MD/DE Scout Blog: St. Maria Goretti at Brunswick
March 23, 2023
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Across the Old Line State, our staff has seen an abundance of top tier arms already this Spring, and Wednesday night provided yet another opportunity to catch two more. St. Maria Goretti made the drive out to Brunswick for an intriguing pitchers duel between uncommitted Junior righty Andrew Kerns (Goretti) and Senior hurler and Coastal Carolina commit Oliver Ellison (Brunswick). The game certainly lived up to the hype, with both arms showcasing their talent immensely throughout the evening.
Oliver Ellison is one of the top prep arms across the state in the 2023 class, and the first inning proved just that, coasting through the Gaels lineup by striking out the side. Andrew Kerns however had a slightly different 1st, as he hit the first batter, gave up a bunt single, and walked two more before getting out of the inning, with Brunswick leading 1-0. That would be all the Roaders could squander however, as Kerns would really settle in after the 1st. Both pitchers got through the 2nd and 3rd innings fairly quickly, before Goretti would finally get to Ellison in the 4th. Junior catcher Will Oates led off the 4th with a double into right-center field and eventually came in to score following two consecutive passed balls to tie the game. Another double off the bat of Sophomore infielder Ty Hames would eventually bring fellow Sophomore and Virginia Tech recruit Parker Sweeney to the dish, where he ambushed a first pitch fastball for a go ahead RBI single through the right side. The 6th would bring some drama, as Goretti scratched across another run on a bases loaded walk to push the lead to 3-1. Brunswick would threaten in the bottom half, eventually pushing runners to 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs, however Kerns buckled down and produced his 11th strikeout of the game. Sophomore Ty Hames came on in the 7th to pick up the save, as Goretti took this one 3-1.
Brunswick
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Oliver Ellison RHP / SS / Brunswick, MD / 2023Standing at an athletic 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Ellison pounds the zone and mixes his three pitch arsenal in any count for strikes. Working out of a short side-step delivery into a quick build up, the arm works quick with ease to it out of a high three-quarter slot. The fastball comes out of the hand well and produces plenty of late action through the zone at 87-89, hitting 90 a few times on the night. The slider tunnels well off the fastball with sharp 11/5 shape and the ability to manipulate the shape occasionally at 76-77. The pitch that was the most impressive in my eyes was the changeup; a devastating pitch with killed spin (~1100) that was turned over beautifully and thrown consistently at the knees for strikes. The changeup had so much fade, it almost played like a "screwball" with the movement Ellison was able to produce. Outside of a tough 4th inning, Ellison was phenomenal, working 5.2 innings, giving up three earned runs with 12 strikeouts at a 66% strike percentage.
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St. Maria Goretti
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Andrew Kerns RHP / SS / St. Maria Goretti, MD / 2024The PBR Future Games Alum certainly opened some eyes on Wednesday night, raising his stock and solidifying his name as one of, if not the most highly touted uncommitted arm in the state. Possessing a physical 6-foot-4, 190 pound frame, the actions are clean and athletic with plenty of lower half drive down the bump. The arm whips out of a high three-quarter slot, showcasing the ability to fill up the zone with the fastball to both sides of the plate, and spin the breaker for strikes at the knees. Early on, Kerns struggled to settle in. Although not missing by much (if at all), the first inning produced a hit by pitch and a couple walks that led to a run. After the first, the big right-hander certainly upped his game, giving up just one hit. The fastball worked 87-90 pretty much the entire night, occasionally mixing in a couple mid 80's fastball for strikes, however did ramp up to 92 twice in the 4th. The breaking ball was tight and showed some late depth at 74-76, and showed to get stronger as the night went on. Kerns finished pitching 6 innings, giving up just two hits, one earned run and striking out 11.
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Ty Hames SS / 3B / St. Maria Goretti , MD / 2025An uncommitted Sophomore bat that should be on college coaches radars is Hames. the infielder produces consistent loud contact at the dish, and showcases the ability to backspin hard line drives to both gaps. Hitting out of a slightly crouched, balanced stance, the hands work with plenty of rhythm and explode through the zone with a slightly uphill path. As the frame continues to fill out, and strength is added, look for Hames to become a "household" name across the state when it comes to offensive prowess. Finished the game 2-for-3 with two doubles and a walk. Hames also jumped on the bump and picked up the save for the Gaels. Predominately working a big 11/5 breaking ball, the Sophomore showed the ability to work the fastball to the knees at 78-79, touching 80 once.
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Will Oates C / 3B / St. Maria Goretti, MD / 2024Oates consistently showcases the ability to handle the bat at the dish, and the barrel awareness continues to get better and better each time I see him. The ability to stay within himself and drive balls to both gaps is special, with the occasional pop that'll open some eyes throughout his Junior and Senior years. It's a balanced, whole field approach with line drive tendencies to the gaps and alleys. A smooth back load allows the hips to lock in and eventually torque through with controlled violence. As the contact rate continues to get more consistent, look for power numbers to continue to rise for the uncommitted Junior backstop.
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Parker Sweeney OF / LHP / St. Maria Goretti, MD / 2025You want to talk about special.... Parker Sweeney has the moxie, confidence and pure athleticism to make a case as one of the top 2025's in what is an absolutely loaded class in the state. A two-way talent committed to Virginia Tech, I always thought it was an "arm first, bat second" player; however, the more I see him swing it, the more I love the hit tool. A quiet, balanced setup from the left side, Sweeney incorporates a slight toe-tap load and synchs into the backside well with minimal movement in the body. It's simplistic actions pre-pitch that allows for explosion through contact. A level path through, Sweeney has shown the ability to create occasional lift to the middle of the field and showcase his projectable pop, while remaining consistent with his gap-to-gap line drive approach. Finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI single.
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