2019 State Games Notebook: Workout Day Quick Hitters
June 13, 2019
The State Games of North Carolina has been in existence for over 30 years and is one of the most heavily scouted events in the country. The state is split into eight regions with high school coaches conducting and selecting teams from each region to represent their region. This year the eight squads converge on Charlotte, NC for a week of workouts and game play.
Wednesday is the workout day and each team went through a pro-style workout at Central Cabarrus HS. On a day that the players get to run a 60, take BP , and perform defensively, the biggest surprise may have been the weather, where is was unseasonably cool and the forecasted rain did not hit until the final session of BP.
PBR was on hand for the workout day. Below are some quick notes from each region’s workout. Game play begins on Thursday at BB&T Stadium in uptown Charlotte. The round robin format finishes at UNC Charlotte’s Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium on Friday and Saturday. Sunday sees the conclusion of the event with consolation games and the medal rounds, again held at UNC Charlotte.
State Games of NC – Workout Day Quick Hitters
Region 1
+ Baize Keen (SS, Hunt HS, 2021) was the lone sub-7.00 sixty for Region 1, turning in a 6.81 on the PBR watch.
+ AJ Jones (SS, Southern Nash HS, 2020) ran a 7.18 sixty and flashed rhythm defensively with solid hands. Ball had at least average carry out of his hand. Left handed hitter was loose and flat producing consistent barrel with average to above bat speed.
+ Hunter Stokely (INF, Fike HS, 2020), a UNC commit, is physical in the box from the left side with bat speed. The final hitter of the day, BP was loud and hard. Defensively, he worked out on the left side of the field with average bend through the hips, catching the ball consistently
+ Coach Buck Edmondson drew the task of throwing the final round of BP on the day, in a very steady rain. With the balls exposed, and surely damp, he fired strike after strike after strike, allowing the hitters to continue to stay in rhythm… Very impressive round for Coach Edmondson and Region 1.