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Scout Blog: #5 North Oconee vs Marist

February 16, 2023
Justin Goetz
Assistant Scouting Director

As you roll through the scenic countryside of Bogart, GA and get to the baseball field, you really feel America’s Pastime. The grass is pristine, and the fan base is very strong. Baseball is more than just a game here. But it’s certainly an easy team to root for, as they’re loaded with talent from top to bottom. They faced off against a Marist roster with plenty of young, blooming talent. North Oconee just had too many high end arms and quality AB’s, and locked down the game with a 3-1 final.

2023, RHP, Wyatt Land, North Oconee
UGA Commit. 6-foot-3, 180 pounds. When you check every single box needed in a pro baseball player in HS, people take notice. But what I want people to focus on is the trio of projection, elite mechanics, and arm speed. Land has the prototype body and frame you see in the hardest throwing MLB players today - tall/rangy, broad shouldered, lean muscled. Jacob DeGrom, Kevin Gausman, Zac Gallen, Josh Staumont, and Dylan Cease all have this type of frame. What’s even better? Land’s delivery is cleaner than 3 of the 5 I just named. The gradual build of pace, rhythm & separation timing, compactness of both arm action & up+down+out phases are all elite. The balance over the rubber, connection of his quick 1 piece arm action to the largest muscles on the backside, stride length, weight distribution at landing. This delivery is an art form and will only get better, although it's tough to improve on perfection. When you mix a good athlete and a great delivery with more strength, you get eye opening velos. But Land’s 89-91 T93 FB has already flashed plus bore, regularly showing A/AVG. His SL has jumped an entire grade or two since summer, showing MLB avg (future +) consistently on this night. He also sold 2 83 CH’s to RHH very well with fade. Although I originally thought of him as a setup/closer, I now see him as a starter long term.
2023, C, Cale Stricklin, North Oconee
UGA Commit. 6-foot, 185 pounds. This tough backstop just continues to impress me more and more each look I get. I’ve only had a few, but it doesn’t take long to see this is an SEC talent. On his throws downs specifically, Stricklin shines. This is an A/AVG catch & throw right now. Due to constantly moving around for video, I did not get a pop time on him but it was shockingly quick. He’s already registered a 1.85 pop time with us in 2021, so he very well could be plus catch & throw in game. Especially with the rocket (A/AVG MLB) attached to his right arm. He’s an advanced receiver, blocker, and leads the pitching staff with ease. Up to 88 on the mound this night, Cale is undoubtedly going to be getting some mound time at UGA. His FB played like 90 with serious riding life, and the mid 70’s ish CB has the potential to be a power downer he has very good feel for in any count. We haven’t even gotten to the hitting yet, where Stricklin had 2 oppo lasers right at the RF and CF. He shows an exceptional feel for the inside out swing, which also creates a disciplined knob led path for him to create backspin off the inside seam just as well on the inner half. Great look here.
2023, OF, Kyle Jones, North Oconee
Stetson Commit. 6-foot-3, 170 pounds. This is one of the more rangy CF’s in his class, and at worst will be an A/AVG defender at the games highest level one day. His speed is near top of scale, but thats not the first thing you notice when watching him. Other than the shooting guard/WR-like frame, the first thing that stands out is his advanced approach at the plate and impressive balance for his frame. Jones has real feel to hit, with the ability to control his effort levels in an 80% range and consistently make good swing decisions. If he gets a middle away pitch, he’s lacing it to the gap. If he gets and inside pitch, he can turn the barrel in tight space and send missile down the line. You love to see players who don’t try to do too much at the plate, as high effort swings just don't last at high level D1 or pro ball in most cases. But his offensive game is only still developing, his stand out tools are his arm and speed. Jones turned in a 4.10 home to first time and it seemed like he took about 5 steps and he was already through the bag. It looks like he’s jogging after the initial burst, and just speak to his unreal athleticism. To go with his A/AVG or better range is an absolute cannon for an arm. Up to 91 in our Top Prospect Games showcase. Being so far from his eventual physical ceiling, the tools are only going to explode as he gets stronger. This is a sneaky late Day 2 - Day 3 Draft follow for this July.
2024, 3B/RHP, KJ Moon, North Oconee
Mercer Commit. 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. Not only is this one of the most versatile, well rounded players in his class, but moon is a true power bat who checks all the boxes as a hitter. Although there is some swing & miss, what power hitter doesn’t have that? The important thing is he’s already proven himself to us as a hitter at Future Games 2022. Here, Moon faced nearly a dozen upper 80’s low 90’s arms and took 4-5 of them to the deepest parts of the field with ridiculous loft. His ability to get on plane early with pitches separates him in the department of power production. His swing is extremely simplified and works in one fluid motion, which is exactly what you look for in high level hitters. KJ repeats launch position extremely well, has an innate feel for how the hips work in the swing, and how to separate. The head is very quiet, a mark you typically only see in a small percentage of each class. This is a bat with just as much power to right center as he has to the pull side. To be built like a linebacker and play SS for the Titans, shows truly how athletic he is. When you know Moon like we do, you know he’s got just as much potential on the mound. His air bending 76-78 CB flashed wipeout depth and regularly freezes RHH. His 86-88 FB has considerable velo potential as he’s farm from physically mature and can spin a hard breaking ball, projecting on velo a bit.
2023, 1B, Landon Wilson, North Oconee
Sewanee Commit. 6-foot-4, 210 pounds. This physical specimen had some of the best showcase EV in all of PBR in 2022, and did more of the same on this night. He had the hardest hit ball all night, a laser to right center that was smoking as it whizzed by the second baseman. Of course, the net caused my camera to blur and ruined the video. But it sure didn’t ruin yet another good look on Wilson, who easily projects top of the scale raw power in a ridiculously strong yet lean frame. We’ll be sure to get more barrels on him when we come back.


2024, 1B, Davis Strickland, Marist
Uncommitted. 6-foot, 210 pounds. It was an initial surprise to see such dynamic lower half mechanics in this large, stocky frame. The way he’s touch & go off the backside in the negative move, you can tell Davis studies big league swings. He gains optimal ground in stride and has perfect separation timing. His chest loads the hands for him with extremely good separation timing, and the efficient little c load allows him to be in & out of launch position with ease. Although Strickland doesn’t have lightning quick hands, he does have very impressive timing and precision in the swing. He also can manipulate the barrel to all pitch locations. Just to be clear, I know plenty of hitters at the game's highest level without lightning quick hands. This burly power bat also has plenty of pitch recognition and plate discipline, as he looks for his pitch in his spot and doesn’t deviate from that. This is certainly a power bat to follow this spring & summer.
2025, RHP, Jamie Vicens, Marist
Uncommitted. 6-foot-3, 175 pounds. I had hoped to get some good video on this impressive follow, but the Marist staff were on pitch limits for their tourney in FL so he only threw 1 INN. But what I did see visually was wildly impressive. Vicens dominated the zone vertically with a riding FB in the 85-86 T87 range, and it definitely played up when elevated. The pitch got 4 in zone whiffs in just one inning! He throws a big 11-5 breaker off that elevated heater in the low 70’s and it has consistent shape. The lanky righty landed the pitch for strikes consistently, keeping the middle of the Titans lineup off his FB. Although we didn’t get him on film, this is now a serious follow for the 2025 class and is trending up rankings wise.


2024, CF, Casey Comerford, Marist
Uncommitted. 6-foot-1, 175 pounds. This high waisted athlete can absolutely fly, with a plus run tool being his standout physical skill at this point. To steal 2 bags vs an MLB quality catch & throw guy in Cale Stricklin, is big time speed. Comerford is a certified burner, turning in a 6.74 on our notoriously accurate Swift 60’s. With long, gliding strides that seem to barely touch the ground and good jumps, he’s going to grab dozens of bags for the War Eagles. He’s a backside dominant hitter who’s able to handle not only big velo (single off Wyatt Land), but offspeed stuff as well. He can go get almost anything in CF, with instincts ticking up his range even more.

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