On Saturday October 21st, over 20 players converged on Wilkes Central HS to show their skills in front of PBR staff and scouts.  Each player in attendance ran through a complete pro-style workout, gathering verified statistics in the 60, from their defensive position, and on the offensive end of the game.  Each player will also receive a complete PBR profile with an evaluation and video. 

The infield group has some depth, with players from several different graduating classes.   Colton Stotler (SS, 2020, West Wilkes HS) attending his second PBR event, continues to impress.  Stotler turned in a sixty time of 7.00.  Physically imposing right handed hitters Royce Peterson (3B, 2018, Murphy HS) and Blake Weaver (1B, 2019, Erwin HS) led the way with exit velocities peaking at 93 mph and 92 mph respectively.  Josh LaFone is a lanky uncommitted 2018 that ran a good sixty and shows some looseness in the box.

CLICK HERE for a full statistical recap from the Western Piedmont Open Scout Day

CLICK HERE for the complete roster from the Western Piedmont Open Scout Day

Quick Hitters from the Western Piedmont Open Scout Day
+ 23 total players in attendance
+ 10 players ran 7.20 or better in the laser timed sixty
+ 7 players recorded an offensive exit velocity of 87 mph or better
+ 5 players recorded a positional velocity of 80 mph or better
+ 8 pitchers worked out in a controlled bullpen setting
+ 5 pitchers worked at 80 mph or better with their fastball

Infielder Analysis

 

 

Jordan Bowman 2B / SS / West Caldwell, NC / 2020 Small 5-foot-6, 130 pound build.  Plenty of maturation ahead.  Young frame.  Right handed hitter is balanced in the box, working with a short stride.  Line drive approach with a direct bat path that can work inside-out at times.  Tends to work the middle of the field and the oppo gap.  Average barrel awareness with an exit velocity of 71 mph.  Defensively, works direct to the ball working to find rhythm in the feet.  Clean exchanges on deliberate actions through the ball.  Some carry on the baseball at 69 mph across the diamond.  Ran a 7.72 sixty.

 

 

Garrett Hamby 2B / SS / Hibriten, NC / 2020 Right handed hitter stands 5-foot-8, 145 pounds. Open stance, diving back to the plate with a short stride. High hand position at setup drops into a regular slot for launch. Bat path works uphill creating fly balls with a slight pull emphasis. Exit velocity peaked at 77 mph off the barrel. Average hands and active feet on the infield. Works to set up the ability to play through the ball. Hands funnel to the right hip at times. Feet can get heavy. Some accuracy and average carry from a high-3/4 slot, touching 74 mph from shortstop. Ran an 8.08 sixty.

 

 

Jaron Price SS / OF / Alexander Central, NC / 2021 Young frame with a lot of growth and maturation ahead. Stands 5-foot-1, 95 pounds from the right side of the plate. Fundamentally sound, works from an open stance, striding back to even. High hands with a flat barrel, load back with ease. Loose swing will quicken with strength. Pull conscious swing that shows some feel for the barrel. Exit velocity peaked at 62 mph. Defensively showed advanced accuracy on throws measuring 59 mph across the diamond. Footwork can quicken, showing decent rhythm and average hands through the ball. Funnels the ball to the mid-section and uses a long arm action to get to a high-3/4 slot. Ran an 8.28 sixty, showing a decent burst off the line and carrying top speed through the first 20 yards.

 

 

Royce Peterson 3B / 2B / Murphy, NC / 2018 Strength is present in a 6-foot-1, 190 pound frame. Exit velocity peaked at 93 mph off the barrel. Ran a 7.18 sixty. Athletic base from the right side. Uses a short stride, loading back with a vertical bat head. Simple swing with a good approach. Strong hands produce a direct path and line drive approach, staying gap-to-gap. Good rhythm and average to above barrel awareness with looseness throughout. On the infield, works through some stiffness to catch the ball consistently. Average hands, with active feet. Catches balls off the right hip, picking through to a high exchange. Short arm action gets to a high-3/4 release showing some accuracy and carry at 74 mph across the diamond.

 

 

Kolbe Pierce SS / RHP / North Iredell, NC / 2019 Average build at 6-foot-1, 145 pounds. Fluid and clean on the infield. Works to play through the ball with average hands. Exchanges near the point of the catch, working to a long arm action and high-3/4 slot. Lacks some accuracy, showing arm strength at 82 mph from short. Right handed hitter is balanced. Uses a short stride and smooth load back, setting the bat head in a lagged position at launch. Average bat speed, occasionally a little better, works flat through the zone, spraying the ball across the field. Lacks the ability to repeat the barrel on each swing but may increase barrel awareness as strength is added. Exit velocity peaked at 82 mph. On the mound, has feel for three pitches in the zone and repeating the delivery. Long arm action gets to a high-3/4 release. Fastball ranged 78-82. Some diversity on his breaking ball ranging 60-66 with gradual 1/7 tilt. The harder the breaking ball, the more the pitch mimicked a fastball out of the hand. Change-up has fade at 68-72.

 

 

Josh LaFone 2B / SS / Alexander Central, NC / 2018 Athletic frame with length in the limbs. Has some quickness and strength, running a 7.00 sixty and turning in an exit velocity of 86 mph off the barrel. Right handed hitter works from a balanced, crouched position. Hands load down and in. Flat through the zone, working to drive the baseball. Looseness is present in the swing. Average barrel ability. Occasionally long and around the ball. On the infield, works to play through the ball, lacking some rhythm between the feet and hands. Clean transition gets to the mid-section. Long arm swing to an over-the-top slot. Active feet throughout and the hands have the ability to catch the baseball. Arm shows some accuracy while measuring 73 mph across the infield.

 

 

Kade Smith SS / OF / Alexander Central , NC / 2020 Athletic frame at 5-foot-10, 125 pounds. Plenty of maturation ahead. Ran a 7.44 sixty, showing a good burst off the line. Right handed hitter is open, using an aggressive stride back toward the plate. Vertical bat. Looseness is present in the body and swing. Hands work to the baseball with some feel for the barrel. Exit velocity peaked at 74 mph. Clean with the baseball on the infield. Average hands and decent actions through the ball. Active feet that can get choppy to set the hop for the hands. Average arm swing to a high-3/4 slot shows some accuracy at 76 mph across the infield. Ball has carry. On the bump the fastball worked 72-75 from a high-3/4 slot. Short arm action with some effort in the body. Breaking ball has late 11/5 action at 64-66. Good bite as the hand speed matches the fastball. Change-up worked 68-70, down in the zone.

 

 

Colton Stotler SS / 3B / West Wilkes, NC / 2020 Rankings  State Rank:11 POS:5 Athletic frame that can continue to add strength at 6-foot, 170 pounds. Ran a 7.00 sixty with a good burst off the line. Switch hitter may provide future power with exit velocities of 87 mph from the right side and 90 mph from the left side. Athletic stance from both sides. Works to stay simple and quiet. Left handed swing worked off the barrel more in this BP round. Good rhythm from both sides. On the infield, provides soft hands and fluid feet. Plays through the ball with clean actions. Transitions the baseball with ease to a long arm action and high-3/4 slot. Advanced accuracy on several different types of throws. Good carry while at 74 mph across the diamond.

 

 

Matthew Walker SS / OF / Saint Stephens, NC / 2020 Strength is present in the 5-foot-10, 165 pounder. Athleticism is present. Ran a 7.19 sixty. Exit velocity off the barrel touched 88 mph. Right handed hitter is balanced and tall in the box. Flat bat head position through the launch position. Hand strength is present. Quick bat through the zone, working to stay flat and hit line drives. Some length in the swing. On the infield, active feet and hands. Works to play through balls, occasionally catching the baseball off his right hip. Transitions to the mid-section and a high-3/4 slot. Good carry out of the hand at 80 mph from shortstop. Accuracy is good enough but can improve.

 

 

Blake Weaver 1B / 3B / Clyde A Erwin, NC / 2019 Large frame at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds with strength present. Exit velocity worked to 92 mph off the barrel. Athletic and balanced base. Hands start near the ear, triggering back, while using a short stride. Direct barrel path creating line drives. Good barrel awareness with some quickness in the swing. Strength over bat speed. Stayed in the middle of the field with the approach. At first base, showed an ability to catch the baseball. Hands tend to stick through the catch, exchanging near the point of the catch. Long arm action allows the feet to work with some length as well. Slot floats from an over-the-top slot to a high-3/4 release. Some accuracy on throws measuring 69 mph out of the hand. Ran an 8.08 sixty.