The annual WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Florida, hosted by Perfect Game USA, is one of the premier opportunities for amateur baseball players from around the country to put their skills on display for college coaches and professional scouts and executives. The five-day event is a culmination of the regional WWBA qualifiers that occurred throughout the summer and early fall, and pits the elites of the high school baseball circuit against each other in an 80-plus team tournament consisting of a four-game pool play round followed by a 32-team single -elimination playoff.
Over the coming weeks we will be featuring video highlights from this year’s action in Jupiter, as well as other amateur action from the summer and fall, all in preparation for the 2017 MLB Draft. These videos, and more, can be found in our MLB Draft Video Library – we are updating regularly, so check in early and often.
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Adam Oviedo, SS, Alvarado (Grandview, TX)
Ht/Wt: 6’0”/185 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 5m
Commit: Texas Christian Univ.
Oviedo, a recent commit to TCU, may have registered only one hit in Jupiter, but he showed the ability to hit the ball hard to all fields. Oviedo led off for the Texas Scout Team Yankees, and showed impressive bat speed and strong wrists. Though he did not get many defensive opportunities against Midland, when challenged he showed good range and an above-average arm.
Christian Ross Cadena, C, Southlake Carroll (Southlake, TX)
Ht/Wt: 5’10”/195 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 10m
Commit: Wichita State Univ.
Cadena had his only hit of the tournament against Midland, a line drive single to left (all of Cadena’s contact throughout the tournament was, in fact, to left). Rostered as a catcher and outfielder, the future Shocker served exclusively as a catcher for the Texas Scout Team Yankees, showing solid blocking ability behind the plate.
Canaan Smith, C, Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall, TX)
Ht/Wt: 6’0”/210 B/T: L/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 1m
Commit: Univ. of Arkansas
Smith went four-for-nine overall in Jupiter, showing an ability to hit the ball with authority to all fields, including doubles to right field and left. He displayed a gap-to-gap approach throughout the weekend and showed little trouble getting the ball in the air and into the outfield. The Arkansas commit worked one walk, as well. Smith, selected as the 2016 Texas Sports Writers Association All-State First Team Catcher, was limited to first base throughout the tournament.
Zachary DeLoach, OF/RHP, Hebron (Lewisville, TX)
Ht/Wt: 6’1”/198 B/T: L/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 9m
Commit: Texas A&M Univ.
Used primarily as a center fielder for the Texas Scout Team Yankees, DeLoach’s final line included three hits in 11 at-bats while in Jupiter. The soon-to-be Texas A&M Aggie showed primarily pull power, with each of his hits being on fly balls to right, or right center, field. He did not pitch while in Jupiter, though he has experience on the mound.
Jaxon Hallmark, SS, Midland (Midland, TX)
Ht/Wt: 5’11”/165 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 7m
Commit: Univ. of Nebraska
Like many of his Scout Team Yankees teammates, Hallmark showed some power to both sides of the outfield, flying out to left and right field over the course of the tournament. Hallmark finished the tournament with two hits in eleven at-bats, with one of those hits a double. Hallmark was successful in his only stolen base attempt, as well.
Evan Hooper, OF/RHP, Cabot (Cabot, AR)
Ht/Wt: 6’0”/187 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 5m
Commit: Univ. of Arkansas
Hooper went one-for-eight in Jupiter, with his lone hit being a bunt single. Though he served as an extra hitter in this contest against Midland, he regularly plays in the outfield. In the field and on the base paths, Hooper shows impressive speed and athleticism, and the Arkansas commit was successful in his only stolen base attempt.
Tristen Lutz, OF, Martin (Arlington, TX)
Ht/Wt: 6’3”/205 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 9m
Commit: Univ. of Texas
A University of Texas commit, Lutz showed impressive hitting ability throughout the tournament in Jupiter, amassing five hits in seven at-bats. He showed advanced plate discipline, laying off difficult pitches on the margins, ultimately working four walks. The Arlington, Texas native did most of his damage to the pull side, but made solid contact to right center field, as well. Lutz has the frame of a corner outfielder and started in right field for the Texas Scout Team Yankees.
Alexander Tappen, 3B, Wissahickon, (Gywnedd, PA)
Ht/Wt: 6’2”/205 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 9m
Commit: Univ. of Virginia
A key member of Virginia’s 2017 recruiting class, Tappen totaled four hits overall, including a double and a triple, and made line drive contact to all fields for Tri-State Arsenal Prime. Starting at third base against the Houston Banditos, Tappen showed a strong arm and quick hands, as well as solid first-step actions.
Terriez Fuller, OF, Griffin (Griffin, PA)
Ht/Wt: 6’4”/240 B/T: L/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 18y, 6m
Commit: Chipola College
Fuller’s impressive bat speed and strength could make the Chipola commit a special player. The massively framed Fuller went 5-for-16 in Jupiter, three of his hits going for doubles. He started in left field for Tri-State Arsenal Prime against the Orlando Scorpions, though he did not get many opportunities to make plays in that matchup. Fuller’s athleticism was on display on the base paths, however, as he stole two bases in three attempts. He walked five times overall, as well.
Andres Santana, OF, Doral Academy Charter (Miami, FL)
Ht/Wt: 6’1”/185 B/T: R/R Age (as of 2017 MLB Draft): 19y, 1m
Commit: Florida International Univ.
Committed to Florida International, Santana was one of the more impressive performances throughout the 80-plus team tournament. The Miami, Florida native went nine-for-12, including a four-hit performance against Elite Squad Louisville Slugger, driving in nine runs over the course of the five-day event. Of the five games that Santana started, three were multi-hit affairs with nearly all of his contact was to the pull side.
