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 team that brought the best energy and competitiveness to the ballpark consistently – MLB Breakthrough Series. 

(All prospects are in the 2025 class unless otherwise noted. The MLB Breakthrough Series team featured more 2026 prospects than any other rosters. If you’ve never heard of the Breakthrough Series or the MLB Develops program, I encourage you to search and read about this because MLB and former MLB players are doing an outstanding job giving a select group of players a unique opportunity.)

MLB BREAKTHROUGH SERIES
Loaded with 2026 prospects, MLB Breakthrough Series featured a trio of 2026 position players whose talent and skill made an unmistakably loud impression. Perhaps the tournament’s best position player prospect, regardless of age, was Oaks Christian (California) right-handed hitter Quentin Young. Listed at 6-5, 215 pounds, Young, who is uncommitted, is blessed with advanced, natural hitting feel and ability beyond his age and so impressive that he’s on track to becoming one of the most famous MLB Draft prospects in the country when that time arrives. He hit .444/.545/.778 with just one strikeout in 11 plate appearances and nothing about it was even close to being fluke-like. 

How good was Young? In his second game of the tournament, a pitcher throwing 94 MPH threw him a 3-0 breaking ball. That’s respect. Speaking of breaking balls, Young hit those as well as anyone in the tournament. In one game when he went 3-for-3, the third baseman and outfielder spoiled a two-strike slider and muscled it into left-center for a double; then he burned the center fielder with a loud knock the next appearances before ripping a hard single by the shortstop the third time around. Oh. In his first at-bat after the 3-for-3 game, he smoked a rocket 104 MPH off the bat into the left-center gap for at triple. Young, who ran to first in 4.51 seconds on a turn, possesses impact bat speed and while he does wrap the barrel towards his head when he times pitches, his hands work so well, quickly and accurately that he had zero issues timing velocity; in fact, he probably handled it as well as any player regardless of age. 

He’s not just a hitter. Young’s arm looked like it could be plus and maybe plus-plus in the future. There wasn’t a better outfield arm in the event and Young showed he can easily fire the ball from different arm slots at third base. Despite being so big at a young age, the California prospect moved with impressive fluidity and athleticism; as his reps improve in the infield, there’s a real chance he could be a solid defender at third base with the opportunity to be an impact defender in a corner outfield spot, too. Young carried himself with outstanding, under control confidence and competitiveness. 

While people were immediately buzzing about Quentin Young after the team’s first game, they were buzzing about another Young, too, when the event ended – Houston 2026 product Miles Young (no relation). With some of the best bat speed/rotation in the event, the right-handed hitting infielder smashed a single 105 MPH off the bat past a third baseman. Later, he sent a screaming rocket 100 MPH off the bat over the left-center fence for a two-run homer. The one bummer? We only saw four plate appearances from Young because he also pitched in another game, where he was up to 91 MPH but couldn’t find his control on the mound. Defensively, Young should get a long look at shortstop where he has more than enough arm and the athleticism/actions for the position; long-term, he’ll have the power for third base and he also played some second base, too. 

Rookie Shepard, a 2026 Miami commitment from Faith Lutheran (Nevada), showed one of the best left-handed swings, that was short and efficient to the baseball, and consistent hitting feel of the tournament. He hit .500 in eight plate appearances with zero strikeouts and is the type of competitor in the box who refuses to give a pitch a way, will spoil pitches away by smacking them the other way, can pull mistakes hard and seemingly tracks the baseball at an advanced level. A unique defender who more than held his own at catcher and also looked comfortable in the middle infield, Shepard, who was down the line in 4.34 seconds on a short turn at a little less than full sprint, was certainly one of the most skilled and best prospects in the tournament. 

No one in the event played with better energy and effort than 2025 Madrid Tucker, a slick-fielding middle infielder who looked like a future shortstop and carried himself like a team leader. And you can’t do what he does without great energy with athleticism; Tucker plays baseball, football (offered by UCF, USF, and Appalachian State), basketball and also runs track. The Fort Myers (Florida) product ran down the line in one at-bat in 4.1 seconds from the right side, and deep in the tournament, he flew down the line in 4.26 seconds to turn what should have been an out into an infield single. He promptly stole second base almost immediately after and is a threat to turn singles into triples.  I left a fan of his swing, which moved his hands freely through the zone with an accurate barrel that stayed in the zone trailing. He’s thin but strong for his 5-11, 160-pound size. 

Often playing center field was 2026 Corona (California) prospect Anthony Murphy. A projectable 6-0, 175-pound right-handed hitter, Murphy took quality at-bats consistently and tracked the ball well in center field while also covering ground. With a smooth left-handed stroke and promising natural hitting feel, Dylan Minnatee, another 2026 prospect from California, hit .571 in seven plate appearances with just one strikeout. From an open stance, Minnatee keeps a very steady head as he tracks pitches and whacked pitches up and down in the zone. Depending on his physical development, Minnatee could profile in a corner outfield spot but he also showed the makings of being an impact defender at first base. 

Recent Missouri commitment Kaleb Traylor, a 2025 prospect who will soon reclassify and become a 2026 prospect, created some of the loudest impact off the bat from the right side and played both first base and corner outfield. With some strength already present and more to come, Traylor looked like a future corner outfielder with middle-of-the-order potential. Dean Hannah, a 2025 Texas commitment from China Spring High School, swings a heavy, loud barrel from the right side and has the makings of being a masher in the heart of the order. He has a short, efficient, powerful swing. He didn’t have anything to sow for it, but I thought Donovan Jeffrey, a 2025 Miami commitment, took some promising swings and just missed pitches. Silas Newport is a 2026 left-handed hitter from Strake Jesuit who should receive a lot of recruiting attention with an interesting left-handed swing and some all-around tools. 

In addition to Shephard behind the plate, MLB Breakthrough Series received some quality innings from Oklahoma commitment and 2025 product Myles Mayse (Midlothian Heritage). He worked hard behind the dish with impressive blocking skill and showed he could backpick a runner, too. Listed at 5-11, 190 pounds, Mayse is going to continue filling out. Jonathan Griggs (The Walker School; Georgia) played with infectious competitiveness and was clearly beloved by teammates. 

MLB Breakthrough Series featured more position player talent than pitching, but there were several standouts on the mound. Texas commitment and 2025 Prestonwood Christian Academy prospect Xavier Mitchell tossed 4.0 shutout innings and gave up just one hit. With a crossfire look that led to his fastball hammering his glove side at 85-88 MPH, Mitchell routinely challenged hitters with heaters and also mixed in a 70-72 MPH curveball (around 2100 RPM). A tall and thin lefty with added strength on the horizon, Mitchell did a nice job of staying within himself and confidently throwing strikes. 

Righty Alexander Mercurius had issues throwing strikes, but was up to 92 MPH and flashed one of the tournament’s best changeups at around 77 MPH with good, circle-like life. With obvious feel for spin, the righty from Durango High School (Nevada) also used a 72-76 MPH curveball and 80-83 MPH slider. While we’re on the subject of sliders, Brenden Lewis (Granite Hills; California) had one of the best at 80-84 MPH with spin above 2700 RPM. An Arizona State commitment, Lewis had excellent, confident feel for the pitch to use it in any count and also move it around the zone. The righty was also up to 89 MPH and showed a 79-82 MPH changeup. In 3.0 competitive innings, Lewis, who pitched with a low heartbeat and some moxie, gave up just one run on two hits, didn’t issue a walk and struck out four while closing out a win. 

At 6-3, 170 pounds, Tulane commitment and 2025 right-handed pitcher Bryce Robinson sliced and diced his way through the opposing lineup with a good cutter at 88-91 MPH that overwhelmed right-handed hitters by starting down the heart of the plate and breaking towards the corner. Still growing into his frame/length on the mound, Robinson’s feel for his curveball (71-77 MPH) was inconsistent, but I enjoyed hearing his pitching coach yell from the dugout for him to throw his breaking ball with conviction and immediately seeing a 77 MPH curveball for a whiff. 

Bo Porter Baseball Academy (Texas) prospect and 2025 right-hander Jayden Blalack pitched 1.2 very impressive innings with three strikeouts. At 6-0, 185 pounds with a strong base, Blalack, who is uncommitted, moved well on the mound and touched 88 MPH with his fastball and also snapped off a quality 74 MPH curveball with good execution. Very tall, thin, 2026 right-hander Savion Sims flashed his immense upside with a fastball up to 89 MPH, and slider and changeup that both generated whiffs. But the Sante Fe (Oklahoma) product and OU commitment looked a bit fatigued on the mound and didn’t throw as well as he will in the future. Miles Scott isn't a notable physical presence on the mound and he doesn't throw as hard as his peers. But he can pitch and carries himself with the confidence of a 6-2 fireballer. Across 4.0 scoreless innings, Scott used his fastball-changeup combo to scatter three hits and struck out two. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor