Team Carolina Future Games - NC Pitchers

The PBR Future Games is the biggest underclass recruiting event in the country.  The 2019 version moved to LakePoint in Emerson, GA, and continued to grow in terms of the talent on the field and the coaches and schools in attendance.  Over 500 of the top uncommitted underclass players from across the country, and Canada, performed in front of over 320 college coaches and scouts.

For the second year, Team Carolina combined the top prospects from North Carolina and South Carolina.  Position players participated in a full pro-style workout on day 1, with most of the workouts coming on one field for the coaches and scouts.  The following three days saw Team Carolina take on Team Georgia, Team Florida, and Team Alabama. 

As we continue our coverage of the 2019 PBR Future Games, we begin to jump into the individual player evaluations.  Today we look at five NC arms that turned heads with their performances at LakePoint.  Each arm is uncommitted at the time this article is released.  Several have high draft potential as the continue to mature.

CLICK HERE for complete 2019 Future Games Coverage

CLICK HERE for the complete statistics from the 2019 Future Games.

Michael Colonna RHP / OF / Weddington, NC / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 6 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 66 / POS: 16   Tall, athletic frame on a dual sport athlete who stands 6-foot-3, 190 pounds.  Stuff was down a bit from the early summer, possibly due to full football practice beginning the week of the Future Games.  Colonna drove in to LakePoint the day of his outing in order to attend each session of his football responsibilities prior to pitching.  Stretch only from the righty.  Abbreviated, slide step with the hands set at the belt.  Long, clean arm action to a high-3/4 slot.  Good arm speed.  Easy to project.  Fastball ranged 83-85.  Showed an ability to locate to both sides.  Used his change-up and slider.  The slider is a potential out pitch that had occasional hard, downer type depth sitting 75-77.  At times he was around the pitch, but it should continue to mature.  The change-up is thrown with similar arm speed to the fastball, slight fade at 71-72.  Easy to dream on the frame and arm action, especially with the athleticism present.

Jordan Little RHP / OF / Hickory Grove Christian , NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 6 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 285 / POS: 86   Lanky, projectable frame at 6-foot-4, 175 pounds.  Side step into a stable leg lift to the mid-chest.  Minimal movement in the head over the rubber.  Works level, on-line, landing in-line and slightly closed with the toe at foot-strike.  Long arm swing works with ease to an over-the-top slot.  Quick arm.  Good extension.  Fastball ranged 86-88, touching 89.  Life with swing and miss in the zone on the fastball.  Hard, downer breaking ball at 73-75 created swing and miss in the zone and chase out of the zone.  Potential front line starter at the next level with a very high ceiling as the frame continues to add strength.

Cyle Phelan LHP / OF / Fuquay Varina, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 5 / POS: 3   Stocky frame with a strong lower half, standing 6-foot-1, 200 pounds.  Strong arm that pounded the zone over his two innings, creating awkward takes and swings and misses in the zone.  Breaking ball produced chase.  Fastball created issues at the top and bottom of the zone.  Small rocker, swing the leg up to the lower chest with a slight hip load.  Long stride, landing on-line and square.  Works level.  Easy arm swing to an over-the-top slot.  Quick arm.  Fastball sat 84-88.  Breaking ball works from the same slot with 1/7 tilt.  Late depth on the curveball, with a chance to continue to develop into a big weapon at the next level.  Flashed feel of a change-up at 79-80, with good hand speed.

Win Scott LHP / OF / Ragsdale, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 33 / POS: 7   Thin build at 6-foot, 165 pounds.  Frame can continue to handle added strength.  Left hander has some arm speed along with 3 pitches he can attack with.  The fastball ranged 82-86, bumping an 87.  Created some swing and miss at the top of the zone, and chase when elevated.  The breaking ball rolls out of the hand with a slight hump and 12/6 tilt at 68-70.  It should continue to tighten with increased strength.  Some feel for a change-up with slight fade to the arm side at 77-78.  Showed comfort attacking hitters with all three pitches.  Stable over the rubber with a kick to the high chest.  Good stride length, working level and in-line.  Lands on-line and square.   Average extension, occasionally re-coiling out of pitches.  Arm plunges out of the glove working with a long arc to an over-the-top slot.  Body should continue to mature and with that the stuff should continue to grow.

Carson Starnes RHP / SS / Parkwood, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 4 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 282 / POS: 84   High level of competitiveness from the lanky, 6-foot-3, 170 pound righty.  Continued to attack with intent after falling victim to some defensive issues.  Stuff has a chance to continue to grow into an elite category.  Fastball ranged 84-88.  Occasional arm side run, especially when on the arm side.  The breaking ball sat 71-74 with hard 11/5 tilt when he worked with extension.  Occasionally pulled off the pitch, but there was always intent and hand speed with the breaking ball.  Swing and miss created with chase on the breaker.  The change-up was used vs. left handed hitters at 69-72, allowing the fastball to play up.  Athletic delivery.  Stable over the rubber with a high leg kick.  The toe works outside the knee on the leg lift.  Long arm swing.  High-3/4 release on most pitches.  Advanced arm speed.  Can lower the slot on his breaking ball, changing the window on the hitters.  Still some polish to apply but for a high-waisted righty with a very quick arm that seems to like to compete, there is a very high ceiling.