Florida Summer Classic Standouts
August 9, 2021
The PBRT Florida Summer Classic took place this past weekend at IMG Academy. Rain hit Thursday causing play to be postponed, but everything was able to get in the next three days. After the weekend was over, we came away with three champions. TBT Ballers National won the 15U division, MVP Beast FL 2023 won the 16U division, and Zoom Baseball Academy won the 18U division.
Today, we will look back at this weekend's action and highlight which players stood out most from a scouting standpoint. Take a look.
Standouts
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Hunter Baynes RHP / IMG Academy, FL / 2023Rankings StateRank: 83 / POS: 13
A very interesting uncommitted arm here. Gets down the hill with authority with a live arm. Pounded zone with a hard FB and tight breaking ball. Fastball sits 88-91 and ran up to 92. Electric arm speed with a lot to like in the overall profile.
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Malakhi Boone OF / 1B / South Sumter , FL / 2025Strong bodied infielder put together an impressive tournament this past weekend. Hands are quick and loose as he shows power to the pull side. Homered and had 7 RBI in the championship win for TBT. High follow 2025 with an impressive offensive profile.
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Jacob Burnham LHP / 1B / Key West , FL / 2024Burnham impressed in his start playing up in the 18u division. Would go 4 innings allowing just one earned run while striking out 7. Sat 80-82 mph from the left side.
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Ronald Causby RHP / OF / Northside Christian , FL / 20256-foot-1, 145 pound lean, athletic frame. Fresh off his Junior Future Games performance Causby continues to shine. Shows a clean repeatable delivery with a long loose arm path. Understands how to pitch and is not scared to attack. FB: 80-82 T84CB: 64-67
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Ryan Chapman OF / RHP / Martin County, FL / 2023Solid approach, compact swing with quick hands. Has done well working counts and finding barrels. Plays solid defense wherever he is slotted.
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Cian Copeland 1B / RHP / SLW Centennial, FL / 2024Big body, smooth left handed swing. Good pitch recognition and feel for the barrel for his age. Interesting bat to keep an eye on.
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Matthew Davis OF / 3B / Dwyer, FL / 2023Rankings StateRank: 27 / POS: 5
Florida State commit. Strong, athletic frame with a lot to like offensively. Found barrels all weekend including multiple extra base hits. Uses his strength well in his swing with the ability to use the whole field with power.
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Carter Derks RHP / St. Andrews, FL / 2025Derks got the start on Friday for TBT and was impressive. Sat 80-82 with the fastball showing late life to it. Works from a ¾ slot with a short, quick arm. Would go 4 shutout innings in his start striking out 10.
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Chris Duprey OF / OF / Wellington, FL / 2022Rankings StateRank: 226 / POS: 39
Athletic build. Slow and calm load, stays through the ball well, with solid barrel awareness. Electric hands at the plate. Runs well for his size. Showed ability to drive the gaps. Uncommitted.
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Ethan Grover RHP / 1B / Liberty County, FL / 2022Rankings StateRank: 332 / POS: 81
Princeton commit. Grover was dominant this weekend going 4.1 inn and 5 K’s. Pounds both sides of the plate with a 3 pitch mix and clean, easy mechanics. Pitches with a lot of effort and has strong mound presence. FB: 87-90 T92CB: 66-68 CH 77-79
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Jesse Jaconski 3B / 2B / Plymouth Whitemarsh, PA / 2022Rankings StateRank: 33 / POS: 4
UNC commit. Has shown quick hands and above average bat speed. Potential for gap to gap power to go with above average defense. Smart instincts on both sides of the ball. Tools will play at the next level.
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Andrew Johnston C / 3B / IMG Academy, ON / 2023Rankings StateRank: 17 / POS: 4
Big body, good power bat, consistently finds the barrel driving the ball all around the park. Has hitting tools for the next level. Solid defense and arm behind the dish.
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Rivers Kurland LHP / 1B / Berkeley Prep, FL / 2025High Follow 2025 left hander. Works a loose, athletic arm from a high three quarter slot. Shows advanced pitch ability working both sides of the plate and generating swings and misses. Fastball up to 83 mph with more to come as he matures. Shows feel to spin with an already advanced changeup.
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Danny Machado SS / 2B / Archbishop McCarthy, FL / 2025Machado stood out at the Junior Future Games last week and continued that trend this weekend. Moves well up the middle showing advanced defensive actions. Swings it well from both sides of the plate attacking the middle of the field with a line drive approach.
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Jake McCarter OF / RHP / Bishop Shanahan, PA / 2022Athletic body, above average speed. Advanced approach at the plate, puts himself in good hitters counts. Has feel for the barrel with above average bat speed.
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Caden McDonald RHP / 1B / Sickles , FL / 2023Rankings StateRank: 216 / POS: 27
Athletic two-way continues to show upside on both sides. Led the entire tournament with 10 total hits. 4 for 4 in his first game adding a double and triple. On the mound was up to 85 mph and looks to continue to add velo as he adds strength.
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Gabe Murrell RHP / Edmond North, OK / 2022Rankings StateRank: 17 / POS: 6
Murrell was impressive in his start on Friday. Mostly 86-88 up to 90. 3/4 slot with hard 77-80 mph late breaking sweeping slider. Struck out 6 in 3 innings of work
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Alexis Ocasio C / 3B / Ridge Community, FL / 2022Athletic catcher, runs very well for the position. Has a knack for finding the barrel, above average contact hitter. Fields his position well. Tools could play at the next level.
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Lou Paolillo RHP / 3B / Jupiter, FL / 2022Rankings StateRank: 183 / POS: 50
Athletic 6-foot-3, 220 pound right hander impressed in his outing on Friday. He went the full 7 striking out 10 while allowing just two runs for the Rockets. Sat 85-87 mph with the fastball and was able to generate swings and misses. Uncommitted.
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Nick Robert 1B / RHP / Martin County, FL / 2023Robert was a two-way standout this week. Long limbs with quick hands at the plate. Launched a home run on Saturday and topped 86 mph on the mound.
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Elijah Roberts LHP / Clay, FL / 2023Interesting arm to follow. Compact arm action with FB at 80-83 and some feel to spin a slider. Definitely a player to follow as he continues to mature and add strength.
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Stone Russell SS / 3B / IMG Academy, FL / 2023Russell continues to show some of the most advanced hit-ability in his class. Loose hands at plate with mature actions in the box. Lets the ball get deep as he uses the whole field to his advantage.
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Jack Savery OF / Oxbridge Academy, FL / 2022Rankings StateRank: 195 / POS: 32
Solid approach at the plate, is willing to shorten up and use the whole field. Good situational hitter. Developing power.
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Pip Smalley SS / 3B / Riverview (Sarasota), FL / 2022Stetson commit. Strong, athletic frame. Smalley jumped on a fastball driving it to deep CF off the batter's eye for a 2 run shot this weekend. Put together solid at bats all weekend long. Has shown above average bat speed and great barrel control.
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Marlin Takovich OF / RHP / Key West, FL / 2023Rankings StateRank: 209 / POS: 36
Really like Takovich’s mound presence, attacks hitters with a fastball topping at 91, and a tight breaking ball at 77. Standout arm for his age, one to keep an eye on as strength and command progress.
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Evan Taveras C / Canterbury , FL / 2024Athletic body. Good quick twitch, explosive actions. Calm approach at the plate, looks to drive the ball. Quick hands at the plate. A lot to like in the upside.
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Cameron Uzzillia 1B / RHP / Calvary Christian, FL / 2025Strong frame with a lot of two-way upside. Uzzillia showed electric stuff on the mound for his age. Gets down the mound with authority. Uses a hard and heavy fastball, with an above average breaking ball when using it off of his heater. FB: 81-85
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Logan Van Sicklen C / OF / Waterford Kettering, MI / 2022Rankings StateRank: 39 / POS: 6
Primary catcher stood out on the mound. Strong body, fastball up to 92, sitting 88-89 with a sharp breaking ball that could be a legit out pitch. Projectable arm with some control work.
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Andrew Williamson OF / 1B / Northside Christian, FL / 2023Rankings StateRank: 69 / POS: 13
2021 Future Games continued to be an overall standout. Moves well defensively in center covering both gaps. Offensively, Williamson shows a consistent approach at the plate. Allows the ball to travel and uses above average bat speed to drive the gaps.
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Dominic Woodward SS / RHP / Plant, FL / 2025Woodward has a long, projectable frame. Stays in rhythm at the plate with a line drive approach from the left side. Stayed on time and on the barrel all weekend long. Looks to be a high upside 2025 bat.
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