Prep Baseball Report

Madison Rising Stars ID: Quick Hits


Austin Sharp
Alabama Scouting Director

MADISON, AL - The Madison Rising Stars ID was held on Sunday, May 28th at Bob Jones HS in Madison, AL. This was an open event that consisted of prospects in the 2027-2028 classes. These players went through a pro-style workout and took batting practice using Trackman to record hitting metrics. Pitchers were able to throw in simulated bullpens and were able to get numbers and metrics off of our Trackman unit, such as pitch velocity, spin rate, horizontal & vertical movement & much more. There were some players who showed up and continued to build off of prior performances, but there were also some new names who jumped onto our radar with a strong showing on Sunday.

Kicking off our post-event coverage for this event, we take a look back at some of the top performers and standouts from the event. Continuing over the course of the next week or so, we will release Statistical Leaderboards for the event then transition into releasing individual scouting reports for each player in attendance.

 

+ OF/LHP Jace Duckett (Madison County, 2027) immediately stood out before the event ever began due to his size and stature standing a lean and uber-projectable 6-foot-0, 145-pounds. With much more strength and development still to come over the next few years, Duckett certainly has the skills to back up his frame and enjoyed a strong day across the board as a two-way player. The rising freshman began his day with an impressive showing offensively during his BP round, where he lined balls to the pull-side on a consistent basis. The left-handed hitter possesses good rhythm throughout his swing while creating tons of separation with his hands during his operation. He has a simple and quick stride and works his barrel on a mostly uphill path through the zone, and should continue to see higher volumes of power output as he adds more mass to his frame. On the mound, the southpaw pumped strikes throughout his bullpen while operating in the low-70s and using an up-tempo, athletic delivery. He is certainly to see bigger jumps in the future, and mixed in a late-biting breaking ball and a changeup as his secondary offerings. Intriguing rising freshman that possesses some upside both at the plate and on the mound.

OF Jace Duckett (5/28/23)

+ 3B Cole Ziak (Hazel Green, 2027) was one of the top offensive standouts from yesterday’s event and established himself as a young name to know in the rising freshman class in AL. Listed at 6-foot-0, 150-pounds, Ziak is a lean and athletic frame that will certainly hold more strength in the future, but certainly has the skills and ability to match his frame. The left-handed hitter posted one of the most impressive rounds of BP where he was consistently on the barrel making firm contact and driving balls to all fields. Starting in a balanced, upright position, Ziak stays compact throughout his swing and shows some quick hands turning the barrel in a quick window. Spraying the ball both sides of the field, the left-hander has power potential and turned in one of the highest exit velocities from the event. He also moved athletically defensively and has developing arm strength from the infield and outfield.

3B Cole Ziak (5/28/23)

+ OF Riley White (Athens, 2027) was another prospect that enjoyed a stellar all-around day and ranked near the top of the most statistical categories from the event. Listed at 5-foot-9, 140-pounds, White still has much more development and physical growth still to come, but really jumped out to our staff with the way he swung the bat during his round of BP. With one of the smoother swings from the event hitting from the left side, the rising freshman peppered the middle of the field during his round and recorded some of the highest exit velocities during the offensive workout. The rising freshman attacks the baseball with a fairly level path creating back-spin line drives to both gaps and showed a knack for finding the sweet spot of the barrel with nearly each swing. He also recorded a top OF velocity of 80 mph, an event-best, and a 7.64 60 YD, third-best from event.

OF Riley White (5/28/23)

+ OF Ty Hunter (Hazel Green, 2028) was one of the younger prospects in attendance from yesterday, but it didn’t stop him from being one of the standouts in multiple facets of the event. Still with a smaller frame that will continue to improve over the course of the next few years, Hunter plays much bigger than his frame would suggest and is advanced in terms of skill set for a player of his age. The left-hander was the first hitter to take his round of BP, and wasted no time making an impression while lining balls back up the middle and to the opposite field. Hunter meets the baseball in the zone with a flat bat path and showed the ability to handle multiple different pitches in the zone while still being able to find the sweet spot. The rising eighth-grader also posted the best 10, 30, 60 YD from the event, recording a 1.77, 4.05, 7.31, respectively.

OF Ty Hunter (5/28/23)

+ SS/RHP Paul Barnett (Mountain Brook, 2027) was another rising freshman prospect from yesterday’s event that enjoyed a strong showing and will be one to follow in the coming years. Listed at 5-foot-10, 140-pounds, Barnett has a wiry and projectable frame and is smooth, athletic mover in nearly everything he does on the field. He really jumped out during the offensive portion of the workout, where he drove balls to both gaps during his round of BP and displayed some intriguing potential for power. The rising freshman still has much more physical maturation and development still to come, but there’s still much to be impressed with his skills and ability up to this point. Barnett recorded multiple mid-80s exit velocities and was a smooth defender up the middle at the shortstop position during the workout. He is also a quality right-handed pitcher on the mound, and will be one to follow in the coming years.

SS Paul Barnett (5/28/23)

 

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Upcoming Events

SHOWCASE DATE LOCATION
Top Prospect Games: Upperclass (Invite-Only) 6/13/23 Choccolocco Park (Oxford, AL)
Top Prospect Games: Underclass (Invite-Only) 6/14/23 Choccolocco Park (Oxford, AL)
Birmingham Open 6/21/23 Spain Park HS (Birmingham, AL)
Birmingham Rising Stars ID 6/21/23 Spain Park HS (Birmingham, AL)
Montgomery Open 6/28/23 Stanhope Elmore HS (Millbrook, AL)
All-State Games (Invite-Only) 7/11/23 Troy University (Troy, AL)
Mobile Rising Stars ID 7/18/23 Faith Academy (Mobile, AL)
South Alabama Games (Invite-Only) 7/18/23 Faith Academy (Mobile, AL)

 

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