10 Pitchers To Know From Perfect Game’s WWBA World Championship In Jupiter
Image credit: Noah Yoder (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.
To piggyback off of yesterday’s piece that analyzed 10 hitters who stood out in Jupiter, it’s time to take a look at 10 pitchers who had strong weekend’s of their own. While a number of pitchers have already shut down for the offseason by the time this event falls on the calendar, there was still a solid crop of arms down in the Sunshine State.
READ MORE: 10 Hitters To Know From Perfect Game’s WWBA World Championship In Jupiter
Noah Yoder, RHP
- Team: Wow Factor National 18U
- College Commitment: Duke
- Draft Eligible: 2025
Yoder was one of the pitching headliners of the event. The 6-foot-5 Duke commit has big-time arm strength that was on full display in his start, and across 3.1 innings he collected six strikeouts and allowed two earned runs. Yoder’s fastball was up to 98—the best individual bolt of the tournament—with some life through the zone. However, while he pitched in the mid-90s with it for the first inning-plus, his velocity tapered off a bit as his outing progressed.
On top of his heater, Yoder flashed a low-80s curveball that had some depth and bite to it, as well as a firmer, shorter slider. Yoder has a durable, physical frame with two potentially above-average pitches in his fastball and curve, but he will need to make considerable strides in the pitchability department and continue to dial in an effective third pitch. Yoder is committed to Duke, but he projects as a fourth-to-seventh round pick this July.
Luke Billings, RHP
- Team: SBA Sticks/White Sox Scout Team
- College Commitment: Texas A&M
- Draft Eligible: 2025
Following an outing that consisted of two shutout, hitless innings to slam the door against the Midland Redskins, Billings three days later turned in one of the best starts of the event to the tune of six shutout innings in which he allowed just three hits—all of which were singles—punched out 13 and walked one. Billings pounded the strike zone with a low-90s fastball that was up to 92 and also mixed in two breaking balls: a tight, low-80s slider and high-70s curveball. The slider is without a doubt the better of the two right now, and Billings’ feel for the pitch is advanced. He’s a good athlete on the mound with an under-control delivery. A name to follow closely this spring, Billings is a Texas A&M commit but will certainly have plenty of draft interest.
Blane Metz, RHP
- Team: Canes Midwest 18U National
- College Commitment: Indiana
- Draft Eligible: 2025
Metz last Saturday spun five shutout innings in which he allowed only one hit, notched nine strikeouts and walked three to lift his Canes Midwest squad to a Pool O victory. The 6-foot-3 Indiana commit featured a low-90s fastball that was up to 95 mph with some life at the top of the zone. His bread-and-butter offspeed pitch was a high-70s slider for which he had a solid feel. Metz’ delivery becomes a bit more up-tempo once his hands break, and he has a short, quick arm action with present arm speed. He also has a good body with some room to fill out even further. Metz profiles as one of the more intriguing prep arms in the Midwest this spring.
Dylan Harrison, RHP
- Team: CBA Marucci
- College Commitment: Clemson
- Draft Eligible: 2025
From this chair, CBA Marucci had the best team pitching performance of the entire tournament. Harrison was a key reason why, and across two starts that spanned eight innings, he allowed one unearned run, struck out eight and walked none. Harrison set the tone for the tournament with five shutout innings against the Florida Burn in CBA’s first game, and then four days later, fired three perfect innings in the semifinals against a Canes Midwest National team that had been a buzzsaw offensively.
Harrison’s fastball was up to 93 mph, sitting in the high-80s-to-low-90s, and he also showed a low-80s breaking ball. He has a high-waisted 6-foot-5 frame with some present physicality in his lower-half and has a very simple delivery that he repeats well with an abbreviated arm action. Harrison lived around the strike zone all tournament, and while he will be scouted this spring, he looks the part of an eventual day two pick out of Clemson.
Charlie Willcox, RHP
- Team: USA Prime National/Detroit Tigers Scout Team
- College Commitment: Georgia Tech
- Draft Eligible: 2025
The buzz around the Cardinals’ and Marlins’ complex the entire first full day revolved around USA Prime and Willcox. After a long, 12-hour day, Willcox threw in front of tons of heat that had stuck around. He didn’t disappoint, allowing one run across 3.2 hitless innings while striking out seven and issuing a pair of walks. Willcox’s fastball was up to 94 mph, though by the end of his outing it was more 89-91. His command also dwindled, but it was an impressive outing nonetheless.
In addition to his fastball, Willcox spun a handful of above-average breaking balls. He has a strong, athletic build at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, and his athleticism was evident on the bump. Willcox has plenty of arm speed and is an athletic mover, and I came away from his start excited about his upside. Like Yoder, Willcox fits in that mid-day two bucket for me this July.
Sam Cozart, RHP
- Team: South Charlotte Panthers 2025 Marucci
- College Commitment: Texas
- Draft Eligible: 2025
Cozart has long been a notable name on the high school circuit, and he was one of the more high-profile arms to throw down in Jupiter. While he surrendered seven hits and a pair of earned runs in his four-inning outing, Cozart also collected eight strikeouts and showed a solid one-two punch in a low-90s fastball that was up to 94 mph and a low-80s slider that flashed above-average with two-plane tilt. Cozart has an extra-large and durable frame at 6-foot-7, 235 pounds, and he looks the part of a future starter. There’s a little bit of deception in his delivery, and he hides the ball well out of a short arm action. The highlight of his outing was an immaculate inning. Cozart will have some draft buzz this spring, but I think he has a chance to develop into a monster should he make it to campus.
Riley Gibson, RHP
- Team: Canes National/New York Mets Scout Team
- College Commitment: Uncommitted
- Draft Eligible: 2025
He threw just one inning, but Gibson opened plenty of eyes in his lone appearance of the tournament. He came in with the game already out of reach, but still woke everyone up with an effective two-pitch mix that consisted of a lively low-90s fastball up to 94 mph and a sharp slider. Gibson is an athletic mover on the mound with a quick arm, and he attacked hitters from a low-three quarter slot. It was a reliever-ish look, but Gibson presents an intriguing combination of athleticism and upside. Uncommitted right now, Gibson is an arm to follow closely this spring in the Carolinas.
Carter Tucker, RHP
- Team: CBA Marucci
- College Commitment: California Baptist
- Draft Eligible: 2025
I mentioned earlier how CBA Marucci had the best team pitching performance of any team in the field and, while at least two additional arms on the team had valid cases to be on here, I decided to go with Tucker. From a gutsiness perspective, it is hard to top what Tucker did on Sunday night. Against a deep Wow Factor lineup, Tucker turned in a no-hitter in which he collected a trio of strikeouts. He pounded the zone with his high-80s fastball that was up to 90 mph while also showing an advanced feel for his mid-70s slider that he located well. Tucker was in attack mode all night and consistently stayed off the barrel of opposing hitters. He pitched with no fear, maintained an efficient tempo and embodied the “blinders down” mentality to a tee. He will make it to campus, but Tucker was one of just a few arms that left me saying, “Wow, this kid really knows how to pitch.”
Blake Bryant, RHP
- Team: Royals Scout Team/Team GA
- College Commitment: Clemson
- Draft Eligible: 2026
Speaking of Clemson commits, 2026 righthander Blake Bryant turned in a stellar start of his own in which he struck out six and allowed only one hit against an impressive Wow Factor lineup. The scouting heat was on the aforementioned Yoder, but Bryant came out on top and had the better outing. His fastball sat in the low-90s for the entirety of his outing but was up to 94 mph, and he also flashed a high-70s slider that will be his go-to swing-and-miss pitch. Bryant has a lanky, high-waisted frame with plenty of room to fill out, so expect to see both his velocity and stuff continue to progress. He has a quick, whippy arm action with a little bit of effort in his delivery, but it should tone down as he adds strength to his frame. While he’s not draft eligible until 2026, Bryant is a name to have circled.
Nic Stutzman, RHP
- Team: 5 Star Mafia 18U Black
- College Commitment: Virginia
- Draft Eligible: 2026
Another underclass arm who stood out was Nic Stutzman. The recent Virginia commit notched six strikeouts, walked two and allowed only one hit across four shutout innings in 5 Star’s win over the GRB Rays. Stutzman featured a lively fastball that was up to 93 mph, spun a few impressive breaking balls and rounded out his arsenal with an effective split-change. He has plenty of arm speed and is an athletic mover, and there is a lot to like from an upside standpoint. Stutzman is an arm to keep heavy tabs on both this year and beyond.
