2026 NextGen President’s Day Challenge Player Spotlight

13U DIVISION

2030 Gabriel Rivas MIF

Ghost 407

Gabriel has an athletic frame that projects well as a middle infielder at the next level. He shows a balanced setup with a smooth, quiet load that allows him to adjust to different pitches and consistently stay on time. At the plate, he demonstrated a mature approach, spraying the ball to all fields throughout the weekend. Gabriel turned in an impressive performance, posting a 0.833 batting average while collecting 5 hits, scoring 6 runs, and driving in 3 RBIs. His standout play was a key factor in helping lead his team on a deep playoff run.

2031 JJ DeStefano OF

Ghost 407

JJ has a lean, athletic frame that projects well in the outfield. Defensively, he showed a strong arm, took efficient angles to the ball, and displayed good speed and range. At the plate, JJ uses a simple setup with a solid base and quick hands. He consistently keeps his hands inside the ball and gets strong extension through contact, flashing impressive power and coming through in clutch situations. Over the weekend, JJ posted an outstanding 0.714 batting average, collecting 5 hits and 6 RBIs. His offensive production was a key factor in his team’s deep playoff run.

Caden Fey

CBU United 13u Faber

Caden has a long, projectable frame with plenty of room for continued development. Offensively, he features a tall, open setup with good rhythm and timing the box. He does a strong job keeping his hands inside the ball and consistently creates good extension through contact, generating leverage and power throughout his swing. Over the weekend, Caden posted an impressive 0.667 batting average, collecting 4 hits and driving in 4 RBIS, showcasing his ability to be a consistent offensive contributor.

2031 Hunter Coleman SS/RHP

Florida Sluggers 13u

Hunter is a lean, quick-twitch, toolsy athlete who projects well as a middle infielder. Defensively, he displayed soft hands, clean footwork, and the ability to make strong accurate throws across the diamond. At the plate, Hunter features a short, simple swing with a mature gap-to-gap approach. Over the weekend, Hunter posted an impressive 0.600 batting average, collecting 3 hits, scoring 2 runs, and driving in 4 RBIs, playing a key role in his team’s offensive success.

14U DIVISION

2030 Santino Grippo INF

USA Prime Tampa-Nunez 14u

Santino has a strong, athletic frame and proved he can impact the game in multiple ways. At the plate, he features a short, simple swing with good barrel accuracy and feel for contact. Over the weekend, he posted a 0.571 batting average, collecting 4 hits and consistently putting pressure on opposing defenses. On the mound, Santino works with a smooth, repeatable delivery and commands both sides of the plate with a solid fastball/curveball mix. His fastball sat 71-73 mph with arm-side run, while his curveball worked 64-66 mph with good depth and shape. He threw 5 scoreless innings, striking out 5 hitters and limiting hard contact throughout his outing. Santino’s all-around performance helped lead his team to a Gold Bracket Championship, earning him MVPitcher honors for the weekend.

2030 Brody Lerch OF/LHP

USA Prime Tampa-Nunez 14u

Brody has a long, projectable frame and showed the ability to impact the game both on the mound and at the plate. Offensively, he features a short, compact left-handed swing with a solid base and a mature gap-to-gap approach. Over the weekend, he posted a 0.300 batting average and collected 3 hits, consistently putting together competitive at-bats. On the mound, Brody works from a high three-quarter release and creates downhill plane with easy velocity. He commands all quadrants of the zone and features an impressive three-pitch mix: a fastball sitting 74-77 mph, a curveball at 66-68 mph, and a changeup at 69-71 mph. In his outing, he tossed 5.2 innings, allowing just 2 hits and 0 earned runs while keeping hitters off balance. Brody’s all-around performance helped lead his team to a Gold Bracket Championship finish and earned him MVP honors for the weekend.

2030 Gavin Westfall OF/LHP

Kangaroo Court 14u Royal

Gavin has a strong, athletic frame that projects well to the next level. Offensively, he features a balanced setup with quick hands and an aggressive approach in the box. He demonstrated good barrel accuracy and consistently made loud contact throughout the weekend. Gavin posted a 0.333 batting average, collecting 3 hits and scoring 3 runs. His offensive performance helped fuel his team’s playoff run and earned him an invitation to the Prospect Wire All-American Game.

2030 Evan Stevens RHP/OF

CBU United Martin

Evan has an athletic frame that projects well on the mound. He works with a smooth, repeatable delivery, stays strong in his lower half, and drives downhill to create solid velocity with more likely to come as he develops. He commands both sides of the plate and features a strong two pitch mix. His fastball sat 78-82 mph with arm-side run, and his curveball worked at 68-71 with sharp vertical break, allowing him to keep hitters off balance. In 4 innings of work, Evan allowed 2 earned runs while striking out 5 hitters. His performance on the mound earned him a spot on the Prospect Wire All-American watchlist.