VA/DC Scout Blog: Atlee & Benedictine

Noah Yoder RHP / 1B / Atlee, VA / 2025

In about eight months, the Duke commit has gone from somewhat unknown, to an arm talent with some intrigue, to a legitimate dude that has figured out some feel for the zone to go with his big arm strength. Yoder threw two innings where he was 87-91 with a lot of 89-90 and even a 92 sprinkled in. While he still lacks polish and true command, the fastball is a legitimate pitch getting swings and misses in the zone, as well as chases out of the zone. The hitters he faced were as good of hitters as he will face the vast majority of the season. If he can be around the zone he will pile up some big, big strikeout numbers in 2023. It is a very uncomfortable at bat and he will get chases versus a fair share of high school hitters on that alone. The breaking ball needs some cleaning up, but it is more power curve at 76-78 mph. 

Gunnar Stromberg 3B / RHP / Atlee , VA / 2023

Stromberg is a strong, athletic player. First thing you notice about the Lynchburg commit is his arm strength from third. On the college level, it is pretty elite arm strength from that side of the infield. There is a little length to get it out, but it is not long by any stretch. He did not really have any plays on the left side, but did show that arm off during I/O, as well as on the mound. He sat 87-89 during his two innings of work. It is pretty high effort and reliever profile. He showed some secondary, but could not land either pitch. He had some scattered command on the night, but is almost effectively wild and will be more efficient if he can be a 1:1 strike/ball ratio kind of guy. 

Aven Stevens RHP / Atlee, VA / 2024

Stevens is an intriguing uncommitted junior arm. He sat 85-86 during his outing and was really consistent in that range, although he did flash one 87. His control got better as got into his outing a little bit. The breaking ball had some varied shape, but was most effective when he was able to get a little more horizontal break to the 75-78 mph offering. 

Will Blatt OF / RHP / Benedictine College Prep, VA / 2024

Blatt showed off at one of our winter preseason events and I was interested to see how his combination of physicality and athleticism would translate in game. In one of his early at bats he had a line drive single over short stop and the ball jumped off the bat. There are definite physical tools that give him a chance to be a big bat in the Benedictine lineup. He will need to show the ability to slow things down a bit at the plate and have some zone discipline, but definitely a toolsy corner outfielder to keep an eye on. 

Elijah Coston OF / LHP / Benedictine, VA / 2024

Coston has been a player everyone has kept eyes on because of his long athletic frame and easy to see tools. The command on the mound this evening was a touch scattered and he would run the velo up and down at times based on the count and feel for the zone. He sat mostly in the 84-85 range and would find a 86-88 when he was ahead and wanted to finish a count. Showed a 79 mph slider, as well as a 75 mph curveball. There is plenty of polish to add and a lot to dream on about the potential future for Coston. The VCU commit also produced a triple to deep centerfield during one of his at bats. 

Daniel Lingle RHP / SS / Benedictine, VA / 2023

Lingle got the start and worked two innings. He sat 85-87 and touched 88. The fastball was scattered at times and worked to the glove side with some angle and occasional cut. The strike to ball ratio will need to clean up a bit if he is going to work deep into games for the Cadets. The William & Mary recruit flashed two offspeed pitches. Both were in the upper 70-low 80's range but lacked shape, definition, and feel for the zone. It is early in the year so that is fairly usual when it comes to secondary. 

Easton Ogle SS / RHP / Benedictine College Prep, VA / 2025

Only a few at bats on the day and a few innings in the field, but left impressed by the sophomore. Ogle is a high motor, high intensity player. You are gonna be hard pressed to not get a good run time on him out of the box because he gets out of the box well. Had a double into left field in his first at bat where he turned on an inner half fastball and yanked it down the line. Had a 4.67 turn on the double and although he is an average watch runner, he plays a touch quicker in game. Ogle just gives off that feeling that he is going to get after it every single pitch/play and that the switch is on all of the time. 

Riley Roarty RHP / 3B / Benedictine, VA / 2024

When we saw Roarty last year he was coming off of an injury and we did not see much mound time. The ODU commit has a chance to be the frontline, shutdown arm for the Cadets this spring. Two innings of work where he sat 87-89 for those two innings and sprinkled a few 90's in there from time to time. The slider was more slurvy during this outing, with bigger shape and a bit slower in terms of velo. Even though it will need to pick up pace as he gets closer to being a Monarch, it is a well above average high school breaking ball and he will get a lot of hitters out with that pitch. There is some effort there and he does try to muscle it up at times, but the arm is pretty quick and there is plenty of room to add mass and potentially more velo. 

Jake Wise RHP / 2B / Benedictine College Preparatory, VA / 2025

This was my first time seeing Jake Wise in game. The sophomore right hander was solid in his brief outing. He sat 83-85 mph and showed some feel for two secondary pitches. Neither of the secondary pitches have big swing and miss makeup, but the fact that he has feel for the zone with them, they will be solid secondary pitches. One to keep an eye on. 

*Wise followed up his early week outing with a strong relief outing versus Maryland's top ranked Archbishop Spalding team. He used the secondary effectively, especially a few changeups that he mixed into this outing.*