Top Prospect Games West: Quick Hits
July 14, 2021
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This year's Top Prospect Games West featured 26 players from across the Old Line State, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Players participated in a pro-style workout and played a game in front of our PBR Maryland staff and college coaches from around the Mid-Atlantic region. Below are some initial thoughts on several players that stood out from the event.
QUICK HITS
(Alphabetical Order)
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Josh Ayala SS / C / TC Williams , VA / 2023Really nice all around day for Ayala at this year’s TPG West. Really intriguing frame at 6’0’’, 180 pounds with still plenty more room to fill out. Already possesses a ton of strength at the plate. Recorded a 93 mph exit velocity per TrackMan during BP with more pull-side tendencies in the swing currently. Smooth defender with a strong arm. May project more as a corner guy in the future but the hands work and actions are clean. Also ran a respectable 7.20 60-yard dash. One of the more projectable players at the event with a pretty high ceiling.
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Alex Biars C / 1B / Dematha Catholic , MD / 2022Strong backstop at 5’10’’, 185 pounds with power present at the plate. Recorded a 92 mph exit velocity per TrackMan during BP and smoked a double to center during the game. Stays behind the ball well with extension through contact. Showed athleticism and quick catch and release ability behind the dish with pop times ranging 2.03-2.18 and a 74 mph arm velo. Throws were accurate to the bag.
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Dylan Friebert RHP / 3B / Bethesda-Chevy Chase, MD / 2022The hard throwing righty out of Bethesda-CC lit up the radar gun Wednesday afternoon with a 85-87 mph fastball that touched 88 mph with hard arm-side run and above average spin at 2,205 rpm per TrackMan. He also mixed in a 70-72 mph breaking ball that is still developing but flashes big 11/5 shape and ability to be a nice swing-and-miss pitch down the road. Friebert is 6’1’’, 175 pounds with strength present in the frame and electric arm speed. Throws from a high three-quarter slot with long arm action and a controlled build-up in the wind-up.
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Brayden Heaps 3B / RHP / Susquehannock, PA / 2023Strong 5’10’’, 175 pound frame. Gets uphill through contact at the plate with strength present in the swing. Recorded an 89 mph exit velocity per TrackMan during BP showing a more pull side approach with really nice extension past contact. Sound fundamentally defensively at third and also showed the ability to play first making a great play glove side down the line during the game. Works quick on the mound and throws strikes getting two ground outs and a strikeout during his abbreviated outing. Long take-away that gets short through release. Throws from a mid three quarter slot with regular effort. Fastball sat 73-76 mph and also mixed in a 64-65 mph breaking ball that showed more 11/5 shape and change-up at 67-70 mph.
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Keegan Johnson LHP / OF / Urbana, MD / 2023Most outstanding player honors at this year’s Top Prospect Games West goes without a doubt to the Urbana OF/LHP. Johnson was lights out in his one inning of work during the game striking out all five batters he faced. The lefty showed great poise and confidence attacking hitters with a four pitch mix. Fastball sat 83-85 and touched 86 mph. Change-up showed fade at 78-79 mph. Threw two breaking balls: slider at 76-77 mph and curveball at 72-73 mph. Very smooth wind-up and delivery throwing with a full arm-circle from a high three-quarter slot with light effort. At the plate, Johnson packs a ton of pop into his short, compact swing. He does an excellent job staying behind the ball and gets excellent extension through contact. Recorded a 95 mph exit velocity per TrackMan during BP. Also added a really nice backside line drive for a base hit during the game against an upper 80’s mph fastball.
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Jackson Kelley RHP / Glenelg , MD / 2023Big, physical frame at 6’6’’, 190 pounds. Uses a slow, methodical build-up in the wind-up into a tall balance position before dropping and driving towards the plate. Hides the ball well throwing with shorter arm action from a deceptive mid three-quarter slot. Low effort delivery with an abbreviated finish. Fastball sat 79-81 mph with some sink and ride through the zones at times. Breaking ball was 66-69 mph.
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John Kirstukas OF / LHP / Dulaney, MD / 2022The uncommitted 2022 outfielder from Dulaney made a name for himself at this year’s TPG west showcasing a very quiet and compact swing from the left side. Showed some ability to use the whole field with a consistent line drive approach and developing power. Recorded an 87 mph exit velocity per TrackMan during BP and also was up to 75 mph from the outfield on throws to the plate that showed very good accuracy. Made a great diving play down the line in left field during the game to rob extra bases. Athletic 5’9’’, 160 pound frame with more projection left. |
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Joseph McMannis RHP / 3B / Catoctin , MD / 2023McMannis played a huge on Catoctin’s state championship team this Spring both on the mound and sitting in the middle of the lineup. The University of Maryland commit has put on a ton of size since we last saw him in person at an event and that has translated into mega power at the plate. Generates an uphill swing path with intent on every pitch to do damage. Recorded an event best 98 mph exit velocity per TrackMan. What’s even more impressive however, is his ability to hit with that power to all fields. He did it during the Cougars playoff run and showed it once again at the TPG West during BP and in the game; launching a ground rule double out to right field. On the mound, McMannis was 82-85 mph with a 71-72 mph breaker but struggled to find his command in his one inning of work. The arm is quick and there is plenty more in the tank.
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Christopher Morabito SS / 2B / Mclean, VA / 2023A very intriguing left handed swinging middle infielder that opened eyes during a couple impressive BP rounds. Athletic, twitchy frame with room to add strength to the body. Attacks the ball with intent at the dish, showcasing the ability to get upright through contact with some natural lift and strong line drive tendencies to the pull side gap. Recorded an impressive 92 mph exit velocity per TrackMan during BP, and showcased a strong, accurate arm across the diamond, recording a 78 mph infield velocity.
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Ethan Murley C / RHP / Walt Whitman , MD / 2024Size is really appealing when talking about the uncommitted 2024 out of Walt Whitman. Murley stands 6’4’’, 190 pounds with so much room to add weight to the frame that it’s easy to dream about what he will look like down the road. Dealing with an injury, Murley did not hit at this year’s TPG West but did get on the bump for our first look at the uber-projectable catcher and right-handed pitcher. Arm is long and loose showing a full-arm circle from a high three-quarter slot. Quick drop and drive style delivery landing slightly closed to the plate forcing some cross-body action. Showed control of a four pitch mix. Fastball ranged 76-80 mph, curveball was 65-66 mph with more 12/6 shape, slider showed late break at 68-70 mph, and the changeup sat 70-71 mph. Worked to five hitter’s during his outing allowing just one weak ground ball base-hit up the middle while striking out two and getting two fly ball outs.
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Tyson Nercessian SS / RHP / DeMatha , MD / 2022Athletic frame that’s beginning to fill out with strength as well. Had a very solid day all-around at this year’s TPG West at both shortstop and on the mound. Nercessian pitches with a ton of confidence and attacks hitters with very good feel for his three pitches. Shows quick arm speed through release throwing with shorter arm action from a high three-quarter slot. Up-tempo wind-up and sound delivery. Struck out two of the five batters faced in his outing. Fastball sat 79-82 mph, slider was 69-72, and change-up sat 76-78. Smooth, easy swing at the plate with a strong gap-to-gap line drive approach and high bat-to-ball contact ratio. Uses his athleticism in the field and moves easily covering a ton of ground. Works through the ball with clean actions and soft hands.
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Bodie Pullen 2B / SS / James Wood, VA / 2022Fastest player measured in the 60-yard dash at 6.74. Pullen swings with some intent at the plate, registering an 88 mph exit velocity per TrackMan and showed a pretty consistent gap-to-gap approach with high bat-to-ball contact. The James Wood (VA) middle infielder also added two hits in the game later in the day which included a single back up the middle and a double down the third base line. The swing is easy and loose with good extension through contact. Defensively very fundamentally sound and possesses great athleticism. Works through the ball with clean actions and also showed quick transfers.
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Jacob Roy OF / James Wood , VA / 2022A really fun player to watch at this year’s TPG West was James Wood (VA) outfielder Jacob Roy. Roy showed a consistent middle of the field, gap-to-gap line drive approach during BP and then added a base knock and walk during the game. Roy ran a 7.23 60-yard time during the showcase portion in the morning but showed even more speed during the game, easily tracking balls down in the gap during the game. He gets a great jump, covers a ton of ground and also gets down the line out of the box very well. |
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Farrell Souders RHP / OF / Mifflin County, PA / 2024Worked a very effective inning on the mound during game-play. Quick worker and strike-thrower. Pounded the zone early in the count with a two-pitch fastball, curveball mix. Fastball sat 73-75 mph and the breaking ball was slower with big 12/6 shape at 62-64 mph. Got two quick ground ball outs and a strikeout before walking one and getting another ground out to end his outing.
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Britton Wildasin OF / RHP / Oakdale , MD / 2024Very interesting young arm. Athletic body type at 5’11”, 147 pounds with tons of room to fill out and project. Long, free, and very whippy arm action throwing from a low three-quarter near true sidearm slot. Fastball has some sink and run to it up to 76 mph. Also mixed in a 56-58 breaking ball that’s still developing and 63-65 mph change-up with fade. Filled up the zone with a ton of strikes. Works with pace and get’s ahead of hitter’s early.
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