By Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

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The PBR staff has been working to cover as many games, players, and teams as possible over the past several months.  Starting with the high school season and continuing into the summer, players have been evaluated in game settings, on scout days, and at PBR events.  All of this work leads to the updated 2018 rankings.  The rankings have been expanded to the Top 225 with another round of updates schedule for after the summer season and the PBR Top Prospect Games at UNC on July 25^th.  

Owen White (RHP, Carson HS) remains at the top of the list, coming off a strong spring.  White also competed at the State Games of NC and the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars.  Committed to South Carolina, the fastball has been up to 94 with a lean frame that maintains projection.

The top 10 sees four new comers, including two players making their first appearance in the North Carolina rankings.  Jordyn Adams (OF, Green Hope HS) is a premium athlete that has committed to UNC as both a football and baseball player.  Adams moved into NC prior to the start of the 2016-2017 high school year and made an immediate impact on the field and with area evaluators. 

Davis Palermo (RHP, Northwood HS) jumped onto the scene with a good high school season and a dominate performance at the State Games of North Carolina in June.  Up to 89 with a lanky 6-foot-1, 175 pound frame with a long arm action.  Palermo has the ability to pitch off his fastball, but has flashed comfort with a curveball and change.

Christian Jayne (OF, Terry Sanford HS) and Logan Whitaker (RHP, Ledford HS) were both known commodities heading into 2017.  The words potential and projection show up in reports on both players and they have both closed the gap between their current talent and their future projection.  Jayne has shown a feel for the barrel while running sub-6.70 sixties in multiple events this summer.  A large frame at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, he has shown an ability to stay in the middle of the field with his athleticism.  Jayne committed to East Carolina shortly after the State Games and the Dirty 30.

Whitaker, an NC State commit has taken another step forward this summer.  The ability to pitch off his fastball from a loose 6-foot-5, 175 pound setup.  The fastball has ramped up to 88, playing harder versus hitters, with plenty of room for continued growth.  The delivery is easy and repeatable allowing the continued development of the secondary stuff where the change-up is advanced and the breaking ball has short, tight 11/5 action at 76 mph.

2018 Rankings Update Notes:

+ 65 players added to the rankings for the first time
+ 7 players in the Top 50 jumped more than 20 spots
+ 97 primary pitchers are ranked in the top 225
+ 40 primary shortstops are ranked in the top 225
+ 28 catchers are ranked in the top 225
+ Players from every region of North Carolina are included in the rankings
+ Every player in the Top 25 is committed
+ 41 players in the Top 100 are uncommitted

CLASS OF 2018

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