Prep Baseball Report

Updated Florida 2016 Rankings Released



By Justin Burgess
Florida Area Scout

Now that the summer and most of the fall is behind us, it is time to make some adjustments to the 2016 rankings. There have been major shakeups in the Florida Top 200 player rankings, especially to the top 10, as some players have continued to improved and really impressed at major events. Like always, the Florida players will have a major impact on the overall rankings and the MLB draft next summer.

Starting at the top, North Carolina commit Austin Bergner still holds on to the No. 1 spot with his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame, plus curveball, and fastball that runs up into the mid-90s. Although he did not participate in the last couple of major events (Florida Diamond Club and Jupiter), what he has shown in the past is better than what anyone else has shown.

Florida State commit Cole Ragans moves up a spot and comes at No. 2 behind Bergner. Ragans threw well in Jupiter as he showed a clean delivery with a fastball that got up to 92 mph from the left side. Combine his mechanics and velocity with his projectable 6-foot-4 frame and you get a serious prospect for the 2016 draft.

Following Ragans is another left-hander, as Miami commit Jesus Luzardo moves up four spots in the rankings. He had an impressive summer and fall as his velocity jumped from touching 90-91 mph in the spring to touching 93-94 mph just a couple of months later. Luzardo shows three advanced pitches with the ability to pound the zone on a regular basis.

Some newcomers to the top 10 are Tyler Baum, Todd Peterson, Luis Curbelo and Austin Langworthy. Baum, who is a North Carolina commit, showed a big increase in velocity this summer and fall as he now touches 94-95 mph with a plus curveball.

Peterson looks like his old self again as the 6-foot-5 righty was sitting 90-93 and touched 95 mph in Jupiter. Curbelo just moved from Puerto Rico and has proven, in just a few months, to be the best defensive shortstop in the state with an advanced approach at the plate. Langworthy can just flat out hit. The Florida commit seems to hit better as the quality of pitching he faces improves. Langworthy was one of the top hitters at East Coast Pro this summer and was in the top ten of multiple offensive categories in Jupiter.

A couple of other players who continue to rise up the boards are shortstop Camryn Williams and outfielder Edmond Americaan. Williams, who is now ranked at No. 24, has really figured it out from both sides of the plate and may very well be the second best defensive shortstop in this class behind Curbello. Americaan, an Auburn commit, really impressed at Diamond Club as he ran a 6.6, showed an above average arm from the outfield, and had multiple hits and stole multiple bases in the games. He is now ranked at No. 31 in Florida.

Enough reading about it. See for yourself. A look at the Top 10:

Rank Name State School Class Pos Commitment
1 Austin Bergner FL Windermere Prep 2016 RHP North Carolina
2 Cole Ragans FL North Florida Christian 2016 LHP Florida State
3 Jesus Luzardo FL Marjory Stoneman Douglas 2016 LHP Miami
4 Todd Peterson FL Lake Mary 2016 RHP LSU
5 Bo Bichette FL Lakewood 2016 3B Arizona State
6 Tyler Baum FL West Orange 2016 RHP North Carolina
7 Luis Curbelo FL Cocoa 2016 SS Miami
8 Mike Amditis FL Boca Raton 2016 C Miami
9 Colton Welker FL Marjory Stoneman Douglas 2016 SS Miami
10 Austin Langsworthy FL Williston 2016 LHP Florida


>> CLICK HERE to view complete Top 200 2016 Florida Rankings