One of the premier events each summer on the PBR docket is the North Carolina Top Prospect Games.  This year, the Top Prospect Games took place on August 7^th at Campbell University with over 50 of the top players from North Carolina in attendance.   Position players worked through a full pro-style workout, followed by a controlled scrimmage with pitchers throwing live to hitters.  PBR scouts were on hand to collect stats, notes, and evaluations on each player in attendance.

In the coming days and weeks, we will dive deep into information and players from the Top Prospect Games.  Below is a look at the catchers from the event.  Six of the backstops posted offensive exit velocities of 90 mph or better.  Six had pop times, in the workout, under 2.05.

CLICK HERE to see the full stats from the Top Prospect Games

 

Top Prospect Games - Catcher Analysis

 

CATCHERS

Jacob Bebber C / 3B / Alexander Central, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 157 / POS: 17 Lenoir-Rhyne commit.  5 foot 9, 185-pound sturdy build.  Balanced setup from the right side.  Smooth load with a short stride with his hands cocking, creating some bat angle behind his head.  Above average bat speed with strength in the swing.  Gap to gap approach and left the yard to his pull side during batting practice.  Barreled two balls to right field during game action.  Exit velocity recorded at 94 mph.  Quick feet, transferring across his chest with a short arm action, throwing from an over the top slot.  Pop times ranged from 1.96-2.11.  Some feel for the bag with his arm topping at 74 mph from a crouch position.  Recorded a 7.08 in the 60.

Brooks Brannon C / OF / Randleman, NC / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 3 5 foot 11, 180-pound build with strength.  Right hand hitter with a relaxed, slightly open setup.  Smooth load with the weight and hands working back with a short stride getting back to even.  Fluid swing with feel for his barrel.  Some lift in the swing with pop to his pull side.  Barreled a ball to right field during game action.  Average to above average bat speed with strength.  Exit velocity recorded at 94 mph.  Quick feet with a quick exchange across his chest, short arm action throwing from an over the top slot.  Arm velocity from a crouch position topped at 75 mph.  Accurate arm with pop times ranging from 2.01-2.14.  Recorded a 7.56 in the 60.

Maxwell Doherty C / OF / Lake Norman Charter, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 165 / POS: 19 5 foot 10, 185-pound build.  Open setup with a narrow base from the right side of the plate.  Average stride getting back to even with a quiet barrel during his load.  Consistently found his barrel during batting practice using the whole field.  Hands get through the zone with some lift in the swing.  Above average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 90 mph.  Quick feet behind the plate gaining ground on his throws to second base.  Transfers across his chest with a short arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot with his arm topping at 76 mph from a crouch position. Pop times ranged from 2.06-2.26.  Average hands in the outfield, playing through balls with an accurate arm that topped at 79 mph.  Recorded a 7.33 in the 60.

Wesley Lug C / 1B / William Amos Hough, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 65 / POS: 10 5 foot 10, 195-pound build with present strength.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate.  Uses a toe tap during his load.  Quick hands using the whole field during batting practice with better than average barrel awareness.  Keeps his barrel in the zone with strength to his pull side.  Average to above average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 94 mph.  Quick transfers behind the plate with his arm topping at 78 mph from a high ¾ slot.  Some feel for the second base bag with his pop times ranging from 2.03-2.14.  Active feet with feel around the first base bag.  Gets his hips low during catch with average hands.  Accurate arm the topped at 76 mph.  Recorded a 7.46 in the 60.

Peter Maldonado C / RHP / Heritage, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 89 / POS: 14 5 foot 11, 168-pound frame with room to add strength.  Tall, relaxed open setup with a narrow base from the left side.  Smooth load with his hands working back creating some bat angle above his head.  Some quickness to his hands getting through the zone.  Barrel works uphill through the zone working mostly to his pull side.  Average barrel feel and bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 88 mph.  Hip mobility behind the plate with quick transfers across his chest.  Arm topped at 73 mph from a crouch position.  Accurate arm to second base with pop times ranging from 2.07-2.24.  In game pop time recorded at 2.18.

Ethan Martin C / 1B / Northwest Guilford, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 233 / POS: 29 Strength present at 5 foot 11, 175-pounds.  Left hand hitter with a balanced setup.  Simple load with a short stride and his hands working slightly back.  Controlled approach during batting practice staying in the middle of the field.  Barrel works short to the ball with better than average barrel awareness.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 81 mph.  Drove balls to the left center gap and to right field during game action.  Transfers across his chest with a short arm action, throwing form an over the top slot with his arm topping at 71 mph to second base.  Pop times ranged from 2.14-2.31 with some feel for the bag.  Recorded an 8.01 in the 60.

Ryan McCrystal C / RHP / Fuquay-Varina, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 13 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 398 / POS: 53 East Carolina commit.  Strength present in 6 foot 2, 190-pound frame.  Relaxed setup from the left side of the plate.  Leg kick during his load with a quiet barrel.  Has pop to his pull side with lift in his swing.  Drove two balls during game action.  Above average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 92 mph.  Quick transfers with a short arm action, throwing from an over the top slot with his arm topping at 84 mph to second base.  Accurate arm with carry and pop times recorded at 1.94-1.96.  Plays through balls on the infield with average hands.  Arm topped at 89 mph across the diamond.  Recorded a 7.79 in the 60.  Arm strength carries to the mound where he sat 85-89.  Fastball is heavy with run and sink to the arm side.  Easy, quick, and loose through his high-3/4 release, the fastball jumps.  Good change-up at 78-81.  Maintained arm speed with arm side run to the pitch.  Breaking ball was erratic with late 11/5 tilt at 77.  Works smooth and level with an average kick to the low chest.   Lands on-line and square.  Good extension from a clean arm.

Graham Smiley C / 3B / East Lincoln, NC / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 11 / POS: 1 North Carolina State commit.  6 foot, 180-pound build with strength.  Homered twice to left field during game action.  Relaxed setup from the right side with a narrow base.  Smooth load with his hands getting ready to attack the ball.  Ball has carry off his bat with above average bat speed.  Uses the whole field with better than average barrel awareness.  Exit velocity recorded at 94 mph.  Quick feet with a quick exchange behind the plate.  Arm topped at 80 mph from a crouch position.  Accurate arm with pop times ranging from 1.90-2.06.  Fluid actions on the infield with average hands.  Accurate arm across the diamond with carry topping at 84 mph.  Recorded a 7.49 in the 60.

Matthew Suppa C / 3B / Ardrey Kell, NC / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 51 / POS: 7 5 foot 9, 190-pound build with a strong lower half.  Open setup from the right side with a narrow base.  Average stride getting back to even with quiet hands.  Balanced swing working mostly middle to his pull side.  Better than average bat speed and barrel awareness.  Barreled a ball to the right-side during game action.  Exit velocity recorded at 85 mph.  Starts slanted behind the plate with quick transfers across his chest, with a short arm action, throwing form a high ¾ slot.  Accurate arm that topped at 73 mph from a crouch position.  Pop times ranged from 2.09-2.32.  Recorded an 8.70 in the 60.

Peyton Wilkins C / OF / Wayne School of Engineering, NC / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 18 / POS: 2 5 foot 11, 175-pound build.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate.  Weight and hands work back during the load with a short stride.  Gap to gap approach with some strength in his swing.  Flashes feel for his barrel when he keeps it in the zone.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 84 mph.  Feet work through his throws to second base, throwing from an over the top slot.  Positional velocity topped at 78 mph from a crouch position.  Pop times ranged from 2.09-2.22.  Arm topped at 81 mph from the outfield.  Some accuracy with a longer exchange and a long arm action, throwing from an over the top slot.  Recorded a 7.53 in the 60.

Aaron Williams C / 3B / Davie, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 122 / POS: 12 Strong build at 6 foot, 185-pounds.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate starting with his bat flat above his back shoulder. Weight and hands work back during his load with a medium length stride.  Hands get through the zone with better than average barrel awareness.  Balanced swing using the whole field.  Better bat speed in game action.  Exit velocity recorded at 87 mph.  Quick feet behind the plate with a short arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Arm is accurate with some carry topping at 77 mph from a crouch position.  Pop times ranged from 2.05-2.21.  Average hands on the infield with quick exchange and release.  Arm topped at 76 mph across the diamond.  Recorded a 7.59 in the 60.