NC Top Underclass Games - Pitcher Analysis

Tyler Driver RHP / Crossroads Flex, NC / 2019

Athletic presence on the mound at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds.  Fastball sat 85-87, touching 88 in both innings and reaching a 90.  Angle and tilt are present when the arm is on time and the ball is working downhill.  Arm side run to the arm side when downhill.  Loose hips, works to coil at balance.  Front side uses a glove point to set the line.  Some rhythm throughout, the shoulders work level and the body lands on-line.  Better velocity when extension is present.  Occasionally still uncoiling and will fall slightly to the 1B side.  Long arm swing works behind the body line, reaching for length, eventually getting to a high-3/4 slot.  Quick hand through release.  Breaking ball works with erratic shape but flashes a swing and miss potential pitch, ranging 71-74.  The 11/5 shape will morph into a 10/4 or sweepy breaking ball.  Works with good hand speed and is around the zone with the spin pitch.  Straight change-up sat 72.  Occasionally slows the arm to gain feel.  Ceiling remains high and projectable.

James Burcham RHP / 1B / East Wilkes , NC / 2019

6-foot-5, 184 pounder has some length on his limbs.  Fastball worked 76-78 with run.  Occasional cutting action to the glove side.  High-3/4 slot from a long arm swing that reaches back at the waist line.  Stays tall and level through balance.  Front side clears a little early as the head leaves the line.  Breaking ball has a slight hump out of the hand with gradual 11/5 action.  Slowing the arm, the spinner ranged 63-68, missing to the arm side. 

Bryce Snow RHP / 3B / Mount Tabor , NC / 2019

6-foot, 175 pound righty with a fastball ranging 79-81.  Downhill when right, straight but jumping on hitters and playing harder than the gun reading.  Around the zone, but occasional up-down issues exist in command.  Works with a long arm swing and quickness in an over-the-top release.  Tall through balance, with rhythm, works to load the back side as the stride begins.  Shoulders load uphill as the body remains on-line through foot strike.  Breaking ball is cast a little, ranging 68-71.  Gradual, 12/6 rotation, there is feel for the zone with the pitch, but the front side can leave early when spinning it.  Change-up works with near fastball hand speed at 68-71.

Jacob Carter RHP / 1B / Crest, NC / 2019

Advanced feel for the breaking ball from the 6-foot-4, 160 pound righty.  Fastball ranged 81-84, working down in the zone with angle out of the hand.  Curveball ranged 66-70, showing feel and command for the 12/6 breaker.  Late action at times, showed an ability to bury the pitch on-line to get chase.  Showed a feel for throwing it in the zone as well.  Good shape as the hand speed was maintained.  Straight change-up ranged 70-72.  A distant third pitch, it is use-able, around the zone, with some deception out of the hand.  Easy arm action, repeats a low maintenance delivery and works to pitch, staying ahead and moving fastball around the zone.  Long, loose arm swing works to an over-the-top slot with average quickness.  Stays tall and level through balance.  Works on-line throughout the delivery.

Trey Deutsch RHP / 3B / Clayton, NC / 2019

Strength is present in a lanky 6-foot-3, 175 pound frame with projection left.  Fastball pounded the zone with angle and action.  Running to glove side, while occasionally cutting to glove side, the fastball sat 83-84.  With the action and angle, the velocity played better vs. hitters.  Breaking ball has rangy shape, inconsistent as the hand works to the side of the ball at times.  Sitting 69-72, there is a feel for the strike zone, working with near fastball hand speed.  Change-up is third pitch, pushed through the release at 70.  Smooth rhythm throughout, works level, landing just slightly across his line.  Average arm swing has looseness and is quick through the high-3/4 release.  Tall through balance, gathers the weight on the back side before moving down the hill.  High ceiling ahead.

Ian Asken RHP / 1B / Apex Friendship, NC / 2019

Attention grabbing 6-foot-9, 235 pound righty.  Strength is present in the frame.  Coordination is there as well, but will continue to improve as the body gets used to its frame.  Fastball ranged 79-82, playing harder out of the hand with extension.  Around the zone, occasionally cutting the pitch to the glove side of the plate.  Slows the arm on the curveball, hurting the shape and feel for the pitch that ranged 61-62.  Slider is ahead at 70-71, while still erratic.  Window on both breaking balls did not match fastball all the time.  The change-up works similar to the fastball with hand speed and release.  Some arm side run on the pitch that touched 72.  Projection is alive as the arm may quicken.  Average arm speed now from a high-3/4 slot and long arm swing.  Tall at balance and controlled pacing throughout the delivery, the shoulders work to stay level.  Closes his front side at balance, landing slightly closed as well.  Tempo throughout the delivery is very cautious.

Cooper McKeehan LHP / OF / Weddington, NC / 2019

Straight line build at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds.  Slow tempo in the delivery, relying on arm speed to come as the foot strikes the ground.  Clean arm works long and loose to a high-3/4 slot.  Fastball up to 82, sitting 79-81 with run.  Ball jumped on hitters, creating swing and miss throughout the outing.  Breaking ball is hard and shar with mature 1/7 shape out of the same window as fastball.  Ranged 64-65, acting as a put away pitch throughout the outing.  Showed feel for throwing it for a strike but better feel for expanding with it with two strikes.  Flashed a couple of change-ups at 68, but it is a distant third pitch right now.  Average leg kick, stays tall on the back side, working with some rhythm in the body and level shoulders.  Lands on-line creating average to average-plus extension.

Josh Sadler OF / LHP / Clayton, NC / 2019

Thin with long levers at 6-foot, 145 pounds.  Erratic with his command in his first inning, made a quick adjustment to see the plate earlier allowing for better pitch-ability and stuff in the second inning.  Fastball sat 71-75 from a high-3/4 slot.  Breaking ball used gradual 1/7 shape at 62-66, rolling through the zone.  Misses tended to be arm side.  Some rhythm in the body as he stays on-line with level shoulders.  Long arm action and normal effort throughout.

Left-handed hitter starts tall, using a weight shift back to the launch position.  Glide technique to the front side as the stride dives toward the plate.  Average bat speed with a level bat path, wanting extension.  Pull emphasis with average barrel awareness.  Exit velocity peaked at 76.  Ran a 7.36 sixty.  Arm topped at 79 mph from the outfield showing some feel for accuracy.  Long arm swing worked to a high-3/4 slot, clearing the front side early.  Fluid and clean through the baseball.

Chandler Williford RHP / 3B / Midway, NC / 2019

Lanky with long levers at 6-foot-2, 165 pounds.  Uses an average leg kick and long arm action to get to an over-the-top slot.  Fastball sat 80-83 with a feel for the strike zone but misses were elevated and to the arm side.  Head and front side clear early to make room for the slot.  Breaking ball touched 66 with late, sharp 12/6 shape.  Showed an ability to throw it for a strike using similar hand speed to the fastball.  Change-up works with arm side run at 67-69.  Some deception in the hand speed.  Misses were to the arm side.  Good projection left as the arm has some quickness from a long, loose arm swing.  Stays tall at balance and has good rhythm working level and on-line.  Body is still maturing and finding all of its coordination.