2026 Fall Top Prospect Games: Pitcher Quick Hitters

October 23, 2026
Sammy Esposito
PB SC Director of Scouting

The 2026 Prep Baseball South Carolina Fall Top Prospect Games brought together some of the state’s top 2027-2030 prospects on Saturday, October 17, at Presbyterian College. The invite-only event featured players from across South Carolina and gave our scouting staff another opportunity to evaluate their tools, track their development and watch them compete.

The Top Prospect Games remain one of Prep Baseball’s longest-standing events, with rosters shaped by past event performances, high school evaluations, statistical production and continued looks from our scouting staff. The fall event provided an important opportunity to measure progress and take a closer look at prospects heading into the offseason.

The day opened with a full position-player workout featuring running, batting practice and defensive evaluations before moving into live game action. Pitchers faced live hitters, while position players had the opportunity to carry their workout performances into competition. With the event complete, our staff will break down the standout performances, key metrics and prospects who made an impression at the 2026 Fall Top Prospect Games.

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QUICK HITTERS - PITCHERS (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Chase Hendrix C / RHP / Riverside, SC / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 68 / POS: 8

Hendrix brought a physical presence to the mound with his 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame and showed a solid three-pitch mix. The right-hander worked his fastball at 83-86 mph, topping out at 87 mph with 18 inches of induced vertical break, giving the pitch some good carry through the zone. He mixed in a breaking ball at 74-76 mph with some depth, along with a 78-79 mph changeup to round out his arsenal. The breaking ball showed spin up to 2,217 RPM, giving him another offering to work off the fastball. A solid look at a physical right-hander with present arm strength and three pitches to work with.

Noah Hughes RHP / 3B / Laurens, SC / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 44 / POS: 12

Hughes showed a solid three-pitch mix on the mound, with his ability to spin the breaking ball standing out. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound right-hander worked his fastball at 82-84 mph, showing some cutting action with spin rates up to 2,450 RPM. His best secondary offering was a sharp breaking ball at 70-72 mph, reaching 2,796 RPM with good depth and late bite. He also mixed in a 78 mph changeup with some arm-side movement to give hitters a different look. Hughes showed good feel for spinning the baseball, with the breaking ball being the highlight of his outing and a pitch he can continue to build around.

Lance Jones RHP / SS / Landrum, SC / 2028

Jones showed a solid two-pitch mix on the mound with some interesting movement on his fastball. The 6-foot, 153-pound right-hander worked at 81-82 mph, showing good arm-side run with 17 inches of induced vertical break and 18.1 inches of horizontal movement. The fastball also showed spin rates up to 2,314 RPM, giving it some life through the zone. He mixed in a breaking ball at 69-73 mph with some depth and spin up to 2,306 RPM. Jones has a lean frame with room to add strength, and the movement on his fastball gives him a good foundation to continue building on.

Grayson Lanich RHP / Riverside, SC / 2027

Lanich showed plenty of upside on the mound with a long, lean 6-foot-3, 150-pound frame and a big-time slider that was the highlight of his outing. The right-hander worked his fastball at 80-84 mph, topping out at 85 mph with spin rates up to 2,508 RPM. His slider was the separator, sitting 73-77 mph with sharp, late-breaking action and spin rates reaching 2,758 RPM, giving him a legitimate swing-and-miss offering. He also mixed in a 79 mph changeup with good arm-side run to round out his three-pitch mix. There's plenty of projection left in the frame as he continues to add strength, and the ability to spin the slider at that level gives him an exciting pitch to build around. Lanich committed to Carson-Newman following the event.

REED MCDANIEL RHP / 2B / Spartanburg, SC / 2030

McDaniel is a high-end diaper dandy with impressive present stuff and plenty of projection remaining. The 5-foot-11, 169-pound right-hander showed advanced arm strength for his age, working his fastball at 82-83 mph and topping out at 84 mph with good life through the zone. He mixed in a 72-74 mph breaking ball and a 74-76 mph changeup that showed good arm-side run, giving him a solid three-pitch mix at a young age. McDaniel already has the ability to attack hitters with multiple offerings, and there's plenty more in the tank as he continues to grow and add strength. An impressive young arm in the 2030 class with premium projection and present stuff that separates him from many players his age.

Anthony Montelone 3B / RHP / Wando, SC / 2029

Rankings StateRank: 22 / POS: 2

Montelone showed an impressive combination of athleticism and arm strength on the mound for a young 2029 prospect. The 6-foot-0, 178-pound right-hander worked his fastball at 84-85 mph, showing good carry through the zone with 16.8 inches of induced vertical break and some arm-side run. He mixed in a 71 mph breaking ball with good depth and a 73-74 mph changeup that showed plenty of arm-side movement. The three-pitch mix gives him a good foundation to build on, with the fastball already showing quality velocity and movement for his age. Montelone's athleticism, present arm strength, and ability to move the baseball make him an intriguing young arm in the 2029 class.

Alex Peraza 3B / RHP / A.C. Flora, SC / 2029

Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 1

Peraza showed some good present arm strength on the mound with a physical 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame that stands out for a young 2029 prospect. The right-hander worked his fastball at 80-83 mph, topping out at 84 mph with good carry through the zone, averaging 18.3 inches of induced vertical break with 14.5 inches of arm-side run. He mixed in a 69-71 mph breaking ball with good depth and a 76 mph changeup to round out his three-pitch mix. The fastball showed some life, while the breaking ball gave him a different look with its downward action. Peraza has a strong physical foundation with present arm strength and room to continue developing his arsenal as he matures.

Graham Suttles LHP / OF / Riverside, SC / 2028

Suttles is a good-looking left-handed pitching prospect with a clean, projectable arm action and sound mechanics that create some deception in his delivery. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound left-hander worked his fastball at 82-83 mph, showing impressive carry through the zone with 20.4 inches of induced vertical break. He mixed in a 67 mph breaking ball with depth and a 73-76 mph changeup that showed good separation off the fastball. There's a lot to like about the way Suttles moves on the mound, with an easy, repeatable delivery and an arm that looks capable of making another jump as he continues to develop. An intriguing left-handed arm in the 2028 class with present stuff, deception, and plenty of projection remaining.

Chad Wightman RHP / 2B / Summerville, SC / 2027

Rankings StateRank: 178 / POS: 41

Wightman has a thin, wiry 6-foot, 145-pound frame with plenty of room to add strength, but it's his ability to spin the baseball that really stands out. The right-hander worked his fastball at 74-77 mph, topping out at 79 mph, while showing excellent feel for his offspeed pitches. His breaking ball was the highlight of the outing, sitting 63-68 mph with sharp action and big-time spin rates reaching 2,843 RPM. He also mixed in a 70 mph changeup with good arm-side movement, giving him another weapon to work with. Wightman showed an advanced feel for throwing his secondary pitches, and with the spin he can already generate, there's plenty to like as he continues to develop physically.

Teovani Vera OF / RHP / Southside Christian School, SC / 2028

Vera showed some good present arm strength with plenty of room to continue developing his lean 5-foot-10, 138-pound frame. The right-hander worked his fastball at 80-82 mph, topping out at 84 mph with impressive carry through the zone, averaging 20.2 inches of induced vertical break. He mixed in a 69-73 mph breaking ball with some sweeping action and a harder secondary offering at 77-80 mph to round out his three-pitch mix. The fastball was the highlight of his outing, showing good life through the zone with spin rates reaching 2,321 RPM. Vera has a quick arm with present velocity, and there's plenty of physical projection remaining as he continues to add strength.

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