Prep Baseball Report

2020 Preseason All-State East: 2021 Infielders


Brandon Hall & Matt Payne
NC Executive Director & Scouting Director

On Sunday February 2nd, sixty of the top players in the state of North Carolina converged at the Next Level Training Center in Greenville, NC.  The Preseason All-State showcase event is the top winter event in North Carolina year after year and with the increased demand, there are now two sessions, an east and a west.  Below we continue our first look at some player notes from the Preseason All-State East.   

The day consisted of a full pro-style workout with pitchers throwing controlled bullpens, followed by defensive workouts for the position players.  Hitters were able to go through multiple cages to get loose prior to moving through two exit velocity stations.  Live BP was taken in a large cage, allowing scouts and coaches to see the ball fly off the bat.

The 2021 group at the PAS East featured a lot of talent spread across the field.  The infielder group from the 2021 class has a mix of high level defenders and hitters with strength present.  Below we take a look at the ten infielders in the 2021 class at the PAS East.

CLICK HERE to see the full roster and stats from the Preseason All-State East

Preseason All-State West – By the Numbers:

  • 60 players went through the workout at Next Level Training Center
  • 50 players ran the laser timed 30 yard dash
  • 3.61 was the top 30 yard time
  • 15 players ran sub-4.00 in the 30 yard dash
  • 14 players registered an exit velocity of 90 mph or higher off the bat
  • 97 mph was the top registered exit velocity
  • 93 mph was the top positional velocity from the OF
  • 94 mph was the top positional velocity across the infield
  • 10 catchers flashed a pop time of 2.10 or better in their workout
  • 24 arms threw controlled bullpens at the workout
  • 9 players were 83 or higher
  • 89 mph was the top fastball from the event

 

2021 Infielders

 

 

 

Hunter Powell 1B / OF / Lakewood , NC / 2021

Positional Profile: 1B/OF.
Body: 6’1, 165 pounds. Strong build.
Defense:  Average hands funnel to the belt after catch with clean exchanges. Lacks rhythm.
Arm: RH. INF - 71 mph.  Accurate throws, medium arm stroke, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly open base with some barrel waggle. Smooth load, base gets back to even with average stride, hands work back. Fluid, flat swing getting barrel extension through the middle.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Has some strength with average bat speed and barrel awareness.
Run: 4.12 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Thomas Martinez 2B / 3B / William G. Enloe, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: 2B/3B.
Body: 6’1”, 160 pounds. Average frame.
Defense:  Plays relaxed, fluid feet. Catches the ball off his left hip, better than average hands, funnels to the midsection with clean transfers.
Arm: RH. INF - 76 mph. Accurate arm with some carry, Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open, balanced setup. Loads against his back hip with a small leg lift, small hand load. Direct barrel path, staying through the zone. Loose hands working through the middle.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average bat control, average bat speed.
Run: 4.10 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Matthew Beisecker SS / OF / Heritage, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: 2B/OF.
Body: 6’1”, 165 pounds. Athletic frame.
Defense:  OF-Average hands, clean exchanges, shuffling through his throws. IF-Athletic, solid actions playing with rhythm. Above average hands, funneling to the belt with clean transfers.
Arm: RH. INF - 83 mph. OF - 85 mph. OF-Accurate arm with carry. Long arm action with quickness, over the top slot. IF-Accurate throws with some carry. Medium arm stroke, over the top slot.
Hit: RHH. Athletic, balanced setup. Small load against his back leg, short stride, quiet hands. Fluid swing, loose hands. Barrel works short to the ball and stays through the zone, gap to gap approach.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Fast bat through the zone with pop. Advanced barrel control.
Run: 3.86 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Zachary Aranda 2B / SS / Jack Britt, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: 2B/SS.
Body: 5’6”, 165 pounds. Average frame.
Defense:  Plays from an athletic position with quick feet. Better than average hands, balanced at the catch position with smooth transfers.
Arm: RH. INF - 77 mph. Accurate arm. Long arm swing with feel for different slots.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, athletic setup. Loads against his back hip with a small leg lift, quiet hands. Fluid, short swing. Loose hands, keeps his barrel in the zone, middle approach.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Lots of barrel feel, average bat speed.
Run: 4.24 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Tate Mickey 2B / SS / Corinth Holders , NC / 2021

Positional Profile: 2B/SS.
Body: 5’8”, 160 pounds. Average build.
Defense:  Advanced defensive actions. Plays with rhythm. Soft hands with easy transfers.
Arm: RH. INF - 83 mph. Short arm action, 3/4 slot. Accurate arm with carry to first base.
Hit: RHH. Upright setup, narrow, slightly open base. Medium stride back to even, hands go back, creating bat angle behind his head. Drives back leg, some quickness to his hands, mostly level bat path with some hand strength.
Power: 83 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Average bat speed and barrel feel.
Run: 3.99 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Jaxon Masterson SS / 2B / Sanderson, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: SS/2B.
Body: 5’10”, 155 pounds. Lanky, athletic frame.
Defense:  Athletic, relaxed, with smooth actions. Soft hands with easy transistions.
Arm: RH. INF - 84 mph. Accurate arm with carry. Short arm action with quickness, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: RHH. Starts upright with an even base. Smooth load against his back leg, glides into the ball with his hands working down and back. Aggressive swings, quick hands, looks to get the ball in the air with a gap to gap approach.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Hard contact, fast bat with better than average barrel feel.
Run: 4.03 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Oliver Zohn SS / 2B / South Garner, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: SS/2B.
Body: 5’6”, 135 pounds. Average frame.
Defense:  Fluid actions with quick feet. Relaxed at the catch position with softness to his hands. Funnels to the belt with a longer exchange.
Arm: RH. INF - 83 mph. Long, loose arm action, high 3/4 slot. Some accuracy across the diamond.
Hit: LHH. Slightly open setup, narrow base. Loads with a leg kick, gets base back to even, hands work back. Quick hands, keeps his barrel in the zone a long time. Balanced, line drive approach.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average barrel control average bat speed.
Run: 3.98 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Chase Caristo SS / 2B / Apex, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: SS/2B.
Body: 5’9”, 150 pounds. Average frame.
Defense:  Quick, active feet. Catches the ball in the center of his body, average hands, funnels to the belt with clean exchanges.
Arm: RH. INF - 78 mph. Accurate arm. Meduim arm swing, 3/4 slot.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup. Minimal load, short stride, quiet hands. Quick hands, gap to gap approach. Flat barrel path with some length in the swing.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average barrel awareness, average bat speed.
Run: 4.04 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Jack Boyles SS / 2B / Heritage, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: SS/2B.
Body: 6’1”, 190 pounds. Average build.
Defense:  Plays with rhythm. Above average hands, funnels to the belt with easy transfers.
Arm: RH. INF - 79 mph. Accurate arm with some carry. Medium arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: RHH. Athletic, balanced setup. Loads knee to knee with a short stride. Some barrel movement during the load with a late hand cock. Quick hands, short path to ball with a line drive approach.
Power: 79 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average bat control. Average bat speed.
Run: 4.02 runner in the 30. 

 

 

Will Harris SS / RHP / Rosewood, NC / 2021

Positional Profile: SS/RHP. Multi-sport athlete that could have a high ceiling as he adds strength to his frame
Body: 6’1”, 180 pounds. Athletic, lanky frame with room to add strength.
Defense: 1.97 - 2.09 pop times. IF-Athletic with quick feet, getting to a balanced catch position. Above average hands. Showed range making the athletic play. C-Catches the ball with his throwing hand near his glove, sweeping exhcange. Athletic receiving with average hands.
Arm: RH. C - 78 mph. INF - 82 mph. IF-Accurate arm with carry. Quick, medium arm action, high 3/4 slot. C-Accurate throws, Short, quick arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: RHH. Even, athletic base with barrel starting flat over his back shoulder. Loads with a toe tap, quiet barrel. Quick hands. Glides into the ball with barrel staying through the ball. Barrel gets long at times.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average bat speed, average barrel feel.
Run: 4.29 runner in the 30. 

Delivery: Athletic delivery that builds tempo. Lift to the mid-chest with a coil, closing the front side. Works to land on-line with a closed foot-strike. Average extension. Lacks backside action at times.
Arm Action: RH. Medium arm swing. Strong and clean, works to an over-the-top slot.
FB: T84, 81-84 mph. 2270 - 2330 rpm. Strike thrower. Straight. Flooded the bottom of the zone.
CB: 68-69 mph. 1990 - 1990 rpm. Gradual 12/6 rolling tilt. Similar release to the fastball with solid arm speed.
SL: 67-71 mph. 2082 - 2082 rpm. Slightly lower slot working to get more sweeping action. Hard bite near the zone.
CH: 72-73 mph. 1750 - 2054 rpm. Slows the arm a bit. Attacks the zone with feel. Slight fade.