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With the updated Virginia/DC 2023 rankings being released last week, we wanted to dive into some new faces inside the Top 100 of our expanded rankings. Here we break down players from across the Commonwealth. 

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Jacob Slade SS / RHP / Loudoun Valley, VA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 65 / POS: 10 Long athletic 6-foot-3 frame with lots of projection left. Whippy level path swing and quick hands through the zone. Has some pull side tendency to the swing and power potential to the pull side. Active defender with above average arm strength at shortstop. Plenty of room to add strength to the frame and should continue to trend up.

 

 

Benjamin Blair RHP / SS / Liberty Christian Academy , VA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 70 / POS: 22 Long 6-foot-2 projectable frame. Blair comes in at #70 after having a strong showing at the Preseason All-State East. Gets down the mound well with pace and athleticism. Long loose arm that is clean on the backside and feel for the zone with a three pitch mix. Fastball was up to 84 mph in early March and see plenty more velocity left in the tank.

 

 

Cole Feldman SS / 3B / Midlothian , VA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 79 / POS: 17 Feldman is listed at 6-foot-1 and is probably on the higher end of that. Long limbs and plenty of room to fill out. We got to see plenty of at bats in the Spring League from Feldman and he did not disappoint. Displayed an advanced hit tool for his age. Present doubles power to all fields with power potential as the frame continues to fill out. Long term more than likely corner infield/corner outfield, but the swing plays with the ability to hit anywhere in the middle of the order.

 

 

Carter Childs 3B / RHP / Chancellor, VA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 84 / POS: 7 6-foot-4 projectable frame with lean strength and plenty of room to add more. Strength at contact, swing worked gap to gap, and potential for power. Defensively has above average arm strength across the infield and the ability to throw on the run. On the mound he was up to 83 with a short arm action and normal effort to the delivery. Childs has a chance to make some big strides as he adds strength to the 6-foot-4 frame.

 

 

AJ Poole OF / RHP / McLean, VA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 31 / POS: 6 StateRank: 96 / POS: 16 Poole is no stranger to the rankings, but he is a new face coming in from Maryland rankings. Strong physical 6-foot-2 frame. Has some two-way potential with physicality at the plate and ran it up to 85 early in March. Flashes some present pull side power in the swing. On the mound it is a short deceptive arm action. The fastball has some carry through the zone and the breaking ball gets up and down with 12/6 shape.

 

 

Christopher Johnson 3B / RHP / Glen Allen, VA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 100 / POS: 10 Making his way into #100 is the Glen Allen HS product. Strong physical frame and two sport athlete. We had not seen Johnson since the summer and he has definitely made some strides. Was up to 83 on the mound at the PBR Spring League where he also flashed a hard slider that has the makings of a legitimate secondary pitch. Johnson also displayed some of his raw power at the plate unloading on a home run out of left field. Johnson was in season for football so we did not get to see him a ton, but in that small sample he showed really well versus some solid talent on the nights that he was there.