Prep Baseball Report

Brooks Baldwin: PBR Player of the Week for March 26 - April 7


Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

Player of the Week nominations are submitted by High School coaches across North Carolina each week.  Along with the nominations, Prep Baseball Report is diving into box scores, talking to coaches and scouts, and attending as many games as possible.

The PBR Player of the Week for April 10th will go back over the past two weeks as many schools were participating in Spring Break Tournaments.  Players from across North Carolina had big weeks playing intra-conference games in tournaments, opponents from across the state, and even diving into competition from the southeast.  Richmond Sr won the Hilton Head HS Invite.  High Point Christian finished 2nd in the Mingo Bay Classic, out of 96 teams.  Green Hope HS made a run to the finals of the USA Baseball National HS Invitational, the first team from NC to get to the finals.  One player took home player of the week, but many players were part of the success of their teams.

The PBR Player of the Week for March 26 – April 7 is Brooks Baldwin, infielder/pitcher from Whiteville HS.  Baldwin, a UNC Wilmington recruit, led the Wolfpack to a 3-0 week at the Greenville Spring Break Tournament, featuring high level teams from NC and VA. 

Baldwin accounted for 72% of the Wolfpack runs, scoring 9 times and driving in 14 in the three games.  He hit .714, going 10-14 with 4 HR, 3 Doubles, and a triple, producing a slugging percentage of 1.928.  On the mound, Baldwin shutdown JH Rose, the No. 1 3A team in the PBR/NCBCA Coaches Poll in 4 innings of relief.

PBR Player of the Week

Brooks Baldwin, 2B, Whiteville, 2018
+Good week at the Greenville, NC Spring Break Tournament against high end competition
+Hit .714, going 10-14 with 4 HR, 3 Doubles, 1 Triple, 9 Runs, and 14 RBIs.  Also swiped 2 bases.
+Slugged 1.928 and accounted for 72% of Whiteville’s runs in the 3 games.
+On the mound, 4IP, 3H, 0R, 6K, 0BB in relief against JH Rose HS

Honorable Mention

Two players were in tight contention for the Player of the Week and should be mentioned for their performances.  Kyle Smith, a Junior Catcher at New Hanover HS was named the MVP in the Ashley HS Spring Break Tournament.  The UNC commit hit .556 in the tournament, including a huge game in the championship against Patriot HS, a favorite to win the VA State Title this spring.  Smith went 3-4 with 2 HR and a Double, racking up 7 RBI in the title game.

Jonathan Lee is a Senior LHP at Richmond Sr HS.  The UNC Pembroke commit threw a Perfect Game and got the win in the Hilton Head HS Invitational Championship Game.  In total, Lee worked 13 innings over the two outings, giving up 1 run and striking out 15. 

Kyle Smith, C, New Hanover HS, 2019
+Named MVP of Ashley HS Spring Break Tournament
+Championship Game - 3-4, 2B, 2 HR, 2 Runs, 7 RBI 
+For the Tournament, hit .556, slugged 1.333, with an on base percentage of .667. 
+Also collected 10 RBI, 3 Runs, and 1 Stolen Base

Jonathan Lee, LHP, Richmond Sr HS, 2018
+Came up big on the mound in conference and in their Spring Break Tournament
+Perfect Game vs. Hoke County in 3-0 win
+7IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 11K, 0BB in 3-0 win
+Pitched the Championship Game of the Hilton Head Invitational
+6IP, 6H, 1R, 1ER, 4K, 1BB

Other Top Performances

Josh Dotson, RHP, AC Reynolds, 2018
+Complete game win over Ballard HS of Kentucky
+7IP, 0R, 16K
+Double with 2 RBI as well

Lee Fentress, INF, Ashley HS, 2018
+Hit .500 in two conference games
+4-8 with 3 RBIs

Price King, LHP, Ashley HS, 2018
+CG win in final game of their own spring break tournament
+7IP, 4H, 0R, 12K, 0BB

Ashton Evans, C/3B, Ashley HS, 2019
+Hit .429 over the week
+3-7 and a walk-off single to beat Topsail

Josh Kidd, LHP, Ashley HS, 2019
+In relief, worked 4.2 innings, picking up 3 Ks and a Win

Penn Sealy, RHP, Broughton HS, 2019
+Winning pitcher in championship of the Bobby Murray Spring Break Tournament
+CG, 5IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 4K, 3BB

Andrew Smith, OF, Bunn, 2018
+Came up huge for his team in the Johnston County Easter Touranmemnt hitting .500 and taking home MVP honors for the week
+8-16, HR, 2B, 9 RBI
+HR in the championship game

Jake Smith, RHP, Chapel Hill HS, 2018
+Big win over Durham Jordan 3-2
+7IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 12K, 3BB

Luke Kimrey, RHP, East Forsyth, 2018
+Win over Pinecrest in West Brunswick Beach Diamond Invitational
+6.1IP, 4H, 1R, 0ER, 5K, 0BB

Hunter Hutchens, OF, East Forsyth, 2019
+Helped the Eagles go 3-0 at West Brunswick Beach Diamond Invitational
+Hit .364 with 2 2B, 3 RBI's, 2 Runs, 1 SB

Matt Rivers, 3B, East Forsyth, 2019
+Helped the Eagles go 3-0 at the West Brunswick Beach Diamond Invitational
+5 for 8 with a 2B, 1 SB, and 2R

Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope HS, 2018
+Helped lead Green Hope to finals of USA Baseball's NHSI Tournament
+4-14, 3B, 3 Runs, 2 RBI, 3 SB
+Athleticism and speed created opportunities throughout the week

Liam Norris, LHP, Green Hope HS, 2020
+Opening round win in USA Baseball's NHSI Tournament
+6IP, 1H, 1R, 0ER, 9K, 4BB  
+5-14, 3 RBI, walk-off single in 11th of semi-final game

Tyler Vicars, RHP, Hickory Ridge High, 2018
+Picked up 2 wins last week, a 7-2 win 3 hitter over Mt. Pleasant, and a Complete game shutout of Olympic

Nolan DeVos, RHP, Hickory Ridge High, 2019
+Threw 2 complete game shutouts in the last week.
+A 4 hit 11 K shutout against Porter Ridge in a 4-0 victory
+ A3 Hit, 7 K shutout against Charlotte Christian in a 4-0 victory

Layton Helms, 2B, North Stokes, 2018
+Dominated in 2 appearances on the mound
+1-0, 8IP, 0ER, 13K, 3BB, and a save
+Hit .444, going 4-9, with 6 RBI, and 4 Runs

Jake Craddock, RHP, North Stokes, 2019
+Good week on the mound and at the plate in the leadoff position.
+Hit .667, going 6-9 with a 3B, 6 Runs, 4 RBI and 1 intentional BB
+4.2IP, 3H, 9K on the mound

Patrick Bloomingburg, OF, Providence HS, 2019
+MVP of the Queen City Invitational. 
+Hit .714 and scored 2 runs, leading Providence to a perfect week

Coby Ingle, RHP, Rockingham County HS, 2020
+2 Wins in last 2 weeks
+7IP, 4H, 0R, 6K, 0BB over McMichael in the Greensboro Grasshoppers Spring Break Tournament
+6IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 11K, 0BB over Bartlett Yancey

Donovan O’Donnell, OF, Scotland, 2018
+Key part of the Fighting Scots six game winning streak
+Hit .500, going 8-16, with 2 walks, 2 doubles, and 8 RBIs

Wyatt Beatini, C, South Brunswick, 2018
+Hit .600 in 3 games this week leading to a 2-1 week