I'll put in a plug for Virginia.
In the Richmond area (population maybe 750k), we had 33 2008 HS grads move on to scholarship college baseball opportunities (D-2, D-1 and JuCo), and those are just the ones I know of. Also two players who received numerous All-American honors and were drafted.
Two members of the 2007 class are noted as having been the top prospects in their respective summer collegiate leagues this year, which for them is the year between freshman and sophomore years. Both are 90+ pitchers. One of them pitched for the 18u Team USA a year ago.
Among current MLB alumni from our area are Justin Verlander, Sean Marshall and Cla Meredith.
I am less familiar with other areas of the state, but I'm sure folks down in Tidewater/VA Beach area would point out that they spawned the Upton brothers, David Wright, Ryan Zimmerman, Michael Cuddyer and probably others I'm overlooking. In northern VA, you could point to John Main, Travis Snider, and again probably others I cannot recall at the moment.
Someone bumped up an old thread recently on what is the average fastball in HS play. A poster stated that if anyone says anything above 75 it was BS. Well, I don't know where he's from, but around here it's more like 83 for "average", and that's taking account of your crafty lefty types. Sure there are slower guys, but while they are on the teams they don't get to pitch much. There were probably six 90+ guys in the Richmond area last year and probably at least that many more coming when the 2009 class comes of age next spring.
And the hitters do keep pace! I've been frankly astounded at the caliber of play at the HS level around here. The bottom feeders these days would have mopped up the best teams from back in my day.
It may not be FL, TX or CA, but things are pretty strong around here these days.
