2024 Rankings Update: High Risers

PBR Scouts spent the fall of 2023 continuing their search for baseball players across the state of North Carolina.  PBR ran events and tournaments in the area, plus scouts were on the road running Scout Days and watching workouts.  As we head to the off-season and begin to prep for the 2024 High School season, it is time for an updated round of rankings.  First up, the senior class, the class of 2024.

At the time of this update, over 200 players in the state of North Carolina have committed to their future school to play baseball.  With the 2024 class, we are expecting 450 players to gain the opportunity to college baseball, based on what the state has consistently produced over the past decade.  With players in the class ranging from 16 years of age to 18 years old, there is still a ton of developement to happen with players in this class in the coming months and years.  For PBR this is one of the final 3 deep dives into the class of 2024 rankings, working to highlight the top players in North Carolina.

This release of the 2024 rankings expands the ranked class from 290 players to the top 325 players in the state.  As we get closer to the draft date for this class, we did have some major shaekups in the top 20 of the class.  While the 2024 class may not have an elite talent that is drawing 1st round interest, there is depth in the talent base and we may look back in 5-6 years to talk about the projection that players had and their ability to develop and reach their potential. This will be a very fun class to follow as they may miss out on some of the higher accolades now, but may reach them in the coming years.

See the full 2024 Rankings and the Top 325 in the State HERE.

Rankings High Risers

There is a significant amount of work put in by PBR Scouts to put together the rankings for each class.  It starts with player evaluations, where our scouting staff will work to put players into Tiers.  As our scouts see enough of a player, and gather numbers to back up their thoughts, Scouts can add a grade to the Tiers.  Finally the scouting staff works to put a confidence level on the Tier and Grade on each player.

Players that have a Grade are added to a rankings database where multiple PBR Scouts go through the player notes and tools, manipulating the grades as they go. 

At times, PBR Scouts miss, and we work to update players as we see more of them.  At times, players get better, and PBR Scouts work to see players as they get older, quicker, and stronger. And, at times, players may level off for one reason or another, not getting to a future grade that was a projection of our scouting staff.  As we get closer and closer to a player's graduation year, the more firm we believe our Grade is on each player.

Below we peak at 10 players that made jumps with their Grade since this past spring and summer releases.

Mason Middleton RHP / 1B / Reagan , NC / 2024 Rankings  StateRank: 32 / POS: 15 Moved from No. 50 to No. 32  Appalachain State commit Middleton took a big jump at the very end of the summer, just after the summer rankings release was posted.  The right-hander showed up to the Mid-Atlantic ProCase in Virginia and was simply dominant in his two innings of work.  The arm strength was never in question, but there was more whip and solid direction, allowing the fastball to bore into right handed hitters at 88-92, spinning up to 2600rpm.  He paired this with a devestating slider with big length late across the zone.

Cameron Richey OF / Southern Lee, NC / 2024 Rankings  StateRank: 54 / POS: 9 Moved from No. 81 to 54   Richey slid a little after the summer, through no fault of his own.  He was injured and simply away from the game a bit.  On top of that, PBR Scouts may have been a little light on his overall athleticism.  This all changed when he showed at the Carolinas Senior Games: West at Catawba.   The sweet swinging right handed hitter was back in the box and doing damage during BP and the live game setting.  Pair the swing with a 6.89 sixty on the laser and a vertical jump over 26in and we think he will continue to have plenty of room to his ceiling as he fills out his 6-foot-1 frame.

Tommy Williams III OF / 1B / Wake County Homeschool, NC / 2024 Rankings  StateRank: 87 / POS: 14 Moved from No. 152 to No. 87 Players can develop at different rates.  All scouts can get excited when they see prospects with quickesss and physicality.  Williams is one of these prospects and as we continue to work to put a final number on him, his tools are undeniable.  At 6-foot-2, 185 pounds, Williams ran a 6.68 at the Carolinas Senior Games: East and posted a vertical jump of over 26.5in.  The right handed hitter has run sub-6.70 for PBR's lasers in multiple events.  Offensively, Williams is still working to refine his barrel contact, and take the strength that shows so easily in BP, into game situations consistently.  The one thing we have noticed in his past couple of evaluations is the bat is coming.  His live at-bats have been much more productive and he is beginning to make the punishing contact in games that we see in BP.  His top BP exit velocity was 97.5mph.  His average exit velocity in BP is now climbing above 90mph.

*Log in or subscribe to see the full list of 10 players that made big moves up the 2024 Rankings.