Baseball season is here, and that means the Five Tool staff is out there working, evaluating and filming. If you know anything about Five Tool, you know we capture a lot of baseball video. A LOT. And that means we see a lot of amazing plays and excellent performances. 

Each week, we’re going to share with readers, fans and baseball junkies 10 of the best plays and performances we recorded and covered from across the nation during the previous week. Now that we’re off and running in Texas, California, Arizona and beyond, we’ll undoubtedly be forced to leave some recognition on the bench to keep this to 10. 

So far our lists have been dominated by power hitting and power stuff. Well, it’s time to show some love to defense. This week, each member of the top 10 made the list with impressive defensive work. It’s a love letter written for web gems, catchers helping their pitchers, full extension, run-saving catches and more. 

10. Zeke Seoane was so impressive behind the dish we were able to add an extensive highlight reel to his profile page of just defense. In this play below, the uncommitted 2024 catcher makes a very athletic play to throw against his momentum down to first base and pick off a runner who expected a bunt to get down. 

9. Speaking of highlight reels of defense, 2025 Brody Walls, who quickly established himself this season as a major two-way talent in his class, was impressive with the leather at shortstop recently. Check out the reaction up the middle once the ball tips the pitcher’s glove and the athleticism required to complete the tough play. 

8. This might look like a fairly standard caught stealing, but watch again and you’ll notice Ethan Tsui, who is heading to Fresno Pacific University, fire an absolute rocket down to second base. It’s one of the strongest catching arms I’ve seen this season and resulted in a 1.97-second pop time. Be careful running on the Jesuit (California) catcher. 

7. The way Irving Nimitz 2025 shortstop Brady Pike makes this play makes me believe he’s done something like this a few times in his past. The athletic middle infielder ranges to his backhand, slides to a knee, and without hesitating, he athletically flips to third to get the lead runner. He’s not even impressed with what he just did. He should be. Heck of a play.

6. Catchers throwing out baserunners from their knees will never get old. Basha (Arizona) catcher Jordan Vigil, a Utah Valley signee, handles the pitch outside of the zone, drops his left knee and immediately flows right into showing his impressive arm to catch a runner stealing second. 

5. DBU signee and Southlake Carroll standout Ben Tryon is known for his bat, but he’s a solid defender, too. After making a good diving stop to get the out at first base, Tryon shows awareness, retreats back to his third base bag and is in position to complete a clutch double play. 

4. Fittingly, Jet Gilliam  (Desert Oasis; Arizona) flies around center field and covers a lot of ground. In the same inning, the Long Beach State signee shows his range to track down a fly ball in the gap and then the very next play he showed his arm by throwing out a runner at home plate. He didn’t even have a chance to gather himself to make the throw; sprint, field, step, throw. Impressive.

3. Westlake, despite falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, ended up beating Lake Travis in this game last Monday, and I really believe this first-inning play was a huge reason why. Isaac Beller (University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point signee) used his impressive arm from center field to throw out a runner at home to keep the top of the first inning from becoming an even bigger disaster. The throw helped pump some energy back into the Westlake dugout and the Chaps then settled in. 

2. LSU signee and Hebron two-way standout MJ Seo is most famous for his work on the mound, but he can flash the leather, too. He moves into the picture with a purpose and that purpose is to use his range up the middle, field, spin and throw to complete an excellent play with the help from his friend at first base. 

1. In a tie game during the sixth inning, uncommitted 2023 center fielder Chase Lovick provided the top defensive web gem of the week. Off the bat, he makes an excellent read on a hard liner, takes a perfect route and uses his acceleration, speed and athleticism to take flight with a full-extension grab to keep a tie intact. A two-sport standout, Lovick is one of the most impressive uncommitted athletes in the Houston area. 

Five Tool Staff