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Who are the biggest rising talents from this summer?

August 9, 2024
By Andy Sroka
Managing Editor, Scouting

The ‘Hotlist’ is a series that provides weekly insight into the high school baseball scene spanning the country, curated by Prep Baseball’s state directors who are situated nationwide, with vital intel on the prospects who are in their own backyards. Each week, we’ll publish our ‘Hotlist’ on varying topics that are timeliest to the national baseball calendar at that point in time.

This week’s topic: As the summer winds down, our state directors shared the name of a player who really popped up as a prospect this summer in front of you or your staff, at either a showcase or a tournament.

+ Learn of our directors stationed nationwide by visiting the staff directory.
+ View which Prep Baseball events are headed your way next at this page.
+ Read about previously published ‘Hotlist’ topics here.

♨️ The ‘Hotlist’ (8/9):

Alabama

(7/2/24)

+ Rocco Maniscalco, SS (Oxford HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Uncommitted. 6-foot-0, 188-pounds. Athletic frame with some lean strength and still tons of projection. A former PB Jr. Future Games alumni and current top-100 prospect nationally and certainly showcased why with arguably one of the best showings out of any prospect in attendance at the Yellowhammer State Games. The rising sophomore delivered some big swings down the stretch for Oxford this past spring, and appears to be the next premier prospect in line to come out of the pipeline for that program. A switch-hitter with pop from both sides of the plate with the left-handed swing showing a bit more output in our looks, but equally adept from both sides. Loose hands with loads of bat and hand speed to help impact the baseball, which he did during his round posting numerous mid-90s readings and a top EV of 100.1 mph, which was third-best from the event. Sizable power projection and tapping into some now, showing it off during gameplay with a loud swing off the top of the RCF fence for a triple in his first at-bat of Game 2. A 7.3-runner earlier this summer on turf, Maniscalco also trimmed down his 60-yard dash to 6.90 at this event and showcased that athleticism going from H to 3B on the triple. Also an elite defender who played third base during the spring, but should slide to shortstop in the near future and certainly has the glove to do so. Can flat pick it with good footwork and range, and has plenty of arm strength to back it up working up to 92 mph across the infield during the workout. Just a special talent in the 2027 class in Alabama who continues to do things your typical rising sophomore in high school isn't able to do.”

– David Sharp, Deep South Supervisor

(6/18/24)

+ JB Upton, SS (Auburn HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“Uncommitted. 5-foot-10, 184-pounds. Strong, athletic frame with tons of quick-twitch. Present compact strength throughout and uses it well. Another highly-touted prospect in the 2027 class in Alabama who is ranked inside the top-105 nationally. One of the biggest winners and eye-opening performances from the Yellowhammer State Games while seeming to live on the barrel once he walked into the complex. A switch-hitter who took quality swing after quality swing from both sides of the plate during his round of BP, resulting in a top EV of 99.4 mph and a max estimated distance of 387 feet. Short and direct to contact who shows the ability to hammer it out front or let it travel and drive it the other way. Has an innate feel for the barrel with good twitch and athleticism in the swing. Absolutely hammered an opposite-field ground-rule double during gameplay for one of the biggest swings of the weekend. Also clocked a 6.86 60-yard dash and showcased good actions on the dirt with versatility to play multiple positions defensively.”

– David Sharp, Deep South Supervisor

Arizona

(7/24/24)

+ Alain Gomez-Gudino, C (Saguaro HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Has come on the map as one of the top defensive catchers in the country. Switch-hitting backstop who made big waves at Future Games. He will likely be ranked as one of the top players in the state in the next ranking cycle.”

– Shea Sbranti, Arizona Scouting Director

Canada

+ Elliot Lascelles, SS (Upper Canada College HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“When Lascelles (Ontario, Canada) attended our Future Games Trials back in April, he was still relatively unknown and now four months later he's cemented himself as a top positional prospect in the country. Left-handed hitter with projectable frame at 6-foot, 165 pounds and possesses one of the best hit tools in the class. The Toronto Mets product didn't strike out once at the Future Games and went 4-for-5 at the CPBL Prospects Game, taking home MVP.”

– Cam Black-Araujo, West Coast Content Manager

Hawaii

(7/24/24)

+ Logen Doran, RHP (Waiakea HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“No other player on Team Select increased their value more than the incoming sophomore Doran, 83.9 mph tops this summer, then 88-91 in his first innings of work at the Future Games, with the makings of a couple quality out-pitches in a curve and a splitter. Listed at 6-foot-4, 153 pounds, an ideal frame with plus-plus projection and huge upside. DI programs left the event circling Doran's name as a priority Class of 2027 follow, and now one of Hawaii's top prospects and an MLB Draft follow.”

– Dan Cox, West Coast Crosschecker

Illinois

(7/5/24)

+ Justice Hernandez, RHP (New Trier HS, 2027) | Uncommitted:

“After showing well at the Rock Summer Championships 15U and claiming a title at Grand Park during the Grand Park Summer Championships, Hernandez showed well again – this time at the PBT Wisconsin Open. After the previous looks at the electric right-hander, Hernandez’s stuff was on par with what was expected from him. After mounting a comeback against the squad they would eventually claim the weekend’s championship against, Hernandez’s relief appearance on Friday was dominant as he closed the door to secure a 6-5 victory. Over that one inning, Hernandez ran his fastball up to 84 mph and showed his wipeout slider, recording a strikeout in the process. Without allowing a hit, Hernandez’s first showing helped put CRB into the bracket games on Sunday. In his second appearance against MBA, Hernandez was dominant as he recorded six Ks over six innings of work. The wiry, 5-foot-10 righty allowed two runs on just three hits which culminated in an 18-2 victory to win the tournament. The look from New Trier’s ‘27 graduate keeps him as a high-follow in Illinois as the summer circuit continues on.”

– Pete Hamot, Assistant Director Illinois/Wisconsin

Indiana

(7/24/24)

+ Sean Dunlap, C (Crown Point HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Dunlap established himself as a catcher to follow at our 2023 Fall State Games, but an injury prevented him for participating in our Preseason All-State weekend in March and kept him out for most of the spring season.

Our next look at Dunlap came at our 2024 Top Prospect Games where Dunlap quickly emerged as the top prospect in attendance. Despite being one of the youngest backstops at the event, the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder fired an event-low 1.79 pop time and reached 82 mph from the crouch. Dunlap then showcased premier bat speed in his batting practice round, with a handful of batted balls leaving at 100-plus mph and his best ball leaving at 103. Dunlap was quickly invited to represent Team Indiana at the Prep Baseball Future Games where he exploded as a prospect, gaining the attention of several SEC and ACC programs while in Atlanta. Dunlap's rise to fame throughout the 2024 summer earned him an invite to the Prep Baseball All-American Game this fall, and he will see himself rise as a top-five prospect within a loaded group of Indiana 2026s in our next rankings update.”

– Cooper Trinkle, Indiana Scouting Director

Iowa

(7/24/24)

+ Brandon Bea, CF (Davenport North HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Bea is an athletic right/right outfielder with above-average speed who tracks balls extremely well, and has an above-average arm (92 mph in March) profiling as a true center fielder moving forward. The bat speed with ability to drive baseballs consistently is something that stands out. Current high-end ability to square baseball with hard contact; and has future power projection as he physically matures. He was a 2024 Future Games participant for Team Midwest.”

– Rob Allison, Upper Midwest Supervisor

Kansas

(7/24/24)

+ Brady Stewart, SS/OF (St. Thomas Aquinas HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Stewart was definitely on the radar after a successful spring and a strong start to the summer, but it was at the Future Games where he collected five hits that he became one of the most closely followed players in the region. Not only did the left-handed hitter show he could handle some of the best arms in the country, he also showed he could play high level defense at shortstop and center field as well. The defensive versatility raises his stalk even higher with the new possibility of smaller rosters at the DI level.”

– Andy Urban, Central Region Director

Louisiana

(7/24/24)

+ Grant Sunstrom, RHP (University Lab HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“A right-handed prospect with a 6-foot-4, 180-pound build, long limbs and a ton of projection. The U-High product turned in a quality outing against Arkansas at this summer’s Future Games. A smooth mover down the slope with an easy arm action, Sunstrom releases the ball from a lower 3/4 slot and strides across his body, which creates a cross-fire look. He worked his fastball in the 81-85 mph range with arm-side sink and run, and his 70-73 mph slider tunneled well off of it. Sunstrom ended up tossing two no-hit innings pitched against the Natural State with two walks and two Ks, and he will likely see a sizable jump in our next rankings update for the 2026 class.”

– Alex Armand, Louisiana State Director

Massachusetts

(3/2/24)

+ Nolan Rappoli, MIF (Xaverian Brothers HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Rappoli has an excellent feel for the game, plays hard and is always engaged with what is going on. The bat is advanced and he can really play defense. He is a no-brainer player based off what I have seen.”

– Dennis Healy, New England Co-Scouting Director

Mississippi

(7/24/24)

+ JD Whitaker, RHP (Hamilton HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Whitaker responded to a tweet looking for a pitcher only on Day Two of our Magnolia State Games in June. We had a pitcher back out due to injury and he drove to the University of Southern Mississippi and gave us two nearly perfect innings. Whitaker came to a Preseason ID earlier in the year so we knew a little about him but it was evident he had progressed even more. Working into the mid- to upper-80s with solid spin, a lean frame, and a loose arm he was the perfect candidate for a spot in Atlanta at the Future Games. Fairly new to our 2026 rankings, Whitaker should see a significant move up the board.”

– Matt Miller, Mississippi State Director

New York

(7/24/24)

+ Sean Hurley, RHP (Shaker HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“We first got our eyes on the 6-foot-5, 190-pound right-handed arm at the NY State Games in June where he was dominant with a 89-91 mph, high-spin fastball that has ride up in the zone (2,500 rpm; 19-inch IVB) getting plenty of whiffs. The mid-70s breaking ball is almost equally impressive with 2,400-plus spin and a ADV hammer-plus score. Hurley also showed feel for a low-spin, heavy change for a quality three-pitch mix. He followed up the State Games with another impressive out at the Future Games. Average fastball was 89.5 mph and up to 91.3 mph from an easy, clean arm action. Big arm talent with plenty of projection will land Hurley near the top of the NY rankings at the next release.”

– Joe Walentin, Scouting Director

Tennessee

+ Sean Birkofer, OF (Providence Christian Academy HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Our staff got a first look at the rising junior out of Providence Christian Academy at Austin Peay and were thoroughly impressed coming out of it. Birkofer brings in a very desirable frame at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds which just oozes athleticism. A primary outfielder, he shows very good footwork to and through the ball on throws to home. Patrols the outfield with solid speed in running a 7.00 flat in the 60-yard dash, with more gas in the tank. After watching Birkofer's round of BP, it has quickly become a favorite in the class for our staff. Metrics-wise, he has plus numbers across the board with 76.6 average bat speed, 23g rotational acceleration, 90.5 mph (97 max) average and max EVs, respectively. His hands work extremely well through the swing, starting more in front of the body before getting into a fantastic position at launch. Coming off of a sophomore campaign where he was a crucial part of PCA’s success in hitting .376 with seven bombs, Birkofer is full steam ahead heading into his final years of HS and is sure to gain great momentum on the recruiting trail.”

– Hunter Martin, Tennessee State Director

Wisconsin

(2/17/24)

+ Niko Frangopoulos, OF (Arrowhead HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Frangopoulos has gotten better and better as the year's gone on, and it was most recently on display at our inaugural Wisconsin State Games at The Rock Complex at the very end of July. There, Frangopoulos ran a 7.22 (down from a 7.48 in the winter) and his smooth left-handed swing connected for some strong impact, averaging an exit velo of 88.8 mph at the event (96.0 max), helped along by bat speed over 71 mph on average. He's a lean 5-foot-11, 170-pound athlete too, which adds to his long-term potential.”

– Andy Sroka, Managing Editor, Scouting

(9/23/24)

+ Bryce Mischler, LHP (Kimberly HS, 2026) | Uncommitted:

“Mischler was one of the final players we invited to the Future Games as a member of Team Wisconsin, and he wound up as one of the more impressive arms on a staff that showed very well. The 6-foot-5, 172-pound southpaw really moves well on the mound, extending to a lower release height that helps his 81-84 mph fastball really jump and he attacks the zone, generating awkward swings and misses. He's shown the makings of a breaking ball too, though there's some work to be done in regard to his secondaries, but still, there's significant upside here. He'll be a huge riser inside of our next Class of 2026 update.”

– Andy Sroka, Managing Editor, Scouting

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