Prep Baseball Report

Quick Hitters: Pitchers from the Carolinas Top Prospect Games


Brandon Hall
Mid-Atlantic Executive Director

The Top Prospect Games took place on August 4th at Campbell University at beautiful Jim Perry Stadium. Top prospects from South Carolina and North Carolina in the classes of 2022 and 2023 participated in one of the most popular events each year.

There were 73 players at the event representing both states.  Players went though a pro style workout, where they ran the 60, took 2 rounds of BP, throwing from their position, and playing a 7/8 inning game.  Below we take a look at the top number posted in several categories throughout the Day.

CLICK HERE to see full stats and roster

 

By The Numbers:

  • 7 Players ran sub 6.80 in the sixty
  • 28 Players ran sub 7.20 on the laser
  • 3 Hitters posted an exit velocity of 100mph or better
  • 28 Hitters had an exit velocity of 90mph or higher in BP
  • 6 Catchers posted a workout pop time of 2.05 or better
  • 29 Infielders & Outfielders had a positional velocity above 80mph
  • 92mph was the top fastball from the day
  • 12 Pitchers flashed a fastball at 85mph or higher
  • 5 Pitchers posted a fastball spin rate above 2350rpm
  • 8 Pitchers posted a breaking ball with a spin rate above 2400rpm
  • 4 Hitters launched a ball over 375 feet during BP

 

 

quick hitters - Pitchers

 

Lance Phillips (RHP, Green Hope HS, 2023, NC) – Athletic frame at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds.  Medium arm swing works to a high-3/4 slot.  Working for repeatable rhythm, but saw stuff tick up towards the end of the 2 inning outing as the rhythm was set.  Fastball peaked at 86.  Strike thrower showed feel to both sides.  Dominated the glove side.  Breaking ball at 73-74 with 10/4 tilt.  Solid arm speed on the breaking ball.  Max spin rate of 2328rpm on the breaking ball.

Carson Veasey (LHP, Fuquay-Varina HS, 2022, NC) – Average frame at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds.  Still maturing.  Fastball has run and sink, flooding the zone, peaking at 80mph.  Showed an ability to work the down zone, elevating at times for effect.  Sweepy breaking ball with occasional arm side misses.  Worked down in the zone with the spin peaking at 71 and 2521rpm.

Jackson Humphries (LHP, Fuquay-Varina HS, 2022, NC) – Campbell commit.  Electric arm in an athletic frame with strength in the lower half.  Repeated the delivery, sitting 89-90, touching 92 multiple times.  Fastball has arm side run and some sink metrics, but created swing and miss in the zone and when elevated, due to velocity.  Quick arm spins the breaking ball as well.  Slider has hard, late tilt at 78-80 with an average spin rate of 2512rpm, peaking at 2711rpm.  Worked mostly to the arm side, both up and down.  Outing put him in position to be a high follow entering the spring and a potential Super 60 invite out of NC.

Branton Little (RHP, Wando HS, 2022, SC) – Looks the part at 6-foot-4, 170 pounds.  Lanky and thin with projection easy to dream on moving forward.  Good direction, working level with a long, athletic arm swing getting to a high-3/4 slot.  Easy release with a quick hand.  Fastball peaked at 87 with an average of 15.6 inches of horizontal movement.  Flooded the down zone, showing an ability to locate to the glove side.  Good arm speed on the change-up with a similar tunnel to the fastball.  Curveball spun up to 2368rpm, peaking at 77 out of the hand.

Owen Bynum (RHP, Western Alamance HS, 2022, NC) – Average build at 6-foot, 180 pounds.  Fastball at 84-87, cutting at times, showing an ability to work the down zone.  Sink metrics with a 12:45 spin tilt out of the hand.  Top to bottom break on a hard, late curveball.  Sitting 71-73, the breaking ball spun up to 2480rpm out of the hand.  Consistent two pitch mix in the zone.

Ty Lawson (RHP, Whiteville HS, 2022 NC) – Tall and lanky with a repeatable, athletic arm swing.  Stands 6-foot-5, 190 pounds.  Fastball ranged 84-88 with solid ride through the zone.  Flooded the zone with the fastball, working up and down and flashing good feel for the arm side.  Over-the-top slot with a 12:30 spin tilt out of the hand.  Change-up has fade and run with solid arm speed.  Has feel for the pitch.  Flashed a tighter breaking ball with a spin rate up to 2308rpm.  Still developing a consistent spin and tilt.

Joseph Ruller (LHP, Charlotte Catholic, 2022, NC) – Lefty dominated the bottom of the zone, working mostly to the arm side.  Fastball up to 85.  Created swing and miss in the zone and on balls with late run to the arm side.  Short, late action on the breaking ball, up to 75.  2/8 tilt. 

Ethan Suchenski (RHP, Mountain Island Charter, 2023, NC) – Physical presence with a solid lower half.  Stands 6-foot-4, 220 pounds.  Some effort in a long arm swing to an over-the-top slot.  Average to above arm speed with good arm strength.  Fastball peaked at 86 with a max spin rate of 2461rpm.   Heavy run to the arm side out of the hand.  Better feel for the glove side, showing an ability to work elevated at times.  Slider is late, darting away from the RHH at 73-75.  Worked down in the zone with the slider consistently.

Cole Montgomery (RHP, South Pointe HS, 2022, SC) – Strike thrower at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds.  Dominated the down zone with the fastball to both sides.  Consistently landed the breaking ball in the low and away quadrant, expanding to just off the plate.  Fastball up to 83 with a spin rate peaking at 2352rpm.  Sink metrics out of the hand and created soft contact in the outing.  Breaking ball has consistent 10/4 tilt, working out fo the hand.

Brandon Cartrett (LHP, Hickory Ridge HS, 2022, NC) – High command level on the bump, pounding the glove, working down and away with ease to RHH.  Fastball peaked at 80 with some run to the arm side.  Breaking ball ranged 66-68 with sweeping tilt out of the hand.

Travis Rhoads (LHP, Ledford HS, 2023, NC) – Clean, athletic arm works to a high-3/4 slot with better than average arm speed.  Good feel for the 2 pitch arsenal.  Fastball up to 82 with run to the arm side.  Good feel for the arm side, in the zone and showing expansion.  Breaking ball spins at 67-69 with an average spin rate of 2460rpm, maxing out at 2553rpm.  Hard 2/8 tilt with late depth.

Nic Melton (LHP, North Stanly HS, 2022, NC) – Final pitcher of the day gave the coaches that hung around a treat to watch.  Powerful build with strength present at 5-foot-10, 190 pounds.  Fastball with solid ride through the zone, touching 87 from a high-3/4 slot.  Breaking ball has big, hard action at 71-74.  Average spin of 2408rpm with a max of 2511rpm on the curveball.  11/5 tilt with late depth.  Flashed a good splitter at 80, tumbling out of the hand.

Jaxon Lucas (RHP, Garner HS, 2023, NC) – North Carolina State.  One of the top breaking balls in the state did not disappoint.  Lucas has continued to add strength to an athletic 6-foot-2, 175 pound frame.  Fastball with good ride at 86-88.  Quick arm and a high-3/4 release.  Curveball ranged 73-75, spinning up to 2562rpm out of the hand.  Hard, late 10/4 tilt, exploding away from RHH.  Around the zone with the FB/CB combo, lacking pure feel for any one spot.

Carson Morton (RHP, West Stanly HS, 2023, NC) – Physical presence on the bump at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds.  Worked downhill showing feel for both sides of the plate.  Fastball ranged 83-86 with solid ride through the zone.  Breaking ball has big tilt, up to 73 with a max spin rate of 2396rpm.

Jake McCoy (LHP, Catawba Ridge HS, 2023, SC) – Strike thrower with a good feel for his fastball.  Showed an ability to run it to arm side and cut it, keeping hitters off guard as he worked to his arm side.  Cutter at 81-82 with short action.  Located fastball at 82-85.  Manipulated the breaking ball to create depth or sweep, pending hitters action in the box.  Good feel, worked fast, and pounded the zone from the left side.

Reid Withers (RHP, West Forsyth HS, 2022, NC) – 5-foot-10, 160 pounds.  Showed feel for the arm side, peaking at 84mph with a max spin of 2366rpm.  Soild ride through the zone.  Breaking ball is tight and late at 73-75, spinning up to 2522rpm.  11/5 depth created issues for hitters. 

Bryce Dail (RHP, Middle Creek HS, 2023, NC) – Stands 6-foot-2, 195 pounds.  Long arm swing to an over-the-top slot with above average arm speed.  Arm side run out of the hand with the fastball ranging 82-83.  Big tilt on the breaking ball at 71.

Kaden Roach (RHP, Byrnes HS, 2023, SC) – Average frame with strength present in the lower half at 6-foot, 200 pounds.  Fastball peaked at 89 with some arm side life.  Good feel for the arm side.  Arm strength over arm speed, but with better than average arm speed.  Slider and curveball that compliment the fastball with similar tunnels but different action.  Showed some feel for a change-up with solid arm speed.

 

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