Prep Baseball Report

2022 Junior Future Games: Team Carolina (NC) Quick Hitters - Position Players


Matt Payne
Director of Scouting, PBR of NC

The 2022 Junior Future Games are underway at LakePoint in Emerson, GA featuring some of the top 2026 and 2027 prospects from across the country. Team Carolina kicked off their Junior Future Games with a workout on Tuesday. The workout day consisted of a full pro-style workout with players taking BP on the field with Trackman capturing ball flight data, a defensive workout, and players running a laser timed 60. Team Carolina will take on Texas, Canada, and Mississippi in their pool play action with bracket play to follow. 

Quick Hitters - Position Players

 

Ethan Gilchrist, IF, 2027

5-foot-10, 135-pound frame. Hands are quick with a direct path to the ball and line drive approach. Worked mostly through the middle and to his pull side in BP, top exit velocity at 79.8 mph. Barreled multiple balls to his pull side in game action. Athletic defender showing versatility. 

Noah Price, C/IF, 2027

5-foot-8, 150-pound frame. Balanced swing with a short path to the ball. Hands are loose using a gap to gap approach. Top exit velocity at 83.6 mph with an average EV of 80.6 mph. Had base hits to the big part of the field game action. Accurate arm to second base with workout pop times in the 2.14 to 2.26 range. 

Carter Huffman, CF/IF. 2026

Quickness in a 5-foot-8, 151-pound frame. Hands are quick with a mostly direct path to the ball. Squared balls up to the left center gap during his BP rounds. Posted a top exit velocity 87.4 mph. Barreled balls to both sides of the field in game competition. Made a diving catch coming in on a ball while playing center. Quickness on defense and on the base paths. 

Payton Webb, IF, 2026

5-foot-10, 140-pound build. Barrel takes a direct path to the ball using a line drive approach through the middle of the field. Hands have quickness. Top exit velocity at 79.7 mph. Balanced approach in game action, aggressive to pitches in the zone. Active feet on the infield with relaxed hands. 

Jeter Bynum, 1B/OF, 2026

5-foot-11, 150-pound build. Left hand hitter. Flat barrel path, gets extension through the middle of the field. Gap to gap approach with his top exit velocity at 76.4 mph. Accurate arm defensively while playing both the infield and outfield. 

Meridian Leffew, SS/2B, 2026

6-foot, 160-pound build. Athletic in the box with looseness to his swing. Hands are quick with a short path to the ball. Barreled balls to the left center gap during BP. Barreled multiple balls in game action. Top exit velocity at 81 mph. Fluid actions defensively with the ability to play in the middle of the field. Arm topped at 80 mph across the diamond. 

Jake Hunter, IF/OF, 2026

6-foot-2, 160-pound frame. Balanced swing with a direct path to the ball. Lined drive approach with the ability to use the whole field. Hands have quickness with his top exit velocity at 82.4 mph. Balanced approach in game action squaring some balls up through the middle of the field. Has ability to play multiple positions on defense.

Eli Beekley, C, 2026

5-foot-11, 180-pound build. Left hand hitter. Fluid swing with strength in his hands. Barrel is long through the zone with the ability to drive balls to both sides of the field. Had extra base hits to both sides of the field in game action. Has arm strength from behind the plate with accuracy and carry to his throws. 

Stephen Crater, 3B/RHP, 2026

6-foot-1, 170-pound build. Left hand hitter. Simple, balanced swing with feel for the barrel. Hands have strength and quickness with his barrel staying through the zone. Top exit velocity 86.7 mph. Showed ability to get barrel on the ball in game action adjusting to different speeds and locations. Solid actions on the infield. 

Tucker Payton, 3B, 2026

6-foot-1, 185-pound build. Left hand hitter. Controlled, balanced swing with quickness and strength in his hands. Has feel for the barrel keeping it through the zone. Made hard contact in game action with the ability to use both sides of the field. Has arm strength defensively. 

Wyatt Lytle, C, 2026

6-foot, 170-pound build. Worked through the middle of the field in BP with a line drive approach. Hands are strong with quickness. Top exit velocity at 83.7 mph. Squared balls up to both sides of the field in game action. Solid receiver and blocker with an accurate arm to second base. 

Michael Woodard, 1B/OF, 2026

6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. Left hand hitter. Consistently hit balls off the barrel in BP lining balls to both gaps. Short path to the ball with feel for the barrel. Hands are strong and quick. Top exit velocity at 84 mph. Aggressive base runner with ability to play first base and track balls in the outfield.