2026 Fall Top Prospect Games: Position Player Quick Hitters

October 22, 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 - POSITION PLAYERS(LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Jeremiah Alford 1B / OF / Ashley Ridge, SC / 2027

Rankings StateRank: 106 / POS: 7

Alford showed a strong offensive profile from the left side with a physical 5-foot-11, 184-pound frame and noticeable strength in the bat. The left-handed hitter put together a loud round of batting practice, reaching a 98 mph max exit velocity while driving the ball out to 339 feet. He showed the ability to impact the baseball with authority, producing consistent hard contact throughout the workout. Alford carried that into game action, going 1-for-2 with a clean single back up the middle. His combination of present bat strength, left-handed power, and ability to use the middle of the field highlighted a solid offensive showing.

Kyler Baker C / OF / Irmo High, SC / 2027

Rankings StateRank: 118 / POS: 13

Baker put together a strong showing with some impressive tools both at the plate and behind it. The physical 5-foot-10, 202-pound right-handed hitter showed plenty of juice during BP, reaching a 95.9 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 372 feet. Behind the plate, he showed good arm strength at 78 mph with pop times ranging from 1.90-1.98, giving him a solid defensive showing as well. Baker carried his offensive work into game action, going 1-for-2 with an RBI single and a walk. Overall, a good day for Baker, showing present strength in the bat, solid catching tools, and the ability to produce against live pitching.

STONE BURD C / 3B / HHCA, SC / 2029

Burd put together a solid all-around day, showing some good tools for a young 2029 prospect. The 6-foot, 175-pound right-handed hitter had a strong round of BP, reaching a 94.5 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 326 feet. Defensively, he showed arm strength at multiple positions, throwing 83 mph across the infield and 79 mph from behind the plate with pop times ranging from 2.01-2.19. He carried his offensive work into game action, going 1-for-2 with a hard-hit single back up the middle and a walk. Burd's combination of bat strength, defensive versatility, and ability to put together quality at-bats made for a good overall showing.

Chase Hendrix C / RHP / Riverside, SC / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 68 / POS: 8

Hendrix had a big day at the plate, showing off his strength and ability to drive the baseball with authority. The physical 6-foot-2, 230-pound right-handed hitter put together a loud round of BP, reaching 100.1 mph in max exit velocity and driving a ball out to 395 feet. He carried that right into game action, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two singles and a double, including an impressive opposite-field shot off the right-field wall. Behind the plate, Hendrix showed solid arm strength at 83 mph with pop times ranging from 1.97-2.04. His combination of big-time bat strength, ability to use the entire field, and production against live pitching made him one of the more impressive offensive performers of the day.

Avery Haller C / Chapin, SC / 2028

Haller put together a solid day both behind the plate and with the bat. The 5-foot-10, 158-pound catcher showed some strength during BP, reaching an 89.2 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 313 feet. Defensively, he recorded pop times ranging from 1.94-2.01 with a 75 mph arm from behind the plate, showing a solid combination of arm strength and quickness on his throws. Haller carried his offensive work into game action, going 1-for-2 with a single into the right-center field gap and a walk. A good overall showing from Haller, with his catching tools and ability to use the big part of the field standing out.

Conner Highsmith 1B / 3B / Eastside, SC / 2028

Highsmith put together another strong showing, with his bat strength continuing to stand out. The physical 6-foot-1, 187-pound right-handed hitter had a loud round of BP, reaching a 98.1 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 375 feet. He showed the ability to consistently impact the baseball, averaging 91.1 mph in exit velocity during the workout. Highsmith carried that into game action, going 1-for-2 with a solid single. His present strength, ability to drive the ball with authority, and continued offensive production made for another good look at the Eastside corner infielder.

John Hodrea 3B / 1B / Wade Hampton High, SC / 2028

Hodrea put together a solid showing, with some of his best swings coming during game action. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound right-handed hitter reached an 85.2 mph max exit velocity during BP, driving the ball out to 307 feet. He showed good feel for the barrel against live pitching, squaring up two baseballs, including a lineout to third base and a hard-hit single into right-center field. Defensively, the corner infielder recorded a 74 mph arm across the diamond. Hodrea's ability to find the barrel and produce quality contact in game action was the biggest takeaway from his day.

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

Rankings StateRank: 22 / POS: 2

Montelone showed off some impressive tools for a young 2029 prospect, with his athleticism and bat strength standing out. The 5-foot-11, 178-pound right-handed hitter ran a 6.72 60-yard dash and put together a loud round of BP, reaching a 100.5 mph max exit velocity with a 94.3 mph average and a max distance of 364 feet. Defensively, he showed plenty of arm strength, throwing 86 mph across the infield and 88 mph from the outfield. In game action, Montelone went 1-for-3 with a single to left field and two strikeouts. A strong overall workout that showed a good combination of speed, arm strength, and power in the bat, giving Montelone some intriguing tools to follow in the 2029 class.

Sanders Padgett C / 1B / Greenville Senior High School, SC / 2027

Rankings StateRank: 156 / POS: 20

Padgett put together a strong all-around showing, with his athleticism and tools behind the plate standing out. The physical 6-foot-3, 200-pound catcher ran a 6.92 60-yard dash and showed good strength in the bat during BP, reaching a 97.3 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 352 feet. Behind the plate, he showed plenty of arm strength at 79 mph with impressive pop times ranging from 1.85-1.95. Padgett followed up his workout with a solid showing in game action, going 1-for-2 with a single and a walk. A good look at an athletic, physical catcher who brings a combination of bat strength, running ability, and solid defensive tools to the field.

Ethan Palumbo OF / OF / Carolina Forest, SC / 2028

Palumbo put together a good day at the plate, showing some surprising strength in the bat for his 5-foot-6, 150-pound frame. The right-handed hitter reached a 96.1 mph max exit velocity during BP, showing the ability to impact the baseball despite his smaller build. Defensively, he recorded an 81 mph arm from the outfield and ran a 7.37 60-yard dash. Palumbo carried his offensive work into game action, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two singles and a walk. He put together quality at-bats and found ways to get on base, making his performance against live pitching one of the highlights of his day.

Mason Prince SS / 2B / Legion Collegiate Academy, SC / 2027

Prince put together a good day at the plate, showing a nice feel for the barrel and the ability to use the entire field. The right-handed hitter reached a 90.8 mph max exit velocity during BP, driving the ball out to 325 feet, and ran a 7.16 60-yard dash. Defensively, he recorded a 76 mph arm across the infield. Prince carried his offensive work into game action, going a perfect 2-for-2 with a single back up the middle and a line-drive single to the opposite field. His ability to stay on the baseball and find the barrel against live pitching stood out, making for a solid offensive showing.

Austin Rath SS / 3B / Dorman, SC / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 57 / POS: 14

Rath is a gamer who brings a good combination of tools and competitiveness to the field. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound switch-hitter put together a solid round of BP, reaching a 93.8 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 343 feet. He also ran a 7.25 60-yard dash and showed a 73 mph arm across the infield. In game action, Rath picked up a single through the left side and just missed another hit with a deep flyout to right field. He showed the ability to put together quality swings against live pitching, with his feel for the game and competitive approach standing out throughout the day.

Clay Ridgeway SS / RHP / Camden, SC / 2027

Ridgeway put together a solid showing, with his defensive arm strength standing out during the workout. The 5-foot-10, 159-pound shortstop showed an 84 mph arm across the infield and ran a 7.37 60-yard dash. From the left side of the plate, he reached an 88.2 mph max exit velocity during BP, driving the ball out to 292 feet. Ridgeway followed up his workout by going 1-for-2 in game action. A productive day for the Camden infielder, showing a good combination of defensive arm strength and the ability to contribute offensively against live pitching.

Noah Styron OF / 1B / Gray Collegiate Academy, SC / 2027

Styron brings a big, physical presence to the field at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, with a high-end toolset that stood out throughout the day. The right-handed hitter put together a loud round of BP, reaching a 100.6 mph max exit velocity, averaging 90.7 mph, and driving the ball out to 379 feet. He also showed good athleticism for his size, running a 7.32 60-yard dash and throwing 83 mph from the outfield. Styron carried that into game action, going 1-for-1 with a hard-hit single to right field and a walk. There's plenty of strength and juice in the bat, and his combination of size, power, and athleticism makes him an impressive physical prospect in the 2027 class.

Wyatt Tanner MIF / SS / Summerville, SC / 2029

Tanner showed some impressive athleticism for a young 2029 prospect, with his speed being one of the biggest takeaways from the day. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound right-handed hitter ran a 6.74 60-yard dash and put together a solid round of BP, reaching a 91.1 mph max exit velocity with an 87.8 mph average and a max distance of 332 feet. Defensively, he recorded a 75 mph arm across the infield. Tanner followed up his workout by going 1-for-3 in game action, picking up an RBI single to the opposite field. His combination of speed, ability to use the backside of the field, and room to continue adding strength makes him an interesting young infielder to follow.

Asher Turner 1B / RHP / Travelers Rest High, SC / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 67 / POS: 5

Turner brings an impressive combination of size and athleticism to the field at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. The left-handed hitter showed plenty of strength during BP, reaching a 97.7 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 379 feet. He also ran a 6.84 60-yard dash and showed an 83 mph arm from the outfield, both solid numbers for a player with his physical frame. Turner carried that into game action, going 1-for-2 with a single and a hard-hit lineout to shortstop. There's good juice in the left-handed bat, and his ability to run, impact the baseball, and make hard contact against live pitching stood out throughout the day.

Payton Winn C / 1B / Emerald High, SC / 2028

Rankings StateRank: 125 / POS: 18

Winn showed plenty of strength in the left-handed bat and put together a solid day both offensively and behind the plate. The physical 6-foot-2, 186-pound catcher had a loud round of BP, reaching a 101 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 365 feet. Behind the plate, he showed good arm strength at 79 mph with pop times ranging from 2.08-2.20. Winn carried his offensive work into game action, going 1-for-3 with a single and a hard-hit lineout to second base. Both balls were squared up well, showing his feel for the barrel and the juice he has in the bat. A good look at a physical left-handed hitter with the ability to impact the baseball against live pitching.

Aidan Yaqo 3B / 1B / Ashley Ridge, SC / 2029

Yaqo is a big, physical young prospect with a 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame and plenty of room to continue developing. The right-handed hitter showed good strength during BP, reaching a 93.6 mph max exit velocity and driving the ball out to 346 feet. Defensively, he recorded a 79 mph arm across the infield, showing some present arm strength from a corner infield spot. While he didn't record a hit in game action, Yaqo put together two quality at-bats and drew a pair of walks, showing patience and a good approach at the plate. There's some present strength in the bat, and his physical frame gives him plenty to build on as he continues to develop in the 2029 class.

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