Carolina Rockies Scout Day Analysis: 2020 Grads

Will Austin 2B / C / Eastern Alamance, NC / 2020

5 foot 8, 158-pound average build.  Offensively he works from the right side with a tall, slightly open setup.  Medium length stride with his hands working back during the load.  Fluid stroke with some lift in the swing.  Gap to gap approach with feel for his barrel.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 84 mph.  Higher setup behind the plate with quick, clean exchanges, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Pop times ranged from 2.14-2.28.  Some feel for the bag with his arm topping at 70 mph from a crouch position.  Active feet on the infield working slightly around the ball with some rhythm to his feet and hands.  Funnels to the belt after catch with some carry to his throws across the diamond that reached 78 mph.  Recorded a 7.72 in the 60.

Nicholas Badgett SS / OF / North Surry, NC / 2020

Athletic build at 5 foot 11, 165-pounds with room to add strength.  Athletic, slightly open setup from the right side of the plate. Smooth load with his hands working back with a medium length stride.  Fluid swing with loose hands, using the whole field during batting practice.  Quick hands and gets the barrel out with strength to his pull side.  Has barrel awareness with better than average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 88 mph.  Works to the ball in the outfield with his feet stopping and using a two hand catch at times.  Works through his throws with some carry and accuracy.  Arm topped at 85 mph from the outfield.  Plays relaxed on the infield with active feet and average hands.  Accurate arm with some carry across the diamond that reached 82 mph.  Recorded a 7.09 in the 60.

John Davenport LHP / 1B / Davie County, NC / 2020

Lanky frame at 6 foot, 175-pounds.  Primary pitcher that did not get to throw due to weather (updates coming soon).  Switch hitter.  Balanced setup from the right side.  Small weight transfer back during his load with quiet hands.  Hands stay close to the body during the swing, looking to stay inside the ball.  Lacks some lower half creating an inconsistent bat path.  Balanced from the left side with his weigh and hands working back during the load with a short stride.  Quicker hands with more bat speed from the left side getting better extension through the zone.  Exit velocity recorded at 83 mph.  Active feet off the bag at first base working to the baseball.  Clean exchanges with some accuracy to his throws that topped at 68 mph. Recorded a 7.81 In the 60.

Eli Kitchens SS / 3B / West Iredell, NC / 2020

6 foot 2, 180-pound athletic build.  Right hand hitter with a narrow base starting with his hands above his back shoulder.  Hands work back during the load with an average stride.  Gets his lower half through the ball with quick hands.  Line drive approach using the whole field with above average barrel awareness.  Solid rounds of batting practice with average bat speed and his exit velocity recorded at 88 mph.  Works to balls on the infield.  Some stiffness in the hands when he catches the ball to deep.  Some accuracy across the diamond with his arm topping at 75 mph.  Recorded a 7.43 in the 60.

Jacob Mabe SS / OF / West Stokes, NC / 2020

5 foot 7, 140-pound build.  Quickness is present running a 6.91 60.  Hits from the right side with an upright setup with his hands above his back shoulder with a more upright barrel.  Small leg load with his weight and hands working back.  Quick hands and keeps his barrel in the zone. Drove the ball gap to gap during batting practice, making consistent hard contact.  Some bat whip through the zone with above average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 90 mph.  Average hands on the infield with bend in the hips at the catch position.  Accurate arm with some carry across the diamond topping at 80 mph. 

Aiken Minton SS / RHP / Wilkes Central , NC / 2020

6 foot, 150-pound lanky frame.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate. Little movement during the load with a short stride.  Barrel works level through the zone working mostly middle to his pull side.  Some length in the swing at times. Flashes feel for his barrel with his exit velocity recorded at 77 mph.  Quick arm with some carry across the diamond topping at 84 mph.  Catches the ball deep at times with clean exchanges using different slots.  Recorded a 7.21 in the 60.
Simple delivery with a small rocker and kick to the low chest.  Slow tempo, building to an average to above hand speed at release.  Fastball bumped 85, sitting 83-84.  Life with sink and run present, hard at times.  Lacked feel to any one spot, but the movement played a part in the command still developing.  Long, loose arm swing.  Slight head tilt as the hand works through a high-3/4 slot.  Lands slightly across his line with a closed toe at foot-strike.  Breaking ball rolled at times, but flashed tight, late depth at 72-73 as the bullpen proceeded.  11/5 tilt and around the zone.  Window is slightly lower than that of fastball.  Good athlete that could see another jump as strength is added to the frame.

Jarrett Murray 1B / RHP / North Davidson, NC / 2020

5 foot 10, 200-pound build.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate.  Loads against his back leg with a short stride and his hands getting ready to attack the ball.  Loose hands with bat whip through the zone.  Barrel works flat through the zone with a gap to gap approach.  Drove balls during batting practice with above average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 92 mph. Gets off the first base bag, getting to a good catch position.  Average hands with clean exchanges and an accurate arm that topped at 78 mph.  Recorded a 7.39 in the 60.

Jacob Myers SS / 2B / Central Davidson, NC / 2020

Thin frame at 6 foot 1, 148-pounds.  Right hand hitter with a balanced lower half starting with his hands above his back shoulder.  Weight works back during his load with a small leg kick and average stride, drifting into the ball.  Gap to gap approach with his barrel working level through the zone, getting long at times.  Exit velocity recorded at 76 mph and should improve with added strength.  Fluid actions on the infield with some rhythm to the feet and hands.  Average hands funneling to the belt after catch with clean exchanges and an accurate arm across the diamond that topped at 75 mph.  Recorded a 7.59 in the 60.

Jackson Shore SS / RHP / Lake Norman Charter, NC / 2020

5 foot 11, 150-pound long, lanky build.  Hits from the left side with an open setup and more weight on his back leg.  Weight and hands work back in the load with an average stride getting back to even.  Fluid swing with loose hands.  Gap to gap approach with some strength to his pull side.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 83 mph.  Shows athleticism on the infield moving well to his glove side.  Works around the routine ball.  Average hand, funneling to his belt after catch with a longer exchange.  Arm topped at 80 mph. to first base.  Recorded a 7.46 in the 60.
Four pitch arsenal on the mound.  Fastball ranged 76-80, touching 81.  Change-up acts as 2^nd best pitch, sitting 65-72 with sink.  Good feel for the change.  Breaking ball comes from a slightly slower arm speed with rolling 11/5 tilt and a slight hump out of the hand at 56-57.  Flashed a feel for a knuckleball at 58-60.  Some rotation to the ball, but thrown with hand speed.  Clean arm swing, early to the top.  Front side is early to clear.  Lacks some extension.  Works across his line, landing with a closed toe at foot strike.  Long arm swing to a high-3/4 slot.  Quick arm with looseness through release. 

Drake Carrick 2B / OF / High Point Christian, NC / 2020

Gabriel Kitchens OF / 2B / West Iredell , NC / 2020

Athletic frame with strength present at 6 foot 2, 182-pounds.  Hits from the right side with a narrow base and some barrel waggle.  Average stride with his hands working back during his load.  Some quickness to his hands with a level bat path and feel for the barrel.  Lined balls to his pull side with strength in his swing.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 86 mph.  Arm has carry from the outfield with some accuracy topping at 81 mph.  Plays through balls with active feet and clean exchanges with a loose arm throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Recorded a 7.31 in the 60.

Carson Swaim RHP / Oak Grove, NC / 2020

Stocky frame with a strong lower half, standing 5-foot-11, 185 pounds.  Strike thrower, pounds the zone with a three-pitch mix.  Fluid delivery.  Clean arm.  Kick to the mid-chest with a long stride, working on-line and square at foot-strikes.  Rhythm in the front side as the arm is long to a strong power position.  High-3/4 slot, working out of his sleeve.  Fastball at 78-81.  Occasional run to the arm side when working to the arm side.  Solid change-up at 71-72.  Good deception with the window and arm speed.  Some fade when he gets extension on the pitch.  Attacks the zone with the change.  Breaking ball has gradual 11/5 tilt at 68-69.  Again, attacks the zone, and showed an ability to throw the spin to both sides of the plate.

Joe Gaither RHP / N/A, NC / 2021

Average frame with some length in his limbs.  Large, straight back rocker step, moving forward to an average kick to the low chest.  Hips lead the delivery out of the leg kick.  Long arm swing, with a slight elbow lead and wrap behind the body line.  Works to a high-3/4 slot.  Arm is occasionally behind the body.  Stiff front side.  Average arm speed.  Fastball at 76-78 with run.  Good breaking ball at 64-66.  Showed feel for the spin pitch.  Tight depth with 11/5 tilt.  Attacked the zone with the breaking ball.  Some sink to the change-up at 68-69.  Good three-pitch mix with advanced feel for his off-speed offerings.