Now that the fall season is in the rear-view mirror, colleges at all levels are assessing their rosters. Players could be on the move out while recruiting priorities continue to shift as programs continue adding to their 2024 classes and plan for the future. Additionally, colleges of all levels continue to host camps because that’s the only way many programs will be able to see high school players in person for months. For colleges still looking to add to their 2024 class, we’ve collected some names of players – many of whom are JUCO-level prospects - who have stood out during the spring and/or summer. We’ll continue with pitchers from California with a few more from Arizona, Wyoming and we had to sneak another Texan in. 

CALIFORNIA

Winston Peterson – RHP – Village Christian

A big, 6-8, 260-pound presence on the mound who moves well for his size and age and put his body in good positions during his delivery. At the Arizona Fall Classic, Peterson stood out by filling the strike zone with a fastball up to 88 MPH that appeared to surprise hitters with a little extra giddy-up. Peterson is a National Merit Scholar with a 32 ACT score and should continue to develop with the potential for a big velocity boost.

Nolan Tillitt - RHP - Orange Lutheran

In the loaded Trinity League, Tillitt was one of the top performers as a junior. He doesn’t feature much effort in his delivery and can spin two different breaking balls with strike-throwing traits in his delivery, making him a good candidate to be a starter at the next level. With a lower release height and reports of his fastball touching 93 MPH recently, Tillitt could have a heater that punches above his weight. 

Nate Wedderburn – RHP – Monterey

Wedderburn was a top performer in the past poised for a huge breakout as a junior before he was sidelined with Tommy John surgery. Now about six months into rehab, he is a guy colleges should again be following. Prior to this injury, Wedderburn showed feel for two distinct breaking balls and threw a lot of strikes with a quick, clean arm.

Andrew Padova – RHP – JSerra Catholic

I like betting on pitchers who have an infielder background because the athleticism typically translates to the mound and there is still room for growth because there hasn’t been specialization yet as a pitcher. At the Arizona Fall Classic, Padova touched 89 MPH with his fastball with an interesting changeup feel. He was a big performer in the spring with a good frame to build on a slider that features the type of bite to miss bats. 

Sean Cannon – RHP- Coronado 

Cannon, who has a strong base, might end up in the bullpen, but he showed strong stuff this summer with a fastball up to 91 MPH and a true slider. He possesses a changeup that should develop into a true third pitch. Cannon pitches with a lot of confidence on the mound and has full conviction in whatever it is he’s throwing. 

Alito McBean – LHP – Mira Costa

I can’t imagine there are many uncommitted left-handers like McBean, who is poised for a breakout season as a senior. He recently touched 91 MPH with impressive arm speed and he has a good frame to build on at the next level. Both the changeup and curveball will flash as quality pitches and there’s room to continue refining the promising pitch shapes. 

Sage Nelson – RHP – Orange Lutheran

The impressive depth of Orange Lutheran’s pitching staff will help it navigate one of the toughest schedules in the country. At 6-4, 200 pounds, Nelson has a presence on the mound and something in the arm action/operation creates deception and angle. Despite a fastball that doesn’t light up the radar gun, hitters have a really tough time putting the barrel on Nelson’s stuff and seemingly don’t see it well. 

Brady Strohm – RHP – Orange Lutheran

Strohm has been a notable performer for years in California and carries himself with impressive poise on the mound. He can show two different breaking balls with the slider in particular standing out, which makes since given his sidearm arm slot that can easily pronate to create changeup life. Although he doesn’t feature a big fastball, he does possesses advanced pitching feel. 

Keenan Anzai – RHP/UTIL - Mission Viejo

There are times when Anzai buries a backfoot slider to lefties and gets some really ugly swings and his arsenal routinely racks up strikeouts. And at 6-4, 200 pounds with a raw operation that can be developed at the next level, there’s a lot to like about what Anzai presents physically in addition to a fastball that gets up to 89 MPH. Anzai’s control/command can be very loose for stretches, but the whiffs are consistently there. 

Anthony Andrews – RHP – Los Gatos

Andrews probably profiles best in a college bullpen where his sidearm slot, low-90s fastball and strong slider should profile well, especially in short bursts when he can air it out. He can also sink his fastball some and routinely pounded the arm side with a strong showing at the Arizona Fall Classic. 

Lincoln Bergman – RHP – Martin Luther King

At times, Bergman will show a knuckleball he can actually feature instead of just toying with a novelty pitch. This fall, the 6-3 righty was up to 89 MPH with a short slider that sometimes featured some unique depth, and he has a quick arm with a promising delivery that shows some positive shoulder flexibility. Bergman attacks hitters from a near sidearm slot, which occasionally adds some natural run to his fastball. 

Travis Maxwell – RHP – El Dorado

With a fastball, multiple breaking balls, a changeup and a splitter, Maxwell certainly possesses a deep arsenal. His arm action does show a lot of depth, but he’s typically able to create timing and finish well out front, at least in our looks. During the Arizona Fall Classic, he punched out 7/10 batters and while he doesn’t have the physical outlook of some other guys on this list, he does have a fastball up to 92 MPH and the arsenal to miss bats.

Michael Malki – RHP/UTIL – Centennial 

Malki has a track record of strong performances against good teams and consistently gets swings and misses, especially with a sharp breaking ball that he can also land for strikes. This fall, he was up to 89 MPH and although his operation does feature some effort, he consistently fills up the strike zone. 

And a few more from outside California...

Brock Johnson – RHP – Powell (Wyoming)

Turned heads at the AZFC where he was MVP of the Academic Showcase Game after striking out four of the five batters he faced. Johnson’s heater, which touched 93 MPH this fall, includes some natural arm side run that bothered right-handed hitters and his breaking ball routinely landed in the strike zone. The righty also has changeup feel. Most notably, Johnson’s flexible shoulders rotate well and there are some signs in the delivery that with some tweaks he could throw much harder in the future with the chance to have a starter’s operation. 

Gerardo Gonzalez – RHP/INF – Liberty (Arizona)

A two-way prospect with pop from the right side, Gonzalez was perhaps most impressive on the mound. He possesses a durable build with some present strength and a lively, heavy heater with arm side run that is the type of pitch capable of knocking the bat out of hitters’ hands or jamming them so bad they feel it for weeks. Gonzalez also features a two-plane curveball and a developing changeup that hits the brakes as it approaches home plate. I like his outlook as a starter because of the frame, stuff and he showed this fall he can get the fastball to the glove side instead of just running it towards the arm side and also could land a bigger breaking ball for a strike. Plus, there was a lot to like about his confident demeanor on the mound and willingness to challenge hitters. 

Walker Shaw – RHP/UTIL – Grace Preparatory Academy (Texas)

Yes, we just published a Texas list yesterday, but I needed to include another name from the Lone Star State. A 5-10 righty with a strong, compact frame and short arm action, Shaw features one of DFW’s best sliders, a high-spin offering with depth that no one could hit this summer. Additionally, he was up to 89 MPH and his changeup projects as a true third pitch. Shaw, who threw a one-hitter this spring with 16 strikeouts on just 99 pitches, is also an excellent student with a 1370 SAT score and 4.0 GPA. 

Dustin McComas
Senior Editor