Casey
Cook

After missing nearly all of the 2022 season with a shoulder injury, Cook put together a strong sophomore season in 2023 with a .317/.428/.415 line of production. His season also included three home runs and 11 doubles in the 59 games. Noticeably bigger and stronger this year, especially in his forearms, Cook still has his smooth swing, and he’s added more over the fence pop with 12 round-trippers to date. He’s the Tar Heels best pure hitter, is long through the zone and uses all fields. The 6-foot, 195-pound lefty hitter showed easy juice to left centerfield in batting practice before homering twice to his pull side in his first two at-bats of Thursday’s game. The first, he ambushed a 93 mph fastball for a line drive laser beam to right field. The second, he struck deep to right centerfield 420’ with an exit velocity of 105 mph. Cook’s ability to hit will be his carrying tool at the next level, and he does have defensive versatility with a near average arm and average run tool once underway. A left fielder on this UNC club, Cook hasn’t yet found a true defensive home, but he has played second base and first base in the past. Cook was also 4.3 down the line after smoking a low line drive off the pitcher’s foot that deflected to the third baseman. Cook is a top five round prospect for this year’s draft.

Cape Cod: Had a breakout 2023 season at UNC, batting .317 with a .428 on-base percentage, and while that didn’t carry over to the summer—he batted .175 in 80 at-bats—there was still clearly a lot to like. Cook has a sweet lefthanded swing, is an above-average runner who turned in a 4.28-second run time to first base in one look this summer, and is a good athlete who can play a litany of defensive positions, including both outfield corners, second base and first base.

VA/DC Scout Blog

Cook is 6-0 with an athletic frame that has strength present. Defensively, has good feet and quickness, good rhythm fielding the ball with soft hands. Throws from a low three-quarters arm slot with a short loose quick arm, has plenty of arm strength for short, reads runners well and uses what he needs. At the plate, hits from the left side from a slightly open balanced athletic stance. Short and very quick to the ball, some whip in his bat. Showed a pull approach. Was pitched around in the game, hit by a pitch once and intentionally walked another time. 

DCPL Scout Blog

Cook has an athletic frame with strength present and some projection left to it, moves freely, a loose athlete. On the infield, athletic and agile, takes good angles and fields with soft quick hands and a good base, transfer is quick and clean, arm is loose with some carry. At the plate, hits from the left side, open balanced athletic stance, strides on line with a smooth load, has good rhythm at that the plate. Swing is very short, very good at keeping hands inside, whippy bat with extension through the ball. Has feel for the barrel. Power is present with more to come. 

Preseason All State Ses. I
Projectable frame at 6-foot, 170-pounds. Hits from the left side starting from a relaxed athletic open stance. Small pickup and put down at stride landing on line. Hands have minimal rhythmic load back with a slight wrap at stride. Bat is quick to contact with a flat bat path and stays through the ball at contact. Line drive tendencies with gap to gap potential. Lower half has some explosion to finish with an exit velo of 87 mph. Defensively Cook works around the outside of the ball with active feet to catch. Gets the left foot down late and fields out front with eyes behind the catch. Clean exchange throwing from a low three-quarter arm slot at 83 mph. Ran a quick time at 4.13 from Home-1st.