CARY, N.C. — After four days of competition featuring four squads and eight total games, National Baseball Rankings (NBR) has released its official 18U Trials Final Rankings. Built from official event box scores and in-person evaluation, the report recognizes the event’s top offensive and pitching performances while emphasizing consistency, quality of contact, strike throwing, and overall projectability over small-sample statistics.
The event featured Team Grey, Team Light Blue, Team Red, and Team Navy, with Team Grey finishing a perfect 4-0 to cap an impressive week of baseball
TOP 5 HITTERS
# PLAYER / TEAM AVG LINE NBR EVALUATION
1 Caden Dawson
Team Grey — DH/OF .429 6-14, 4 2B, 5 R, 3 RBI
NBR-Most hits and the most extra-base damage in the event. Four
doubles is the top total of the trials and nothing in the line is
cheap.
2 Sebastian Castillo
Team Grey — 1B/3B .462 6-13, 5 R, 4 SB
NBR-Highest average of anyone with 12 or more at-bats, and he ran, four steals. Two-way look who also threw 2.0 IP on 7/17.
3 Sebastian Wilson
Team Red — RF/LF .417 5-12, 2 RBI
NBR-Hit safely in every game he played, capped by a 3-for-3,
two-RBI afternoon on 7/19. Most consistent bat outside the
Grey roster.
4 Dylan Seward
Team Grey — SS .357 5-14, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 3
SB
NBR-The only middle infielder in the event with a home run. Lowest
average of the five and the best overall profile, premium
position, power, speed.
5 Taylor Dodd
Team Red — CF .444 4-9, 3 R, SF
NBR- Reached base in every game and scored each time. A smaller
sample than the four above is the only thing keeping him fifth.
HONORABLE MENTION — HITTERS
Jack Swanson, Team Grey (.444, 4-9, 2 SB, SH)
Broder Katke, Team Light Blue (.429, 3-7, 2B)
Deuce Jenkins, Team Light Blue
(.429, 3-7) •
Juan Diaz, Team Light Blue (.400, 4-10, triple on the final day)
Cullen Scott, Team Red (.375, 3-8, HR, 3 RBI)
Joe
Mendazona Jr., Team Light Blue (.375, 3-8)
Sullivan Reed, Team Navy (.375, 3-8, 2B).
Small-sample bats worth a fall follow-up:
Tyson Moore, Team Grey (.600 in 5 AB)
Blake Lundy, Team Grey (.500 in 6 AB).
TOP 5 ARMS
PITCHER / TEAM ERA LINE NBR EVALUATION
1 Ethan Gustus- FB Top 96 MPH- AVG 94.6 MPH
Team Light Blue 0.00 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5
K
NBR- Best strikeout-to-walk profile of the trials. Two outings, five
punchouts, no free passes and almost no traffic.
2 Ryan Donahoe- FB Top 92 MPH - AVG-90.5 MPH
Team Light Blue 0.00 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7
K, SV
NBR-Top swing-and-miss rate in the event, seven strikeouts in
three innings. The two walks are all that separate him from the
top spot.
3 Brady Guzzie- FB Top 91 MPH- AVG- 90.2 MPH
Team Grey 0.00 3.0 IP perfect, 3 K
NBR- Nobody reached. Twenty-two of thirty pitches for strikes,
roughly ten pitches an inning , the most efficient arm at the
event.
4 Chase Fuller- FB - Top 96 MPH AVG- 94.2 MPH
Team Navy 0.00 3.0 IP perfect, 3 K
NBR-Faced the minimum across two outings. The lone reliable
strike-thrower on an 0-4 staff that walked hitters at an alarming
rate.
5 Lukas Waite- FB- Top 96 MPH- AVG 93.7 MPH
Team Grey 0.00 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5
K, W
NBR-Strikeouts with zero walks. In a week decided repeatedly by
free passes, that combination stood on its own.
HONORABLE MENTION — ARMS
J. Beckett Berg, Team Red (3.0 IP perfect, 2 K — the third perfect three-inning line of the event)
Kyler Meccage, Team Light Blue
(3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 4 K, and he is a position player)
Jake Ivey, Team Grey (3.0 IP, 0 R, 5 K, SV)
Jake Turner, Team Grey (3.0 IP, 1
H, 0 R, 0 BB, W)
Brennan Neal, Team Grey (3.0 IP, 0 R, 4 K)
Brogan Witcher, Team Navy (2.0 IP perfect, 3 K)
Grant Sperandio,
Team Light Blue (3.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 K)
Andrew Carlson, Team Light Blue (2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K in his only look) •
Cullen Scott, Team
Red (2.0 scoreless for the win on 7/20).
CONTROL CONCERNS
Three arms carry strike-throwing red flags that outweigh their stuff at this stage, and the trend went the wrong way on the final day.
Hayden Anderson (Team Grey) — nine walks in 1.2 innings across two outings. Picked up the win on 7/20 throwing 12 of 25 pitches
for strikes.
Harry Jones Jr. (Team Navy) — six walks and five wild pitches in 2.0 innings on 7/20, 24 of 62 for strikes.
Cole Kuhn (Team Navy) — eight walks in 2.0 innings with two balks.
Next up- East Coast Pro Evaluations
Following the release of our 18U Trials Final Rankings, National Baseball Rankings turns its attention to one of the premier scouting events of the summer.
The East Coast Pro Evaluations are next.
Our scouting staff will provide independent evaluations on the nation’s top prospects, highlighting the players who separate themselves against elite competition. Expect comprehensive coverage, including:
Top Position Players
Top Pitchers
Stock Up Performers
Under-the-Radar Prospects
Scouting Reports
Event Standouts
National Rankings Impact
Every evaluation is built from live looks, performance, and projection, not hype.