VA/DC 2025 Rankings: Risers
August 26, 2024
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With age and experience comes growth. The ten young men below are players who have made sizable jumps between the lines and with that have made a significant jump in the upcoming rankings release. Read more about the areas they have grown and where the future on the field lies.
2025 Rankings Risers
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Luke Alexander RHP / SS / Riverbend, VA / 2025It is the pitchability here that stands above everything else. Alexander still needs to make another velo jump, but the secondary works, and the ease of operation to go along with the speed of the slider would usually indicate there is more there. With his quality three pitches, there is some starter profile there to make the case for him to take a step up in the rankings. JMU commit.
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JT Brown SS / 3B / MATOACA HIGH, VA / 2025The Longwood commit had such a big spring and summer. At one point, about halfway through the high school season, Brown was hitting over .600. The athleticism functions in game best. The hands are loose, feel for the barrel, and impacts the ball to all fields in game. Had multiple extra base hits at the Senior Future Games, where the staff at where he will now call home was in attendance. Solid defender in the infield and has a chance to be a guy that you can move around to some different spots in the infield. May not hold down any one position every single day, but is a guy that at some point, will need to be in the lineup every day and you can play at three to five different positions.
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Nick Felton OF / ST JOHNS COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, VA / 2025Probably one of, if not the best moving outfielder that I saw this summer, or maybe even in the past twelve to eighteen months. He makes it look effortless out there. 6-foot-3 frame, long levers, lean strength, and above average runner. Rangy defender, good reads and angles, and average arm strength. The offense is secondary right now, but that is just because of how good the defense is. Simple load and stride, compact level path stroke, and has shown solid bat to ball. Is not much of a big impact/power guy, but the Cadets offense is more geared towards putting pressure on the defense and putting balls in play, not hunting power. Think this is a guy that could definitely come into some power at the next level and can play a premium centerfield. Old Dominion commit.
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Keegan Haesler 1B / First Colonial, VA / 2025Long and thin 6-foot-3 frame. Upright and balanced stance at the plate, widens out and shortens up with two strikes, and has quality bat to ball skills. Slight uphill path, barrel has some length in the zone, and average bat speed. While Haesler is not a big impact bat, he shows the ability to hit for high average, has plate coverage, and uses the whole field in approach. Haesler is a really solid defender at first base and is athletic enough to move to left field. Buying the hit tool here and projecting on him coming to just a bit more power as he adds strength at the next level.
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William Hurt SS / C / St. Christopher's, VA / 2025There are not a ton of players in VA/DC that have made strides like Hurt has made in the past year. The Virginia Tech commit has shown bat speed and ability to impact the baseball, but it was far too infrequent and the hit tool lacked. While both have picked up, the ability to impact the baseball on a consistent basis has surpassed the present in game power. Wider base at the plate, little to no stride, quick hands, stays inside, and has a quick whippy barrel through the zone. Best impact comes middle to pull. Plays the game hard, can hit for average, and still possesses the power that he has flashed at times. Defensively, Hurt does not have a lock down position, but is athletic enough to move around and plug and play just about anywhere. Run tool has improved, running a 6.84 most recently.
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Henry Knighton RHP / SS / St. Christopher's School, VA / 2025While we did not get to see Knighton much this past spring, he has really shown a big jump this summer. The velo has ticked up, shows two solid secondary pitches, and has maintained his pitchability. Works with pace and intent, usually working in the mid-upper 80's when we have seen him, and absolutely attackes the strike zone and hitters. The velo on the secondary is solid, as is the feel for the zone. The shape and quality is average in terms of next level, but both are good high school pitches. The slider will show shorter shape at times and have more cutter look, but again he can compete with it at this level. I think the secondary is the next step for Knighton, but with his ability to pitch in the zone and show feel for three pitches does hint towards some potential starter profile long term, or potentially bulk reliever at the next level. George Washington commit.
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Miles Melescu LHP / WESTERN BRANCH HIGH, VA / 2025Melescu first jumped out to our staff during the 2023 17U National Championship. The high intent/high effort left hander has continued to make gains since that time. Full arm action, arm speed, and has some deception. Usually works in the mid 80's and will touch 87-88. The breaking ball is tight and has some depth. Although the velo usually sits mid-upper 70's, it is more power curve/hard slurve makeup. It is a quality breaking ball and has shown the ability to throw it for strikes at will. Shows an upper 70's to low 80's changeup that is a solid third pitch, but the fastball/breaking ball combo is at the forefront of the pitch mix. Most recently Melescu turned some heads at the Unsigned Senior Games and made his commitment to VMI last week.
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Nick Newburn RHP / RHP / LANGLEY HIGH, VA / 2025Last fall at the Mid-Atlantic State Games, Newburn made a big statement. In addition to solid stuff, Newburn showed some personality, attacking demeanor on the mound, and ceiling. He has continued to build on that outing and most recently had a solid outing at the Mid-Atlantic ProCase. The UPenn commit owns one of the best sliders in the state. High effort, reliever profile, and is kind of throwing a lot at hitters when he is moving down the mound. It is a lot to look at and I think some of that deception obviously plays in his favor. Upper 80's fastball and will run a 90-91 occasionally. The slider is usually upper 70's and will climb a touch higher at times. The slider has firm depth that has shown the ability to compete just about anywhere in the zone. He can get it over for strikes early in counts and can finish it out of the zone late. Does have some feel for a low 80's changeup that he will usually use versus left handed hitters.
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Parker Noonan RHP / SS / DEEP RUN HIGH, VA / 2025Pitchability and a college ready changeup. The recent Radford commit did not do anything this summer any different than what he did all high school season. Noonan has seen a 2-3 mph jump in the last 10 months that has helped afford him the opportunity to be a Highlander, but it is a very good changeup that is the separator for him. The breaking ball is an average high school breaking ball and will need to firm up a bit as he continues to grow, but he pitches and uses that in the right spots. The fastball/changeup combo play really well off of each other and he has shown the ability to work through an order multiple times with primarily those two. Adding to the breaking ball will be important long term.
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Cam Tellefsen 3B / 1B / Landstown, VA / 2025Physical 6-foot-4 frame with lean strength. One of the biggest things with Tellefsen is you watch the swing and operation and you don't see some big lumbering, long swing that is just hunting power. He stays inside throughout, is in sync, has above average bat and hand speed, and can hit for average and power. Thought he showed really well at the 17U National Championship, where it seemed that he was on barrel almost every at bat. With wood, the ODU commit was producing 97-102 mph exits on the regular. More first base profile long term, but has a legitimate change to have an above average hit tool and above average power after a few years on campus.
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