Prep Baseball Report

Quick Hitters: Team Carolina Trials - Charlotte - Position Players


Matt Payne
Director of Scouting, PBR of NC

On Saturday May 28th PBR of North Carolina hosted trials for Team Carolina at Moor Park in Mooresville, NC. The Team Carolina Trials leads to identifying prospects for some of the summer’s biggest invite only events like NC/SC Border Battle, PBR Southeast Senior Games, Top Prospect Games, and the PBR Future Games. The event featured players from the 2023-2027 grad classes. 

The day began with catchers going through a full defensive workout. Pitchers then threw a controlled bullpen with Trackman gathering ball flight analytics. Following the pitchers, position players ran a laser timed 60 and also had jumping metrics recorded using Swift Technology. Position players then took batting practice on the field with Trackman collection ball flight data. The day concluded with outfielders and infielders taking part in a defensive workout. 

Below we begin our breakdown of the players in attendance looking at the top performers in different categories.  Look for more statistics and information to follow in the coming days. 

CLICK HERE for full roster and stats

 

Quick Hitters

 

Follow PBR of NC
@PrepBaseballNC  |  Instagram  |  Facebook

John McKillop, 1B/OF, 2024

Length in a 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame. Left hand hitter. Loud contact in BP consistently hitting the ball on the barrel. Average exit velocity at 95.1 mph with his peak at 99.9 mph. Works gap to gap, left the yard on multiple swings, max distance at 381ft. Fluid swing with strength and bat speed. 

Blaize Johnson, C/3B, 2024

5-foot-11, 210-pound build. Left hand hitting catcher the squared balls up working gap to gap. Top exit velocity at 98.4 mph with an average of 89.1 mph. Hands are strong, direct path with better than average bat speed in a balanced stroke

Jake Dulski, OF, 2023

Long, athletic frame at 6-foot-3, 175-pounds. Posted a 6.83 in the 60 with his arm reaching 89 mph from the outfield. Left hand hitter with quick hands, balanced approach working gap to gap. Several balls off his bat recorded over 92 mph with his top bolt at 94.8 mph. 

Tucker Payton, 3B/RHP, 2026

6-foot, 183-pound build. Left hand hitter. Has feel for the barrel with a line drive approach working through the middle of the field. Max exit velocity of 86.5 mph. Arm peaked at 82 mph across the infield, ran a 7.38 in the 60. 

Peyton Young, SS/RHP, 2023

Quick twitch in a 6-foot, 165-pound build. Left hand hitter. Worked to both gaps in BP hitting balls off the barrel. Hands are quick with some lift to the swing path. Ball off his bat reached 90.6 mph. Athletic in the middle of the field with his arm reaching 87 mph across the diamond.

Eli Beekley, C, 2026

5-foot-11, 190-pound build. Left hand hitter. Fluid swing with his barrel staying through the zone. Lined balls to both gaps during his BP rounds. Average exit velocity of 80.5 mph with his top EV at 88.1 mph. Accurate arm to second base with quick, clean transitions. 

Maximus Wearing, 1B/OF, 2026

5-foot-10, 175-pound build. Left hand hitter with feel for his barrel. Squared balls up through the middle and to the right center gap. Top exit velocity at 91.5 mph with an average EV of 82.5 mph. Hands are loose and fast, hips turn through the ball, short to long swing path. 

Jacob Smith, 1B, 2024

Strength in a 6-foot, 190-pound frame. Fast hands with the ability to tuck them and get barrel to balls on the inner half of the plate. Loud contact in BP driving balls to his pull side. Average exit velocity of 86.5 mph with his top EV at 95.5 mph. Balanced swing with above average bat speed. 

Lucas Delacruz, SS, 2026

5-foot-9, 135-pound frame. Advanced actions at shortstop with soft hands. Arm has carry to first base peaking at 79 mph. Switch hitter with feel for his barrel. Short path to the ball using a line drive approach working through the middle of the field. 

Brandon Bannerman, OF, 2023

Strong build with quickness in a 6-foot,180-pound frame. Ran a 6.88 60. Worked through the middle and to his pull side in BP with his peak exit velocity at 92.9 mph, average EV at 85.8 mph. Looseness to his hands with a flat swing path. Arm reached 84 mph from the outfield. 

Jake Minarik, OF, 2024

6-foot-1, 170-pound frame. Hands are quick, short path with his barrel working flat through the zone. Peak exit velocity at 95.4 mph with an average EV of 88.4 mph. Arm peaked at 88 mph from the outfield. 

Joshua Herbert, OF, 2023

Quickness in a 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame. Posted the top 60 time of the event running a 6.47 on the lasers. Arm reached 89 mph from the outfield. Relaxed in the box with a short, simple swing. Ball of his bat peaked at 92.7 mph. 

Tyson Merritt, C/1B, 2023

Athletic build with room to hold added weight at 6-foot, 175-pounds. Arm topped at 79 mph from behind the plate. Hits with a wide base, quick hands, short to ball with a flat swing path. Peak exit velocity at 93.3 mph. 

Brian O’Connell III, C/OF, 2023

Strong, sturdy build at 5-foot-10, 185-pounds. Consistently hit balls off the barrel staying through the middle of the field. Average exit velocity at 90.9 mph with his top EV at 95.4 mph. Hands are strong, short to the ball with lift to the swing path. Best pop time at 2.00 with his arm reaching 78 mph to second base. 

Caleb Gant, OF, 2023

5-foot-10, 188-pound build. Arm topped at 89 mph from the outfield. Posted a 6.76 60. Worked gap to gap in BP with the ball off his bat reaching 92.5 mph. Relaxed hands with quickness, mostly flat swing path. 

Hayden Ashby, C/1B, 2024

5-foot-11, 185-pound build. Turns through the ball, with a mostly flat swing path, barrel gets extension out front. Hands have quickness and strength using a line drive approach. 

Nick Ham, RHP/OF, 2024

Strength in a 6-foot, 180-pound frame. Worked to his pull side in BP with the ball off his bat reaching 90.5 mph. Flat swing path with quick hands. 

Connor Robertson, 3B/RHP, 2025

5-foot-11, 185-pound build. Flat barrel path with quickness to his hands. Lined balls through the middle of the field with the ball off his bat reaching 94.8 mph. Average EV at 87.2 mph. Ran a 7.23 60. Arm peaked at 81 mph to first base.

Gavin Baucom, OF, 2023

Strength in a 6-foot, 185-pound frame. Squared balls up to both sides of the field in BP. Strong base, simple load with a flat barrel path. Top exit velocity at 95 mph. Ran a 7.12 60.

Thomas Conrad, RHP/SS, 2024

Thin frame with room to hold added weight. Hands have quickness with a mostly flat swing path, barrel gets extension out front. Peak exit velocity at 88.8 mph. Arm reached 83 mph across the diamond.