By Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

On Wednesday August 9^th, more than forty players assembled at Jim Perry Stadium, home of the Campbell University Camels and the A affiliate of the Houston Astros, as part of the Rawlings Prospects PBR Scout Day, and the Central Carolina Open Scout Day.  The combined event allowed players from across the state, with many representing the Rawlings Prospects, to run through a full workout in front of college coaches and PBR’s staff.  As part of the scout day, each player is receiving a full PBR player profile page equipped with verified stats, evaluations, and video.  Stories will populate the “news” section of PBR in the coming week giving more individual details on the player’s performance at the Scout Day.

With close to 25 pitchers throwing on the day, there was a wide range of talent on display.  Primary pitchers ranged in age from 2018 - 2020 graduates with several showing quick arms and a feel for secondary stuff.

Scout Day Analysis: Pitchers

 

 

Garrett Allen RHP / Trinity, NC / 2018 6-foot-2, 185 pound righty worked up to 79, sitting 77-79.  The fastball had movement, running to arm side and cutting to glove side.  In the zone, it would be erratic based on the movement at times.  Breaking ball works with gradual 11/5 tilt at 65-68.  Arm speed mimics fastball and there is a feel for the strike zone with the spin pitch.  Change-up also works near the fastball arm speed at 73-74, missing down in the zone consistently.  Some arm side run present to the pitch.  An over-the-top slot from a short arm swing with better than average arm speed.   Some stiffness at the release coming out of a choppy rhythm. Shoulders work level and the foot lands on-line.  Average leg kick.  Front side clears the line early while extension is cut off some.  All pitches presented with action.

 

 

Elmo Arimurti-Sager RHP / 3B / Green Hope, NC / 2019 Wide shoulders and a big frame at 6-foot, 185 pounds.  An over-the-top slot works from a coiled base at balance and slight cross-fire in the landing.  Fastball touched 82, sitting 78-80, erratic around the zone.  Change-up has fade in the zone at 65-67 with good arm speed.  Breaking ball has a hump out of the hand, working with inconsistent 11/5 and 10/4 shape at 61-65.  Stays tall in his base, there is some effort fighting through the landing to release. On the infield, feet work through some heaviness but show rhythm through the catch and release.  Clean exchanges get to a long arm arc and high-3/4 slot with some feel for accuracy.  76 across the diamond.  Ran a 7.96 sixty.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate.  Has strength and average bat speed, staying gap-to-gap.  Works off the back leg, with rotation and a heavy top hand.  Exit velocity peaked at 87.

 

 

Jordan Blalock RHP / 3B / Sanderson, NC / 2018 Strong righty that has a presence at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds.  Fastball flooded the zone at 77-79.  Misses were to the arm side.  Life on the fastball to the arm side.  Breaking ball works with mature 10/4 shape.  Gradual break from the same window as fastball at 71-72.  Change-up works straight, with some fight to feel for the pitch and arm speed.  Around the zone when the arm slowed, at 72-73.  Easy delivery, repeats it.  High-3/4 slot with some elbow lead out of the glove and above the shoulder line.  Tall at balance working to stay downhill.  Shoulders stay level.  Lands on-line with average extension.  Decent athlete on the infield.  Played high through the catch, but the feet move with some ease.  Clean exchanges get to high-3/4 slot.  Showed an ability to shorten and lengthen the arm swing based on the play.  80 across the diamond.  Right handed hitter works from an open base.  Level swing, with a pull tendency, has average bat speed.  Works off the back leg, rotational at times with average barrel awareness.  Exit velocity topped at 82.  Ran an 8.30 sixty.

 

 

Tyler Bowen RHP / 1B / Leesville Road, NC / 2018 Lanky, athletic build on the mound at 6-foot-4, 202 pounds.  Grabs your attention with a frame that you can dream on.  Fastball sat 87-88 in the back half of the bullpen.  Rhythmic delivery with an average leg kick, turning the front hip and coiling the lead shoulder.  Easy arm swing to a high-3/4 slot with quickness through the release.  Arm seems to work behind the body line, but is on-line with the turn in the front shoulder.  Lands on-line, with athleticism, on a bent front leg.  Front side clears early on the breaking ball, altering the window slightly.  Gradual 12/6 action, staying elevated at times at 69-72.  Change-up works with fastball arm action and hand speed, sitting 74-78, and around the zone.

 

 

Angel Collazo LHP / OF / Green Hope, NC / 2019 Left hander builds from a slow tempo delivery to an over-the-top slot.  Fastball sat 73-75.  Stays tall at balance, using a long arm swing.  Slightly uphill with the shoulders, loading the backside.  Uses a glove point to set direction.  Change-up is around the zone, straight at 62-66.  Breaking ball works with a hump out of the hand, slow at 60-62.  Gradual, early 1/7 action.  Showed a feel for the zone.  Young build with a still maturing body at 5-foot-7, 150 pounds. Left handed hitter is balanced working with a drop in his hands and a short stride.  Bat starts vertical.  Average bat speed with uphill leverage, staying in the middle of the field.  Weight stays on the back side, rotational at times.  From the outfield, arm worked similar to on the bump.  Aggressive and clean through the ball.  Arm speed topped at 75 from the position.

 

 

Austin Johnson RHP / Fuquay Varina, NC / 2018 Strong, defined lower half in the 6-foot, 170 pound righty.  Works with aggression in his delivery and demeanor.  Fastball ranged 83-86 from a quick arm and high-3/4 slot.  Works level throughout, landing in-line.  Breaking ball has tight spin with 11/5 action.  Ranging 71-74.  Occasionally around the pitch producing more side to side action.  Sharp with good hand speed, showed an ability to control the zone and expand.  Change-up works with near fastball hand speed at 75-78.  Straight action, around the zone, but a distant 3rd pitch right now.  Coiled at balance there is a tendency to get rotational.  When the extension is present the ball jumps out of the hand.

 

 

Ryan Kennedy RHP / C / West Johnston, NC / 2019 Strong build with defined, muscular lower half.  Mature presence at 6-foot-1, 183 pounds.  Works down hill with a quick arm at 84-86.  Pounded the zone with a fastball that is straight but plays with angle.  Breaking ball is late and sharp, ready to produce swing and miss at 71-72.  Showed feel for the zone and an ability to expand down.  Change-up is a distant third pitch but works out of the same window as fastball with similar hand speed at 73-76.  Long arm action gets to an over-the-top slot.  Shoulders work level while landing slightly open on his line.  Some effort in the delivery, working to maximize the hand speed.  Behind the plate, the arm strength translates to pop times ranging 1.95 – 1.99 with a positional velocity of 77 from the crouch.  Short arm action and high-3/4 slot produced true throws with carry through the bag and accuracy.  Right handed hitter uses a leg kick and short stride, while loading the bat head to a vertical position, to produce a quick and strong bat through the zone.  Works for extension with a level swing.  Good rhythm and looseness.  Strong hands are evident.  Exit velocity seemed better on field than the 82 produced in the cages.  Ran a 7.15 sixty.

 

 

Coley Kilpatrick RHP / 1B / Millbrook, NC / 2019 6-foot-2, 200 pounder has strength present in the body.  Works from an over-the-top slot with a long arm arc.  Fastball ranged 76-80 occasionally running to arm side and cutting to glove side.  Erratic around the zone.  Breaking ball sat 69-70 with sharp 11/5 action, using similar hand speed to his fastball.  Change-up worked in the zone, straight, with deception out of the hand at 69-70.  Both off-speed pitches can be used to attack hitters now.  Rhythm is a little choppy as the shoulders stay level throughout.  Stays tall on the backside with an average leg kick, keeping the hands low to the separation point.  Right handed hitter has strength with an exit velocity of 87 off the barrel from a vertical bat at the launch point.  Balanced, loads back, using a short stride.  Better than average bat speed wants extension, staying level, working the middle of the field.  Clean around 1B with average hands.  Showed accuracy and carry on throws topping at 76 across the field.  Ran an 8.03 sixty.

 

 

Jax Mathews RHP / OF / Green Hope, NC / 2019 Average build at 5-foot-10, 150 pounds.  Fastball ranged 76-77.  Better than average quickness in the arm.  Body is closed at balance, coiling the hips and front shoulder.  Uncoils through landing, occasionally rotational with the head falling hard to the 1B side.  Arm will finish high across the chest at times.  Change-up sat 72, straight, with deception in the hand speed.  Some effort in the delivery that works with a slow tempo to the foot strike.  Right handed hitter works from an athletic base with a short stride.  Vertical bat head, has looseness throughout.  Short and level through the zone, stays in the middle of the field with average barrel awareness.  Exit velocity peaked at 84 mph.  Ran a 7.37 sixty.  In the outfield, is cautious with a two-handed catch and slow exchange.  Long arm action works to an over-the-top slot showing some accuracy at 74 mph out of the hand.

 

 

Keaton Merck LHP / OF / Wakefield, NC / 2019 Stocky 5-foot-11, 180 pounder has some strength present.  Fastball ranged 76-79 from an over-the-top slot.  Long arm arc, reaching straight back to 2B, from a tall balance point.  Stays level and in-line.  Breaking ball has gradual 1/7 arc at 60-61.  Feel comes and goes, showing an ability to back it up when in the zone.  Change-up is straight, mimicking fastball’s hand speed at 67-69.  Left handed hitter works from a wide base, slightly crouched.  Weight shift back to load with a short stride.  Level, stays in the gaps.  Rushed through the load at times, showed a feel for the barrel.  Exit velocity peaked at 81.  Positional velocity of 75 from the outfield from similar slot and arm action as the mound.  Ran a 7.68 sixty.

 

 

Quinton Pittman RHP / 1B / North Lenoir, NC / 2018 Big bodied with strength throughout the 6-foot-3, 225 pound frame.  Fastball showed direction and feel at 82-84.  High hands work to separate to a short arm action and high-3/4 slot.  Slight elbow lead out of the glove.  Better than average arm speed.  Coils the front side at balance and slightly closed at landing.  Extension can get cut off as the body uncoils.  Breaking ball sat 72-76 with hard, short action.  Inconsistent tilt, the makings of tight spin are present.  The change-up occasionally cut at 72-76, but was around the zone and serviceable.  Body is still working to sync the arm action and lower half.  Future projection is evident.  Strength over quickness in the projection at this time.

 

 

Ryan Rouse RHP / 1B / West Carteret, NC / 2020 Lanky, 6-foot-5, 175 pounder up to 84, sitting 82-84 from a high-3/4 slot with above average arm speed.  Still growing into the body, there are times where the feel for the slot is lost and he will finish with the arm across the chest.  Long limbs with arm speed, the ceiling is high.  The breaking ball is still maturing at 71-73.  Slowing the arm on occasion, 10/4 tilt is present as the hand gets caught under the ball at times.  Lacks some feel for the change at 66-69, but works to throw it with hand speed.  Tall at balance, from an average leg kick, the rhythm is inconsistent as the shoulder work level throughout.  Lands on-line, working for extension.

 

 

Trent Simmons RHP / 3B / Bunn, NC / 2020 Intriguing young player with some quickness and strength present.  6-foot, 170 pounds, fastball was erratic in the zone at 81-82.  Better than average arm speed works to an over-the-top slot with a long arm arc.  Tall at balance the shoulders stay level.  Slight cross-fire in the landing creates some finish to the 1B side.  Breaking ball ranged 63-65 with 10/4 tilt.  Showed feel for the pitch.  Straight change comes from a slower arm speed, in the zone at 68-71. Defensively works with average hands.  Feet can be cautious as the body plays high.  Feet work to load the arm.  Clean, cautious exchanges get to a long arm arc and over-the-top slot.  Arm carried with some accuracy at 80 across the diamond.  Offensively, the right-handed hitter works from a slightly closed base.  Lacks a load and uses a short stride to produce better than average bat speed.  Some uphill leverage and wants extension.  Pull tendency as the top hand is dominate.  Strong hands controlled the bat head that starts in a vertical position.  Barrel awareness can improve but exit velocity measured 88 off the barrel.  Ran a 7.50 sixty.