Editor’s note: We are thrilled to announce Andre Fernandez will be a contributor to Man On Second Baseball. Andre is a great friend as well as a great reporter/writer. He will be doing an array of assignments, including preps, which he spotlights today! Enjoy Andre’s work, and give him a follow!

By Andre Fernandez @FernandezAndreC

With the Major League Baseball Draft less than three months away, Man On Second Baseball has been tracking some of the top high school prospects in South Florida.

We checked in on a few more this weekend, while watching two matchups between the state’s elite powerhouse schools. We profiled five players including three who have signed with the University of Miami.

RHP Irving Carter, Calvary Christian, Class of 2021, Miami signee: At 6-4, 210 pounds, Carter has a solid frame that allows him to generate power in his delivery that should only grow as he develops. He touched 94 mph during Saturday’s game against Doral. Although it wasn’t one of his better outings allowing four runs against one of the state’s best teams, Carter showed off his solid three-pitch mix mainly with solid command of his fastball and the bite on his slider which allowed him to strike out eight.

Today, @ManOn2nd is at @Calvary_BB and Doral @Irvcarter42 starts off with a strikeout @CanesBaseball commit pic.twitter.com/7iDvMCv2pE

— Man On Second Baseball (@ManOn2nd) April 10, 2021

Carter is projected as a possible second-round pick on a team that also includes projected first-rounder Andrew Painter. He also brings energy to each start which was good to see, and pitches with a solid pace and a delivery that he can continue to hone into becoming more repeatable with time. Carter is 4-0 with 58 strikeouts and had an 0.51 ERA entering Saturday’s game.

C Jayden Melendez, Westminster Christian, Class of 2021, FIU signee: Melendez is trying to follow his older brother MJ’s path to the pros four years after the Royals drafted him with the 52^nd overall pick. At 5-foot-9, Jayden is undersized compared to his 6-foot-1 older brother, who also caught in high school at Westminster. But what he lacks in height, he makes up for with solid instincts and mechanics behind the plate and a strong arm.

Melendez showed those tools in last Friday’s game against American Heritage. Unless it was fouled off, nothing got past him on breaking pitches in the dirt or even rising fastballs. He showed off a potentially above-average to plus arm throwing out a runner in a key situation early in the game. Whether it was in the one-knee down stance or not, Melendez has good balance that keeps him in good position to make throws on base stealers or defensive plays.

Scouts have questioned whether Melendez will be able to hit consistently at the next level either in the minors or at FIU where he signed and would play for his father, Panthers coach Mervyl Melendez. He did show some pop against Heritage belting a 400-plus foot home run to right center. Melendez is hitting .407 with four homers and 23 RBI so far this season and is one to keep an eye on as a potential second day pick.

Gabriel Gutierrez, CF, Doral, Class of 2021, Miami signee: A lot has been made about the 6-foot, 205-pound senior’s bat since he has over 30 home runs since his freshman season. But Gutierrez showed off some solid defensive skills in center including a full-extension diving catch that proved crucial for Doral to hang on and beat the No. 3-ranked team in the nation, Calvary Christian, 5-4.

Gutierrez is hitting .367 with six home runs, a .750 slugging percentage and 1.275 OPS this season for Doral. His instincts tracking balls in the outfield has improved according to coaches and his ability to drive the ball to all fields is what’s helped him remain a consistent power threat throughout his prep career.

Gutierrez has signed with the Hurricanes and likely will end up going there as he is not expected to be a high-round pick, but keep an eye on him over the next three years at one of college baseball’s top programs. Should he continue to develop consistency at the plate and more agility in the outfield, his draft stock could improve by the time he’s eligible coming out of college.

3B Sal Stewart, Westminster Christian, Class of 2022, Vanderbilt signee: Stewart was quiet at the plate against Heritage, only reaching base twice on a walk and hit by pitch. But his large 6-3, 205-pound frame and solid fielding skills show you why he became an early commit to the powerhouse Commodores. He made a solid pick on sharply-hit liner down the line and showed off his arm with a strong throw to first.

This season, he’s flashed the power with 10 home runs and is hitting .571. While Westminster’s ballpark is extremely hitter-friendly with the shorter dimensions, Stewart has crushed pitching regardless of the venue and looks the part to be an early-round pick next year and someone to keep an eye on since he should hit at Vanderbilt if he decides to go the college route.

RHP Renzo Gonzalez, Doral, Class of 2021, Miami signee: Although he struggled early against Calvary Christian, Gonzalez showed off a solid fastball that touches around 90-91 and mixed in a curveball and changeup which kept hitters off balance at times. He looked visibly frustrated after a rough first inning, but to his credit he battled and didn’t lose control, settling in over the next three innings and giving his team a chance to come back and win. With Alejandro Rosario and Victor Mederos likely heading up Miami’s weekend rotation next season, Gonzalez could challenge for the Sunday spot or easily slide into a midweek starter role in 2022.