By: Tim Kay

Director of Scouting PBR Tennessee

On Saturday, the Best Baseball Showcase Series hosted an event at four different high schools in the Memphis area.  Below, find a write-up on standout players from Saturday:

Big League Red

2018 CIF Gordon, Langdon (Dyer County) – 5-10, 170-pound corner infielder showed consistent quality at-bats w/ barrel feel in short to the ball LH swing.  Medium, athletic frame w/ some present lower half strength, projectable.  Hits from a slightly open, slightly crouched stance w/ back shoulder hand location.  Bat waggle w/ toe tap.  Shift of weight, stride and proper load.  Bat speed through zone w/ some natural loft.  Worked consistent at bats w/ ability to fight off pitches and drive the pitch he wants.  Gap to gap power now projects to grow as body fills out.  Quality approach w/ idea of strike zone.  Defensively, shows solid hands w/ arm strength to target.  Also pitched on this day, worked 77-78, future is in the box.  Intriguing uncommitted infielder worth laying eyes on.

Memphis Prospects

2019 C Epperson, Zach (Dyer County) – 5-10, 170-pound catcher shows the will to work behind the plate w/ some feel for throwing.  Medium, athletic frame w/ long levers, lot of projection.  Offensively, hits from a wide, slightly open, crouched stance w/ back shoulder hand location.  Proper stride and load.  Some barrel feel w/ present gap power.  Defensively, works hard behind the plate, constantly working to block balls, even with no runners on.  Moves well behind the plate w/ idea of receiving, glove manipulation in the zone.  As a thrower, shows average arm strength w/ carry to target.  In game pops of 2.06-2.09.  An interesting 2019 C to follow into the high school season.

2019 C Rushing, Dalton (Brighton) – Louisville commit.  6-0, 200-pound catcher w/ some of the best game power in the state.  Hits from a slightly open, slightly crouched stance w/ back shoulder hand location.  Leg kick w/ proper load.  Huge power, ball sounds different off bat.  Natural loft.  Homered in game w/ double off wall, hard single.  Athletic w/ plus arm strength, projects to stay behind the plate.  One of the top 2019 prospects in the state. 

Memphis Travelers

2018 RHP Alexander, Johnny (Scotts Hill) – 5-10, 180-pound righty w/ quick arm, featuring FB up to 88.  Short, athletic frame w/ physical projection.  Pitches from a high effort full wind-up w/ ¾ release.  Can engage his legs more, high velo ceiling.  FB shows occasional arm side run, occasional ride through zone.  CB got better as outing went deeper.  Has a tendency to slow everything down.  Slurve that flashed late break, potential swing and miss pitch w/ development.  Mixed in a sidearm CH.  Big uncommitted 2018 arm w/ present velo.

2018 MIF Hill, Drew (Chester County) – 5-11, 174-pound middle infielder w/ patient approach and middle infield tools.  Medium, athletic frame w/ present strength, some physical projection.  Lean strength w/ muscle definition.  Offensively, hits from a narrow, slightly open stance w/ back ear hand location.  Short bat waggle w/ short toe tap.  Leg kick and proper load.  Bat speed through the zone w/ some loft.  Understands the strike zone, does not expand.  Feel for contact.  Projects to hit for average w/ pull power.  Defensively, shows soft hands w/ good feet.  Long arm action w/ carry to target arm strength.  One of the better uncommitted 2018 middle infielders available in Tennessee.

2018 OF Moore, Brady (Scotts Hill) – 5-10, 180-pound center fielder w/ all-around profile, high level offensive tools.  Medium, athletic build w/ proportional strength, some physical projection.  Hits from a slightly open, upright stance w/ back shoulder hand location.  Short bat waggle.  Leg kick w/ short hand load.  Balanced hitter w/ barrel feel.  Lot of power w/ strong wrists, lower half works well w/ natural loft.  Hit a no doubt home run to left center, 2-hop triple off 400-foot center field wall and a double to left center.  Consistent hard contact.  Above average runner profiles to stay in CF.  Was not tested defensively.  Also plays some middle infield.  Has all the offensive tools of a mid-major D1 player.  A big time uncommitted 2018 OF.

2019 RHP Edwards, Drew (Arlington) – 6-0, 160-pound righty pitcher shows feel for command w/ 3 average or better pitches.  Medium, athletic frame w/ some present strength, projection.  Pitches from over the top release w/ quick arm.  Gets downhill.  FB shows some arm side run.  CB is tight medium downer w/ late break.  True out pitch.  CH is avg w/ arm-speed, fade and sink.  Filled the strike zone, made quick work in his 2 innings.  Shows ability to pitch w/ intent, especially w/ 2 strikes.  High level uncommitted 2019 arm who will be at Border Battle in mid October.

2019 CIF Presley, Christian (St. Benedict) – 5-11, 170-pound corner infielder w/ bat speed and pull power.  Medium, athletic frame w/ physical projection.  Offensively, hits from a slightly open, wide, crouched stance w/ back shoulder hand location.  Slight shift of weight, stride to slightly open and proper load.  Barrel stays in zone for long time.  Generates bat speed through the zone w/ lot of line drives.  Shows present gap power w/ HR power coming.  Has an idea of his strike zone, sees spin.  Was not tested defensively.  Also pitched, worked 79-82 w/ 65-68 CB w/ proper shape and rotation, but future is in the batter’s box.

2020 C Lewis, Nathan (Scotts Hill) – 5-9, 180-pound catcher w/ high level catch and throw skills, pull power.  Short, stocky frame w/ some projection, present strength.  Hits w/ a wide, crouched, slightly open stance.  Bat waggle.  Shift of weight, stride to slightly open and proper load.  Short to the ball w/ some natural loft.  Pull power w/ some barrel feel.  Shines defensively, showing above average arm strength and quick release.  Was 1.93 between innings, 2.05 on a stolen base in game.  Developing as a receiver w/ soft hands.  A high level 2020 catching prospect.

2021 MIF Culpepper, Kaelan (St. Benedict) – 5-10, 150-pound middle infielder w/ special defensive actions, bat speed.  Short, lean, athletic frame w/ likely growth spurt coming.  Offensively, learning to switch hit, but only saw from his natural right side on this day.  Hits from a slightly open, slightly crouched stance w/ back shoulder hand location.  Slight shift of weight, stride to slightly open and proper load.  Short to the ball w/ more power than frame suggests.  Drove a triple to right center field in game.  Barrel stays in zone long time w/ barrel feel.  Advanced hitter for his age.  Defensively, spent time at both middle infield positions, showing advanced actions w/ soft, quick hands.  Arm strength was not tested.  Makes difficult plays look easy.  Elite 2021 MIF prospect.