We’ve published countless videos, conducted several interviews, completed a lengthy podcast with a full breakdown and now we’re completing the final part of our comprehensive coverage of Area Code Games. Beginning with the underclass event, we’re going to provide a breakdown and scouting notes for each of the eight teams that participated in the event. Let’s continue with the hometown team representing the best of SoCal – the Brewers. 

(All prospects are in the 2025 class unless otherwise noted.)

BREWERS
Imagine excitedly arriving to the University of San Diego’s picturesque campus and stepping onto a gorgeous, finely manicured Cunningham Field at Fowler Park for your first game of Area Code Underclass at 8:00 a.m. Now, imagine stepping into the box to face the tournament’s best right-handed pitching prospect, Vanderbilt commitment Seth Hernandez (Elite Academic Academy; California). And Hernandez was sharp with a future plus-plus fastball from the first pitch. Not an ideal way to wake up in the morning and begin Area Code unless you’re Hernandez, who struck out the side in the first inning. 

With an easy fastball that seemingly jumped out of his hand, Hernandez sat comfortably at 92-95 MPH and touched 96 MPH with sizzle down in the zone and a little extra giddy-up through the upper half and threw 3.0 spectacularly dominant frames with seven strikeouts. The 6-4, 190-pound righty with a high waist and some length to fill into gave up just one hit and walked two. In addition to having the best fastball in the event, Hernandez also showed two offerings that don’t require much dreaming to put a future plus on – a sharp, tight, short curveball at 77 MPH with around 2700 RPM and a soul-stealing changeup with late drop at 77-78 MPH that was unfair to use against lefties after torturing them with fastballs up in the zone. 

Wait. There’s more. Hernandez didn’t just consistently display the best stuff (because Cooper Fulbright made the case for being right up there, too). He also is a good mover on the mound with a free-flowing delivery that included some noticeable ‘layback’ and ankle mobility. So, he’s not one of those pitchers who simply peaked ahead of his peers; there’s a lot to like about the operation and how he’ll continue to develop long-term. Also, Hernandez drilled a ball 100 MPH off the bat from the right side during game action and is a legit hitter, too. 

Unfortunately for opposing hitters, Hernandez wasn’t the only pitcher who racked up strikeouts for the Brewers. Lefty Paul Grossman, a USC commitment, followed Hernandez and proceeded to punch out six batters in 2.0 innings. He did give up two runs on one walk and two hits, but Grossman baffled hitters with his fastball-curveball duo and he did a good job of releasing the baseball out in front from a lower three-quarters slot. Gavin Lauridsen, an uncommitted righty from Foothill High School in California, fired the final 2.0 innings of that opening game and gave up just one hit with three strikeouts. Up to 91 MPH, Lauridsen, listed at 6-4, 185 pounds, fired a fastball that routinely beat hitters for whiffs in the strike zone and also mixed in a 74-75 MPH curveball. 

Among my favorite right-handers in the event was UCLA commitment Angel Cervantes. After navigating through some traffic in the first inning, Cervantes settled in to dominate – 3.0 IP, 1ER, 3H, 1BB, 6SO. Up to 92 MPH in the first inning with a fastball that had some natural life, he carried his stuff throughout his outing and showed some of the best feel for pitching and executing. The 6-2, 185-pound righty might not be the physical specimen like some of his peers, but he has them beat with his strike-throwing and command with plenty of time to fill into his frame. 

Cervantes routinely hit his arm side corner against lefties with a hint of tilt (he does have a sinker in the arsenal) and then threw a future plus (74-77 MPH) changeup with spin around 2200 RPM and true circle-like shape. He should be able to keep his future platoon splits in check because of his changeup and his 74 MPH curveball (around 2500 RPM) is a quality pitch, too. Against right-handers, he had no issue working the fastball back over to his glove side and had feel for manipulating his breaking ball. While we’re on the subject of fastball command, I thought Stanford commit and Orange Lutheran (California) righty Colt Peterson had some of the best in the tournament. 

John Savage had to enjoy watching Cervantes and UCLA commitment Zach Strickland on the mound. A 6-1 righty, Strickland was especially fun to watch because he had an advanced feel for making the baseball do different things – he appeared to cut the fastball, sink it (or perhaps throw a very hard changeup 86-89 MPH), throw a more traditional heater and spin a 69-71 MPH curveball around 2600 RPM. He also routinely put the cutter to his glove side and used more run on the fastball to the arm side while showcasing a good, repeatable delivery that should led to the consistent strike-throwing that he displayed during his Area Code outing.

The Brewers featured two uncommitted right-handed pitchers who undoubtedly grabbed the attention of the numerous college coaches in attendance. Saint Augustine’s (California) Grayson Boles threw 2.0 shutout innings and gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two. His fastball sat easily in the 90-91 MPH range with a little extra giddy-up out of the hand and his easy, repeatable delivery, along with his frame and the way his shoulders rotated, suggest he’s going to throw noticeably harder in the future. There’s definitely more in the tank and Boles won’t have to sell out to get to it, giving him a good shot at sticking as a starter. Boles also threw one of the tournament’s best curveballs at 74-77 MPH with spin in the 2700-2800 RPM range and flashed a promising changeup at 84 MPH.

At a lean 6-4, 210 pounds, Reagan Ricken didn’t lack intriguing projection both physically and stuff-wise. Up to 93 MPH with his fastball, Ricken (Great Oak High School; California) also showed what looked like two different breaking balls – a bigger 79 MPH curveball with more depth (2300 RPM) and a shorter 80-82 MPH slider (2300 RPM) that was a swing-and-miss pitch against right-handers. After inconsistent control in his first inning that led to a run, Ricken ended up striking out three batters during his two-inning appearance and didn’t give up a hit. Ricken used a simple delivery and added strength through his lower half would help his already impressive outlook. 

Longtime LSU commitment and famous two-way prep standout Vaughn Neckar lived up to the hype at Area Code. Built like a standout tight end or outside linebacker, Neckar, listed at 6-3, 220 pounds, is an imposing, is physical presence on the mound, and he fearlessly attacked hitters with a fastball that touched 95 MPH. Although he’s clearly really strong with arm strength, he isn’t a thrower on the mound who has gotten by on advanced strength and velocity; he has some feel to pitch. Neckar moved his fastball around the zone, used a 78-79 MPH curveball (2400 RPM) with success and showed an 85 MPH changeup with noticeable fade to his arm side. There were times when his stuff played down a tick because loose command, lack of deception in the straightforward delivery and short-armed extension/release. But there’s a lot to like about the operation and where it can improve; most notably becoming more consistent with hand placement/movement in the delivery. Because of his strength and operation, he clearly has a starter’s profile and is a good bet to improve as he continues to build reps on the mound. 

Offensively, the top of the Brewers lineup was especially annoying to pitch to because of the quality plate skills and talent. There wasn’t a whole lot of swing-and-miss in this lineup, which was rare for Area Code where pitchers typically have success because hitters don’t see top-level stuff consistently. Oregon commitment and left-handed hitting outfielder Angel Laya (Eastlake High School; California) was a consistently impressive competitor in the batter’s box who never seemed bothered by what happened the previous pitch. He hit .286/.545/.429 in 11 plate appearances with four walks, no strikeouts, and a smooth stroke that covered the plate well with an all-fields approach. With a 4.2 run time from the left side and athletic actions, Laya should have a chance to play center field at the next level. 

Perhaps the most famous uncommitted name in the tournament was Etiwanda’s (California) Brady Ebel and his plate skills and hitting ability were outstandingly obvious. The left-handed hitting infielder walked five times and didn’t strike out once, a true representation of the way he processes, tracks and his bat-to-ball skill. Listed at 6-3, 185 pounds, Ebel controlled his barrel well and efficiently and chose good pitches to swing at; he also has the type of feel and bat control that allows him to spoil or get to pitcher’s pitches late in counts and he never looks overmatched or off balanced, even when he's seemingly fooled because he can keep his hands back and still get the bat on the ball. 

What’s even more fascinating about Ebel is he just turned 16 years old, which means he’s basically a year younger than 2025 class members. I think the power potential he’ll grow into was obvious, especially with the easy, present bat speed and current frame. What I don’t know for sure - and we're looking way ahead - is where he’ll end up defensively. His run times were below average and it’s possible he profiles best long-term as a second baseman or third baseman. But after another year, the run times could tick up as Ebel simply matures and continues growing into his frame with more foot speed. Plus, balls hit to Ebel are going to be confidently and smoothly turned into outs at a high rate and his actions were advanced. What isn’t up for debate: he was clearly one of the best hitters in the tournament and undoubtedly one of the best in the nation. 

Another one of the best hitters in the event: Crespi Carmelite’s Landon Hodge. Hodge, a Stanford commitment from California, recorded base hits to left field, center field and through the right side of the infield. From the left side, he finished as an all-tournament selection thanks to a .500/.500/.700 slash line in 10 plate appearances with just one strikeout. Like Ebel, Hodge showed excellent bat-to-ball ability and controlled the path of his swing well, which led to impressive plate coverage; in two at-bats, he spoiled pitches for hits – one away, and one down-and-in. Hodge was a pest deep in counts and refused to give in with strong hitter’s makeup to match his skill. Unlike Ebel, Hodge wanted to put the bat in motion a bit more and didn’t walk once. And he routinely hits the ball a little deeper in the box compared to hitters who want to catch the ball out in front. 

Defensively, Hodge moves very well for a catcher. He’s light on his feet, agile, an impressive athlete and has a strong arm. His 6-1, 172-pound frame isn’t the typical, physical catcher’s build but neither is his athleticism because it’s much better than most prep catchers. While many catchers in the tournament struggled to catch elite stuff, Hodge had no issue, which included quietly receiving Hernandez’s fastball up in the zone when it missed its spot. I didn’t get a true run time on Hodge, but visually he looked like he was an above-average runner (he ran 4.57 seconds down the line on a big turn into the coaching box).  In addition to Hodge, the Brewers enjoyed some quality catching from uncommitted Trent Grindlinger (Huntington Beach High School; California) who caught a runner stealing with a 1.90-second pop time and was probably the most impactful catcher when it came to controlling the running game because he caught four runners stealing. An impressive 6-2, 195 pounds, Grindlinger showed some potential with the stick from the right side, making him one of the top uncommitted players in the nation and a bet to hit for some power, too.  

Perhaps I’m burying the lede a little bit because it’s taken nearly 2,000 words to mention Billy Carlson, who is in my opinion the best position player prospect on the Brewers roster and in the mix as the best in the tournament. A favorite from last year’s Area Code underclass games, Carlson steps into the batter’s box and processes what he’s seeing differently than many of his peers; he seemingly picks up pitches, spin, and velocity a little quicker and easier than most hitters. His outstanding plate skills did lead to a couple of strikeouts on borderline pitches that appeared off the plate, and he’ll be a guy who is more rewarded for that once he reaches professional baseball. Because let’s be honest: college umpires and their large strike zones aren’t any better than high school ones.

Early in the tournament, Carlson (Corona High School; California) had a knack for getting around the baseball a little bit and pulling/rolling over pitches. But by the end the Vanderbilt commitment adjusted and was taking very promising hacks. A very projectable athlete with a long, high-waisted, 6-1, 170-pound frame, Carlson, who ran down the line in 4.20 seconds during one at-bat, is one of the best bets to stick at shortstop long-term we saw during the underclass games. His actions are easy, smooth, natural and he has a plus arm - very talented pitcher, but didn’t pitch at Area Code - capable of throwing from different slots accurately with carry. Carlson’s processing ability translates to the dirt and he instinctively glides around a step ahead of the action.  

Both Damian Casas (Bloomington High School; California) and Diego Velazquez (Crespi Carmelite High School; California) had some very bright moments from the bat. I thought Casas, a Cal State Fullerton commitment, was better than his statistical line and swung a heavy barrel that created some loud impact. Velazquez made adjustments in the batter’s box well, had a hitterish vibe and his active hands had no problem timing pitches and keeping his barrel accurate. Earlier this month, Velazquez turned 16 years old, which makes him one of the younger players in the 2025 class. He is an all-around talent with major promise on the infielder dirt where his hands work easily and well.

Right-handed hitter and Oregon commitment Tyler Wick started the event scorching-hot with a couple of doubles and some loud contact. He finished with a .273/.385/.455 line and his present strength played into his loud impact. Wick played mostly third base, which looked like an ideal place to project him long-term. 

Rangy, athletic outfielders Anthony Pack and Mason Greenhouse both possessed notable foot speed and athleticism that showed in the outfield. Pack looked like a future center fielder that improved his feel for contact after some early whiffs while Greenhouse probably profiles best as a power-over-contact corner outfielder with intriguing all-around tools. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor