Normally Big West Dugout is all about our local college stars, but every so often a California high schooler demands attention. So consider this a fun detour: four big-armed California pitchers – Logan Georges, Logan Schmidt, Gary Morse, and Cooper Sides – stood out recently during USA Baseball’s 18U Trials ahead of the world games.
Logan Georges (Clovis HS, RHP, TCU commit)
At 6-5, Georges is a true flamethrower. His fastball tops out at 95 mph, and he pairs it with a sharp breaking ball in the mid-70s. He boasts a tall, strong frame and big, durable starter profile – he’s got a live two-seam and four-seam fastball plus quality slider and changeup, all coming out of a smooth delivery. In short, Georges’ high-90s velocity and wipeout slider could make him one of the draft’s top arms.
Logan Schmidt (Ganesha HS, LHP, uncommitted)
Schmidt is a big, power lefty (listed at 6-4, 215) who reclassified early to the 2026 class. He’s a very polished southpaw with all the pitches and plus command potential, with a fastball that can reach 94 mph. But he’s not just pure velocity – Schmidt commands a tight-spin breaking ball and a sharp changeup rounds out his mix. While he’s still young (just 17) and technically oriented, the raw stuff is enticing: a solid fastball-slider/changeup combo with a strong frame.
Gary Morse (Orange Lutheran HS, RHP, Tennessee commit)
This 6-foot-8 righty is a classic high-ceiling prospect. Morse’s length gives him plenty of drama on the mound – scouts note he struggles to control such long limbs sometimes, but the potential is massive. When he’s on, his heater sits in the low-90s with a heavy downhill life. More importantly, his secondary pitches look like future pluses. He throws a hard, sharp curveball and, most intriguingly, a changeup in the 83–84 mph range that has all the makings of a future plus pitch. In other words, Morse has the frame and raw stuff of a top-end arm – think 95+ heat with a big fading changeup – even if his control is a work in progress. It’s the kind of upside that could warrant a first-round look if he refines it, and it’s fun to see a player with this kind of profile.
Cooper Sides (Orange Lutheran HS, RHP, LSU commit)
Sides is another power righty from Orange Lutheran (same program as Morse). He’s a big 6-5, 210-pound pitcher with a true four-pitch mix. He’s big-bodied right-hander whose fastball touched 95 mph at a PG national event (and he pounds the zone too – about 70% strikes on one scout’s chart). Like Georges, Sides complements heat with multiple breaking balls – think a sharp curve, a slider, and a changeup – giving him depth beyond the fastball. He’s exactly the kind of hard-thrower who can ramp up late and miss bats.
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