Prep Baseball Report of North Carolina held a scout day with the CBA Copperheads on Saturday August 25^th at Pfeiffer University.  Thirty-one players, ranging in graduation years 2019 – 2022, worked out for PBR.  The CBA Copperheads are based out of Concord and Lake Norman, just north of Charlotte.  They run multiple teams ranging from high school showcase teams down to the youth level.  Players and teams workout out of multiple fields and two indoor facilities.

Through the course of the workout, position players had the opportunity to run a laser timed 60, workout offensively in a cage setting and live on field, and then workout at their defensive position.  Pitchers were able to throw controlled bullpens.  The PBR staff was on hand to execute the day and record the stats on the players.  Each player in attendance will receive an evaluation from the PBR staff, verified statistics, and a prospect video added to their PBR profile. 

Ten primary pitchers worked out on the day with seven of them participating as dual prospects for the scout day.  The pens were flooded with underclass prospects and several have the chance to continue to project as they mature.  The lone 2019 to throw in this group, Nick Womack (LHP, Lincoln Charter School) has deception in his delivery that may allow his stuff to play up a little out of the hand.  Each player's evaluations are below.  To see their full profile, including statistics and video, just click on their name.

 

PBR Scout Day: CBA Copperheads By The Numbers
+ 31 Players took part in the scout day
+ 28 Players went through the position player workout
+ 18 Players threw controlled bullpens as part of the scout day
+ 2 players ran sub 7.00 sixties… 4 ran sub 7.10
+ Median sixty time on the laser timer was 7.57
+ 16 Players worked out on the infield with the top arm velocity of 81 mph
+ 9 Players threw from the outfield with 3 above 80 mph
+ 5 Catchers.  Top Pop time of 2.22
+ 5 arms above 76 with a high of 81… Most arms were still working back into condition after shutting down for a few weeks after the summer.

               CLICK HERE for the full roster from the CBA Copperhead Scout Day

               CLICK HERE for the full statistical breakdown of each player in attendance

 

 

Pitcher Analysis

 

Blake Anderson RHP / 3B / JM Robinson, NC / 2021 Some strength present in a 5-foot-11, 165 pound frame.  Rotational delivery with choppy rhythm.  Works level and on-line, landing square.  Head leaves the line early with the front side.  Finishes falling to the 1B side.  Fastball with occasional early arm side run at 72-74.  Shows feel for the zone.  Breaking ball is inconsistent with late 11/5 or 10/4 tilt at 57-61.  Velocity and stuff may tick up with better extension.  Some effort through release with a short, stiff arm swing to a high-3/4 slot.  Average hand speed. Right handed hitter is tall and balanced using a leg kick to load his weight.  Head can drift at times over the front side.  Average bat speed and barrel ability working with uphill leverage.  Pull tendency.  Some rotation through contact with an exit velocity up to 85 mph.  On the infield, shows at least average carry and some feel for accuracy at 76 mph across the diamond.  Feet tend to be flat through the catch, allowing the hands to catch the ball deep.  Clean exchanges to a long, over-the-top slot.  Ran a 8.03 sixty.

 

 

Luke Anderson LHP / OF / JM Robinson, NC / 2021 Average frame, standing 5-foot-7, 155 pounds.  Choppy delivery, working through some stiffness, but showing feel for 3 pitches in the zone.  Fastball sat 61–63 with arm side run for the lefty.  Worked to attack the zone.  More control than command.  Gradual 2/7 tilt to the breaking ball at 56—57 with average hand speed.  The change-up comes from a slower hand at times but has fade and some deception at 54-56.  Some head movement through rocker step and into his balance where he crouches slightly and works to load his back side.  Long arm action looks to bottom out slightly as it works back up to a high-3/4 slot.  Upright through the finish, falling slightly to the 3B side.  Slightly across his line and square at foot strike, the back side is late creating some rotation from the upper half.

 

 

Ethan Caldwell RHP / Lake Norman Christian, NC / 2020 Average, straight-line build at 6-foot-3, 187 pounds.  Room to add strength to the lower half with ease.   Controlled over the rubber working to an average leg kick and long arm swing.  Hand works outside the elbow through foot strike and release.  Fastball ranged 75-77, straight, and pound the zone.  Slightly across his line, the back side swings through, pivoting on the front side for a slightly rotational finish.  Works to get extension.  Fairly easy effort throughout.  Breaking ball is early, working with similar hand speed to the fastball to create more sweep than tilt at 62-63.  Straight change-up has some deception out of the hand, sitting 66-69.  Flooded the zone with all three pitches throughout the bullpen.  Decent hand speed suggests he may take a jump in stuff in the coming months.

 

 

Jake Contino RHP / OF / Lake Norman, NC / 2020 Athletic frame with physical strength apparent at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds.  Around the zone with all three pitches from an over-the-top slot.  Some rhythm, working level and landing on-line.  Average kick swings to the top, controlling the body turn on most pitches.  Head tends to be behind his hips at balance from a posture standpoint.  Long arm swing has looseness and average hand speed throughout.  Fastball plays straight at 76-79 with feel for locating it up in the zone.  Change-up has arm side action with similar hand speed to that of the fastball, sitting 61-64.  Gradual tilt to a breaking ball at 65-67 with tilt.  Breaking ball plays hard occasionally suggesting it may tick up in the near future. Right handed hitter is tall in the box with a vertical bat.  Hands load down and in as he dives slightly toward the plate with a small stride.  Uphill leverage and average barrel awareness.  Pull tendency in BP with average bat speed.  Exit velocity peaked at 81 mph off the barrel.   Defensively in the outfield, cautious to the ball with a two-hand approach through the ball.  Some stiffness through the exchange, working to play through the ball.  Long arm swing to an over-the-top slot.  Average carry and accuracy with a positional velocity of 84 mph out of the hand.  Ran a 7.51 sixty.

 

 

Braeden Major RHP / OF / Mooresville, NC / 2022 Young, still maturing in a small frame at 5-foot-10, 140 pounds.  Slow delivery working to build tempo after balance.  Easy rocker and turn to an average leg kick.  Very stable head.  Clean direction and arm action, working level.  Lands on-line and square, with average extension.  Long, loose arm arc to a high-3/4 slot.  Good feel for the fastball and change-up, both straight with an ability to continue to add movement as he adds strength to the frame.  Fastball ranged 72-74 coupled with the change-up at 65-66.  Breaking ball will tighten with maturity, showing 10/4 tilt now at 58-60.  Average carry and advanced accuracy from the outfield with throws measuring 75 mph out of the hand.  Fluid and athletic through the ball.  Average feet, working to catch off the outside of the left foot.  Easy, clean transition to a long arm swing and high-3/4 slot.  Right handed hitter works from an open stance, using a short stride.  Tall and narrow, the hands begin just off his chin, loading back with the stride.  Bat speed will improve with strength.  Short path working gap-to-gap with decent rhythm.  Exit velocity peaked at 69 mph.  Ran a 7.68 sixty.

 

 

Colin Shannon RHP / 1B / Pine Lake Preparatory, NC / 2021 Average 5-foot-11, 160 pounder.  Good projection left on the bump where he works with some ease and a quick hand.  Gathered at balance with an average leg kick, the back side loads as the shoulders create slight uphill leverage.  Slightly across his line at a square foot strike, falling slightly to the 1B side.  Long, loose arm swing to an over-the-top slot with quickness.  Fastball ranged 74-76, touching 77.  Good angle, pounding the down zone with hard, boaring run.  The slider comes from multiple hand speeds, but when the hand speed matches the fastball there is late tilt.  Ranging 61-63, the window is slightly lower than the window of the fastball.  Change-up gives him a serviceable 3rd pitch, sitting at 66-67.  Defensively at first base worked with active feet and a clean arm.  Arm swing matched the rhythm in the feet, showing an ability to change his slot when necessary as well.  Average accuracy at 72 mph out of the hand on positional throws.  Feet tend to be flat through the catch as the hands fight to funnel back to the midsection.  Right handed hitters starts open, using a short stride to get to his launch.  Early strider creating a two part swing when the timing was off.  Bat head loads off the shoulder to a vertical position as the hands load slightly downward.  Some length as the hands tend to cast away from the body.  Pull tendency with average barrel awareness in BP.  Exit velocity of 81 mph off the barrel.  Ran a 7.46 sixty.

 

 

Nathan Smith RHP / 3B / Pine Lake Preparatory, NC / 2021 Average 5-foot-10, 140 pound frame.  Simple delivery to balance with an average leg kick as the posture works to a tall stance.  Head is slightly behind the hips as he works to foot strike, with some uphill leverage in the shoulders.  Front side uses a glove point as the arm swing is long, bottoming out slightly, getting to an over-the-top release with average hand speed.  Fastball has slight run to it at 72-73, touching 75.  Works on-line and square, finishing with extension.  Throws slider and curveball with the slider at 64-66.  Erratic it can show length at times.  Curveball has more tilt at 57.  Change-up appears to be second pitch at this time with deception in the hand speed and some arm side run.  Sitting 60-63, there is feel for the zone. Right handed is open, tall, and narrow with bat waggle in the setup.  Aggressive stride works back to even.  Not much of a load as the bat waggles through the launch position.  Short path, lacking extension and working to find the barrel, there is average bat speed.  Exit velocity of 76 mph off the barrel.  On the infield, plays through the catch, with the feet moving forward and the hands occasionally deep at the catch.  Clean exchanges from the point of the catch to a long arm swing and high-3/4 slot.  Some effort in the release hurting accuracy.  71 mph across the diamond.  Ran a 7.56 sixty.

 

 

Jarrod Stamm RHP / SS / Hough, NC / 2022 Some length in his limbs at 5-foot-10, 150 pounds.  Plenty of time for maturation and room to add strength to the frame.  Around the zone with 3 pitches, more control than command.  Fastball at 70-73.  Breaking ball comes from a slightly slower arm speed than fastball with early, gradual tilt and a hump out of the hand, ranging 60-62.  Slows the arm on the change-up, but with feel for the pitch at 58-60.  Average kick to balance while losing some head stability as the leg swings out.  Short strider works on-line, landing open with the toe at foot-strike.  Long arm swing to an over-the-top slot.  Arm bottoms out slightly out of the glove.  Front side and head clear early to create some room for the slot. Defensively on the outfield, works to play through the ball with aggression.  Occasionally rushed through his footwork and arm swing creating some effort and accuracy issues.  When on time, the long arm action works to an over-the-top slot with a positional velocity of 75 mph out of the hand.  A right handed hitter, works balanced and tall with a slightly open stance.  Some waggle in the bat head through the load.  Uses a toe tap in his load and then a small stride.  Toe tap is late occasionally causing some barrel awareness issues.  When toe tap is late the front side strides open.  Bat speed will improve with better balance and more strength on the frame.  Exit velocity of 76 mph off the barrel.  Ran a 7.52 sixty.

 

 

Robert Tucker RHP / 2B / Hickory Ridge, NC / 2021 Stands 5-foot-5, 120 pounds.  Still maturing.  Stretch only with easy effort.  Good feel for his fastball at 62-65.  Slight arm side run on the fastball.  Low leg kick, sliding down the mound as the arm works through an average arm swing.  Loose, release is at a ¾ slot.  Level, on-line and smooth throughout, works to gain extension, finishing through his target.  Change-up is around the zone with some deception in the hand speed at 60-61, lacking some separation between the fastball.  Knuckleball at 55.  Slider was erratic with early, gradual tilt ranging 55-56.  As strength increases and fastball jumps, secondary stuff is in position to be more of a weapon. Right handed hitter is open, working back to even with his stride.  Medium leg kick loads the weight back.  Good transition from the back side on to the front side.  Short path, the bat can drag at times.  Good rhythm throughout.  Head discipline can wain as he works to create more bat speed, hurting some barrel awareness.  As he gets stronger, bat speed and barrel awareness will increase.  Exit velocity peaked at 65 mph off the barrel.  Aggressive on the infield, working to attack the baseball off the bat.  Playing through the catch, the hands can be deep creating some work through the transition.  Long arm swing and an arm slot that can adjust, still showing accuracy at 63 across the diamond.  Ran a 7.77 sixty.

 

 

Nick Womack LHP / 1B / Lincoln Charter , NC / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 281 / POS: 27 Large frame at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds.  Lefty has some deception in the delivery.  Average leg kick, coiling slightly at balance, and a slight uphill leverage in the shoulders as he works to foot strike.  Foot strike is on-line, fighting to remain square, occasionally hitting hard on the outside of the foot.  Long arm action with a slight wrap behind the body and a slight stabbing action.  Late with the arm at times to his power position, the arm has some quickness and the front side will clear to buy him more time.  When it is on time, average extension with angle to the fastball in the down zone.  Fastball ranged 74-75.  Misses tend to be up and to the arm side.  Breaking ball was poured into the zone at 64-66.  Around the pitch at times, there is feel with gradual arc, sometimes with more sweep than tilt.  The change-up comes from a slower arm speed at 68.  Stuff will firm when the timing is better and he throws strikes with a lot of action in the body.