As we come to a close on the 2020 summer showcase season that has seen several guys breakout and some sputter more than others, we have reached the peak high school event of the year.
This week is the 2020 WWBA World Championships in Fort Myers, Florida.
As you’d expect, Prospects Live will be there.
64 of the best travel teams in the country will be in Fort Myers featuring most of the big names in prep baseball this summer. Our own Ian Smith and Tyler Jennings will be on-site capturing scouting footage and collecting countless pieces of information.
We have taken the time to go through and give you the most notable teams this weekend with some key players and some useful information. We hope to provide your eyes and ears some direction, as well as setting a primer for the games to come.
This event will also feature some of the best underclass talent in the country, so we’ve gone ahead and laid that out for you below as well.
Teams to Watch:
East Coast Sox 2021 Founders Club (Pool A)
Key Players
LHP Maddux Bruns • UMS-Wright Prep (AL) • PLive - #67
3B Aaron Downs • Heritage Academy (MS)• PLive - #154
SS Jordan McCants • Cantonment Catholic (FL)
OF Braden Montgomery • Madison Central (MS) • PLive- #68
OF Tyree Reed • American Canyon (CA) • PLive- #35
SS Mason Morris (2022) • Tupelo (MS)
For the second week in a row, Tyree Reed will be on full display after missing much of the summer due to travel restrictions! That being said, he’s been on a few other event roster but did not show. Beings he was present for the Baseball Factory All-American Classic, our hopes are high. East Coast Sox boasts an extremely formidable lineup featuring Aaron Downs, Jordan McCants, and switch hitter Braden Montgomery. All four guys have shown the ability to hit throughout the summer. Rotation is headlined by a pair of talented lefties in Carter Holton and Will “Pico” Kohn. They’re backed up with bunch of bulldog type arms like Sawyer Toney and Patrick Galle. One name to keep your eye on a difference maker for East Coast Cox is an athletic RHP with some juice on the mound, and that’s Aaron Calhoun out of Texas.
Key Storyline
Can Tyree Reed show up and reinforce his elite draft stock after missing much of the summer?
Can Maddux Bruns find his command/control that he showed early in the summer when he soared up draft boards?
Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team (Pool M)
Key Players
SS Maxwell Muncy • Thousand Oaks (CA) • PLive - #78
RHP/1B Yoel Tejada Jr (2022) • North Broward Prep (FL)
LHP Anthony Solometo • Bishop Eustace Prep (NJ)• PLive - #51
OF Roc Riggio • Thousand Oaks (CA) •PLive - #92
C Charlie Saum • Thousand Oaks (CA)
This is a well-rounded squad. The lineup is led by Thousand Oaks trio Maxwell Muncy, Roc Riggio, and Charlie Saum, with Yoel Tejada Jr., Brandon Oliver, and Christopher Diaz leading the underclassmen on this squad. Anthony Solometo, who has risen up draft boards this summer, leads the rotation, creating a solid left-handed one-two punch with 2023 Ervis Solis. Easy pick to win their pool and advance to the playoffs in Fort Myers.
Key Question
After an impressive showing at the Future Stars Series event in Fenway, can Solometo bring his electric stuff to Fort Meyers and establish himself as potentially the best lefty prep in the class?
Team Elite/Atlanta Braves Scout Team (Pool Q)
Key Players
3B/SS Brady House • Winder-Barrow (GA) • PLive #20
RHP Christian Little • Christian Brothers College HS (MO)
SS Ryan Spikes • Parkview (GA) • PLive #108
LHP Carter Holton • Benedictine Military (GA) • PLive #53
OF Thomas Dilandri • Palo Verde (NV) • PLive #109
1B/OF Nolan Schubart (2022) • Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (MI)
RHP Drew Christo • Elkhorn (NE) • PLive #139
SS Rob Gordon • East Cobb Baseball School (GA)
INF Aries Samek • Teaneck (NJ)
OF Jonathan Santucci • Phillips Academy (MA) PLive #177
Team Elite has brought another loaded squad to WWBA. The pitching staff looks very solid on paper, with Little getting one last showcase in before he enrolls at Vanderbilt this spring. Following Little, Holton and Christo look to finish their strong summers on a high note. The lineup is led by sluggers House and Schubart, but don't sleep on the likes of Dilandri, Gordon, Samek, Spikes, and Santucci. The entire lineup can rake.
Key Question
Will Brady House end his summer on a high note, flashing the hit tool potential most have been waiting for?
Will Ryan Spikes continue to slug his way up draft boards?
Can Carter Holton continue to hold his improved mid 90s fastball after an electric showing at the Baseball Factory All American game?
Canes National / Mets Scout Team (Pool T)
Key Players
SS Alex Mooney • Orchard Lake St Mary’s (MI) •PLive #29
3B Cody Schrier • JSerra Catholic (CA) •PLive #57
LHP Gage Jump • JSerra Catholic (CA) •PLive #62
RHP Eric Silva • JSerra Catholic (CA)
RHP Ian Ritchie Jr (2022) • Bainbridge (WA)
OF Daylen Lile • Trinity (KY) •PLive #66
OF Camden Hayslip • Friendship Christian (TN) •PLive #111
RHP Miles Longhorne • Greenwich (CT)
OF Malakhi Knight • Marysville Getchell (WA) • PLive #38
1B Ryan Clifford (2022) • Crossroads Flex (NC)
The Canes baseball program is one of the strongest in the country from top to bottom. Led by an impressive staff of UCLA commits in Gage Jump, Eric Silva, and 2022 commit Ian (JR) Ritchie Jr., the Canes can shove. Power arms like Miles Langhorne, Kyle Larsen and Sean Hard highlight a stacked bullpen. The offense is no picnic either. Seeing a batting order that features PGAAC MVP Alex Mooney, Malakhi Knight, Cody Schrier, Daylen Lile and Camden Hayslip is a lot for opposing arms to handle. Look out for some top ranked 2022 players to get some run as well in 1B Ryan Clifford and RHP Jackson Ferris. Canes are arguably the favorite to win the tournament.
Key Questions
Can Alex Mooney prove that his all around game is enough to warrant him a consensus first round grade?
Will Gage Jump and Eric Silva continue to shove, bulldozing their way up draft boards?
Will JR Richie Jr. cement himself as a potential Top 15 talent for the 2022 class?
FTB Giants Scout Team 2021 (Pool U)
Key Players
CF Jay Allen • John Carroll Catholic (FL) •PLive #83
LHP Mason Albright • IMG Academy (FL)• PLive #80
SS Edwin Arroyo • Arecibo Baseball Academy (PR)• PLive #50
C Luke Heyman (2022) • Lake Brantley (FL)
RHP Thatcher Hurd • Mira Costa (CA) •PLive #128
OF Elijah Green (2022) • IMG Academy (FL)
RHP Jose Pena • Tampa Preparatory (FL)
This is probably the biggest sleeper in the tournament. Brian Sakowski of Perfect Game even dubbed them his favorite to win it all and it’s easy to see why. A three-headed monster of Thatcher Hurd, Mason Albright and Jose Pena anchor the pitching staff, along with multiple talented 2022 arms including 6-foot-7-inch Louisville commit Ethan Wood, looking for his breakout performance. Edwin Arroyo and Jay Allen bring Top 50 talent with game changing tools to the top of the Giants lineup. Not to be outdone, über-prospect and top 2022 draft prospect Elijah Green anchors the lineup. Dominic Scavone and Matthew Prevesk give you lineup stability with a long track record of hitting in big time events.
Key Question
After one of the loudest summers in recent memory, Can Top 2022 prospect Elijah Green perform against some of the best upperclass arms in the country?
Will this be Jose Peña’s “Hello, World!” coming out party?
We’ll have much more for you tomorrow, so be sure to check back for a rundown on the remaining teams, as well sleepers for breakout candidates for the 2021 and 2022 classes in the event.