In Baseball America’s most recent rankings of the 2020 MLB Draft high school prospects, which were expanded to a Top 100 for this installment, an incredible 16 of them have passed through the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series powered by Program 15 as alumni of the International Week event and, in many cases, also the national tournaments.
3) Mick Abel
Abel, who was named to his third straight International Week roster and had been earning accolades with the Future Stars Series far before other national events caught on, is the most seasoned participant at Program 15 events. He first dazzled at the inaugural series of national tournaments as a member of 503 Baseball, which led to his first invite to International Week in Sugar Land, where he threw well despite being the youngest player on either roster. Abel really made his mark at last year’s event at Camelback Ranch, however, where he struck out five and recorded the save in the event-clinching Game 3. He is regarded by many as the top prep pitcher in the upcoming 2020 MLB Draft, and is currently committed to Oregon State.
9) Drew Romo
Romo stood out as a member of Scorpions Baseball Club at the 2020 grad class tournament, with both his ability to switch-hit and his elite-level defense behind the plate garnering plenty of well-deserved attention. Romo is committed to Louisiana State University, and is nearly universally ranked as the top prep catcher in the upcoming 2020 MLB Draft. He was slated to play for the National Team at this year’s International Week event, but was ultimately unable to attend.
12) Zac Veen
Veen was one of the true breakout stars of the most recent Future Stars Series International Week event; he hit only the second home run in International Week history in Game 1 at Pawtucket, and reached base six times during the three-game event.
16) Dylan Crews
Crews has long been one of the top prospects in the country, and first showcased that with the Future Stars Series during the most recent national tournaments as a member of a loaded Scorpions team. He then followed that up with a strong showing at International Week, including a long double off the Green Monster at Fenway Park.
20) Petey Halpin
Few did more for their draft stock than Halpin did in front of a huge crowd of MLB scouts and executives during International Week. He dominated at the International Week event, going 6-for-8 with four RBI and four walks.
46) Nate Wohlgemuth
Wohlgemuth stood out on both sides of the ball at International Week, but truly turned heads on the mound, where he struck out four batters during his Game 1 start in Pawtucket.
47) David Calabrese
The Canadian-born outfielder had a breakout showing at the most recent national tournaments, where he flashed his speed on the basepaths and range in the field on numerous occasions. He followed that up with a big performance at International Week, where he delivered a dramatic inside-the-park home run.
58) Markevian “Tink” Hence
Hence made waves as a member of Sticks Baseball during the most recent national tournaments, but got scouts talking with his International Week performance, where he struck out three batters in relief at Fenway Park.
60) Kyle Russell
Russell was on the Future Stars Series radar early, first performing at the 2018 national tournaments as a member of Showtime Baseball. He was invited to this year’s International Week event, but was limited to pinch running duty due to injury.
61) Koen Moreno
Moreno’s dominant performance at the most recent national tournament with the Dirtbags earned him an invitation to International Week, where he didn’t disappoint; he only allowed one of the seven batters he faced to reach base, striking out three along the way.
67) Joseph Gonzalez
Gonzalez took the mound for the World Team at International Week, appearing in relief at Fenway Park.
72) Max Carlson
Carlson first popped up on the radar with the Minnesota Blizzard during a standout performance during the 2018 national tournaments. He then followed that up with a strong showing at last year’s International Week event in Arizona, where he pitched two innings and finished with two strikeouts.
78) Nick Griffin
Griffin opened a lot of eyes as a member of Sticks Baseball during the national tournaments, and then backed it up with a huge showing during his start at Fenway Park, recording five strikeouts in his three innings of work.
86) Nolan McLean
As a member of Dirtbags Baseball, McLean made waves as a true two-way talent at the most recent 2020 grad class tournament in Cypress, Texas and touched 96 miles per hour to earn the highest velocity from the mound at the event. Uncommitted as of mid-August, McLean has been a very quick riser in the 2020 MLB Draft rankings. McLean was set to attend this year’s International Week event, but ultimately was unable to play.
87) Marco Raya
With Warstic, Marco Raya stood out to everyone who was lucky enough to see him at the national tournaments, doing more than enough to earn an invitation to International Week. He got the start in the finale at Fenway Park, and recorded two strikeouts along the way.
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In addition, Tyler Soderstrom was invited to International Week this year, but had to back out shortly before the event got underway.
Soderstrom, who, like Abel, was on the Future Stars Series radar very early in his development, performed well at the 18U Trials to earn his spot on the 18U National Team, hitting .273 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk in the five-game series.
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