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Southeast Fall Championships: Day 1 Standouts

September 19, 2020
Austin Sharp
Director of Scouting

Hoover, AL - The PBRT Southeast Summer Championships got underway tonight at the Hoover Met Complex with most teams playing their first pool play games of the tournament. The PBR Staff was treated to some electric arms and some power bats on Day 1. Day 2 is slated to be loaded with even more content, so make sure to stay posted on Twitter for updates throughout the tournament. Let's take a look at some of the standouts from Day 1...

6:00 Games

+ ‘22 LHP Alton Davis II (Bessemer Academy) continues to stand out at each PBR event he goes to. In this stint on the mound, Davis came in relief for the Excel Blue Wave 2022’s and he put that electric fastball on display once again, sitting primarily 89-91 mph with command for the pitch. It was a heavy dose of fastballs for the 6-foot-4, 180 pound southpaw, but he also flipped in two breaking balls for offspeed offerings. The slider keeps coming on in his development, as he produced some swings and misses on the pitch. Struck out the side in his lone inning of work. Currently ranked as the #4 player in the ‘22 Alabama Player Rankings. Alabama recruit.

+ ’22 Cameron Keshock (Spanish Fort HS) was another impressive arm that the Excel Blue Wave 2022’s rolled out on the mound on Day 1. Getting the start in Game 1, Keshock seemed to be in cruise control throughout his outing. Fastball played 84-86 mph and maintained it well in the outing. Commanded it to the glove side and paired that with a sharp breaking ball that showed hard 11/5 depth. Seemed to have a ton of confidence in the breaking ball and kept hitters off-balanced all night. Finished with 3 IP, 3 H’s, 1 ER, 1 BB, & 4 K’s. #5 in the ‘22 Alabama Player Rankings. Recently committed to Auburn.

+ '22 RHP Connor Ford (Hazel Green HS) turned in a solid start on the mound for Vipers Baseball Academy. Ford recorded 4 K’s, 5 H, 2 ER and 2 BB in his 4.1 innings of work. Ford commanded both sides of the plate during his outing and also flashed some solid secondary pitches as well. His fastball played well at 80-82, he was able to keep hitters off balance with his slider 71-72.

+ '22 3B/RHP Davis Gillespie (Oak Mountain HS) made a huge jump to #8 in the recently updated ‘22 Alabama Player Rankings, and showed why as he continues to stand out during gameplay tonight. Hitting the 4-spot in a loaded lineup, Gillespie finished 1-3 w/ a triple and 3 RBI’s in Game 1. His lone hit came when he jumped all over a plus count fastball and deposited it into the pull side gap. Possesses great bat-to-ball skills at the dish with already present power from the right side. Hopped on the mound later and worked 83-85 mph w/ above average secondary stuff. Gillespie was up to 90 mph this summer at the Top Prospect Games, so the arm strength along with the two-way potential is there. Member of Team Alabama at this summer’s PBR Future Games.

+ Another bat for the Excel Blue Wave 2022’s was ‘22 C/1B Lucas Steele (Hoover HS), who seemed to be locked in at the plate in Game 1. From the left side, Steele put the power on display in his 2nd AB, driving a pitch deep to the warning track in RF for a loud F9. Came up in the 3rd AB and smoked a missile back up the middle for a hard-hit single, and eventually scored on Gillespie’s triple. Mature approach at the plate from the left side with a great feel for the hit tool. Solid defensively behind the plate handling Excel’s arms. Good receiver and flexibility in the hips. #12 in the ‘22 Alabama Player Rankings. Another Future Gamer from this summer. Recent Samford commit.

+ ’21 1B/3B Jack Freind (Clay-Chalkville HS) was a force in the middle of the lineup for TPL 2021 on Day 1. Hitting in the 4-spot, Freind produced a stat line of 2-3 w/ a double, triple, & 3 RBI’s. Listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Freind shows some present power and the ability to hit for extra bases.

+ ’21 RHP Brady Fuller (Auburn HS) was dominant in his stint in relief for the Excel Blue Wave on Day 1. Fuller entered the game with a one run lead, and kept the TPL 2021 offense off the board for the final 3 ⅔ innings. Fastball worked 86-87 mph w/ command to the glove side, but the breaking ball was what really seemed to be the different-maker in the outing. Showed the ability to effectively throw it to both left & right handed hitters. Pairing those two pitches together made for some uncomfortable AB’s versus the uncommitted right-handed hurler. Finished with 3 ⅔ IP, 1 H, 0 R, & 6 K’s.

+ 33s Baseball 17U Gold was left offensively in Game 1 by '22 OF Grant Rakers (Oak Mountain HS) from the leadoff spot in the lineup. At the plate, Rakers went 3-4 w/ a double & two singles while scoring a run. Rakers really set the table at the top for 33's offense.

+ ’21 1B/OF Jackson Lindsey (Russellville HS) is an uncommitted senior that college coaches need to know about. From the left-side, Lindsey had two hits with 2 runs scored and an RBI. Impressed at multiple events over the past couple of years. 

+ A pair of 2022’s from the Excel Blue Wave that turned in good days at the plate were ‘22 SS Jeff Wilkins (Pelham HS) and ‘22 SS/2B Drake Seibert (Daphne HS). Seibert recorded two hits, both triples, on the day with two RBI’s. Wilkins went 2-3 w/ two runs scored and an RBI.


8:30 Games

+ ’21 3B Nicholas Smith (Russellville HS) reached base in all three of his AB’s on Day 1 for BlackSox Baseball 17U. In the three-hole, Smith put together a mature AB in the fourth inning when he shot a hard-hit single up the middle. Physical build from the right side that packs a punch in that 5-foot-10, 200 pound frame.

+ On the mound for the BlackSox Baseball 17U in Game 1, ‘21 RHP Samuel Sneed (Florence HS) & ‘21 RHP Carson Isbell (Muscle Shoals) gave everything the BlackSox needed to get the win in their first game of pool play. Both combined to throw a no-hitter and rack up 12 K’s on the night.

+ ’21 3B/RHP Chase Becker (Next Level Academy) was equally as impressive on the mound for Triton Rays - NLA. The 6-foot-4, 225 pound right-hander logged four solid innings while allowing only one hit and striking out six. Becker bumped 88 mph in the first inning, but settled down to 83-85 mph in the later innings. Also a power bat that hits in the heart of the Triton Rays lineup. Committed to Minnesota.

+ '22 Matt Johnson (Moody HS) had a big AB to lead off the bottom of the fifth for Excel Blue Wave 2023’s. Johnson drove an opposite field triple down the right field line to provide a spark for the Excel lineup. Johnson is a player that has shown well at past summer events.

+ '23 LHP Brady Gillespie (Springville HS) pounded the zone and kept hitters guessing all night with his three pitch mix. Gillespie had a dominant outing on the mound for Excel Blue Wave 2023’s where he went 5 IP, allowed just 3 hits on 1 ER and K’d 6. He showed a fastball with arm side run at 77-79 and dotted both corners of the plate, allowing his offspeed to produce multiple weak contact AB’s. His 12/6 action on his curveball at 65-66 was a big factor for him on the mound, located this pitch well in all counts. The changeup 72-73 played well off of his fastball, arm action stayed the same and this produced groundball outs.

+ In the nightcap over on Field 4, '24 OF Eli Cannon (Corner HS) had an excellent day at the plate for Excel Blue Wave 2024's. Hitting in the leadoff spot in the lineup, Cannon recorded two triples in Game 1, while going 3-4 w/ a RBI along with both triples.


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