Summer Scout Blog: 2027 Names to Know

𝑬𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝑮𝒂
Another summer has come and gone for us at Prep Baseball Georgia, more data and intel continues to surface for the class of 2027. The following list of players are some of the top names to know as a fresh school year begins for this group of sophomores. Talent and skill were at a premium throughout the summer as players continued to impress and shine at a high level. These Georgia players continued to impress and grab our attention while playing against some of the most ferocious and competetive players during their time at the following Prep Baseball tournaments.  

Georgia State Games: (5/25-5/28)

Thomas Thigpen, IF, Fayette County, 2027
Uncommitted. A lot to dream on here with Thigpen. Had a monster weekend where we saw him have 4 hits, spraying the ball all over the field with hard contact, including a go-ahead grand slam to the opposite field. A switch hitter, Thomas showed the ability from the left side as well. The biggest plus is he seems to have the same feel for the bat on both sides of the plate: keeping his hands inside the ball and barrel of his bat in the zone for a long time. This is particularly impressive given his advanced size (6-foot-3, 175-pounds) and at a young age. Thigpen is also a good runner, using his long legs to stride doubles into triples and swipe bags.

Bradley Lenz, RHP, Veterans, 2027
Uncommitted. 6-foot-2, 165-pounds. Lanky frame, tons of room to fill out. Super live arm, impressed in his start this weekend. Showed 3 good pitches and advanced athleticism as he worked down the mound. Lenz worked the fastball 85-86 t87 and established it up the zone, where the 19 IVB really played for him, getting a lot of whiffs underneath. His slider sat 76-79 with ~2600rpm and 12 inches of sweep. Tight, late break. He also mixed in a changeup to lefties at 80-81 with some killed spin and 17 inches of run. Really impressive 3 pitch mix, and Lenz showed impressive feel for all 3, not struggling with command much during the outing at all. High follow 2027. 

Graydon Sellers, IF, North Gwinnett, 2027
Uncommitted. Sellers showed excellent hands on Sunday morning at the hot corner. Two fore-handed pick plays that he made look easy were perfectly executed to save a run on one, and to end the inning on the other. Decent day at the plate as well, went 1-for-3 but battled on all AB’s. Executed a perfect hit-and-run to set up RISP for his team. Showed maturity at the plate and a disciplined eye, only swung at good pitches and wasted a few to keep in the box with two strikes. Barreled one through the 3-4 hole with the infield at double-play depth. Just hit the ball where it was, and went to the opposite field with it. Solid, simple, and compact swing, short to the ball, and maintains balance in and throughout. Advanced feel for the barrel, high follow for the summer.

Brelynd Beasley, IF, Jasper County, 2027
Uncommitted. Beasley is a big, physical right handed bat at 6-foot,210-pounds.He used that frame to produce consistently high exit velocities all weekend at the plate. Regardless of size, Beasley has a very smooth and almost effortless looking swing, with a bat that gets in the zone early and stays on plane all the way through. Not only excited to see Beasley continue to grow in strength, but also to see him grow as a player and better his hit tool over the next few years. Definitely a young upcoming sophomore worth following.

Davis McMillian, 2B, North Gwinnett, 2027
Uncommitted. McMillan has a very powerful swing that generates most of the power from his strong lower half and high leg kick. Very consistent in his approach, likes to push the ball the other way often. Could be a good follower in the 2027 class as he continues to develop and get stronger.

Isaiah Galason, MIF/RHP, Houston County, 2027
Uncommitted. Coming off an impressive spring, as a freshman, with a Houston County squad that made a final-four run. Galason carried over the impressive spring into the summer and into NPI. Over the course of the week, Galason was a constant performer in the box, consistently barreling balls over an exit velocity of 90+. On Friday, Galason arguably had his most notable performance. In the box, he collected a triple that burned the centerfielder at an exit velocity of 95. The performance did not end there, as he came in to get the save. Galason was electric in his relief appearance, collecting the save and striking out three to end it. Using a dominant three pitch arsenal. Sitting 89-91, running the FB up to 92. Also mixing in the low 70’s CB/SL. Made batters uncomfortable, inducing swing and miss with all three pitches. There is legit two-way upside in Galason’s profile. High follow in the 2027 class.

Andrew Brech, RHP/MIF, Mountain View, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-8, 165-pound frame with whippy arm action. Displayed a quality three pitch mix. FB lived up in the zone collecting whiffs at 88-86, running it up to 89; hard arm-side run with good feel for spin 2600+ rpm. SL with serious sweeping action at 2800+ rpm and tons of life; drawing whiffs on command. Flashed the CH at 80-79. A threat on the mound and at the dish, a high follow for the 2027 class.

Hudson Will, OF, Cherokee, 2027
Uncommitted, Had a great weekend with multiple good games. Showed off his power this weekend with multiple gap hits for extra bases. Got a double through the gap 95 EV and a triple through the gap. Strong lower body and quick around the bases.

Jonah Winton, SS, Model, 2027
Uncommitted, Decent frame at 6-foot, 160-pounds with plenty of room to fill out, but is still able to generate plenty of power. Will fill out more as he continues to get older and stronger. Really smooth swing and keeps his barrel through the plane really well. Continues to find and barrels and rack up hits every single tournament.

Thomas Thigpen, IF. Fayette County, 2027
Uncommitted. Athletic, broad-shouldered 6-foot-3, 175-pounds. What a massive start to the summer it has been for Thigpen. After being a recent standout at Georgia State Games, Thigpen carried over his torrid pace into the Prep Baseball Classic. Collecting a huge knock late in the game from the left side in a two-strike count splitting the left-center field gap perfectly and motoring around for a triple. Then, followed up the triple with a rocket through the left-side for a single. Eventually coming around to score the go-ahead run. The huge day did not stop there though, the next day the physical athletic switch-hitter delivered once again in a tie-game in the last inning, this time from the right-side. Leading off the inning, Thigpen found himself in a two-strike count and smoked one into the left-center field gap, and sprintied around for a triple. Then stealing home on a passed ball to win the game. Thigpen is the definition of clutch as he always seemingly delivers when the lights are the brightest. The rising sophomore shows tremendous power upside from both sides of the plate coupled with creating havoc on the bases.A must know a name to watch over the summer and into the spring as the upside is massive.

Everett Grubbs, SS, Creekview, 2027
Uncommitted. Grubbs was on the barrel all day Sunday in the run-rule win. Picking up a backside double and a single up the middle. Displaying loose actions in the box with quiet confidence and good feel for the barrel. The right-handed hitter showed an all-fields approach with great leverage through the zone. Always on time, as the hands stay back and explode through the zone. An athletic defender that showed off the range, with a strong arm. Will be a name to know as the frame continues to fill out.

Bradley Lenz, RHP, Veterans, 2027
Uncommitted. 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame that has super promising stuff and has shown it well all summer so far. Lenz uses his frame well and creates a lot of torque allowing him to reach good velocity numbers and hold it deep into games. He spins the FB well creating good IVB inducing pop ups and whiffs. Lenz Matches this with a hammer CB that gets whiffs and creates awkward at-bats. Big name to watch progress in the upcoming fall and into spring.

Makayle Moon, OF, East Forsyth, 2027
Uncommitted, 5-foot-11, 170-pound wiry, athletic frame with lots of room to fill out. Moon showed an excellent feel for the barrel throughout the tournament, lacing balls all around the park. He also flashed some burgeoning power that was impressive for the 2027. The swing is smooth, with balanced actions throughout and some bat speed at present. He keeps the barrel in the zone forever, showing the ability to match plane on any pitch and hit it with authority to all fields. Really high level athlete that will continue to progress as he fills out his frame.

15u National Championship: (6/27-7/3)

Haydenn Downes, OF, Carrollton, 2027
Uncommitted. Strong, explosive 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame. Impressive first glance (6/27) at the plate. Had multiple barrels to all parts of the field. Showed easy power in his lower-half and maintains strength through-out his swing. Has a longer load but exudes power and is always on time for the heat and shows discipline with a ferocious cut on the hanging breaking balls. Has good pitch recognition, and makes good adjustments ahead, and down in the count. His IQ at the plate shows separation amongst others in his class.

Bryce Fontenot, IF/RHP, Cherokee Bluff, 2027
Uncommitted. Strong, physical 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. Highly impressive start as the FB was working early, ran it up to 86 and sat around 81-84 catching whiff after whiff, with a 2 sm that had arm-side run (~1819 rpm), and a heavy 4 sm (~2290 rpm). SL thrown sporadically, slurve shape at 2210 rpm and in the low 70’s. CV thrown during warm-ups, tighter spin at 2388 rpm in the upper 60’s, it will be a quality pitch as the arm/wrist strength develops. Finished the morning: 4.0 IP // 0 Hits // 7K’s // 0 ER // 2 BB // 61 Pitches. Performed at the plate as well, went 2-for-3 with a single and a double, both 90+ exit velocity. Shows advanced feel for the barrel, and displays a strong, present, and physical 6-foot-2, 198-pound frame. Two-sport guy as he plays LB, QB, and TE on Friday nights in the fall. A high follow for the rest of summer and into his sophomore campaign.

Jonah Winton, SS, Model, 2027
Uncommitted. Only one hit to show for on the day going 1-3 with an RBI double to the left field wall but made hard contact in all three at bats. Continuously shows off the hit tool by spraying the ball all over the field and generates loud contact no matter the outcome. Has a quiet stance at the plate with quiet hands with a smooth swing. Plays a very smooth shortstop with a very strong arm. Has a good athletic frame at 6-foot,160- pounds with plenty of room to grow.

Jack Johnson, OF/RHP, Harrison, 2027
Uncommitted. Johnson stands at a super physical 6-foot-1 197-pounds, with present strength. Johnson was impressive at the plate throughout the tournament, showing above average bat speed and the ability to really impact the baseball to the pull-side. He uses a fairly compact swing, with a slight barrel tip at the top of the load, which allows him to really leverage the baseball out front with some authority. He posted a few exit velocities over 95, showing advanced raw power for the class. Has been impressive on the mound as well this summer. High follow 2-way guy with real power projection.

Brock Burrus, OF, Kell, 2027
Uncommitted. The sweet-swinging lefty was on fire on Sunday of the 15u National Championship. Batting in the three-hole, Burrus was a key-contributor all game long. In his first at-bat hitting a pull-side single. Then, following the single with a pull-side triple to the wall in his second at-bat. Consistently works quality at-bats and is seemingly always a tough out. Displaying a smooth left-handed swing with an advanced feel for the barrel. The lefty creates pull-side leverage at ease using the athletic 6-foot-2, 160-pound frame. The incoming sophomore will be a name to watch at Kell in the spring.

Blake Chupp, 1B/RHP, Strong Rock Christian School, 2027
Uncommitted. In his first at-bat on Sunday, the RHH unloaded on one and deposited it over the left-field wall for a home-run. The strength was on full-display from the athletic 6-foot-1, 180-pound 1B. The 2023 Junior Future Game Alum displays an advanced feel for the barrel with raw-power to match. There’s an easy rhythm to the swing with excellent balance throughout and effortless bat-speed that allows the incoming sophomore significant pull-side leverage. A high-follow two-way name to know.

Bryan Smith, C, South Forsyth, 2027
Uncommitted. All over the barrel on Sunday of the 15u National Championship. In his first at-bat he sat back on a mid 70’s curve-ball and barreled it up at an exit velocity of 97. Sending it deep into the right-center field gap for a stand-up double. Not long after followed up this double with another ringing double, turning on a fastball and sending it deep into the left-center field gap at an exit velocity of 98. Showing an all fields approach on the day with enormous impact in the barrel. The raw-power stands from the physical 5-foot-11, 195-pound incoming sophomore. The power-hitting righty will be a name to watch at South Forsyth in the Spring.

14u National Championship: (7/4-7/10)

Myles Thomas, SS/OF/RHP, Westlake, 2027
Uncommitted. Strong day at the plate with an impressive swing for the upcoming sophomore. Went 2-for-2 on the day (7/4) with a single and nearly had a bomb that fell just shy of the left-field wall. Tons of tools on display at the plate with an aggressive approach matched with a vicious cut that invited the inside FB. Potential pull-side power hitter with speed on aggressiveness on the base paths. Loose, twitchy hands that get the barrel around quickly.

Cross Dennard, RHP/3B, Denmark, 2027
Uncommitted. Incredible performance on the mound to start the 14u National Championship week. Strong 7 innings of work with a near no-hitter until the top of the sixth, rendering the only hit of the game while also racking up 8 strikeouts. FB ran up to 83 and sat around the 80 mark consistently with arm-side run. CV in the low 70’s had a good horizontal break that generated weak contact, worked well inside to have guys jammed and off-balanced. Mixed pitches well, and set up hitters for his off-speed with an inside FB that collected weak ground-ball outs. Simple mechanics, over the top to a three-quarter arm slot with run and rise on his FB.

Preston Bottoms, MIF, Kell, 2027
Uncommitted. Smooth swing from the right side that generates a ton of bat speed and catches the ball out in front. Consistently likes to attack early in the count, prepared for the fastball but can make quick adjustments to breaking balls. In pool play on Sunday Bottoms hit a missile into the LCF gap for a standup double that left the bat at 93 exit velocity. Continuously had loud contact all weekend and is a major threat at the top of the lineup.

Jeremiah Mcgeachy, SS, Stockbridge, 2027
Uncommitted. Balls jump off the bat of the RHH, as he showed out on both sides of the ball Monday night. Collecting two loud base-hits. A pull-side double at an exit velocity of 86 MPH and a backside single at an exit-velocity of 88 MPH. Showing the ability to match plane, highlighting a well-synced up swing that generated leverage to all-fields. The strength stands out for the athletic 5-foot-10, 173-pound SS. Not only did Mcgeachy get it done offensively but showed off the athleticism late in the game picking up a web-gem at shortstop.

Jaxston Brown, OF, North Springs, 2027
Uncommitted. The smooth-swinging lefty was a standout at the plate on Monday night, collecting two hits as the hit-tool shined. Displaying loose twitchy actions in the box coupled with a well-connected swing and all-fields leverage with natural bat-to-ball to match. Uber-athletic field general in centerfield. Brown will be a name to watch at North Springs in the spring as the tools jump off the page.

Southeast Select: (7/11-7/16)

Ryan Johansen, 2B/RHP, Buford, 2027
Uncommitted. Johansen was a standout performer on both sides of the ball Sunday for Service Baseball. He started off the day with a barrel to the backside gap for an RBI single, later following that up with another backside RBI hit. He then was brought in relief on the mound and absolutely delivered, sitting in the low 80’s with the fastball and showing a good 3 pitch mix. Johansen has some really high upside on both sides, and the 2023 Junior Future Gamer continues to build on his impressive summer.

Jonah Winton, SS, Model, 2027
Uncommitted. After seeing key time as a freshman for Model this spring, Winton has been on a tear this summer and kept the massive summer rolling right along over the course of Southeast Select, collecting hit after hit. Arguably the biggest performance came on both sides of the ball on Friday night. At the plate the hit-tool shined where the RHH picked up two loud barrels for hits. Showcasing a well-synced up swing with leverage to all-fields and an advanced ability to match plane. The easy bat-speed continues to stand out as everything off the bat is loud from Winton. Coming out of the pen it was loose and easy for the righty showing a dynamic two-pitch mix. With the fastball sitting at 84-86 and running it up to 87 with arm-side movement. Showed the curve at 70-71. The arm-speed stands out on the mound for the incoming sophomore and Winton made it clear that there is obvious two-way potential here.

Brantley Patch, 2B/RHP, Model, 2027
Uncommitted. The incoming sophomore has been having a big summer on the mound and at the plate as well. The smooth swinging LHH delivered at the plate on Friday night. Collecting two hits back up the middle. Highlighting a well-connected swing with a mature middle-of-the-field approach at the plate with good leverage through the zone. The barrel control stands out with the ability to match planes at a high-level. A consistent performer that has gotten it done on both sides of the ball and will be another name to watch at Model in the Spring.