Prep Baseball Report

Blast Leaders: Burlington Preseason ID


Patrick Johnson
North Carolina Assistant Scouting Director

Prep Baseball of North Carolina opened the 2024 event season with the Burlington Preseason ID.  An indoor event at Triad Baseball Academy, players had a chance to go through athletic testing, positional evaluations, as well as pitching and BP evaluations.  Prep Baseball scouts were on hand to run the event verify stats, and evaluate the players involved.

Triad Baseball Academy offered a spacious workout facility.  Players had plenty or room to run a laser timed 30, while catchers, infielders, and outfielders were able to stretch their arms in their evaluation phase.  Pitchers threw off of indoor mounds on a day that saw rain pummel the Carolinas.

In all, twenty players took part in the event.  Below we take a data dive into the results of the workout.

CLICK HERE to see the full roster and statistical out put from the Burlington Preseason ID.

By The Numbers
+ 3 catchers saw pop times below 2.10
+ 5 infielder or outfielder arms were at 84 or higher from their position
+ 5 hitters posted an exit velocity of 90mph or higher
+ 364' was the furthest ball hit, as measured by TrackMan in the cage workout
+ 9 hitters had their average bat speed measured at 65mph or higher
+ 8 players ran 4.05 or better in the laser timed 30yd sprint
+ 3 players recorded a vertical jump above 30"
+ 4 Pitchers popped 83.9mph or better
+ 5 Pitchers spun their breaking ball at 2350rpm or higher

BURLINGTON PRESEASON ID: BLAST LEADERS

MAX HAND SPEED

Rank Name State School Class Pos Hand Speed (max)
1 Hank Gaston NC North Carolina Leadership Academy 2026 C 23.4 mph
2 Gavin Jackson NC Cleveland High 2026 3B 23.1 mph
3 Garrett Byrd NC North Lenoir High 2025 C 21.8 mph
4 Hayden Fones NC Apex Friendship 2025 SS 21.4 mph
5 Hudson Tuttle NC Ronald Wilson Reagan 2027 C 20.9 mph
^ Preston Smith NC John T Hoggard High 2026 SS 20.9 mph
^ Aiden Parker NC South Central 2027 SS 20.9 mph
^ Ja'lynn Thomas NC Pine Forest 2026 OF 20.9 mph

AVERAGE HAND SPEED

Rank Name State School Class Pos Hand Speed (avg)
1 Gavin Jackson NC Cleveland High 2026 3B 22.4 mph
2 Hank Gaston NC North Carolina Leadership Academy 2026 C 22.3 mph
3 Hayden Fones NC Apex Friendship 2025 SS 20.7 mph
4 Garrett Byrd NC North Lenoir High 2025 C 20.6 mph
5 Hudson Tuttle NC Ronald Wilson Reagan 2027 C 20.3 mph

PEAK BAT SPEED

Rank Name State School Class Pos Bat Speed (max)
1 Hayden Fones NC Apex Friendship 2025 SS 78.0 mph
2 Garrett Byrd NC North Lenoir High 2025 C 76.6 mph
3 Gavin Jackson NC Cleveland High 2026 3B 72.6 mph
4 Ja'lynn Thomas NC Pine Forest 2026 OF 72.1 mph
5 Christian Gentrup NC Northwest Guilford 2026 2B 70.3 mph

AVERAGE BAT SPEED

Rank Name State School Class Pos Bat Speed (avg)
1 Hayden Fones NC Apex Friendship 2025 SS 75.1 mph
2 Garrett Byrd NC North Lenoir High 2025 C 72.1 mph
3 Gavin Jackson NC Cleveland High 2026 3B 70.2 mph
4 Ja'lynn Thomas NC Pine Forest 2026 OF 68.9 mph
5 Christian Gentrup NC Northwest Guilford 2026 2B 67.1 mph

MAX ROTATIONAL ACCELERATION

Rank Name State School Class Pos Rot. Acc (max)
1 Hank Gaston NC North Carolina Leadership Academy 2026 C 22.6 g
2 Gavin Jackson NC Cleveland High 2026 3B 18.7 g
3 Houston Poole NC Overhills 2025 SS 18.5 g
4 Ja'lynn Thomas NC Pine Forest 2026 OF 18.2 g
5 Preston Smith NC John T Hoggard High 2026 SS 13.0 g

AVERAGE ROTATIONAL ACCELERATION

Rank Name State School Class Pos Rot. Acc (avg)
1 Hank Gaston NC North Carolina Leadership Academy 2026 C 19.3 g
2 Houston Poole NC Overhills 2025 SS 16.9 g
3 Gavin Jackson NC Cleveland High 2026 3B 16.3 g
4 Ja'lynn Thomas NC Pine Forest 2026 OF 16.2 g
5 Preston Smith NC John T Hoggard High 2026 SS 10.9 g

AVERAGE ON PLANE EFFICIENCY

Rank Name State School Class Pos On Plane Eff (avg)
1 Gavin Jackson NC Cleveland High 2026 3B 87 %
2 Houston Poole NC Overhills 2025 SS 86 %
3 Hank Gaston NC North Carolina Leadership Academy 2026 C 75 %
4 Ja'lynn Thomas NC Pine Forest 2026 OF 73 %
5 Hudson Tuttle NC Ronald Wilson Reagan 2027 C 73 %