Prep Baseball Report

2023 PBR SC Events: Top Curveball Metrics


Sammy Esposito
PBR SC Director of Scouting

PBR runs several different types of events in our effort to see as many players as possible.  For the function of this article, we are looking PBR Events which include Open IDs, Team Carolina IDs, and our Invite Only Events.  Many of these events are the top events in the state and region, as college coaches will dive into the rosters, stats, and notes after each event.  

In 2023, PBR ran 12 events, including our Preseason All-State Events, the 2023 SC ProCase, the NC/SC Border Battle, and more.  At each event, players had the opportunity to test their speed with Swift Athletics.  With room available, the Swift lasers would measure 10yd and 30yd splits while getting a 60 yd time.  Swift Athletics would also render each player's top end run speed.  As the technology allowed, certain events included Jump Tests with Swift Athletics, including a max vertical jump being measured.  Players would also get a full offensive evaluation with TrackMan assisting to track ball flight off the bat.  Defensively, players worked out at their primary positions with arm velocity taken by a Stalker Radar.  Pitchers threw bullpens in our winter events and our ID events.  At events like the NC/SC Border Battle and the SC Top Prospect Games, pitchers threw to hitters.  In each case, TrackMan captured all ball flight data out of the hand, giving coaches and scouts a ton of information on each arm.  All player metrics and measurables, as well as player video, is then posted on individual PBR Player Profiles.  The player profiles allow each player to assess their stats and metrics compared to other players in their state or grad class.  For players that have attended multiple PBR events in multiple years, the PBR Profile allows players to build history that can be seen and evaluated by college coaches or pro scouts.

As we look back on the full year that was 2023, we continue with a look at some of the top performances at PBR Events.  below we begin our breakdown of the players in attendance looking at the top performers in select categories. 

 

Best of 2023: Top Curveball Metrics
 
   
 

Best Curveball Velocity

Rank Name State School Class Pos Velocity (max)
1 Cole Smith SC northwestern high 2025 SS 83.9 mph
2 Robert Cole SC P27 Academy 2025 RHP 79.2 mph
3 Thayer Tavormina SC Summerville 2024 RHP 79.1 mph
4 Carson Bolemon SC Southside Christian 2026 LHP 78.0 mph
5 Matthew Brown SC P27 2024 RHP 77.7 mph
6 Cale Reynolds SC Clarendon Hall 2025 OF 77.5 mph
7 Shane Bernhardt NC Holly Springs 2024 LHP 77.1 mph
8 Landon Johnson NC Forsyth Country Day 2024 RHP 76.7 mph
9 Cole Kuklick NC Heritage 2024 RHP 76.7 mph
10 Seth Manning SC TL Hanna 2025 RHP 76.6 mph
11 Jake Klein SC Oceanside Collegiate 2024 LHP 76.5 mph
12 Dalen Boykin NC Rolesville 2024 RHP 76.3 mph
13 Trey Roberts NC Pro 5 Academy 2024 RHP 76.3 mph
14 Thomas Conrad NC Forbush 2024 RHP 76.1 mph
15 Seth Sharpe NC Morehead 2024 RHP 76.0 mph
16 Carson Dahle NC East Lincoln 2024 RHP 76.0 mph
17 Peyton Rogers SC West Florence 2024 RHP 75.8 mph
18 Cooper Coleman SC West Florence 2025 RHP 75.5 mph
19 Hunter Howard SC JL Mann 2024 RHP 75.5 mph
20 Christopher Donaldson NC Pro Five Academy 2024 RHP 75.5 mph

 

Highest Avg Spin Rates on Curveball

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Rate (avg)
1 Ethan Plesser NC Cape Fear 2024 LHP 2809 rpm
2 Christopher Donaldson NC Pro Five Academy 2024 RHP 2728 rpm
3 Ayden Clay SC Pendleton High 2025 SS 2616 rpm
4 Raleigh Salters SC Dutch Fork 2026 OF 2597 rpm
5 Kaleb Owens SC Easley 2024 RHP 2475 rpm
6 Wells Anderson SC Wade Hampton 2024 SS 2456 rpm
7 Eli Payne SC D.W. Daniel 2026 OF 2438 rpm
8 Hunter Howard SC JL Mann 2024 RHP 2401 rpm
9 Logan Durrell SC Lugoff-Elgin High 2027 OF 2391 rpm
10 Walker Mikkelson SC Hilton Head Christian 2024 RHP 2380 rpm
11 Cole Kuklick NC Heritage 2024 RHP 2367 rpm
12 Maddox Jack SC P27 2024 RHP 2361 rpm
13 Andrew McLaughlin SC Ashley Ridge 2024 RHP 2351 rpm
14 Thomas Conrad NC Forbush 2024 RHP 2343 rpm
15 Landon Evans NC Clayton 2025 LHP 2341 rpm
16 Mason Coleman SC South Florence High 2025 LHP 2338 rpm
17 Hunter Gomes SC Hanahan 2024 RHP 2330 rpm
18 Brayden Robinson SC South Florence High 2025 3B 2323 rpm
19 Peyton Rogers SC West Florence 2024 RHP 2321 rpm
20 Malcolm Webb SC Beaufort 2024 SS 2316 rpm

 

Best Curveball Spin Scores

Rank Name State School Class Pos Spin Score (max)
1 Raleigh Salters SC Dutch Fork 2026 OF 41
2 Eli Payne SC D.W. Daniel 2026 OF 39
3 Walker Mikkelson SC Hilton Head Christian 2024 RHP 39
4 Christopher Donaldson NC Pro Five Academy 2024 RHP 38
5 Ethan Plesser NC Cape Fear 2024 LHP 38
6 Ayden Clay SC Pendleton High 2025 SS 38
7 Logan Durrell SC Lugoff-Elgin High 2027 OF 37
8 Kaleb Owens SC Easley 2024 RHP 37
9 Briggs Lee SC Legion Collegiate 2026 3B 36
10 Emmanuel Benitez SC Eastside High 2027 3B 36
11 Landon Evans NC Clayton 2025 LHP 36
12 Mason Coleman SC South Florence High 2025 LHP 36
13 Chase Dalla Riva SC West Florence 2024 1B 36
14 Wells Anderson SC Wade Hampton 2024 SS 36
15 Reece Oakley SC TL Hanna 2026 C 35
16 Austin Carter SC T.L Hanna 2024 RHP 35
17 Dalen Boykin NC Rolesville 2024 RHP 35
18 Wyatt Seegers AK Chugiak 2027 3B 35
19 Kevin Fagan SC Lucy Bechkam 2024 OF 35
20 Zach White NC Hickory Grove Christian 2026 C 34

 

Most Avg Horizontal Movement - Curveball

Rank Name State School Class Pos HM (avg)
1 Reece Oakley SC TL Hanna 2026 C -22.3
2 Jackson Holmes SC Westside 2025 RHP -21.0
3 Hunter Doyle SC Lucy Beckham 2025 RHP -19.8
4 Eli Payne SC D.W. Daniel 2026 OF -19.6
5 Hunter Gomes SC Hanahan 2024 RHP -19.4
6 Raleigh Salters SC Dutch Fork 2026 OF 18.8
7 Austin Carter SC T.L Hanna 2024 RHP -18.3
8 Wyatt Seegers AK Chugiak 2027 3B -18.0
9 Emmanuel Benitez SC Eastside High 2027 3B -18.0
10 Ethan Plesser NC Cape Fear 2024 LHP 17.6
11 Cameron Austin SC Barnwell 2025 OF -17.0
12 Logan Durrell SC Lugoff-Elgin High 2027 OF -16.9
13 Ayden Clay SC Pendleton High 2025 SS -16.5
14 Christopher Donaldson NC Pro Five Academy 2024 RHP -16.4
15 Briggs Lee SC Legion Collegiate 2026 3B -16.3
16 Wells Anderson SC Wade Hampton 2024 SS -16.3
17 Andrew McLaughlin SC Ashley Ridge 2024 RHP -16.1
18 Landon Evans NC Clayton 2025 LHP 16.0
19 Owen Watts SC Lexington 2025 RHP -15.8
20 Chase Dalla Riva SC West Florence 2024 1B -15.7

Best Avg Induced Vertical Break - Curveball

Rank Name State School Class Pos IVB (avg)
1 Noah Cannady SC Oceanside Collegiate 2025 OF -17.8 in
2 Hunter Howard SC JL Mann 2024 RHP -17.7 in
3 Raleigh Salters SC Dutch Fork 2026 OF -15.3 in
4 Matthew Mitchell SC Georgetown 2024 RHP -15.1 in
5 Michael Vandemark SC St James 2024 RHP -15.0 in
^ Jayce Stone SC Summerville 2025 LHP -15.0 in
6 Walker Mikkelson SC Hilton Head Christian 2024 RHP -14.8 in
7 Jackson Burton SC Lexington 2024 OF -14.7 in
8 Kevin Fagan SC Lucy Bechkam 2024 OF -14.5 in
9 Carson Bolemon SC Southside Christian 2026 LHP -14.3 in
10 RJ Benedetto SC P27 2025 LHP -14.0 in
11 Jake Jepson SC Wando 2026 RHP -12.8 in
12 Austin Mitchell SC Clover 2024 1B 12.4 in
13 Kaleb Owens SC Easley 2024 RHP -12.3 in
14 Hunter Doyle SC Lucy Beckham 2025 RHP -11.3 in
15 Logan Kolesha SC Wando 2024 OF -10.7 in
16 Harper Bain SC Palmetto 2026 3B -10.7 in
17 Kyle Kirkland SC Clover High 2026 RHP -10.3 in
18 Jacob Muir SC Dreher 2024 OF 10.0 in
19 Maddox Jack SC P27 2024 RHP -10.0 in
20 Colin Gallagher SC Oceanside Collegiate 2024 3B -10.0 in