The Super 60 is the off-season's most prestigious, invitation-only event that features only the top draft prospects in the Prep Baseball Report’s expansive coverage area. Over the last 18 years, the Super 60 has become the most heavily scouted preseason event for potential draft picks. The primary purpose of the Super 60 is to give professional area scouts, cross-checkers and scouting directors a head start to the high school season. The event is for draft-eligible Class of 2021 prospects.
Last year, over 100 professional scouts of all levels were in attendance. Most Major League teams had 4-6 scouts of all levels in attendance. Since the event’s inception in 2003, more than 300 players have been selected in the MLB Draft, including 22 first-round picks and 25 second-rounders.
Top Tier has a reputation of sending players to this event every year. Last year's event saw RHP Ben Hernandez sit an easy 94-95 with a plus changeup that excited scouts and saw him end up getting drafted in the 2nd round in the 2020 MLB Amateur Draft. Other former participants include, Grant Leader (2019), Jalen Greer (2019), Brenden Heiss (2016), Cooper Johnson (2016), Dakota Kotowski (2018), Bobby Seymour (2017), Marius Balandis (2017), Joe Benson (2006), John Ely (2004), Tyler Ladendorf (2007), Jeremy Rhoades (2011), Blake Hickman (2012), Dan Brewer (2005), Jason Goldstein (2012), Connor Powers (2006), Will Kincanon (2014), Ryan Borucki (2012), Scott Firth (2009), Adam Walton (2012), Shane Conlon (2010), Jack Fischer (2010), Anthony Ray (2013), Dan Mayer (2013), Mitch Glasser (2008), Kyle Ruchim (2010),
This year Top Tier has two more players that have earned an invite to the Super 60; Corner infielder Vytas Valincius and right handed pitcher Noah Edders. High school director, Griffin Phelps, had a chance to catch up with each of them and have a conversation about the upcoming evet, and what has lead them earn this opportunity.
Congrats on earning an invite to the Prep Baseball Report Super 60! That is an accomplishment you should be proud of. What was it like when you received the news?
Noah Edders: It honestly felt great to be considered for such a great event like this and I know not many people get an opportunity like this in their life so it just felt very rewarding and it felt good that my hard work had been put to notice.
Vytas Valincius: I was excited when I received the news. This is an event I have been working towards for many years. It was a great feeling of achievement to find out that I earned an invitation.
The Super 60 is the premier event of the winter. Not only do you have the best high school talent from all over the country, you also have national cross checkers and real decision makers from every single MLB team, not to mention all of the area scouts, advisors, PBR state scouts and cross checkers. What do you expect the environment to be like and what are you most looking forward to at the event?
NE: I expect the environment to be very intense and serious because everyone is there for the same reason and that’s to compete and show everyone why they think they’re one of the best prospects in the 21 class. I’m also just really looking forward to finally having the ability to show everyone how good I really am, because I know many people had their doubts on whether or not I should be in the event but now that I am in I’m ready to show everyone I’m one of the best.
VV: I expect the environment to be very cool. I want to go in there and do what I do best and that's play baseball. I am looking forward to showing where my hard work and dedication have gotten me up to this point.
Tell us a little bit about what you have been up to this offseason? Where and how have you been training?
NE: So this off-season I’ve been fortunate enough to have top tier in my corner and they’ve put everything I needed in order to succeed right in front of me, they started out building a brand new facility and weight room which was a huge gain in my training. My pitching coach Conner Riley helped me build an offseason throwing program that involves a different type of ploy routine and long series every day of the week in order to make sure that my arm is in the best condition it can be in, then my trainer Blake Hickman started lifting with me in the beginning of November and I’ve been seeing so many gains especially velo starting to become more effortless. We normally train together everyday besides Friday with a combination of upper body, lower body, conditioning, and speed training.
VV: I have been training at school in Tennessee (Baylor School) and at Top Tier in Chicago. I feel like the guys that a in these two programs are the best in the country and will get you ready to achieve success. For the off-season I have been focusing on every aspect of my game; sprint speed, hitting, fielding, and my reaction time.
Talk about your Top Tier experience and how that has led you to this point. Share one of your favorite memories. How do you feel it has helped prepare you for this stage?
NE: I feel like one of the biggest influence to my success was when I was playing for Coach Plante in the summer, and every single game I pitched for him he had nothing but great things to say to me and he just always made it very clear to me how much trust and faith he had in me. Up to that point in my life I’ve never had a coach who’s trusted me more than Plante. I believe that that was a huge part to my success because having someone like Plante cheering you on 110% of the time made me feel like I was unstoppable and that nobody could beat me. He showed me how to believe in myself and how to play to the best version of my game.
VV: I can't talk about my success and not talk about Top Tier. They have molded me into the player I am today and I am forever grateful for the coaches and players that have been a part of my life.
Have you ever been to the event as a spectator before? If so, what are some of the memories you have? What players do you remember seeing?
NE: I watched Ben Hernandez throw at last years event and I just remember being nervous myself and I wasn’t even competing. I went to go sit down and Benny came over to me and Ethan Patera and said “yea I’m only throwing like 80% today” and patera and I looked at him like he was crazy, and then he comes out onto the mound and continued to sit at 95 and making it look like he wasn’t even trying...like 80%. And at that moment I realized that I have a s**t-ton of work to do if I want to be here next year.
VV: Yes, I've been going to the Super 60 since I was 13. This event means a lot to me because of that. I want to leave my mark on the Super 60.
What are some of your goals for this event?
NE: I really just would like to hit a 94 in the event and I would really like to be able to throw my change up well because when I throw it well it’s by far my best pitch.
VV: My goal is to show everyone who I am and how much hard work I have put into my craft. If all goes well, everything should go according to plan.
Tell us something about yourself that people would never guess.
NE: I have been to 4 different continents and over 20 countries
VV: I am fast for my size and really move well.
Do you have any hidden talents?
NE: No not really
VV: I can hit a golf ball 450 yards
After the Super 60, what’s next for you?
NE: I will probably just finish my training with Tier and then head over to play high school ball.
VV: The future for me is to be in the best position to succeed. I want to be put in situations that will challenge me and allow for me to continuing growing and developing into the person and player I imagine myself being.
Is there anyone you would like to give a shout out to? Anything else you would like to say to your supporters and fans?
NE:
VV: Shout out to my mother and grandma because they are the people who have helped me out all of my life. I cannot thank them enough for all the blessings they have provided me.
To read more about the event itself, jump on over to the PBR website by clicking here.
