Prep Baseball Report

Ultimate Performance / Queen City Open Evaluations: The 2019s


Brandon Hall & Matt Payne
North Carolina Director of Scouting & PBR Assoc Scout

The final open event of the winter schedule for PBR North Carolina was held at Ultimate Performance in Matthews, NC on Monday February 4th.  A dual event, PBR was able to run 50 players through a pro-style workout with players attending the open event as well as players from Ultimate Performance club teams going through their scout day. 

Below are the profiles and evaluations on the eight 2019s involved in the workout.  Only 2 players are currently committed with several that made some noise with their opportunity.  The 2019 list includes 2 middle infielders, 1 catcher, 1 dual outfielder/pitcher, 1 right handed arm, and 3 corner infielders.  Seven of the eight 2019s are from North Carolina with one from Georgia.

Below are links to the full statistics from the event as well as the statistical leaders in several key categories.  We will continue our coverage of this event in the coming weeks as we release the player evaluations.

By the Numbers:

  • 42 players ran the 30 yard dash on the laser timer
  • 4.16 was the median time in the 30
  • 9 players ran a sub-4.00
  • 25 infielders worked out defensively
  • Positional velocity for the infielders topped at 89 with a median of 77 mph across the infield
  • 16 outfielders worked out defensively
  • 94 mph was the top positional velocity of Outfielders with a median of 82 mph
  • 4 catchers threw pop times and recorded a positional velocity
  • All 4 catchers recorded at least one pop time under 2.06
  • Median exit velocity of 85 mph from the 42 hitters
  • 13 hitters broke the 90 mph threshold on exit velocity with 7 at 95 mph or higher
  • 24 pitchers threw bullpens on the night with a median max fastball of 80 mph
  • 6 arms worked at 84 mph or higher

CLICK HERE to see the sortable table of statistics from the Queen City Preseason Open and player links

CLICK HERE to see the sortable table of statistics from the Ultimate Performance Preseason Scout Day and player links

CLICK HERE to see the laser timed 30 yard dash times and the 5-10-5 agility test times of all players

 

Ultimate Performance / Queen City Preseason Open Scout Day Evaluations: 2019s

 


James Chesser 1B / OF / David W. Butler, NC / 2019

 

6 foot 2, 247-pound build.  Hits from the right side using a balanced setup. Loads back, sitting into his legs with a medium length stride.  Some feel for the barrel working mostly middle to his pull side.  Some strength with his barrel working level through the zone.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 81 mph.  Works through balls on the infield with average hands.  Clean exchanges to a short arm action, throwing from an over the top slot.  Some stiffness in the arm with his positional velocity peaking at 65 mph.  Recorded a 4.29 in the 30-yard dash and 4.86 in the 5-10-5.

 

 

Tristan Millsaps RHP / SS / Alexander Central, NC / 2019

 

Athletic and loose frame at 6-foot-2, 155 pounds.  Plenty of room to add strength to the frame.  Body is setup to handle more strength and transition it to the mound quickly.  Loose hips and a stable upper half through a high leg kick reaching his chest.  Lands on-line and square with an active back side.  Long arm swing with looseness to an over-the-top release.  Quick hand suggests more is coming soon.  Fastball ranged 82-84, with arm side run to his 2-seam fastballs.  Cutter and slider where similar at times, but each with hand speed and thrown with aggression.  Slider sat 76-80 where the cutter ranged 77-79.   The slider, when on top, had more depth.  Change-up at 75-78 works with some deception out of the hand and should be a weapon as he enters the spring season.

 

 

Will Samuelson C / 2B / Charlotte Catholic, NC / 2019

 

Catawba Valley CC commit.  Strong physique, standing 6-foot, 200 pounds.  Left handed hitter flashed solid power with an exit velocity of 95 mph off the barrel.  Balanced setup with a wide stance.  Sits in his legs.  Small stride.  Slight waggle in the hands prior to a small load tipping the bat head to a vertical position.  Stays on his back leg with an aggressive back side movement.   Balls tends to get deep on him.  Quick bat through the zone with good barrel awareness.  Finishes with balance and high hands through the swing.  Good stance behind the dish, presenting an easy target.  Average hands, receiving balls in his frame well.  Exchanges with long feet working to a tall stance.  Hands work across the chest to a short arm swing and over-the-top release.  Pop times ranged 1.96 – 2.09 with some good feel for the bag.  From the crouch the arm peaked at 73 mph.  On the infield, the feet have some softness and there is little waisted movement.  High hips through the catch.  Average hands work off the middle of his frame, funneling to an easy exchange and short arm action to a high-3/4 release.  Shows accuracy at 79 mph across the diamond. 

 

 

Seth Sigmon 1B / 3B / Alexander Central, NC / 2019

 

Present strength in 6 foot 1, 235-pound frame.  Hits from the left side with a slightly open setup.  More weight on the back during his setup with a flat bat.  Short step during his load getting his hands ready to attack with head remaining centered.  Controlled, aggressive approach driving the ball with authority gap to gap.  Feel for the barrel with strong hands.  Above average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 96 mph.  Average hands on defense.  Shows agility in the lower half at times but struggles to get feet in rhythm with his hands.  Short arm action using a high ¾ slot.  Positional velocity peaked at 74 mph.  Recorded a 4.33 in the 30-yard dash and 4.94 in the 5-10-5.

 

 

Michael Starrs SS / 2B / Porter Ridge, NC / 2019

 

5 foot 10. 180-pound build.  Balanced, athletic setup from the right side. Small leg kick with hands and lower half loading in sync.  Dives into the plate at times.  Fluid stroke with a gap to gap approach.  Keeps his barrel in the zone with better than average bat speed.  Found lots of barrels during his front toss round.  Exit velocity recorded at 89 mph.  Defensively, fluid feet with average hands.  Clean exchanges, using a long arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Accurate arm that peaked at 81 mph.  Recorded a 4.14 in the 30-yard dash and 4.69 in the 5-10-5.

 

 

Dane Stewart OF / Cardinal Gibbons, NC / 2019

 

Lanky, projectable build at 6 foot 3, 170-pound.  Hits from the right side using a balanced setup.  Works back during his load with a toe tap.  Some slight dive into the plate with his lower half.  Uphill bat path.  Looks to lift, getting long at times, working gap to gap.  Above average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 97 mph.  Plays through balls with average hands in the outfield.  Long, loose arm action, using an over the top slot.  Arm has carry, topping at 86 mph.  Recorded a 3.97 in the 30-yard dash and 4.61 in the 5-10-5.
Simple delivery with a small rocker to the side and stabilizing the head before a leg kick to the belt.  Remains vertical through the delivery.  Arm pauses slightly at the bottom of his arc, but it is not violent.  Hand works to an over-the-top release, coming out of his sleeve.  Quick hand through release.  Slight coil in the hips at balance leads to landing slightly across his line, square with the toes.  Some extension through release.  Pounded the down zone with fastball and curveball.  Fastball has life to the arm side that could present issues for hitters at 80-83.  Breaking ball uses late downer action at 69-71, working from similar hand speed as that of fastball.

 

 

Luke Welch 1B / OF / Mount Airy, NC / 2019

 

North Greenville commit.  6 foot 2, 195-pound strong build.  Open setup from the left side of the plate.  Smooth load working back with a small leg kick.  Fluid swing, with looseness in his hands, creating bat whip through the zone.  Found lots of barrels working gap to gap.  Ability to keep barrel in zone with above average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 98 mph.  Fluid feet with average hands on defense.  Long arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Positional velocity peaked at 75 mph.  Recorded a 4.07 in the 30-yard dash and 4.34 in the 5-10-5.

 

 

 

Joseph Gaines III SS / 2B / Lucy Laney , GA / 2019

 

5 foot 8, 165-pound strong build.  Hits from the right side using a balanced setup.  Weight and hands work back during his load with a short stride.  Simple swing with some strength in his hands.  Barrel works level through the zone.  Works mostly middle to pull side with average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 85 mph.  Plays through balls on the infield with quick feet and average hands.  Low hips at his catch position.  Arm has carry with a short arm action, throwing from an over the top slot.  Positional velocity peaked at 84 mph.  Recorded a 3.88 in the 30-yard dash, and 4.77 in the 5-10-5.