Inside The Georgia Rankings: Class of 2023
September 16, 2019
Two weeks ago we kicked off the fall season here in Georgia with the initial release of the Class of 2023 rankings. We started off by taking an in-depth look at the top-10. Today, we continue to look at the Class of 2023 by diving into the back half of our rankings, specifically prospects ranked No. 11 through No. 25.
As a reminder, it is important to remember that the first iteration of a list like this is going to fluctuate as these freshmen continue to grow, mature and develop. With that being said, let's dive into the rest of our initial top-25.
Sitting just outside of the top-10 is a crew of talented right-handed arms and two-way prospects. Coming in at No. 11 is RHP/3B Bransen Powell (Locust Grove). The talented two-way prospect is one of the better athletes in the class and his game proves it. Everything he does is in a smooth, quick fashion from defense to offense to pitching. Slotting behind Powell at No. 12 is another RHP/3B in James Hays (Westfield Academy). The left-handed hitting Hays recently put together one of the top all around weekends at the LakePoint Invite. Offensively, he is a versatile hitter. With a solid combination of power and barrel control, he has the ability to use the entire field. If that was not impressive enough, the right-hander can hop on the mound and run his fastball into the mid/upper 80s, topping out at 87 this past weekend. At 6-foot-1, 170-pounds he carries strength throughout his frame and will only continue to add more.
Lucky No. 13 is another arm to keep an eye on as he develops, RHP Chase Meyer (Cherokee). Over the past few months, we have seen Meyer really come into his own physically, adding an inch or two to his frame along 15 pounds of mass, currently standing 6-foot, 160-pounds. Meyer creates a challenge for hitters with his live, loose arm coming out of a ¾ slot. Coupling his arm action and slot together, he is able to generate late life on his fastball, playing up to 83 back in April. His off-speed, a sharp slider, has the makings of a devastating out-pitch.
RHP Jeffrey Heuer (Homeschool) comes in at No.14. possessing one of the strongest arms in the state’s class. The right-hander was a standout at the National Program Invitational where he touched 86 with his fastball. Pitching with a long arm action he accelerates extremely fast out front, getting seven feet of extension. Add in his knee-buckling off-speed, and Heuer will be a force to be reckoned with on the mound over the next four years and beyond. At 6-foot-1, 195-pounds he is physically advanced in his lower half, expect more velo to come.
Our first position player only in the back half of the rankings slots in at No. 16, 3B/C Ethan Sutton (Allatoona). Sutton is a projectable 6-foot-2, 168-pound with plenty of room to fill out. He generates easy bat speed with wiry strength and loose hands. A consistent hitter, his loose hands and wiry strength generate hard contact as the barrel works long through zone creating line drive results. At 5-foot-9, 160-pounds, with a wide build and strength throughout, INF/RHP Jackson Westmoreland (St. Francis) currently ranks No. 17 in the state. Westmoreland has the ability to play second, short, third or pitcher, doing all at a high level. We got our most recent look at him this past weekend at the LakePoint Invite, where he continued to make strides offensively, turning himself into an impact bat.
C Tyler Minnick (Mt. Paran) joins his teammate Cam Collier in top-25, at No. 18. An advanced defensive catcher for his age, Minnick is mobile and flexible behind the dish, sticking pitches well. At the plate, he has the makings of a future power hitter given his already 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame. One of the top hitters in the state, SS Cole Hillsman (Madison County) ranks No. 19. Not even close to being physically mature, Hillsman has a surprising amount of juice in his 5-foot-7, 135-pound frame, consistently making hard contact with a level barrel path. Up the middle, he is a fundamental defender with good range and the ability to make highlight type plays.
No. 20 ranked 3B/RHP Evan Ivester (Athens Christian) has one of the better frames in the top-25. A projectable 6-foot-1, 166-pounds, proportionally built, all signs point towards Ivester adding a significant amount of muscle and turning into a dominant force at the plate. Presently he is able to drive the ball with ease gap-to-gap, and turn on pitches with pull-side pop. Southpaw Jansen Kenty (East Coweta) follows up at No. 21 in the rankings. A physical 5-foot-11, 170-pounds, Kenty recently got up to 83 on the mound as he steadily trends upwards. The ball comes out easy, and with more use of his lower half, he will continue to see upticks in velocity.
No. 22 SS/RHP Andrew Dunford (Houston County) is a physical specimen for his age at 6-foot-5, 185-pounds. He uses his long levers well to be short to the ball at the plate, creating hard contact. Still coming into his own, Dunford has a chance, with added loft to swing, to be a serious power threat. The third catcher to appear in our rankings is No. 23 Cale Stricklin (North Oconee). Stricklin is another prospect who caught our attention at the National Program Invitational. Equipped with loose, athletic hands, he whips the barrel through the zone, showing some pop in his bat.
Rounding out the top-25 is No. 24 OF/RHP Garrett Garner (Franklin County) and No. 25 3B/RHP Brooks House (Winder-Barrow). Garner is one of the most competitive hitters in the state. A tough out at the plate for any pitcher, he consistently finds the barrel with a line drive approach. House is the younger brother of Tennessee commit 2021 SS/RHP Brady House, one of the top ranked 2021s in the country. At 6-foot-3, 160-pounds, Brooks is already on his way to being a dominant pitcher in the class. Currently, sitting in the low 80s with his fastball and attaining upwards of seven feet of extension, the velocity will come as he continues to fill out his frame.
Complete Georgia Class of 2023 Rankings
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