The Midseason Rewind is a new edition taking a look at each uncommitted junior that has been featured in our Alabama Scout Blogs throughout the first half of the spring high school season. The goal of this article is to highlight some of the state's top uncommitted juniors that we've seen over the course of the first month and half and provide college coaches a one-stop-shop for some quality prospects still on the board. Provided are scouting notes, videos, pitching velocities, and more that will be broken down into three groups in Positional Players, Pitchers, and Two-Way Players. 

The PBR Scouting Staff will continue to be out in full-force throughout the rest of the season, and will be adding more player reports into the Weekly Scout Blogs. Once the season has come to an end, we will release another edition similar to this highlighting those players that we've seen in the second half of the season.

 

UNCOMMITTED TWO-WAY PLAYERS

+ RHP/3B Brendan Conner (Corner, 2024) is currently the No. 16-ranked prospect in the AL 2024 class and is the top-rated uncommitted player still left on the board. Judging from his performance this weekend, he shouldn’t be uncommitted too much longer. A definite two-way talent, Conner showed the propensity to hit early on Friday as he took numerous good swings, including an RBI double. He hit missiles all weekend and was not overmatched at all by high velocity and seemed to never chase out of the zone. The 6-foot-0, 205-pounder has strength throughout the frame as he creates carry and backspin from a simplified approach. Conner seemed to be on the barrel all weekend and hammered the middle of the field. On the mound, the uncommitted junior went four innings and was in complete control throughout as he only allowed one hit and no earned runs. Early on, Conner was 86-88 mph and commanded the fastball very well to the glove-side with occasional cut. He held his velocity into his final inning on the mound. The difference maker is the slider as it looks identical to the fastball out of the hand with horizontal action at 76-79 mph. A bulldog on the mound, Conner features two premium pitches as part of his arsenal.

RHP/3B Brendan Conner (3/17/23)

+ RHP/SS Connor Gehr (Gulf Shores, 2024) was another prospect in the southern part of the state that we were looking forward to seeing this past weekend after a pair of standout showings at PBR events over the last year. Continuing to one-up prior performances, Gehr twirled another gem on the mound in a big-game atmosphere. After going 5.2 IP, 0 H, ER, 2 BB, and 12 K’s in his Opening Day start a week ago and earning the no-decision, the uncommitted junior was locked in from the start and tossed a complete-game shutout going 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, and 9 K’s on just 70 pitches, 54 of which were for strikes. The wiry 6-foot-0, 160-pounder established all three offerings from the jump, including his fastball that operated at 85-88 mph (2400 rpm) for the entirety of his outing. The right-hander also showed excellent feel for his late-biting slider at 76-78 mph (2500 rpm) that tunneled well off his fastball and collected a heavy amount of swings-and-misses throughout his outing while showing the ability to land it for strikes in the zone and bury it in the dirt with two strikes. He also turned over a few quality fading changeups at 78-79 mph. Gehr is a very athletic mover on the mound and possesses moxie and conviction over all three of his offerings. At the plate, Gehr came up in big spots all weekend with multiple doubles hitting in the three-hole while playing a clean shortstop defensively. One of the top uncommitted prospects in the state of AL.

RHP Connor Gehr (2/24/23)

+ 3B/RHP Mason Blasche (Hoover, 2024) doubles a two-way player for the Bucs but Saturday morning the bat was on display as the uncommitted junior collected two hits in four at-bats. Hitting out of the five-hole, Blasche drove in two runs to help the Bucs take the 11-7 victory. Already with four home runs on the year, he also showed a disciplined approach on Saturday as he got the barrel to a pitch on the inner-half for a solid single to the pull side. In his next at-bat, the junior showed solid plate discipline on a pitch away to drive it to right field to extend the Bucs' lead to 5-3. The bat path was mostly flat but the ball came off the barrel well and showed some backspin and carry. As mentioned previously, Blasche doubles as a quality arm for the Bucs showcasing fastball in the upper-80’s/low-90’s. So far during the 2023 season, Blasche has been used as a more of a back-end guy for the Bucs. One of the top uncommitted hitters in the junior class in AL.

3B Mason Blasche (3/25/23)

+ RHP/OF Rylan Gober (Orange Beach, 2024) was the counterpart to Gehr in Friday night’s highly-anticipated matchup in front of a packed Gulf Shores Sportsplex and showed some intriguing stuff on the mound throughout his first couple of innings. With a strong frame, Gober has a unique delivery that provides some deception and produces a fastball that was up to 88 mph a few times in the early going before settling into the mid-80’s with some occasional cut for the rest of his outing. The uncommitted junior also showed some quality feel for spin on a slider that worked in the 72-76 mph range and was landed in the strike zone with consistency throughout the early part of his start. He struggled a bit in the third inning, but flashed some intriguing ability on the mound and will be a good uncommitted prospect to follow in the junior class in AL. Also took some strong swings from the left side of the plate throughout the weekend.

RHP Rylan Gober (2/24/23)

+ SS/RHP Nick McCord (Oak Mountain, 2024) has been a consistent performer for the Eagles over the past couple of years and continues to make his impact during the junior season. McCord, an uncommitted junior who attended the PBR Future Games with Team Alabama last summer, is a strong two-way prospect that is ranked inside the Top-40 in the junior class in AL. The right-hander has shown his ability to make an impact both at the plate and on the mound over the last year, but his right-handed swing was what stood out during yesterday’s contest. Hitting at the top of the order for the Eagles, McCord set the tone for the offense while collecting a pair of hits in the process. One of those hits was a booming double that fell just short of the left-center field fence, where he ambushed a fastball over the heart of the plate in a plus count. While standing 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, the junior packs a punch using controlled aggression throughout his swing and has fast hands through the zone while staying short and compact. He is also a two-way prospect that has run his fastball up to 88 mph over the past year. A good one to follow this spring in the junior class in AL.

SS Nick McCord (3/7/23)

+ OF/RHP Jackson Henderson (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, 2024) jumped out in a quick first viewing of the uncommitted junior while possessing some intriguing two-way capabilities. Standing 6-foot-4, 235-pounds, Henderson has tons of physical strength and is another multi-sport prospect that plays football. Playing in a game that got out of hand early, Henderson only took two at-bats in the contest but took some quality swings throughout. In his second at-bat, the uncommitted junior showed off some power hitting from the right side driving an offering the opposite way and into a stiff wind for a loud triple. Henderson hits from a wider base and uses a really quick and simple leg stride to back down on time and has plenty of present bat speed. His strong and physical frame allows him to drive the ball to all fields for power and already has three home runs on the season. Although we were only able to see him at the plate, he has also shown his ability to work his fastball into the upper-80's on the mound. Another good uncommitted junior to keep an eye on this spring.

OF Jackson Henderson (3/13/23)

+ RHP/OF Ethan Kick (Spanish Fort, 2024) earned the nod for the Toros against Madison Academy and was highly efficient through five plus innings. The uncommitted junior did not allow an earned run while scattering six hits throughout the contest. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-hander operated in the low-80’s with slight run to the arm side. Kick worked both halves to stay ahead early in the count to a scrappy Madison Academy lineup. The secondary offerings included a fading changeup in the low-70’s thrown to right and left handed hitters, and an 11-5 breaking ball that was 70-71 mph. The right-hander controlled the run game while operating out of the stretch with various holds and a quick pick off move. Long and lean, Kick will continue to improve with added strength to his frame.

RHP Ethan Kick (3/18/23)

 

Uncommitted Pitcher-Only's

+ RHP Mac Anderson (Gulf Shores, 2024) was called on out of the 'pen on Saturday morning versus Hartselle to hold the Tigers within reach and the uncommitted junior did just that while working 2.2 innings of shutout baseball. The 6-foot-5, 175-pounder showed a quick arm and athletic delivery from a high 3/4 arm slot. Anderson was able to spot the fastball in and out in the zone at 87-90 mph early and eventually settled into the mid 80’s. Working off the fastball, the breaking ball appeared to be difficult to pick up for hitters as it showed late downward action with sharp bite. He was able to get several swings-and-misses on the 72-73 mph breaking ball. Over his 2.2 innings on the bump, he allowed two hits and two walks while punching out three Hartselle hitters.  Easy to see the projection in the junior and is an intriguing follow for college coaches this spring.

RHP Mac Anderson (2/25/23)

+ RHP Teague Broadhead (Bayside Academy, 2024) has emerged as a quality uncommitted prospect in the junior class in AL throughout the early part of this spring. Standing 6-foot-2, 205-pounds, Broadhead is a multi-sport athlete that doubles as a linebacker in football and also wrestles. With plenty of bullets left, the junior has the competent ability to spin a baseball and showcased plenty to build on in the future in his start facing one of the more talented lineups in the state. Although command labored at times, the right-hander showed the ability to miss barrels and generate weak contact throughout his outing. Working three innings, Broadhead held steady around 84-86 mph and touched 87 mph multiple times in the early going with plenty of running action to his fastball. His breaking ball showcased big 11-5 shape sitting in the mid-70's and registered spin rates up to 2850 rpm. He can spin it for strikes in the zone, and proved to also be a quality swing-and-miss offering out of zone in late counts. The right-hander possesses a fast, compact arm stroke coming out of a high 3/4 slot with some whip. He finished going 3 IP, 2 H, 6 R (4 ER), 6 BB, and 5 K on 79 pitches, 44 of which were for strikes. Intriguing uncommitted right-handed pitcher to keep close tabs on this spring.

RHP Teague Broadhead (3/13/23)

+ LHP Spencer Nicholas (Tuscaloosa County, 2024) was given a difficult task squaring off against one of the more potent offensive lineups that features multiple hitters that have either signed or committed to the Division 1 level, but twirled a gem on the mound en route to a big win during last weekend’s event. The uncommitted junior has been a big piece on the mound for the Wildcats over the past couple of years, and continued to deliver quality starts going 6 IP, 3 H, R (0 ER), 2 BB, and 7 K’s in a strong effort. While he won’t overpower you with velocity, Nicholas is that typical low-80’s southpaw that moves all three offerings around the zone while consistently generating weak contact. He features a quality combo of secondary pitches that he can throw in any count, including a sweeping breaking ball and a fading changeup that works well off of his fastball. Nicholas never seems sped up on the mound and works at his own pace, and made some big pitches against a quality lineup throughout his six innings of work.

LHP Spencer Nicholas (2/24/23)

+ RHP Jackson Killcreas (Opelika, 2024) took the ball in Game 2 and worked four strong innings on the mound en route to earning the win for the Bulldogs. Solidly and athletically built at 6-foot-0, 185-pounds, the uncommitted junior did an excellent job keeping hitters off-balanced throughout his outing using a power slider that he showed feel for spin on. Working his fastball up to 86-87 mph (2300 rpm) early on, the right-hander settled into more 83-85 mph for the duration of his outing. His slider, however, was his best offering of the day, ranging 76-78 mph (2650 rpm) and inducing a handful of whiffs throughout his outing. He showed the ability to land in the zone for a called strike when he needed it, while also tunneling it off of his fastball with late bite in the bottom of the zone to get a swing-and-miss with two strikes. He finished going 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 4 BB, and 6 K’s.

RHP Jackson Killcreas (3/4/23)

+ RHP Alex Sherman (UMS-Wright, 2024) competed well in his start in the nightcap facing a quality 7A opponent and worked into the sixth inning during his outing. Standing 6-foot-3, 205-pounds, the uncommitted junior established the fastball for strikes in the early part of his outing, and seemed to find a better feel for his breaking ball as his outing progressed. The right-hander worked up to 85 mph in his outing and had strong command for the pitch, while also showing a hard 74-76 mph breaking ball (2300 rpm) that spins right with good shape to it. Sherman showed a well-paced delivery that flowed well and stayed synced-up throughout his outing, and battled against a talented lineup throughout his six innings. There’s some looseness to his arm stroke coming out of a high 3/4 slot. Sherman, although he came out on the losing side, finished going 5.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R (1 ER), 6 BB, and 9 K’s on the night.

RHP Alex Sherman (3/4/23)

+ LHP Blake Saltzman (Hazel Green, 2024) is not a finished product but there is a ton of projection in the junior southpaw. Facing a potent Sparkman lineup, the uncommitted junior showed a long arm strike and a high 3/4 arm slot as he showed the ability to locate to both sides of the plate. He featured the fastball early at 81-83 mph and up to 84 mph that showed occasional action to the arm side and some tilt out of the hand. The breaking ball showed solid 1-7 action that seemed to disappear late to the bottom half of the zone, getting several swings-and-misses on the offering. The 6-foot-4 junior showed a ton of confidence throwing the changeup as it was a legitimate pitch in his arsenal that came out of the hand the same as the fastball and showed late tumble away from right-handed hitters.

LHP Blake Saltzman (3/16/23)

+ RHP Andrew Hicks (Prattville, 2024) delivered a stellar outing on the mound when his team needed it the most facing off against one of the top teams in Class 7A. Hicks, a long 6-foot-4, 185-pounder, worked into the seventh inning and held a very talented lineup to just two hits in his extending outing. The uncommitted junior worked up to the mid-80's early on his outing but settled into more low-80's as the duration of his outing went on. He generates some heavy sink into right-handed hitters using a short 3/4 arm stroke, and pairs that with a quality slider in the low-70's with late bite and 11-5 shape. Hicks battled all night long making some big pitches in some big spots, and finished earning the win going 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, and 4 K's on 83 pitches, 46 of which were for strikes. He's been up into the upper-80's last summer, and should be a good uncommitted arm in the junior class in AL to follow.

RHP Andrew Hicks (2/28/23)

+ RHP Ryan Everly (Sparkman, 2024) relieved Wells and was just as effective over the final three innings of the game. Everly only needed 54 pitches to make fairly quick work of opposing hitters. Working from an up-tempo, athletic delivery,  the uncommitted junior featured a shorter arm stroke and seemed to hide the ball very well from hitters. Much like Wells, Everly established the fastball early at 85-86 mph with legitimate arm-side run into right-handed hitters as he consistently jammed opposing hitters. The breaking ball at 72-73 mph shows a bit of slider-type action that he located fairly well to the glove side. An interesting 2024 right-handed pitcher to keep an eye on.

RHP Ryan Everly (2/20/23)

 

Uncommitted Positional Players

+ C Ethan Crook (Thompson, 2024) was another Warrior that enjoyed a strong weekend to help kick-off his junior campaign recording a total of four hits across three games. Although he posted some strong offensive stat lines hitting in the heart of the order for Thompson, the uncommitted junior was just as impressive with his efforts behind the plate all weekend long. Standing 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, Crook was one of our favorite defensive catchers from the event and worked extremely hard for his pitching staff behind the plate. The junior has excellent mobility from the crouch and quiet receiving skills with strong wrists and sub-2.0 pop times with carry and accuracy on throws to the second-base bag. Offensively, the right-hander has a simple setup and quick load using a toe-tap trigger, and showed some bat speed through the zone along with some power potential.

C Ethan Crook (2/18/23)

+ OF Alexander Bennett (Mobile Christian, 2024) is another key offensive piece for the Leopards that took some strong swings in last night's contest. A switch-hitting outfielder that played some first base last night, Bennett is regarded as one of the top uncommitted prospects in the junior class in AL and was a member of Team Alabama at last summer's PBR Future Games. Standing 5-foot-11, 195-pounds, Bennett has plenty of offensive prowess hitting from the left side and looks like a natural hitter from that side of the plate facing all right-handers last night. The junior has a simple and balanced setup from the left side of the plate and uses a quick load/trigger with a short stride to get back down on time. The swing is short and compact and has showcased good feel for the barrel in multiple looks over the past couple of years. He possesses some present power with two home runs on the season and should continue to see more as he adds to his frame and continues to develop. A sub-7.0-runner, Bennett is also a solid athlete that can cover some ground in the outfield and be a threat on the base paths. He finished going 1-for-4 with an RBI double down the line in right field in yesterday's contest. A quality uncommitted junior to keep close tabs on throughout this spring.

OF Alexander Bennett (3/14/23)

+ SS Drew Britton (Pike Road, 2024) is regarded as one of the top uncommitted left-handed hitters in the junior class in AL and showed why with a few hits during yesterday’s doubleheader action. Listed at 6-foot-0, 175-pounds, Britton has some athleticism and strength throughout his build which translates well to his offensive profile from the left side of the plate. The uncommitted junior stays short and compact throughout his swing that consistently finds line drives with his barrel using a mostly flat path through the zone. Britton has shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields in multiple viewings over the past couple of years, and plays a clean shortstop defensively, as well. Table-setter hitting at the top of their order. Britton will be a good uncommitted prospect to follow in the junior class in AL this spring.

SS Drew Britton (3/4/23)

+ SS Bryson Morman (Chelsea, 2024) really got things going for the Hornets offense right off the get go with a loud three-run home run to left center field in the top of the first inning, shifted all momentum to that Chelsea dugout that continued to carry with them throughout the entirety of the game. Morman collected two hits in the season opener and brought home three RBI’s to go along with the pair of knocks. Not only got things done on the offensive end of things but turned in a couple of high level plays at shortstop, athletic frame at 5-foot-11, 165-pounds, a scrappy defender who moves well laterally and gets after it on both sides of the ball.

SS Bryson Morman (2/18/23)

+ SS Cam Warren (Saraland, 2024) looked back in mid-season form with a pair of strong swings in yesterday’s nightcap. Warren, a quality uncommitted prospect in the junior class in AL, has worked back to full-strength from an injury suffered last season and is once again making a big impact offensively for the Spartans hitting in the middle of their order. Listed at 5-foot-8, 180-pounds, Warren has a strong lower-half and some athleticism throughout his game that impacts the game in a variety of ways. The right-hander’s best swing came on a missile into the pull-side gap for an RBI double, then followed it up with an opposite field RBI single to right field in his next at-bat. Warren creates significant separation with his hands and shows some present bat speed through the zone. The junior finished going 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and two RBI’s in the nightcap. Another quality uncommitted infielder in the junior class in AL.

SS Cam Warren (3/10/23)

+ OF Jay Davidson (Daphne, 2024) is a prospect in the junior class that has continued get better over the past couple of years and continued to show the same offensive prowess into this weekend's event. Using an athletic frame, the uncommitted junior was consistently on the barrel throughout the event hitting in the three-hole of a talented Trojan lineup. The right-hander took quality at-bat's and showed a mostly gap-to-gap approach at the plate with a short stroke and simple, athletic setup at the plate. He seems to play with bounce and has athletic actions with some proportional strength throughout his frame. On the mound, the two-way threat operated in the low-80's in his start and seemed to get better as the game went on. For the weekend, Davidson hit .333 (5-for-15) with four singles, a double, an RBI, and a walk offensively. He will be a good uncommitted junior to follow closely throughout the spring season.

OF Jay Davidson (2/23/23)

+ SS Carson Wideman (Hewitt-Trussville, 2024) is one of the top uncommitted infielders in the junior class in AL and continues to perform well for a powerhouse Huskies program in Class 7A. A returning starter after serving as the shortstop a season ago as a sophomore, Wideman has a 6-foot-2, 175-pound build that shows flashes of athleticism and much more room to add strength over the coming years. Hitting in the middle of a strong lineup, the right-hander got off some strong swings in yesterday’s action and played a mostly clean shortstop up the middle defensively. Offensively, Wideman has a narrow, athletic setup and has a simple load with the ability to generate some bat speed through the zone. One of his best swings of the day came on a plus-count offering, where he stayed disciplined and drove a pitch on the outer-half the other way for a run-scoring single. The junior can control the barrel well with some feel for the sweet spot and ability to spray firm line drives to all parts of the field. He is a reliable defender up the middle with some arm strength across the infield, and should be one to follow closely moving forward throughout the spring.

SS Carson Wideman (3/10/23)

+ OF Matthew Widra (Spain Park, 2024) was a good find at last summer’s 33’s Baseball Scout Day and continues to impress with strong offensive abilities from the left side. Although a bit undersized standing 5-foot-9, 155-pounds, the uncommitted junior doesn't let that affect his game while taking some aggressive cuts and not getting cheated with each pass. Widra, a previous 6.69-runner, has some twitch and athletic actions in all parts of his game, and looks to impact the baseball at a high level and drive it to the pull-side gap. He has fast hands that lead a quick barrel through the zone and has shown the ability to change planes with his barrel. Facing some quality arms in a competitive matchup, Widra finished going 2-for-3 with one run driven in, a run scored, and a pair of walks, one being the game-winning walk with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th. Hitting in the middle of a talented Jaguar order, left-hander has shown some strong power output over the past year, and is a good left-handed hitting outfielder to follow in the junior class this spring.

OF Matthew Widra (3/8/23)

+ SS Taylor Jordan (Robertsdale, 2024) was a bright spot offensively for the Golden Bears in their doubleheader sweep on the final day of the weekend, including some extra-base hits hitting in the heart of the order. Using an athletic frame with some proportional strength throughout, the uncommitted junior displayed some pull-side power during those two contests with a pair of deep drives into the left-center field gap, one resulting in a run-scoring double. Beginning in a balanced, upright stance from the right side of the plate, Jordan shows the ability to stay short and compact throughout his swing and lets the barrel work through the zone while generating some easy juice to the pull-side. Defensively, Jordan is equally adept working at the shortstop position with athletic footwork and steady hands up the middle. A good uncommitted junior prospect to follow throughout the spring.

SS Taylor Jordan (2/25/23)

+ OF Houston Markham (Pike Road, 2024) is a multi-sport athlete for the Patriots that has certainly gotten off to a good start on the diamond hitting in the three-hole of a talented lineup. Standing 5-foot-10, 185-pounds, the uncommitted junior seems to be a dynamic athlete with the ability to affect the game in a variety of ways. The left-handed hitter recorded multiple hits throughout the day on Saturday, including a 3-for-3 effort with three singles in Game 2. Although he didn’t show it much with those singles, Markham has shown excellent speed in past looks, including last summer at LakePoint. His swing is short, compact, and quick from the left side with a level path to contact, and uses a controlled stride but shows no issue getting back down on time. On the day, the uncommitted junior finished going 3-for-5 with three singles, two RBI’s, three runs scored, a walk, and a pair of stolen bases.

OF Houston Markham (3/4/23)

+ SS Brandt Cummings (Russellville, 2024) is one of the few players that returns to this year’s team that played a strong role for the Golden Tigers last year en route to a Class 5A State Title. He’s already proving to be one of their key pieces and best players on their roster, as he consistently set the tone for their lineup hitting in the leadoff spot while taking some quality at-bats throughout the weekend. Standing 5-foot-9, 170-pounds, the uncommitted junior has a solidly-built frame with some present athleticism and recorded multiple hits for the Golden Tigers while being a key piece to their success over the weekend. Hitting from a more open stance before using a fairly quick stride to get back to square, Cummings showed the ability to handle pitches in different parts of the zone while being athletic enough to keep his weight back and find enough of the sweet spot on pitches on the outer-halves to drive them to the outfield for base hits. He possesses a quality two-strike approach offensively and cuts down his stance and stride while using an accurate barrel to handle different pitches. He is a solid defender up the middle playing shortstop with some arm strength across the infield, and may profile as a future second baseman at the next level. He seems to be one of their leaders and is a reason why they have continued to make improvements as a team over the course of just a month. A good uncommitted junior to follow throughout the spring and summer.

SS Brandt Cummings (3/16/23)

+ C Cam Palahach (Hartselle, 2024) is one player on a loaded Hartselle roster that sometimes may get over-shadowed due to production from some of their higher profile prospects, but certainly is a huge piece to their success and has been for the past couple of years. Palahach, an uncommitted junior with a compact 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame, seems to be a glue-guy behind the plate and works extremely hard for his pitching staff. Although everything that comes offensively from Palahach is a bonus due to his abilities behind the plate, the backstop showed up in big moments offensively this weekend while accumulating a total of six hits, including the go-ahead RBI double in their first game. The right-hander has a strong lower-half and incorporates it well throughout his swing that generates some pull-side pop. Defensively, he’s close to being a complete defensive catcher with quality receiving and blocking skills behind the plate.

C Cam Palahach (3/24/23)

+ INF Jacob Pearl (Bob Jones, 2024) has really seemed to hit his stride towards the middle part of the season and showed the ability to hit for extra bases at this past weekend’s event. Listed at 5-foot-7, 160-pounds with compact strength, the uncommitted junior connected for a pair of deep drives in the Patriots’ two games of the event and continued to spray hard contact throughout each at-bat on Saturday. Pearl has a knob-led path to contact and has strong feel for the barrel and how to control it throughout his swing, and showed some glimpses of power and the ability to drive in runs hitting near the bottom of a talented order. The left-hander possesses smooth, athletic actions in his all-around game and can change planes with his barrel while working mostly uphill through the zone. Pearl capped his strong week after playing in a spring break tournament and then this event, and finished hitting .545 (6-for-11) with 2 HR’s, 3B, 2B, 9 RBI’s, 6 R’s, 5 BB’s, and a SB. Another quality uncommitted junior to follow this spring and summer.

UTL Jacob Pearl (3/18/23)

+ OF Nolan Phillips (Fairhope, 2024) paced Fairhope offensively while patrolling center field for the Pirates. The uncommitted junior finished the doubleheader going 4-for-7 including two doubles and three RBIs. Phillips is an athletic-bodied 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-handed hitter who utilizes his speed to change the game on both sides of the ball. A balanced, contact-oriented approach allows him to reach base where he creates havoc in the run game. Phillips also showcased his versatility as he executed a perfect safety squeeze to tie the game in the bottom of the 7th and would come around to score the game-winning run. Defensive skills are present as he made two difficult plays on the run going backwards and cut down a run at the plate with a one-hop strike from centerfield late in Game 2. Dynamic, top of the order player who can alter the game in many different facets.

OF Nolan Phillips (3/4/23)

+ INF Tarpley Priest (Hazel Green, 2024) just continues to hit out of the two-hole for the Trojans as evidenced by his early RBI single to put the Trojans up 1-0 in the top of the first inning. Using a small toe-tap trigger, Priest seems to always be on time with the barrel showing the ability to handle pitches to all quadrants of the plate. The uncommitted senior stays well-connected and short to contact but does a good job of keeping the barrel through the hitting zone. After the single to the pull-side in his first at-bat, he showed the versatility of his offensive game in his next at-bat as he drove a ball to left field that was eventually caught. Priest seems to produce at each of our looks and will be a definite solid addition to a college program that is looking for a quality left-handed bat.

INF Tarpley Priest (3/16/23)

+ OF/LHP Bryce Cain (Baker, 2024) continues to impress with a dynamic, versatile profile that can impact the game in several ways. The multi-sport athlete found three hard barrels during the contest in a tough matchup facing a high-level Division 1 arm. Cain has a contact-oriented approach to all fields from the right side with quick hands that allows him to utilize his speed. The uncommitted junior finished with 1-for-3 with one stolen base and several hard barrels in the three-hole while creating pressure on the defense as soon as he leaves the batter’s box. Fluid defender that showed efficient routes in center field and present arm strength with on-line carry and accuracy during pre-game infield/outfield.

OF Bryce Cain (3/4/23)

+ INF Cason Page (Central-Phenix City, 2024) was very impressive for the Red Devils hitting out of the bottom half of the order against two high-level arms from Bob Jones. Page showed a very direct path to contact with the barrel with some quickness in the hands. For the night, Page was 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs while also scoring a run showing the ability to hit to all fields against upper 80’s arms. He seemed to be his best in the biggest moments. An interesting 2024 to keep an eye on this year.

INF Cason Page (2/18/23)

+ INF James Battersby (Spain Park, 2024) is another underlying piece in the midst of the Spain Park offense that took some quality swings and had some overall solid at-bats on the weekend. The uncommitted junior  came through for the Jaguars early on in their second game of the doubleheader on Saturday against Bayside, with a pair of runners in scoring position, the right-handed hitting middle infielder caught all of the barrel and roped a double down the left field line that really opened things up. The right-hander has a short, compact stroke from an athletic, well-balanced stance that can spray it to all parts of the field. The uncommitted middle infielder has some quality tools to match the 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame.

INF James Battersby (2/25/23)

+ SS Bray Smith (Thompson, 2024) was a key contributor to the Thompson win over Gardendale on Friday night over at Mountain Brook. Bray put together several solid at-bats during opening night but none of them were as clutch as his at-bat that came in extra innings with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth. Shows a high level of athleticism and twitchy movements, the junior shortstop caught a fastball over the plate and launched a grand slam deep down the left field line that gave the Warriors a commanding 9-5 lead and shifted all momentum their way late as the Warriors held off the Rockets in the home half of the inning and started their 2023 campaign with a win.

SS Bray Smith (2/18/23)

+ C Davis Gulley (Bessemer Academy, 2024) didn't have much to show for offensively in the Game 1 loss during yesterday's double-header, but certainly made his presence felt in his first at-bat in Game 2 to get the Rebels' offense going early on. After a pair of walks to start the inning, Gulley delivered a big three-run shot over the right field wall for a no-doubter to stretch Bessemer Academy's lead to 3-0 in the early going. Continuing to take good at-bat's throughout the course of the game, the switch-hitting catcher would go on to walk in his next two plate appearances showing solid awareness of the zone and a selective approach hitting from the left side. Standing 5-foot-11, 150-pounds that should carry more weight as he continues to grow and develop, Gulley has an upright, slightly open stance before getting back square with a quick leg stride. Looking for a fastball over the plate, the uncommitted junior fires quick hands through the zone and showed the ability to turn his barrel and find the sweet spot on the inner-half offering. Also works hard behind the plate defensively with some arm strength on throws to the second base bag.

C Davis Gulley (2/16/23)

+ SS Tyce Moody (Huntsville, 2024) enjoyed a big night with the bat and was the only player on either team to collect multiple hits in the pitcher’s dual that took place on Tuesday night. The uncommitted junior shortstop was also the only person to drive in a run as he drove home both of the Panther runs for the 2-0 final. Moody earned a starting nod at shortstop a year ago as a sophomore due to his solid defensive work with the glove. The glove work was evident again on Tuesday as the junior handled the only ball hit his way, showing very fluid footwork through the baseball. For the night, Moody was 2-for-2 at the plate with an RBI sacrifice fly in his other plate appearance. In his first at-bat of the night, the sophomore got into a favorable count and was able to inside-out a pitch for a liner over the shortstop’s head. In his second plate appearance of the night in the fourth with one out, Moody jumped on a pitch early in the count for an RBI sacrifice fly to left field.  In his third at-bat, he showed no trouble getting to some velocity on the inner-half as hammered a triple to the gap in right-center field for an RBI triple. All three of his at-bats were against upper-80’s velocity. Moody seems to have the ability to slow the game down, he simply just plays the game and is an in-game producer. If a college program is looking for a throwback-type player that will just go about his business, produce, and help a team win then Moody is definitely worth a follow.

SS Tyce Moody (3/21/23)

+ OF Landon Blackwood (Hartselle, 2024) seemed to be in the middle of Hartselle scoring opportunities multiple times throughout the weekend. The 6-foot-0, 170-pounder shows a relaxed setup in the box and showed no issue on handling increased velocity on the inner half of the plate. Speedy outfielder who also plays quarterback on the Tigers football team, collected four hits in ten at-bats on the weekend including a double that barely missed leaving the yard. The uncommitted junior also showed a disciplined, patient approach as he consistently worked long at-bats while also drawing four walks during the weekend. Blackwood should have plenty of opportunities to produce this season as he is just one piece of an impressive offensive lineup the Tigers have in 2023.

OF Landon Blackwood (2/25/23)

 

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