Future Games Spotlight: Infielders

Landon Bauer SS / 2B / LOUDOUN VALLEY HIGH, VA / 2026

Bauer jumped on to the radar this spring and had an outstanding year at Loudoun Valley. His tear did not stop in the spring, he continued his offensive display this summer. Slow and controlled load, short to contact, barrel has some slight uphill path to it, and stays on through extension. It is more hit over power right now, with a solid feel for the barrel and has shown doubles power to all fields. Most importantly, he shows a willingness to go the other direction and take what is given in counts/situations.

Slightly above average runner and a versatile defender in the infield. Moves well laterally and comes forward to throw on the run with accuracy. Right now, I don't think Bauer has a definite positional fit, but I do think that he has more than proven he has a chance to stay in the dirt.

Camden Blank SS / 2B / Spotswood, VA / 2026

Compact 5-foot-9, 174-pound frame. I know this is on repeat, but this high end defending infielder has an extremely high motor, is an above average runner (6.73 PR 60), and can stick up the middle. It is a defense first profile and a chance to be a lockdown defender. Sets angles on approach, throws on the run with accuracy, and works really well around the bag. 

It was a tougher week at the plate for the two-time Junior Future Gamer, now turned Future Game alum. While he has shown improved contact rate throughout the spring and when we have seen him this summer, Blank seemed a bit out of time in most of his at bats. He was on some pitches in a few at bats, just seemed like his timing and foot plant were a touch late.

Long term, I still think he is the same player coming out as he was when he went in. Defense first, contact driven type of bat, and a guy you kind of know what you are getting when you show up at the park every day. High motor, high energy clubhouse guy, that is going to defend on a high level.

Casey Cuddyer SS / 3B / GREAT BRIDGE HIGH, VA / 2026

I am not sure there are many people that were kind maybe as under the radar as Cuddyer was, and had the type of week he did. 6-foot, 154-pound thin and wiry frame. Longer arms and should add strength as he continues to mature physically. Cuddyer is the youngest infielder of this group and there's a good possibility he may have the highest floor of this group, simply because of his ability to consistently produce quality contact at the plate. 

The setup at the plate is somewhat narrow and upright. Hands preset back and is fairly direct from his pre-set loaded position. Works mostly gap to gap in approach and is a constant barrel finder in game. Has a more mature approach at the plate and is willing to use the backside of the field. Will flash some occasional power to pull and I think there is more to come as he adds strength, but it is hit over power right now. Hit .500+ for the week and when he gets on the bases he shows his baseball IQ. Instinctive baserunner that swiped bags at will during Future Games. 

Defensively, Cuddyer is not a flashy defender with an elite arm. He has a solid internal clock, creates angles to throw, and over our half dozen-ish looks since the spring, does a good job dictating the hop that he gets. The arm strength is average and will need to continue to add strength for the left side, but the timing piece and clean, quick exchange allow him to make plays consistently from that side.

Chase Dorsey SS / 2B / James Madison HS, VA / 2026

There may not be a high ceiling infielder in this group. Long and lean 6-foot-1, 171-pound frame. Pro-type body and should hold really good strength. The run times continue to tick down and I think he has a chance to get a little faster as he matures. I don't think he will ever be a 6.75 type runner, but I think 6.9 territory is definitely in the cards. His length and defensive ability will give him a chance to stay on the left side. 

Dorsey had maybe the best rounds of BP of any Team Virginia positional player. Consistent barrels, worked mostly gap to gap, and showed some strength to pull turning on a few. Backspun a few to the backside gap and showed some carry there as well. In game, the Madison HS product started things off right. Got in a two strike count and took an outside pitch through the backside for a line drive single. 

The offense has flashed at times and he has the chance to be a centerpiece for a program that is pretty accustomed to aiding in the development of some higher level players. I think this is a ceiling over floor infielder that has a chance to be pretty special down the road.

Matthew Hartsfield SS / 2B / Mills E Godwin , VA / 2026

Compact frame for the 5-foot-9, 177-pound infielder. Hartsfield is another one that plas with an extremely high motor and a guy that is going to show up every day with the same approach. Over the course of the week, Hartsfield found himself on base pretty consistently. Unfortunately for him, the majority of them came via walk. Although he did take advantage of those opportunities, stealing a few bags and then barreling a ball on Saturday on a count reset after he walked. Hartsfield is going to give you consistently tough AB's no matter the level of arm. Works counts, willing to take a free base, and has solid bat to ball when he turns it loose. 

The Mills Godwin infielder is a switch hitter with a short, compact path to contact. Above average hand speed that he showed off in game turning on an inside fastball that went about fifty feet over the fence, but it was about 15 feet foul. The pre-pitch operation and path are similar from both sides, but personally I think overall, the left side is just better and comes more natural. Like most switch hitters, he gets more AB's from the left side, so it is somewhat understandable for it to just be a little better operation from that side. He did have an in game hit from the right side on the final day. Like the other Team Virginia hitters, it is hit over power, but there is some sneaky in game pop for the size/frame.

Defensively, he is a versatile and consistent defender. Long term, Hartsfield may be a better fit at second/third base, but is a more than capable defender at short, just may not be an every day guy there. 

John Michael Szefc SS / 2B / Miller School, VA / 2026

5-foot-9, 156-pound frame. This one has really come into his own the past year. Szefc has long shown himself as a play over tools type of guy, but the tools continue to make small steps forward, especially in the offensive department. Sounds repetitive, but hit over power bat. Consistent hit tool that has shown the natural ability to use the whole field. Although there is a not a ton of power in the bat, he flashed a little during the high school season, as well as an extremely versatile set of tools at the plate, showing he can do a little of everything. 

Pretty clean stroke from the left side. Rhythm in the load, everything is synced up, and the path and operation most certainly play. Probably the cleanest looking and most repeatable swing of any Team Virginia positional guy. Very patient approach at the plate and almost a little too picky at times, especially with high school zones. However, not many guys at this level seem to have the same level of zone awareness and discipline that Szefc has displayed over the past 6+ months. 

Defensively, very similar to the other Team Virginia defenders. Not super flashy, no elite arm, just defends at a very consistent rate and can plug and play just about anywhere in the dirt. Throws on the run with accuracy and has a solid internal clock and pace in the infield.

Will Yow SS / RHP / Saint Anne's-Belfield, VA / 2026

After being a little dinged up and missing a good portion of his summer, Yow announced his presence as soon as the workout started, rolling a 6.40 laser timed 60. Yow had the best 60 in our workout pod and the second best overall run time. Fastest 10 split (1.55), fastest 30 split (3.57), and 5th fastest run speed at 21.7 mph. It goes without saying, Yow has an elite run tool that gives him more than enough footspeed to stay up the middle of the field.

Square base at the plate, hands preset back with a slight bat wrap, and finishes with a wider base in the lower half. Flatter path through the zone and has shown some middle to pull tendency, during BP and in game. Yow was very aggressive early in counts in game, producing some groundballs and line drives to the left side. Although he did not get to some of quality contact that we saw him produce during the high school season, he can and did impact the game with the ball on the ground. His footspeed makes defenders work a little quicker than they maybe want to and when he gets on, he has a chance to turn an infield single into a double. 

During the high school season, it seemed like Yow did his best work versus the best arms. He has shown the ability to handle velo and impact the game at the plate and on the bases. Defensively, Yow has been a solid defender when we have seen him. The arm strength is average to slightly above and has shown a tendency to play up to the bag and arm side at times. It is a little longer arm swing and the hand tends to get outside at the top. The exchange is quick and clean and the actions work.