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High School  | Rankings  | 11/16/2021

2023 Rankings Risers: Pitchers

Jason Phillips     
Photo: Zander Mueth (Perfect Game)


Zander Mueth (2023, Swansea, Ill.), No. 6 overall: Mueth has done nothing but impress against older competition without missing a beat. Super projectable frame, already running the fastball up to 95 mph while sitting in the low-90s with a wipeout slider from a tough angle. Sky is the limit for the Mississippi commit, as he finished off the summer circuit with three no-hit innings in Jupiter on just 40 pitches with three strikeouts and zero walks.





Bryce Eldridge (2023, Vienna, Va.), No. 11 overall: Another power right-handed pitcher, Eldridge uses his big 6-foot-7 frame to get down the slope, creating a steep angle for hitters from his higher slot release point. The ball jumps out of his hand, consistently sitting 92-95 mph with the fastball, a curveball in the low-80s and a useable changeup around 85 mph. The Alabama commit has plenty of room to fill out his frame as he just turned 17 years old.



James Hays (2023, Hawkinsville, Ga.), No. 18 overall: Hays is a right-handed pitcher with a physical build that throws really hard. The Georgia commit has increased his fastball velocity over the summer from 93 mph to 97 mph while improving the command of his secondary offerings. Not just a hard thrower, Hays is pitching to contact with quality pitches early in the count before reaching back for more when a strikeout is needed. Big strides in his pitchability as he is commanding the zone with all of his pitches and going deeper into games.



Aiden Keenan (2023, Morgan Hill, Calif.), No. 25 overall: There aren’t many high schools in the country that can say they have a potential first round pick taking the mound, let alone two that are starting both games of a doubleheader. Then there’s Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California that can say just that. Keenan, a right-handed pitcher and Stanford commit, runs the fastball up to 95 mph with a tight curveball in the mid-70s. He struck out 10 batters over a three-game span in Jupiter with two walks and no hits allowed. His teammate at Live Oak High School and Alpha Prime 2022 is our next riser, Landon Stump.



Landon Stump (2023, Morgan Hill, Calif.), No. 36 overall: Stump is the other half of that potential first round duo. The Oregon commit struck out six over 5 2/3 innings in Jupiter and ran his fastball up to 94 mph with a breaking ball in the 74-78 mph range. A good problem to have as a coach, as both right-handed pitchers are rising up the ranks and both are still only juniors.



Landen Maroudis (2023, Largo, Fla.), No. 47 overall: The highest ranked two-way player in the 2023 class, Maroudis is asserting himself as a power right-handed pitcher that can hit for himself in the lineup. The North Carolina State commit is a legit three-pitch guy with a fastball up to 94 mph, a curveball up to 78 mph, and a disappearing changeup in the low-80s. A shortstop when not on the bump, Maroudis displays athletic actions which carry over in the box as a right-handed hitter, with barrel awareness and ability to use the whole field.



Francesco Capocci (2023, Cumming, Ga.), No. 56 overall: The Georgia Bombers have been developing Division-I pitchers now for years, and add Capocci to that growing list. The 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher and North Carolina commit has steadily increased his velocity and command of his curveball while coming up the Bombers ranks. He culminated his summer circuit for the Bombers with four scoreless innings at the WWBA World Championship on one hit with four strikeouts and an All-Tournament Team selection. He has increased his fastball velocity up to 94 mph over the summer, with a sharp curveball in the 78-80 mph range and changeup in the low-80s as a third offering. A rise up the rankings is merited with some physical and pitch projection remaining.



Cameron Johnson (2023, Upper Marlboro, Md.), No. 62 overall: 6-foot-4 left-handed pitchers that throw 94 mph? Sign me up please. Johnson is just breaking the surface on his potential with increased velocity in a short period of time and performing against top-notch competition. The exciting part of his game is the added strength in the lower half and the ability to maintain his velocity deeper into games. The uncommitted Johnson has increased his velocity from 87-91 mph in June, to 91-94 mph in October from the left-side, ensuring his name will definitely shoot up the rankings.



Liam Peterson (2023, Palm Harbor, Fla.), No. 73 overall: A long and lean right-handed pitcher that keeps improving every time he takes the bump. The Florida commit runs the fastball up to 93 mph with a curveball, slider and changeup. Put up huge numbers during the 2021 season and looks to continue his growth on the mound as he matures into his young 16 year-old frame.



Chance Fitzgerald (2023, Sanford, Fla.), No. 78 overall: Fitzgerald is a right-handed strikeout pitcher and Florida State commit. His 10 strikeouts over six scoreless innings at the WWBA Underclass in Fort Myers will make anyone take notice. Then turn around and a week later punch out seven more in three innings at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter and you can’t deny his strikeout abilities. His 17:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in consecutive outings against quality hitters is a warranted riser in the rankings.



Tucker Holland (2023, Burlington, N.C.), No. 85 overall: Big left-handed pitcher that is still only 16 years old with plenty of physical maturity coming. All-Tournament Team selections at both WWBA World Championship and WWBA World Junior Championship with the ability to repeat his delivery and tunnel the slider off the fastball for swings and misses. There is a lot to be excited about from the Arkansas commit.



Grant Smith (2023, Phoenix, Az.), No. 107 overall: Smith cemented his name as a right-handed pitcher to watch back in May at the 16U WWBA West Memorial Day Classic with a one-hit effort over six innings with eight strikeouts. The uncommitted 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-hander earned All-Tournament Team honors with a clean delivery while commanding the zone with a fastball up to 90 mph, curveball in the mid-70s and flashed a changeup at 75 mph. Smith is another two-way guy with a frame that has room to fill with leverage and barrel awareness in the box.



Miller Green (2023, Nashville, Tenn.), No. 111 overall: Big left-handed pitcher that has increased his velocity from 85 mph to 91 mph in the past year as he fills out his 6-foot-5 frame. An All-Tournament Team selection at the WWBA World Championship with four strikeouts over four innings to go along with a .333 average in 17 plate appearances in the box. Two-way player with upside on both sides of the ball as a Georgia Tech commit.



Mikhai Grant (2023, Stockbridge, Ga.), No. 119 overall: One of the biggest risers in the 2023 pitching class is Grant. A 6-foot-3, 215-pound right-handed pitcher ran the fastball up to 93 mph with two scoreless innings and a pair of strikeouts in Jupiter. The uncommitted junior has quickly shown his ability to match up against any pitcher in the class and execute his three-pitch mix with quality outings. A name to monitor moving forward on the circuit and at Dutchtown High School as not only a pitcher, but as an outfielder with some pop in his right-handed bat.



Jeffrey Heuer (2023, Greensboro, Ga.), No. 122 overall: Another right-handed power pitcher from the Georgia Bombers pitching pipeline, Heuer has burst onto the circuit this summer with a fastball up to 94 mph and a curveball in the mid-70s with depth. The uncommitted 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander threw two scoreless innings at the WWBA World Championship with one hit and three strikeouts after dominating at the WWBA Underclass the previous week. Heuer struck out nine batters in three scoreless innings at the WWBA Underclass with one hit allowed en route to a well-deserved All-Tournament Team selection.



Brady Louck (2023, Plainfield, Ill.), No. 140 overall: Louck has been named to the All-Tournament Team at the last two Perfect Game events he has participated in. The left-handed pitcher threw four scoreless innings at the WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla. with four strikeouts and gave up only two hits. The Notre Dame commit was up to 90 mph in Jupiter, less than three weeks after throwing 86 mph in Iowa at the WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship. Louck knows how to pitch regardless of his velocity on any given day, with the command of his fastball, slider and changeup and the ability to throw any one of them in any situation.  
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