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Battle for Bartow - Pitchers

April 14, 2023
Goetz & Graham
PBR Georgia Staff

Although the Battle for Bartow is early in its existence, it left lasting memories for teams and fanbases across the state. It had the perfect blend of draft prospects, D1 commits, uncommitted gems, and underclass stars. Many games went down to the wire, and you can hear the excitement in each video we tweeted. The future of this unique spring tournament is bright! Here are the standout arms from our wild week in Emerson.
Nate Taylor RHP. 2024, Buford
Georgia Tech Commit. 6-foot-2, 205 pounds. The biggest news out of LakePoint over the weekend was the arrival of Nate Taylor as a priority draft follow for next year. He came out with a purpose, and an electric rock & fire delivery loaded with intent. He got an exceptional amount of whiffs with his advanced repertoire, creating 2 different tunnels off his heater full of pure gasoline. The FB up pairs perfectly with his 2 plane CB that is a sure bet to be a future hammer, and the ghost like CH is a perfect match with his low in the zone FB. But he doesn’t just tunnel them, Taylor shows the skill of control to throw all 3 pitches in any count for strikes, and I left this outing feeling like he’ll have the command (future A/AVG) to be a starter. The frame is proportionally built with a different level of strength, a very similar frame to current ‘23 draft prospect Garrett Lambert. When a pitcher has the trio of fast twitch fibers, rare strength, and well sequenced mechanics, this is what it looks like. Taylor’s 6 mile jump since last year is a testament to how hard he works, treating the game like a job and taking care of his body like a pro. The delivery was noticeably improved from last spring, working in near perfect sequence with optimal backside connection and noticeable power in his separation as he works downhill. You can read up on his other delivery adjustments in the tweet below.
Connor Crisp RHP, 2023, Locust Grove
UGA Commit. 5-foot-9, 180 pounds. Although he’s undersized, Crisp’s elite delivery and athleticism allow him to make throwing hard look easy. Not only is he a plus athlete on the mound, but at the plate and at SS as well. His fast twitch fibers surely are a big part of why he throws hard, but there’s much more to it than that. His pace in the delivery builds gradually, allowing him to be explosive while controlling his body at a high level and prevent wasted  energy before landing. Connor’s flexibility+mobility in the lower half allow him to hold his hip hinge much longer in stride than you see in most top arms, creating more stored up power and better weight distribution as he nears foot strike. The same goes for his upper half, as he’s able to hold it over the rubber as his arm path develops in stride (aided by his gradual coil to the back hip at same pace of stride). Combine that with the combo of perfectly timed hip/shoulder separation and a scap load that creates unreal torque as he nears throwing position, and you’ve got the most tightly wound slingshot in the class post foot strike. His God given athleticism is something you can’t teach, but deliveries like this certainly don’t grow on trees. Being undersized, he has to maximize how his body moves down to the smallest details. His sequence, backside connection and timing are on a completely different level of efficiency than most arms in the country. To top it off, his smooth & precise “up, down, and out” phases allow him to land in a perfectly straight line to the plate again and again. This allows his pitch life of his entire repertoire to show up consistently. To finish things off, his effortless lead leg block and incredible balance on his finish show how truly precise this delivery is. With much more strength to sculpt into his twitchy frame, this is certainly not the ceiling on his velocity. I think this is a great value late day 2, or any time day 3 in the 2023 MLB Draft. His size doesn’t mean reliever to me, I feel he has a real chance to be a starter. With his elite delivery, rare high spin FB/SL, and innate feel for the CH, it would be a mistake to say he’s a guaranteed reliever. Thanks to 5’8 SP Marcus Stroman proving that durability comes in all shapes and sizes, Crisp should get a real opportunity to start. Whatever path he takes to pro ball (HS or College), we are all in on this arm.
Jansen Kenty LHP, 2023, East Coweta
Alabama Commit. 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. Watching Jansen pitch is like the equivalent of drinking 5 Red Bulls, just a jolt of energy as soon as he toes the bump. “The King of Hip/Shoulder Separation” as we call him, had an impressive touch up outing at the Battle for Bartow. The tempo and timing only get better, and so does his feel to spin the breaking ball. Jansen has always had a powerful FB and good feel for the CH, but the SLV was a distant 3rd pitch. The velocity didn’t quite match the rest of his repertoire, and the shape was wide and early breaking. Now, the spinner is up 4-6 mph in overall range and the shape is not only much better, the sweep is much more sudden. He always threw the pitch aggressively, as there is no hesitation or fear in Jansen’s pitching approach. But now he’s ripping it in the 2450-2550 range and freezing both sides hitters with it. Now that the pitch is up to speed, his insane angle plays the life up even further. It starts well off the plate to RHH and behind LHH, and will become a real weapon as he continues to improve command of it. With his strong frame and much more mass to come, what impresses me most about him outside the delivery and stuff is his ability to maintain FB velocity deep into starts. After all, isn’t that one of the most important traits a starter can possess?
Taylor Vinson RHP, 2023, Heritage
Cleveland St. Commit. 6-foot-4, 175 pounds. While the Battle for Bartow was pure electricity from the 1st pitch to last, there were few players more exciting to watch than Vinson. His big time confidence and unique personality on the mound are perfect for pitching. He toes the bump without feeling any pressure, and his let it rip approach is refreshing to see. Although there are multiple arms in this article that could host a clinic on hip/shoulder separation, I can count on one hand the amount of HS arms I’ve seen with his level of torque throughout the kinetic chain. He uses every inch of his long legs and arms to create a slingshot effect, and despite the overall rawness the delivery is very well timed. His slight crossfire delivery allows him to not only clear his hips more violently during lead leg block, but creates more violent rotation in the upper half at the same time. His eventual ceiling will depend on either the consistency of the SL or development of another pitch to use off his FB. I hope he sticks with the SL, because this could be one of the most high octane 2 pitch combos in college baseball in the future. One thing is for sure, he will producing mid 90’s turbo sinkers at some point in the next 2-3 years.
Paul Green RHP, 2024, Sandy Creek
Mizzou Commit. 6-foot-2, 195 pounds. The Green family is very well known in the Peach State for producing good baseball talent as his brother Glenn has been a draft prospect since early in HS, and is now sitting in the mid 90’s for Memphis. With Paul, they’ve got another one that's going to do big things in the game. This was my first look at him on the mound, as I’ve already had a trio of good looks on him as a hitter. Needless to say I was very impressed with his outing overall, and I see a considerable ceiling in this arm. Before even talking stuff, it’s hard not to love his throwback delivery that has 2 unique+subtle hesitations that throw off hitters. One is when is his big (but controlled) glove pump just before lift knee reaches its peak, with a slight pause there that delays when hitters can start with their hip timing. The 2nd is when his arm path reaches max depth, where his slight wrap throws yet another wrench in hitters plans. Paul still creates good rhythm in the delivery and his hesitations have zero impact on said rhythm or his ability to throw strikes. Then you have to deal with low spin bowling balls coming from the mountaintops of his OH arm slot. He peppered the arm side edge with the pitch early in counts, then finishing hitters off with his big CB with vertical shape that he has very impressive feel for. His direction to the plate is very consistent and is a big part of his strike throwing ability. This is one of the best two way players in the class, and he’s got the tools and intangibles to be a prospect both on the mound and at the plate.
Matthew Sharman RHP, 2026, Etowah
UGA Commit. 6-foot-3, 180 pounds. My player comparison for Sharman is such a big name, that I can’t even say it until he’s a top pro prospect 3 springs from now. What I’m trying to say is, this dude is an absolute unicorn on the mound. Yes the velocity is elite for his age, but that’s far from the best part about his repertoire. The life on his 86-89 FB is even more rare, showing violent A/AVG MLB run+sink on the pitch. The best way to describe it is “snake-like.” The pitch starts off heading to the outside corner vs RHH, only to suddenly dart/slither back to the middle of the plate with ridiculously late sink. As you can see in the tweet below, it’s already freezing some of the best hitters in the state. Can you imagine the type of freezes his FB gets vs LHH? Can you imagine what the life will be when he makes another inevitable jump in velocity in his high projection frame? Just his silky smooth delivery and elite FB traits for his age tell me this will continue to be one of the best arms in the country. Then there’s his CH, which is the best I’ve seen so far in the ‘26 class (in and out of state). While there are surely other players in the country, his is surely the most advanced in Georgia, which is arguably the most dense state in the country as far as MLB Draft talent. His mid 70’s SLV is already showing flashes of brilliance, as he’s produced whiffs vs many top bats with it. This is now the 2nd tourney at LP this spring he’s dominated, and both were against stacked lineups full of D1 commits.
Trey Robbins LHP, 2026, Whitewater
Uncommitted. 6-foot-3, 205 pounds. Quite simply, this is one of the most physically imposing arms in the entire country for 2026. The best part? His stuff matches his physicality, and this is one scary dude for almost any HS hitter to step in the box against. The fact that he’s only a freshman is shocking. His 2022 come up was the stuff of legend, with the FB going from 80-82 to 85-88 from early summer to fall. Not only did his FB take a tremendous jump, so did the SL. It went from a low mid 60’s get me over CB to a low 70’s T75 SL with beyond edge to edge sweep at times. He solidified his stuff even more at Battle for Bartow, with his stuff matching up nicely from last fall’s jump. While the delivery does contain some effort, it’s dynamic with rare hip/shoulder separation and insane extension. The youngest Future Gamer on our 2022 Team Georgia roster, we can’t wait to see Big Trey take another jump in 2022!!
Ellington Hodge RHP, 2024, Decatur
Uncommitted. 6-foot-1, 170 pounds. This athletic arm with plenty of ceiling to go had one of the best pitching performances of the entire spring during the Battle for Bartow. Facing a top 5 team in our Power 25 (Cartersville Canes), Hodge put on a masterful showing. He sliced and diced hitters with a masterful FB/CH combo that produced 20 whiffs throughout his 7 shutout innings. His deceptive arm action is very tough to pick up, allowing his FB to play up and disrupt hitters' timing. His low 80’s CH fell directly off the table of his FB time and time again, with some of the latest depth I’ve seen all spring. He came to our showcase in January and there was a lot to like, but it was great to see Ellington when his arm was fully in shape and well into the season. With his lean frame, there’s surely another jump coming 10 or so lbs from now. He showed feel to spin as the game went on, and was able to throw his mid 70’s SLV for strikes to add another wrinkle to hitters plans. This is certainly a very high follow for us this summer, and his impressive composure versus a loaded lineup might have been what I liked most about him. This is one of the best CH in the class, and wherever he ends up committing will be getting an absolute steal with lots of projection and pitchability.
Brayden Lawrence LHP, 2024, Locust Grove
Uncommitted. 6-foot-6, 215 pounds. This XL frame with plenty of velo potential had a good showing at Battle for Bartow, showing an effective 2 pitch mix. His unique crossfire delivery and deceptive OH arm slot produce both angle and steep plane, making him tough to track for hitters. As his strength in the upper half increases, we can see a considerable jump in velocity coming. While he will need to continue to smooth out and time up the delivery, he throws his SL quite consistently for strikes and his FB is very tough to pick up. This is a very good follow for many colleges, and lefties of this size with pitchability certainly don’t grow on trees.

Damian Brown, RHP, Buford, 2024
Uncommitted. 5-foot-9 170-pounds. If there was an MVP pitcher of the event Damian would have received it. He tossed a 7 inning shutout, striking out 14. Brown pitched with a ton of energy, and used that to use advantage as he continued to cruise each inning. He ran the FB up to 88 in the first, and settled in at 86 for 7 innings of work. He was mostly using the fastball/slider combo, and was getting a ton of swing and miss with a wipe out slider that was breaking off the plate. It had late break, and kept the hitters guessing. The arm has a ton of life with more velo in the tank. Mechanics are smooth and fluid, and worked well out of the stretch as well. Brown will be a name to follow into the summer.
 


Dimitri Angelakos, RHP, Etowah, 2024
Uncommitted. 6-foot-3 200-pounds. Angelakos has been one of the top arms for Etowah the last few years. He was a big part of their state championship run. The strength and size he has added has helped out a ton on the mound. He only had 1 inning of work, but the fastball was 87-89 with life. The velo has added strength to all of his pitches. The CH had good downward action at 77, and played out of the same tunnel as his fastball. He mixed in a quick pitch slide step that messed with the hitter's timing. Angelakos is a true two-way candidate at the next level.

Oliver Bandy, LHP, Etowah, 2024
Uncommitted. 5-foot-9 160-pounds. Was able to get 2 looks at Bandy in relief at the Battle for Bartow. He has really progressed since February, and cleaned up the delivery and looks much more comfortable on the mound. I am sure the velo has ticked up as well. He was up to 85, and threw most pitches at 83 and 84. The curveball is 12-6 from the left side, and has really good action. He flips it over for strikes and makes hitters chase it with 2 strikes. He does a good job of commanding the FB on the outer half, and keeps the same arms speed on the FB and CB.

 

Brock Hartley, RHP, Etowah, 2023
Uncommitted. 6-foot 155-pounds. Hartley has settled in as the Eagles closer this spring. He is a reliable righty that throws strikes, and has a quick, whippy arm. I saw him early in the spring, and the back side looks a lot better than it did in February. He is exploding off of it now, instead of letting it get stuck behind him on the finish. He ran the FB up to 86 with his usual strikes. He can command the FB up in the zone for strikeouts, and has a high spin CB to go with it. Hartley’s velo will continue to tick up with size and strength added. The arm and delivery work, and can make an impact at the next level in any bullpen.

Dylan Nemeth, RHP, East Coweta, 2024
Uncommitted. 6-foot-2 165-pounds. Long, lanky prototype pitchers frame that will continue to fill out and add strength. Faced a really tough Locust Grove line up at the Battle for Bartow and showed really well. He showed the ability to 3 pitches for strikes with good command of the fastball, spotting up on both sides of the plate. The FB has good action with some late run, and he did a good job of starting it on the outer half and letting it run off. I was really impressed with what I thought was a CH at first, but ended up being a splitter that was 73-75. He was getting a ton of swing and miss from the pitch, and it had really late, downward action that had hitters guessing. Nemeth will be one to watch into the summer and next spring. There is a velo jump coming, and it could have him sitting in the mid 80’s with some really good off speed pitches to go with it.

Austin Daves, LHP, Woodland, 2025
Uncommitted. 6-foot 145-pounds. Daves showed a ton of pitchability with good upside from the left side. He attended an event back in 2021, and has progressed a ton since then. The delivery looks much better, and now he can build strength with his lanky frame. He had command of the game for 7 innings, and threw 3 pitches for strikes every inning. My favorite pitches were the slot fastball off the plate, and fastball up in the zone for swing and miss. If the fastball up is placed in the right spot for a certain hitter it does not matter how hard it is, they are going to swing through it. He took advantage of that with some hitters. The curveball has good bite and shape, and will continue to be a big pitch for Daves. He throws it out of a high ¾ slot, and makes the curveball slurve like. He is still able to get on top of it, and showed plus command of it. Daves is an intriguing sophomore to keep an eye on the next few years.

Samuel Formby, LHP, Cedartown, 2025
Uncommitted. Formby is an intriguing lefty sophomore arm that showed some competitiveness and composure for an underclassman. The arm slot was ¾ and the fastball had a ton of deception and life that produced a ton of weak contact, and swing and misses. The fastball has sinker-like movement with late action. The curveball played well off the fastball, and the crossbody delivery made it really tough for righty’s to get to it when he threw it to their back foot. He kept hitters guessing and lived in the bottom of the zone.

Chase Moller, RHP, Alexander, 2023
Uncommitted. 6-foot-1 150-pounds. Moller had a breakout performance at the Battle for Bartow, and looks to be a huge get for a college bullpen next year. He mixed in a 2 seam that he ran up to 88 a couple times, and 87 a handful of times. This goes to show the power and strength is there he is just working to come more consistent with the pitch. He threw mostly 4 seam, and it settled in at 83-86. He could spot the 4 seam up on both sides of the plate. The arm slot is clean, and natural and comes from over the top. The slide step looks really good, and he maintains velo in the stretch. The curveball is sharp and consistent, and it comes out of the same slot as the fastball. If Moller can work on getting the 2 seam more consistent he can find himself in a starter roll at the next level.

AJ Hensley, LHP, Sonoraville, 2023
Uncommitted. Hensley is a senior lefty that can make an impact at the next level. He throws strikes, commands 3 pitches and has given Sonoraville chances to win all year with him on the mound. His strikeout numbers are over 1 per innings for the year, and has good deception and movement on the FB. The frame projects more velo to come, and has some room on the back side that will produce more velo. The curveball has good shape, and showed the ability to throw it back food to rightys.
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