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Scout Blog: Walton vs Etowah

February 15, 2023
PBR Georgia State Director
Hudson Graham

The Etowah vs Walton matchup did not disappoint. Etowah has one of the most talented teams in 6A, and Walton looks to make a push as a 7A championship contender. Hyland Brown and Miller Alston kept the Eagles offense quiet the first half of the game. Levi Clark got the Raiders off to an early lead with a home run in the 1st. The Eagles managed to fight their way back after freshman Deion Cole tied the game. Senior Brock Hartley put in a strong relief performance to get the Eagles the win. 

2026, UTL, Deion Cole, Etowah
6-foot-1 180-pounds. Cole is the #2 ranked player in the state of Georgia, and #9 nationally. The highly anticipated prospect is hitting in the heart of the Eagles line up. He has added strength over the last year, and simplified the swing some to help with consistent barrels. Cole can play anywhere on the field. He came up with a big 2 out hit to tie the game. Deion has always played up in the summer, so the varsity pitching should not be an issue for the one of the top freshman prospects in the country.

2023, RHP, Brock Hartley, Etowah
Hartley was second out of the pen for the Eagles. He was brought in while they were still down, and ended up getting the final out with the bases loaded to keep them in it. The righty was 83-85 with a whippy arm, and good late life on the fastball. He kept the hitters off balance with a curveball at 71-73. After the Eagles took the league, he settled in for two innings to finish the game out. If Hartley can continue to add strength to the frame, his lively arm could get him into the mid-upper 80’s by the end of the season.


2023, OF, Logan Stradley, Etowah
6-foot-1 170-pounds. Bryan College commit. Stradley had some of the best swings of the night including a back side single off 87, and a 2 strike hit to take the lead. The hand speed in the swing is impressive, and he has a ton of room to fill out. He will be a key piece at the top of the order for the Eagles.
2025, RHP, Hyland Brown, Walton
6-foot-4 170-pounds. Brown has been on our radar since the summer. He faced off against some of the top teams in the country at LakePoint. The long, lanky framed righty controlled the game for 2 innings of work. His fastball was up to 88, and settled in at 85-86. He did not need to overpower the hitters with his fastball because he has a 3 pitch mix that keeps hitters guessing.  He can throw his curveball in any count with confidence. The sophomore will gain a ton of experience as one of the top arms for Walton. He will be a high follow throughout the spring and into the summer.
2024, LHP, Miller Alston, Walton
5-foot-8 135-pounds. Alston relieved Brown on the mound in the third. The lefty came out of the pen with a ton of life and grit. He cruised through his first inning of work with the fastball up to 87 with run. The high ¾ slot makes the outer half pitch to a righty really tough to hit. Then he mixed that with a slider with a ton of bite that went back foot to right handed hitters that they could not touch. He walked a couple batters in his second inning, but managed to bare down and work out of it. Alston is one of those leftys that can compete with any team when he has his stuff.
2025, SS, Jackson Taylor, Walton
The left handed hitting shortstop had 3 really good at bats. He moves well at short, and has the arm to make the tough plays. His frame has room to fill out, and could end up playing anywhere on the infield. Taylor will be a high follow this spring. He should have success in the middle of the order for Walton.