Quick Hitters: Bigger Than Baseball Invite Scout Day

PBR was in Lake Wylie, SC, June 4th - 6th, for the Bigger Than Baseball Wood Bat Invitational held at the new Field Day Park. The tournament featured 13 15U, 16U and 17U teams from various states, including South Carolina, North Carolina, New York and Delaware.  The tournament began with an opportunity for select position players to run through a full PBR Scout Day, collecting data from an offensive and defensive evaluation. 

Below are the Quick Hitter notes gathered on players at the tournament. This is not meant to be a top prospect list, but just a very quick list of players that popped to our PBR Scouts.  As we continue to dive into all of the information gathered, players will receive a full evaluation and the PBR staff will put together top prospect lists from the event.

Bigger Than Baseball Scout Day By The Numbers:

• 32 position players took part in the scout day

• 3 players ran a sub-7.00 on the laser timed 60
• 11 players ran 7.40 or below
• 6 players posted an exit velocity above 90mph with wood.
• 361' was the farthest ball hit in the workout
• 2 catchers posted pop times at 2.20 or below
• 5 outfielders carried arm strength on throws to the plate at 83mph or higher

Quick Hitters

Ethan Wilson, RHP, South Pointe HS, 2022 - Slender frame that should add strength. Good athlete with power potential as hitter and a quick bat that gets underneath balls. Ran sub-7.00 on the laser with some ease.

Drew Endres, C/2B, Indian Land HS, 2022 - Solid defensive glove work and frames ball well. Quick exchange.  Arm has excellent carry.  Top pop time of 2.04 in the workout.  As a hitter, barrels the ball with pop and quick swing, working level through contact. 

Rylee Ashworth, C/1B, Nation Ford HS, 2022 - Consistent barrel from the right side.  Exit velocity peaked at 84mph from a stocky and strong frame.

Lane Ross, 3B/RHP, Nation Ford HS, 2023 - Finds the barrel with consistency.  Flat through the zone.  Solid rhythm and repeats the swing.  Has some hand strength present.

Hayden Ashby, C/1B, Cox Mill HS (NC), 2024 - Strong, athletic build with size. Swings with whole body.  Strength over quickness in the swing.  Power potential as the swing gets quicker and more direct.  Exit velocity peaked at 86.  Solid exchange in the pop time workout.  Pop times should better as the feet quicken and the arm provides more consistent carry.

Robert Garcia, 1B/OF, Sachem East HS (NY), 2022 - Tall, large frame with room for growth. Balanced in box with a full body load. Loose with some quickness through the zone.  Lacked high end strength but the frame will handle more maturation in the coming years.  Defensively, showed an athletic arm and feet with accuracy. 

Armani Guzman, SS/3B, Cardinal Hayes HS (NY), 2022 - Athletic frame with projection ahead. Quick, effortless swing with natural power.  Exit velocity peaked at 96.  Barrel feel can become more consistent.  Defensively, plays with rhythm and confidence.  Easy carry from a quick exchange.  Good accuracy from multiple slots.  Ran a 6.99 on the laser. 

Cody Higginbotham, OF/RHP, Clover HS, 2023 - Tall, strong athletic build. Balanced in the box with a strong base. Hands load down creating some natural loft through the zone.  Lacked premium barrel feel but worked with an exit velocity that peaked at 89mph off the wood. 

Braedin Homchik, 2B/SS, Nation Ford HS, 2023 - Lanky, wiry, athletic build with room to fill out and gain size. Natural rhythm in the box.  Works level with solid barrel awareness.  Average to above bat speed.  Exit velocity at 85 off the wood. Simple exchanges and an athletic release produced carry and accuracy across the diamond. 

Luke Keller, 3B, Nation Ford HS, 2023 - Medium frame with room to gain strength. Clean, loose, and easy.  Advanced barrel feel.  Average to above bat speed.  Tends to work to the pull side. Slight upward swing path that stays on time with pitches. Defensively, stays aggressive and moves through the ball. Accurate arm.

Corey Long, 3B/SS, Clover HS, 2023 - Tall and athletic with size. Strong load with hand strength present.  Exit velocity up to 92mph with wood.  At times long and around the ball, creating some barrel feel issues.  

Jake McCoy, LHP/OF, Catawba Ridge HS, 2023 - Tall and lean build. Swing path is flat through the zone which should produce line drives. Weight transfers to the front side with a finish that is even with the shoulders. 

Luke Miller, OF/3B, Nation Ford HS, 2022 - Potential to gain size and strength with a 5-foot-8 frame that is still maturing.  In the box, works tall with a balanced stance.  Simple load.  Some quickness in the hands that should increase with added strength.  Exit velocity peaked at 89mph.  

Cole Montgomery, OF/RHP, South Pointe HS, 2022 - Room to grow with more maturity coming in a 5-foot-11, 165 pound frame.   Some ease in the swing, working with some length.  Stayed flat.  When on the barrel, the ball does jump some.  Clean, athletic transfers and release from the outfield. Showed accuracy with carry that should increase with added strength to the frame.

Isaias Moreno, 1B/LHP, Nation Ford HS, 2024 - Large frame with quickness in the hands and a feel for the barrel from the right side.  Small leg kick and some natural lift in the shoulders as the bat works to get on plane.  Nimble feet for his size.  Arm showed carry.

Collin Otte, RHP/OF, Indian Land HS, 2022 - Athletic frame at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds.  Still growing into the frame.  Right handed hitter.  Works uphill trying to lift the ball.  Showed feel for the barrel.

Jackson Reed, 3B/OF, Legion Collegiate HS, 2023 - Average frame with strength present.  Right handed hitter worked level through the zone with a max exit velocity of 91 mph with wood, showing solid barrel awareness.  Average to above bat speed.  

Juan Sanchez, OF, Telecommunications HS (NY), 2022 - Long, lean frame. Balanced swing with a slightly upward bat path that finishes above the shoulders. Keeps weight centered. 

Antony Shannon, SS, Lancaster Senior HS, 2024 - Young and still maturing at 5-foot-8, 115 pounds.  Shows quickness across his game.  Most numbers will see big improvements as he adds strength and maturity to the build.  Solid bat speed for the age and size, showing an ability to find the barrel, working gap-to-gap.  Athletic actions with easy, loose exchanges on the infield.