Prep Baseball Report

Team Carolina Future Game Trials: Outfielder & Catcher Analysis


Brandon Hall & Matt Payne
NC Executive Director & Scouting Director

The PBR Future Games is the premier underclass event in the country.  In 2019, the event moved to LakePoint in Emerson, GA where PBR territories worked to put together rosters of the top uncommitted underclass players in the country.  Day 1 saw the position players work out on 1 field for over 320 college coaches.  Days 2 - 4 featured game play with no more than 2 fields a the LakePoint complex going live at any one time. 

Team Carolina is made up of the top uncommitted underclass players from North Carolina and South Carolina.  In 2019, Team Carolina put up huge numbers on the first day workouts and followed that performance by going 2-1 and winning our pod featuring Team Florida, Team Georgia, and Team Alabama.   To date, ten players off the 2019 Team Carolina roster have committed with five of those to Power 5 Conference schools.  You can see the 2019 Team Carolina roster and stories on Team Carolina from the 2019 event HERE.  To see the full event coverage and stats from 2019, CLICK HERE.

On Sunday November 3rd, the next crop of prospects for the PBR Future Games gathered at the beautiful new facility in High Point, NC, BB&T Point.  Players ran through a full pro-style workout.  Position players ran a laser timed 60, went through an offensive workout, and then a defensive workout.  Pitchers threw a controlled bullpen where PBR scouts were able to gather advanced analytics with the F5 PitchLogic Baseball.

Below we begin to break down the individual performances at the Team Carolina Future Game Trials.  The first groups up are the primary outfielders and primary catchers.  The outfielders included several strong bats with lanky, projectable frames.  It will be a group that continues to get better and several will be in the mix for the Future Games roster by June.  The catchers also had some projectable bats and players to follow as we head into the spring season.  . 

You can see the full roster from the Team Carolina Future Game Trials, with stats, HERE.

 

Future Game Trials: Outfielder & Catcher Analysis

 

OUTFIELDERS

 

Hayden Henry OF / LHP / Holly Springs, NC / 2023

Thin frame at 5 foot 8, 140-pounds.  Hits from the left side with a balanced, relaxed setup.  Loads against his back leg with a small leg kick.  Hands cock during the load creating some bat angled.  Short stroke with some quickness to the hands.  Pull approach with his exit velocity recorded at 80 mph.  Plays to the ball in the outfield, catching the ball off his right foot, deep at times.  Average hands with a long arm action, throwing from an overhand slot.  Accurate arm that topped at 74 mph.  Recorded a 7.24 in the 60.
On the mound, Henry showed good feel for his secondary stuff, attacking the zone with all three pitches.  Average kick, working to stay tall over the rubber, with a slight pelvic tilt as his hands break.  Level and on-line, lands square at foot-strike, falling to 3B on his finish, cutting off some extension.  Medium arm swing to an over-the-top slot with average arm speed.  Fastball ranged 71-73.  Breaking ball has early, gradual 11/5 tilt at 64-66.  Run out of the hand on the change-up.  Good arm speed and deception on the change, sitting 66-67. 

 

Samari Robinson OF / RHP / Green Level, NC / 2023

Thin frame at 5 foot 9, 142-pounds.  Hits from the right side with an open, narrow base.  Uses a toe tap during his load with a short stride.  Loose swing with some quickness to his hands.  Pull approach with average bat speed and barrel feel.  Exit velocity recorded at 83 mph.  Still developing, looseness nad quickness suggest there is plenty of room to develop in the box in the near future.  Athletic in the outfield, playing through the ball with average hands.  Loose arm with a high ¾ release.  Accurate arm with some carry that topped at 79 mph.  Recorded a 7.20 in the 60.

 

Thomas Bowman OF / LHP / Wesleyan Christian, NC / 2022

Athletic build at 6 foot, 165-pounds.  Balanced setup from the left side of the plate with his bat starting flat above his back shoulder. Small load with a short stride.  Quick hands with a short stroke.  Hit a ton of line drives with strength to both gaps.  Above average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 90 mph.  Seems to find the barrel with some ease.  Hit tool may play well above average if he continues to develop.  Athletic in the outfield, playing through the ball with relaxed hands.  Accurate arm with some carry to his throws that topped at 83 mph.  Recorded a 7.28 in the 60.

 

Ryan Wilson OF / 3B / Butler, NC / 2022

Lanky build at 6 foot 1, 167-pounds.  Hits from the right side with a relaxed, balanced setup.  Sinks into his legs during the load with his hands working back and the barrel in a more vertical position.  Keeps his barrel in the zone working gap to gap.  Has some strength when he barrels it.  Average bat speed and barrel feel with his exit velocity recorded at 85 mph.  Plays through balls in the outfield with average hands.  Medium arm stroke with some quickness to his hand through release.  Accurate arm that topped at 81 mph. 

 

 

CATCHERS

 

CJ Powell C / 3B / Eastern Alamance, NC / 2022

Strength is present in 5 foot 9, 185-pound frame.  Posted the highest exit velocity on the day at 93 mph.  Upright setup with a narrow base from the right side.  Uses a leg kick during the load creating momentum into the ball.  Load can get quick at times affecting barrel awareness.  Aggressive swings, driving the ball gap to gap with above average bat speed.  Works to “air-out” each swing, creating some violence at contact.  When on the barrel, the ball has advanced carry to the pull side.  Arm topped at 76 mph to second base from a crouch position.  Transfers across his chest with a short arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Some feel for the second base bag with pop times ranging from 2.07-2.32.  Average bend behind the dish but the hands works with some eases.  Fights to get the hands and feet in sync on the infield.  Accurate arm with some carry that topped at 84 mph to first base.  Recorded a 7.26 in the 60.

 

 

Elijah Jordan C / OF / Heritage, NC / 2022

5 foot 11, 175-pound average frame.  Switch hitter with a potentially high ceiling.  Open setup from both sides.  Uses a leg kick from both sides with barrel movement but stays under control.  Made consistent hard contact from both sides during batting practice.  Has strength in his swing from both sides.  Works middle to his pull side with average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 86 mph.  Quick feet with a quick exchange behind the plate.  Arm topped at 76 mph from a high ¾ slot to second base.  Doesn’t always get his feet and shoulders closed affecting his accuracy.  Pop times ranged from 2.11-2.37.  Short choppy steps in the outfield, working through the ball with average hands.  Longer exchange with a longer arm action, throwing form an overhand slot.  Accurate arm with some carry that topped at 86 mph.  Recorded a 7.99 in the 60.

 

 

Daniel Lawson C / 1B / Davie County, NC / 2022

Strong build at 6 foot, 195-pounds.  Relaxed setup from the right side with a narrow, open base.  Average stride with his hands cocking during the load.  Loose hands, working middle to his pull side during batting practice.  Flashes feel for his barrel when hands and feet load in sync.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 87 mph.  Arm topped at 72 mph to second base from a crouch position.  Feet work through his throws, transferring across his chest with a short arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Accurate arm with pop times ranging from 2.29-2.44.  Recorded a 7.60 in the 60.

 

 

Regan Bernard C / 3B / Middle Creek, NC / 2022

Athletic frame at 6 foot 2, 165-pounds.  Length in the limbs.  Plenty of room to continue to add strength in the coming years.  Balanced setup from the right side, sitting into his legs.  Short stride with a quiet barrel during the load.  Some quickness to his hands with a direct barrel path to the ball.  Works middle to his pull side with average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 83 mph.  Swing is setup to advance as he continues to add grip strength and lower half strength.  Pop time ranged from 2.19-2.35.  Transfers across his chest with a short arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Doesn’t always get his feet and shoulders in line to second causing his ball to fade.  Arm topped at 69 mph from a crouch position.  Recorded a 7.95 in the 60.