Prep Baseball Report

North Carolina Draft Preview


Nathan Rode and Brandon Hall

The 2018 MLB Draft will take place June 4-6. To get you ready, Prep Baseball Report is releasing state previews with notes on high school draft prospects in its comprehensive coverage area. For more information on the prospects included in the High School Draft 100, click on the links to the players’ profiles to view comments, news and videos.

HIGH SCHOOL DRAFT 100 PROSPECTS
Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope HS, NC (North Carolina)
Owen White, RHP, Jesse C Carson HS, NC (South Carolina)
Justin Jarvis, RHP, Lake Norman HS, NC (UNC Wilmington)

OTHERS TO WATCH: SS Jaylen Guy (Southeast Guilford HS, NC) has an athletic, strong build at 6 feet, 175 pounds with room to add strength. He turns in home-to-first times around 4.2 seconds and plays relaxed in the infield with good rhythm. He has loose hands and a short path to the ball with a gap-to-gap approach. He is committed to Liberty. LHP Luke Little (East Mecklenburg HS, NC), a Gardner-Webb recruit, has an imposing frame at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds. He has a long arm action through a 3/4 slot with a slinger approach. His fastball has late life, sitting at 87-89 mph and touching 90. He also mixes in a sharp slider with hard tilt at 77-80. The changeup has fade, sitting 76-78. He’s erratic at times, but does show the ability to throw all three pitches for strikes. RHP Jake Smith (Chapel Hill HS, NC) turned some heads at the PBR North Carolina ProCase in early February, drawing some crowds to see him throw during the spring. The UNC-Wilmington recruit’s fastball sat 87-89, touching 90. OF Christian Jayne (Terry Sanford HS, NC) looks the part when walking on the field. An East Carolina recruit, his athleticism is advanced, as the long strider has run the 60 in the 6.6 range. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, the frame is large and will continue to add strength. A two-sport star in high school, Jayne may make big jumps quickly as he gets a full summer and fall in the coming year to concentrate on baseball. RHP Josh Dotson (AC Reynolds HS, NC) committed to North Carolina several years ago and many wondered if he would be a pitcher or a shortstop. On the mound this spring, he began to draw pro interest because of the athleticism. The fastball topped out at 88 in early May. Reports have it being a tick higher, but it is the future growth of the pitch and Dotson’s 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame that creates excitement. The breaking ball may grade out to be close to average now with a chance to become an out pitch in the future. RHP Zachary Hammer (Alexander Central HS, NC), a Catawba Valley CC recruit, could go off the board, but missed his last few outings of the spring. It does not seem to be too serious, as he was in the mix to be back on the mound if Alexander Central had continued to advance in the state tournament. The 6-foot-3, 170-pounder has big stuff, but can be wild at times. The curveball is a power pitch and the fastball peaked at 92 this spring. RHP Logan Whitaker (Ledford HS, NC) is a high-waisted, 6-foot-5, 175-pounder whose frame screams projection. The arm is clean and quick with the fastball peaking at 88. While the pure stuff may be a little light for a draft slot in 2018, someone may take a runner at Whitaker as the future grades are very promising. If Whitaker does make it to North Carolina State in the fall, we all may look back in three years and question how he made it to school. SS/C Trent Harris (Pro5 Academy, NC) is still defining where he may fit best on a roster, but the arm strength is a tool that may play at high levels. Behind the plate, his pop times ranged 1.8-2.01 in a workout setting with a positional velocity of 82 mph out of the crouch. From shortstop, the hands work with some rhythm, but the arm is easy with plus carry at 94 mph across the diamond. The mound may be the spot where the arm plays and there are reports of him working above 88 this spring. He is committed to High Point.

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