By Brandon Hall
Director of Scouting, PBR NC

Follow us on Twitter: @PrepBaseballNC

 

On Saturday January 14^th Prep Baseball Report ran a scout day for the Carolina Viper organization, based out of Waxhaw, NC.  The event included players from the 2018, 2019, and 2020 graduating classes.  Each player participated in an extended pro-style workout.  Infielders and outfielders received extended defensive sessions.  All position players were able to take multiple rounds of batting practice.  The pitchers through extended bullpens.  As part of the scout day, PBR evaluated each player in attendance and posted the player’s verified statistics and video to his PBR Player Profile page. 

 

CLICK HERE to see the full roster from the Viper Scout Day.  Click on the player’s name to see his info and video.

CLICK HERE to see the statistical report from the Viper Scout Day.

 

In order to get an in-depth look into the Viper program, we will breakdown the roster by position to look at the results from their Scout Day.  Today we take an in-depth look at the pitchers.

 

Pitchers

Garrett Crisp, RHP, Piedmont HS, NC (2019)

Young build, listed at 5-foot-10, 135 pounds with room to add strength. Fastball ranged 73-75, touching 76.  Arm works with some quickness from a high-3/4 slot with a long arm arc.  Aggressive through the delivery, threw strikes with all three pitches.  Breaking ball sat 63-65 with 10/4 shape and gradual break.  The change-up flashed swing and miss potential, ramping up to 69 with good handspeed and producing arm side action.  The delivery has some effort, but works with rhythm, in line, landing in an athletic position. 

 

Tyler D’Amico, LHP, Cuthbertson HS, NC (2018)

Intriguing prospect that has a good presence on the mound, working with a strong arm action, and throwing a well above average change-up.  At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, there is maturity in the body already.  Worked with good balance, staying tall and in line throughout the motion.  The fastball worked up to 76, filling the strike zone up.  The change flashed 65-66 with fastball handspeed, producing deception and arm side run.  Good feel for the change, throwing it to the arm side with ease.  The breaking ball ranged 63-64 with gradual tilt, rolling through the zone fairly regularly. 

 

Kyler Eckert, RHP, Sun Valley HS, NC (2018)

Stands 5-foot-10, 155 pounds and works from a high-3/4 slot with a long arm arc.  Arm has some quickness in it, using average effort throughout.  The fastball ranged 75-77.  Coiling at balance a little, the body does un-coil with the shoulders working down the mound slightly closed.  Lands on-line as the front side tends to leave the line early.  Breaking ball tended to sweep with the front side action, touching 65.  The change-up showed as the second pitch, sitting 70-71 with near fastball handspeed and some arm side action.

 

Nick Foray, LHP, Cuthbertson HS, NC (2018)

Lanky build with some quickness in the hand.  Stands 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, with room to add strength to the frame.  Fastball ranged 75-78 from a 3/4 slot that remained loose through the arm swing.   Good rhythm, level shoulders, and an athletic finish allowed the ability to fill the zone up with all three pitches.  The breaking ball has a 2/8, sweeping, type action that seems to work late, topping at 68.  Handspeed on the spin pitch creates some deception as it mimics fastball.  The change-up sat 68-71 showing occasional arm side run.  The hand tended to slow a bit from fastball.  Lanky and loose with a repeatable slot suggests more jumps are to come in the future with stuff.

 

Michael Hargett, RHP, Porter Ridge HS, NC (2018)

Long arm stroke and high-3/4 slot produced a lot of strikes.  Extremely up tempo pace with a high energy attitude and delivery throughout the bullpen.  The pace would put pressure on hitters to adjust.  Fastball ranged 73-75 in the zone but still working to hit spots.  The breaking ball worked with 11/5 action, showing good handspeed and flashing hard action.  At times, erratic down in the zone, but on line.  Spin topped at 67.  Change-up is the second pitch right now, touching 66 with good deception out of the hand.  Somewhat choppy through the delivery, does work on-line and finishes with an athletic presence.

 

Peter Kerley, RHP, Sun Valley HS, NC (2019)

Lanky at 6-foot-1, 140 pounds with a lot of growth left and room to fill the frame with strength.  Some effort in the arm action working through a long arm stroke to a high-3/4 slot.  Showed good feel for balance, creating level shoulders, and landing square to the target.  Delivery does get a little choppy as the ball starts to work out of the glove.  Fastball ranged 70-71, around the zone.  Change-up touched 66, acting as a straight change, with good hand speed deception.  The curveball worked with a gradual 11/5 action that rolled through the zone.

 

Blake Little, RHP, CATA, NC (2019)

Oozes projection at 6-foot-6, 158 pounds with a loose, high-3/4 slot that produces angle to the fastball, pounding the bottom of the zone.  Stays tall through balance with a feel for his rhythm.  Arm works long, loose, and easy, producing better than average quickness through the release point.  Fastball touched 79, boring down hill, around the zone but not always through the glove.  The breaking ball is inconsistent but shows projection, ranging 68-70 with 10/4 action.  Handspeed and slot mimic fastball creating some deception.  Tilt tends to come a little early but will tighten as he adds strength to the frame.  Change-up sat 64-66, and while erratic, worked with near fastball handspeed.  Good athlete for his size, flashed decent feet at 1B and ran a 30 in 4.29.

 

Cade Pearce, RHP, Sun Valley HS, NC (2018)

Lanky frame at 6-foot-1, 160 pounds.  Showed some quickness in his body running a 3.94 in his 30.  Fastball played up to 75, around the zone while change showed to be the second pitch at 69-70.  Change worked with fastball handspeed and was around the zone.  A long, loose arm swing, loads the scap working to a high-3/4 slot.  Smooth rhythm comes out of a good balance point.  Works level and on-line as he drives toward the plate.  Breaking ball ranged 62-63 with 11/5, downer type action.  At times inconsistent and rolling out of the hand, a few flashed with sharper break.  Projection exists as the frame matures.

 

Tyler Wiley, LHP, Piedmont HS, NC (2020)

Young pitcher with a lot of growth ahead.  Listed at 5-foot-1, 115 pounds.  Arm works with a long arm arc, turning the ball over early, getting to a high-3/4 release.  A little choppy through the delivery, shoulders work level while a little closed off.  Fastball ranged 58-62.  Change-up mimics fastball, creating some deception, sitting 49-51 and around the strike zone.  Curveball rolled into the zone, touching 51.  All pitches are in good enough shape to continue to mature as the body grows and adds strength.

 

Alex Zikos, LHP, Marvin Ridge HS, NC (2018)

Long arm arc works with some arm speed up to a high-3/4 slot.  Good balance and average effort work through a drop and drive setup on the backside.   Lands closed with level shoulders producing a fastball that ranged 63-65.  Change-up shows promise, sitting 58-59, around the zone, and with fastball hand speed.