Top Tier Las Vegas Newsletter: March 4, 2025

The calendar has flipped to March, and with that, the youth baseball seasons in the Vegas Valley are in full swing, and the high school seasons have begun! In today’s installment of the Top Tier Las Vegas Newsletter, we’re discussing the 14U teams' weekend action at the Perfect Game Nevada Baseball Challenge and highlighting the performances of some of our 17U players during their opening weekend.

THE LEADOFF SPOT

14U Continues to Grow

The 14U team continues to knock on the door of triumph faster than anyone outside of the program anticipated, with another semifinals appearance and a pair of Gold Bracket appearances since our last check-in two weeks ago. Despite not hoisting a championship banner through their first four tournaments of the season, this group has shown flashes of dominance in almost every phase of the game and has put the rest of the competition in the area on notice.

In our last installment of the newsletter, we discussed the rapid development in this group’s efficiency on defense from their first tournament to their second. That’s stayed the course in their previous two events, with a .923 team fielding percentage in their last seven games.

That improvement was on full display in their 6-0 shutout victory over Pure Baseball Titans on Saturday, holding a competitive team scoreless on three hits and allowing zero errors. Roman Paiz tossed seven innings of shutout baseball to record his second complete-game shutout of the season in that victory over the Titans. Joshua Mendoza and Trey Webb each made highlight-worthy defensive plays at third base and shortstop, respectively.

Speaking of Paiz, his effort in the victory over the Titans moved him to 2-0 on the season, with no earned runs allowed on five hits, with 14 strikeouts and one walk in back-to-back weekends.

Opposing head coach George Alonso (Titans) complimented Paiz’s ability to attack and command the strike zone with efficiency the morning after his performance against his squad.

Offensively, Jastin Watkins has led the way the previous two weekends with a .533 batting average and a 1.533 OPS. Watkins just missed a home run on Sunday and logged three doubles, a triple, and five stolen bases in his last seven contests.

Ethan Gonzalez and Aeden Redditt swung hot bats during that span, and Justin Moreno has been a rally-starting spark plug at the bottom of the order when in the lineup.

With a weekend off on the schedule for the 14Us before their next tournament on March 15, the coaching staff will be working to improve the team’s mental toughness, which we feel is their lone missing link.

AROUND THE HORN

Performance Spotlight: Makai Adarme

Speaking of the mental side of the game, I wanted to take a moment to highlight Makai Adarme’s performance this past Sunday.

The 14U coaching staff identified Adarme as a pitcher with top-of-the-rotation stuff and placed him in high-pressure situations early in the season, including starts in two semifinals appearances.

While Adarme struggled in his first semifinal start, he was better in his second. On Sunday, with the game at a turning point in the quarterfinals, we turned to Adarme against the Titans in a rematch. He performed admirably under pressure, shutting down the Titans all game, allowing his team an opportunity to erase a sizeable deficit and have a chance to win, with the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning on Sunday.

It’s these experiences, and the associated growth in those spots quickly, that give the coaching staff hope that Adarme will realize his potential on the mound sooner rather than later.

High school highlights: Kayne Horibe and Vinny Whitney top the list of top performers from opening weekend

Kayne Horibe hit his first home run of the season for Pahrump Valley on Saturday, and Vinny Whitney turned in a three-for-three performance with a triple for the Trojans.

On Friday, Cody Fried was dealing, delivering Pahrump Valley five innings of shutout baseball with nine strikeouts.

Here’s a look at the top performers from the 17Us opening weekend of high school ball:

• Kayne Horibe (2026, Pahrump Valley): 1.397 OPS, HR, 3B, 2B, 7 RBI, 1.0 IP, 0 R

• Vinny Whitney (2026, Pahrump Valley): 1.127 OPS, 3B, 4 RBI

• Cody Fried (2027, Pahrump Valley): 5.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 9 K

• Preston Clark (2026, Silverado): 3.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, K

players of the week

Each week, we will select a player of the week from each age level of the program. There will be a hitter of the week, a pitcher of the week, and a gold glover of the week for teams in action the previous weekend.

14U Hitter of the Week: Jastin Watkins (2029, NV)

Watkins picked up five hits in three games last weekend, including two doubles and a triple. He drove in two runs, walked three times, and struck out only once for the 14Us.

14U Pitcher of the Week: Roman Paiz (2030, NV)

Paiz set the tone for the 14Us with a dominant shutout performance against the Titans on Saturday at Big League Dreams. Paiz tossed seven innings of shutout baseball to record his second complete-game shutout of the season in that victory over the Titans.

14U Gold Glove of the Week: Ethan Gonzales (2029, NV)

Gonzalez played lockdown defense at second base all weekend and threw out a would-be base-stealer on Saturday against Baseball 101 behind the plate. Gonzales’ steady presence at second base and behind the dish has been a staple of a vastly improved 14U defense in recent weeks.

Top Tier Las Vegas Newsletter: February 19, 2025

Welcome to the first installment of the Top Tier Las Vegas Newsletter, a recurring feature on the Top Tier Las Vegas website that will help keep parents and players informed about various topics. Today, we’re starting with a recap of the 14U’s performance at the Perfect Game President’s Day Classic. We’ll touch on some other notes, including the high school schedules for our 17U players, who will begin their high school seasons next week.

THE LEADOFF SPOT

14U falls short at pg President’s Day Classic

Despite falling to High Heat (NV) in walk-off fashion in the semifinals of the Perfect Game President’s Day Classic, there was no shortage of offense for the 14U group this past weekend. The 14s scored 49 runs on 56 hits in five games, with shortstop Trey Webb (2029, NV) leading the way at the top of the lineup, going 11-17 at the plate with six doubles, 10 RBI, and eight runs scored. Webb is slashing .615/.667/.923/1.590 through nine games with eight doubles, 17 RBI, 11 runs, and a pair of stolen bases and will be one for the crew at Prep Baseball Report to watch at next month’s Las Vegas Rising Stars event.

Aeden Redditt (2029, NV), Makai Adarme (2029, NV), and Ethan Gonzales (2029, NV) also had solid weekends at the dish, with six hits each. As a group, the 14s scored the second-most runs of the event, and everyone on the roster contributed to an impressive offensive showing.

In our pre-tournament meeting last week, the coaching staff emphasized the importance of recording quality at-bats rather than aiming for a result in the scorebook. The coaching staff logged quality at-bat charts during the weekend, with various ways for players to achieve a quality at-bat being the criteria. Those results were: hard hit balls, hits, walks, hit by pitches, moving base runners with no outs, scoring a runner from third with no outs, six-pitch at-bats not resulting in a strikeout, and eight-pitch at-bats even ending in a strikeout.

This simplified and team-success-driven approach resulted in a team-wide .695 quality at-bat percentage. That quality at-bat percentage translated to a team-wide .424 batting average, a .493 on-base percentage, 49 runs, 56 hits, 10 extra-base hits, and 18 walks. The boys were also a perfect 12-12 on stolen base attempts on the weekend. Comparatively, the team had a .321 batting average and four extra-base hits.

While there’s room for improvement, the defense had a significantly better weekend. They posted a .911 team fielding percentage, up 18 percent from their first tournament, when they posted a .772 team fielding percentage.

(Left to Right): Makai Adarme (2029, NV), Coach Nate Waskey, Trey Webb (2029, NV), and Jastin Watkins (2029, NV)

AROUND THE HORN

looking ahead: 14U back in action, 17U’s high school seasons begin next week

The 14s are back in action this weekend at the Perfect Game February Showdown in Las Vegas and Henderson. They have a pair of pool play games on Saturday, and bracket play will occur on Sunday. Family members and friends who are approved family members of any player on the roster through GameChanger can watch the games live on the GameChanger app—a big thanks to Jojo Gonzales, who manages the team’s GameChanger and livestreams every weekend.

Our 17U’s will open their high school season next week. Our coaches will be taking in their high school games throughout the season in person, and we encourage our younger players to catch a game when it fits into their schedule. Here’s a list of links to our 17U player’s high school schedules:

• Faith Lutheran

• Coronado

• Silverado

• Pahrump Valley

Here’s to a successful high school season for our 17U players!

Prep baseball report rising stars

Prep Baseball Report will hold its 2025 Rising Stars event next month (March 22) in Las Vegas. This event has a dual function. For most participants, this will be their first showcase event - an initial step toward achieving a player’s baseball goals. Part of this event is educational: there will be a lecture about what scouts look for, how to comport themselves, what to expect in the recruiting process, and the overall landscape of playing at the next level. The second function of the event is to identify young talent and, at the same time, get valuable coaching in the showcase process.

Top players from this event will be invited to our Rising Stars Games at the end of May, where we will select Team Nevada for the 2025 Junior Future Games. The Junior Future Games will run in conjunction with Prep Baseball's Future Games and Senior Future Games. The Future Games features the top High School players in the Class of 2027 across Prep Baseball's 40+ state coverage area. It is one of the most highly recruited summer events and attracts more than 400 college coaches nationwide annually.

The Junior Future Games, an Invitation-Only event, will feature the best-identified prospects nationwide in a four-day event at Lake Point in Cartersville, GA. This state-of-the-art facility features eight all-turf fields. Participants will compete against other top-level players while representing their respective states.

Players from the 2029 and 2030 graduating classes can register for this event for FREE (with paid optional upgrades available) at the link below:

Prep Baseball Report 2025 Las Vegas Rising Stars

players of the week

Each week, we will select a player of the week from each age level of the program. There will be a hitter of the week, a pitcher of the week, and a gold glover of the week for teams in action the previous weekend.

14U Hitter of the Week: Trey Webb (2029, NV)

Webb racked up 11 hits in 17 at-bats, pacing the 14U’s offense at the top of the order with six doubles, 11 RBI, and eight runs. Webb’s smooth and easy swing and growing confidence at the dish have him off to a scorching start to the season.

14U Pitcher of the Week: Everett Abelar (2030, NV)

In a must-win pool play game against Wow Factor Utah, Abelar tossed four and two-thirds innings, allowing no earned runs (two unearned) on two hits while striking out two in a victorious outing that set the tone for a perfect 2-0 Sunday for the 14s.

14U Gold Glove of the Week: Austin Pratt (2030, NV)

Pratt’s versatile and steady glove shined at multiple spots this weekend, with Pratt spending time behind the plate, at first base, and second base. Pratt had a perfect fielding percentage, was part of a pair of double plays, and only allowed one passed ball in 13.2 innings of work behind the plate.

Top Tier Las Vegas 14U C/INF Austin Pratt (2030, NV)

Top Tier Las Vegas at the Prep Baseball Report Preseason ID

Last month, several Top Tier Las Vegas players attended the Prep Baseball Report Nevada Preseason ID at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Top Tier Las Vegas 2026 OF/RHP Kayne Horibe was a standout performer at the event, putting himself on the map in the Las Vegas baseball scene with a performance that included 94 mph max exit velocity and 87.3 mph average exit velocity at the plate and an event-best 87 mph outfield velocity.

Horibe was named Session II's Top Outfielder by PBR Nevada Director Brett Harrison. Here's what Harrison had to say about Horibe after the event:

"The 2026 out of Pahrump Valley made his presence known early at the Las Vegas Preseason ID with his 94.3 mph TrackMan Exit Velocity along with his 87.3 mph Average Exit Velocity that proved he could find the barrel consistently. Defensively, his controlled, but aggressive, routes to and through the ball helped him get on line to his target that helped him register a share of the Top Outfield Velocities of 87 mph. The two-sport athlete was a relative unknown heading into the event, and the Prep Baseball Nevada staff has definitely taken notice of the small school product."

However, Horibe wasn't the only Top Tier Las Vegas player to attend the event. Here's a recap of the Top Tier Baseball talent and their scouting reports from the PBR Nevada staff.

Kayne Horibe, Pahrump Valley High School (NV), 2026

Positional Profile: OF/MIF/RHP

Body: 6-0, 177-pounds. 

Hit: RHH. Athletic, squared, tall. Simple and efficient movement. Body stays quiet and balanced. Short, level barrel path with lift on extension. Shows gap-to-gap ability. 74.5 mph bat speed with 10 G's of rotational acceleration.

Power: 94 max exit velocity, averaged 87.3 mph—343' max distance.

Arm: RH. OF-87 mph. Loose, low-effort

Defense: Even tempoed. Footwork balanced through the ball—comfortable outside feet.

ATH: 7.26 runner in the 60. 1.86 and 4.12 in the 10 and 30-yard splits. 24.30 max vertical.

Pitching Profile: RHP

Delivery: Even tempoed delivery. Repeats with ease. Drop and drive type delivery. Lands on line to target. Some fall to the glove side after release.

Arm Action: RH. Clean arm action. High 3/4 slot.

FB: T82, 79-81 mph. Present arm side action. Works mostly up in the zone. T2282, 2172 average rpm.

CB: 68-71 mph. Present comfort in the pitch. Some loop out of the hand. Flashes of tunnel when he keeps his front side closed. T2472, 2251 average rpm.

CH: 70-73 mph. Arm side life. Commands down in the zone. Developing with more to come. T1680, 1648 average rpm.

Hudson Jones, Coranado (NV), 2026

Positional Profile: OF/RHP

Body: 6-0, 140-pounds. 

Hit: LHH. Tall, squared. Hands preset. Barrel works down into the zone. Lift through contact. Shows the ability to stay up the middle. 65.3 mph bat speed with 14 G's of rotational acceleration.

Power: 93 max exit velocity, averaged 83.5 mph—345' max distance.

Arm: RH. OF-77 mph. OTT slot.

Defense: Even tempoed footwork. Comfortable fielding outside feet. Simple but sure transfer.

ATH: 7.23 runner in the 60. 1.77 and 4.03 in the 10 and 30-yard splits. 25.60 max vertical.

Quinten Miranda, Faith Lutheran (NV), 2027

Positional Profile: MIF

Body: 5-9, 154-pounds. 

Hit: LHH. Tall, wide, squared. Weight shifted back. Compact and efficient. Barrel path works down through zone with lift to middle on extension. Quick path to ball, Line drive ability gap to gap. 57.6 mph bat speed with 7 G's of rotational acceleration.

Power: 82 max exit velocity, averaged 71.9 mph—263' max distance.

Arm: RH. INF-73 mph. Quick release, efficient 3/4 slot.

Defense: Athletic and controlled footwork. Keeps momentum through the ball. Stays balanced with balls outside feet.

ATH: 8.26 runner in the 60. 1.96 and 4.49 in the 10 and 30-yard splits. 18.00 max vertical.

Antonio Whitney, Pahrump Valley High School (NV), 2027

Positional Profile: SS/RHP

Body: 5-8, 133-pounds. 

Hit: RHH. Tall, squared set up with hands starting head high. Quiet pre-pitch into a low hovering stride. Hands work efficiently into the zone. Works down through the ball—line drive producer. Feel for the big part of the yard. Power to come. 58 mph bat speed with 5 G's of rotational acceleration.

Power: 80 max exit velocity, averaged 67.4 mph—250' max distance.

Arm: RH. INF-72 mph. Short, quick arm cycle. 3/4 to high 3/4.

Defense: Clean, efficient defensive actions. Improving flow through the fielding process. Present feel for both the forehand and backhand plays. 

ATH: 8.01 runner in the 60. 1.88 and 4.35 in the 10 and 30-yard splits. 20.70 max vertical.

Pitching Profile: RHP

Delivery: Compact, efficient delivery. Works down the more with conviction. Drop and drive type. Lands slightly closed to target. Finishes over his front side with some fall to glove side after release.

Arm Action: RH

FB: T72, 69-72 mph. Present arm side life with flashes of heaviness. More velocity to come as he continues to add strength and size. T1585, 1520 average rpm.

CB: 63-64 mph. Natural sweep with the help of his arm action. Present comfort with more to come as the pitch continues to gain sharpness. T1855, 1768 average rpm.

CH: 65-67 mph. Natural heaviness and arm-side action. Works well off his FB. T1684, 1625 average rpm.

Vincenzo Whitney, Pahrump Valley High School (NV), 2026

Positional Profile: C/1B

Body: 5-10, 126-pounds. 

Hit: RHH. Athletic, slightly opened set up. Quiet, toe tap load that lands back to square. Slight uphill path through the zone. Line drive producer. Balanced throughout. Power to come as he adds size and strength. 59.6 mph bat speed with 7 G's of rotational acceleration.

Power: 81 max exit velocity, averaged 75.7 mph—288' max distance.

Arm: RH. C-71 mph. Short, quick arm cycle. High 3/4 slot.

Defense: 2.17-2.30 pop times. Developing actions behind the plate. Present flexibility in his setup. Improved catch and throw with Pop Time expected to continue to trend as he developed physically.

ATH: 7.98 runner in the 60. 1.86 and 4.37 in the 10 and 30-yard splits. 19.80 max vertical.

Preston Clark, Silverado (NV), 2026

Positional Profile: 3B/SS 

Body: 5-10, 178-pounds. 

Hit: RHH. Athletic, squared, compact, with strong rotation and balance.  The barrel plane and extension show gap-to-gap ability. 60.6 mph bat speed with 7 G's of rotational acceleration.

Power: 88 max exit velocity, averaged 73.4 mph—301' max distance.

Arm: RH. INF-80 mph. 

ATH: 7.82 runner in the 60. 1.89 and 4.31 in the 10 and 30-yard splits. 20.90 max vertical.

***

You can view these prospects' complete scouting reports and videos in their Prep Baseball Report profiles.

Why Top Tier Baseball?

Top Tier Baseball is new to Las Vegas but arrives with a rich and prestigious tradition of baseball excellence.

Las Vegas is brimming with baseball talent. It’s home to current Major League Baseball stars such as Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, and Joey Gallo—to name a few. Still, there’s so much untapped potential here.

Nevada youth baseball players currently have a 3.63 percent probability of playing Division I baseball after high school. By comparison, 11.5 percent of all DI players graduated from California high schools. Florida has 6.8 percent of all DI baseball players. Nevada and Las Vegas—which boast similar year-round baseball climates—have some work to do, which is why Top Tier Baseball’s President and CEO Todd Fine has desired an expansion here for the better part of the last decade.

Still, baseball players and parents are naturally asking the question: Why Top Tier?

Why join a national program expanding into a new market? This is a question I've been hearing a lot. The answer is straightforward. Top Tier is not your run-of-the-mill program. It has dedicated over 20 years to making strategic decisions for growth. The selection process is not for the faint-hearted, and only those who truly stand out are accepted into this program.

Photo: Top Tier Baseball players attending a Top Tier College Camp.

At Top Tier, money and enrollment are not the deciding factors. Quality is the sole determinant for acceptance into our program. This unwavering commitment to excellence is what sets us apart.

Top Tier accepts quality into its family and breeds quality baseball players and young men. That principle is unwavering.

If you join Top Tier, you aren't just joining one of the most successful baseball programs in the country for the last two-plus decades with over 4,500 college commits and hundreds of MLB Draft selections; you're joining an organization that emphasizes quality, success, and family.

Competition is the catalyst for success. You might be comfortable where you are now. But ask yourself, are you being pushed to your limits every day? If not, you're not in the right place. At Top Tier, you will learn to thrive in discomfort. Every day, you will be challenged, and you will discover new limits within yourself.

All the while, you will do so with elite coaching, a world-class support staff, a premier apparel deal, and earn your stripes in the most prestigious events in the country, such as the Perfect Game WWBA Championship, the Prep Baseball Report World Series, and the USA Baseball National Team Championships. These events not only provide a platform for you to showcase your skills but also offer opportunities for exposure to college scouts and professional teams.

Photo: Top Tier Alumni Aidan Miller — Round 1, Pick 27 in the 2023 MLB Draft and the 2024 Minor League Baseball Player of the Year

So, the short answer to "Why Top Tier?" is simple: Top Tier is your now and your future. If you're ready for the challenge, let's get to work.

You can register for tryouts here (or in the form below) or contact me at flowers@toptierwins.com for more information about what Top Tier can do for you. After all, your baseball program should be working for you, not the other way around.