VA/DC Class of 2025 Rankings Update: Arms On The Rise
November 19, 2024
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While there was no expansion to this rankings update, we did see plenty of movement throughout the Top 250. Today we want to highlight five pitchers that have made a jump inside the rankings. Included in this story are videos and insights into the movement for each player.
VA/DC Class of 2025: Arms On The Rise
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Conner Hedgepeth RHP / 2B / POWHATAN HIGH, VA / 2025The velo for Hedgepeth has continued to get better, but there have been times where the pitchability and ability to get outs has been up and down. The Charleston (WV) commit showed improved stuff and efficiency this fall and was much more consistent with his production on the mound. The Powhatan HS right hander is ultra-competitve on the mound and works with energy. Although mostly a two-pitch mix in terms of usage, he did show an added secondary pitch or two to add to his arsenal.
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Brady Hoover RHP / 3B / Spotswood , VA / 20256-foot-2, 190-pound frame that could hold some bulk well. Mostly working mid 80's and will run it to 87-89 when he wants. Hoover shows mostly a two pitch mix with a really solid feel for a mid 70's slider. Pretty normal effort and with a solid breaking ball, there is some starter potential there, which he could continue to trend in that direction with an added third pitch. Shorter arm action and seems like he can get to his velo fairly easy with more room to add.
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Ryan Hummel 3B / RHP / CAPE HENRY COLLEGIATE SCHOOL, VA / 2025Similar to some others, Hummel could have slotted into either risers story. The left handed hitting Cape Henry product flashed some bat to ball and impact to go along with it this summer and fall. He is an above average athlete for his size and frame and handles his movements well in the box and on the mound. Mid 80's fastball on the mound with a slider that has a pretty tight split in velo and we feel like there is more there down the road. The positional fit at the next level is still TBD, but he is a sub 6.9 runner with above average arm strength and the versatility to move around to a few different places.
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Parker Noonan RHP / SS / DEEP RUN HIGH, VA / 2025Noonan possesses one of the best changeups, and probably secondary pitches in general, in the entire state. The now Radford commit has long possessed pitchability and the ability to get outs, but the velo has been light. While the velo could still stand to take another jump, it has taken a sizable step, especially in order for his recruitment to pick up this past summer. Mostly Noonan would work in the 80-83 range and then late summer and fall he would work more in the 84-86 range and flash a 87-89. He has begun to show a better feel and better shape for a breaking ball, but the changeup is the breadwinner. It is a firm changeup that plays really well off of the fastball and is a dominant pitch at the high school level, while showing the makings of a next level ready pitch.
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Aydan Smith RHP / SS / MONACAN HIGH, VA / 2025Smith is one of those arms that just quietly produces consistent results. The velo has been a question mark and while it still could use another jump, it has ticked up a bit. The Charleston Southern commit is one of the best PITCHERS in the Richmond area. Feel for three pitches, attacks the strike zone, and has above average control for a high school arm. The biggest thing with Smith is that he competes every single pitch and attacks hitters with stuff that he believes in. While younger classes have more projection weighted into a profile and rankings, the older classes close that gap and present abilities and performance weight more into the rankings. With Smith's ability to pitch and produce, he has surpassed some arms that may have louder stuff, but that have not continued to progress in terms of pitchability and ability to get outs.
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