Here is a new feature rolling out here in 2024, Quick Hits. Basically, a bunch of quick thoughts/takes on players coming off tournaments, weekend series, etc. To start, the first big regular season tournament of the season, the Panama City Beach Classic put on by Perfect Game showcasing some of the bests JuCo talent in the country. Hosts Gulf Coast went on to win the tournament, and here is my take on some of the top draft prospects from the weekend.

All photo and video clips courtesy of Andrew Rhodes.

Gulf Coast

Michael Gupton – OF – Gupton just oozes tools and it was on display over the weekend. He has a slightly open stance and a bit of a leg kick, but the balance is fantastic and there is a ton of strength there, which he demonstrated with a home run in the title game that left the bat at 110 MPH. He has a mature body with plenty of size already there, yet he is typically the fastest guy on the field (he put up a 5.96 60 yard dash in HS). He had limited playing time while at NC State a season ago, but is clearly ready to shine and will likely on a lot of draft boards come summer.

Brent Baughcum – 3B -Baughcum really opened some eyes on the weekend. The wide stance with a powerful body and a swing that creates lift, he was regularly driving the ball deep into the outfield, if not beyond the outfield. The swing is pretty straight forward and the foot gets down early allowing him to stay on all pitches. There is some stiffness in the finish to the swing, but other than that he looks like the real deal at the plate.

Pearl River

Conner Ware – LHP – Ware toed the rubber in the opening game of the tournament, and the scouts who flocked to the field were treated well. He sat 91-93 with the fastball with a heavy downhill plane to go with a high spin curve and a change that got plenty of swings and misses. He was really a two-pitch pitcher a season ago, but he now has a legit starter’s repertoire as the change is an offering he is not only comfortable using, but actually doubled up with it for a strikeout at one point. Ware has firmly established himself as one of the top JuCo prospects this year.

McClennan

Gavyn Jones – LHP – Jones has a confident and fiery demeanor on the mound, and has stuff to go with it even if he goes full Michael Jordan tongue out on some pitches. Sitting 90-93 with a swing and miss slider sitting 77-79, he certainly lived up to the billing. While he does have some short arm as he gets his arm up to his 3/4 slot, the effort is pretty low and the command is solid. Didn’t see the change too much, but if he can mix that is effectively through the season, he will be getting paid to throw baseballs next season.

State College of Florida

Brandon Clarke – LHP – Clarke struggled on the day, with the ball leaving his hand a bit early and lacking the finish. This led to him missing his spots far too often and the ball finding bats. That said, he was up to 96 on his fastball and showed a sweeping breaker between 76-78 MPH. Like Gavin Jones in the same game, the change wasn’t used much, but it is a pitch he can feature at times. The stat line on the day is not indicative of of the stuff, but there does need to be improved command on the fastball or he will have more days like he did over the weekend.

Allan Gil-Fernandez – INF – A redshirt freshman at the JuCo level isn’t usually the type of guy to get excited about, but it is impossible to ignore what he did over the weekend. Regularly driving the ball all over the field, Gil-Fernandez has gone from a guy not even on my watch list, to someone I will be following closely to see if it was just a great weekend, or if we have a pop up prospect on our hands.

Northwest Florida State College

Kendrey Maduro – SS – Maduro flashed some power last season which earned himself an invite to the MLB Draft league, where he hit .347 with a 1.063 OPS in 23 games. He is off to a strong start again this year, but there are still some concerns with the bat. The bat wrap in the load creates a long path and there is some question as to how well the hit tool will translate against better arms, although he has shown well against some pretty decent arms already. Regardless, he uses his strong lower half and really clears his hips well, allowing him to drive the ball and the hands do get to the zone well even if the bat head takes a while at times. Overall, Maduro is one of the better bats at the JuCo level.

Qrey Lott – OF – Lott was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 15th round last summer, but decided to head to Northwest Florida to try an raise that stock. Early returns aren’t great as he struggled at the plate on the weekend, but there is plenty of talent here. The toe tap delivery is something that could create some trouble with timing periodically, but the bat is direct and level, so he can handle all velos and quadrants. A slow start over a single weekend is nothing to be worried about, Lott could easily find himself as a day two selection in July.

Chase Williams – OF/2B – Switch hitter with a tone of speed and athleticism, scouts were raving about his tools in Panama City Beach. He is quick to the zone and makes a ton of contact. There isn’t much in terms of power, but he could be a quality leadoff guy and definitely has an arrow up next to his name.

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