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Shining Stars of the Sunshine State: Taking Stock of HS Baseball in Florida

April 4, 2024
Connor Holdren
Director of Multimedia

Prep Baseball Florida Mid-Season Update

With high school baseball in Florida being well underway, it's time to take a look at some players across the Sunshine State who are off to impressive starts. In this article, I will break down 3 of our current staff favorites to win Player of the Year, as well as some guys whose torrid starts to the year can’t be ignored. The players will be placed into three separate categories: Position players, Pitchers, and Two-Ways. And then finally at the end, I will highlight some freshmen who have made a big impact on their respective high schools to start their high school careers. 

Player of the Year Favorites

Johnny King (LHP, 2024, Naples HS, Miami Commit)

King was a member of our 1st team all-state last year and has only continued to dominate once again this spring. As one of the best prep southpaws in the country, King will likely hear his name called in the 1st couple rounds of the MLB Draft this summer. On the mound, King hasn’t given up a single earned run and has struck out nearly 70% of the batters he’s faced: 57 Ks/83 BF. At the plate, the Miami commit has led his Naples squad to a 13-2 start with a slash line of .527/17 R/17 RBI/7 2B/ 2 3B/ 2 HR. 

Joey Lawson (RHP/C, 2026, Bishop Verot, Uncommitted)

Bishop Verot is off to a great start this spring and a big part of that is thanks to two-way Joey Lawson. The uncommitted 2026 has been impressive both on the mound and at the plate. Lawson has posted a 1.57 ERA and struck out 27 batters, earning 3 wins so far. He’s also hitting .545 with 22 RBIs, 15 runs, 9 doubles, and 2 HRs. Johnny King is the leader to win Player of the Year but after a massive start to the year, Lawson has put himself in the conversation. 



Chris Rembert (INF, 2024, Pensacola Catholic, Auburn Commit)

Pensacola Catholic is off to a 15-1 start and a big part of that has been the play of Rembert. As the Crusaders' leadoff hitter, Rembert has been a great table setter, scoring 27 runs on the year. The Auburn Commit is also hitting .531 with 22 RBIs and 10 extra-base hits, including 4 homeruns. If Pensacola Catholic continues to win and makes a run deep into the postseason while being led by Rembert, he’ll have his name in the conversation for Player of the Year. 

Sunshine State Stars

Position Players

Andrew Tess (C, 2024, Calvary Christian (Clearwater), Pitt Commit)

The Calvary Christian (Clearwater) product is off to a terrific start this year. As the Warriors 3-hole, Tess has driven in 17 runs on 5 doubles. To go along with the 17 runs and 5 doubles, Tess has also hit 2 triples, and 3 home runs, and is hitting over .400 on the year. 

Jaydn Nunez  (OF, 2025, Doral Academy, North Carolina Commit)

Nunez has gotten off to a torrid start this season. The Doral Firebirds are ranked 3rd in our Prep Baseball Power 25 and a big reason for that has been the way Nunez has been swinging the bat. The North Carolina recruit is tied for 4th in the country with 7 home runs and has added 3 doubles, 23 RBIs, and 18 runs scored, while also hitting .400. 

Manny Marin (SS, 2024, Westminster Christian, Tennessee Commit)

The Tennessee recruit will look to hear his name called in the 1st few rounds of the MLB Draft this summer. Marin is looking to go out with a bang after his senior season at Westminster Christian, which is off to a 12-3 start to the year. Marin, best known for his game-changing glove, is getting it done with his bat as well with a slash line of .429 avg, .556 OBP, 12 RBIs, 15 runs, and 6 home runs. 

Devin Fitz-Gerald (SS, 2024, Stoneman Douglas, North Carolina State Commit)

Stoneman Douglas has won 3 straight state titles and a big part of that has been the consistency at SS. The NC State commit is another prep SS who will look to hear his name called in the early rounds of the MLB Draft. Fitz-Gerald is one of if not the best pure hitters in the state, he's slashing .422/19 R/18 RBI/5 2B/ 3 HR. He's also only struck out 4 times in 61 plate appearances this year with an OBP of .525.

Nic Partridge (SS, 2025, Mulberry, Florida Commit)

The Florida commit, hitting in the 2-hole for Mulberry, has been more than impressive to start the year. Hitting .459 with 3 doubles and 6 home runs, while also driving in 18 runs. And if those numbers aren’t impressive enough, Partridge more often than not gets walked by opposing teams. Teams would rather put him on than give him the opportunity to change the game with his bat. He’s drawn 19 walks on the year and has an OBP of .650.  

Ty Head (OF, 2024, Windermere, North Carolina State Commit)

Head, another player who hopes to hear his name called in the early few rounds of the MLB Draft, is off to a big start to his senior campaign. The North Carolina State recruit is hitting .400 with an on-base percentage of over .550 after drawing 17 walks. Head has also wreaked havoc on the bases with 17 stolen bases, which is good for 2nd in the state. He has also scored 23 runs, helping lead Windemere to a 13-3 start to the year.  

Nick Miraglia (C, 2026, Palmer Trinity, Uncommitted) and Michael Miraglia (SS, 2026, Palmer Trinity, Uncommitted)

When talking about players who have had incredible starts to the year it’s impossible to ignore what the uncommitted 2026 twins from Palmer Trinity in Miami have done. Nick is hitting .478 and has driven in 30 runs, the most in the state. Michael on the other hand is hitting .556 and has scored 34 runs, which is good for best in the state. 

Ryder Woodson (SS, 2024, North Carolina State Commit)

St. John Neumann is not only one of the better teams in Southwest Florida but also across the state and a big part of that has been thanks to senior SS Ryder Woodson. The NC State recruit is hitting .428 with 15 runs scored and has added 11 RBIs out of the leadoff spot. His on-base percentage is well over .500 and he’s hit 3 home runs to go along with 4 doubles and 4 triples, he’s also added 9 stolen bases. 

Jon Embury (C, 2024, Florida Gulf Coast Commit)

The Florida Gulf Coast recruit is off to a torrid start to his senior campaign, hitting almost .500 on the year. His Venice Indians are also off to a 15-1 start, with wins over two of the best teams in the region, Bishop Verot and Saint John Neumann. To go along with his nearly .500 batting average, Embury has driven in 23 runs on 5 doubles and a home run. Venice is one of the hottest teams in the state right now and they'll look to continue this streak all the way to Fort Myers in May. 

Colton Schwarz (SS, 2025, Florida Commit)

One of the reason's Jupiter has gotten off to a 12-4 start is the play of their 2025 SS. Schwarz is hitting .453 with an on-base percentage over .500. He has also scored 19 runs and driven in 19 more on 7 doubles, 1 triple, and 3 home runs. If the Florida commit continues to swing a hot bat, the Jupiter Warriors will be primed to make a deep run in the 7A postseason. 

Pitchers

Eli Blair (LHP, 2025, Arnold, Florida Commit) and Cooper Moss (RHP, 2025, Arnold, Florida Commit)

Arnold is off to a 15-0 start and a big part of that is their two-headed monster rotation of Florida commits. Blair, the 6'7” southpaw committed to Florida after the biggest and best uncommitted event of the year, the Future Games. His upward trend has only continued to start off his junior year. Blair has earned 6 wins on the mound with a 0.19 ERA while striking out 65 batters. Rather than having a 1 and 2 on the mound the Marlins have a 1 followed by a 1 and their 2nd number 1, Moss, has started his junior campaign 4-0 with a 0.24 ERA and 39 strikeouts. 

Troy Guthrie (RHP, 2024, Parrish Community, Florida Gulf Coast Commit)

The Florida Gulf Coast recruit has pitched his way onto MLB Draft boards after posting a 0.74 ERA with an over 7:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. I saw Parrish play earlier this year against Braden River and Troy put together a dominant performance, finishing with 12 strikeouts in a no-hit effort. Guthrie has reached over 200 strikeouts for his career at Parrish and looks to further expand this record with each upcoming start. Guthrie has also been nominated for our Prep Baseball Florida Player of the Week on multiple occasions.  

Aidan King (RHP, 2024, Bishop Snyder, Florida Commit)

The Bishop Snyder product has started off his senior campaign with impressive start after impressive start. King has posted a 1.04 ERA with 74 strikeouts so far. The Florida recruit has also only walked 4 batters on the year, putting his strikeout-to-walk ratio at just over 18:1.    

Ethan Mattison (LHP, 2024, Park Vista, Florida Gulf Coast Commit)

Another Florida Gulf Coast recruit that has started off their senior campaign with a bang. Mattison has struck out 11+ batters in 5 of his 6 starts this year. His 73 strikeouts are good for best in the state. Mattison has a career ERA under 2.00 and has struck out 211 batters. 

Chase Mobley (RHP, 2024, Durant, Florida State Commit)

The right-handed arm has continued to climb up MLB Draft Boards and solidified himself as one of the best prep arms in the state. The Florida State recruit has struck out 60 batters on the year with a 6:1 strikeout: walk ratio. Rocco Iervasi was at Mobley’s start last week and saw him touch 99 mph on back-to-back pitches in the 6th. 

Gio Rojas (LHP, 2026, Stoneman Douglas, Miami Commit)

After a move from Colorado to South Florida, Rojas found himself at national powerhouse Stoneman Douglas. It's taken little time if any at all, for Rojas to establish himself as the next dominant pitcher in line for the Eagles. The 2026 southpaw already has scouts buzzing about his draft stock in a couple of years after his dominant acclimation to south Florida baseball. The Miami commit has been up to 94 and has struck out 41 batters on the year including a 18 strikeout game against Taravella earlier this spring.



Two-Ways

Talan Bell (LHP/1B, 2024, Hagerty, Clemson Commit)

Hagerty is off to a 10-3 start to the year and Bell has been a big part of that both at the plate and on the mound. The Clemson recruit is hitting .387 with an almost .600 on-base percentage, he has also posted a 0.25 ERA with 45 strikeouts on his way to 5 wins. 

Jason Bello (RHP/3B, 2024, Bishop Verot, South Florida Commit)

Another big reason why Bishop Verot is off to such a great start has been the play of Jason Bello. The South Florida commit has gotten it done on both the mound and at the plate. On the mound, he’s 5-0 with 30 strikeouts and at the plate, he's slashing .438 avg, .517 OBP, 21 RBI, 19 R, 4 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR. 

Ryan Maggy (RHP/3B, 2024, Cypress Creek, West Virginia Commit) 

After a standout performance at our Senior State Games this fall, the West Virginia recruit has been off to a great start to his senior campaign. Maggy is hitting .462 with 17 runs scored and 14 RBIs on 8 extra base hits including 3 home runs. He’s also been walked 13 times putting his on-base percentage at a whopping .644. On the mound, Maggy has struck out 43 batters on his way to posting a 0.40 ERA. 

Blaine Rowland (RHP/OF, 2024, Durant, Florida Commit)

Durant, who is currently ranked 22nd in our Power 25, is off to a nice start thanks to Chase Mobley who was mentioned earlier but also Blaine Rowland who has impressed both on the mound and at the plate. The Florida commit is 3-0 with a 2.15 ERA and has struck out 41 batters in 26 innings. As a hitter, Rowland is slashing .457 with 16 RBIs on 5 doubles and 2 home runs. 



Impact Freshman 

The transition from youth baseball to high school baseball is a challenging one not only because the talent level and competitiveness increase but now you're not only competing against players your age and grade, you’re now competing against sophomores, juniors, and seniors who might be 3-4 years older than you. Below I wanted to highlight and shout out 6 freshmen from across the state who are not only contributing to their respective varsity teams but also having a big impact on the success of the team.

Jake Cueto (OF, 2027, Belen Jesuit, Uncommitted)

Cueto has gotten off to a great start to his high school career. The freshman is hitting over .400 with almost a .500 OBP out of the 2-hole for Belen Jesuit. Cueto has added 15 runs and 15 RBIs with 6 doubles and 6 stolen bases. He’s a good 2027 to keep an eye on over the next 3 years of his development. 

Chase Fuller (RHP/3B, 2027, Lincoln, Florida State Commit)

Fuller has been a name to know in the 2027 class for some time now but now the freshman is backing it up with his play on the field. The Florida State commit showed well in our 1st look at him at our Preseason Classic earlier this spring. We got another look at him in Santa Rosa Beach at the South Walton Showdown where he showed not only his talent but also his fiery competitiveness against national powerhouse Stoneman Douglas, picking up the 3-inning save, helping to hand them their 1st loss in over 3 years. 

Moises Gudino (INF, 2027, Jefferson, Uncommitted)

Jefferson is off to a solid start to the spring and a big part of that has been their freshman utility player. I first saw Gudino at our Prep Baseball Florida Fall Open and was impressed. He has since hit .368 driving in 10 runs and scoring 11 himself. The LHH has found himself at multiple different positions this spring, showing his versatility and need to have his bat in the lineup. He has also added a couple of triples and has taken over in the leadoff spot in recent games. 

Tavis Honeycutt (3B/RHP, 2027, Newberry, Uncommitted)

Honeycutt was a standout at our Preseason All-State in January and has carried that performance over into his 1st varsity season. The freshman is hitting over .300 with 19 RBIs and 20 runs on 6 doubles and 2 home runs. He’s also drawn 17 walks and has an on-base percentage of .559. On the mound, he has posted a 0.95 ERA. The 6’4” 260 lbs freshman is a guy to continue following over the next few years. 

Vaughn Howard (INF, 2027, Pensacola Catholic, Uncommitted)

We’ve seen Vaughn at a few events over the past 2 years and his athleticism has also been evident. After having an incredible season as the starting running back the freshman hasn’t slowed down at all during his 1st varsity baseball season. Howard has been a huge contributor to Pensacola Catholic's 14-1 start to the year. The freshman is hitting just under .400 and has driven in 19 runs on 7 doubles and 2 home runs out of the 3-hole. 

Preston Matricardi (LHP, 2027, Yulee, Florida State Commit)

Another 2027 Florida State commit who is off to a hot start to their freshman year is Preston Matricardi. The freshman is currently 4-2 after posting a 1.57 ERA in his 1st 6 starts of his high school career. He has also struck out 42 of the 98 batters he’s faced, which is good for the lead in the state for his class. 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

SHOWCASE STATE DATE LOCATION
2024 Canadian Trials FL 05/09 TNXL Academy - Ocoee, FL
Future Games Trials: Tampa FL 05/29 USF - Tampa, FL
Future Games Trials: Orlando FL 06/04 The First Academy - Orlando, FL
FL Top Prospect Games (Invite-Only) FL 06/05 Jackie Robinson Ballpark - Daytona, FL
Future Games Trials: Miami FL 06/25 FIU - Miami, FL
Future Games Trials: JAX FL 07/02 UNF - Jacksonville, FL
Future Games (Class of 2026/27) NATIONAL 07/24 LakePoint Sports
Junior Future Games (Class of 2028/29) NATIONAL 07/24 LakePoint Sports
Senior Future Games (Class of 2025) NATIONAL 07/24 LakePoint Sports