Prep Baseball Report

2019 Top Prospect Games - Quick Hitters


Brandon Hall & Matt Payne
North Carolina Director of Scouting

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 7th 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.  Today we being that look with some quick hitters from our scouting staff.

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

 

2019 North Carolina Top Prospect Games – Quick Hitters

Cameron Verrier, SS/2B, 2020 (Cleveland HS) - Loose with gap strength from the left side.  Has some whip to his barrel and drove balls during game play. Solid defensive actions on the infield.

Isaiah Mack, 3B,2B, 2022 (Hough HS) - Smooth swing from the right side with above average bat speed.  Drove balls gap to gap with feel for his barrel during batting practice.

Maxwell Doherty, C/OF, 2020 (Lake Norman Charter) - Hands work through the swing from the right side, making consistent hard contact during batting practice.  Used the whole field, showing above average bat speed. 

Korbin Pettigrew, SS/OF, 2022 (Hoggard HS) - Hits from the right side with a projectable 6-foot 4 frame.  Fluid stroke with a flat barrel path, showing above average bat speed and barrel awareness.

Lukas Schramm, OF, 2022 (Apex HS) - Drives the ball with plus bat speed from the right side.  Has rhythm and strength at the plate with arm strength from the outfield.

Hogan Stallings, 1B, 2020 (Wake Forest HS) - Has lift in his swing from the left side.  Drove the ball during batting practice and game action showcasing his strength.  In game exit velocity of 103 off the bat on a ball driven off the pull side wall.

Dylan Koontz, 3B, 2021 (Hough HS) - Hits from the left side with lift in his swing and pop to his pull side.  Drove two balls to the right-side during game action.  Multi-slot guy on the bump that was able to sink the ball to his arm side.

Ethan Martin, C/1B, 2020 (Northwest Guilford HS) - Simple approach with a short path from the left side.  Stayed gap to gap during batting practice with a line drive approach and carried it over to the game making hard contact.

Matt Heavner, SS, 2021 (North Lincoln HS) - Baseball player.  Plays with pace and very fundamentally sound.  Knows where the barrel is and has a good feel for the strike zone.  Seems to be in the right spot defensively a lot as well.  Run tool will improve as he adds strength.  Arm should give him the chance to stay on the right side as he ages.

Austin St. Laurent, SS, 2020 (Western Alamance HS) - Advanced defender who plays shortstop with ease and confidence.  Flat stroke with bat speed from the right side.  Drove balls against live pitching while playing aggressive on the base paths.  Played with pace and joy.  Infectious attitude on the field allowing other players to play with some ease as well.

Jacob Bebber, C, 2020 (Alexander Central HS) - Fluid swing with bat speed from the right side.  Has strength in his swing and finds his barrel against live arms. 

Ryan McCrystal, C/RHP, 2021 (Fuquay-Varina HS) - Drives the ball from the left side during batting practice with pop to his pull side.  Used the whole field during game action, making hard contact.  Bumped 89 on the mound, showcasing a breaking ball with hard depth.

Jackson Bowman, 2B/OF, 2020 (Wesleyan Christian Academy) - Bat speed with feel for his barrel from the right side.  Drives the ball gap to gap with a line drive approach. 

Matthew Suppa, C/3B, 2022 (Ardrey Kell HS) - Balanced swing working middle to his pull side during batting practice.  Bat speed and strength are present with better than average barrel awareness.

Graham Smiley, C/3B, 2022 (East Lincoln HS) - Homered twice during game play. Smooth swing with bat speed and advanced barrel awareness. Arm strength shows defensively.  Athleticism plays on defense and in the box.  High ceiling is apparent moving forward. 

Aaron Williams, C/3B, 2020 (Davie County HS) - Hands work through his swing with better than average feel for his barrel.  Used the whole field during batting practice and looked to get his swing off in game action.

Cyle Phelan, LHP, 2021 (Fuquay-Varina HS) – Several schools on hand to see Phelan’s 1st outing after an impressive Future Games.  He did not disappoint, bumping 91 again and flooding the zone with a fastball/breaking ball mix.  The last two outings have moved Phelan to the forefront of several school’s recruiting process.

Jackson Kirkpatrick, RHP, 2020 (McMichael HS) – A big winner from the event where Kirkpatrick has made his case to be a draft follow entering the fall and spring seasons.  At 6-foot-7, the big righty commands attention.  He held those eyes with a fastball ranging 87-90 and a slider with tilt up to 79.

Noah Carter, RHP, 2020 (Chatham Charter) – Physical presence at 6-foot-5 with easy rhythm over the rubber.  The fastball played in and out, up to 85.  Around the zone with a chance to peak the fastball in the near future as the arm continues to build arm speed.

Tanner Lyne, RHP, 2022 (CFA Academy) – Caught some eyes with a short, deceptive arm swing and a fastball that peaked at 86.  Average to above tilt on the slider.  Strike thrower should continue to elevate his stuff in the coming years.

Corey Avant, RHP, 2020 (Sun Valley HS) – Tall and lanky and the body screams projection.  The fastball bumped 88 and there are schools that are working to figure out his future and how much strength and quickness can be added to the frame.

Case Stroup, LHP, 2020 (Apex Friendship) – Intriguing uncommitted lefty that worked up to 87 throughout the outing.  Arm strength over arm speed right now, but there is athleticism present in the frame.

Zane Taylor, RHP, 2020 (Pro5 Academy) – We know the arm is strong, where low 90s have been reached in positional throws from the outfield… Taylor choose to be a Pitcher Only at the Top Prospect Games and the fastball bumped 89.  Still some rhythm and timing issues to adjust but each time we see him he is closer and closer to unleashing his full arm speed off the mound.