By: Evan Furfaro – Director of Missouri, ScoutConnect

 

Throughout the summer, whether it be at our showcases, tournaments, or in other various looks, our ScoutConnect staff was able to get a high amount of valuable, in-person looks at several talented uncommitted players throughout the Midwest. 

 

Earlier this week, our Missouri Director of Scouting, Evan Furfaro, gave his takes on 15 of his favorite uncommitted incoming seniors (‘27 grads). You can find that by clicking HERE. 

 

We’re doing the same today, albeit with the 2028 glass. Continue reading below to learn more about 15 of Furfaro’s favorite players in the current junior class as the most important year, from a recruiting standpoint, begins for them. 

 

+ MIF/RHP Nick Chiarodo (Edwardsville, 2028) has been a prospect that we’ve gotten our eyes on numerous times over the course of the last year, and has continued to show us why he is a top uncommitted two-way player in the Midwest. Chiarodo features a lean, athletic frame with room to still add on. He has put tools on display across the board in our looks with one of his more impressive metrics being his 6.47 60-yard time recorded at the end of the summer. At the plate, Chiarodo displayed a simple swing that stayed direct to the ball and generated advanced outputs in his 97.1 mph exit velocity, and average bat speed up to 72.1 mph. Up the middle, Chiarodo has shown fluidity and athleticism in all actions with a highly advanced ability to range in all directions. It’s also a highly intriguing look, from a projection standpoint, on the mound. Works from a less than full circle with present arm speed out front. His fastball sits in the mid-upper-80s, topping 90 mph, and pairs with two different breaking balls that he’s able to throw in and out of the zone for swing and miss. The slider showed a shorter shape at 74-76 mph, and the curveball had bigger 11/5 shape at 73-74 mph. There’s easily more to come in every aspect of Chiarodo’s profile as he continues to fill out his frame and add time in the weight room, and should be a mainstay as a top prospect in the Midwest’s 2028 group. 

 

Nick Chiarodo

 

+ Since the start of the spring season, OF/RHP Tyson Wampler (Edwardsville, 2028) has been one of the more consistent performers on both sides of the ball in our staff’s looks. It’s a long, lanky frame capable of producing high-level bat speed and has shown an ability to rotate at the plate. He’s been on the barrel in each of our looks this spring and summer with a feel for both sides of the field. On the mound, Wampler sat 84-86, topping 87 mph with the fastball and spun a slurvy breaking ball in the low-mid-70s. The arm worked short in the back while getting to a 3/4 slot with speed. There’s plenty to like in a prospect that could see big jumps with added strength come this offseason. 

 

Tyson Wampler

 

+ INF/RHP Elijah Johnson (Quincy Notre Dame, 2028) has been undoubtedly a top prospect in the Illinois’ ‘28 class. It’s a physical, middle-of-the-order bat that has shown the make up of an impact arm on the mound as well. At the plate, Johnson shows a strong, compact swing with easy feel to lift the ball to deeper parts of the field. He’s been able to register in-game exit velocities in the mid-90s, evidence of his ability to impact the ball at a high rate. On the mound, Johnson impressed with his fastball at 86-88, topping 89 mph. He also utilized a hard slider at 81-83 mph, and a curveball in the mid-70s. It’s a shorter arm action that gives a more over-the-top look with arm speed. While there’s still some all-around rawness and sheer strength to his game, the impact potential with Johnson is high, and he’s a name that coaches should be following closely over the next calendar year. 

 

Eli Johnson

 

+ C Aiden Saracco (Staunton, 2028) is an athletic backstop to follow through this coming fall, and spring. There’s physicality throughout the 6-foot, 176-pound frame with more strength to come. Saracco ran a 6.87 60 time at the end of this summer which was his fastest time to date. At the plate, Saracco swings a compact, more uphill barrel with line drive feel to both sides of the field. From a defensive standpoint, he has shown us an ability to throw it well from the crouch while registering velocities up to 77 mph. 

 

Aiden Saracco

 

+ One of our top performers from this year’s Summer Games, OF/INF Brody Akins (Union, 2028) has also become a top uncommitted ‘28 in our eyes. Akins features a lean, athletic frame that generates natural backspin to both sides of the field with looseness in his right-handed swing. It’s a high level athlete that has shown us ease in tracking down balls from gap to gap in the outfield, while also displaying up-the-middle traits. He’s a gamer-type that plays hard, will stick through the middle of the field, and has plenty of room to continue to get stronger – all of which are positives to us. 

 

Brody Akins

 

+ RHP/UTL Ty Bachman (Normal West, 2028) was a ‘28 arm that showed well at this year’s ‘Main Event’ in Bloomington. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound uncommitted junior has long, loose levers with a ton more to come from a projection standpoint. His fastball generated whiffs in the zone at 83-86, topping 87 mph. He also utilized a tight slider in the upper-70s along with a change up that he was also able to throw in the upper-70s, both for strikes. His cross-body, low 3/4 slot combination makes for a tough look on hitters, and will only become tougher as he continues to trend up with strength.

 

Ty Bachman

 

+ One of the more physically impressive bats that we saw this summer was CIF Brady Jones (Metamora, 2028). There’s a lot to like in the towering, 6-foot-6, 210-pound frame with no lack of strength throughout, and a multi-sport background to go along with it, as he’s also a high level basketball prospect in Illinois. Jones creates separation in the left-handed swing with feel to lift the ball. His effortless juice was on display in what was debatably our best performance of the summer where he recorded three home runs in a single weekend. His showing at our Peoria Showcase would also back up his present power as he registered an average batted ball distance of 336.2 feet, and a peak of 367.2 feet. Jones has shown clean, athletic actions at the corners that have a chance to stick at the next level. With tools across the board, there’s no doubt in our minds that Jones has become one of the top uncommitted incoming juniors in the midwest. 

 

Brady Jones

 

+ MIF Jack Bogard (Francis Howell, 2028) is another talented up-the-middle follow that coaches will want to keep their eyes on through the coming fall. Bogard’s athleticism is at the top of the list beginning with his 6.78 60 time recorded at the end of this summer. This speed plays with his reaction time on the infield as he is one of the top defensive infielders we have seen this summer. It’s in-rhythm with the lower half while displaying clean and soft hands on the move. There isn’t a play at shortstop that he can’t make. At the plate, Bogard shows a shorter swing that stays level throughout and produces more impact off the barrel in our most recent BP look – averaged 90 mph EV, peaking at 99 mph. 

 

Jack Bogard

 

+ C Adrian Ayala (Dunlap, 2028) was a standout in several events this summer. At the plate, Ayala consistently found the barrel with a strong, right-handed swing that stays on plane. He was able to find the gaps with ease and provide production in each look. From the crouch, Ayala has showcased advanced catch and throw abilities in both a showcase, and in-game setting. He’s a worker, gamer-type that has a chance to stick at the next level behind the plate and be a winning contributor in all areas of his game. 

 

Adrian Ayala

 

+ Another prospect that has looked the part of a middle-of-the-order bat is CIF Bronx Hefner (Mt. Vernon, 2028). With a left-handed swing that stays loose and easy, Hefner has shown more than enough evidence of his ability to find the barrel with easy juice. He has reached larger parts of both sides of the field, and has shown his in-game power tool with a no doubt home run earlier in the summer. Hefner continued where he left off in his performance at our Southern Illinois Summer Showcase where he recorded an average exit velocity of 88 mph, and a peak of 94.8 mph, both of which are advanced for his age, and are capable of trending upward as he gets stronger. Hefner played a role for the Rams this past spring as a sophomore and should slot nicely into the middle of what we’re expecting to be a talented Mt. Vernon lineup this upcoming spring. 

 

Bronx Hefner

 

+ RHP Nathan Leist (Lindbergh, 2028) is already an arm that produced for a highly talented Flyers’ team in the spring, but our staff believes there is still more to come in the next year. In our looks this summer, Leist intrigued as an athletic mover with a really clean, loose, and easy arm swing. His long, lanky frame is easy to dream on as he will only tick up with added strength. The fastball played in the zone at 82-84, topping 86 mph, and paired with a tight breaking ball in the low-70s. Leist works from a less than full circle and gets to a 3/4 slot while repeating in-line.

 

Nathan Leist

 

+ RHP Jon Calcaterra (Lindbergh) has consistently cemented himself as a top arm in Missouri’s ‘28 class. After a 5-0 season for Lindbergh where he recorded a 2.63 ERA over 40 innings of work, Calcaterra again showcased to our staff this summer his ability to navigate lineups with swing and miss stuff. His fastball played in the zone at 86-89 mph, and paired with a sharp 11/5 slider in the upper-70s. From a mechanical standpoint, Calcaterra works longer in the back and gets to a 3/4 slot with arm speed out front. Our staff believes there’s still more to come in the 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame leading to a must-follow name.

 

Jon Calcaterra

 

+ Another two-way prospect to keep an eye on this fall is OF/LHP Trey Hrasky (O’Fallon, 2028). It’s a high-level athlete with the make up to play a premium outfield position. Hrasky recorded a 6.60 60 time at the end of this summer which is a time that certainly plays into his ability to go get it in the outfield. Working from a simple, left-handed swing with leverage out front, Hrasky has shown feel to find the barrel consistently and profiles as a top-of-the-order bat. On the mound, the left-handed pitcher features an over-the-top release generating life at the top of the zone, with a fastball that plays in the low-80s, and has been up to 85 mph in our looks. 

 

Trey Hrasky

 

+ Rounding out our uncommitted southpaws to follow is LHP Cory Hilzinger (Seckman, 2028). Hilzinger has emerged as one of the more polished arms that our staff has seen in Missouri’s ‘28 class this year, both in the spring and summer. Since he’s been on the varsity scene, Hilzinger has dominated for Seckman, and all he really ever does when he’s on the mound is win. His fastball sat in the low-80s with feel to all zones. From an offspeed standpoint, Hilzinger utilized a change up with fading action at 76-78 mph, and a curveball that he threw for strikes in the low-70s. It’s a more up-tempo delivery that works long from a 3/4 slot with looseness. It’s not overpowering stuff right now, but it’s trending in that direction, and when it gets there, he’ll blend supreme pitchability with sharpness, creating a highly intriguing profile. 

 

Cory Hilzinger

 

+ Our final name of reference on this list is OF Gabe Heaps (Kirkwood, 2028), who’s a tooled up, highly athletic prospect from St. Louis. He ran a 6.70 60 at our Summer Games event in early June, peaked at 90 mph from the outfield, and also posted a max exit velocity of 96 mph in the workout portion. It’s a steeper bat path with strength to pair and the intent to elevate from the right side, showing quick twitch and hand speed, while spraying gap-to-gap. 

 

Gabe Heaps