These were the ’24 High School All-American Game standouts
Jonathan Mayo
SAN DIEGO – The fifth High School All-American Game hosted by Major League Baseball is in the books, and as has been the case since its inception in Cleveland in 2019, the prep class of 2025 showed off a whole lot of tools and stuff.
Don’t worry if you missed it, the game will air again on MLB Network at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 17. But let’s take a look at the standout performances and moments from Wednesday night’s game at Petco Park, won by the National team, 4-1. Pay attention, because many of these names will be called early in next year’s Draft. Last year’s game featured six future first-rounders in the 2024 Draft.
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1. Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak HS (Calif.): Fien took home the MLB Develops MVP Award after notching two hits and two RBIs for the National team. The Texas recruit registered some of the highest exit velocities of the night, including three balls over 100 mph. It’s what he’s been doing all summer. Fien hit his way onto Team USA and then batted .400 (10-for-25) with 11 RBIs as the 18U team took gold in the World Cup qualifier in Panama.
2. Miguel Sime Jr., RHP, Poly Prep (NY): These showcase games often feature premium velocity and Sime did not disappoint. The LSU recruit has been up to 100 mph in the past and he touched 98 in this game. He threw five of the 10 fastest pitches in the game, all 97-98 mph (hat tip to Landon Harmon, who had the other five). More importantly, he threw strikes while fanning two, even landing a solid slider, an important area of development for him.
3. Kayson Cunningham, INF, Lady Bird Johnson HS (Texas): After hitting .417/.483/.542 with 12 RBIs for Team USA in Panama, the Texas recruit kept on raking on Wednesday. The left-handed-hitting infielder picked up a pair of hits and also showed off his wheels, swiping three bags.
4. Mason Pike, INF/RHP, Puyallup HS (Wash.): While there was plenty of two-way talent on display in the game, Pike would get the John Olerud Award for the contest if one was awarded. He made consistent hard contact and had two hits, then came in to pitch the final inning for the National team. The Oregon State recruit struck out two, showing off a fastball with high spin that was consistently up to 93-94 mph.
5. Eli Willits, INF, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (Okla.): The son of former big leaguer Reggie Willits didn’t pick up a hit, but showed exactly what kind of table-setter he can be. Committed to Oklahoma, Willits walked to lead off the game, then stole second and third, forcing an errant throw from the catcher that enabled him to score the first run of the game and give the American team a short-lived 1-0 lead.
6. Sean Gamble, OF, IMG Academy (Fla.): Hailing from Iowa, Gamble moved to IMG to advance his game. The Vanderbilt recruit had the catch of the night, ranging far to right-center field and diving to rob Dean Moss of extra bases. What made it even more impressive was that fact that the jury is still out on whether he can play up the middle on the dirt, though that catch will definitely have teams thinking about him as a legit center fielder.
7. Luke Billings, OF, Prosper HS (Texas): Billings, a Texas A&M recruit, has played all over the place, with some scouts wanting to see him catch more because his plus arm that fires 94-mph fastballs off the mound could work really well in that regard. In this game, he manned left field and showed off his athleticism by covering a ton of ground and making a running catch to end a two-run inning for the National team in the second.
8. Catcher hoses: Two shoutouts to close things out. Cunningham led off the bottom of the first with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He tried to steal third, but Trent Grendlinger (Huntington Beach HS, Calif.) had other ideas. The Mississippi State recruit showed off his plus arm and quick exchange by throwing out Cunningham. In the sixth, Willits reached on a one-out walk, clearly looking to add to his stolen-base total. Quinn Schambow (Libertyville HS, Ill.) wasn’t deterred by his speed though, and the Oklahoma State recruit caught Willits straying too far, back-picking him at first.
