Lafayette, LA - On Tuesday, June 13, 2023, we went to the University of Louisiana for our Top Prospect Games event.  This invite-only event has become our premier event of the summer; very similar to our State Games that are held each fall.  Close to 100 of the state's best and brightest uncommitted prospects got together for a full pro-style workout in the morning.  Each player took part in running the 60 yard dash, taking batting practice, and participating in defensive drills.  We ended the day with two games in the afternoon, where pitchers were able to face hitters live.  Today, we continue our post-event coverage of the Top Prospect Games with a look at some of the uncommitted prospects in the 2024 class that impressed.  

 

+ 2024 LHP Landon Fontenot (Calvary Baptist HS)

5'10" 175 lbs.  The uncommitted southpaw had a jam-up junior spring season for the Cavaliers, finishing with an 8-1 record and 1.16 ERA with 78 K's across 60 2/3 IP.  On Tuesday, it was easy to see why Fontenot had that much success this past season.  He worked with a quick and up-tempo delivery and pace, wasting no time in between pitches.  Fontenot worked in the 85-87 mph range with his FB and did a really good job of keeping the ball down for the most part.  He was able to land his 74-75 mph SL for strikes and swing & miss, while also flashing feel for a 78-79 mph late-fading CH.  The Calvary Baptist product certainly increased his stock on Tuesday and will be an uncommitted arm that colleges will continue to monitor closely throughout the rest of this summer.

 

 

+ 2024 RHP/OF Cole Connor (University Lab HS)

Athletic 6'1" 175 lbs. frame with broad shoulders and room to continue to fill out his frame.  We've had the chance to see Connor several times over the past year or so, and Tuesday ended up being another good showing for him.  A really good overall athlete, Connor was able to match his best PBR verified 60 time at a 6.72, while also tying a personal best 92 mph OF velocity, which ended up being an event best.  After a long workout in the morning and battling 100+ degree heat, Connor took the mound on Tuesday afternoon to finish day off.  He didn't necessarily pound the zone as we've seen him do in the past, but he was able to show off his arm talent by running his FB up to a personal best 90 mph.  The U-High product does a lot of things well and has some tools, which makes him a must follow in the state's '24 class moving forward.

 

 

+ 2024 RHP Cole Corbello (Iowa HS)

Physical 6'3" 205 lbs. durable frame.  The "QB1" attended a full morning football workout for the Yellow Jackets, before heading east down I-10 to hop on the mound, and we're sure glad he did.  The Iowa HS product struggled with control some, but there was no denying the present arm talent.  Corbello worked his FB in the 85-88 mph range and when he was in the zone, he was getting swings & misses on his heater alone.  He also ripped off a couple of sharp and late-biting 71-75 mph SL's with spin rates up to 2600 RPM's per Trackman.  Corbello is a physical and athletic two-sport guy with a big arm who should be getting some looks coming out of Tuesday's event.

 

 

+ 2024 1B Gabe Guidry (Barbe HS)

6'1" 180 lbs. physical and proportionally built frame; Guidry turned in a really nice showing at this summer's Top Prospect Games.  He moved well around the first base bag, showing good footwork on double plays with accurate throws across the diamond.  At the plate, he hits from a more upright and balanced stance and hits the ball extremely well to the middle and opposite field.  Guidry recorded the 6th best avg. exit velocity on the day at 88.2 mph, as he was consistently on the barrel.  During Game 1, he didn't collect a hit, but caught two barrels and both went to the opposite field.  The Barbe HS product is a good uncommitted 1B in the state's '24 class.

 

 

+ 2024 LHP Bennett Stakes (Southside HS)

After Stakes's showing on Tuesday, we came away very impressed with the uncommitted southpaw.  The first thing that stands out is his physical and imposing 6'4" 210 lbs. frame.  The Southside HS product releases the ball from a near over the top slot, creating good downward tilt, which presents a tough look for hitters.  He worked his FB in the 86-88 mph range with decent life and avg. spin rates of 2260 RPM's.  Stakes also showed feel for a 75-76 mph CB and 74-75 mph CH with some sink.  Arms are always at a premium, especially left-handed arms, and the fact that Stakes is a high academic prospect (4.1 GPA | 28 ACT) only makes him more attractive. 

 

 

+ 2024 OF Collin Harris (Barbe HS)

Athletic 5'11" 175 lbs. frame with some present physicality.  This was one of the best looks that we've had at Harris over the past 12 months.  The right-handed hitter has ditched the leg kick that we saw at last year's Top Prospect Games and has simplified his load and stride, which resulted in more consistent hard contact at the plate.  Harris recorded a max exit velocity of 92.5 mph and a 87.9 mph avg. exit velocity, which was good for 7th best on the day.  In Game 1, Harris collected a double and made one of the best plays of the day on defense with a diving catch in CF.  The Bucs always seem to produce a couple of guys every year that blossom as seniors and Harris and teammate Guidry (above) could be those two guys next spring.