PBR Scout Day: The Performance Academy - Quick Hitters
June 19, 2018
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.
In the coming days we will take an in-depth look at the PBR Scout Day with TPA. Today we will take an overview of some of the things that caught the eye of the PBR scouts on hand for the workout.
PBR Scout Day with TPA: Quick Hitters
+ TPA has athletes on their rosters… 9 players ran a 7.00 or better with Evan Harding (OF, Clayton HS, 2019) running a 6.50 on the laser timed 60. Another 7 players ran under 7.15. This is the 2nd year PBR has run a scout day with TPA and several athletes have made significant jumps as they have become stronger and quicker. With the training regimine in place, look for more TPA players to continue to post high marks.
+ 12 players recorded an exit velocity, off of a tee, of 85 mph or better. Elon commit, Jayson Arendt (RHP/MIF, Holly Springs HS, 2019) led the way at 89 mph. His brother Bryan Arendt (RHP/3B, Holly Springs HS, 2021) put up an interesting 87 mph for a rising sophomore, but it did not lead the 2021 class of players. Brendan Burke (C/3B, Panther Creek HS, 2021) recorded an exit velocity of 88 mph.
+ Lane Rhodes (C, Fuquay-Varina HS, 2019) caught the eye of the PBR scouts in attendance. The catcher had pop times ranging 2.05 - 2.19. At 6-foot-2, 175 pounds the frame can add strength and has good flexibility and quickness through his hips. A good athlete, the ceiling could be high as the body continues to mature. Rhodes had the top positional velocity at 73 mph out of the crouch, but Jonathan Fain (C, Panther Creek HS, 2019) bested his pop times at 2.00-2.09.
+ Several infielders stood out and should be followed in the coming year. Sam Kulasingam (SS/RHP, Holly Springs HS, 2020) is a name that is already on follow list. The switch hitter does a lot of things well, with an ease in his game. Ben Peterson (RHP/3B, Apex HS, 2020) has strength in a 6-foot-2, 185 pound frame, touching 86 across the diamond and 87 in his exit velocity testing. Bryson Smith (OF/3B, Apex Friendship HS, 2019) does not have one tool that just jumps, but may have at least 3, and maybe 4 tools, that project to be average at the college level. The frame can continue to add strength as well.
+ Several arms did not throw as TPA was coming off a competitive weekend but the ones who did threw a bunch of strikes in their bullpens. Tyler Masie (RHP, Panther Creek HS, 2019) sat 80-82 for most of his bullpen, throwing 2 seamers with run. When asked to cut some 4-seamers loose, he bumped 85 with some ease. Kulasingam, again with some ease, worked up to 82 on the bump.