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New York Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Chicago White Sox first-rounder Billy Carlson is used to playing in the spotlight
Over the last two years, few high school baseball programs have garnered more attention than the Corona (Calif.) Panthers. California state champions in 2024, the Panthers came into this season with a chance to make history as the first high school program to have more than two players selected in the first round. Advertisement At the center of all of that success was shortstop Billy Carlson, a local kid who not only led the Panthers on the field but also recruited several of his teammates into the program. Now, he'll be working to bring similar success to the Chicago White Sox as their first-round pick. Coming off that state title in 2024, the Panthers finished the 2025 regular season ranked first in the state but lost in a CIF Southern California semi-final upset to St. John Bosco. It was a disappointing ending to Carlson's Corona career, but overall it was a dream four years for him and the program, which he helped bring to prominence. A Corona native who spent all four of his high school years at the school, Carlson became a recruiter for the program, helping to convince Seth Hernandez — the consensus top high school pitcher in this year's draft and the No. 6 selection — to transfer to Corona for his final two years at the school. Two other 2025 draft prospects, Brady Ebel and Ethin Bingaman, also transferred into the program. With several more high-profile prospects in the pipeline, the Corona program should continue to be in the national conversation even after this season. 'It was a lot of attention but it was good for the city of Corona and for the high school,' Carlson said at the MLB Draft Combine in June. 'Hopefully Corona has a lot of good years coming ahead.' Carlson came into the season as one of the top high school shortstop prospects in the class. Scouts kept a close eye on him all season, but he had the benefit of not being the only player on his team that scouts were coming out to see. 'It's been cool to lean on them if it gets sometimes overwhelming, because it can be,' he said. 'Every single practice, there's at least one scout there with eyes on you. So there's never not eyes on you. I think it's helpful to have four other guys going through it with you. I could see how it can get really overwhelming if it's just you by yourself, kind of going through that.' Advertisement That said, Carlson and his Corona teammates used the attention as way to keep themselves sharp throughout the season. He lived up to the all of the preseason expectations, hitting .365 with six homers and 34 RBIs in 31 games as a senior. 'We kind of enjoyed the attention. We kind of thrived off of it,' he said. 'If anything, it helped us because you're always playing with something on the line.' Like many star high school shortstops, Carlson was a two-way player, using his plus arm strength on the mound as well as from the six-hole. He showed major-league potential as a pitcher, hitting 97 mph with his fastball, but is adamant that his future is on the dirt. Offensively, Carlson hit for average and got on base at an above-average clip his last two seasons at Corona, and he showed enough in-game power that he projects 'to get to 20-plus homers if he can shorten up his swing enough to make consistent contact,' according to The Athletic's MLB Draft expert Keith Law. On Law's final top 100 draft prospect Big Board, Carlson ranked 11th. Among high school position players, he ranked fourth. Carlson has a college commitment to Tennessee, but he's not likely to get to Rocky Top. 'I think (professional baseball) is the next big step in my career,' he said. Whether it's in professional baseball or at Tennessee, Carlson is excited to take advantage of the training and coaching resources at those advanced levels. Though the 6-foot-1 Carlson spends a lot of time off the field working on his conditioning, he isn't looking to break any lifting records at the weight rack. 'If having big legs was the key to hitting bombs, I'd probably be last in line for that,' Carlson joked. His work in the weight room is more intentional, focused on core strength and flexibility. 'I like to tell teams this, that I'm like a greyhound dog. I'm not really like a pit bull so training like a pit bull isn't too smart for me. I think that could ruin what makes me good,' he said. Advertisement That core strength and flexibility has helped him become a plus defender at shortstop, so advanced that he had a stranglehold on the position at Corona even with Ebel — another top shortstop prospect — on the Panthers' roster. Law called Carlson 'a wizard on defense, with great instincts, range in both directions, and excellent hands, along with at least a 70 arm (on the 20-80 scouting scale).' 'I feel like if you are doing good training, it's going to show up on the field,' Carlson said. (Phot: Tracy Proffitt / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
New York Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
A high school right-hander has never gone 1-1 in the MLB Draft. Why it may never happen
Seth Hernandez has all the makings of a No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft. The Corona (Calif.) High graduate has the build (6 feet 4, 190 pounds) to handle a starter's workload and the arsenal — a high-90s fastball and two plus secondary pitches already at age 19 — to potentially lead a major-league staff. He is a polished interviewee with a 100-watt smile who has competed against the top high school talent. So why are the odds stacked against Hernandez to go 1-1 in Sunday's MLB Draft? Advertisement He throws with the wrong arm. Since the June/July edition of the MLB Draft launched in 1965*, 320 high school right-handed pitchers have been selected in the first round, according to Baseball Reference. Hernandez will almost assuredly be the 321st, and likely the first high school pitcher selected this year, regardless of handedness. But unless the Washington Nationals buck a 60-year trend, Hernandez won't be the first name called on Sunday. In the history of the draft, a high school right-hander has never gone 1-1. (*There was an August supplemental draft in 1965 and 1966 and a January supplemental draft until 1986. Those numbers are not included here.) Throughout the industry, high school pitchers are considered the most volatile demographic in the draft. The development path from high school to a major-league pitching staff can take years and the injury risk for all pitchers is high. 'High school pitchers are just very high risk,' said Sandy Alderson, who served as general manager, chief executive officer and president of baseball operations for the Oakland A's, San Diego Padres and New York Mets and also spent eight years in the MLB Commissioner's Office. Though rare, there have been high school left-handers selected 1-1 — David Clyde in 1973 to the Texas Rangers, Brien Taylor in 1991 to the New York Yankees and Brady Aiken in 2014 to the Houston Astros. But the returns on those picks were disappointing. Of that trio, only Clyde reached the big leagues, and he finished an injury-shortened career with a 4.63 ERA in 416 1/3 major-league innings. Since the draft's inception, 60.6 percent of the high school right-handers taken in the first round have made the major leagues, according to Baseball Reference. That number is almost as high as the percentage of first-round high school left-handers to reach the big leagues (61.2 percent). Those percentages actually outstrip the success rate of high school position player first-round picks reaching the majors (58.6 percent of 661 position players signed out of the first round). Advertisement However, when it comes to first-round picks making a significant impact in the big leagues — especially over the past 20 years — high school pitchers have lagged far behind position players. In his book 'The Inside Game', The Athletic's Keith Law found that high school pitchers represented the lowest percentage of first-round picks to exceed 10 bWAR in their careers. And only 22.3 percent of all high school pitchers who signed out of any round have made the big leagues since the draft's inception, according to Baseball Reference. Team drafting patterns reflect the industry consensus that high school pitching is a high-risk category. Among all high school players to sign out of the first round, nearly 60 percent have been position players, and in recent years, teams have increasingly shied away from high school pitchers in the top half of the first round. Last year, 10 of the first 41 picks were pitchers, but the first high school pitcher wasn't taken until No. 24 (lefty Cam Caminiti to the Atlanta Braves). The first high school righty wasn't selected until pick 36 (Braylon Doughty to the Cleveland Guardians, who also had the No. 1 pick in the draft and used it to select college second baseman Travis Bazzana). 'The risk of taking a high school pitcher 1-1 is pretty large,' Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. 'For teams, whether it's right-handed or left-handed, I don't feel there's leverage in one versus the other. Really, I think they're just going to identify all the tools and traits that come with being that type of (1-1) player.' While it's clear MLB scouting departments are gun-shy about taking high school pitchers high in the draft, it doesn't fully explain why MLB scouting departments have taken the plunge on a high school left-hander three times with the first pick but have never dared to take a high school right-hander. Advertisement It may be a matter of scarcity. Statistically, only 10 percent of the world's population is left-handed, which means the majority of baseball players will be right-dominant. Given the sheer number of right-handers available to teams, taking a risk on a high school righty as a 1-1 pick may not be as worth it as acquiring a player with a more rare skill set, like a shortstop who can hit and stick at the position long term. 'There's more righties, so you're gonna have more of a pool to choose from,' Yankees right-hander Devin Williams said. 'An elite level lefty coming out of high school is kind of too difficult to pass up on.' Athletics assistant general manager Billy Owens, who has more than two decades of experience scouting the draft, points out that overall, more right-handed pitchers will be selected in the MLB Draft than any other position group. 'Every team needs pitching and that particular position has the most depth, attrition, volatility, high ceiling, sheer talent, volume and risk involved,' Owens said. 'The fact that it hasn't happened ever is an indicator of the reason. Although there is a first for everything, and I believe Hernandez will be in the discussion (at 1-1).' There have been a few years when a high school righty got close to being the No. 1 pick. In 2017, Hunter Greene was the No. 2 selection out of Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) High. It took a few years and Tommy John surgery, but Greene is now the Reds' No. 1 starter. Josh Beckett, who was taken second in the draft by the then-Florida Marlins in 1999 out of Spring High in Texas, has the fourth-most bWAR (35.7) of any No. 2 pick in draft history. On the other hand, Tyler Kolek was the second pick by the Marlins out of Shepard High in Texas in 2014 and never made the major leagues. The closest a high school righty might have come to being the No. 1 pick was in 1990, when a fireballer named Todd Van Poppel was the consensus top prospect in the draft. Van Poppel also had a strong commitment to the University of Texas and a super-agent in Scott Boras. In the end, his bonus demands exceeded what the Braves were willing to spend on the No. 1 pick that year. The Braves had to 'settle' for high school infielder (and eventual Hall of Famer) Chipper Jones, while Van Poppel found a taker at his price point in the then-big money A's, who were coming off two straight trips to the World Series, as the No. 14 pick. At the time, it was easy to see why Van Poppel topped draft prospect lists. He had a starter's build and an easy delivery with premium stuff that scouts could dream on. Though Van Poppel would pitch 11 seasons in the big leagues, his career never met the expectations that surrounded him as a high school senior. He signed a major-league deal with the A's coming out of the draft (something no longer allowed under the current rules) and made his MLB debut as a 19-year-old in 1991. He logged only one MLB start that season, allowing five runs in 4 2/3 innings, and then missed a big chunk of the 1992 season with shoulder soreness. Advertisement Ultimately, he spent 4 1/2 seasons in the big leagues with the A's before being traded to Detroit, finishing his time in Oakland with a 5.75 ERA in 406 2/3 innings. He found success later in his career as a reliever with the Chicago Cubs, but had minus-0.3 bWAR in 907 innings for his major-league career. Would Van Poppel have had a better career had he not been rushed to the majors? Alderson, who was the A's GM in 1990, isn't sure, but he did advise Yankees GM Gene Michael not to give Taylor — the high school lefty who was the No. 1 pick in 1991 — a major-league deal the following season because of the pressure the major-league contract put on the A's to get Van Poppel to the big leagues so quickly. 'I told him, 'I don't know what you're going to do, but you'd be crazy to give him a major-league contract,'' he said. Both Van Poppel and Taylor, who injured his shoulder in a bar fight in 1993 and never reached the major leagues, are cautionary tales on the dangers of taking a high school pitcher in the first round. But MLB scouting departments may be less influenced by the failed picks of the past than encouraged by the recent success stories of college pitchers going high in the first round and then reaching the big leagues in under two years. That 'quick from college to the majors pipeline' makes it even more unlikely a team will take a risk on a high school pitcher with the first pick. 'I think it's less and less likely today that (any) high school pitcher would be taken 1-1, because college programs have gotten so much better,' Alderson said, pointing out that the pitching labs started in college programs before MLB organizations began building their own. Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach Chris Hook, who has over 20 years of experience coaching and developing pitchers, sees the value in a pitcher spending time in a college program. While players are throwing harder than ever, he believes if a pitcher plays in college, it helps lessen the risk that their bodies won't be able to hold up in the pros. Regardless, over the course of a career, a position player is likely to produce more value due to the sheer number of games played — and be a less risky selection from an injury perspective — than a pitcher, high school or college. With the No. 1 pick, a position player is almost always going to be the preferred option, except in a year when there is a certified ace like Paul Skenes or Stephen Strasburg, Alderson says. And in those cases, prospects like Skenes or Strasburg built their 'can't-miss' resumes thanks in large part to the experience of pitching for and developing in a top collegiate program. Advertisement 'The bottom line is that the top two or three players in the draft are can't-miss types, and generally speaking, you can't predict a high school right-handed pitcher is going to be a can't-miss because of the injury risk,' Alderson said. 'There are probably three or four players who could be taken at 10 (in any given draft) and there are four or five players who could be taken at 11,' Alderson added. 'It's just not a consensus after you get past the first handful or so.' Hook believes that talent will always rise to the top no matter where players are drafted. But he says certain pitchers, such as standout Brewers rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, are the types of talents who should have gone 1-1. 'I mean, the guy's doing 100 (mph),' Hook said of Misiorowski, the 63rd pick in the 2022 draft. 'JUCO guy, but I think he was probably throwing probably pretty equivalent the year before that out of high school.' The last two times the Nationals had the No. 1 pick in the draft, the industry consensus on the top selection was overwhelming. (They took Strasburg in 2009 and Bryce Harper in 2010.) The Nationals aren't showing their hand this year, but Hernandez was one of the players they interviewed at the MLB Draft Combine last month. The only teams he met with at the combine are selecting in the top 10 and there is a strong belief that he won't get past pick 10, according to Law. Hernandez is a long shot to be that precedent-breaking first high school right-hander to go 1-1, but he likely won't be waiting long to hear his name called Sunday. 'Hernandez is special, regardless of age, demographic, high school or college. He could be one of the quickest movers in this draft and his ceiling is enormous,' Owens said. 'I believe Hernandez is so special that he should be considered anywhere in a premium spot in the 2025 draft.' (Top photo of Hernandez: Ric Tapia / Getty Images)
Fox News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Trevor Hoffman, Ryan Klesko to manage top high school baseball talent at Perfect Game All-American Classic
Print Close By Ryan Canfield Published June 24, 2025 EXCLUSIVE: The Dick's Perfect Game All-American Classic will not just have star power on the field this year, but star power in the dugouts as well. Baseball Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman and former San Diego Padres All-Star Ryan Klesko will serve as managers for the game, Fox News Digital exclusively learned Tuesday. Perfect Game's All-American Classic features the top 60 high school baseball players across North America and provides them a platform to showcase their talents on a national stage. This year, the nation's top high school players will compete at Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, on Aug. 17. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON The All-American Classic debuted in 2003, and since its inception, the game has seen some of the biggest names in Major League Baseball play in the event. Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson, Bobby Witt. Jr, Gerrit Cole and Francisco Lindor are among the star players who have played in the game over the years. Of the 1,126 players who have participated in the event over the last 22 years, 850 were drafted, and 293 players went in the first round. Hoffman, who has the second most saves in MLB history (601), has been involved with the event for over a decade and has served as the game's honorary chairman. The Padres great said he is excited to be in the dugout and interact with the nation's top high school players. "I think that's the biggest opportunity I have. It's one thing to walk around with a PG t-shirt or a polo and then kids try to figure out who you are. But you have a uniform on, you are in the dugout, and you are actually interacting with them. Whether it's in batting practice or during the game, it's just going to have a different feel," Hoffman told Fox News Digital. "When you're out with the kids and getting an opportunity to share your insights and giving them the opportunity to show their stuff, you are just right there. Easy opportunity to encourage and get to know them, so I'm really looking forward to the game and being around the kids." GIANTS PITCHER SEAN HJELLE SPEAKS OUT AFTER WIFE'S EXPLOSIVE ABUSE ALLEGATIONS Klesko said if he had not had events like the All-American Classic growing up, he might not have ever made it to the big leagues. "If we didn't have the help growing up and have events like this to be able to attend and showcase ourselves, fortunate (growing up) in California, and we had a little bit of that going on, not as much as it is now, but it wasn't for events like this and coaches helping us and getting some instruction, I know never would have made it," Klesko told Fox News Digital. The 16-year MLB veteran said he is "excited" to be part of the journey for the young athletes in this year's game. "A lot of these guys, like it's so overwhelming, and they got so much advice coming in from so many different areas," Klesko said. "I think for us, it's not necessarily telling them what to do, but just giving them advice kind of on what we've been through in the past and just to help them navigate. It's not about us, it's about their next steps and I think we're all excited to be part of that journey for these young athletes." DODGER STADIUM ROCKED BY ANTI-ICE PROTESTERS DURING ONGOING LOS ANGELES UNREST Hoffman and Klesko also each have coaching staffs littered with former MLB stars for the game. Their coaching staff is composed of Padres All-Stars Phil Nevin and Mark Loretta, World Series-winning manager Charlie Manuel, 20-game winner Scott Erickson, 1995 AL MVP Mo Vaughn, 7-time All-Star Alfonso Soriano, 3-time All-Star Tom "Flash" Gordon, World Series champion Jose Contreras, and MLB veterans Todd Coffey and Jason Phillips. Hoffman said for the coaches, they jumped at the opportunity to help the next generation of stars through the process. "I think it was an opportunity really that they wanted to be around the kids," Hoffman said. "It's about the kids, and it's about the kids and the game at all levels. So when you get an opportunity to talk to some people that have been through the process, like Ryan (Klesko) said, and to have great people that are mentoring kids in other places, what a great situation you are putting together." RAYS PITCHER HUNTER BIGGE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL AFTER BEING STRUCK IN FACE BY 105 MPH FOUL BALL Daron Sutton, whose extensive MLB on-air experience has ranged from pregame and postgame host to play-by-play announcer since 1998, has announced the All-American Classic since 2009 and will be announcing it again this year. Sutton told Fox News Digital that while the event has evolved over the years, the event has always had elite talent. "I'd like to tell you the talent has evolved, but the talent's been there from the very beginning. My second game, a 16-year-old Bryce Harper played in it, so there was always talent. Right after that, (Francisco) Lindor and Javy Baez were in the game. There has always been elite talent." Sutton said his favorite part of the game are the "single moments" that occur. "All-star games are fun and unique because it's all about the individual. There are not strategic decisions being made, there is no intentional walks that are doled out, no pitch outs or anything, that's a different kind of broadcast," Sutton told Fox News Digital. "We're all baseball fans, we know what that is, so it's the single moment. An opportunity for an athlete to have a moment and then seeing them deliver." ASTROS PITCHER CONFRONTS ANGELS SHORTSTOP AFTER HITTING HIM WITH PITCH, SPARKING BENCH-CLEARING SCENE "Like any great Home Run Derby or All-Star game, it's that one unforgettable moment, we have dozens of them." For Brad Clement, Perfect Game's executive vice president and general manager, his favorite part of the event is the philanthropic aspect of it. "The event itself is incredible, all of the different baseball activities, the swag they get. But almost to a player, the most impactful thing when we've been in San Diego has been seeing those kids that have dealt with or are dealing with pediatric cancer at the hospital because we do that visit. Really, that's what it's all about," Clement told Fox News Digital. "We're thrilled again to be (donors) of Rady's children's hospital, one of the elite hospitals in the world. Their outreach is incredible and this event itself has raised over a million dollars over the years. Now that includes the players and families who are encouraged to raise money through their resources in their communities and almost all do, and our partners. Overall, I know we're north of 1.5 million in the total philanthropic give for just this event in the various cities it's been in since its inception over 20 plus years ago." Hoffman echoed Clement and said his favorite part of the event is when the athletes go to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. CAL RALEIGH HITS MLB-HIGH 30TH HOME RUN, AS MARINERS LOSE 10-7 TO CUBS "The kids get a chance to go and visit Rady's children's hospital, see some of the kids who are younger and maybe a little less fortunate, and they are going through some hardships, and they get to really appreciate what their opportunities are. There is a charitable arm that they get to participate with and allow their hometown communities to support them and make a donation to Rady's, which is fantastic," Hoffman said. Perfect Game's All-American Classic is not just for the players to showcase their talent, but their families as well. Clement said that Perfect Game hosts a parent symposium to highlight what will be coming for their kids over the next year. "We think it's important off the field to share with them what the next year is going to be like, so we have a parents' symposium to help them learn what this is going to be like right now and for last year's (class) going into it because the high school season is over, and the draft is upon us. There are a lot of heady things that go into that, whether they go to college or sign a contract, whatever it is. So we try to help the parents out," Clement said. Klesko said he is most looking forward to helping not just kids, but their families through the process. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "I think just helping them go through the process. I know a lot of kids, a lot of families, it's just all new to them. There is so much stuff being thrown at them," Klesko said. "If Trevor and I and some of the other major leaguers can sort of help them navigate through the process of going pro, going to school, whether it would be nutrition or training. There are so many different questions out there that are going through these kids' minds." Hoffman said it's been "special" to see the event grow over the years. "(The kids') talents are off the charts, the competition is real, and it's just great to provide a platform that they can do those sort of things," Hoffman said. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter. Print Close URL
New York Times
18-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
MLB Draft Combine: Kayson Cunningham eager to compete; Bruin Agbayani flashes speed, hit tool
PHOENIX — One of the best pure hitters among the high school prospects in the 2025 draft class, Kayson Cunningham came to the MLB Draft Combine with very little to prove to evaluators. But don't tell him that. The 5-foot-10, 170 pound shortstop out of Johnson High School in San Antonio is currently ranked as the No. 20 prospect in the class by The Athletic's Keith Law. He and Purvis (Miss.) High School shortstop JoJo Parker were the only two top-25 prospects on Law's list to perform in the on-field workouts on Day 1 of the combine. With one of the best hit tools in the class, Cunningham put on a show in batting practice, posting an exit velocity of 99 mph or higher on 14 of his 27 hits. He topped out at 107.2. Advertisement The scouting consensus is that Cunningham will hit as a pro. The Texas Gatorade Player of the Year hit .509 as a senior. The biggest question is whether he will be able to generate any power from his smaller, though well built, frame. Cunningham hit two balls in BP over 400 feet, including a 420-foot blast. The session was impressive but probably didn't show scouts anything they didn't already know about Cunningham based on his high school track record. So why did Cunningham feel it was necessary to compete in on-field workouts, something many of the top prospects opt out of? 'I'm a ballplayer,' he said. His mom, Olivia, noted that her son had been antsy since his season ended and that getting back out on the field was like a lifeline for him. The family is planning a vacation for after the combine and Cunningham was already asking where he could do baseball workouts on the trip. Not surprisingly, Cunningham plans to put himself to the test again later in the combine when he runs the 30-yard dash. Bruin Agbayani, a shortstop from St. Louis High School in Honolulu and son of longtime big-leaguer Benny Agbayani, starred in the high school game that took place at the end of Day 1 of the combine. He showed plus speed on a triple and excellent at-bats overall. Agbayani hit .365 as a senior and also competed in the MLB Draft League for Frederick earlier this summer, collecting six hits in 35 at-bats as one of the youngest players in the league. He's committed to Michigan. Agbayani wasn't the only familiar name among the combine participants. Carsten Sabathia III, son of newly elected Hall of Famer CC Sabathia, had a solid round of batting practice. Sabathia, a junior first baseman from the University of Houston, hit one ball 420 feet and maxed out at 109.2 with his exit velocity. He hit .235/.333/.370 with two homers in 27 games for Houston this season. He also competed in the Draft League, hitting .171/.302/.304 for Trenton. Advertisement Manny Ramirez, Jr. (guess whose son he is) hit a 410-foot blast and maxed out at 104.8 with his exit velocity during his session. Ramirez hit .299/.435/,495 as a freshman for East Los Angeles Junior College this season. Perhaps the most intriguing 'bloodlines' prospect to participate in Day 1 of the combine was Quentin Young, nephew of former MLB outfielders Delmon and Dmitri Young. Young, who ranked 52nd in Law's latest ranking, hit 18 balls 100 mph or harder, maxing out at 115.4 mph. One drive went 426 feet. Quentin Young — nephew of Dmitri and Delmon — has the best hair at this Combine so far. Some BP from him: [image or embed] — Melissa Lockard (@ June 17, 2025 at 10:13 AM — Arizona State outfielder Brandon Compton generated significant buzz, hitting every ball except one at least 101 mph. His longest hit was 460 feet. Compton hit .271/.379/.486 with nine homers in 59 games for the Sun Devils this season. He had a .903 OPS in the Cape Cod League last summer. He was ranked 68th on Law's latest ranking. — Shortstop JoJo Parker hit back-to-back with his twin brother Jacob in batting practice. JoJo, who projects as a potential top-10 pick, hit all of his non-bunts at least 90 mph and topped out at 105.2 exit velocity. Jacob, a center fielder, is known more for his in-game power than his brother, who has one of the top hit tools in the class. Jacob hit all of his non-bunts 95 mph or higher except for one. He hit one ball 416 feet and topped out at 110.1 mph. — Switch-hitting catcher Taitn Gray, a high school prospect from Dallas-Center Grimes High School in Iowa who has been gaining helium leading into the draft, had an impressive batting practice from both sides of the plate. The 6-4, 220 pound slugger hit nine balls 110 mph or higher and had six home runs further than 400 feet. He's ranked 58th on Law's list. — The only home run hit in the high school game on Tuesday night was off the bat of Nathan Eisfelder, a product of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., who is committed to Tennessee. (Photo of Cunningham: Tracy Proffitt / Four Seam Images via Associated Press)
Washington Post
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Baseball Top 10: St. John's spends entire season on top
After three months that featured no shortage of high-intensity battles, drama and trophy lifts, The Washington Post's high school baseball rankings finish just as they began: with St. John's on top. The Cadets continued their reign as the area's most dominant program in recent years by putting together a near-perfect 2025 campaign, one that featured just a single loss — none to D.C.-area teams — and culminated with a ninth Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title in 10 seasons. Their dominance earned them country-wide acclaim, landing them in the top 10 of a handful of national rankings, and they never budged from the No. 1 spot in The Post's rankings. St. John's will finish there, having gone wire-to-wire as the top squad in the region.
