Prep Baseball Report

Quick Hitters: NC/SC Border Battle - '24 NC Position Players


Matt Payne
Director of Scouting, PBR of NC

Over 115 of the top players from North Carolina and South Carolina converged on UNC Charlotte’s Robert & Mariam Hayes Stadium on June 28, 2023 for the PBR NC/SC Border Battle.  In front of over 30 college and professional coaches and scouts, players from each state went through a pre-game workout and then played 9+ innings in a controlled scrimmage.

Position players opened the day with an offensive workout, taking live BP on the field.  TrackMan and Blast were used to track pre-swing and ball-flight analytics.  Players then went through a defensive workout at their position, allowing coaches and scouts to get a feel for their athleticism, movement, and arm strength. 

After the workout, North Carolina took on South Carolina in game play.  Pitchers threw to live hitters in a controlled environment, allowing PBR Scouts to control pitch count and stress of each inning.  Hitters got live looks at pitchers, allowing the coaches and scouts in attendance to further their evaluations after BP, in the live setting.

One of the marquee events of the summer, the 2023 NC/SC Border Battle did not disappoint.  Several players boosted their profiles, while others solidified their spot as one of the top prospects in the Carolinas.

Below we break down some of the numbers from the event.  To see a player’s full profile, simply click on his name.  To see the NC/SC Border Battle roster, full stat page, plus analytics from the event, CLICK HERE.


Quick Hitters

Camden Ashe, C, 2024

Strength in a 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame. Hit several balls of the barrel working gap to gap in BP. Top exit velocity at 92.2 mph, average EV at 86 mph. Balanced swing with strength and quickness to his hands, mostly flat barrel path. Barreled a ball to right in game action. Has arm strength from behind the plate with his throws topping at 82 mph. 

Blaize Johnson, C, 2024

6-foot, 225-pound frame with strength present. Left hand hitting catcher who continues to show feel for the barrel. Drove balls during batting practice posting a peak exit velocity of 96.3 mph, average EV at 91 mph. Barrel stays inside and through the ball. Lined a ball to left during game play. Arm up to 74 mph from behind the plate. 

Levi Brown, SS, 2024

NC State commit. Lean athletic frame at 6-foot-3, 180-pounds. Lined balls to both gaps during BP, showed pop to his pull side. Hands have quickness with feel for the barrel. Top exit velocity at 93.5 mph, average EV at 85.5 mph. Barreled a ball up the middle in game action. Plays with ease on the infield, fluid actions with trust in his hands. Accurate arm that topped at 88 mph across the infield with feel for different arm slots. Ran a 6.78 laser timed. 60.

Luke Smith, OF, 2024

5-foot-9, 150-pound frame. Worked mostly through the middle and to the right center gap during BP using a line drive approach. Swing has looseness, barrel stays inside and through the ball, hands are quick. Top exit velocity at 91 mph, average EV at 85.1mph. Arm up to 80 mph from the outfield and 73 mph from behind the plate. 

Chase Klingemann, SS/2B, 2024

5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. Worked through the middle of the field during his BP rounds. Direct path with strength in his hands, his several balls off the barrel. Peak exit velocity at 89.8 mph, average EV at 86.4 mph. Arm at 82 mph on the infield and 74 mph from behind the plate. Ran a 7.04 laser timed 60. 

Langston Rupert, OF, 2024

6-foot, 170-pound frame with room to add strength. Worked mostly through the middle and to the opposite field during BP. Top exit velocity at 93.9 mph, average EV at 84.3 mph. Hands are quick, barrel works inside the ball with lift to the barrel path. Arm reached 91 mph from the outfield. Ran a 6.89 60-time on the lasers. 

Cameron Guentensberger, OF, 2024

6-foot, 175-pound frame. Lined balls through the middle and to the left center gap during BP. Flat swing path with quickness to his hands. Ball off his bat peaked at 90.8 mph, average EV at 80.3 mph. Squared a ball up through the middle of the field in game action. Arm up to 80 mph from the outfield. 

Logan Ponnett, SS/3B, 2024

5-foot-11, 178-pound frame. Squared a ball up to right in game action for a double. Hit several balls off the barrel working to both gaps in BP. Peak exit velocity at 93.1 mph, average EV at 88.4 mph. Compact swing, short path, barrel works inside the ball and stays through the zone. Hands are quick with feel for the barrel. Has trust in his hands, arm up to 80 mph across the infield. Ran a 7.05 laser timed 60. 

Nathan Hayworth, OF, 2024

5-foot-10, 160-pound frame. Stayed gap to gap during BP. Balanced swing with quick hand, flat barrel path through the zone getting extension out front. Peak exit velocity at 91.2 mph, average EV at 86.2 mph. Throws from the outfield reached 85 mph. Ran a 6.84 laser timed 60. 

Brittyn Barnes, OF, 2024

6-foot, 185-pound frame. Left hand hitter. Quick hands, balanced swing, direct path with feel for the barrel. Peak exit velocity at 83.8 mph, average EV at 70.3 mph. Arm up to 75 mph from the outfield. Ran a 7.13 60-time on the lasers. 

Logan Lowe, SS/2B, 2024

5-foot-10, 160-pound frame. Lined a ball to right for a base knock in game play. Used a gap to gap approach in BP. Top exit velocity at 93.9 mph, average EV at 88 mph. Back leg drives through the swing, uphill swing path with quick hands. Ran a 6.76 60-time on the lasers. Arm topped at 88 mph across the diamond. 

Dylan Pasternak, SS/2B, 2024

5-foot-11, 165-pound frame with room to add strength. Lined a ball to right for a triple in game play. Hands are quick with feel for the barrel, slight lift to the barrel path through the zone, stays balanced. Peak exit velocity at 94 mph, average EV at 88.3 mph. Confident defender with fluid actions, shows ability to make plays on the run with an accurate arm. Arm reached 84 mph across the infield. 

Jabari Lee, C/OF, 2024

Strong, athletic build at 6-foot, 170-pounds. Quick hands with strength, stayed through the middle of the field in BP posting a peak exit velocity of 94.5 mph, average EV at 84.4 mph. Balanced swing with bat speed through the zone. Arm topped at 92 mph from the outfield. 

Cade Gardner, SS/3B, 2024

Strong build at 5-foot-11, 175-pounds. Hit several balls off the barrel working through the middle and to his pull side. Top exit velocity at 95 mph, average EV at 84.4 mph. Lined a ball to left for a base knock and barreled another ball to second in game action. Arm reached 84 mph on the infield, ran a 7.06 laser timed 60. 

Ethan Plesser, 1B, 2024

6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. Left hand hitter. Barreled a ball to right in game action. Hands are quick with strength, some lift to the swing path. Top exit velocity at 87.2 mph, average EV at 74.4 mph. 

Tommy Williams III, OF, 2024

Strong and athletic at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds. Ran the best 60-time of the event posting a 6.64 on the lasers. Strong, quick hands with some lift to the swing path. Hit several balls hard to his pull side during BP. Top exit velocity at 97.3 mph, average EV at 88.9 mph. Arm up to 85 mph from the outfield. 

Aidan Smith, OF, 2024

5-foot-9, 155-pound build with room to add strength. Worked through the middle and to the left center gap during BP. Top exit velocity at 86.4 mph, average EV at 80.5 mph. Short path to the ball, barrel works level through the zone, hands have quickness, stays balanced. Arm topped at 82 mph from the outfield. Ran a 6.87 laser timed 60. 

Jake Mathis, OF, 2024

6-foot, 175-pound frame with strength and quickness. Barreled a ball through the 6-hole in game play. Hit several balls off the barrel working to center and the left center gap. Hands are strong and quick, short to the ball, flat swing path. Peak exit velocity at 98 mph, average EV at 91.3 mph. Ran a 6.92 laser timed 60, arm up to 83 mph from the outfield. 

Trey Spees, SS/3B, 2024

Western Carolina Commit. 6-foot-1, 180-pound build with strength and quickness. Impressed during game action barreling 3 balls to each part of the field in 4 at bats. Fluid swing with his barrel staying long through the zone, has the ability to use the whole field. Consistently squared balls up in BP posting a peak exit velocity of 95.5 mph, average EV at 90.6 mph. Has trust in his hand on the infield, arm at 80 mph to first base with quick transitions. Ran a 6.83 60-time on the lasers. 

Ayden Sumner, OF, 2024

Long, lanky frame at 6-foot-2, 187-pounds with room to fill out. Barreled a ball to his pull side in game action. Posted a top exit velocity of 87.2 mph in BP, average EV at 83.1 mph. Stays through the middle of the field in BP. Short path with his barrel staying inside the ball with quickness to his hands. Flat swing path that gets extended out front. Throws reached 84 mph from the outfield. 

Patrick Boldt, C, 2024

Strong, sturdy build at 6-foot-2, 200-pounds. High energy player who plays the game hard. Drove a ball deep to the right center gap for a double during game action. Consistent at bats with feel for the strike zone. Consistently hit balls off the barrel in BP staying through the middle of the field. Top exit velocity at 92.9 mph, average EV at 86.3 mph. Strong hands, barrel stays inside and through the ball. Accurate arm to second base with easy transitions. Arm reached 74 mph.