10 Hitters To Know From Perfect Game’s WWBA World Championship In Jupiter
Image credit: Jacob Lombard (Photo by Stacy Jo Grant)
The World Wood Bat tournament is one of, if not the best, high school events on the circuit each year. It gives scouts one last look at a plethora of top prospects all under the same roof, so to speak, before winter and the heart of the offseason.
This year’s event was a bit more unique than most years, however, as Hurricane Milton pushed things back one week. With the postponement, not only did a number of teams opt out, but the tournament fell during the NCAA’s recruiting dead period, which meant no coach at a non-junior college was able to attend. Even so, it was a fun and fast-paced five-day stretch in which a lot of players stood out.
Below, you will find—in no particular order—ten hitters who enjoyed a productive tournament.
Jacob Lombard, SS
- Team: USA Prime National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team
- College Commitment: Uncommitted
- Draft Eligible: 2026
The two best players in the tournament—Jacob Lombard and Grady Emerson—are not draft eligible until 2026. Beginning with Lombard, the 6-foot-3, 185-pound shortstop went an impressive 6-for-11 (.545) across four games with a pair of doubles, a triple and seven RBIs. He has a big league body and the loudest toolset of any prepster in the class of 2026. Lombard moves extremely well in the box and has a relatively compact, yet explosive, operation with plus bat speed. He consistently flashed the ability to drive the baseball with authority to all fields and posted impressive exit velocities all weekend. On top of his ever-improving power, Lombard also demonstrated a mature approach. He tracked pitches well out of the hand and did a nice job of staying within the strike zone.
On the dirt, Lombard seems like a no-brainer to stick at shortstop long term. He showed silky smooth actions with plenty of arm strength. Lombard was comfortable attacking the baseball, has range in all directions and his advanced baseball sense was evident. An elite athlete, Lombard is the definition of a “tool shed” and projects to be in the 1:1 discussion in the lead up to the 2026 draft.
Grady Emerson, SS
- Team: Canes National/New York Mets Scout Team
- College Commitment: TCU
- Draft Eligible: 2026
The current top-ranked high school player in the 2026 class, Emerson was one of the centerpieces for a deep Canes National lineup. He wasted no time getting going, as he belted a no-doubt, 423-foot home run way out to right-centerfield on Thursday afternoon before collecting at least one hit in each of his last three games. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Emerson certainly looks the part. He has a simple operation at the plate with present hand speed and a knack for finding the barrel. Offensively, he has an enticing hit-power blend and is able to tap into both on a regular basis.
Emerson showed well on the dirt, and made one play in particular that stood out. There was a ground ball somewhat deep in the hole to his arm side, but he made the play, planted his feet and made a strong throw across the diamond in one, fluid motion. The runner was called safe on a close play, but it stuck with me for the weekend. I think there’s a chance Emerson might end up at third base long term, but I’m confident in his ability to stick on the left side of the infield. His ability with the bat is certainly his calling card, though, and he has one of the best offensive profiles in the 2026 class.
Anthony Pack Jr., OF
- Team: MLB Breakthrough Series
- College Commitment: Texas
- Draft Eligible: 2025
It was an intriguing look at Pack Jr. this weekend, who went 4-for-10 with an RBI in his four games. Nothing was super loud just looking at the box score, but his tools stood out. The twitchy outfielder has explosive bat speed, which helps compensate for his wiry 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame. His barrel explodes through the hitting zone, and he sprayed line drives all over the yard during my look. Pack Jr. is a plus runner and an advanced athlete, which are two traits that translate well to center field and give him a chance to stick at the position. There is clear room for him to add strength and physicality to his frame, and there is more power for him to tap into if he is able to put on even 10 or 15 pounds. Between his “now” tools and the chance to stick in center field, Pack Jr. has day one upside in this year’s draft.
Everett Johnson, OF
- Team: Canes National/New York Mets Scout Team
- College Commitment: NC State
- Draft Eligible: 2025
From a pure hitter standpoint, Johnson had one of the more eye-popping showings of anyone in the tournament. The 5-foot-9 outfielder went a ridiculous 10-for-14 (.714) across five games, with an RBI, a pair of walks and stolen bases and no strikeouts. Johnson has the look of a prototypical leadoff hitter and is armed with a plus hit tool and polished approach while also being a plus runner. He moves the baseball consistently and has an advanced feel for the barrel. When you pair those two qualities with his high-level approach, it makes for an incredibly difficult out at the top of the order. Johnson is without a doubt a hit-over-power profile, but he has shown that he can shoot a gap on occasion.
Johnson’s advanced baseball sense also shines defensively, where he reads the ball well off the bat and his plus speed enables him to cover plenty of ground. Johnson is committed to NC State, but he profiles as a fourth-to-sixth round pick this July.
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The depth and top-end talent of the 2025 prep class remains strong, and there’s plenty of upside distributed through both the hitting and pitching ranks of the class.
Slater de Brun, OF
- Team: USA Prime National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team
- College Commitment: Vanderbilt
- Draft Eligible: 2025
While his overall stat line this weekend was modest, I came away impressed with my look at de Brun. His Tigers Scout Team had the last time slot on the first full day, and he immediately woke me up thanks to his high-energy style of play. De Brun has a compact frame at just 5-foot-9, but there is pretty impressive strength packed into it. Like Johnson, he looks the part of a prototypical leadoff hitter but has a louder overall toolset. He has a short, level swing with plenty of bat speed and peppers the whole field with line drives. He has a clearly advanced approach, too, and he does a fantastic job of picking up spin out of the hand.
De Brun is also a plus runner who most importantly knows how to run, which allows him to wreak havoc on the base paths. His speed and instincts play well in center field, where he has an average arm. What you see is what you get with de Brun, as he is more-or-less a finished product physically, but he profiles as a day one draft choice in 2025.
Boston Kellner, INF
- Team: Canes National/New York Mets Scout Team
- College Commitment: Texas A&M
- Draft Eligible: 2025
As it usually tends to do, the Canes National Team boasted a loaded lineup that was littered with future draft picks. Kellner was one of them, and across five games he went 5-for-11 (.455) with two doubles and six RBIs. He has a strong, physical build at 6-feet, 205 pounds and deploys a simple, upright setup in the box. Kellner has plenty of bat speed with loads of wrist and forearm strength, and this weekend he frequently generated hard contact. He widened his base and eliminated his stride with two strikes to maximize his ability to put the ball in play, while also demonstrating a sound approach. Kellner got defensive reps at both second and third base, where he flashed average actions and a strong arm. A recent Texas A&M commit, Kellner has top-three round upside this July.
Ethin Bingaman, RHP/INF
- Team: Canes National/New York Mets Scout Team
- College Commitment: Auburn
- Draft Eligible: 2025
While he profiles best on the mound long term, Bingaman had a fantastic showing in the box down in Jupiter, collecting five hits—three of which went for extra bases—and a tournament-leading five RBIs. He has a somewhat-unique setup with a semi-low handset and hands that are rather far back, but it works. Due to the setup with his hands, there really isn’t much of a load, and his hands drift ever so slightly. Bingaman has an explosive operation with big-time bat and hand speed, as well as a super engaged lower half. He’s also been up to 95 mph on the mound, where he’s armed with a fastball that is most effective in the top-half of the zone and a high-spin curveball that could be an eventual plus pitch.
Dean Moss, OF
- Team: Canes National/New York Mets Scout Team
- College Commitment: LSU
- Draft Eligible: 2025
Moss didn’t necessarily light it up down in Jupiter, but he did go 3-for-10 with a double and two RBIs while flashing his impressive offensive skillset. The 6-foot outfielder has a slightly unorthodox setup in the box featuring a slightly-wide base and ultra-high handset to go along with a noticeable barrel tip. However, he has mighty impressive bat speed and an explosive operation. He consistently gets off quick, tight turns and his hips really fire. While his frame might not stand out, he has power and impact—that he is able to get to in-game—packed into it. Moss this weekend flashed the ability to get the ball in the air with authority and just missed a home run. While he handles himself well in centerfield right now, he will likely eventually slide over to a corner outfield spot in pro ball. Moss has first-round upside in this year’s draft.
JD Stein, INF
- Team: Canes Midwest 18U National
- College Commitment: Wake Forest
- Draft Eligible: 2025
The Canes Midwest National Team ripped off an impressive six-straight wins before falling to eventual champion CBA Marucci in the semifinals, and infielder JD Stein was a huge reason why. The Wake Forest commit went 9-for-17 (.529) with four extra-base hits, three RBIs and six walks to just two strikeouts. Stein is shorter in stature at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but his hit tool stood out all weekend. He has a high handset—which proceed to drop in his load—and utilizes a toe-tap as a timing mechanism. Stein’s back side is engaged and there is also some quickness in his hands. He showed impressive hand-eye coordination and an innate feel for the barrel, and his ability to work the opposite way stood out. Stein is a name to keep a close eye on as the high school season inches closer.
Max Hemenway, SS
- Team: Wow Factor 18U National
- College Commitment: Tennessee
- Draft Eligible: 2027
Though he’s not draft eligible for another two years, Hemenway was the most productive hitter on a deep Wow Factor lineup, and he drove in six runs in as many games. For context, the vast majority of the players in the tournament each year are current juniors and seniors, so for Hemenway to have that much success as a sophomore is a massive feather in his cap. He has a hitterish look in the box, with a smooth, lefthanded swing that is quick and compact. Hemenway already has a present feel for the barrel and will naturally grow into more impact as he gets older. He has smooth actions at shortstop and is armed with an advanced baseball sense, mature game clock and arm strength, to boot. It’s incredibly early on and the 2027 draft is a lifetime away, but Hemenway looks to have eventual first-round upside.
