Summer is in full swing for Top Tier Las Vegas, as evidenced by my lack of sleep—and overall sanity—but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The work that our high school group and Player Development staff have put into this has been unparalleled, and the results have been incredible.
I’ve got a window here to put down some thoughts on how things are going and what’s ahead—and I’m excited to share what everyone has been up to this summer.
We’ll start with the Florida trip with the 16U Americans this past week, then discuss the other notable events and moments with that group, and we’ll also discuss how our 16U Navy team has grown and performed this summer.
Prep Baseball Florida Open
The 16U Americans spent five days in Florida at IMG Academy, and they showed that, physically, they can hang against big competition on a big stage. They went 3-1 in pool play and earned the No. 3 seed in the event before falling to Firestorm Athletics in a rain-soaked semifinal game on Sunday at IMG.
There were a few notable performers, but none more so than ’27 Maddox Sedlacek, who stole the show from the jump and had everyone on the IMG campus taking note of him.
Sedlacek’s first AB in Florida was a 102 mph home run to left center that traveled 400-plus feet:
His second AB was more of the same, this time a 97 mph home run over the left field fence:
Sedlacek followed up his monster Thursday performance with a game-winning home run in the sixth inning on Friday night, that one leaving the bat at 102 mph:
On the weekend, Sedlacek slashed .583/.643/.583/1.226 with three home runs, a triple, 5 RBI, and 5 runs scored. The physical outfielder and West Coast Games participant drew the attention of the Prep Baseball scouting staff in attendance and even opposing coaches, with one opposing coach forwarding his video and data to SEC schools with whom he has relationships in the Southeast region.
Other Notable Florida Open Performances:
- Ty Kincaid (’28) was untouchable in his Thursday evening start, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out 11 opposing hitters in four innings of work before a lightning delay at IMG ended his evening. The 2026 Future Games participant was sitting 83-84 mph on his fastball, and his sweeper was generating swing-and-misses at will.
- Blake Bedard (’29) picked up seven hits in 12 at-bats at IMG.
- Tyler Fitzgerald (’27, FL) is a Top Tier Roos local who joined us for the event, and he did not disappoint, allowing one run on one hit while striking out 10 in six innings of work. Fitzgerald was sitting in the 85-86 mph range on his fatball from the right side.
- Cooper Stone (’29, FL), Darren Saylor (’28, FL), and Jayden Brancaccio (’28, FL) also contributed to the team this week. Stone allowed one earned run in 4.2 innings of work on Saturday in a must-win contest, striking out six. Saylor threw three innings in relief across two outings, allowing zero earned runs while striking out four. Brancaccio played four different positions for us and contributed on both sides of the ball throughout the event.
The boys came up short, and I told them in the dugout on Sunday after we were eliminated that we’ve got more work to do, more so mentally than anything. Learning how to win is a part of the developmental process, especially at this age and competition level. An experience like this weekend was a reminder—or even a true first reality check—for many of our guys.
Utah Tech College Camp
Before the trip to Florida, the 16U Americans were in St. George, Utah, on the Utah Tech campus for three games in front of their entire coaching staff, followed by a skills showcase. Our guys took two of three in the gameplay portion.
Notable Utah Tech Performances:
- LHP Joseph Luna (’28) allowed one run over six innings of work, picking up three strikeouts while walking none. That zero in the walk column is as important as any stat for Luna, who’s transformed into a strike thrower this summer. Luna has four walks allowed in 21.2 innings of work.
- RHP Miles Allen (’29) threw five shutout innings during his start in Utah, allowing just two hits in a victory for the 16U Americans.
- Anthony Montanez (’28), Christopher Nelson (’28), Antonio Whitney (’27), and Tyson Tra (’29) paced the offense in St. George. Montanez picked up three hits in four ABs, including a double to the wall in left-center; Nelson had four hits and carried this offense on Friday in a victory, while Whitney picked up four hits (including a double to the left-center alley, and he narrowly missed a home run to left field), and Tra had three of his own.
Best of the Rest
We’re in the home stretch of the summer schedule with the WWBA West National Championships (Americans) and PG Summer League Playoffs (Navy) on deck, followed by the finale, the Bishop Gorman Tournament, which both teams will compete in at the end of the month.
Before we get there, let’s talk about some notable performers this summer:
- Maddox Sedlacek (’27): .523/.531/.1.295/1.826 with 11 home runs and 29 RBI in 16 games.
- Antonio Whitney (’27): .359/.474/.406/.881 with three doubles, 27 runs scored, and 26 stolen bases (in 27 attempts). Whitney has paced the top of the 16U Americans order, and his plus hit tool has been on display with just three strikeouts in 78 plate appearances. He’s also been as good as anyone in the state of Nevada defensively.
- Blake Bedard (’29): .509/.587/.604/1.191 with a home run, two doubles, 12 RBI, and 18 runs scored.
- Ty Kincaid (’28): Kincaid has posted a 1.16 ERA this summer, striking out 23 opposing hitters. Opposing hitters have hit just .200 against Kincaid. Kincaid also performed well for Top Tier Select’s 2028 group at the USA Baseball National Team Championships in Cary, NC last month.
- Miles Allen (’29): Allen has posted a 3.79 ERA across 27.2 innings of work. His sidearm delivery and natural run on his fastball have generated weak contact 90.1 percent of the time and a 73.3 ground-ball rate this season.
- Joseph Luna (’28): Luna owns a 3.23 ERA and a 24-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21.2 innings of work this season.
Growth That Matters
Our 16U Navy team is comprised of guys we see with projection, but their experience and current skill don’t quite match. In the right environment, with the necessary buy-in, that’s a recipe for future success. This summer has proven that, with that group posting a 12-6-1 record.
There have been additions to the roster, and we intentionally made the dugout uncomfortably crowded. This level of baseball (and beyond) isn’t about getting on the field for the sake of it. It’s not about paying for those reps either. It’s about having an opportunity to develop in an environment that’s intentional and focused on each player taking the next step, earning everything, learning how to become elite in their preparation, learning how to execute when opportunity presents itself, and fostering a competitive environment.
The group has responded appropriately.
What’s next for this group is simple: More. Many have proven they’re ready for the next step in their developmental track, and, as a staff, we’ll meet them where they’re at and create that environment for them moving forward.
Here are some of the notable performers from this group:
- Jacob Estrada (’29): .500/.625/.571/1.143 with 10 RBI and 5 runs scored. Estrada’s slash line has been impressive, but his ability to answer the call when challenged in specific areas of needed improvement has been even more impressive this summer. Estrada’s plate approach has improved, and it’s evident that he’s working to become a more advanced defender.
- Joshua Mendoza (’29): Mendoza’s summer began with an admission that he was lost at the plate following his high school campaign. We reworked his approach and worked to reinstate his confidence, and he’s put together a .407/.515/.444/.960 slash line in 33 plate appearances this summer.
- Rayce Burnett (’29): Burnett is slashing .343/.442/.486/.928 with a home run and a pair of doubles. The consistency will come as the approach continues to develop. Still, everyone on the coaching staff agrees that Burnett’s ceiling is sky-high with a power tool that’s flashed throughout the summer, reminiscent of the program’s top slugger, Maddox Sedlacek.
- Jedd Gallagher-Spencer (’30): JGS is a rising freshman who has displayed flashes of tools since joining the program that will bode well for him in the not-too-distant future. The plate approach needs refinement, but there’s plenty of pop in the swing to bet on. The strike rate needs to improve, but the velo and the secondary pitches have been downright gross when they’re on.
On Deck for Top Tier Las Vegas’ HS Summer Program
16U Americans: July 14-18 – WWBA West National Championship (AZ); July 24-26 – Bishop Gorman Tournament
16U Navy: July 11-12 – PG Summer League Playoffs; July 24-26 – Bishop Gorman Tournament
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