High school tournament season is in the rear mirror, and baseball is now in full swing in states besides Texas, like Arizona, Nevada and California. Let’s head out to Arizona where a top MLB Draft prospect made a loud statement and is teammates with an uncommitted 2023 pitcher who is D1 good. 

What is the Five Tool Five? The short, succinct definition: it’s simply a look at five players who recently caught our attention. The long-winded, more detailed explanation: showcasing our coverage from around the United States and highlighting noteworthy baseball talent, skill, performances, news, uncommitted players who colleges should pay attention to and more.

Is Colorado becoming a sneaky-good place to go find some pitching talent? I don’t know for certain. But I do know our team saw a lot of talent on the mound during recent games.

An uncommitted 2025 right-hander to watch… 

If you end up at a Mountain Vista game, chances are high you’re going to see some talent. Chase Ruden, an uncommitted 2025 right-handed pitcher, is poised to become a major dude in the program. In a quick look, Ruden showed a hard fastball up to 87 MPH and a sharp slider. You don’t need many pitches to get a feel for a delivery and physical outlook; Ruden looks like a future physical, hard-throwing right-hander who showed signs of promising shoulder rotation. 

In particular, I am partial towards young, bigger pitchers who can repeat a delivery with a steady head and Ruden shows that. If they aren’t already, D1 programs in the region should be paying close attention to Ruden. The slider has really played well and should miss bats.

Cherry Creek continues to be a top program to follow…

Speaking of uncommitted right-handers from top programs who profile to be hard-throwing, physical pitchers in the future, Cherry Creek’s Paul Hughes looks like he’s going to be another top prospect at the prestigious high school program. A part of a pitching staff that includes talented right-handed pitcher and Tulane signee Tommy Marsh, Hughes boasts noticeable arm strength and is a good bet to sit in the low 90s before he leaves high school and his changuep and slider show promise, too; the slider can already miss bats and the changeup already looks like a usable third pitch at the very least. 

Barton landed a gem… 

Cade Kunz is one of the best examples of a fastball playing up I’ve seen this season. A 2023 standout for Heritage High School, Kunz’s four-seamer jumps on hitters, likely because of its shape and because of the hint of deception in his arm path. Up to 89 MPH in front of Five Tool Colorado recently, Kunz’s heater looked more like 91-94 MPH based on how it played and how hitters swung against it. Unsurprisingly, he punched out 11 batters in 6.0 innings. 

Don’t be surprised when Kunz makes a lot of noise at Barton College next season. A physical, two-sport athlete who plays football and doesn’t have many miles on his arm, Kunz is a classic example of a pitcher who could really blossom as he begins to specialize. 

A curveball that should make an immediate impact… 

Wichita State does a good job of recruiting across an entire region and Ben Leikam, a 2023 signee, is another good example. Although his heater with angle was up to 90 MPH from the left side, Leikam’s standout weapon was a big, tight overhand hook with good shape that baffled hitters. It’s not often you see a left-hander who is almost at a sidearm slot be able to spin a curveball with that type of shape, which probably aids its effectiveness. Based on the current stuff and somewhat unique slot, Leikam looks like he could contribute out of a college bullpen immediately with upside for more.

Let’s end with a hitter…

Because I like what I see from Zach Perry, an uncommitted 2025 prospect. Good bat path; athleticism present; and quick hands. And we know from the video he made it around to third base in just 12.12 seconds because he hustled out of the box and has some wheels, too. It’s not often a player can turn a ball hit to left field into a triple. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor