SoCal Underclass Games Preview
Tue August 14, 2018
Les Lukach
State Scouting Director

The inaugural Prep Baseball Report California Underclass Games will take place on Saturday, August 18th at Dedeaux Field home of the USC Trojans. The games are a culmination of our Underclass Trials Series which attracted over 200 players all vying for an opportunity to be invited to the games.
The games will feature a workout in the morning for position players before heading into two modified sim games in the afternoon. We will get started promptly at 9:00 AM with batting practice before moving into a defensive workout. The rosters have been handpicked by our team of scouts who have evaluated all of these players either at our events or throughout the summer at various events.
Of the 80 players participating in the games, close to 40 can be found in our rankings for their respective classes. The majority of these players remain uncomitted giving college coaches in attendance plenty of players to evaluate heading into fall/winter conditioning workouts.
Here are a handful of players you can expect to see at the Underclass Games.
RHP Caleb Bennett - FB up to 87 with a potential plus CB at 75-76 and a sharp slider at 76-81. It didn't take long for Bennett to catch our scouts attention with his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame.
RHP Hayden Cody - FB up to 86 with a hard, biting curveball at 71-73. We saw Cody plenty in the spring as he helped Mission Viejo in the South Coast League.
MIF Davis Hildebrandt - Flashes the leather and has an arm that is capable of making throws from multiple angles. Squares balls up routinely.
C Blake Penso - After transferring from Mater Dei, Penso should vye for a starting spot for the Oilers of Huntington Beach in the spring. Big time arm and can block/recover with quickness.
OF/RHP Chris Aldrich - Good outfielder who really projects on the mound where he is very comfortable. Commands two pitches well.
SS Christian Yogi - Was a standout for Millikan this spring where he was team MVP. Slick fielder with a big arm that handles the bat well.
C Anthony Aleman - Showed very well at Underclass Trials where he was consistently one of the top statistical performers for his position.
OF/LHP Dustin Allen - Plus range and glove in the outfield, the left-handed hitter shows the ability to use all fields. Good run tool.
3B Diego Baqueiro - Physical third baseman whose bat projects for over-the-fence power in the future. Has range and arm is above average.
OF Chad Born - Not many players have seen their stock rise since spring as Born has. Consistent barrel contact pairs with range and a good outfield arm.
2B Miles Jenkins - Hyper-athletic middle infielder that has the tools to play either spot. Runs, hits, and defends all above average.
OF Skye Selinsky - Was one of the overall top prospects from our initial underclass trials. Lots of tools here. Will also pitch on Saturday.
C Connor Valenzuela - Strong behind the plate where his catch and throw tool are smooth. Also plays first base. Bat continues to develop.
C Daniel Briones - One of the top catchers in SoCal in his class, Briones has arguably the best catch-and-throw tool of any catcher in his class in the state.
OF Isaiah Greene - Oregon commit. Coming off a very strong performance in the Underclass Area Code Games, Greene is recovering nicely from a wrist injury that knocked him out last spring.
SS/3B Robbie Mansour - Mansour was a mainstay for San Dimas last spring while manning third base at a high level. Glove/arm are above average. Bat continues to show flashes of power.
2B Luca Martinez - Martinez is a consistent glove in the middle. Very instinctive player who runs well.
LHP/OF Will O'Neill - Was one of the top prospects from our Underclass Trials in SoCal. O'Neill can really defend in the outfield and has the arm to play any of those positions.
C Max Shor - Along with Briones, one of the best catchers in the state in the 2021 class. Shor also shows a loud hit tool to go with excellent defense behind the plate. USD commit.
SS Ty Borgogno - Slick fielder whose tools are above average on defense. Shows good feel for hitting and control of the barrel.
C/1B Jack Holman - Made a name for himself in a reserve role on a loaded Etiwanda team last spring. Power really projects from the left side of the plate.
2B/SS Jack Johnston - The USD commit was a starter for CIF SDS Champion Torrey Pines as a freshman and more than held his own. Bat will be a big time tool in the future.
C Carter Kay - Kay's catching ability is off the charts as he receives with soft hands and presents a large target. Lacks reps, but the bat is a productive one.
SS Devan Ornelas - The TCU commit is one of the best in his class. The hit tool is off the charts good and he shows position versatility by being able to play the outfield as well.
SS Anthony Ortiz - Was a top overall prospect at our underclass trials. There's power in the bat and his body. Moves very well for a guy his size and his arm plays now.
3B Dylan Power - Very projectable on both sides of the ball. A two-sport athlete, Power has the instincts and ability to play shortstop with the future power of corner guy.
OF David Shackelford - Was lights out our Underclass Trials earning top prospects recognition. Shackelford has range for days and good understanding of angles to the ball. Very instinctive player.
ROSTERS
