample to bat-to-ball skill with sneaky power that is likely to develop much more in coming years as the frame continues filling out. Built in a similar mold to his brother Eric who enjoyed a nice freshman campaign at Virginia before blasting off throughout the summer as a must-follow name for ‘26, the bloodlines might help bolster the younger Becker’s status with regards to this year’s draft. |
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John Stuetzer SS / OF / Pope High School, GA / 2025Stuetzer might have the most aligning profile to what Dickerson displayed a year ago as his prowess on the gridiron opened plenty of eyes before the work on the diamond elevated. A dynamic athlete with compact strength on a 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame, his positional profile is eerily similar to Dickerson’s with much of the work coming at shortstop in game play, but much of the value being seen in quick bursts in center field. Regardless of the position, his mantra as an all out winner/gamer with a heavy barrel that turns in an instant is something that is sure to draw crowds of area scouts in Georgia who are craving a Day One selection after ‘24. |
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Caeden Cloud SS / Nixa, MO / 2025Call it a gut pick, but Cloud just keeps performing at a high level, and at some point, that production cannot be ignored. A consummate winner who expects success, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound shortstop holds premium bat-to-ball accuracy with some of the better swing decisions in the class. Strong-armed at shortstop with eye-opening exit velocities at the plate, the skills presently outweigh the tools, but the tool package is still quite valuable and alluring, and should have the scouting community softly buzzing with a chance for an uproar later in the spring. |
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Jason Fultz 3B / Cathedral Prep, PA / 2025Fultz’s powerful profile is unmistakable as he gets the most out of each forceful swing from the right side. Results driven with the ability to drive the ball to all fields including some light-tower power to the pull side, there is gritty intent to each swing, and the ground force is felt with his presence in the box. The brutish strength is less similar to fellow Pennsylvania product, 3B Chase Harlan (2024; Dodgers, No. 98 overall), but the third base profile holds more similarities along with the power. Regardless, Fultz has a track record of substantial success and the impact of his right-handed stick will have hoards of scouts flocking to Pittsburgh in the spring. |
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Tate Southisene SS / Basic Academy, NV / 2025No longer in the shadow of his older brother, Ty (2024; Cubs, fourth round), the USC recruit has shown off the loudest tools in a family that has made quite the impact on the amateur baseball scene with talent all over. The biggest of the bunch at 6-foot, 170-pounds, he gets the most out of a wiry-athletic frame, and the bat speed has consistently provided some of the highest exit velocities in the class with triple-digit readings on many, if not most, occasions. Twitchy with the hands with the ability to cover the plate, the hit-tool and swing decisions have shined against premium arms, and there is a chance that the buzz generated from the West Coast ProCase right through the rest of the summer never slows down as the calendar approaches next July. |
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Matthew Ferrara SS / 3B / Toms River East, NJ / 2025Probably the least-known prospect on this list, Ferrara possesses one of the best swings in the northeast. The 6-foot, 180-pound infielder who will turn 18-years old just before draft day, delivers heavy barrels with plenty of length in the zone, and the intentful tunnel vision on hammering baseballs is seen with each subsequent trip to the dish. Likely more of a third baseman or offensive second baseman, Ferrara’s bat carries value, and should it continue trending up throughout the spring, expect decision makers to make their way down the shore to get some looks. |