The BTL Super Series Showcase in Chicago, IL on February 12th saw 28 uncommitted athletes showcase their talents to over 80 collegiate coaches that tuned in remotely. Below is a look at some of the showcase’s standout performers.
SS / Chicago, IL / 2023 / Uncommitted
Niko Mastoras, a 2023 uncommitted SS out of Chicago, IL, stood out in every category during his first BTL showcase. Standing at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, the lean shortstop started the event off by clocking a 6.8 second 60-yard dash, the fastest at the event. Following this, Mastoras hit the field, posting an 83 mph infield velocity and a 90 mph outfield velocity, both of which being the highest in their respective category for the event, pairing a strong arm with some solid athleticism to go along with it. The right-handed hitter then maxed out at a 94 mph exit velocity, tied for the highest at the event. Mastoras’ swing is a strong yet fluid one, getting into his legs with a large stride to generate power, while keeping his hands tight to allow them to work quickly towards the ball. His Blast Motion numbers reflect the quickness in his hands, as Mastoras scored a 71 on his bat speed and 24 on his hand speed, among others. Mastoras finds himself in the number one spot for BTL’s IL 2023’s, currently sitting at a 550 BTL Score following the event. As we head into the spring, look for Mastoras’ stock to continue to rise.
1B / Chicago, IL / 2023 / Uncommitted
Colin Baiyle, a 2023 uncommitted 1B out of Chicago, IL, certainly made his presence felt during the event. With a wiry 6-foot-5, 220 pound frame, Baiyle definitely uses his size to his advantage, his long strides helping provide a 7.04 60-yard dash time, an elite speed among first basemen. Baiyle was both quick and smooth in the field while also showcasing a decent arm for his position, his infield velocity maxing out at 79 mph. For his exit velocity, the right-handed hitter topped out at 94 mph, good for a first place tie at the top of the exit velocity leaderboard for the event. During live, he showcased a quick and aggressive swing, a short stride and powerful wrists allowing the bat to quickly whip through the zone. Baiyle scored the best Blast Motion numbers in half of the categories, leading the showcase with a 73.4 bat speed, 20.7 rotational acceleration, 109 connection at impact, and 24.6 hand speed. Currently ranked number two for BTL’s IL’s 2023’s with a BTL score of 441, look for Baiyle to showcase why he’s one of the top uncommitted athletes in the IL 2023 class.
C / Chicago, IL / 2023 / Uncommitted
Angel Tapia, a 2023 uncommitted C out of Chicago, IL, stood out as a top backstop at the showcase. The 6-foot-1, 180 pound catcher has a very solid build, helping him achieve a 7.41 60-yard dash. Behind the plate, Tapia fused a solid arm, which maxed out at 74 mph on the throwdown, and swift movement to attain a pop time of 1.94 seconds, the best at the event. Tapia was swift in the field as well, managing to attack the baseball while still being able to remain under control and smooth. He carried over his solid arm behind the plate to the field too, topping out at an 81 mph throwing velocity. Tapia’s exit velocity peaked at 76 mph, his swing a long, violent one. Sitting at a current BTL score of 310, look for Tapia to emerge as one of the top uncommitted catchers in the Chicago area as the spring arrives.
CF / Chicago, IL / 2022 / Uncommitted
Daniel Alworth, a 2022 uncommitted CF out of Chicago, IL, put on a good showing as his final high school season approaches, establishing him as BTL’s top ranked IL 2022. The outfielder stands at 6-foot-3, 182 pounds, his lanky build leading him to a 7.15 second 60-yard dash time. The righty moves casually in the outfield, being able to make good ground due to his lengthier frame. He has a nice arm as well, his top throwing velocity hitting 87 mph. Alworth starts his swing tall before coiling his core back with a big stride. His hands and bat are quick as well, his Blast Motion bat speed and hand speed scoring a 70.3 and a 23.3 respectively. This swing helped Alworth achieve an exit velocity of 85 mph. With his senior season closing in, expect Alworth to show out in his final high school baseball season.
C / Chicago, IL / 2025 / Uncommitted
Joey Gumuls, a 2025 uncommitted C out of Chicago, IL, didn’t appear to be too out of place competing with the upperclassmen. At 5-foot-9, 130 pounds, Gumuls is on the smaller side of the scale, but still clocked a 7.15 second 60-yard dash time. Behind the plate, Gumuls is clean with the glove and moves relatively smoothly, attaining a 2.06 pop-time and a 72 mph throwing velocity. In the outfield, Gumuls moved efficiently and showed off a solid arm, his outfield throwing velocity hitting 80 mph. The switch-hitter showcased a fluid swing on both sides of the plate, managing to remain in a power position throughout the swing. Gumuls reached a max exit velocity of 78 mph at the event. Although he certainly has time to improve his game, as his high school baseball career is just beginning, he’s in a nice position to see some growth over the coming years.
RHP / Chicago, IL / 2023 / Uncommitted
Seth Cavett, a 2023 RHP out of Chicago, IL, displayed a solid arsenal that he was able to mix up in order to maximize its effect. The 5-foot-10, 165 pound right-hander’s fastball sat consistently in the 79-80 mph range, topping out at 81 mph and 2013 RPM, the former being the fastest at the event. His breaking ball was sitting at 66-67 mph, topping out at 69 mph and 2102 RPM, both of which being the best at the event. Throwing to a live hitter, Cavett was very comfortable going to his breaking ball, showing confidence in his secondary and tertiary pitches to pair alongside his fastball. Though he struggled at times to locate, both his fastball and breaking ball were still effective, managing to get multiple swing-and-misses during his time on the mound. Cavett showed promise on the bump, so look for him to continue working towards his potential during the spring season as BTL’s number one ranked 2023 IL pitcher.
LHP / Chicago, IL / 2026 / Uncommitted
Braydon McKendrick, a 2026 LHP out of Chicago, IL, showed out at the showcase despite the age gap. At 5-foot-10, 153 pounds, McKendrick has a sturdy frame for his class. He started the showcase off with a 7.93 second 60-yard dash before heading to the outfield, where he put a strong arm on display, reaching 80 mph on his outfield throwing velocity. He starts his swing off tall with his feet close together and his weight mostly on his back leg, widening out with a large stride during the swing. This swing led McKendrick to obtaining an 83 mph exit velocity off of the tee. On the mound, McKendrick threw from a ¾ arm slot, displaying some whipiness to his arm as he throws. His fastball sat around 75-77 mph, topping out at 78 mph and 2149 RPM, while his breaking ball topped out at 61 mph and 2087 RPM. He held his own against the upperclassmen hitters, making good use of his fastball and going to his breaking pitches on occasion. Although McKendrick still has an entire summer season to get through before even beginning high school, he’s going to be a player to keep an eye on in the future.
