A Look Back at Last Weeks Action

April 16, 2018
Blake Davis
State Director, Georgia

It is a fun time of the year to be out and about scouting high school baseball. Seasons are winding down, playoff pictures are coming into view and senior players and their families are being honored. This week we saw quite a few good players in action and had a chance to see a great game that was decided on a walk-off push bunt.

Our week started with a good Brookwood squad led by Will Banfield, the #21 prospect on the 2018 PBR HS Draft 100 and a top 50 prospect on the overall 2018 PBR Draft Board. The Broncos took down Central Gwinnett 15-0 in three innings on a combined no-hitter by uncommitted 2019 RHP Alex Flood and Erskine College-bound RHP Derrius York, with the only baserunner coming on a strikeout that went to the backstop. The team is well-coached and approaches the game the right way, with lots of hard-90’s to first-base and pitchers attacking the zone.

Alex Flood RHP / Brookwood, GA / 2019

Alex Flood is a projectable, uncommitted 2019 right-hander, with a tall, lean and wiry frame. Free and easy arm with good rhythm in his delivery and a feel to pitch. Currently features a strong FB/CH combo out of a three-quarter slot. Fastball 82-86 with sink. Change has late depth at 76-78. Shows feel for the curveball (66-71) with good shape and spin. Would not be surprised if he took a big step forward over the next year.

Derrius York RHP / Brookwood, GA / 2018

Derrius York is a good-looking, medium-framed kid with leverage in his delivery and a compact arm stroke that has carried over from his catching. Uses an overhand slot with a high front side that creates deception, angle and leverage. Pitch mix matches his delivery and all of his pitches come from the same window. Pitching ingredients look good and everything works together well. I think there is upside in this young arm as he spends more time on the mound.

Vanderbilt signee Banfield headlines a Broncos offense that collectively showed a good approach at the plate. Banfield is fun to watch, plays hard, and looks to do damage at the plate. But he is not the only hitter to be aware of in this line-up. 2019 shortstop Kameron Guidry, a South Carolina commit, South Georgia College-bound outfielder Tim Martin, and uncommitted 2019 third baseman Will Mize are a few that stood out on this day.

Will Banfield C / Brookwood, GA / 2018

Offers advanced catch-and-throw skills and shows aggression in everything he does between the lines. He has a 70 grade arm that he likes to show, and is an above average athlete behind the dish. Physically mature and has a live, tightly-wound body. Offensively, Banfield's approach is based on strength. Will struggle at times to get his barrel to a good launch position, but has the strength to make up for it. Profiles as a plus defender who will hit for enough average to get into some of his power.

Kameron Guidry SS / Brookwood, GA / 2019

Shortstop with smooth actions. His feet work well and has a quick release and accurate arm. Has a headsy look to his game. Offensively he has a straight away approach with line drive stroke. Good all around game.

Tim Martin OF / Brookwood, GA / 2018

An interesting kid who will benefit from a couple years at South Georgia State College. He shows length in a swing that has good aggression and bat-speed. Has the tools to defend and can really move when he gets going. Ran a 4.08 from the right side on a jail break. Good upside and tools.

Will Mize 3B / Snellville, GA / 2019

Wiry kid with a good approach and leverage to his swing. He needs to get stronger but has a good frame and broad shoulders. Interesting kid who has projection to his offensive game. Strong chance to take a step forward with strength gains.

The best game of the week took place at Jeff Rowland Field on Friday when Dunwoody took on Pope on Senior Night. Dunwoody uncommitted 2018 RHP Dylan Kovitch had a strong showing, but Pope took home the victory 3-2 on a walk-off push bunt in the ninth inning.

Dylan Kovitch RHP / Dunwoody, GA / 2018

Strong, athletic kid with a good frame. He has a repeatable delivery and is aggressive to the zone. Pitches off his fastball (83-89) well from a high three-quarter slot and gets a good sink down in the zone. Mixes in a true curveball (75-77) that he landed consistently in the zone over the course of his outing. He showed he could pitch deep into the game and stayed the course with runners on in the late innings. Kovitch has good stuff presently but has upside left. May look up in a year and this kid has really taken off.

Max Pralgo 3B / Pope, GA / 2019

A 2019 infielder committed to play Miami (Ohio), Pralgo is making strides on the mound and may turn himself into a two-way player by the time he gets to campus. Currently sits 82-85 from a three-quarter arm slot. Locates the ball well down in the zone and shows good feel for spinning and landing a soft slider that has good length. At the plate, he has a straight away approach with good feel for the bathead. Defensively, he shows good hands and an accurate arm. Also showed good range on a diving play to his left late in the game. Chance to grow into a big man down the road.

Buddy Floyd SS / Pope, GA / 2019

Floyd a 2019 switch-hitting shortstop committed to the University of Georgia. Stands 5-foot-6 and can flat out play. Scouts will most likely look at Buddy and try to move him to second-base, but I see more than enough defense to play shortstop in the SEC. He has plus instincts and range, as well as plenty of arm with a quick release. Floyd also had late-inning defensive heroics in the game, taking away a sure single up the middle, spinning and putting a throw on the money. At the plate, he has been battling a hand issue, but has shown the ability to hit for average from both sides of the plate. He shows good instincts on the bases, and I think he becomes a fan favorite in Athens in no time.

James Tibbs OF / Pope , GA / 2021

Tibbs is the young pup on this Pope Greyhounds team, but is a good looking hitter right now. He shows balance, bat-speed and flashes the ability to use the entire field. The outfielder/first baseman has time to figure out his position, but major college programs will line-up for this bat. Looking forward to watching his progress.

Will Lantis OF / Pope, GA / 2019

Is not the first kid you notice when you look through this line-up, but sit back and watch a minute and you soon figure out his value. The undersized, right-handed hitting center-fielder likes to play and competes on both sides of the ball. He scored the winning run in the 9th inning after reaching via a 12-pitch at-bat. Lantis has an all-fields singles approach, runs and defends. The uncommitted 2019 looks like an old-school, two-hole hitter who handles the bat and can get the job done in center-field.