Prep Baseball Report

PBR Scout Day: The Performance Academy - Outfielder Analysis


Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

Prep Baseball Report was on hand early last week to take in The Performance Academy Scout Day.  Close to 50 players ran through a modified pro-style workout that included a laser timed 60, defensive workout, offensive evaluation, and controlled bullpens for pitchers.  


The Performance Academy (TPA) runs several teams at the high school age levels, based out of Raleigh, NC.  Players are given a unique opportunity in the TPA system to collect measurables and train to continue to better their baseball performance and overall athletic prowess.  


The PBR Scout Day took place at the beautiful Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, NC.  Ting Stadium is home to Wake Tech CC in the spring and the Holly Springs Salamanders, of the Coastal Plains League, in the summer.  TPA is able to use Ting Stadium throughout the summer to train for on field execution, as well as improving overall athleticism of their players.

 

The outfielders are an athletic group with several good runners, including one who ran a 6.50 sixty on the laser timer. Seven total outfielders are profiled with video on several guys in their profile.


CLICK HERE for the complete roster from the TPA Scout Day with PBR


CLICK HERE for the complete statistical analysis from the TPA Scout Day with PBR

 

TPA Scout Day Quick Hitters:

+ 49 players from The Performance Academy teams worked out for PBR
+ 8 players ran sub 7.00 sixties with one at 6.50. In total, 20 players ran below 7.20
+ 12 players recorded an exit velocity of 85 or better with the leader at 89 mph

+ 11 pitchers threw bullpens. Top velo was 85 from a 2019 grad
+ 2 outfielders touched 89 on their positional throws with 7 of 16 working above 80 mph
+ 8 catchers worked out with 4 recording a pop time under 2.20.

 

The Performance Academy - Outfield Analysis

Payton Bloom OF / SS / Apex Friendship, NC / 2021

 

Lean, athletic 6-foot, 145 pounds.  Wiry, with plenty of room to add strength.  Quickness is present, running a 7.10, and may become an above average runner with strength.  Right handed hitter is slightly open, athletic, and crouched in his setup, loading back with a weight shift.  Short stride, stays on the back leg through the swing. Wants extension, working with some uphill leverage, producing a pull tendency through BP.  Some feel for the barrel and better than average bat speed producing an exit velocity of 79 off the barrel. In the outfield, works with aggressive feet and average hands.  Easy transitions to a long arm arc and over-the-top release. Good rhythm on the catch and exchange with a positional velocity peaking at 77 out of the hand. Some accuracy and average carry.


Evan Harding OF / RHP / Clayton, NC / 2019

 

Intriguing athlete with some explosive quickness in the body.  Ran a blazing 6.50 on the laser time, in the sixty. Carried arm speed to the outfield session, posting a positional velocity of 89 mph from right field.  Soft hands with quick, fluid feet approaching the baseball. Athletic, plays through the ball with quick, clean exchanges to a long arm swing and high-¾ slot.  Easy carry and accuracy. Offensively it is raw but there is bat speed and strength. Exit velocity peaked at 85 off the barrel. Athletic setup, using a weight shift to load back.  Short stride as the bat head works to a lagged position. Wants extension, producing line drives to the pull side. Advanced bat speed but lacks feel for the barrel.


Click to edit entry

Grant Kirkman 2B / OF / Fuquay Varina , NC / 2019

 

Small frame with average size at 5-foot-8, 145 pounds.  Some quickness exists, running a 7.38 sixty. Right handed hitter sets open, loading the weight back with a leg kick.  Short stride. Uphill leverage, working on the back leg throughout the swing. Pull oriented with an exit velocity peaking at 74 mph.  In the outfield, works to play through the ball, slightly stiff through the catch. Cautious feet on clean exchanges working to a long arm swing to an over-the-top slot.  Some accuracy and average carry with a positional velocity of 72 mph out of the hand.


Jonah McPherson OF / RHP / Holly Springs, NC / 2019

 

Average 5-foot-11, 175 pound frame.  Ran a 7.18 sixty. Right handed hitter is crouched, loading down.  Uses a leg kick and long stride. Bat head loads to a vertical position.  Average bat speed, working for extension in a rotational base. Exit velocity peaked at 79 off the barrel.  In the outfield, works to play through the ball, fighting for rhythm between his hands and feet on the exchange.  Long arm swing to an exaggerated over-the-top slot. Some accuracy on balls measured at 78 mph out of the hand.


Logan Reeg OF / 2B / Sanderson, NC / 2021

 

Average 6-foot, 185 pound frame with some strength present already.  Ran a 7.36 sixty and should continue to improve with maturity. Right handed hitter is balanced and crouched in his setup.  Smooth load back, better than average bat speed working with some uphill leverage and staying gap-to-gap. Average barrel awareness.  Stays on the backside through the finish. Exit velocity of 80 mph. In the outfield, works to play through the ball, rushed at times, with the hands fighting stiffness at the catch.  Long arm arc and over-the-top slot produced a positional velocity of 76 with some accuracy.


Bryson Smith 3B / OF / Apex Friendship, NC / 2019

 

Athletic build at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds.  Ran a 7.17 sixty. Right handed hitter is balanced and tall in his setup.  Loads back with a weight shift, working to a short stride. Good bat speed and above average barrel awareness.  Slightly uphill, staying on the backside, working for extension and staying in the middle of the field. Exit velocity peaked at 86 off the barrel.  In the outfield, shows athletic actions, with easy hands. Plays through the ball to clean exchanges. Short, loose arm swing to a high-¾ slot. Some carry and a feel for accuracy with the positional velocity measuring 83 out of the hand.  On the infield there is rhythm. The hands and feet have rhythm, but work through slight stiffness in the hands at the point of the catch. Funnels to the midsection, cautious and clean on the exchange to a medium arm swing and high-¾ slot that can manipulate as he makes plays on the move.  Arm shows accuracy across the diamond at 72 mph.


Zane Taylor OF / RHP / Crossroads Flex, NC / 2020


Average 5-foot-10, 160 pound frame.  Quickness and strength exist. Posted a 6.88 sixty on the laser timer.  Also touched 89 mph from the outfield on positional throws. Defensively, plays through the ball with average hands.  Clean exchanges work to a long arm swing and over-the-top slot. Quick arm produces advanced accuracy and carry. Right handed hitter is open and balanced in his setup.  Weight shift back, setting the swing to uphill, and working on the back leg throughout. Average bat speed, geared to pull. Barrel awareness can increase. Exit velocity peaked at 79 mph off the barrel.