Prep Baseball Report

2019 Top Prospect Games - Statistical Analysis


Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

One of the premier events each summer on the PBR docket is the North Carolina Top Prospect Games.  This year, the Top Prospect Games took place on August 7th at Campbell University with over 50 of the top players from North Carolina in attendance.   Position players worked through a full pro-style workout, followed by a controlled scrimmage with pitchers throwing live to hitters.  PBR scouts were on hand to collect stats, notes, and evaluations on each player in attendance.

In the coming days and weeks, we will dive deep into information and players from the Top Prospect Games.  Below are the statistical leaders from several key categories collected during game play and during the workout portion of the day.  While the stats do not paint a complete picture of the athlete, they do give us a starting point as we work to put grades on each player’s tools and his overall projection.

CLICK HERE to see the full stats from the Top Prospect Games

 

2019 NORTH CAROLINA TOP PROSPECT GAMES – QUICK HITTERS

 

 

The 60 Yard Dash

The 60 has been used for a long period of time to gauge speed in baseball players.  A bit antiquated, it does allow scouts to compare players from different time periods and has become a standard testing distance for pro-style workouts.  During the Top Prospect Games, players ran on a laser timed course.  The surface at the event was synthetic grass.   Only one time came in under 7.00, which in August, most players are not peaking their 60 times.  There were 11 players that ran a sub-7.20.  The median time for the laser timed 60 checked in at 7.41.

Rank Name State School Class Pos 60-yard
1 Joey Ferrari NC Sanderson 2020 SS 6.70
2 Kaden Brown NC Garner Magnet 2020 OF 7.02
3 Chase Caristo NC Apex 2021 SS 7.06
^ Cameron Verrier NC Cleveland 2020 SS 7.06
4 Oliver Zohn NC South Garner 2021 SS 7.07
5 Jacob Bebber NC Alexander Central 2020 C 7.08

 

Exit Velocity

During the offensive portion of the day, players worked through an exit velocity testing station.  At this station, players attacked a ball on a tee with a radar gun reading the exit velocity of the ball off the barrel.  Players had the chance to swing their own bat, plus bats provided by Mizuno.  The numbers below are only from the exit velocity station.  In-game, the scoreboard at Campbell’s Jim Perry Stadium had TrackMan running, showing the distance and exit velocity off the bat of batted balls.  The top exit velocity checked in at 97 mph and 16 players registered a speed of 90 mph or higher in the testing.  The median exit velocity from the Top Prospect Games was 87 mph.

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velo
1 Corey Avant NC Sun Valley 2020 OF 97
2 Hogan Stallings NC Wake Forest 2020 1B 95
^ Lukas Schramm NC Pro5 Academy 2022 OF 95
3 Graham Smiley NC East Lincoln 2022 C 94
^ Jacob Bebber NC Alexander Central 2020 C 94
^ Wesley Lug NC William Amos Hough 2021 C 94
^ Brooks Brannon NC Randleman 2022 C 94
^ Cole Schiff NC Heritage 2021 LHP 94
4 Austin St. Laurent NC Western Alamance 2020 SS 93
5 Ryan McCrystal NC Fuquay-Varina 2021 C 92
^ Samuel Fleming NC Zebulon Vance 2020 SS 92
6 Dylan Koontz NC William Amos Hough 2021 3B 91
^ Cameron Verrier NC Cleveland 2020 SS 91
^ Corbin Lanowitz NC Walkertown 2020 SS 91
7 Maxwell Doherty NC Lake Norman Charter 2020 C 90
^ Tanner Lyne NC Concord Academy 2022 RHP 90
8 Korbin Pettigrew NC John T Hoggard 2022 SS 89
9 Joey Ferrari NC Sanderson 2020 SS 88
^ Matt Heavner NC North Lincoln 2022 SS 88
^ Peter Maldonado NC Heritage 2021 C 88
10 Aaron Williams NC Davie 2020 C 87
^ Jake Contino NC Lake Norman 2020 RHP 87
^ Noah Thomas NC Rolesville 2021 OF 87
^ Colton Stotler NC West Wilkes 2020 3B 87
^ Noah Barozzino NC Hough 2020 2B 87

 

Positional Velocity – Infielders

Infielders were able to workout at Shortstop in the pro-style portion of the Top Prospect Games.  Players were hit a variety of ground balls, moving to secure the ball before transitioning the ball into a throw across the diamond.  Scouts are evaluating multiple areas during this session.  Arm strength, carry, accuracy, and ease of actions can all be marked.  PBR scouts add a radar gun to give a number to the arm strength.  While the radar reading does not tell the entire story, it does give evaluators a feel for pure arm strength.  30 infielders worked out from either shortstop or 1B.  The top radar reading across the diamond registered at 90 mph, with a median reading of 80 mph.

Rank Name State School Class Pos INF Velo
1 Austin St. Laurent NC Western Alamance 2020 SS 90
2 Ryan McCrystal NC Fuquay-Varina 2021 C 89
3 Daniel Stephens NC Pro 5 Academy 2020 SS 88
4 Matt Heavner NC North Lincoln 2022 SS 86
5 Corbin Lanowitz NC Walkertown 2020 SS 85
6 Graham Smiley NC East Lincoln 2022 C 84
7 Dylan Koontz NC William Amos Hough 2021 3B 82
8 Adam Quintero NC Piedmont 2021 SS 81
^ Gavin Sentell NC Ledford 2021 SS 81
^ Korbin Pettigrew NC John T Hoggard 2022 SS 81
^ Tanner Lyne NC Concord Academy 2022 RHP 81
^ Samuel Fleming NC Zebulon Vance 2020 SS 81
^ Joey Ferrari NC Sanderson 2020 SS 81
9 Isaiah Mack NC Combine Academy 2023 3B 80
^ Jackson Bowman NC Wesleyan Christian 2020 2B 80
^ Oliver Zohn NC South Garner 2021 SS 80
^ Noah Barozzino NC Hough 2020 2B 80
10 Devin Tonkins NC Greensboro Day 2021 OF 79
^ Ryan Smith NC Apex Friendship 2020 SS 79

 

Positional Velocity – Outfielders

Similar to the infielders, there are several data points that evaluators are looking for as outfielders took batted balls from right field, making throws to home plate.  PBR scouts, again, took radar readings on each throw, giving scouts a chance to gauge arm strength with a solid number.  Eleven outfielders worked out from right field.  The top positional throw marked at 93 mph.  The median outfield throw for the group was at 82 mph.

Rank Name State School Class Pos OF Velo
1 Lukas Schramm NC Pro5 Academy 2022 OF 93
2 Corey Avant NC Sun Valley 2020 OF 88
3 Korbin Pettigrew NC John T Hoggard 2022 SS 85
^ Jackson Bowman NC Wesleyan Christian 2020 2B 85
4 Colby Davis NC Cleveland 2020 RHP 83
5 Devin Tonkins NC Greensboro Day 2021 OF 82

 

Catcher Pop Times & Positional Velocity

In the pro-style workout, catchers workout from behind home plate, making multiple throws to 2B, simulating a stolen base attempt.  Scouts again are looking for a quick, clean transition to the release as well as carry and accuracy on the throw.  For catchers, evaluators will put a stopwatch on the “pop time” or the time the ball hits their glove to the time the ball hits the MIF’s glove at 2B.  Coaches can also time the transition from when the ball hits the catchers glove to when he is able to release his throw.  PBR scouts add the radar gun to put a number on the arm strength out of the crouched position.  The top pop time in the workout was a 1.90, with a median time from the group of 11 catchers of 2.05.  The top positional velocity checked in at 84 mph out of the hand, while the median for the group clocked in at 77 mph.

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Graham Smiley NC East Lincoln 2022 C 1.90-2.06
2 Ryan McCrystal NC Fuquay-Varina 2021 C 1.94-1.96
3 Jacob Bebber NC Alexander Central 2020 C 1.96-2.11
4 Brooks Brannon NC Randleman 2022 C 2.01-2.14
5 Wesley Lug NC William Amos Hough 2021 C 2.03-2.14

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Ryan McCrystal NC Fuquay-Varina 2021 C 84
2 Graham Smiley NC East Lincoln 2022 C 80
3 Wesley Lug NC William Amos Hough 2021 C 78
^ Peyton Wilkins NC Wayne School of Engineering 2021 C 78
4 Aaron Williams NC Davie 2020 C 77
5 Maxwell Doherty NC Lake Norman Charter 2020 C 76

 

Max Fastball

Pitchers threw live to hitters at the The Top Prospect Games.  The innings were controlled to limit some of their stress and to allow them to showcase their arsenal to the coaches and scouts in attendance.  Eighteen arms threw at the event with the top fastball registering at 91 mph.  The median top fastball came in at 84 mph.

Rank Name State School Class Pos Max FB
1 Cyle Phelan NC Fuquay Varina 2021 LHP 91 mph
2 Jackson Kirkpatrick NC McMichael 2020 RHP 90 mph
3 Zane Taylor NC PRO5 Academy 2021 RHP 89 mph
^ Ryan McCrystal NC Fuquay-Varina 2021 C 89 mph
4 Corey Avant NC Sun Valley 2020 OF 88 mph
5 Case Stroup NC Apex Friendship 2020 LHP 87 mph
6 Tanner Lyne NC Concord Academy 2022 RHP 86 mph
7 Noah Carter NC Chatham Charter 2020 RHP 85 mph
8 Jake Contino NC Lake Norman 2020 RHP 84 mph
^ Dylan Koontz NC William Amos Hough 2021 3B 84 mph
^ Noah Barozzino NC Hough 2020 2B 84 mph
9 Cole Schiff NC Heritage 2021 LHP 83 mph
^ Matt Poole NC Corinth Holders 2021 RHP 83 mph
10 Carson Hinnant NC Heritage 2020 RHP 82 mph
^ Jacob Coffin NC Pro5 Academy 2022 LHP 82 mph