NC/SC Border Battle: Trackman Hitting Analytics
June 25, 2024
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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 % |