Prep Baseball Report

Preseason All-State Central: Quick Hitters (Upperclass Hitters)


Zach Boraski
North Carolina Assistant Scouting Director

The Preseason All-State events in North Carolina have quickly become the top winter events for the top players in the state to attend.  This year there are 3 Preseason All-State events with the East and West happening on February 3rd and 4th.  The Preseason All-State Central is scheduled for February 10th. These three events will see over 250 of North Carolina's top players, as they are ready to post numbers and go through a workout in preparation for the spring season.  Prep Baseball scouts were on hand to run the event verify stats, and evaluate the players involved.

The Preseason All-State has made Diamond Xtreme in Kernersville, NC its home for the Central event for 5 years.  Diamond Xtreme is a tremendous facility that offers a spacious workout facility, featuring a 3/4 size infield setting that allows for full catcher pop times and for infielders to field true ground balls.  During BP, Prep Baseball splits the big cage in half, allowing hitters to see the ball fly, while working through the BP session in a very efficient fashion. 

The Preseason All-State Central featured over 70 of North Carolina's top talent.  Players came from the beach, the Triangle, the Triad, and the Charlotte area.  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 Preseason All-State Central.

By The Numbers
+ 2 Players posted exit velocities in BP of 100mph or greater
+ 30 hitters recorded an exit velocity of 90mph or higher
+ 34 hitters had a BLAST bat speed of 70mph of higher
+ 21 players ran a 4.00 or faster 30yd
+ 7 players hit 18mph while being tested
+ 22 players had a vertical jump test at 28in or higher
+ 9 pitchers had a fastball at 88mph or higher
+ 17 arms touched 84 or better with their fastball
+ 6 pitchers had their fastball spin recorded higher than 2400rpm
+ 8 pitchers had their breaking ball spin at 2400rpm or higher
+ 9 catchers recorded a pop time of 2.05 or better
+ 6 outfielders had arm strength at 85mph or better
+ 9 infielders tested with arm strength across the infield at 84mph or higher

PRESEASON ALL-STATE CENTRAL: QUICK HITTERS (UPPERCLASS Hitters)

2024 Grads

Jabari Lee, C/OF, Jack Britt HS, 2024

Athletic mover in the box exit velo peaked at 90.4 with a max distance of 290. Behind the plate showed off his athleticism throwing pop times between 2.01-2.14. Arm topped at 85 from OF.
Posted the top 30 in the event at 3.78. Showed good actions during his defensive rounds posting a top inf velo of 82. The max exit velo peaked at 84.3.
LHH physical framed catcher with good accuracy on his throw downs. Pop time ranged between 2.1-2.27. In the box drove the ball to MIF with a max exit belo of 92.6.
Athletic moving LHH, Exit velo topped at 89.2 with a average exit velo of 81.1. From the outfield the arm topped at 80.

2025 Grads

Zeb Swangim, 3B, TC Roberson HS, 2025

Showcased good bat to ball skills during his rounds of BP. Worked in middle of field with a max exit velo of 94.9 and a average exit velo of 89.5. Arm peaked at 84 across diamond.

Ryker Butcher, C, DH Conley HS, 2025

Small frame catcher with plenty of tools. Had top pop time of the event at 1.85-2.01 with a top C velo of 83. Drove the ball to the pull side with a max exit velo of 92.6.

Andru Hall, MIF, West Stokes HS, 2025

Very fluid moving athlete ran a 3.91 30. Very athletic moving in the box the exit velo topped at 92.4 with a line drive approach. Across the dimaond had good hands and the arm peaked at 83 across.

Jahdier Rodriguez,C, Charlotte Cathloic HS, 2025

Hand speed topped at 21.3 mph helping produce a exit velo of 84.1 Swing has natural loft present in it. C pop times ranged 2.12-2.3.

Anthony Smith Jr, OF, Hickory Ridge HS, 2025

Long framed athlete with some quick twitch. Hand speed of 22.1mph  and a 30 yard of 3.98. Arm peaked at 83 from OF.

Zack Scruggs, MIF, Southwestern Randolph, 2025

Rotational in the box creating good accleration up to 27.1 with good bat speed up to 75.1. Exit velo topped at 95.1 with some natural loft in the swing. Arm peaked at 83.

Gib Wirt, C/3B, The Burlington School HS, 2025

Loose in the box generating whip with loft to the ball. Exit velo maxed at 93.3 with a max distance of 330. Pop times ranged from 2.04-2.19 and a max velo from behind plate of 77.

Jett Parsley, 1B, Middle Creek HS, 2025

Physical in the box with a middle of field approach. Bat speed peaked at 72.1 mph with a max exit velo of 90.7. Arm peaked at 83 across the diamond.

Colby Cooper, 1B, Rockingham HS, 2025

Large frame in the box with barell feel, drives ball gap to gap with a line drive approach. Exit velo maxed at 96.1 and acorss the diamond topped at 76.

Aubrey Stanley, 1B, Cleveland HS, 2025

LHH with a large frame and power to show. Exit velo maxed at 98.6 with a average exit velo of 92.2. Bat speed maxed at 75.3.

Austin Federspiel, 1B, East Forsyth HS, 2025

Large frame with a short stroke driving the baseball to the middle of the field with loft to back side. Exit velo topped of 92.8 with a average exit velo of 84.

Carter Matthews, OF, Rockingham County HS, 2025

LHH hitter who found the barrel during his round of bp with a sweet spot percentage of 73%. From the outfield topped out at 74.

Coleman Cross, INF/OF, Ashley HS, 2025

Has very good arm strength and carry on the baseball topped out a 87 from the outfield. Slight down hill plan in the box creating a line drive approach exit velo up to 88.8.

Noah Genna, OF, Apex Friendship HS, 2025

Athletic mover with some twitch in the tools. Bat speed up to 74 with a exit velo of 89.2 Ran a 3.94 30 and peaked at 87 from OF.

Eben Greene, OF East Forsyth HS, 2025

Stocky build with some power with it. Exit velo reached 94.4 with some loft to the middle of the field. Ran a 3.97 30 and peaked at 84 from OF.

Gavin Gibson, 1B, South Point HS, 2025

LHH with a good frame and a  fluid swing in the box. Exit velo maxed at 93.4 with a max distance of 93.4. Velo topped at 76 from 1B.

Seth Tickel, 3B, Rocky Mount Academy, 2025

Stocky build with the best hand speet at the event of 26.2. Exit velo peaked at 96.8 with a gap to gap approach. Across the diamond topped out at 89.

Adrian Gonzalez, SS, Apex HS, 2025

Lanky athlete with serious juice. Highest Exit velo and max distance of event, exit velo was 100.9 and max distance of 400. Ran a 3.8 yard and arm reached 87 across the diamond. 

Will Hartzell, 1B, Ashley HS, 2025

High waisted LHH with a middle of the field approach. Exit velo peaked at 83.4. Across the diamond maxed out at 73.

James Oates, OF, Cary HS, 2025

Left Handed hitter with feel for barrel. Bat speed maxed at 72 while the exit velo peaked at 86.9. Topped at 83 from the OF.

Tanner Berry, C/OF, Ashley HS, 2025

Musclar build with loud all arouns tools. Exit velo peaked at 96.1 with max distance of 329. OF velo was 89, catcher pop was 2.07-2.18. Ran a 3.87 30

Tanner Ferguson, SS, Pro 5 Academy, 2025

Strong build with barell skills. Worked inside the baseball to the middle of the field with a max exit velo of 98.6. Arm also stood out reaching 89 across the diamond.

Davis Phillips, C, The Burlington School, 2025

Great catch and throw guy with good accuracy. Pop times ranged 1.93-2.0 topping at 82 mph. Exit velo topped at 95 with a max distnace of 357.