Body & Delivery

Rojas has an athletic frame at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with wide shoulders and a lean build throughout his frame that portends plenty of strength and mass coming in the future. He’s an excellent mover on the mound and works with a quick delivery. He typically sets up in the middle or the first base side of the rubber. 

Rojas throws from a lower three-quarters slot that will drop down to a fully sidearm look at times. He whips his left arm to the plate with some of the best pure arm speed in the class. His arm can be deceptively fast at times because he doesn’t throw with a significant amount of effort, though he does have a slight crossfire landing and falls off to the third base side in his finish.

While he might not always land in the ideal fielding position, Rojas’ athleticism is clear in situations where he needs to bounce off the mound and react to a rolled over ground ball with quick, deft footwork and impressive reactions. There’s some depth in his arm action, but not an extreme amount, and overall his delivery is simple and fluid enough that he should be able to repeat it consistently and throw quality strikes. 

Fastball

The fastball is currently the main event for Rojas. As you might expect given his tremendous arm speed, he’s able to generate a tremendous amount of velocity. With a fastball that’s already been up to 98 mph, Rojas is in an elite group of prep southpaws who have thrown a fastball in the upper 90s at this stage.

In reporting how rare Jack Bauer’s 100-mph fastball velocity is in the 2025 draft cycle, we found just six high school lefthanders from the 2018-2024 draft classes who had reached at least 98 mph. Without even digging further into fastball shape or command, Rojas is among an elite group of southpaws: 

• 2025, Jack Bauer — 102 mph
• 2022, Brandon Barriera — 99 mph
• 2024, Cam Caminiti —98 mph
• 2023, Cam Johnson — 98 mph
• 2023, Alexander Clemmey — 98 mph
• 2022, Noah Schultz — 98 mph
• 2026, Gio Rojas — 98 mph

Like most of the fastballs on this list, Rojas’ projects as an easy 70-grade offering. He works with a four-seam grip and will make adjustments with the width of his fingers and the pressure in order to elicit more ride, cut or tail. It’s natural shape tends to be more of a sink and ride pitch that aligns with his lower arm slot. That shape might cut down on his ability to generate whiffs against more advanced hitters at the top of the zone, but the power and movement should always allow it to be a highly effective pitch and potential groundball-heavy offering. 

Rojas has added nearly four ticks of velocity on average from the 2024 summer to the 2025 summer. Across nine Synergy-logged games in 2025, he averaged 94.4 mph with the pitch and at the East Coast Pro showcase he touched 98 mph five different times in one outing.

He pitches heavily off the fastball now, and has more feel for the heater than the rest of his arsenal. Batters hit just .175/.294/.193 against it with a 34% miss rate and a 17.4% swinging strike rate. 

Slider

In addition to a potential 70-grade fastball, Rojas has a slider that could become a plus offering. Like the fastball, the slider is a pitch that has added velocity over the last few seasons and now consistently sits in the low 80s. 

It’s a big, sweeping breaking ball with high spin rates in the 2,600-2,800 rpm range and lots of movement to his glove side. In our nine-game Synergy sample from 2025, Rojas threw the slider 17% of the time against righties and 31% of the time against lefties. It accounted for just under a quarter of his usage overall. 

The pitch is a clear swing-and-miss and chase offering for lefties, who have to combat with the pitch moving away from them in addition to the low angle Rojas creates on the mound. But against high school hitters, Rojas can use the slider to miss barrels of hitters on either side of the plate. Overall he used the pitch to generate a 62% miss rate but just a 15.1% swinging strike rate.

When Rojas is able to put the slider in the zone and force hitters to contend with it, it’s a clear weapon. Getting the pitch over the plate with more frequency will be a key development goal with him moving forward. His slider is currently his least reliable in-zone offering and he threw it for strikes just 43% of the time. 

While Rojas does tend to throw the pitch in the 80-84 mph range with sweeper shape, he did flash a harder variant at the ECP event, in the 85-87 mph range. At that velocity, Rojas’ slider looked more like a typical cutter, and adding a shorter, tighter breaking ball could be a useful piece for him in the future; both to attack righties with more frequency and give him a non-fastball that finds the zone a bit more often. 

Changeup

Rojas rounds out his repertoire with an 80-85 changeup that currently sits as a clear No. 3 offering for him. He uses a circle-change grip and almost exclusively throws it in opposite-hand matchups—leaving the fastball/slider combo as the complete attack plan against lefties.

While Rojas does have a decent feel to land the changeup for strikes, it is currently a pitch that gives lower-level hitters a chance to catch up to him more than anything. While it’s an extremely small sample of just 24 pitches, batters hit .714/.714/.1.000 against his changeup in the 2025 Synergy-logged sample we have available. It generated just a 20% miss rate and 8.3% swinging strike rate. 

While Rojas will at times have nearly a 15-mph velocity gap between the changeup and fastball, he gets to that difference often by visibly slowing his arm speed, which advanced hitters will be able to pick up on. The pitch doesn’t have an exceptional movement profile at the moment, but some scouts think there’s enough here for him to get to an average changeup that will be enough to keep hitters off-balance and help him work deeper into games.

Control & Command

Rojas established a reputation as an advanced strike-thrower as an underclassman, but he was a bit more scattered than many scouts expected to see in 2025. Like almost all high school pitchers, his fastball control is better than his fastball command, and he will need to sharpen that area of his game to maximize the effectiveness of the pitch. 

At his East Coast Pro outing, for example, Rojas left his fastball over the middle of the plate in neutral or pitcher’s counts too frequently and allowed a handful of hits because of it. He’ll also need to be more consistent with the release of his slider and challenge hitters with the pitch more frequently in and around the strike zone. He tends to miss with the breaking ball down and to his glove side. 

It’s possible that Rojas is one of those pitchers whose arm speed is so fast that it’s difficult for him to repeat his release point with elite consistency, making him more of a control over command pitcher with power stuff. Despite all this, his low-maintenance operation and athleticism should give him every opportunity to develop solid-average control in the future.

In Summary

Rojas is a power-armed lefthander with some of the best pure arm talent in the class that gives him obvious upside potential. That upside comes with some clear question marks—mostly the development of a third pitch and improved command—and a timeline that many teams might not want to stomach in the first round.

High school pitchers can do more than high school hitters in their spring draft seasons to influence their draft stock, and the same will be true of Rojas in 2026. A strong spring that sees him improve his weaknesses could vault him into the top-half of the first round, while a failure to do so—or regression in other areas—could see him fall further into a deep and strong high school pitching demographic. 

Rojas stacks up nicely with some of the best high school lefties we’ve seen in recent years. He belongs in the same sort of tier as players like Brandon Barriera (23rd overall), Noah Schultz (26th) and Robby Snelling (39th) from the 2022 class; Thomas White (35th) in the 2023 class; Cam Caminiti (24th) and Kash Mayfield (25th) in the 2024 class; and Kruz Schoolcraft (25th) in the 2025 class.

A comparison to Barriera makes a lot of sense in some ways: both are lightning-armed South Florida lefties with exceptional fastball velocity to go with high-spin sliders as their primary off-speeds—though Rojas has a taller, leaner and more projectable frame at the same stage.  

Griffin Boesen, 1B

• Draft Class: 2027
• College Commitment: Uncommitted

From a sheer statistical standpoint, it’s hard to argue against Boesen being one of the top performers in the entire event. Across Canes Midwest National’s run to the semifinals, Boesen went a video game-like 13-for-18 (.722) with a double, 10 RBIs and five walks against a pair of strikeouts.

A 6-foot-4, 190-pound lefthanded hitter, Boesen has a potential middle-of-the-order frame. He can impact the baseball now, but it’s not hard to envision Boesen adding more strength.

For someone of his size, Boesen does a nice job of staying synced up throughout his swing. He’s shown the ability to create leverage by dropping his back knee, and this summer he flashed above-average bat-to-ball skills. Boesen’s power is geared more towards extra-base hits than home runs at this point, but look for him to start to put more balls over the fence as he continues to mature physically.

Connor Comeau, INF

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Texas A&M

A member of the loaded USA Prime National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team, Comeau collected four hits—including a double and three-run home run in consecutive games—and drove in eight runs. He has a long, lanky frame—with particular length in his lower half—and plenty of physical projection remaining.

Comeau stands fairly tall in the box with a slightly-open front side and shoulder-high handset. He has a simple operation without a whole lot of moving parts, and he deploys a small leg lift that gives way to a normal stride. Though he’s a bit lacking in the physicality department, he still has solid bat speed and is able to generate quality contact on a regular basis.

Comeau put good swings on the ball all week. As I alluded to earlier, he hammered a backside double in one of my looks and belted a home run a game later. He has present power, but it’s not all that difficult to envision him growing into above-average or plus game power down the line.

While his power upside is tantalizing, Comeau also has a feel to hit. He flashed a good feel for the strike zone with polished swing decisions. The swing that perhaps stood out to me the most was a perfectly executed hit-and-run. Comeau let the ball travel, got his barrel to it and shot a hard-hit ground ball through a vacated six hole.

Comeau’s defensive profile is somewhat murky. He played both corner infield spots last week and got some run at shortstop over the summer, but I think his overall defensive skill set will profile best in a corner outfield spot when all is said and done. His movement profile and level of athleticism likely fit better on the grass than it does on the dirt.

Comeau will still be 17 years old at the draft, and he has an exciting blend of a body to dream on, “now” tools and plenty of upside.

Trevor Condon, OF

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Tennessee

Condon was one of my favorite position players I saw last week in Jupiter. A sparkplug in every sense of the word, he scattered seven hits—including a double—and four RBIs across five games.

At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Condon has an athletic frame with strength and impact, particularly to the pull side. A prototypical top-of-the-order tablesetter with an explosive and twitchy operation in the box, he shows no-doubt plus bat speed to go along with a feel for the barrel and high-level bat-to-ball skills. Condon controlled the zone well and demonstrated advanced swing decisions in my looks last week.

While he tends to hit the ball on the ground—I’d like to see him turn some of his ground balls into line drives—Condon gets out of the box unbelievably quick and regularly turned in double-plus run times. He projects as a hit-over-power profile whose vast majority of home run power will likely come to the pull side.

Defensively, Condon’s tantalizing combination of speed and athleticism translates well to center field. He has plenty of gap-to-gap range and can really go and get the baseball. If he can shore up his routes by taking a more efficient and crisp path to the baseball, he has a chance to become an impact defender.

As a nice cherry on top, Condon’s on-field makeup is outstanding. His baseball sense is advanced, and he plays the game with his hair on fire. A prime example of this last week came when he stole second on a great dirt ball read and later swiped third on a well-executed shuffle lead. He has an unbelievably high motor and does not take a single pitch off. It feels like he’s always involved in some capacity and, like the Energizer bunny, is always ready to go, go, go. Condon’s love for the game is evident, and it’s a quality that rubs off on those with whom he shares a dugout.

If you’re looking for a couple of players with a similar archetype as Condon, think along the lines of Sal Frelick and Slater de Brun. De Brun was a better defender at this stage with more of a physical, barrel-chested look, but there are still some similarities.

RJ Cope, 1B/LHP

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Vanderbilt

Cope enjoyed one of the best performances of any player in the tournament, going 12-for-20 (.600) with a pair of doubles, a home run, five RBIs and seven walks to three strikeouts. He was a key reason why his East Cobb/San Diego Padres Scout Team club made a run to the championship game, and Cope took his play to another level in bracket play.

A 6-foot-8, 250-pound mountain of a human being, it’s hard to miss Cope on the diamond. He has an extra-large, high-waisted frame with plenty of physicality throughout. Cope used to devote most of his time to pitching—and will still toe the rubber—so he’s still learning how to hit. You can see it in his swing, as it’s not the most rhythmic or aesthetically pleasing operation in the world, but it clearly worked last week. Cope gets a little bar-armed at times and his bat will lag, but last week he was an auto-barrel.

Cope’s power upside is immense. He flashes big-time juice already, but there’s a chance he grows into double-plus power if he can clean up his operation and get more into his legs. In what is the case for most players of similar size, it will be important for Cope to keep his long levers connected and in-sync throughout his swing. Defensively, Cope is relegated to first base. Undoubtedly a power-over-hit profile, you are betting on Cope’s power upside. 

All week, Cope brought the juice. He was a vocal leader both on the field and in the dugout, and after every big play you could set your watch to Cope being fired up for his teammates. This is a cold take, but without him, there is zero chance East Cobb would have been playing on Championship Monday.

Sean Dunlap, C

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Tennessee

Of Dunlap’s six hits last week, five went for extra bases. Across five games, the 6-foot-3 backstop tallied a pair of doubles, a pair of triples and one home run.

There’s plenty to like with Dunlap. He has a lean, athletic frame with some length in his lower half to go along with present strength and physical projection remaining. Dunlap moves well in the batter’s box and has a minimal load with big-time bat and hand speed. His swing can get long at times, which leaves him susceptible to swing-and-miss, so making enough contact to tap into his power on a regular basis will be key. Dunlap steps in the box with the intent to do damage and does not get cheated.

Though he’s slightly tall for the position, Dunlap has a solid defensive skill set behind the dish that’s headlined by his athleticism and arm strength.

Dylan Fairchild, SS

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Cincinnati

Fairchild was the best hitter on the SmarTense/ZT National Prospects team, and he parlayed his solid showing at East Coast Pro into a strong week in Jupiter.

The “how he does it” with Fairchild is unorthodox. He drops his hands a considerable amount in his load and sits a bit deeper in his base, but he was able to make it work and collected a trio of extra-base hits with five RBIs. Fairchild moves well both in the box and on the dirt, and he’s a Midwest name on which to keep tabs this spring. 

Matthew Mansbery, SS

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Michigan

Mansbery was on the barrel all week for Canes Midwest and laced three doubles, a pair of triples and drove in six runs.

A name to follow closely throughout this year’s draft cycle, Mansbery has an athletic frame with room to fill out further. He has a simple setup in the batter’s box and an easy, almost effortless, operation featuring minimal load, a small stride and a level head throughout his swing. Mansbery has quickness in his hands with budding power he flashed last week in Jupiter.

Mansbery isn’t the twitchiest or most explosive player in the world, but he’s shown sound actions on the dirt with arm strength on the left side of the infield. Mansbery is very much an unfinished product physically, and it’s exciting to think about what his ceiling might be. He is a potential top five-round pick this July.

Winston Pennant, OF

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Ole Miss

Pennant fits the mold of someone who is more likely to end up on a college campus than not, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight his performance in Jupiter. Pennant’s 10 RBIs were tied for the most in the tournament, and he also blasted a pair of long balls and tripled.

At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Pennant is plenty physical with strength throughout his frame. He flashed all-fields impact last week and was consistently on the barrel. He has a bit of a noisy load and there are some hit tool questions, but there’s no questioning his raw power. 

Noah Wilson, OF

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Vanderbilt

Wilson impressed all week and was one of the more productive hitters in the event. Across four games, he amassed six hits with a triple, a home run and eight RBIs.

Standing at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Wilson has a pro body with present strength and some projection remaining. He possesses an enticing tool set that was on full display in Jupiter. He has a simple, yet explosive operation in the box, showing plenty of bat speed and taking a direct path to the baseball.

Wilson has an all-fields approach and has shown the ability to drive the baseball to either gap, as evidenced last week by his home run going out to left-center field. On top of the quality contact he was able to generate, Wilson demonstrated a feel for the barrel. While he stayed within the strike zone for the most part, Wilson this summer struggled with swing-and-miss—especially as it pertained to picking up secondaries out of the hand—which is something to monitor.

A plus runner, Wilson’s speed translates well, both on the basepaths and on the grass. His arm is a little light, but his legs and athleticism will give him a chance to prove himself in center field professionally.

An intriguing blend of tools and upside, Wilson has a chance to be a top-three round pick this summer.

Sebastian “Sushi” Wilson, OF

• Draft Class: 2027
• College Commitment: Tennessee

With no relation to Noah, “Sushi” was one of the better underclass hitters in the event. He served as the straw that stirred the drink for Wow Factor’s 17U National Team and notched 10 hits with a pair of doubles and four RBIs.

Wilson has strength baked into his 6-foot, 190-pound frame. He has a hitterish look in the box with a fairly upright stance, a slightly-open front side and a medium-high handset. There’s a slight barrel tip in his load and quickness in his hands

Wilson was a high-level performer throughout the summer circuit. According to Synergy Sports, this summer he hit .340/.444/.420 across all major events.

Wilson runs well and has also flashed an above-average arm in center field. With a smattering of tools, Wilson is a high-priority follow in the 2027 class. 

Brody Crane, RHP

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Arkansas

Crane turned in one of the best starts of the tournament and collected eight strikeouts across three shutout, hitless innings.

A stocky righthander, Crane has plenty of strength and physicality packed into his 6-foot, 215-pound frame. He works exclusively out of the stretch and features a short, somewhat stabby arm stroke whiling attacking out of a high three-quarters slot.

Crane pounded the strike zone for the entirety of his outing and ran his fastball up to 96 mph to go along with a low-80s slider and mid-80s splitter. Crane’s fastball flashed both run and ride through the zone, and he relied on it heavily. His slider and splitter each profile as effective secondaries. His slider was shorter in shape with some gloveside life and late depth, and the one splitter he threw was sub-1,000 rpm. Crane stayed off the barrel of opposing hitters all night and displayed an impressive feel to pitch.

Hudson DeVaughan, RHP

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Alabama

DeVaughan spun a quality start for his Canes Midwest National club in which he didn’t allow an earned run, gave up one hit and struck out seven across four innings.

DeVaughan is old for the class, but the 6-foot-4 righthander has a slender, high-waisted frame with physical projection remaining. He operated exclusively out of the stretch and featured an easy, under-control operation in which he attacked hitters out of a high three-quarters slot. His fastball reached 96 mph and was most effective up in the zone. He paired his heater with an upper-70s-to-low-80s curveball that he spun reasonably well.

DeVaughan’s fastball-curveball combination makes for an intriguing north-south profile, though he’ll need to continue to work on adding a viable third pitch. Perhaps most encouraging was that DeVaughan was consistently in and around the strike zone. 

Sean Duncan, LHP

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Vanderbilt

Before the rain came on Thursday, I enjoyed my look at Duncan. Across three innings, the southpaw amassed seven strikeouts, walked one and surrendered three hits (one of which was a bunt).

At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Duncan has a lean, high-waisted frame with plenty of projection remaining. He features a loose, repeatable delivery and attacks out of a three-quarters slot with an appealing ease to his operation. In my look, Duncan’s fastball sat in the 90-93 mph range and got up to 95. It’s a high-spin pitch that played particularly well in the top half of the zone thanks to its riding life, and he collected seven swings and misses with it over the course of his outing.

Check out recent @VandyBoys commit Sean Duncan on the mound

The Canadian lefthander recorded seven strikeouts and one walk over three innings and generated 12 whiffs on the day. pic.twitter.com/yEG77kGH0P

— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) October 10, 2025

The best pitch in Duncan’s arsenal at this point is his low-80s slider. The lefthander showed the ability to manipulate its shape, and at times it flashed ample, sharp lateral life—especially against lefthanded hitters. At other times, it took on more of a two-plane look with a similar degree of sharpness. Either way, it has no-doubt plus potential and looks the part of a true putaway pitch. In addition to the seven whiffs with his heater, Duncan notched five with his slider to make an even dozen on the day.

Duncan also flipped in a couple of curveballs in the low 80s and tried to turn over a changeup or two, but he relied heavily on his fastball-slider combination. His command became more scattershot in the third inning, and his front side began to fly open on a more frequent basis, which led to misses up and/or out.

Not only is there a lot to like now with Duncan, but there’s just as much to dream on. As he continues to mature physically, I expect his entire arsenal—both in terms of velocity and dynamism—to tick up. He looks the part of a starter professionally and fits in the third-to-fifth round bucket for me.

James Jorgensen, RHP

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Texas

Jorgensen was another arm who turned heads in Jupiter last week. An undersized righthander with physicality packed into his frame, he has a rather compact arm stroke and attacks out of a near-over-the-top slot with present arm speed and a degree of explosiveness in his delivery.

While he threw just one inning, Jorgensen was able to punch two tickets. His fastball was up to 96 mph with natural ride through the zone to go along with a hammer upper-70s curveball that flashed both depth and plenty of sharpness. Jorgensen’s command was a bit inconsistent, but his combination of pure stuff and athleticism is exciting.

Dexter McCleon Jr., RHP

• Draft Class: 2028
• College Commitment: Uncommitted

Striker Pence (more on him below) wasn’t the only class of 2028 arm who turned heads last week.

Primarily a position player and one of the top players in his class, McCleon impressed in his outing in Jupiter. He was first out of the bullpen for a stacked USA Prime 17U National team and flashed big-time stuff in his two innings of work. A “toolshed” in every sense of the word, McCleon’s premium athleticism is evident in his delivery. He moves exceptionally well on the mound and attacks out of a high three-quarters slot with blistering arm speed.

McCleon’s fastball was up to 98 mph and sat in the mid 90s in his first inning of work, but his velocity tapered off a bit by the second. Nonetheless, it’s a lively pitch that routinely displays carry through the zone. He also mixed in a low-80s slider that flashed two-plane tilt.

McCleon is more thrower than pitcher right now, and his command was scattered, but there is an intriguing foundation in place.

Samir Mohammed, RHP

• Draft Class: 2027
• College Commitment: LSU

Mohammed got the ball in the first game for USA Prime 17U National and punched out six batters across five innings.

An ultra-physical workhorse, Mohammed is a 6-foot-5, 240-pound righthander who features a long, deep arm stroke and attacks out of a low three-quarters slot. He lands with his front side slightly open—which is something to watch—but his pure stuff is tantalizing. There’s an appealing ease to Mohammed’s delivery, and he commanded the baseball well in Jupiter.

95 mph from RHP Samir Mohammed (16) with a changeup that’s about as good as you will see from any 2027 pitcher in the country. 6-5, 245 lbs. Baseball America’s No. 19 player in the class. pic.twitter.com/rVBypt2xuC

— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) July 2, 2025

Mohammed’s fastball was up to 97 mph with carry and natural armside life, but his calling card is his low-to-mid-80s changeup. It’s arguably a plus pitch right now, and it routinely flashes both ample armside fade and depth. Mohammed ties together his arsenal with a low-to-mid-80s slider that flashes sharp two-plane tilt.

Striker Pence, RHP

• Draft Class: 2028
• College Commitment: Uncommitted

As I alluded to in the introduction, Pence’s outing was the loudest of the tournament, and the newly-minted sophomore last week had everyone flocking to the Marlins’ side of the complex. Against a quality Milwaukee Brewers Scout Team, the 16-year-old fired a pair of shutout innings in which he notched a trio of strikeouts, walked one and allowed one hit (a slow roller through the right side). 

The nephew of four-time MLB all-star Hunter Pence, Striker has an extra-long frame with budding strength throughout—there’s particular physicality in his lower half. The 6-foot-6, 200-pound righthander works exclusively out of the stretch and attacks out of a three-quarters slot with a whippy arm stroke and tremendous arm speed.

The calling card of Pence’s arsenal is his fastball, and for good reason. It sat in the 96-99 mph range, and he touched 101—a new personal and Jupiter record—four times. The heater explodes out of his hand and flashed thunderous life through the zone with no shortage of carry.

Mind-numbing stuff from 2028 righty Striker Pence. The 16-year-old’s (!!!) first three pitches were 100, 100, 101.1, per Trackman. There’s a very large crowd gathered for this outing. Not exactly hard to imagine why. pic.twitter.com/FKfQTDTTSg

— Jacob Rudner (@JacobRudner) October 9, 2025

Pence pairs his heater with a hellacious mid-to-upper-80s power slider. It routinely flashes tons of sharp, lateral life with some depth, and it presents an incredibly difficult look for righthanded hitters. Pence was also able to backdoor the pitch for a called third strike against a lefthanded hitter to conclude his outing.

This feels like the part of the infomercial where the person pitching the product exclaims “But wait, there’s more!” That’s because Pence rounds out his arsenal with a high-80s split-change with which he does a nice job killing spin. He turned over a really good one in his outing last week that flashed late tumble, and it looks the part of a future above-average or plus third pitch. 

While there’s some low-hanging fruit to clean up in the delivery, and he’s a bit of a spray gun command-wise, Pence possesses premium stuff across the board. One of the biggest keys going forward will be consistently competing in and around the strike zone. But it’s important to remember that Pence is still just 16. It is flat-out ridiculous to think about what he might look like in a couple of years.

Connor Salerno, LHP

• Draft Class: 2027
• College Commitment: Mississippi State

One of the top 2027 arms in the country, Salerno dazzled in his outing for Wow Factor and struck out eight across three shutout innings. With an ideal pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Salerno features an up-tempo delivery with a deep arm stroke and attacks out of a lowered three-quarters slot. He lands closed off, so there’s also a degree of crossfire in his operation.

Salerno’s fastball settled into the low 90s as his outing progressed, but he ran it up to 96 mph in the first with natural—and effective—armside life. In addition to his lively fastball, Salerno’s low-80s slider flashed above-average with more length than depth, and he also showed a mid-80s changeup. He was in attack mode all night and needed just 41 pitches to breeze through three innings.

Salerno is not eligible for the draft until 2027, but he already profiles as one of the premier prep arms in the class.

Donovan Thiery, RHP

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Florida State

Thiery didn’t light up the box score, but he stands out for his immense upside.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 195 pounds, Thiery has a long, high-waisted frame with ample projection remaining. He shows present arm speed and attacks from a near-over-the-top slot (though, he’ll lower it slightly when delivering his slider). His fastball was up to 96 mph with particular life in the top half of the zone, and it plays up thanks to above-average extension. Thiery’s slider flashed some lateral life, and his changeup acted as more of a “show” pitch. He’ll need to continue to refine both of his secondaries going forward.

Another key for Thiery will be keeping his long limbs synced up throughout his delivery. He was disconnected at times, which led to inconsistent command. While there are things to clean up, Thiery has a handful of exciting building blocks in place. 

Colin White, LHP

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Georgia Tech

While his start was cut short due to rain, White turned heads across his two shutout, hitless innings of work. He punched out three, walked none and the lone baserunner he allowed was courtesy of an error. He only needed 23 pitches to cruise through his pair of innings.

Listed at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, White is a strapping, high-waisted lefthander with upside remaining. He’s gotten more physical over the course of the last year but still has room to fill out. He features an explosive, drop-and-drive delivery and attacks out of a high three-quarters slot with no shortage of arm speed. 

White’s fastball sat in the 93-96 mph range and jumped out of his hand with plenty of carry through the zone. His heater is a high-spin offering and profiles as a real bat-misser. Given White’s present arm speed and projection remaining, it’s not difficult to envision further velocity gains.

White supplemented his heater with a low-80s slider that flashed plus. It’s a pitch thrown with conviction, and it has an enticing degree of sharpness to it. White also has a changeup, but he didn’t need to use it.

One of the biggest focal points for White going forward will be continuing to keep his long levers in-sync throughout his delivery. Though he threw less than two dozen pitches, White left Jupiter with an up arrow next to his name. 

Cody Boshell, 1B/OF, Florida

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Tennessee

A physically imposing 6-foot-3, 220-pound lefthanded hitter, Boshell looked every bit the part of a power bat thanks to real strength through his frame and a barrel chest that suggested durability. Though primarily a first baseman, he moved well enough to project as a viable corner outfielder if needed.

At the plate, Boshell worked from a simple load with above-average hand speed and plenty of bat strength. His swing could get a touch long at times, but the bat path stayed direct enough to allow his natural power to play. The ball jumped off his barrel with carry to all fields, and he showed the ability to drive it out of the park, as evidenced by a home run he launched during a 4-for-12 showing in Jupiter.

Boshell’s hands worked fast through the zone, and his overall approach was aggressive. Continued emphasis on staying compact will be key as he faces better velocity, but the ingredients for middle-of-the-order power were already clear. He also pitched, though his future almost certainly lies with the bat, where his combination of physicality, athleticism and strength gives him impact potential.

Jorhan Castro, C, Puerto Rico

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Western Kentucky

Though undersized at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Castro impressed as arguably the most polished defensive catcher at the showcase. Multiple evaluators singled him out as the premier receiver in Jupiter, citing his advanced feel, quiet movements and leadership behind the plate against opposing lineups loaded with high-end players.

Castro showed a natural ability to present and steal strikes, particularly at the bottom of the zone, where his fluid hands and soft glove action consistently worked in his pitchers’ favor. He blocked with ease, anticipated well and displayed a calm command of the game that stood out for his age. His throwing mechanics were compact and efficient, producing accurate throws with carry and pop times in the low 1.9s. The arm strength and quick release both played, and his overall defensive polish was ahead of his peers.

While the bat remains a work in progress and may be light long term, Castro’s defensive profile gives him a significant carrying tool. With plus upside behind the dish and an advanced understanding of the position, he projected as a high-floor catching prospect capable of anchoring a staff at the next level. He should make it to campus at Western Kentucky this fall.

Wyatt Clatur, RHP, Tennessee

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Virginia

Clatur delivered one of the weekend’s most dominant outings, striking out nine over four shutout innings while generating 18 total whiffs—12 on his fastball and six on his slider. The performance underscored both his stuff and competitive demeanor, as he worked quickly, attacked hitters and never appeared fazed by the stage.

An athletic righthander with evident arm speed, Clatur operated from a slightly-crossfire delivery that added deception and angle to his arsenal. His fastball sat 91-93 mph, touched 94 and showed lively finish through the top of the zone. The pitch consistently missed bats, playing up thanks to his tempo and ability to locate it with intent.

His slider, thrown in the low 80s, featured sweep and late movement across the plate. He showed confidence landing it for strikes and used it effectively to finish at-bats against both lefties and righties.

Clatur’s combination of athleticism, pitchability and competitive edge stood out as much as his raw stuff. With a lively fastball-slider mix, clean arm action and mound presence beyond his years, Clatur looked like a rising name to follow closely moving forward.

Colin Driffill, RHP, Nebraska

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Kansas State

A lean, athletic 6-foot-1, 200-pound righthander, Driffill emerged as one of the more intriguing breakout arms at WWBA. Flashing loud arm strength and an operation built on athleticism, he struck out two across two innings without allowing an earned run.

Driffill sat 92-94 mph and reached 97 twice in his first inning, generating five whiffs on 26 fastballs that showed late life and explosive carry at the top of the zone. His primary secondary was a curveball in the low-to-mid 70s with solid depth. Its shape varied at times, however, hinting at a still-developing feel for spin.

Working from a delivery with some drop-and-drive elements, Driffill showed evident power and arm speed through a deep arm path. His movement patterns were athletic, his lower half strong and his overall projection enticing. With refinement, he had the raw ingredients to make significant strides as he matures.

Driffill entered the event largely under the radar, but that changed quickly. Multiple evaluators told Baseball America he wasn’t someone they had heavily followed—or, in some cases, had on their lists at all—before Jupiter. By the time he left, he was firmly among the names who made a strong impression.

Soren Etheridge, RHP, Arizona

• Draft Class: 2027
• College Commitment: Uncommitted

The lone uncommitted prospect on this list, Etheridge’s performance in Jupiter was simply too loud to overlook. The young righthander struck out eight across 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while generating an eye-popping 16 total whiffs, 13 of which came on his fastball.

Etheridge’s heater sat 90-92 mph and touched 94 with late carry, overpowering hitters at the letters. Though his velocity dipped slightly as the outing went on, the pitch’s shape and effectiveness held steady throughout. His best secondary was a low-80s changeup with late tumble and fading action—a pitch one evaluator projected could develop into a future plus offering.

Etheridge also mixed a curveball and slider—both in the mid-to-high 70s—that occasionally bled together. He appeared to call for two distinct breaking balls in warmups but threw more of a hybrid shape during game action. A handful of firmer sliders stood out, hinting at the potential to better differentiate a fourth pitch as he matures.

An athletic, projectable arm with a lean frame and multi-sport background—he’s also a competitive swimmer—Etheridge showed raw but exciting ingredients. His delivery contained plenty of low-hanging fruit to refine, but with physical growth and mechanical polish, he looked like a highly moldable, high-upside talent whose recruitment should accelerate in short order.

Julian Garcia, RHP, California

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Long Beach State

A physical 6-foot-3, 210-pound righthander, Garcia possessed one of the cleaner arm strokes at the event. He worked from a high three-quarters slot with above-average arm speed and a fastball that sat in the low 90s, touched 93 mph and showed carry through the zone. The pitch got on hitters quickly and played best at the letters. There was some effort when he reached back for more, but it never disrupted his tempo. Further velocity gains appeared well within reach as he continues to mature physically.

Garcia’s best offspeed offering was a sharp, high-spin breaking ball in the low-to-mid 70s that eclipsed 2,800 rpm. It came out of his hand clean with pronounced depth and late, biting action when he stayed on top of it. The pitch already induced swings and misses and figures to become a legitimate out pitch with added power. He also mixed a developing changeup that he threw just once in Jupiter.

Over two hitless, scoreless innings with four strikeouts, Garcia displayed two pitches with above-average upside, consistent strike-throwing feel and the type of size and arm speed that suggested more to come.

Will Holden, C, North Carolina

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Wake Forest

A physical 6-foot-3, 205-pound catcher from North Carolina, Holden showed the kind of strength, athleticism and versatility that make him a valuable piece at multiple positions. He moved well for his size and showed the ability to handle both catching and corner infield duties.

Behind the plate, Holden worked from a one-knee setup with decent lower-half quickness and a compact arm action. His throws carried with accuracy, and he showed above-average arm strength. He occasionally struggled with glove-to-hand transfers, but that’s an area that should smooth out with continued reps.

At the plate, Holden hit from a wide stance and generated leverage and loft through the zone. His swing could get steep at times, but the barrel was heavy and produced above-average raw power. Two of his three hits in Jupiter left the yard, and his loose hands and developing approach hinted at more consistency ahead.

Committed to Wake Forest, Holden profiled as a strong, righthanded power bat with defensive versatility and plenty of physical maturity still to come.

Bryant James, SS, Virginia

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Virginia

A lean, wiry 6-foot-1, 175-pound shortstop, James stood out as one of the best athletes in the tournament. His frame offered ample room to add strength, and with natural twitch already present, there was clear upside remaining as he continues to fill out physically.

A double-plus runner with verified 60-yard times in the 6.2-6.3 range, James used his speed as both a weapon and tone-setter. He consistently pressured defenses by getting out of the box quickly to turn routine contact into close plays and extra-base opportunities. His speed was on full display when he coasted in for a triple on a ball to the gap.

At the plate, James hit from a shoulder-high handset with a fairly narrow, upright stance. In lieu of a leg kick, he instead used a controlled stride to get into his swing. His hands worked fast, and his barrel stayed through the hitting zone for a long stretch, giving him a strong contact foundation. Right now, he profiles as a table-setter with gap-to-gap line drive ability, though added strength could unlock more lift and carry in his profile over time.

Defensively, James showed the actions and arm strength to stick at shortstop. His quick first step, lateral range and overall athleticism helped him make plays to both sides. Should he eventually need to move off the position, his elite speed and twitch would translate naturally to the grass.

Taden Krogsgaard, RHP, California

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Cal State Fullerton

A lean and athletic 6-foot-3, 180-pound righthander, Krogsgaard impressed in Jupiter with his projection, polish and feel for spin. Though he also plays third base, his future clearly lies on the mound, where his athleticism and arm speed stand out.

Krogsgaard worked with a low three-quarters release and a bit of crossfire in his delivery, creating natural deception and angle on his pitches. His fastball sat 90-92 mph and touched 93, showing late life through the zone. The heater played up thanks to his ability to locate to both sides, and evaluators noted there’s still velocity left in the tank as his frame continues to fill out.

His best secondary offering was a high-70s sweeper with late horizontal break that he consistently landed for strikes. Several evaluators already viewed the pitch as a fringe-plus weapon that should only improve as he adds strength and velocity.

Across two Jupiter outings, Krogsgaard allowed just one run over six innings, showing advanced pitchability and confidence. With a fastball-slider foundation, physical projection and an athletic delivery, he profiles as a high-upside arm.

Trent Lutz, RHP, Pennsylvania

• Draft Class: 2027
• College Commitment: Penn State

A long-limbed 6-foot-4, 170-pound righthander, Lutz combined present stuff with significant physical projection. His high-waisted, lean frame left plenty of room for added strength, and the delivery already hinted at future power once he grows into it. He worked with a deep, high three-quarters arm stroke and occasionally landed open in his stride, leading to some inconsistency in his release point.

Lutz’s fastball sat 90-93 mph and touched 94, showing solid life through the zone. His best velocity and shape came early in the outing, but the pitch still held enough life to miss bats late. He paired it with both a curveball and slider that sometimes bled together. When he stayed on top, the curveball showed depth, but he occasionally got around it and lost finish. He also mixed in a few changeups that flashed promise with late fade.

Still early in his development, Lutz’s projection stood out most. His wiry frame, loose arm action and flashes of a true three-pitch mix made him a highly intriguing long-term follow in the 2027 class.

Jace Mataczynski, SS, Wisconsin

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Auburn

One of the most toolsy players in Jupiter, Mataczynski drew a sizable scouting crowd each time he took the field and quickly became one of the weekend’s buzziest names. Several evaluators told Baseball America they were zeroing in on the Auburn commit after his standout showing, and his stock appeared to be rising fast.

At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Mataczynski combines promising size, twitch and fluidity. He moved easily at shortstop, showing light feet and impressive body control with an above-average arm that carried across the diamond. His wide, effortless gait translated into plus running ability, allowing him to cover ground both in the field and on the bases.

Offensively, Mataczynski remains raw but dangerous. His two-handed swing occasionally lagged behind better velocity, though his physical strength and bat speed still showed through as he collected six hits, including a home run and two doubles. With added mechanical polish and physical maturity, his offensive game could take a major leap.

Mataczynski’s blend of athleticism, tools and projection has him positioned as a potential early-round follow if his upward trajectory continues.

Lukas McDowell, RHP, Canada

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: North Florida

A towering 6-foot-8, 245-pound righthander and native of Canada, McDowell looked every bit the part of a workhorse starter thanks to his broad shoulders and powerful lower half. His size alone turned heads, but it was the combination of athleticism and stuff that made his outing one of the more memorable performances among the unheralded prospects in Jupiter. Over three scoreless innings, he struck out three without issuing a walk while showing poise and command.

McDowell attacked from a long, whippy low three-quarters slot that created difficult angles and deception. His fastball sat 91-93 mph and touched 95 with carry through the zone and late life that helped it miss five bats. He paired it with a low-80s sweeping slider and a high-70s curveball that featured two-plane depth—both capable of missing barrels when executed. A developing changeup rounded out his four-pitch mix.

At 18, few pitchers combine this kind of physicality, arm speed and athletic operation. McDowell’s blend of size and raw stuff gives him a rare ceiling, and continued refinement could make him one of the more fascinating Canadian arms in the 2026 class.

Ethan Offing, OF, South Carolina

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Clemson

An ultra-athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pound center fielder, Offing turned in one of the more complete performances in Jupiter and drew legitimate scouting attention. His combination of speed, defense and emerging impact at the plate made him one of the event’s more intriguing all-around position players.

Offing covered ground easily in center field, showing smooth actions, confident reads and the type of closing speed that allowed him to make more difficult plays look routine. His running ability also translated offensively, where his quickness out of the box and aggressive baserunning kept pressure on defenses.

At the plate, Offing’s short, fast swing and advanced bat control stood out. He went 7-for-13 with a double, triple and home run, consistently finding the barrel and flashing surprising strength for his lean frame. The bat speed was real, and his swing path suggested room to grow into more power without sacrificing contact.

With plus speed, reliable defense in center and the potential to both set the table and impact the baseball with authority, Offing looked like a high-upside athlete who would fit perfectly in Clemson’s up-tempo, offensive-minded program if he reaches campus.

Chandler Taylor, OF, Ohio

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Alabama

The younger brother of former Indiana All-American Devin Taylor, Taylor impressed as a lean, athletic 6-foot-3, 185-pound outfielder with real center field potential. He moved with above-average speed, read the ball off the bat well and showed the instincts and reaction time to hold down the middle of the diamond.

At the plate, he shared traits similar to his brother, as his swing stayed on plane and his hands were quick. That ability already allows him to drive the ball all over the field, but as he adds strength, he’ll need to learn to lift the ball more consistently to unlock additional power.

Taylor’s biggest area for growth is in plate discipline. He needs to sharpen his approach against spin and remain engaged in two-strike counts, rather than expanding too early.

Though still relatively young, Taylor is already committed to Alabama and appears likely to land on campus. His tools, pedigree, and athletic profile make him an interesting name to follow going forward.

Ty Van Valkenburg, RHP, New York

• Draft Class: 2026
• College Commitment: Miami

Built with a strong, durable 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame, Van Valkenburg looked every bit the part of a physical righthander with starter traits. His delivery was compact and repeatable while his arm worked with looseness and whip from a three-quarters release. He occasionally dropped the slot a bit when throwing his slider but maintained a consistent tempo and direction throughout.

Van Valkenburg’s fastball sat in the low 90s and reached 94 mph while showing both run and ride that allowed it to miss bats. He commanded the pitch well, especially to his arm side, and collected four whiffs on it in this outing. Over two innings, he punched out four, didn’t issue a walk and allowed two hits—one an infield single—without surrendering an earned run.

His primary secondary was an upper-70s slider that flashed above-average potential. The pitch varied in shape, showing tighter, two-plane bite against lefthanded hitters and a sweepier look with more lateral movement to righties. It already profiled as his best swing-and-miss weapon and was responsible for two of his six total whiffs on the day. He also flashed a changeup in warmups but didn’t use it in-game.

With physical strength, repeatability and a fastball-slider combination that both played, Van Valkenburg fit the mold of a strike-throwing starter to watch closely this spring.

Pence delivered the most memorable outing of the 2025 WWBA World Championship, working two scoreless innings, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three. His fastball climbed to 101 mph and sat 97-99, generating eight whiffs in the brief appearance. He paired it with a biting mid-to-high-80s slider that showed late teeth and a split changeup that rounded out a repertoire evaluators already believe could feature three plus weapons.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” one evaluator told Baseball America. “I think it’s pretty safe to say he stands in a class of his own. We’ve seen velocity at the high school level before, but never this young. He has a chance to do historic things.”

Pence is used to people watching. It comes with the radar guns, the phones, the familiar murmur that starts when he begins to throw. But that attention cuts both ways.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “It feels like everything I do good is seen, but also the bad. It pushes me to be better.”

Pence has learned to live in that space—where awe meets expectation. It’s part of growing up as the nephew of an MLB all-star and World Series champion like Hunter Pence, but it’s also part of growing into himself. Even before the cameras showed up, he was the kid people whispered about. 

By 15, Pence said he had already touched 90 mph. Then he experienced a massive growth spurt and began to throw like no one else his age ever has.

“I’ve always been the little guy who threw hard,” Pence said. “Then from 13 to now, I just shot up. I hit 90 at 15, then 95, and when I finally hit 100 at Area Codes this summer, it didn’t even feel real. Now it’s 101. Maybe one day, I break a record.”

Pence’s words come without arrogance. He grins, half-embarrassed, like someone still getting used to how others see him. Pence talks about pitching the same way most kids talk about video games—curious, self-aware and honest about what he doesn’t yet know.

“It’s surreal,” he said. “Every mile an hour after this gets harder.”

Pence acknowledges that there are still rough edges. His delivery can get tall, his timing can drift and every video that circulates online seems to come with a chorus of self-appointed analysts pointing it out. 

He doesn’t disagree, though.

“There’s stuff I’ve got to clean up,” he said. “But I’m not trying to be perfect right now.”

Pence is in no rush to iron out every flaw. He reminds himself—and sometimes the adults watching—that he’s only 16, a sophomore in high school with years left to grow into his frame and refine his craft. What others see as imperfections, he views as part of his process.

“I know I’ve got time,” he said. “I just try to stay within myself, throw, hit, work out, keep getting better. If I do that, everything else will come.”

It’s an uncommon patience for someone already living under a spotlight this bright. Where others chase the next data point, the next viral clip, Pence seems intent on letting the game unfold at his pace, which has still been stunningly rapid. 

“My dad always tells me to stay humble and do what I do,” Pence said. “That’s what I try to remember.”

Pence already belongs to one of baseball’s most exclusive fraternities as a member of the small group of high school pitchers who have reached triple digits.

Earlier this year, Baseball America compiled a list of every officially recorded 100 mph fastball thrown at the prep level. Only 17 names made it, with just nine ever touching 101 or harder:

YEAR	player	state	max velo
2014	Tyler Kolek	Texas	102
2016	Riley Pint	Kansas	102
2017	Hunter Greene	California	102
2021	Chase Petty	New Jersey	102
2025	Jack Bauer	Illinois	102
2025	Striker Pence	California	101
2001	Colt Griffin	Texas	101
2011	Archie Bradley	Oklahoma	101
2021	Roki Sasaki	Japan	101
2023	Travis Sykora	Texas	101
2011	Dylan Bundy	Oklahoma	100
2012	Shohei Ohtani	Japan	100
2019	Daniel Espino	Georgia	100
2021	Chase Burns	Tennessee	100
2022	Brock Porter	Michigan	100
2022	Nazier Mule	New Jersey	100
2025	Seth Hernandez	California	100
2025	Miguel Sime Jr.	New York	100

Pence became the 18th member of that club this summer—and one of its youngest, too. With two full years of high school left, scouts believe he has a legitimate chance to be the first to reach at least 103 mph.

“He’s still so raw and, honestly, not that efficient mechanically,” one scout said. “He’s throwing 100-plus off sheer talent and natural power.”

For all the noise around him, Pence insists the goal hasn’t changed. He still wants to be the best player, teammate and person he can be. And he reminds himself often that no amount of velocity guarantees anything.

“I think it’s crazy, all of this,” he said. “I don’t know if I deserve it yet. I feel like I’ve still got more to prove.”

Pence talks like someone aware that the story being written about him is still in its early chapters. There will be more radar guns, more phones, more murmurs when he takes the mound again. That’s part of it now.

Pence laughs when asked if he ever reads what people say online.

“I’ve already learned—just don’t look at the comments,” he said. “I don’t care.”

That indifference feels like another advantage. He knows the spotlight will only get brighter, but he’s comfortable letting it shine where it may.

“I’m just another high school player until I make it to the big stage,” Pence said. “That’s when it really counts.”