50 Standout Players From Area Code Underclass

2025 CLASS

Kayson Cunningham, SS, Texas

You could build a case for Cunningham as the best pure hitter in the 2025 class. He’s 5-foot-9, 170 pounds with a compact lefthanded swing and can manipulate the barrel with ease to cover all quadrants of the strike zone. He has good hand-eye coordination and bat control, rarely swinging and missing. He didn’t swing-and-miss or strike out once at Area Codes, going 5-for-9 with two walks, a double, a triple and what was scored an inside-the-park home run on a shallow fly ball where the center fielder dove and couldn’t catch, after which Cunningham showed his plus speed by nearly lapping the runner on first base to the plate. He doubled the other way off a 92 mph fastball, with his best hit coming when he pulled his hands inside a 93 mph fastball on the inside corner for a triple into the right-center field gap. Cunningham is the No. 14 player in the 2025 class and a Texas Tech commit.

Seth Hernandez, RHP, California

Pitching at 8 a.m. in the first game of the event, Hernandez quickly showed why he’s the top pitcher in the 2025 class, striking out seven of the 11 batters he faced in three scoreless innings. Hernandez is an athletic 6-foot-4, 190 pounds and pitched heavily off a 92-95 mph fastball, getting eight swings and misses against the 35 fastballs he threw. Hernandez threw a 76-77 mph changeup that’s one of the best in the country, with one flashing plus for a swinging strikeout on a pitch to a lefty that had extremely heavy drop. Another time he threw his changeup to a lefty in a 1-2 count that started on the batter’s hip before running back over the plate, buckling the hitter for the called strikeout. Hernandez has the ability to spin a sharp curveball as well, though he only threw a couple of them here. Hernandez is a two-way player who has shown good contact skills from the right side and drives the ball well, but his upside as a potential high-end starting pitcher is the most exciting part of his skill set. He’s a Vanderbilt commit.

Marcos Paz, RHP, Texas

Paz is the No. 2 pitcher in the 2025 class and looked the part at Area Codes. He’s 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, throws without much effort and touched 93 mph here, with readings up to 95 earlier in the summer. It’s a big fastball for his age with more coming, but Paz stands out for the quality of his full arsenal. He didn’t allow a hit and he struck out five of the 11 batters he faced, using his low-80s slider to great effect. He threw 16 sliders, with hitters whiffing through them on six of their eight swings. It’s a high-spin slider (typically 2,600-2,800 rpm) that looks like a fastball out of his hand before snapping off late to miss bats against righties and lefties. Paz also showed feel for an 83-85 mph changeup that he used to get three swings and misses (including two in right-on-right matchups). He’s uncommitted for college.

Jack McKernan, LHP, Texas

Coming off a strong showing the week before at USA Baseball’s 16U/17U National Team Development Program where he drew a spot to the 18U National Team training camp, McKernan annihilated hitters with his slider at Area Codes. He’s 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with a strong fastball at 89-93 mph with heavy life to get ground balls. McKernan threw more sliders than fastballs here, and did so to great effect. Hitters swung at his slider 14 times and whiffed on 10 of them. It’s a power pitch at 83-86 mph with good action and sharp, late break that McKernan was able to execute down in the zone consistently to pile up whiffs from lefties and righties. McKernan has shown a good changeup in other outings this summer too, though he didn’t use it much here. He’s a Texas commit.

Justice de Jong, RHP/3B, New York

De Jong entered Area Codes as one of the most highly-regarded players in the country, ranking No. 31 in the 2025 class. He left showing better stuff than ever. De Jong, who just turned 16 last month, is 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and retired all six batters he faced with three strikeouts. He filled the zone with both his fastball and curveball, throwing strikes at a 69% clip and pitching at 90-93 mph. De Jong was able to keep hitters guessing by frequently mixing in his sharp 74-78 mph curveball with spin between 2,400-2,700 rpm. De Jong threw a couple of changeups at 85-86 mph, with one getting a swinging strikeout against a lefthanded hitter. De Jong is also a righthanded-hitting third baseman who hit a pair of opposite-field doubles here, albeit with some swing-and-miss to his game, but it’s what he showed on the mound that was most exciting. De Jong is a Duke commit.

Omar Serna, C, Texas

Serna had an incredible start to Area Codes. On the first pitch he saw, he drove a 90 mph fastball for a pull-side home run with an exit velocity of 105 mph. His next at-bat—in fact, the next pitch he saw—he took a first-pitch slider in the lower third of the strike zone and hammered it the opposite way for a home run to right-center field. At 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Serna is a righthanded hitter with some of the best raw power in the 2025 class. He has huge arm strength behind the plate as well, a 60 arm with a chance to be a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale. An LSU commit, Serna has similarities to Gary Sanchez, who signed with the Yankees for $3 million when he was 16.

Zion Theophilus, RHP, Ohio

Hitters looked completely overmatched against Theophilus, who didn’t allow a hit and struck out eight of the 12 batters he faced. He generated an incredible 14 swings and misses in his 48 pitches, including eight whiffs on 10 swings against his slider. Theophilus is 6-foot-2, 180 pounds with a fast arm, some effort to the operation in a high-intensity delivery and a fastball that was 88-91 mph here. Theophilus has touched 93 mph in other looks and should have mid-90s velocity coming. He threw a near-even mix of fastballs and sliders, showing the ability to manipulate shape on his 79-82 mph slider in the 2,000-2,300 rpm range to snap off with tight, late break or produce wider sweeping action. He’s committed to LSU.

Carson Brumbaugh, RHP/INF, Oklahoma

Brumbaugh pitched and played infield, but his work on the mound in one quick inning—he struck out three of the four batters he faced—is what separated him. An athletic 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Brumbaugh was the hardest thrower at the event, touching 96 mph, with every fastball in the 93-96 mph range. It was a fastball with good arm-side run from his low three-quarter slot. Brumbaugh also used his slider effectively on the outer third before breaking it off the plate to get two swings and misses on the five sliders he threw at 2,100-2,400 rpm. He’s uncommitted for college.

Jaden Fauske, C, Illinois

If there’s a position in the 2025 class that seems lighter relative to most years, it’s catching. After the way he played at Area Codes, Fauske made a case for himself as one of the top catchers in the nation. A lefthanded-hitting catcher at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Fauske went 3-for-7 with a walk, a double the opposite way off a lefty, a single to left field off a 90 mph fastball and used his compact swing to keep his hands inside a fastball on the inner third that he pulled for a home run. Behind the plate, the Louisville commit showed a strong arm and a quick exchange, throwing out two runners at second with pop times of 1.88 and 1.87 seconds, respectively.

Ethan Holliday, SS, Oklahoma

Holliday is the No. 1 player in the 2025 class, and while there was no one signature moment from him here, he was on base in four of his nine plate appearances, with three walks and a single. He’s 6-foot-4, 200 pounds with a calm, easy lefthanded swing and a knack for driving the ball to left-center. His ability to recognize pitches and discern balls from strikes sticks out, with a disciplined approach that should help him rack up plenty of walks and high OBPs to go with his power. He’s an Oklahoma State commit.

Brady Ebel, SS, California

Ebel is one of the youngest players in the class, turning 16 just before Area Codes, so he will still be 17 on draft day. He’s the No. 2 player in the country with impressive polish to his game, particularly at the plate, unsurprising as the son of Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel. A 6-foot-3, 185-pound lefthanded hitter, Ebel is a selective hitter (he drew five walks in 14 plate appearances) with an efficient swing that has good path through the hitting zone, enabling him to get on base at a high rate. He also picked up three hits and nearly had a fourth that would have been at least a double, but the right fielder made a leaping catch at the warning track. Ebel already flashed power here and should have a lot more coming, making him one of the more dangerous offensive threats for 2025. He’s uncommitted for college.

Brock Sell, OF, California

The No. 50 player in the 2025 class, Sell is an athletic center fielder and infielder who has shown a good sense of the strike zone and bat-to-ball skills from the left side this summer. That was evident at Area Codes, where he swung and missed only once, using a simple lower half load and a short, direct swing from the left side to line a single to center field off a 92 mph fastball. His biggest hit came off a fastball up and on the inner third of the plate, with Sell taking a tight barrel turn to pull the ball in the air to right-center field and then showing off his plus speed to turn it into a triple. Sell is a Stanford commit.

Lucas Franco, SS, Texas

The No. 5 player in the 2025 class, Franco is an advanced lefthanded hitter who swung and missed just once during the event. He delivered a pair of doubles, one an opposite-field knock off a 91 mph fastball, the other off a righthanded slider that he pulled to right-center. Franco already has a good foundation of contact skills and mature offensive approach for his age, with a ton of space left to fill out his 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame that should lead to more power coming. He’s a TCU commit.

Trent Grindlinger, C, California

Grindlinger this summer has positioned himself in the conversation with the top catching prospects in the 2025 class. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, Grindlinger is on the bigger side for a catcher and showed off a big arm, throwing out four of four runners attempting to steal with a pop time of 1.95 seconds on his best throw. He has hit well throughout the summer, making hard contact with a knack for using the opposite field from the right side of the plate. He’s uncommitted for college.

Aiden Barrientes, RHP, Texas

Barrientes has been one of the bigger up-arrow players in the 2025 class this summer. A TCU commit, Barrientes just turned 16, so he’s one of the younger players in the class. He’s 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and touched 92 mph at Area Codes with more velocity that should come in the next few years. His sharp curveball at 75-79 mph had tight rotation, good shape and depth to get several empty swings.

Angel Cervantes, RHP, California

Cervantes—No. 28 in the 2025 class—struck out six of the 13 batters he faced, pounding the strike zone while showing a quality three-pitch mix. He’s 6-foot-2, 185 pounds and still 15 at Area Codes, so he’s one of the youngest players in his class. He threw 70% of his pitches for strikes, working off a fastball that he commanded well at 89-92 mph. Cervantes operated mostly off his fastball early, then later on showed the ability to manipulate a pair of offspeed pitches. He threw four changeups at 77-79 mph, getting swings and misses on two of them. The pitch had good separation off his fastball with lively sink and fade at its best. He also showed feel for a curveball he threw four times (one swing-and-miss) with spin in the 2,400-2,600 range. Cervantes is a UCLA commit.

Reagan Ricken, RHP, California

Ricken hasn’t done as many national events relative to some of the other top players in the country, but at Area Codes he showed why he’s one of the higher-end pitchers in the 2025 class. He’s 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and pitched off a fastball that reached 93 mph. Ricken also mixed in a power curveball at 78-82 mph that wasn’t an especially high-spin pitch (2,100-2,400 rpm) but had sharp action and good depth at its best to miss bats. He’s uncommitted for college.

Jack Lafflam, RHP, Arizona

Lafflam has a tall, extremely slender build at 6-foot-6, 170 pounds along the lines of Guardians righthander Triston McKenzie, with the ability to manipulate the baseball in unusual ways. He’s already up to 93 mph, throwing across his body and producing excellent cutting action on his fastball, an extremely high-spin pitch for a fastball at mostly 2,500-2,800 rpm. He showed feel to spin a 74-77 mph curveball in the 2,500-2,800 rpm range as well, with hitters whiffing through it on four of their five swings, including two strikeouts. Lafflam is an Arizona commit.

Ethan Clauss, SS, Nevada

In 10 trips to the plate, Clauss reached based seven times, going 2-for-5 with five walks. That’s representative of the way Clauss played all summer, using a patient approach and a line-drive stroke to get on base at a high rate. A 6-foot-2, 175-pound lefthanded hitter, Clauss has a simple, direct swing and room to project him to add to his present gap power as he fills out his lean, projectable build. The Texas A&M commit was one of the better defensive shortstops here, too. He showed smooth actions throughout the event and made a highlight play when he ranged to his right to field a ground ball on a backhand and made a throw from the back of the dirt to get the out at first base.

Minjae Seo, RHP, Texas

Seo is 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, a Vanderbilt commit ranked No. 36 in the 2025 class. He has a fast arm and touched 94 mph with his fastball, striking out five of the 12 batters he faced. Seo’s best secondary pitch here was a 79-81 mph changeup that had more than 10 mph of separation off his fastball, with a 73-75 mph curveball rounding out his repertoire.

Marcelo Harsch, RHP, New Jersey

Harsch showed plenty of promising projection indicators. He’s young for the class, having just turned 16 in June, and he has significant physical projection remaining as he fills out his 6-foot-4, 170-pound build. He struck out five of the nine batters he faced at Area Codes, pitching at 89-93 mph with a fastball that should have significantly more velocity coming once he adds more weight. Harsch has a good fastball, but he threw more sliders (23) than fastballs (14) here. It’s not an especially high-spin pitch at 2,000-2,200 rpm, but it was extremely effective, with hitters whiffing on seven of their 10 swings against his slider. He threw it with power, usually at 83-86 mph, with one at 87 mph, and consistently landed it for strikes. It plays well off his fastball, staying on the same plane before snapping off late with two-plane depth at times to miss bats against lefties or righties. A Wake Forest commit, Harsch flashed a few firm changeups at 86-88 mph as well.

Alec Blair, OF, California

Few players in the country have Blair’s tantalizing mix of size, physical projection, athleticism and tools. Blair is the No. 24 player in the 2025 class, a 6-foot-6, 185-pound center fielder and a high-level uncommitted recruit in both baseball and basketball. Like any long-limbed 16-year-old hitter, there’s length and swing-and-miss to Blair’s game, but when he connects, the ball flies off his bat with some of the better raw power in the class. He also showed some patience to go with that power by drawing four walks. On defense, Blair also showed off a plus arm from center field when he fielded a base hit and fired a strike in the air for the inning-ending assist at home plate to erase the runner trying to score from second base.

Dean Moss, OF, California

Another event, another opportunity for the lefthanded-hitting Moss to get on base at a high clip. Moss reached base in six of his 12 trips to the plate, drawing four walks and knocking two singles, one off a 91 mph fastball from a lefty. A California native at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., Moss has one of the more discerning batting eyes in the 2025 class, seldom expanding the strike zone. At 6 feet, 175 pounds, Moss has excellent bat speed as well that could eventually lead to plus power. He’s wrapping up an outstanding summer, including a big showing the week before Area Codes at the USA Baseball 16U/17U National Team Development Program, after which he earned an invite to the 18U National Team training camp. He’s the No. 7 player in the class and a Vanderbilt commit.

Cannon Goldin, OF, Georgia

Throughout the summer, Goldin showed a knack for making contact, getting on base and taking advantage of his plus speed both offensively and in center field. The No. 9 player in the 2025 class and a Mississippi commit, Goldin reached base in four of his 11 plate appearances at Area Codes, drawing a pair of walks and recording two hits, including an infield single to second base where he showcased his wheels.

Billy Carlson, SS/RHP, California

The No. 8 player in the 2025 class, Carlson stands out from the moment he takes ground balls. He’s one of the best defensive shortstops in the country, floating around shortstop with smooth, quick and crisp actions, moving his feet well with soft hands and a plus arm. At the plate, he’s a high-contact hitter, albeit with a lot of balls on the ground, but he doesn’t chase much and has one of the lower swing-and-miss rates among top 2025 players. He’s a Vanderbilt commit.

Vaughn Neckar, RHP, California

Neckar has a strong build (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) for 16 with a power fastball for his age, dialing it to 95 mph at Area Codes. He did lean heavily on that fastball, throwing it for 46 of his 54 pitches, so hitters were able to sit on that pitch with some success, but he threw it for strikes at a 70% clip and showed a hard, sharp curveball at 78-80 mph with spin at 2,300-2,500 rpm. Neckar is the No. 15 player in the 2025 class and an LSU commit.

Cooper Fulbright, RHP, Texas

A Texas A&M commit, Fulbright is just scratching the surface of his potential with some of the best stuff in the 2025 class. He’s an athletic 6 feet, 160 pounds with excellent arm speed to generate a fastball that was 91-95 mph at Area Codes. Fulbright threw fastballs on 31 of his 35 pitches, but when he did throw his 82-84 mph slider, he showed aptitude for being able to snap it off with tight rotation up to 3,100 rpm. The No. 29 pitcher in the class, Fulbright’s pitchability isn’t as advanced as some of the other pitchers ranked near him, but the upside is there for an athletic, potential upper-90s arm with swing-and-miss breaking stuff.

Everett Johnson, OF, North Carolina

Johnson is one of the most difficult outs in the class. He’s 5-foot-9, 165 pounds and uses his small strike zone to his advantage. He’s a selective hitter, patiently working the count to draw walks. When he does swing, he has the bat control to consistently put the ball in play with gap power. That was all on display at Area Codes, where he went 3-for-6, drew four walks, hit a double and got on base another time with a hit by pitch, swinging and missing only once during the week. A North Carolina State commit, Johnson’s plus speed is another asset on the basepaths and in center field, where he has advanced instincts and takes good routes.

Brett Crossland, RHP, Arizona

Crossland stands out quickly as a 6-foot-6, 245-pound righthander throwing 95 mph at 17. The No. 16 player for 2025, Crossland pitched heavily off a fastball that touched 95 multiple times. While control has been an issue at times for Crossland, he threw 24 of his 36 fastballs (67%) for strikes in this outing. He showed feel to spin a 73-76 mph curveball at 2,400-2,600 rpm and flashed a handful of mid-80s changeups. He’s uncommitted for college.

Jackson Roper, SS, Florida

A Florida commit, Roper is 5-foot-10, 180 pounds with a direct righthanded swing, showing the ability to inside-out the ball to right field on multiple occasions as he went 4-for-7 with a double, a triple and a walk. His quick, tight turn with his swing helped him square up 90-91 mph fastballs for base hits on three occasions, including a double that he knocked into the right-center field gap. Defensively he showed good actions and body control in the middle infield.

Jack Bauer, LHP, Illinois

There’s a lot to like with Bauer, starting with a loose, low-effort delivery and a projectable frame (6-foot-3, 175 pounds) that points toward mid-90s or better velocity coming. He’s not far from that territory now, pitching at Area Codes with a fastball that hit 93 mph, mostly attacking up in the zone with that pitch as he struck out three of the nine batters he faced. Bauer showed a high-spin slider as well, mostly in the 2,700-2,900 rpm range, a pitch that had a couple of the better lefthanded hitters in the country bailing on called strikes. Bauer is a Virginia commit.

Zach Strickland, RHP, California

A UCLA commit ranked No. 37 for 2025, Strickland struck out four of the 12 hitters he faced. He did it by throwing a heavy diet of fastballs—41 of his 48 pitchers were fastballs—and while he did allow four hits, he also got nine swings and misses on that pitch, which ranged from 87-94 mph. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Strickland has more room to fill out and add a couple more ticks to that fastball. He mixed in a slow curveball at 69-73 mph that spun in the 2,400-2,600 rpm range as his main offspeed pitch, with a couple changeups at 79-81 mph.

Brody Walls, RHP, Texas

At 6 feet, 180 pounds, Walls generates easy velocity for his size, touching 92 mph from a simple, low-effort delivery. He attacked hitters up with his fastball with spin typically between 2,400-2,600 rpm, using that pitch for all four of his strikeouts (three swinging) against the 12 batters he faced. Walls showed feel for a 78-82 mph slider (2,400-2,700 rpm) as well, using it to get four swings and misses. He’s a Texas commit.

Tate Southisene, SS/OF, Nevada

Ty Southisene is a Tennessee commit and a top 100 player in the 2024 high school class. Tate, his younger brother, boosted his profile with a strong performance both offensively and defensively at Area Codes. Southisene is 5-foot-10, 160 pounds and went 4-for-10 with two doubles and a walk. Like his brother, Southisene is another high-contact hitter from the right side with similar hitting mannerisms, showing the ability to square up different pitch types with a line-drive single off a 92 mph fastball and a double that he pulled against a slider. A shortstop and outfielder committed to Southern California, Southisene made a pair of highlight catches in the outfield, running down a ball from left field into foul territory and in center field charging back on a ball hit over his head to make a leaping catch in front of the warning track.

Landon Hodge, C, California

A Stanford commit, Hodge is 6-foot-1, 172 pounds and used a short lefthanded swing to spray line drives around the field while going 5-for-10. He shot a 92 mph fastball for a single the opposite way and sent another fastball to left field for a triple. Behind the plate, he blocked well, moving to his right to deaden multiple breaking balls in the dirt in front of him.

Marshall Louque, RHP, Louisiana

Louque is 6-foot-3, 195 pounds and threw strikes at a high clip with all three of his pitches, striking out three of the 10 batters he faced. Louque operated off a fastball that was up to 91 mph, using it to attack hitters up in the zone. His best secondary pitch here was a 79-82 mph changeup, a pitch that induced swing-and-miss from both lefties and righties. He sells his changeup well off his fastball, allowing him to fool hitters out front for whiffs or weak ground balls, something he did twice to get a double play. An LSU commit, Louque was able to land his low-to-mid-70s curveball for strikes, though it was his fastball/changeup combination that was most impressive here.

Jordan Serrano, OF, New Jersey

A Wake Forest commit, Serrano went 4-for-10 at Area Codes with a pair of extra-base hits. He’s 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and transfers his weight well to generate power from the right side, something he showed when he slammed a 91 mph fastball for a home run to right-center field, and again when he pulled a 94 mph fastball for a double with a 99 mph exit velocity.

Caden Crowell, LHP, Indiana

Crowell showed a good mix of projection, stuff and results at Area Codes, where he struck out five of the nine batters he faced with one walk and one hit allowed. He’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds and touched 90 mph, with his fastball likely to be sitting in the low 90s this time next year. Crowell’s feel for a changeup stood out, getting a lot of separation off his fastball at 73-76 mph. He executed his changeup well down in the zone, allowing the pitch to parachute at the plate with sink to miss bats and produce off-balance swings. Crowell got a couple of swings and misses on his 76-79 mph slider as well. He’s uncommitted for college.

Luke Billings, OF/RHP, Texas

A two-way player committed to Tennessee, Billings showed a good balance of patience, bat-to-ball skills and power, going 3-for-7 with three walks and a home run. Billings homered at the Area Code Underclass event last year and went deep again this time, getting his arms extended on a fastball out over the plate that landed just fair inside the pole in left field. A righthanded hitter with a pull-heavy approach, Billings (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) also turned around good velocity when he lined a 94 mph fastball for a single to left field. On the mound, Billings battled through some control troubles as he walked three of the nine batters he faced over two outings, but he struck out two, pitching heavily off a fastball up to 91 mph with a low-to-mid-70s breaking ball and a firm changeup at 85-87 mph mixed in as well.

Chase Bentley, RHP, California

Bentley, who turned 16 in May and is on the younger side for the 2025 class, breezed through his outing, pounding the strike zone as he struck out five of the 12 batters he faced with no walks, one hit and a hit batsman. The Texas A&M commit has a strong build (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) and touched 90 mph with what should be higher velocity to come in the next few years. He commanded his fastball well to both sides of the plate, attacking hitters inside with his fastball more aggressively than most pitchers at this level. Bentley did a good job of executing his 78-82 mph slider down and underneath the zone, spinning around 2,400-2,600 rpm, along with a mid-70s curveball, though his slider was the bigger weapon. Bentley has a changeup, too, but faced almost all righthanded hitters, so he only threw it once here.

Sawyer Deering, RHP, Wisconsin

At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Deering does’t have the size of some of the other top pitchers in the 2025 class, but he showed quality stuff to strike out two of the six batters he faced over two hitless innings. Deering touched 92 mph and avoided mistakes in the middle of the zone with his fastball. His most promising pitch was his curveball, which he threw with power at 78-82 mph and tight rotation with spin up to 2,900 rpm, showing the sharp break to miss bats. Deering is uncommitted for college.

Fleming Hall, RHP, Alabama

Hall filled the strike zone with three pitches, throwing 17 of his 29 pitches (72%) for strikes. He breezed through three innings, striking out three of the 10 batters he faced with no walks and only one hit allowed, a shallow flare that fell for a single in center field. Hall is 6 feet, 185 pounds, pitched from the stretch only with some effort to his delivery but threw plenty of strikes with a fastball that touched 92 mph. He mixed in an 80-84 mph slider (2,200-2,400 rpm) and a firm changeup in the mid 80s, with his slider the more advanced offspeed pitch. He’s an Auburn commit.

2026 CLASS

Trey Rangel, RHP, Texas

Rangel provided an electric look and made a case to be the premier pitcher in the 2026 class, striking out three of the seven batters he faced. He’s a lean 6-foot-1, 165 pounds with lots of room for continued strength gains and add to a fastball that he threw for strikes at a 75% clip and was already touching 94 mph here with good carry. That would already be impressive for 16, but his curveball has the makings of a wipeout pitch. The first three curveballs out of Rangel’s hand spun north of 3,200 rpm, a 78-81 mph breaking ball that has the sharp snap and components to develop into a plus or better pitch in time. He’s uncommitted for college.

Alex Harrington, SS, California

Harrington has positioned himself in the conversation as one of the premier players in the country for 2026. A Stanford commit, Harrington is a speedy, ultra-athletic 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, a dynamic player who produces as a high level offensively and is one of the better defensive shortstops in his class. He went 3-for-7 and drew three walks, showing the bat speed to catch up to good velocity and the ability to maneuver the barrel when he got the bat head on a tough 1-2 changeup breaking down and away from him that he singled in the air to center field.

Eli Willits, SS, Oklahoma

Even at 15, Willits was one of the most mature hitters at Area Codes, with opposing pitchers unable to find a way to get him out. The switch hitter went 5-for-7 and drew two walks as he barreled line drives around the field, with his best hit a triple that he pulled to right field while batting lefthanded. At 6-foot-1, 165 pounds, Willits looked loose, relaxed and comfortable from both sides of the plate with an adjustable swing and gap power that should continue to grow in the coming years. He’s committed to Oklahoma, where his father (former Angels outfielder Reggie Willits) is the associate head coach.

Quentin Young, 3B, California

Young is a physical 2026 third baseman (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) who clobbered the ball at Area Codes, going 4-for-9 with three doubles and two walks. He’s an aggressive righthanded hitter who tips the barrel toward the pitcher before unloading a swing with big bat speed and strength behind it to generate some of the best raw power in the class and an exit velocity up to 104 mph here. He doubled off a 90 mph fastball that he pulled into the left-center field gap, with his two other doubles coming on sliders that he drove to center and left-center. He’s uncommitted for college.

Rookie Shepard, SS/C, Nevada

Shepard is one of the best pure hitters in the 2026 class. He’s 5-foot-11, 170 pounds with a compact, adjustable lefthanded swing to barrel both fastballs and offspeed stuff throughout the strike zone. The result is a high contact rate and an approach that enables him to spread line drives to all fields with gap power. Shepard didn’t swing-and-miss once during Area Codes, going 4-for-8 with two of those singles off fastballs at 90 and 92 mph. He’s a Miami commit.

Dax Hardcastle, RHP/INF, California

Hardcastle threw one quick, impressive inning that lasted 15 pitches, enough to show why he’s one of the top 2026 pitchers in the country. He’s 6-foot-2, 210 pounds at 16 with an 89-92 mph fastball that he used to attack hitters at the top of the zone. He flashed a pair of 78-79 mph curveballs with spin in the 2,700-2,800 rpm range, including one for a called strikeout, while the one changeup he threw showed good fade to get a swing-and-miss against a lefty. Hardcastle is uncommitted for college.

Miles Young, SS, Texas

Young didn’t get many plate appearances, but the 2026 infielder made the most of his four trips to the batter’s box. Young went 3-for-4, launching a fastball for a home run with a 99 mph exit velocity. Young is 6-foot-3, 210 pounds and while there is some length to his righthanded swing, it comes with big power for a player who is still 15. He singled off a 90 mph fastball in one of his other at-bats and drove another fastball for a single with a 105 mph exit velocity. Young is uncommitted for college.

Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP/1B, Oregon

Schoolcraft is 6-foot-7, 205 pounds, a legitimate two-way prospect and one of the best players in the 2026 class. Schoolcraft only got one plate appearance here as a hitter and didn’t use his full repertoire on the mound, but his talent still stuck out. He’s a 16-year-old lefty who touched 93 mph, producing eight whiffs on the 27 fastballs he threw. Schoolcraft didn’t use his breaking ball here, instead mixing in a splitter and changeup that both kill spin to induce weak contact. He’s uncommitted for college.