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Another Successful Future Games Completed For Team Michigan

August 6, 2022
Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Michigan Senior Writer


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EMERSON, Ga. - A Prep Baseball Report event that first began in 2011 is now more than a decade old. But the fun and interest received is anything but old when it comes to the Future Games.

This year’s showcase drew raves from so many in attendance watching 32 teams with players from 41 states and five Canadian provinces participating in front of approximately 350 college coaches.

“I'm not positive of the exact number of college coaches, but what stood out to me was how many schools traveled with the maximum number (3) of coaches in attendance,” related Shooter Hunt, vice president of scouting for PBR. “It is usually rare to see major head coaches out on the road, but the Future Games saw a plethora of BIG named head coaches walking around.”

What all coaches at LakePoint witnessed was impressive - to say the least - during the four-day event.

“I think the overall median level of talent was ultra impressive,” Hunt said. “There was so much to watch on each team throughout the entire roster that I felt like I was missing more than I was seeing. It's what makes the Future Games so special: there is something for every coach to watch for on each team. The staffs that brought multiple coaches were rewarded best because they were likely able to see the most.”

One major change made this year was with the schedules, each team playing different opponents from previous years at the Future Games.

“I LOVED the new schedule, and I think that it helped rejuvenate the kids and staff after a long summer of playing against the same regional talent,” pointed out Hunt. “It was especially evident when the Ohio boys took on Florida. Ohio played like it had something to prove, and with a plethora of SEC and ACC coaches watching, I thought that they made the most of that big stage.”

Michigan was edged 6-4 by Wisconsin in its opening contest at the Future Games before coming back to post victories over Pacific Northwest and Team Select.

“I would have preferred the old format playing Ohio, Canada and Pennsylvania,” PBR Michigan scouting director Spencer Impellizzeri said. “When you look at past teams, the majority of guys stay within this region for school and playing those states (Ohio especially) gives the players a chance to play against the kids from that recruiting base. I think it also gives schools a chance to evaluate those players against each other instead of players from states that they are unlikely to recruit from.

“Add in that there is a built-in rivalry between the states of Michigan and Ohio, and I think it is a game that needs to be on the schedule each year.”

Impellizzeri was more than excited with what Team Michigan showed at the event.

“This was a group that I thought clicked together immediately,” Impellizzeri noted. “The majority of the players did not know each other going in, but you couldn't tell that by the time we got to the games. We had no more than two players from any high school and no more than three players from any travel team.

“We swung the bat very well on the week and that is definitely what stood out as the team scored 23 runs in three games. Brenson Watters, Chase Van Ameyde, Parker Brzustewicz and Matt Ineich all had a hit in each game. We had one returning hitter from last year in Dylan Larkins who served as a spark for our team. He had a big RBI triple late against Pacific Northwest that gave the dugout some life and the players followed with seven runs in the two innings following. Tyler Fox had a pair of extra base hits with a double in game one and a triple in game three, while Nathan Fidelino had multiple hits including a home run in game three. One player that stood out with the bat and defensively was Carson Raether. Carson had two hits, including a double, and threw out three runners from behind the dish.

“On the mound we had multiple players with good velo in the upper-80s including one in Carson Custer who touched 91,” Impellizzeri continued. “We had one returning pitcher from last season in Brennan Hill, who has made some noise in the state of Michigan with his performances on the mound and showed off a difficult lower arm slot running his fastball up to 88 with a pair of breaking balls. Parker Brzustewicz is an easy pick for a standout as he led the Future Games with seven Ks in three innings showing a good feel for a curveball that had hitters fooled. Chase Van Ameyde threw a pair of scoreless innings closing out the first and third games. Chase has a tall projectable frame showing two arm slots with a fastball up to 88. When you add in his hitting performance, 4-for-6, two doubles and six RBIs, he was our standout of the week.

“Our youngest player, 2026 Ethan Armstrong, is a name that needs to be mentioned as well. He showed good composure on the mound and you couldn't tell his age by his performance. Ethan has an easy, loose arm and struck out two of the four batters he faced in a scoreless inning and was up to 87 with his fastball.”

Hunt saw a lot to like in the team from Michigan.

“Michigan was one of the big sleeper teams for me,” Hunt said. “Those coaches who studied them during the workout and then followed for the three game days were likely rewarded with plenty of hidden value including some arms that I think will make big jumps very soon.” 

Michigan also showed well in the Junior Future Games.

“Our Junior Future Games teams had really strong weeks as both teams made the championship game and finished as runner-up,” Impellizzeri said. “In the 2026 class on the 14u team, Kaden Jominy is one of the top 2026 arms in the state. He works in the low-80s on the mound with a polished four-pitch mix. He gave up two hits in four innings during a bracket-play start.

“In the 2027 class on the 13u team, Broder Katke was an easy pick for a standout. He had the top exit velo for Michigan during the workout at 99 mph and added multiple hits during the games including a loud opposite-field double. Defensively he is an advanced defender for his age behind the plate.”

Hunt feels strongly that those participating, no matter the level, are more than worthy of being part of such a prestigious event. 

“Every player at the Future Games has been evaluated by the PBR staff, so their presence alone means that they have next-level talent,” explained Hunt. “Many players had strong, breakout weeks, but even the guys who didn't see in-game success are still likely very much on college coaches' radars. I think it is important for those kids who didn't think that they performed well to understand that it was only four days, and college coaches are evaluating much more than whether or not they produced in that short window.”

A PBR thank you to all that participated and a special thanks to the players on Team Michigan that gave their thoughts about the event (including what schools have been in contact with them since the event):

***** If you were on Team Michigan and did not share your thoughts, feel free to email us and we will get them included within this article.

To view all the stats/articles related to the 2022 Future Games - Team Michigan, click here.

To view the entire 2022 Future Games stats, including the Trackman/Blast Analytics, please click here.

Another Successful Future Games Completed For Team Michigan

The Arms

Ethan Armstrong 3B / RHP / Garden City, MI / 2026

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
Being able to play with the 2026 class (Junior Future Games) and to pitch in the ’24 class (Future Games).

PBR: Assess your performance.
I think I did well. I gave up one hit while striking out two and getting a double play.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
I was honored to be given the chance to play with the 2026 class and pitch for the 2024 class. 

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
I faced a good Team Select, but I did my job and got out of the inning. 

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Pitching in the Future Games helped me get more noticed by colleges. 

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I talked to a bunch of colleges and got a bunch of camp invites. 

Jason Bedol RHP / North Farmington, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 7

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
Being with the team and competing.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought I pitched decently against very good competition.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
Being a part of the team was very fun. It was cool talking to the best uncommitted guys in the state.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was very good.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Coaches can see that I participated in the best PBR event

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
No coaches.

Justin Brown RHP / Northville, MI / 2024

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My highlight during the Future Games was pitching two scoreless innings.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I performed fairly well. Early on I was having trouble locating, resulting in me leaving batters with very hittable pitches, but I figured it out by the second inning.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
I really enjoyed the experience as a part of Team Michigan. While only being in Georgia for a day, I made many friendships and I thought we played very well together as a team.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
I faced very good hitters, the best of Oregon and Washington. It was difficult to pitch to them, but I performed well.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Competing in the Future Games allowed me to replicate the feeling of pressure. Along with that, it allowed me to get a lot of exposure to the schools that attended the Future Games. 

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
Before the Games, I was not in contact with any schools. Since the Games, I have gotten into contact with Xavier.

Carson Custer RHP / 3B / Grand Rapids Christian, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 14 / POS: 4

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My highlights were just being at the LakePoint complex and just being around great people. It was always a dream of mine to go to LakePoint, and to play with the people that have the same goals as me was amazing.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought I did well. I gave up one hit and zero runs along with four strikeouts. I did walk four batters which I’m greatly frustrated about.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
It was an honor being a part of Team Michigan. All the guys were so chill and nice. It was such a great experience overall, as well as being able to represent the state of Michigan. 

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
I faced a lot of good hitters at the event and I really had to choose what pitches to throw, otherwise they would smoke the ball. 

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Being a part of the Future Games definitely helped me in the recruiting standpoint because every college was down there and they got to watch me in a real game which is what they wanna see.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I have been talking to three Big Ten schools, Michigan State, Indiana and Illinois. I hope that I get some more college interest coming up soon.

Brennan Hill LHP / OF / Grosse Pointe North, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 9 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 458 / POS: 43

 Waiting to hear back from.

The Two-Way Prospects

Parker Brzustewicz 3B / RHP / Orchard Lake St. Marys, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 421 / POS: 35

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My Future Games highlights were getting multiple good hits and pitching a good game.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought overall I played a good week and did a good job.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
I think being on Team Michigan was a great experience and the best part was the way the team connected with each other.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
I thought the competition overall was really solid and I saw many great players.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
The main thing Future Games showed me was how I lined up against other competition and other players my age which really helped me.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
The only coaches that I have spoken with were university of Michigan coaches and I was already in contact with them a little before the event.

Aidan Donovan RHP / 1B / Orchard Lake St. Marys Prep, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 12 / POS: 2

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My Future Games highlight was definitely going out and hitting the number that I’ve been chasing all year.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I started off well in my performance and mixed my pitches the way I wanted. I could have executed better and had a tough ending, but I was still happy with it. 

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
Being on Team Michigan was awesome. What stood out to me was how great all the guys were. They were all people you would want to hang out with outside of baseball.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition we faced was the best of the best and probably the best competition I have faced ever. Iit made it fun to compete against those guys. 

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Competing in the Future Games helps me in many ways. It helped me to be able to go out and play under pressure with all those scouts there and it helped me to play against the best of the best.

Nathan Fidelino 3B / RHP / Grand Blanc, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 8 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 435 / POS: 36

 Waiting to hear back from.

Nolan Laskey 1B / RHP / Bedford, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 45 / POS: 3

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
One of the highlights for me was hitting a PR in every category during the duration of the event.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I don’t think that I played as well as I usually do but I still played pretty well considering the competition we faced.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
It felt really cool to be representing my state's baseball talent and it felt cool to show people that Michigan baseball is no joke.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition I faced at this event was some of the hardest competition I’ve faced through my years of playing. But playing competition to that caliber really makes you a better baseball player.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
I think that the Future Games can help me in the future because I played in front of a ton of scouts who have now seen me play and could have gained interest in watching me play.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I was not in contact with any schools during the event or after the event, but I’m hoping that soon changes.

Chase Van Ameyde SS / RHP / Brother Rice, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 53 / POS: 9

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My Future Games highlights were being able to pitch in front of so many coaches and striking out two in my one inning of work.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I felt very good about my performance both hitting and pitching, I felt I showcased my skills very well.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
Being part of Team Michigan was a great experience, meeting all the new guys. One thing that stood out was how well we as a team worked together given the short amount of time we had with each other.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition I faced was very good. I have never been around so many good players at one event in my life.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Participating in the Future Games helped me get my name out there with colleges and now in the future colleges will know my name when they see me at tournaments and other events.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I went into the event only in contact with one Division 1 coach, but now after the event I am in contact with five coaches and I have the Future Games to thank for that.

The Catchers

Buster Debol C / 3B / Romeo, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 15 / POS: 1

 Waiting to hear back from.

Logan Keilen C / 3B / St. Johns, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 41 / POS: 5

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My highlight was meeting the guys and being able to compete alongside the best. 

PBR: Assess your performance.
I was proud of my performance but know that I did not reach my potential. 

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
Being part of Team Michigan was a goal of mine and  I was glad to reach it. What stood out was how the guys all bonded in our short time together. 

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was amazing. We saw many very good arms and many quality hitters. 

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
The Future Games can help me to be on many different schools’ radars and be able to showcase myself in front of them.

Carson Raether C / SS / Goodrich, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 127 / POS: 15

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My highlights were getting to play in front of schools one day I dream to play for, and getting to know and making new friends with kids that share the same interest in playing the sport we all love at the next level.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought I did really well behind the dish, showing off my defense and arm very well. Offensively I could’ve done better but baseball is a sport of failure, being able to forget about it and keep playing positively and performing, and I ended up batting .333.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
It was very surreal to represent Michigan. I had a blast creating memories and getting to know new people in a driven positive environment.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
It was very high-level competition playing with and against the best of each state, seeing great arms, great bats, and some great defense.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Hopefully participating will help me reach it to the next level playing at a college who wants me and I can make an impact at, and also all the new connections I have in players and coaches.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
So far I haven't had any college contact.

The Infielders

Jack Dauer MIF / 2B / U of D Jesuit, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 66 / POS: 1

 Waiting to hear back from.

Tyler Fox 3B / 1B / Brother Rice, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 31 / POS: 6

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My favorite part of the Future Games was playing the great competition and playing with my teammates who I’m usually playing against. 

PBR: Assess your performance.
I feel like I played very well. I hit a double and a triple and played solid defensively

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
It was an honor to be selected to play on Team Michigan. What stood out about the team is how supportive everyone was and we were all wanting our teammates to be successful.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition level at the event was very good. Every pitcher I faced was at least in the upper-80s and had good offspeed. It was great to be successful there because you knew it was off the best of the best.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
Participating in the Future Games can help me in the future when I’m playing in front of scouts because that’s what was there the whole weekend. 

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
Since the event I have talked to Andrew See, the assistant from Ohio State, Jesse Wierzbicki, assistant from North Carolina, the Michigan coaching staff, Alex Maloney, assistant from Ball State, and Jimmy Roesinger, assistant from Air Force.

Matthew Ineich SS / 2B / Detroit Catholic Central, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 117 / POS: 23

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My main Future Games highlight was after game two when I got player of the game.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I believe I did very well going 3-for-6 with three RBIs and two walks. I definitely put myself in a good spot for these next few months during the recruiting process.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
What really stood out to me was that almost none of us were on the same summer team, so it was just a bunch of really good ball players from a variety of teams in Michigan.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was great. It’s hard to have that much talent in one complex at the same time. With every team having future Division I players, it was really special.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
With all the college coaches there it gives you an opportunity like no other. If you’re not well known in your state, you can easily get your name on the radar through a good weekend at the Future Games.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
I was in contact with Ohio University, West Virginia and Eastern Michigan during the event.

Marwynn Matthews Jr SS / 2B / Detroit Edison Academy, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 47 / POS: 8

 Waiting to hear back from.

Brenson Watters 1B / OF / Rochester Adams, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 11 / POS: 1

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
I loved playing with new players and got to meet a lot of great people. 

PBR: Assess your performance.
I thought I did well getting some barrels and line shots offensively.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
I liked how we all meshed and were able to play as a team right away.

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition was best of the best uncommitted.

PBR: How can participating in the Future Games help you in the future?
I think it helped get my name out there and hopefully open more college coaches' eyes.

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
Since the Future Games I have committed to Notre Dame.

The Outfielders

Jackson Isaacs OF / LHP / Grand Rapids Christian, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 24 / POS: 2

Waiting to hear back from.

Dylan Larkins CF / 1B / U of D Jesuit, MI / 2024

Rankings  StateRank: 5 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 308 / POS: 4

PBR: What were your Future Games highlights?
My best Future Games highlight was a triple I hit in the left-center gap.

PBR: Assess your performance.
I’m happy I did well in the field but I wanted to perform a lot more while hitting.

PBR: Give your thoughts on being part of Team Michigan and what stood out.
The best things about being a part of Team Michigan were the team aspect of things and getting to know my teammates. 

PBR: Touch on the competition you faced at the event.
The competition down in Georgia was one of a kind. Everybody were polished players that knew how the game works really well. 

PBR: What, if any, college coaches did you talk to at the event or hear from since the event ended?
After the Future Games I talked to a decent amount of schools that I was really interested in.

To view all the stats/articles related to the 2022 Future Games, click here.

Team Michigan Future Games Records

Category Name High School
 Class Pos
 Record Number
 What Year?
Top Fastball Velo Alfredo Velazquez Brother Rice 2023 LHP 90 mph 2021
Top Fastball Velo Noah Miller Monroe 2023 RHP 90 mph 2021
Top Fastball Velo
 Gavin Moczydlowsky New Boston Huron
 2023
 RHP
 90 mph
 2021
Top Exit Velo Avain Rivera Dow 2020 OF 108 mph 2018
Top 60-Yard Dash Greg Pace Jr. Detroit Edison 2022 OF 6.37 2020
Top Infield Velo
 David Lally Grand Blanc
 2022
 SS
 93 mph 2020
Top Outfield Velo
 John Locker Brother Rice
 2021
 OF
 93 mph 2019
Top Catcher Velo
 Zack Horky Blissfield
 2021
 C
 82 mph 2019
Top Catcher Pop Time
 Noah Miller Monroe
 2023 C/P
 1.80
 2021

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