Prep Baseball Report

PBR Scout Day: Dry Pond Baseball - 2020 & 2021 Pitcher Evals


Matt Payne
North Carolina Director of Scouting

Organizational Scout Days allow teams from across North Carolina to showcase their players for PBR Scouts and the over 800 college coaches and universities that subscribe.  On Wednesday September 11th, Dry Pond took over 25 players from their organization through a full pro-style workout for Prep Baseball Report.

Position players went through a full workout, running a 60, working out at their defensive position, and going through a full offensive evaluation with an exit velocity testing station.  Pitchers threw a controlled bullpen, allowing PBR scouts to see the mechanical setup, arm speed, arm action, and stuff.  PBR scouts were able to document analytical statistics while also beginning to put together full player evaluations.  Each player will also have a video from the workout added to their PBR Profile in the coming weeks.

Below are the evaluations of the 2020 and 2021 primary pitchers in the Dry Pond program.  Inside the evaluation is a look at their performance from the day.  A video from the workout can be seen in each player's PBR Profile.

 

CLICK HERE to see the full roster and statistical information from the PBR Scout Day with Dry Pond Baseball.

 

Dry Pond Scout Day - 2020 & 2021 PItchers

 

 

Dylan Arms RHP / 3B / North Gaston , NC / 2020

 

6 foot, 166-pound build with broad shoulders.  Balanced setup from the right side, sitting into his legs.  Little to no stride with his hands cocking, creating some bat angle above his hand during his load.  Barrel works short to the ball with a gap to gap approach.  Has strength to his pull side with average barrel awareness and bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 86 mph.  Works to the ball on the infield with his feet stopping at catch.  Average hands, funneling to the belt after catch with an accurate arm across the diamond that topped at 75 mph.  Recorded a 7.71 in the 60.
On the mound he starts with a sidestep, going into his leg kick working up to his left shoulder.  Tempo starts slow then speeds up through the delivery.  In line to the plate with a closed toe landing.  Fastball worked from 74-76 mph, topping at 77 mph from a high ¾ slot.  Curveball has 11/5 shape with gradual break at 59-62 mph.  Flashed a changeup at 71-74 mph.  Stayed in the zone with both his fastball and curveball. 

Ty Cobb RHP / East Lincoln, NC / 2020

 

Thin frame at 6 foot 2, 165-pounds.  Starts his delivery with a small rocker step, going into a tucked leg lift working up to the top of his chest.  Hands break at the chest, working in line to the plate with a square toe landing.  Smooth tempo throughout the delivery with a long, loose arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Quick arm getting good extension over his front side.  Fastball ranged from 79-82 mph.  Slider is tight with across action at 70-71 mph.  Gets fade on his changeup at 72-75 mph.  Stayed in the zone with his fastball and flashed feel for both secondary offerings.  Should see his stuff jump as the body matures. 

Michael Crayton RHP / 3B / West Stanly, NC / 2021


6 foot 3, 215-pound build with present strength.  Starts on the mound with a small rocker step with his hands working up to his face then down to his chest.  Average leg lift, working in line to the plate.  Arm works down out of the glove with a high ¾ release.  Gets down angle on his fastball sitting at 74-76 mph and topping at 78 mph.  Curveball has depth with 12/6 break at 61 mph.  Flashed a straight changeup at 68-70 mph.  Slider has some across action with little break at 68 mph.  Stayed around the plate with all four pitches.
Balanced from the right side with a wide base.  Weight and hands work back during the load with a short stride.  Has lift in his swing working mostly middle to his pull side.  Average bat speed with strength.  Exit velocity recorded at 86 mph.  Feet work to the ball on the infield, catching the ball in the center of his body with average hands.  Funnels to the belt after catch, with a longer exchange and arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Accurate arm across the diamond that topped at 78 mph.  Recorded a 7.97 in the 60.

Michael (Trey) Hillman RHP / 3B / Mooresville, NC / 2021

 

Lanky frame at 6 foot, 145-pounds.  Slow tempo to the delivery, starting with a small side-step, going into his leg lift, working up to the bottom of his chest.  Slightly across his body to the plate with a square toe landing.  Long arm swing, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Gets occasional arm side run on his fastball at 68-70 mph.  Curveball has gradual break with 11/5 shape at 60-62 mph.  Flashed a changeup with fade at 61-64 mph.  Stayed around the zone with all three pitches and should see his numbers jump as his frame begins to fill out. 

Nathan Smith RHP / 3B / Pine Lake Preparatory, NC / 2021

 

Lanky frame with room to add strength at 5 foot 11, 160-pounds.  Fluid tempo to his delivery, staring with a step back behind the rubber, going into his leg lift that works up to his chest.  Hands work up to the top of his chest during the leg lift.  Arm works down out of the glove with his shoulders pointing uphill at the break, creating at high front side.  Gets down angle on his fastball from a high ¾ slot.  Fastball ranged from 73-77 mph, sitting mostly at 74-75 mph.  Feel for his curveball with 12/6 break at 60-61 mph.  Slider has across action at 65-67 mph.  Flashed a changeup with fade at 64 mph. 
Slightly open setup from the right side.  Uses a toe tap during his load.  Uses the whole field, squaring some balls up through the middle.  Gets jumpy into the ball at times.  Some strength in his swing with average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 85 mph.  Feet look to work around the ball on the infield.  Average hands funneling to the belt after catch.  Shows the ability to get the ball out quick while using different arm angles.  Accurate arm to first base with his throws topping at 73 mph.  Recorded a 7.57 in the 60.

Colin Shannon RHP / 1B / Pine Lake Preparatory, NC / 2021

 

5 foot 11, 160-pound average build.  Smooth tempo to his delivery, starting with a small rocker step, going into his leg lift that works up to the bottom of his chest.  Hands work in sync with his leg lift.  In line to the plate with a long arm action, throwing from an over the top slot.  Gets down angle at times on his fastball that worked at 75-78 mph.  Sometimes he breaks his hands while he is drifting to the plate, creating some misses up in the zone.  Feel for his slider with 11/5 tilt at 67 mph.  Curveball has 12/6 break at 65-67 mph.  Flashed a changeup with fade at 71 mph. 
Tall slightly open setup from the right side of the plate.  Short stride, getting his foot down early with his hands working back during the load.  Better than average barrel awareness, lining balls all over the field.  Gets extension out front with average bat speed and some strength in his swing.  Exit velocity recorded at 85 mph.  Quick feet with feel around the first base bag.  Average hands with an accurate arm that topped at 73 mph.  Recorded a 7.55 in the 60.

JW Taylor RHP / SS / Langtree Charter, NC / 2020

 

5 foot 11, 170-pound average build.  Slow to fast tempo to his delivery.  Starts with a side-step going into a quick leg kick that works up to his chest.  Kicks out, working in line to the plate with a square toe landing.  Breaks his hands near his chest with his arm working down and back, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Tempo and high lead arm create deception.  Gets occasional arm side run on his fastball at 74-76 mph.  Changeup is his best secondary offering.  Changeup is deceptive with lots of sink and fade at 57-58 mph.  Curveball has 12/6 break at 50-51 mph.  Strike thrower with deception that could be a tough matchup for hitters. 

Nick Andrews RHP / Bandys, NC / 2020

 

Long, lanky frame with room to add strength.  Starts with a small rocker step with his hands working down to his belt with a slight pause before going into his leg kick that works up to the top of his chest.  Hands work up with his leg kick.  Has some shoulder and hip turn at the balance point.  Accelerates after the break, working in line to the plate with a square toe landing.  Long arm action with a high ¾ release.  Gets down angle on his fastball working at 76-78 mph.  Maintains arm speed on his changeup that has arm side run at 73-74 mph.  Feel for his curveball with 12/6 break at 67-69 mph.  Stayed in and around the zone with all three pitches. 

John Davenport LHP / 1B / Davie County, NC / 2020

 

6 foot 1, 185-pound build with room to add strength.  Smooth tempo to his delivery on the mound, starting with a small rocker step, going into his leg kick that works up to his chest.  Kicks down and out working in line to the plate with a square toe landing.  Balanced over the rubber, breaking at his chest with his hand working back out of the glove.  Hand has some quickness from a high ¾ release.  Gets arm side run on his fastball that sat at 74-76 mph, topping at 77 mph.  Best off- speed pitch is his cutter that worked at 68-70 mph.  Curveball has 1/7 tilt at 61-63 mph.  Flashed a sinking changeup at 63 mph.  Filled the zone up with all four pitches.
(Davenport is not in the Dry Pond organization but attended the event as a previous bullpen was affected by weather)