Prep Baseball Report

NC/SC Border Battle: Trackman Hitting Analytics


Zach Boraski
North Carolina Assistant Scouting Director

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June begins the summer circuit for recruiting and player evaluation.  One event that has become a "must" for players, coaches, and scouts in the Carolinas is the NC/SC Border Battle.  This year's event took returned to UNC Charlotte's Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium for two days of action, featuring 130 of the best players in NC and SC.  They did not disappoint. 

On Tuesday June 11th, the position players went through their offensive and defensive evaluations.  North Carolina worked out first taking multiple rounds of BP, followed by their defensive evaluations and athletic testing.  As North Carolina finished, South Carolina started with their athletic testing, defensive evals, and finally their offensive evaluation.  Coaches and scouts were able to see multiple rounds of BP from each player plus see them move around at their primary defensive position, getting a feel for their athleticism and feel for the game.

Wednesday June 12th was game day.  Each player was scheduled to play in one 9 inning game with pitchers throwing live to hitters.  In total, NC and SC squared off in 4 exciting games and the roster of the top players in the two states put on a show.

Below we begin the process of unpacking everything we saw at the high level event.  From stats to player notes, to a deep dive into some analytics, we will work to uncover everything these players did and all the numbers they put up at the two day event.  To see the full roster and full statistical package, CLICK HERE.

By the Numbers:

  • 5 Players ran under 6.74 on the laser timing system
  • 22 Players ran 7.00 or under
  • 39 Players tested their vertical jump at 30in or above
  • 20 Players saw at least one of their splits come in at 20mph or higher
  • 17 Infielders saw their arm strength at 85mph or higher across the diamond
  • 6 Outfielders tested with arm strength at 90mph or higher
  • 13 Catchers posted a pop timed of 2.00 or under in the workout
  • 5 hitters saw an exit velocity of 100mph or higher
  • 78 hitters peaked their exit velocity at 90mph or better
  • 6 hitters carried an average exit velocity of better than 90mph over two rounds of 8 swings
  • 14 hitters posted a BLAST bat speed of 70mph or higher
  • 189.7psi was the top grip strength posted at teh event
  • 89.3mph was the top fastball velocity
  • 10 arms were above 87mph on the day
  • 3 arms saw their fastball spin rate above 2400rpm
  • 2975rpm was the top breaking ball spin rate captured on the day
  • 1 committed player took part in the event

TrackMan Hitting Leaders - NC/SC Border Battle

EXIT VELOCITY

TrackMan is able to track every ball hit into fair territory, throughout the BP sessions.  Below are the best exit velocities produced by individual players, by category.

Max Exit Velocity

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velocity (max)
1 Justin Sheffield SC Atlantic Collegiate 2025 OF 101.8 mph
2 Ethan Offing SC Dutch Fork 2026 SS 101.5 mph
3 Robert Sasser III NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2025 OF 100.5 mph
4 Caden Davidson NC Roberson 2025 1B 100.2 mph
5 Connor Tregoning NC Ronald W Reagan High School 2026 1B 100.0 mph
6 Davis Phillips NC BURLINGTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 2025 C 99.6 mph
7 Tariq Stone NC East Wake 2026 OF 99.4 mph
8 Cross Yarborough SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 98.9 mph
9 Ben Green NC HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2025 SS 98.8 mph
10 Andrew Caracio NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2027 LHP 98.7 mph
11 Joey McGovern SC Seneca High 2025 OF 98.6 mph
12 Garrett Byrd NC North Lenoir High 2025 C 98.5 mph
13 Fisher Goodwin NC North Brunswick 2026 3B 97.8 mph
14 Jackson Gordon SC Legion Collegiate Academy 2025 OF 97.7 mph
15 Bryce Smith NC Voyager Academy 2025 LHP 97.2 mph

Best Average Exit Velocity

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velocity (avg)
1 Caden Davidson NC Roberson 2025 1B 92.5 mph
2 Justin Sheffield SC Atlantic Collegiate 2025 OF 91.1 mph
3 Cross Yarborough SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 91.0 mph
4 Connor Tregoning NC Ronald W Reagan High School 2026 1B 90.4 mph
5 Joey McGovern SC Seneca High 2025 OF 90.4 mph
6 Ethan Offing SC Dutch Fork 2026 SS 90.1 mph
7 Garrett Byrd NC North Lenoir High 2025 C 89.4 mph
8 Ben Green NC HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2025 SS 89.2 mph
9 Luke Godwin SC Greenwood High 2025 SS 89.0 mph
10 Lucas Riley NC Ledford 2025 OF 88.9 mph
11 Robert Sasser III NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2025 OF 88.5 mph
12 Xander Sutton NC GASTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 C 88.5 mph
13 Andrew Caracio NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2027 LHP 88.4 mph
14 Hayden Fones NC Apex Friendship 2025 SS 88.1 mph
15 Ayden Clay SC Pendleton High 2025 OF 88.1 mph

DISTANCE OFF THE BAT

TrackMan is able to measure and track the ball while in the air.  For every fair ball put in play it will display the distance the hit traveled.


Peak Distance - Best of the Hitter’s Session


Rank Name State School Class Pos Distance (max)
1 Robert Sasser III NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2025 OF 391 ft
2 Davis Phillips NC BURLINGTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 2025 C 381 ft
3 Bryce Smith NC Voyager Academy 2025 LHP 376 ft
4 Cross Yarborough SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 373 ft
5 Southern Smith-Tilley NC Mooresville Senior High School 2025 OF 368 ft
6 Caden Davidson NC Roberson 2025 1B 367 ft
7 Ben Green NC HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2025 SS 366 ft
8 Mac Dawsey SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 365 ft
9 Luke Godwin SC Greenwood High 2025 SS 364 ft
10 Bradley Elias NC Camden Early College High 2025 OF 364 ft
11 Fisher Goodwin NC North Brunswick 2026 3B 361 ft
12 Gavin Jackson NC American Leadership Academy - Johnston 2026 3B 360 ft
13 Jackson Gordon SC Legion Collegiate Academy 2025 OF 355 ft
14 Jahdier Rodriguez NC Charlotte Catholic 2025 C 355 ft
15 Christian Gentrup NC Northwest Guilford High 2026 SS 352 ft


Average Distance - Average of each ball tracked in the Session


Rank Name State School Class Pos Distance (avg)
1 Cross Yarborough SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 296 ft
2 Gavin Jackson NC American Leadership Academy - Johnston 2026 3B 293 ft
3 Robert Sasser III NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2025 OF 290 ft
4 Christian Gentrup NC Northwest Guilford High 2026 SS 275 ft
5 Parker Trexler NC West Forsyth 2025 3B 274 ft
6 Owen Cirasole NC Apex Friendship High 2026 LHP 273 ft
7 Davis Phillips NC BURLINGTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 2025 C 270 ft
8 Justin Sheffield SC Atlantic Collegiate 2025 OF 269 ft
9 Luke Godwin SC Greenwood High 2025 SS 267 ft
10 Zeke Adwaters III NC TC Roberson 2026 SS 267 ft
11 Evan Hogg NC SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 2026 SS 265 ft
12 Hayden Fones NC Apex Friendship 2025 SS 265 ft
13 Bryce Smith NC Voyager Academy 2025 LHP 264 ft
14 Brayden Brogdon SC Rock Hill High 2027 OF 262 ft
15 Ben Green NC HICKORY GROVE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2025 SS 262 ft

SWEET SPOT PERCENTAGE

TrackMan is able to track and follow how hard the ball is hit as well as the angle off the bat. With this information, TrackMan has deduced the Sweet Spot as batted balls hit with a launch angle of 8 - 32 degrees.

Rank Name State School Class Pos Sweet Spot %
1 Crawford Elrod NC Westchester Country Day 2026 3B 100 %
2 Cross Yarborough SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 88 %
3 Connor Hooks SC Cardinal Newman 2026 3B 86 %
4 Xander Sutton NC GASTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 C 80 %
^ Cooper Phillips NC Homeschool (NC) 2025 SS 80 %
5 Chance Weathersbee SC Fox Creek High 2025 C 78 %
^ Anthony Marano SC Clover 2026 3B 78 %
^ Joel Cummings SC Lucy Beckham 2026 SS 78 %
6 Mac Dawsey SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 77 %
^ Owen Cirasole NC Apex Friendship High 2026 LHP 77 %
7 Julian Baldwin SC D.W. Daniel 2025 OF 76 %
^ Luke Godwin SC Greenwood High 2025 SS 76 %
8 Davis Phillips NC BURLINGTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 2025 C 75 %
9 Luke Talley NC Green Level High 2027 1B 72 %
10 Jose Doubront SC Greenville Academy 2026 3B 71 %
11 Evan Matile NC East Lincoln High 2025 OF 70 %
12 Jake DiMartino SC Wando High 2026 C 69 %
^ Seth Eckroth SC P27 2026 SS 69 %
13 Garrett Blankenship SC Gray Collegiate Academy 2026 SS 66 %
^ Cooper Gornet NC Charlotte Catholic 2026 SS 66 %
^ Ayden Clay SC Pendleton High 2025 OF 66 %
^ Braden Richardson SC Fort Mill 2027 2B 66 %
^ Evan Hogg NC SOUTHLAKE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 2026 SS 66 %
^ Tyler Bolemon SC SOUTHSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2025 C 66 %
14 Emmanuel Benitez SC SOUTHSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2027 3B 64 %
15 JD Murdock SC Atlantic Collegiate 2025 C 63 %
^ Joel Irizarry SC Fountain Inn High 2025 C 63 %
^ Rome DeRenzo SC St. James 2027 1B 63 %
^ Christian Gentrup NC Northwest Guilford High 2026 SS 63 %
^ Reid Johnson NC South Iredell High 2026 C 63 %

LAUNCH ANGLE PERCENTAGE

Based on the ball flight, TrackMan is able to identify each hit as a ground ball, line drive, or fly ball.  While there are many factors as to why a hitter may approach each pitch in a certain way, the overall groupings of BP can give some insight to each hitter's approach.

Line Drive %

Rank Name State School Class Pos Line Drive %
1 Crawford Elrod NC Westchester Country Day 2026 3B 75 %
2 Braden Richardson SC Fort Mill 2027 2B 66 %
^ Cross Yarborough SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 66 %
3 Joel Cummings SC Lucy Beckham 2026 SS 64 %
4 Cooper Phillips NC Homeschool (NC) 2025 SS 60 %
5 Ayden Clay SC Pendleton High 2025 OF 58 %
^ Tyler Bolemon SC SOUTHSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2025 C 58 %
^ Tate Whitehead NC Southwest High 2025 2B 58 %
6 Chance Weathersbee SC Fox Creek High 2025 C 57 %
^ Anthony Marano SC Clover 2026 3B 57 %
7 Owen Cirasole NC Apex Friendship High 2026 LHP 55 %
8 Luke Talley NC Green Level High 2027 1B 54 %
^ JD Murdock SC Atlantic Collegiate 2025 C 54 %
9 Luke Godwin SC Greenwood High 2025 SS 53 %
10 Connor Hooks SC Cardinal Newman 2026 3B 53 %
11 Andrew Caracio NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2027 LHP 50 %
^ Southern Smith-Tilley NC Mooresville Senior High School 2025 OF 50 %
^ Xander Sutton NC GASTON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2026 C 50 %
^ Nathan Rice NC Willow Spring 2027 SS 50 %
^ Cooper Gornet NC Charlotte Catholic 2026 SS 50 %
12 Jose Doubront SC Greenville Academy 2026 3B 47 %
13 Emmanuel Benitez SC SOUTHSIDE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 2027 3B 47 %
14 Julian Baldwin SC D.W. Daniel 2025 OF 46 %
^ Jake DiMartino SC Wando High 2026 C 46 %
15 Rome DeRenzo SC St. James 2027 1B 45 %
^ Brodie Tuthill SC Ashley Ridge 2027 SS 45 %

Fly Ball %

Rank Name State School Class Pos Fly Ball %
1 Parker Trexler NC West Forsyth 2025 3B 81.8 %
2 Zeke Adwaters III NC TC Roberson 2026 SS 80.0 %
3 Owen Simmons NC JH Rose 2025 RHP 77.8 %
4 Christian Gentrup NC Northwest Guilford High 2026 SS 72.7 %
5 Robert Sasser III NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2025 OF 70.0 %
^ Brayden Brogdon SC Rock Hill High 2027 OF 70.0 %
6 Alex Lerch NC Metrolina Academy 2025 2B 64.3 %
7 Gavin Jackson NC American Leadership Academy - Johnston 2026 3B 62.5 %
8 Anderson Hayes SC Fountain Inn High 2026 LHP 61.5 %
^ Jacob Cesarz NC Cary Christian 2026 SS 61.5 %
9 Giovanni Tafalla NC Willow Spring High 2027 C 57.1 %
10 Hayden Fones NC Apex Friendship 2025 SS 55.6 %
^ John Collins SC Blythewood 2026 SS 55.6 %
^ Mac Dawsey SC P27 Baseball Academy 2025 C 55.6 %
^ Stephen Hudgins SC Powdersville High 2027 OF 55.6 %
^ Jacob Mackara SC Bishop England 2025 OF 55.6 %
11 Christian Spivey SC Lexington 2027 3B 53.8 %
12 Vincent Lee NC Pro5 Baseball Academy 2025 2B 53.3 %
13 Garrett Blankenship SC Gray Collegiate Academy 2026 SS 50.0 %
^ Davis Phillips NC BURLINGTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 2025 C 50.0 %
^ Yamil Soto SC P27 2027 SS 50.0 %
^ Ethan Simmons NC JH Rose 2025 3B 50.0 %
^ Lucas Riley NC Ledford 2025 OF 50.0 %
14 Hodge Williams NC Holly Springs 2026 C 46.2 %
^ Kellen Rogers NC Wake Forest 2027 SS 46.2 %
15 Jeremy Powell SC White Knoll 2026 LHP 45.5 %
^ Reid Johnson NC South Iredell High 2026 C 45.5 %
^ Weston Sykes NC Wesleyan Christian Academy 2027 SS 45.5 %

Ground Ball %

Rank Name State School Class Pos Ground Ball %
1 Connor Campbell SC HILTON HEAD PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2025 SS 62 %
2 Michael Gurganus NC Bear Grass Charter School 2025 RHP 60 %
3 Preston DeNapoli SC Lucy Beckham 2025 RHP 58 %
4 Joey McGovern SC Seneca High 2025 OF 57 %
5 Fletcher Owens NC Homeschool (NC) 2027 2B 54 %
6 Aaron Tolbert SC Easley 2025 C 50 %
^ Kyle Kirkland SC Clover High 2026 RHP 50 %
7 Rome DeRenzo SC St. James 2027 1B 45 %
^ Connor Tregoning NC Ronald W Reagan High School 2026 1B 45 %
8 Roper Wentzky SC A. C. Flora High 2026 2B 44 %
^ Gavin Squires SC switching 2025 C 44 %
^ Jackson Gordon SC Legion Collegiate Academy 2025 OF 44 %
^ Charlie Scott SC AC Flora 2026 OF 44 %
9 Caden Davidson NC Roberson 2025 1B 42 %
10 Eben Greene NC East Forsyth 2025 RHP 41 %
11 Evan Matile NC East Lincoln High 2025 OF 40 %
^ Ryan Roggin SC Lucy Beckham 2025 SS 40 %
^ Aiden Smith SC Clover 2026 RHP 40 %
^ Trip Ostergard SC James Island Charter 2027 SS 40 %
12 Ethan Offing SC Dutch Fork 2026 SS 37 %
13 Thomas Shumaker NC North Iredell High 2025 C 36 %
14 Derrick Jones SC James F. Byrnes High 2027 3B 33 %
^ Lucas Riley NC Ledford 2025 OF 33 %
^ Jonathan Waldrop SC Lexington 2026 OF 33 %
15 Bryan Franklin SC Blythewood High 2025 2B 31 %