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Twelve ‘Under the Radar’ Florida high school baseball players who may be taken in 2025 MLB Draft

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Twelve ‘Under the Radar’ Florida high school baseball players who may be taken in 2025 MLB Draft


Becoming a big leaguer is the dream of so many high school baseball players.

In a talent-rich state like Florida, it often becomes a reality with so many from the Sunshine State populating the Major Leagues. Then, you add in those in the Minor Leagues, while others are currently playing baseball in college.

The 2025 high school class has its share of players who have already committed or signed with colleges. Many of those same players are also drawing the attention of MLB area scouts.

One example is True North Classical Academy’s Alan Soler, who is committed to Central Florida. The left-handed pitcher, according to some sources, also could be selected in the top few rounds in this year’s MLB Draft.

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High School on SI has been covering the action in South Florida, and for this story we list 12 players who are considered “under-the-radar” draft possibilities. Since, Soler is projected to be taken early (assuming he is healthy), the lefty will not be on this particular list. Dylan Dubovik, outfielder/pitcher, at American Heritage Plantation is another player who has attracted interest from scouts. He, too, isn’t being noted among our “under the radar” possibilities.

A dozen “under the radar” draft possibilities:

Until recently, the smooth-fielding shortstop wasn’t receiving much, if any, attention from colleges and area scouts. Slowly the word is getting out, and it’s easy to see why. Perez can hit, run, field, and is extremely athletic. Keep an eye on the this Dade Christian club. They’ve got players.

A two-sport standout, Rich gave up football in his senior season, focusing exclusively on baseball. The left-handed hitting center fielder is a speedster, and is a pure hitter, who has an excellent feel for the strike zone. What he has yet to show is power, which likely will emerge at the next level.

A South Florida recruit, Geiger is a left-handed hitting catcher who also can play first base. You want his bat in the lineup. In recent days, Gulf Coast played in South Florida, and Geiger absolutely smoked some balls against Nova. The next day, the senior had three hits at NSU University, including two doubles.

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Another toolsy shortstop, Paredes is committed to Florida International. Hitting more than .400 on the season, with a home run, Paredes could find himself making a decision on whether to sign professionally over the summer.

Catching is aways in high demand, and Garcia checks all the boxes of what pro teams are seeking from those playing the position. The Florida International recruit is terrific defensively, demonstrates leadership and handles pitchers well. At the plate, he’s got a quick bat and has the ability to drive the ball out of the park.

In the first half, a strong case can be made that Malvasio has been the best position player in Broward County. The Central Florida recruit has demonstrated tremendous power, hammering out eight home runs. Defensively, he’s shown he can handle right field, and he’s been used to close out games.

A leader and catalyst on a strong Taravella team, Martinez bats leadoff. He’s got a quick bat and shows plenty of power. Defensively, he can handle all three outfield spots.

College may ultimately be the call for Beyra, but the right-hander has opened eyes since his fastball was clocked in the 94-96 mph range. More and more scouts are finding their way to Western when Beyra is on the mound.

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Another athletic middle infielder who has shown the ability to knock the ball out of the park. Colmenares has four home runs, and plays solid defense. The senior also has shown the ability to slow the game down, and he even does some pitching. The senior has tremendous upside.  

Another former football player, Pomper continues to emerge as one of the best players in South Florida. The left-handed hitting catcher is batting a whopping .559 with eight doubles, and continues to improve behind the plate. Pomper is committed to Jacksonville.

Word is starting to spread that Gonzalez has a chance to get drafted. The right-hander’s fastball has touched the low 90s mph, which has drawn scouts to see him pitch. Against tough competition, he’s performed, and he’s sporting a 1.62 ERA.

At 6-foot-4, 200-pounds, Graulau possesses size, speed and power. The South Florida commit runs a 6.4-second, 60-yard dash. On the mound, the right-hander’s fastball has been clocked 93 mph.  



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Florida college Republicans group chat reveals racist texts: ‘Avoid the coloreds like the plague’

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Florida college Republicans group chat reveals racist texts: ‘Avoid the coloreds like the plague’


It only took three weeks for a group chat for conservative students at Florida International University (FIU) to become a place where participants eagerly used racist slurs, prompting widespread condemnation from community leaders.

Abel Alexander Carvajal, secretary of Miami-Dade county’s Republican party and a student at FIU’s College of Law, reportedly started the chat after the killing of Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, in September 2025.

But on Wednesday, the Miami Herald published leaked WhatsApp conversations in which the college Republicans made racist, sexist, antisemitic and homophobic comments, including variations of the N-word used more than 400 times. Knowledge of the chat’s existence was revealed on the same day that Republican lawmakers in Florida pushed forward a bill to rename a one-mile stretch of road alongside FIU in honor of Kirk.

William Bejerano, who the Herald noted once tried to start an anti-abortion group at Miami Dade College, was the most prolific user of the N-word. Using the slur, Bejerano called for dozens of acts of extreme violence against Black people, including crucifying, beheading and dissecting.

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Dariel Gonzalez, then the College Republicans’ recruitment chair, who has recently applied to become a GOP committee member, responded to the calls for violence by saying: “How edgy.” He repeatedly used “colored” to describe Black people, including writing: “Ew you had colored professors?!” and “Avoid the coloreds like the plague,” according to the Herald.

Carvajal, who was appointed to a two-year role on the city of Hialeah’s planning and zoning board earlier this year, confirmed to the paper that the group chat was his doing, but he denied knowledge of the problematic comments until the publication contacted him about its logs last week.

“It’s been five months since this was sent and this is the first time I’ve seen this message,” Carvajal told the Herald.

“I guess to an extent, I bear some responsibility, cause I created a chat. But if I had seen this at the moment, I would have removed [Bejerano] from the chat. I probably would have even blocked his number.”

The Herald found that Carvajal had deleted 14 messages sent by other participants in the chat and 42 of his own messages before the publication obtained the chat’s logs.

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He also participated in some of the racist discussions. While referring to a Black student who allegedly left FIU’s College Republicans after a member of the group “called her a [N-word]”, the Floridian reported that Carvajal wrote: “Why didn’t miggress leave?” Elsewhere in the chat, the publication reported that Carvajal used “Miggress”, “Migglet” and “Migger” to refer to Black women, Black children and Black people, in general.

At one point, Gonzalez wrote: “You can fuck all the [K-word, a slur for Jewish people] you want. Just don’t marry them and procreate.”

Ian Valdes, the Turning Point USA FIU chapter president, responded, “I would def not marry a Jew,” before changing the group chat’s name from “Uber [R-word slur for disabled people] Yapping” to “Gooning in Agartha”. “Gooning” is a gen-Z slang term for male masturbation, while “Agartha” is a mythical white civilization promoted by Heinrich Himmler, one of the most powerful leaders in Nazi Germany next to Hitler.

Gonzalez reportedly described Agartha to the group chat as “Nazi heaven sort of”.

Kevin Cooper, the first Jewish chair of the Miami Dade Republican party, condemned the group chat in a statement published to X and called for Carvajal’s resignation.

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“The majority of our board voted to request Carvajal’s resignation. We have commenced removal proceedings and look forward to resolution from the Republican Party of Florida,” he wrote.

That call was echoed by Juan Porras, a Republican state representative and Miami-Dade GOP state committee member, who said in a statement: “Leadership carries responsibility. When someone in a leadership role engages in this kind of behavior, it damages the trust placed in our party by voters across Florida. For that reason, I am asking the Miami Dade Republican party secretary to step down from this position.”

In a joint statement, Florida Republican state senators Alexis Calatayud, Ileana Garcia and Ana Maria Rodriguez denounced the chats and called for the expulsion from party leadership of its participants.

“The individuals in the group chat have exposed how profoundly misaligned their beliefs are to the views of the Republican party of Florida,” their statement said. “We call for the immediate expulsion of the individuals disseminating from any level of leadership of the Miami-Dade Republican Party … We will not tolerate bigotry or discrimination.”

Multiple leaked group chats from young Republicans have created controversy in recent years.

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Last year, Politico published messages from a group chat of more than 100 conservatives across the country in which users also made racist and antisemitic comments. In 2022, a Young Republican group chat from North Dakota was revealed as a cesspool of homophobic and antisemitic rhetoric.



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Federal judge blocks DeSantis executive order declaring CAIR a 'terrorist organization'

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Federal judge blocks DeSantis executive order declaring CAIR a 'terrorist organization'


A federal court in Tallahassee has issued a temporary injunction blocking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) a “terrorist organization.” U.S. District Judge Mark Walker’s order comes nearly three months after DeSantis signed his executive order on Dec. 8. The order directed Florida’s executive and Cabinet agencies, as […]



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Gas prices rise in South Florida amid U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran, as the stock market also reports a dip

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Gas prices rise in South Florida amid U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran, as the stock market also reports a dip



Four days into the Iranian conflict, gas prices are rising at many stations in South Florida.

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“I’ve traveled all over the United States,” says Stacey Williams. CBS Miami spoke to him as he was gassing up on the turnpike. He paid $66 for 20 gallons of diesel to fill his pickup truck. Williams has noted the fluctuations in fuel as he drives to locations for his work on turbines. He just spent three weeks at the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant south of Miami.

“The salary we get paid per hour does not add up to what we pay for gas, housing, and food,” he says.

Mitchell Gershon is also dealing with the higher gas prices. He has to fill three vehicles constantly for his business—Thrifty Gypsy, a pop-up store at musical venues. He’s back and forth from Orlando to Miami and says fuel is costing him 20% more. When asked how he handles these fluctuations, he said, “Have a little backup cash so you are ready for it.”

The rise in oil prices contributed to a drop in the stock market on Tuesday, which means some retirement accounts dipped, too. CBS Miami talked to Chad NeSmith, director of investments at Tobias Financial Advisors in Plantation, for perspective on the drop.

“We are seeing most of the pullback today. Yesterday was a shock,” he says. He’s not expecting runaway oil prices but says investors should stay in the loop: “Pay attention to your portfolio. Stick to your goals. Have a plan because these things are completely unpredictable.”

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That unpredictability has Williams adjusting his budget. “You just cut back, cut corners, all you can do,” he says.



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