As usual, the 2023 Utter Family Dealerships Pudge Rodriguez World Classic, powered by Scott Birmingham - Baird Private Wealth Management, delivered in a memorable and entertaining way. Top teams were tested early, and the eventual championship game matched up two teams who lost their second game of the double-elimination tournament. We saw a long list of interesting prospects, standout performances and top teams. 

Our notes following the event are broken down into a story for each National pool, and we’ll continue with Pool C:

(A large portion of these notes are based on in-person evaluation and supplemented with our video coverage. If you missed our three stories during the event that featured standout players and teams, click HERE, HERE and HERE.) 

STIX 2025 PROSPECTS BLACK
Among my first looks on the mound to begin the tournament was Nick Foster of Fort Worth Country Day. A skinny right-hander with a loose frame and loose, quick arm, Foster touched 87 MPH with his fastball that featured spin in the 2300 RPM range at times. A natural spinner of the baseball, Foster flashed a couple of true overhand curveballs with as high as 2647 RPM that predictably overwhelmed hitters at 73-75 MPH. He also showed a promising changeup at around 81 MPH and a slider, too. 

When Foster missed, he generally missed where he was aiming and showed signs of promising future fastball command, which he moved to both sides of the plate. Given the way Foster spun the baseball, threw strikes and how he looked on the mound, he’s especially exciting because there is plenty of upside remaining. He’s a good mover with athleticism and can still add so much strength to his profile, which bodes well for his future on the mound. 

Another interesting pitcher I saw is right-hander Dylan Dominguez of Greenwood High School. From a lower slot look, Dominguez threw his fastball 83-84 MPH for strikes with some arm side run and was able to get the pitch to both sides of the plate, which is an advanced trait for a young pitcher with a lower arm slot. He executed a 69-71 MPH slider with some sweep and showed one of my favorite things – willingness to immediately throw right-on-right changeups for whiffs. 

He didn’t have a statistically strong event, but that doesn’t accurately describe Ayden Austin as a player and prospect. Against one of the top arms in the event, Austin worked a walk one at-bat and then hammered a ball at an outfielder in another. Listed at 5-8, 160 pounds, Austin, a product of Allen High School, looked closer to 5-10, 175 pounds and carried an impressive frame very well with athletic actions on both sides of the ball. An all-around interesting prospect who timed good fastballs well, Austin is going to be one to track closely in the outfield this summer and next spring. 

Colleyville Heritage teammates Ryan Kelly and Weston Ballard fall into a similar bucket. I watched Kelly hammer a 92 MPH fastball for a deep fly out with a promising left-handed swing. He only hit .100 during the tournament, but also struck out just once, suggesting what my eyes saw – he had bad BAPIP luck. Ballard used a strong lower half to create some loud impact with a swing that hit balls to all parts of the field. Infielder Michael Winstead is a big, strong, physical right-handed hitter who performed well with the bat. 

OK FUEL 2025
After seeing him in the Five Tool Festival I was especially excited to get another look at Carson Brumbaugh after his spring season. If not for Thomas Stewart’s extraordinary week, Brumbaugh would have emerged as the top two-way prospect in the event because he did it all. At shortstop, I watched him charge and make two tough plays look easy, including one where he ranged all the way over to shallow second base to field and flip to first. With the bat, the Sante Fe High School (Oklahoma) prospect made contact with ease from the right side showcasing and advanced feel for covering the plate and getting the barrel in good position; he’s so good at making contact that he sometimes hits pitches early in counts that aren’t in a good hitting zone. As he learns to become more selective, his hit tool could jump into the future plus range with some promising power. 

On the mound, Brumbaugh is just as strong of a prospect. We’ve seen him up to 92 MPH in the past and in 2.2 innings he punched out five with an overpowering three-pitch mix. A couple more standouts on the mound for OK Fuel 2025 were Noah Entrekin and Wyatt Fitzgerald. Entrekin (Memorial; Oklahoma) is a tall, slender lefty who attacks hitters from a crossfire look and can spin a big curveball with depth and some slight two-plane break. Fitzgerald (Oklahoma Christian Academy) is a righty with an easy delivery who was up to 85 MPH and flashed a 73 MPH slider that helped him rack up eight strikeouts in just 5.0 innings. Right-hander Declan Murphy was also intriguing with a fastball up to 86 MPH.

In an event loaded with catchers, Hilldale High School (Oklahoma) left-handed hitter Mason Pickering established himself as one of the best and looked like a surefire D1 prospect. On a pitch down-and-in, the physical, strong hitter made the ‘Red Monster’ in right field look small by depositing the pitch way over the wall. Although he swings with intent, he does so after tracking pitches well and keeping a steady head despite the effort in the swing, which does occasionally lead to some whiffs. Pickering has a real chance to stick behind the dish with promising catch-and-throw skill. He hit .429/.529/.643. Outfielder and right-handed hitter Boston Knowles caught my eye with his athletic actions, surprising pop off the bat and wheels. 

DFW TWINS 16U – BLACK
An impressive team athletically and physically, DFW Twins 16U – Black competed well before running out of gas Friday ahead of a possible bracket championship. Weatherford prospect and left-handed hitting catcher Jett Vindiola, a 2026 prospect, still has plenty of room to fill into his frame, showed a loose arm with carry behind the dish and had no issue slapping line drives into the outfield. Considering his age and his standing as the team’s most productive hitter, Vindiola emerged as an especially interesting prospect next to his brother, 2025 infielder Rhys Vindiola, who also played with good movements to accompany a projectable, good frame. In a Five Tool event the next week, Rhys was up to 89 MPH on the mound. 

On the mound, right-hander Caiden Hubbard (Weatherford) was up to 84 MPH with his fastball (2000-2200 RPM) and showed a promising slider at 71-73 MPH (2100-2200 RPM). High school teammate Ayden Thomas was also impressive on the mound and showed his notable power when he blasted a grand slam to dead-center field. 

TEXAS BRAVES BLUE
Scooter New was a new name – see what I did there? – for me during the first day of the tournament and I immediately became a big fan. No catcher in the tournament got the ball out of his glove quicker than New, who moved with impressive agility. The ball got in-and-out of his mitt so fast that he was like a quarterback throwing a deep comeback route to a spot before his receiver even turned his head and started his break. The Arlington Heights prospect also hit well, easily making contact in the batter’s box and moved down the line with both speed and a quick-twitch bounce. He finished the tournament with a .364/.588/.364 line that included six walks and zero strikeouts. As he matures and adds strength, he should add more doubles to his hitting resume. 

Tall, sturdy and strong right-handed hitter Murphy Page packed some punch from the right side and looked like a future middle-of-the-order hitter with a bat-first profile. Another strong, productive right-handed hitter was Caleb Eagar, a high school teammate of New’s. He used a simple approach in the box to pull pitches with impact. On the mound, Cade Julius, the younger brother of Oklahoma State signee Blake Julius, threw an impressive complete game with eight strikeouts and just one run. The resemblance between him and his older brother is obvious – tall, long frame with a long torso; lively heater up to 87 MPH that is thrown for strikes; slider that flashed up to 78 MPH and a promising changeup. It would be a surprise if he doesn’t emerge as a name to follow in the DFW area. 

MORE NOTES
- If you missed our report on Brody Walls’ standout performance on the mound and Dulins Dodgers 16U Prime, click HERE. 

- Entering the tournament, we heard some buzz about Cooper Chambers’ ability to impact a game with strong shortstop defense. The intel was correct. Chambers, who attends The Kinkaid School, can really flash the leather and his multi-sport athleticism and competitive instincts stood out for South Texas Sliders 16U Pierce. Reagan’s Matt Butler showed impressive all-around skill and a willingness to take advantage of defensive miscues on the bases. 

- It was obvious why Louisiana Tech moved early to secure a commitment from Glenbrook (Louisiana) two-way prospect Easton Sanders. On the mound for 5 Star Performance 2025 National, Sanders punched out five batters in 2.1 innings with a lively fastball up to 86 MPH and a sharp curveball at 72 MPH. I really liked the way the delivery worked through its finish and his loose frame should add some muscle in the future. With the bat, he doesn’t swing timidly and can create some loud impact. 

- Westin Thompson (Rockwall-Heath) was easily one of the top right-handed hitters in the event and one of my favorites to watch. Listed at 6-2, 175 pounds, Thompson was impressive physically, moved in a way that suggests he could stick on the dirt/turf long-term and he should carry more strength/mass without issue in the future. In the batter’s box, everything comes easily to Thompson – seeing pitches, controlling the accuracy of his barrel, creating impact. He hit .455/.500/1.000 and three of his five hits went for extra bases, including a majestic homer. 

- For Marucci Elite Texas Thames 2025, La Vernia right-handed pitcher Bronson Lange is one to track in the future. He’s going to fill out in the future and already possesses a good, repeatable delivery and some intriguing feel for spin to accompany promising strike-throwing. He tossed 6.0 innings with seven strikeouts and gave up two earned runs. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor