PA Prep Round Up - April

Over the past month and a half, I’ve been traveling all over eastern Pennsylvania watching the best of what prep baseball has to offer in this area. In this article, I’m going to do my best to describe my favorite players that I’ve seen so far.

Tegan Kuhns (RHP, Gettysburg Area - Tennessee)

Tegan Kuhns, member of the 2023 Team USA 18U team and our number 55 draft prospect for 2024, has solidified himself as the top prep draft prospect in PA. His arsenal which includes a fastball that reaches 96 mph, a sharp upper 70s slider, and a mid 80s splitter is built to make him a swing-and-miss machine. Standing at 6’3, 177lbs, he has room to fill out and increase his velocity even more.

Kuhns is a superb athlete on the mound. Combo his athleticism with his slender build, and you have the perfect example of projection. His long arms plus extension and his ability to elevate his fastball make that far and away his best strikeout pitch. His breaking ball is more of a true slider and he can throw it in any count. His release makes it look just like his fastball and it flies across the zone hard, generating a ton of chases. The splitter may be my favorite pitch of his. It’s hard and has the depth and arm-side movement that will get him plenty of ground balls and out of some tough situations.

He will turn 19 a couple of months before the draft, however, I don’t think that will affect his stock too much. There’s a lot to like about Kuhns and he has tons of room to grow and improve. I won’t be shocked if we hear his name called in the first couple of days of the draft.

Chase Harlan (3B, Central Bucks East - Clemson)

Chase Harlan, our number 159 draft prospect for 2024, is a strong and physical third-baseman. When I saw Harlan early into the spring, I immediately got the impression that he had the capabilities to stick at third base. He has good size, a plus arm, and a solid glove at the hot corner. Athletically, he has the quickness and reactions to stick at the position as well. Given his speed and arm, I do see a possibility that he could have a future at one of the corner outfield spots however, I think he will do just fine at third base.

At the plate this spring, Harlan has shown off his bat speed and power to all fields. When I saw him, he drove a double into the right-center field gap and the next at-bat was a double to left. Every at-bat I saw (outside of the intentional walks), Harlan put the bat on the ball in a productive way. Early on, there was both some swing-and-miss and some chase to his game, but I’ve been hearing that he has cleaned a lot of that up so, I am looking forward to checking him out again this spring.

Tague Davis (1B/LHP, Malvern Prep - Louisville)

Tague Davis, like the others here, has put on a strong performance so far this spring. He has a pro-ready body at 6’3, 205 lbs. In the three games I’ve seen him play, he has shown off his power at the plate every time. While there is some swing and miss to his profile right now, each time I’ve seen him play he has made better and better contact quality. The combination of his size, bat speed, and bat path built for loft always makes him a threat to go yard every time he comes to the plate.

I finally had the chance to watch Davis pitch last week and he had a strong game overall. He located his fastball well at 87-89 mph and his big breaking slider at 75-77 mph. He also featured a very deceptive changeup that looked identical to his fastball, only about 6-8 mph slower. So far this spring, Davis’ fastball has consistently been a couple of ticks higher in velocity but, when I saw him, he commanded the zone well and was getting tons of weak contact without the higher velocity. Also, he limited baserunners well, allowing only three hits and one walk through six innings of work. One thing I was hoping to see from him was to reach back and try to blow one by the hitter, but I never saw it. That’s not a knock on Davis, he just never had to because he was doing such a good job at missing barrels already.

Davis not only has the prototypical size to play first base, but he also defends the position very well. He’s a physical defender, not afraid to put his body in front of the ball. He is also quick enough to make plays away from his body and handles tough throws from infielders with ease. I look forward to tracking his progress throughout the rest of the spring and seeing if he can improve his stock more than he already has.

Dylan Hansen (RHP, Downingtown East - Coastal Carolina)

Dylan Hansen was a very fun watch for me. He has a strong frame at 6’3, 215 lbs and puts every bit of it into his pitches. When I saw Hansen, he featured a 92-94 mph fastball with good life, a 77-80 mph slurvy breaking ball, and an 82-85 mph tumbling changeup. He elevates his fastball well and commands his off-speed with it, making it tough to put the barrel on the ball. His long arms and legs made his low-mid 90s fastball look much faster than it was. Hansen was in constant attack mode, not shying away from anyone who stepped in the box. There was a lot of effort in his delivery, causing him to tire out a little quicker than you would hope. By the fifth inning, his velocity had fallen by about five mph on his fastball. However, he was still able to strike out his last batter on a 93 mph fastball above the zone. The Coastal Carolina commit has shown that he has a strong foundation and has the stuff to build on and become an excellent pitcher at the next level.

Kross Howarth (INF/RHP, Perkiomen School - Tulane)

Kross Howarth is a primary pitcher who thrives on attacking the zone and getting swings and misses. This spring, he has featured an 88-92 mph fastball, a big sweeping 75-77 mph slider, and an 82-85 mph changeup. His fastball has some sinker action and he can run it inside to right-handed batters with conviction. He combos it well with the slider and changeup and he’s able to throw all three pitches in any count. The one concern I have with Howarth is that he hasn’t gained much velocity from a year ago and he is already 19 years old. With his 6’5” 200 lb frame though, there is still room to get stronger and gain velocity.

At the plate, Howarth has a long, powerful swing. He has a strong base that can generate a lot of power. I worry about his consistency in making good contact with the ball and the results he will get once he faces higher velocities at the next level. Defensively, he has bounced all around the infield this year. I feel that given his strong arm and glove, but lesser range, he is a prime candidate to play third base at the next level and I believe he will be able to do it well. Howarth always brings intensity every time he goes onto the field and he is looking to build on his already strong spring.

Evan Jones (RHP, Methacton - Wake Forest)

Evan Jones is the only 2025 graduate I am including in this article. He is a tall, lanky Wake Forest commit that features a 90-93 mph fastball, 80-82 mph slider, and an upper 70’s changeup. He only pitched two innings when I saw him early into the season, but he was impressive nonetheless. He really gets into his lower half during his delivery, generating his velocity from the ground up. He hides the ball well and has a low three-quarter slot with a good amount of arm-side run to his fastball. The slider stays in the zone for a long time, getting him a lot of chases with it. It didn’t take much for me to understand why Wake Forest likes him so much and he’s going to be a fun pitcher to track the rest of this year and next.

Nathan Arterbridge (C, St. George’s Tech - Missouri State)

While I know this is all about the Pennsylvania prospects, I do want to talk about the Deleware prep catcher, Nathan Arterbridge. I saw Arterbridge pretty early into the spring and his physicality immediately stood out to me. I had his pop time at 2.08 secs and he did an excellent job at blocking every pitch in the dirt. He has good size at 6’1, 205 lbs, and is an excellent mover behind the plate. He also has very strong hands and presents the ball well. I enjoyed watching him catch and I don’t feel that there is any concern about how he will handle catching higher velocities.

At the plate, Arterbridge has above-average bat speed and the game power plays as well. Like a lot of younger players, he has some swing-and-miss. Despite that, he was quite picky in the box, rarely expanding his zone. He limits his movement at the plate using a quiet load and a low step so that he’s always ready to attack when he gets the pitch he wants. I look forward to seeing how he performs the rest of the spring, at Missouri State, and on.

Twitter/X: @JakeBarg

2024 MLB Draft: Top 100 Prep Prospects

Director’s Note: All Draft Day Ages for players are pinned to July 14, 2024, our guess as to when the MLB Draft will start. The league has not announced the dates for the 2024 MLB Draft and once revealed, we will adjust approximate ages to that date.

The 2024 Top 100 College board will be released tomorrow. Once the season is in full bloom, we will begin to integrate a single list, starting off with 200 prospects. As always, our 2024 Prospect Footage can be found here.

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1. OF/RHP Konnor Griffin, jackson Prep (MS)

Height: 6’4

Weight: 210

B/T: R/R

Commitment: Louisiana state

Draft Day age: 18 yr 2 mo

There may not be a more famous name in this class than Konnor Griffin, who reclassified from the 2025 ranks and has a chance to be the first prep player off the board next July. Given the reclassification, he projects to be one of the younger guys in this class, though you wouldn't know that with mix of physicality and projection. He's got two-way abilities, though most project him as a center fielder, where his athleticism, plus speed, and excellent range are on full display. He's got a very good arm and plenty of twitchiness, too. At the dish, it's a polished approach with a ton of bat speed and over-the-fence power, which projects as plus once he's fully developed. His overall contact has shown some inconsistencies this summer, though it's gotten better as the summer has progressed. All in all, Griffin has the potential to be rather special offensively. There's upside on the bump, as well, as he's already gotten into the mid-90s with his fastball and shows a promising breaking ball with swing-and-miss traits, too.

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2. 1B/OF PJ Morlando, Summerville HS (SC)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 200

b/t: L/R

commitment: South Carolina

draft day age: 19 yr 1 mo

There's no mincing words here, Morlando projects as the biggest offensive threat in this year's prep class thanks to a loud combination of high contact rates, robust power, and mature plate discipline. Morlando has a quiet setup with a wide lower half, but he really explodes through the zone with quick hands and high-end bat speed. He's a patient hitter who knows the strike zone and isn't afraid to rack up the free passes, plus he'll utilize the whole field and keeps the whiffs to a minimum. The power potential with Morlando is sky high with the bat speed and leverage/loft he generates and he's already put on shows during batting practices in big league stadiums. It's easily plus right now. Defensively, he projects as a potential corner outfielder thanks to his athleticism and average speed/arm, which have improved over the years. There's still a chance that he moves to a first base role as he grows, though that's not set in stone just yet. The South Carolina commit will be a fun one to follow for years.

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3. 3B Caleb Bonemer, Okemos HS (MI)

height: 6’1

weight: 195

B/T: R/R

COMMITMENT: Virginia

DRAFT DAY AGE: 18 yr 9 mo

Bonemer profiles as one of the biggest, if not the biggest, riser from the summer circuit, propelling himself to the top of the class with a loud toolset. It's a legitimate power/speed threat with a chance to be a solid defender on the left side of the dirt. There's not a ton of wasted energy with Bonemer's swing, as he stays very quiet through his load and short to the ball, displaying explosive bat speed from the right side and punishing baseballs in the process. Most of his power plays up the middle and to his pullside and he's already produced multiple exit velocities over 105 MPH. If there's anything to work on with Bonemer, it's polishing up his plate discipline, as he does run into some issues with whiffs and the chase rate is a bit higher than you'd want to see. Despite the physical nature of his frame, he's very athletic and produces plus or better run times. He's got a very good glove and could stay at shortstop, though given his size, a move to third base seems likely, where he'd be a potentially above-average or better defender.

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4. RHP Levi Sterling, Notre Dame HS (CA)

Height: 6’4

Weight: 190

B/T: R/R

Commitment: Texas

Draft Day Age: 17 yr 10 mo

Sterling turned in a loud summer and has vaulted himself to the top of the class with a mix of loud stuff, pitchability, and projection. For starters, Sterling will be one of the youngest players in the entire class, as he won't turn 18 until September, which certainly helps him in team model runs. He projects as a starter with a buttery-smooth delivery on the mound and a legitimate four-pitch mix that is led by a fastball that's already in the low-90s with life and can easily get into the mid-90s with added strength to his long and lanky frame. His best secondary comes in the form of a low-mid 80s change-up, which has splitter-esque movement and dives hard away from lefties. He mixes in an upper-70s curveball that classifies more as a sweeper and a mid-80s cutter with tight spin to righties. He's got plenty of athleticism and he throws a large quantity of strikes as a result, showcasing potentially above-average command at best.

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5. SS Carter Johnson, oxford HS (AL)

Height: 6’2

Weight: 180

B/T: L/R

Commitment: Alabama

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 4 mo

As a hitter, Johnson possesses almost everything you want to see in a swing from a prep prospect. His hands work quick, his hips fire, and there's plenty of bat speed. He has performed at every summer event that he has attended, and shows an ability to barrel up stuff, as well as taking what the pitcher gives him. Defensively, Johnson has the instincts and hands to stick on the dirt, but there are concerns about his foot speed at shortstop. A move to 2nd base or 3rd base could be made down the line, but Johnson has the prototypical long shortstop body to add strength and should be given every opportunity to prove that he can handle the speed and physicality of the position. Even if there is a future move to 2nd or 3rd base, Johnson has enough power and hitting ability to stick at those positions. He's a high follow for the Deep South region, and is the top prep prospect in the state of Alabama.

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6. 1B/LHP Noah Franco, IMG Academy (FL)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 205

B/T: L/L

Commitment: TCU

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 2 mo

Another reclassified player from the 2025 class, Franco has some of the best two-way upside in this class. He's got a physical frame with very broad shoulders and plenty of athleticism that plays well on both sides of the ball, though there's a bit more upside with the bat. There is some swing-and-miss to his game, but he's not afraid to rack up walks and doesn't chase a ton, plus he's been able to hold his own in left-on-left matchups. There's plenty of bat speed present and he swings with serious intent, spraying the ball to all fields and showcasing solid power up the middle and to his pull-side. That'll get better as he becomes physically mature. He's likely limited to first base with his size, though don't let that fool you. He's rather mobile and shows quick twitch at the position, letting his athleticism shine. On the bump, he's been into the low-90s with easy, athletic mechanics and it's easy to project him into the mid-90s by next summer. He's got a high spin slider that has some teeth in the low-80s with late sweep, as well as feel for a change-up.

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7. RHP Joey oakie, Ankeny centennial HS (IA)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 207

B/T: R/R

Commitment: iowa

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 2 mo

Another loud arm coming out of Ankeny, Iowa, Oakie has some of the loudest stuff in the entire class. Oakie generates a ton of scap load in his delivery with a big arm swing before driving down the mound with a whippy, near sidearm slot. He's already gotten into the mid-90s with the fastball, getting up to 97 MPH, with a ton of life and spin through the zone and plays up thanks to the low launch nature of his release. It wouldn't be a shock to see Oakie's velocity jump into the upper-90s when all is said and done, either. Oakie's sweeper might be the best pitch in the prep ranks, a diabolical pitch with a ton of sweep and hard biting action in the mid-80s and projects as plus. He's gotten up to 25 inches of horizontal break this summer and the pitch has insanely high spin rates, touching the 3,000 RPM barrier. He's got feel for a fading change-up that he throws hard in the mid-upper 80s that projects well, too. He'll need to iron out some command inconsistencies, but this is an enticing package overall.

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8. RHP Owen Hall, Edmond north HS (OK)

Height: 6’3

Weight: 185

B/T: R/R

Commitment: Vanderbilt

Draft Day Age: 18 yr 8 mo

Hall is another big riser from the summer circuit, vaulting himself into the top ten with a mix of present stuff and starter traits. It's a fluid and athletic delivery on the bump with a lean frame that has plenty of projection remaining at 6'3, 185 pounds. Hall's fastball is rather explosive with a ton of late life, especially at the top of the zone, and he'll show a bit of a two-seam/sinker variant at the bottom of the zone. He throws plenty of strikes with the heater and he'll hold 92-95 MPH throughout outings, plus he's already been up to 98 MPH in shorter stints. It's a future plus pitch. He's got two breaking balls, a slider/cutter hybrid in the mid-80s that has good two-plane tilt and a curveball in the mid-to-upper-70s that has good depth, but lacks bite/conviction at times. He's developing a mid-80s splitter, as well. He'll need to develop consistency with his off-speed arsenal, but there's a ton to like with the Vanderbilt commit.

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9. OF Slade Caldwell, valley view HS (AR)

Height: 5’9

Weight: 182

B/T: L/L

Commitment: Mississippi

Draft Day Age: 18 yr

The best way to describe Caldwell would be to call him a "menace." While he lacks premium physicality due to his shorter stature, Caldwell makes up for it with explosive athleticism and polish. It's a sweet swing from the left side of the plate and he's shown excellent plate discipline, rarely chasing and showcasing plenty of patience, drawing walks aplenty. There's solid barrel consistency in his swing and he utilizes the gaps often, prioritizing his plus-plus speed on the basepaths as a result. He's rather strong for his size and has been able to put the ball in the air more, though it's always going to be hit-over-power with Caldwell. His speed allows him to cover ground very well in center field, where he's a solid defender with great instincts. If there's anything to knock him on, it's the lack of a strong arm, which may push him to left field. With that said, he's got the tools to stick at the "eight" long term. He'll have plenty of fans come draft day.

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10. RHP William Schmidt, Catholic HS (LA)

Height: 6’4

Weight: 180

b/t: R/R

COMMITMENT: Louisiana State

DRAFT DAY AGE: 18 yr 9 mo

In terms of raw stuff, Schmidt's one-two punch might be the best in this class. An above-average, if not better, athlete on the mound, Schmidt is a quick mover on the mound where his athleticism is explosive and there's a ton of projection with his long, lean frame. The fastball has seen a solid velocity uptick over the past year, now touching 95 MPH and holding 90-94 MPH consistently. There's plenty of riding life with the heater, as well as some cut, and given the projection, it's likely that he could get into the upper-90s soon. The true separator with Schmidt is an upper-70s curveball with a ton of upside. It's a true 12-6 hammer with tons of depth and extremely high spin rates, exceeding the 3,000 RPM threshold on occasion. There's plenty of bat-missing traits between those two pitches and he's developing an upper-70s change-up with plenty of fading life. Command comes and goes, but given the projection and pure stuff, this is a profile that can sneak into the first round with further development.

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