The following evaluations by FSS PLUS are based on subjective analysis, and do not influence, are not influenced by, or are affiliated with the opinions and reports of Future Stars Series scouting and development staff.
Duce Gourson, 2B — UCLA
Definitely the most notable prospect between the two teams in Seattle a (well, for the 2024 class, that is), Gourson went 4/10 in the series with a couple of doubles. Gourson is a left-handed second baseman with above-average power and feel to loft the ball.
Gourson is pretty much a dead-pull hitter, yanking some hard-hit line drives and foul balls to the left-field side, but he’s able to consistently impact the baseball. He showcased some swing-and-miss here, was often out in front against breaking balls, and looked silly on multiple occasions during the series.
At second base, he has good range but his hands didn’t show well, and his arm is firmly below-average, which either restricts him to the right side of the infield or forces him to left field. He showed fringe-average ability at second.
| AVG | OBP | SLG | HR | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .279 | .441 | .481 | 5 | 32 | 37 |
Luke Jewett, RHP — UCLA
Jewett was the Friday night guy for UCLA, a prototypical 6′ 4″ righty who sat low 90s with his fastball and didn’t miss bats with the pitch. It was a true four-pitch mix with a slider in the low 80s, a curve in the mid-70s, and his best pitch, a mid-80s changeup that was deceptive and got whiffs.
The operation was sound, but he struggled with command later in the outing, and the overall stuff was underwhelming. He looks the part of a Day-3 guy.
Landon Stump, RHP — UCLA
Stump, a freshman, is a super lean and athletic right-hander with tons of meat to add to his frame. He sat 88-91 mph, mixing a traditional sinker and four-seamer with some ride that got whiffs when elevated, though its usage was few and far between. He mostly lived at the bottom of the zone.
He mixed in a curveball, a solid slider, and a changeup that fooled nobody, suggesting a ways to go with the pitch’s development.
Stump threw strikes, however, and had a perfect game into the sixth inning before struggling when Washington saw him the third time through the order.
The athleticism, projection, and strike-throwing ability are all clay to mold, even though the skillset is rather underwhelming at present.
Stump, a 2026 prospect, is a sensational mover on the mound.
AJ Salgado, OF — UCLA
Salgado, a 23-year-old redshirt junior, had a heck of a weekend.
He hit a ball over the batter’s eye in batting practice the first night, then hit a homer just below it in a game as he hit just about everything hard the entire series.
Salagado didn’t whiff much, though UW’s staff isn’t exactly the best set of arms on which to judge a hitter’s capabilities. He showed a noted weakness against offspeed in the three games, however.
He wasn’t challenged much in center but is an average runner with strength and some seasoning.
A.J. Guerrero, C/OF/DH–Washington
Guerrero’s been on a real power kick in recent weeks, hitting seven home runs since March 29, and two in this particular series. It’s above-average raw power with the ability to consistently pinish mistakes.
Guerrero doesn’t have the elite bat speed to catch up to big velocity consistently and mostly relies on his strength. He’s essentially maxed physically, and it’s either a fringe corner outfield defensive role or 1B/DH type destined for the late rounds.
Aiva Arquette, 2B/3B — Washington
Arquette has yet to have a down game on front of me. It’s solidly above-average raw power — gap-to-gap — and he taps into it consistently. His contact is regularly solid.
He suffered from some tough BABIP luck in this series, though, But it’s a good sign he’s letting the power show organically and not getting pull-happy or loopy with the swing.
Given where he’s at in his development, he could hit draft season next spring with plus power, with more of his doubles and deep fly balls leaving the yard with added physical maturity.
Arquette has the bat speed to catch up to fastballs and has done a good job adjusting to breaking stuff and generating damage. It’s a clean approach, and he hasn’t chased much beyond his zone.
Defensively, he’s bendy and rangy, particularly considering he’s 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds and he’s handled second base this season without much concern, but he may grow into third base, instead.
Arquette, a true sophomore this season, will not be draft-eligible until next year but is a necessary follow as a potential Top 100 talent.
Grant Cunningham, RHP — Washington
I’ve seen the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Cunningham four times now, and he’s the best-kept secret in the Pacific Northwest.
The true sophomore typically sits 88-92, but has reached back for 95, and the fastball plays up due to front-side deception, tothe point hitters have not hit it when it’s elevated. He has been somewhat fastball-reliant, but with consistent strikes and average command.
Cunningham, who has manned a bulk-innings relief role for the Huskies this season, also mixes in a low-70s curveball and an upper-70s slider with sweep.
Ideally, Cunningham takes the ball on Fridays or Saturdays next season and we see the full arsenal on display, because there’s a lot to like here and he’s just getting started.
| G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | BAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 34.0 | 23 | 6 | 9 | 38 | .184 |
