Blast Leaders: Burlington Preseason ID
February 8, 2024
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 % |
- NC Apex Friendship Takes SW Wake 4A Conference Tourney Title 5/03/24
- NC Inside the Box: Week of April 29 - May 4, 2024 5/03/24
- NC Scout Blog: Notes, Stats, and Video from Prep Baseball Scouts in Past Two Weeks 5/02/24
- NC Apex Working to Peak for Playoff Run 5/02/24
- NC Diamond Notes: Week of Apr 22 - Apr 27 5/01/24