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PG Select Baseball Festival  | General  | 8/25/2023

13u Select Festival Roster Preview: East

Jheremy Brown     
Photo: Dexter McCleon Jr/Camilo Gutierrez
For the second time in as many years, the 13u Perfect Game Select Festival is returning to Lindsey Nelson Stadium on the campus of the University of Tennessee for the 5th annual installment of the game. This weekend, 40 of the best 13u aged players from across the country, as well as from Venezuela, will descend upon Knoxville for a weekend of high-end baseball, culminating with a 9 inning game Sunday, August 27th at 11 AM which will be broadcasted live on PerfectGame.TV. 

For 17 players, this weekend is a return to the Select Festival as they played in either the 11 or 12u iteration (or both) while the other 23 players begin their Perfect Game Journey. The PG Journey is something we dove into last week prior to the PG All-American Classic as 11 players played in both the 13u and 14u Select Festivals before getting the call for this year's classic, including the game's MVP Ty Southisene. 



In what's sure to be a tightly contested game between the East and West, these rosters have a little bit of everything from eye-opening offensive numbers, to upper-80s fastballs and slick defenders who'll made you do a double take as to what you just saw. Today we begin with a breakdown of the East team, detailing each of the 20 players and what we can expect to see come Sunday. 

Aiden Kearney, RHP, Class of 2028 
6-1/155, R-R, R3-Olasin, Winter Park, Fla. 

Kearney may be listed as a primary third baseman, but the upside on the mound is too hard to ignore when you factor in his current levels of athleticism, arm speed and ability to already spin a slider. The arm strength plays all over the diamond as we saw at the 13u National, but especially so on the mound as he’s already been up to 85 mph from a lower arm slot. He’s able to generate heavy sinking life on the pitch while showing two-plane break with late sweep to his upper-60s slider. He played most of the year at the 14u level where he still collected his strikeouts while seeing a velocity climb throughout the summer.  

Anthony Badillo, SS, Class of 2027
5-10/135, R-R, TG DBacks 13u Scout, Elkridge, Md. 

A 12u Select Festival alum, Badillo put together a quality 2023 campaign as he slashed .425/.529/1.268 with his fair share of extra base knocks, connecting for 5 triples and 6 home runs while walking twice the amount he struck out on the year. There’s plenty of athleticism to Badillo’s profile and with it, bat speed and barrel whip as he’s capable of impacting the baseball on a regular basis to all parts of the field with big extension out front. His skills are just as impressive in the dirt, showing sound lateral range to either side with fast feet and soft hands, showing solid arm strength and accuracy across the diamond.  

Brennan New, RHP/OF, Class of 2027 
6-1/164, R-R, Team Elite 13u National, Simpsonville, S.C. 

Relatively new to the national circuit, no pun intended, New impressed with his present skill set as well as his long-term potential as a two-way prospect to know out of South Carolina. A primary right-hander, New works consistently into the low-80s with his heater from an extended slot with riding life and a late sweeping slider, though his athleticism allows him to stand out everywhere on the diamond. On the 2023 summer as a whole New hit .418 with plenty of right-handed bat speed, racking up 66 hits on the year (31 of which went for extra-bases) while driving in 75 runs, proving to be a consistent force on both sides of the ball for Team Elite.  

Bryan Mesa, SS, Class of 2028 
6-0/162, R-R, SBA Florida Scout Team, Hialeah, Fla. 

There’s a lot to like with what Mesa brings to the diamond, whether you’re looking at his defensive acumen or ability to handle the barrel from the right side of the plate. He plays under control in the dirt with sound fundamentals and clean glove skills to either side, showing athleticism in his actions and an air of confidence you don’t always find at the 13u level. The accuracy of his barrel speaks for itself with a .489 average on the year and it’s only a matter of time before some of his 24 doubles start clearing the fence as it’s a fast and fluid stroke through the zone with juice to his pull side while living on the barrel.  

Caden Borcherding, C, Class of 2027 
6-0/160, R-R, SBA Bolts National, Acworth, Ga. 

Another two-time Festivaler, Borcherding put on a show throughout the 13u National Showcase, though that was merely a continuation of what he showed during the summer circuit. Athletically built at 6-foot, 160-pounds, the young Georgia native is capable of impacting a game from behind the dish thanks to his advanced catch-and-throw skills, showing plenty of carry and accuracy down to second base to thwart the running game. He’s just as dangerous with the bat in his hand, driving the ball with authority to the middle and pull parts of the field while showing quickness to his hands and impact off of the barrel already, collecting his fair share of extra-base hits on the summer. 

Caden Scott, RHP/3B, Class of 2028 
6-0/163, R-R, Dirtbags National, Princeton, N.C. 

Scott is a strong and physical presence on the mound who possesses plenty of arm speed, which in turn produces some pretty impressive stuff out of his right hand. Already up to 83 mph, the young right-hander is able to generate some serious life to his arm side, consistently working on top of the ball to generate downhill plane from a higher release, attacking hitters from pitch one. The slider is a potential difference maker for Scott as he does a very nice job of maintaining his arm speed on the pitch while ripping it across the width of the plate. Add in the juice his right-handed swing possesses, and he’s another name to monitor in the Carolinas.  

Camilo Gutierrez, OF 
5-9/135, L-L, Barcelona, Ven. 

Gutierrez is much closer to 6-foot than his listed 5-foot-9 and he has the strength and tools to match his impressively athletic frame. A primary outfielder, the young Venezuelan attacks the ball with rhythm in his cadence while showcasing one of the best defensive arms at the 13u National Showcase, working up to 85 mph though the carry and accuracy were just as impressive. His left-handed swing is a longer, lower effort stroke through the zone with present strength in his hands, turning on balls to his pull side with some authority. There’s plenty more juice to come down the road as he continues to add physicality to his long-levered frame.  

Colin Anderson, 3B/OF, Class of 2028 
5-11/165, R-R, Team Elite 13u National, Evans, Ga. 

There’s having a good summer, then there’s having the summer Anderson had while hitting in the middle of the Team Elite lineup where he finished with a cool .544 average in 2023, truly highlighting his bat-to-ball skills and ability to handle the barrel. The barrel skills speak for themselves with the numbers he puts up but his ability to adjust his swing as needed and work to all fields while showing a fast set of hands helps set him apart from his peers with legit power potential on the near horizon. A corner defender with versatility both in the infield and outfield, Anderson moves around well on his feet, though it’s that bat that’s truly the calling card. 

Dariel Carrion, C, Class of 2027 
5-9/170, R-R, SBA Bolts National, San Juan, P.R. 

Carrion has a collection of red amongst his PG profile which is a good thing as the red print reads “All Tournament Team”, meaning he’s built quite the 2023 resume on the strength of his right-handed swing. Physically built, Carrion made his presence felt on both sides of the ball throughout the 13u National Showcase, showing some pretty advanced blocking skills as well as arm strength that very few his age can rival. When you take his defensive tools and couple them with a fast right-handed stick that’s capable of driving the ball to all parts of  the yard with intent, especially to his pull side, you’re looking at one of the more complete backstops at the 13u level.  

Dexter McCleon Jr, OF/RHP, Class of 2028 
6-2/180, R-R, TG DBacks 13u Scout, Suwanee, Ga. 

Simply put, McCleon Jr possesses the type of tools you hardly ever find at the 13u level and when you do, there tends to be a crowd following along with every at-bat or toeing of the rubber. While he’ll immediately catch your attention with his long 6-2/180 frame, McCleon Jr has sky high upside as he’s already running a 6.88 in the 60 while throwing upper-80s both from the outfield as well as on the mound, both best in the class. He a threat each and every plate appearance and a name opposing pitchers are fully aware of, though hitting .440 for one of the top teams in the country and making big yards look small will do that.  

DJ Ford, OF, Class of 2028 
5-10/160, R-R, Hit Factory Pro 2027, Tampa, Fla. 

The moment the umpire said “play” at the 13u National Showcase, Ford couldn’t be slowed down, literally, whether in the batter’s box or on the bases. An exciting athlete whose 7.1 speed played up considerably on the bases, Ford has the ability to impact a game in a multitude of ways, though his disruptiveness on the bases is certainly at the forefront of what he brings. For as fast as his feet may be, Ford’s hands may be even quicker and they were consistently on display throughout the 13u National Showcase. Over the course of two games Ford collected three doubles, turning on balls with intent while already showcasing impact strength to his pull side. 

Ethan Stewart, 1B, Class of 2028 
6-1/155, L-L, Dirtbags National, Winterville, N.C. 

Looking simply at age, nobody in attendance is younger than Stewart who, based solely off of age, would fall within the 12u eligibility category were he is a 2029 graduate, which makes what he does in the left-handed batter’s box all the more impressive. Despite his age, Stewart is already regarded as one of the more advanced bats in the 2028 class as he does an excellent of truly unlocking all parts of the field, especially so the other way as some of his best barrels this spring and summer were to the left-center field gap. He lets the looseness of his hands take over in his swing and can simply flicking balls wherever they are pitched.  

Jael Santos, 3B/RHP, Class of 2028 
6-0/190, R-R, ZT Prospects National, Patterson, N.J 

Santos certainly passes the eye test with his strongly built, broad shouldered 6-foot frame, though despite his physicality he maintains his looseness and athleticism as evidenced by the way he moves on the diamond. He’s already a well-known name as he’s been one of the hardest throwers in the class for some time (and has been up to 86 mph this summer) but his operation is very simple, allowing for a plethora of strikes while showing heavy life through the zone with feel for spinning it as well. The New Jersey native is also a refined defender at third base who brings a heavy barrel to the plate, capable of going yard on any given pitch. 

Julian Martinez, IF/C, Class of 2028 
5-9/158, R-R, SBA Bolts National, New York, N.Y. 

Martinez brings a little bit of everything to the table in terms of skill set, capable of making the athletic play up the middle with ample range and soft hands, or putting on the gear and showing refined skills, whether it’s receiving or his catch-and-throw abilities. Despite finishing up his 7th grade year, Martinez already has a year of varsity experience under his belt and played a big role at The Stony Brook offensively thanks to a simple approach and mechanical operation in the box. There’s lot of quickness in his hands as well as strength at the point of contact, showing the ability to barrel the ball to all parts of the field.  

Lio Garcia, SS, Class of 2028 
5-9/143, R-R, SmarTense, Suwanee, Ga. 

Garcia proved to be one of the more consistent bats throughout the summer circuit and he has the stats to back it up, slashing .474/.633/1.475 over the course of 45 games this year. A loose and athletic middle infielder, Garcia shows soft hands and balance in his footwork, making a couple of advanced plays up the middle at the 13u National Showcase which plays well with a strong, accurate arm across. His swing is a loose one and he does an excellent job of matching plane, spraying line drive contact around the yard, all of which led to an eye-opening 13u World Series performance where he hit .778 while drawing 11 walks, good for an otherworldly .913 on-base percentage.  

Reggie Marshall, SS, Class of 2028 
6-1/148, S-R, South Charlotte Panthers, Autryville, N.C. 

There’s something to be said about consistently finding the barrel and that’s just what we saw from Marshall throughout the summer from either side of the plate. A long limbed and high-waisted 6-foot-1, the young Louisville commit will undoubtedly get stronger moving forward, but his swing is mirrored from both sides, staying short to the ball while living on a linear path. He moves around well on his feet defensively, showing lateral range to both the 6-hole and up the middle while consistently delivering accurate throws on to first base. Despite his age and length combination, Marshall maintains balance in everything he does, both offensively and in the dirt, finishing with a .409 average on the year.  

Rylan Jenkins, OF, Class of 2028 
5-6/150, L-R, SmarTense, Tennille, Ga. 

It’s impossible not to start with the speed component of Jenkin’s toolset when you start breaking him down as the 6.61 60-yard he posted at the 13u National Showcase simply isn’t something you find at this age and is impressive even at 17u ranks. It’s not just showcase speed either as he swiped 36 bags on the year, meaning he was always on base as evidenced by his .491 batting average thanks to a quick left-handed stroke that was consistently on time while playing to all fields. Just how good are the barrel skills? During a pool play game at 13u Elite Jenkins managed to go 3-for-3 in a SINGLE inning, picking a knock to left, center, and right field.  

William Britt, RHP/3B, Class of 2027 
6-1/160, R-R, Wow Factor National, Lakeland, Tenn. 

There’s a whole lot of stuff to like as you look at Britt, whether it’s on the mound, in the dirt, behind the plate or in the batter’s box. Younger for the 2027 grade like some of his East teammates, Britt played exclusively at the 14u level throughout the summer and still managed to put up strong numbers across the board thanks to his overall athleticism. On the mound he’s run the fastball upwards of 84 mph, though it’s a low effort operation with big extension out front and a sharp, late biting breaker. His swing possesses both strength and barrel skill while hitting .409 this summer while primarily swinging wood, collecting a handful of extra-base knocks.  

Yariel "Lito" Diaz, LHP, Class of 2028 
5-11/145, L-L, Canes National 14u, Saint Cloud, Fla. 

Much like Britt above, Diaz threw almost exclusively at the 14u level this summer and while the final stat line is more than impressive on its own as a 13u arm playing up, it’s worth noting Diaz is nearly young enough to play at the 12u level this summer when looking solely at his age. Operationally it’s a smooth and rhythmic delivery for Diaz who works out to an extended release where he runs his heater up to 84 mph with hard running life while pounding the strike zone. The changeup might be his best pitch overall however as he turns it over with conviction and can also land his breaker to both sides of the plate.  

Yomar Infante, RHP, Class of 2027 
6-0/169, R-R, SBA Florida Scout Team, Orlando, Fla. 

If you look at Infante’s PG profile you’ll notice a steady uptick in velocity over the last year, and given how he’s gone from 80-81 mph to bumping 85s and 86s, it’s easy to envision another jump coming rather quickly. The son of 15-year veteran Omar Infante, Yomar is a strongly built right-hander who’s an intimidating presence on the mound and comes out attacking hitters, not only with some of the better velocity at the 13u level, but with consistent running life to his arm side. Infante’s curveball is a difference maker however, working into the low-70s with some vicious bite and hard, downer shape which plays well off of his heater and is able to miss bats rather consistently. 
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