2018 Preseason All-State: Dual Position / Pitcher Evaluations

February 8, 2018
Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

The premier winter scouting event in North Carolina took place on Sunday January 28^th at On Deck Academy in Pineville, NC. The beautiful facility allowed PBR to conduct a full pro-style workout while it was pouring outside. For the second year in a row, the event sold out, with over 60 of the top players in North Carolina on hand.

Each player went through a full workout, updating statistics for their PBR Profile page as well as adding a new evaluation and video. Pitchers threw a controlled bullpen, understanding it is still January, where they were asked to continue with their build-up process for the spring.

PBR’s staff included three former D1 coaches and recruiting coordinators as well as a number of coaches with a tremendous back ground at various levels of baseball. Also, on hand were several pro scouts, working to get an early look for the spring. The event was broadcast live through Twitter and Periscope, allowing PBR to hear from coaches from as far away as Arizona. Video was taken of each athlete and the video will be cut into short clips, highlighting their performance on the day.

The dual position player / pitchers may have highlighted the event along with the corner infielders. Long, rangy bodies with players highlighting the 2018, 2019, and 2020 classes, flooded the day. No position group exemplified that more than the dual players.

Several of the top overall pitching velocities came from this group with Donathan, Beal, Seymour, and D’Ercole each featured in this group. Alex Sniffen appeared as a leader in exit velocity while also touching 84 on the bump. Two 2020s will be interesting to watch as Corey Avant and Mitchell Seymour have continued to grow into their bodies and the athleticism continues to improve their overall evaluations.

Each of the dual position player / pitchers is profiled below with links back to their bios. The bios will feature video from the Preseason All-State event.

2018 Preseason All-State: By The Numbers

64 Players went through the workout at On Deck Academy
By Class: 6 SR, 39 JR, 18 SO, 1 FR
19 players ran a 4.00 or better in the 30 yard dash.
19 of 26 infielders charted a positional velocity of 80 mph or better.
5 arms registered 88 mph or better from the outfield.
4 of 6 catchers flashed advanced carry with a position velocity, out of the crouch, of 74 or better
13 hitters registered an exit velocity, off the barrel, of 90 mph or better.
32 hitters were better than 85 mph.
12 pitchers worked at 83 or higher.
This event featured 30+ players that have attended a PBR of North Carolina event in the past year and a half.

Click Here for the full roster of players that attended the Preseason All-State

Click Here to see the complete statistical breakdown from the Preseason All-State

Dual Position / Pitcher Evaluations

Corey Avant OF / RHP / Sun Valley, NC / 2020

Rankings StateRank: 56 / POS: 9

Lanky, athletic build, standing 6-foot-4, 185 pounds. Athleticism and projection exists. Frame can continue to add strength as it matures. Ran a 4.32 thirty yard dash and a 4.27 5-10-5 agility shuttle. Impressive 9’7” standing broad jump. Arm has strength from the outfield with easy carry. Plays through the ball, clean exchange to a long arm swing and high-3/4 slot. Accurate at 85 mph out of the hand from the position. Right handed hitter works from a tall, narrow base, open, using an aggressive stride. Pull tendency, working with uphill leverage, occasionally in and out of the zone quickly. Active backside that can over-rotate as it works to generate bat speed. Tends to glide to the front side. Average bat speed and barrel awareness. Intriguing prospect as bat control improves with strength. Exit velocity peaked at 86 off the barrel.
On the mound, works level, landing square. Stretch only. Sets with the left foot slightly behind the right. Average leg kick with looseness in the hips. Long arm swing begins with a slight hook out of the glove and the elbow works above the shoulder line. Some effort getting to the high-3/4 slot. Front side clears early at times. Improved command as the pen lengthened and he found rhythm. Fastball works easy at 78-80, with run. Change-up sits 70-75, deceptive hand speed, flashing occasional arm side run. Around the zone but lacked glove command. Breaking ball rolled at 69-70 with 10/4 arc. Found the zone with spin as he threw more.

Andrei Beal RHP / 3B / Parkwood, NC / 2020

Rankings StateRank: 72 / POS: 20

Stocky build, with strength in the legs. Stands 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. Arm strength is present, fastball sitting 84-85, touching 86. Velocity continued to tick up throughout the bullpen. Good rhythm in the delivery with a quick arm. Short arm swing hides the ball. Some effort getting to an over-the-top slot, landing square, on the open side of his line, falling to the 1B side. Breaking ball at 69-73, erratic at times with late 11/5 tilt. Good rotation and hand speed. Command of fastball and breaking ball can continue to improve and should as Beal works into spring form.
Right handed hitter is balanced, using a short stride. Wants extension, pull tendency, with average bat speed and barrel awareness. Stiff setup could loosen and quicken the swing. Exit velocity of 81. From the outfield the arm continues to work, up to 87 from the position with carry. Some effort as he works to an over-the-top slot. Works to play through the ball, slightly stiff on the catch and exchange. Arm works with quickness through the transition to release. Ran a solid 4.03 thirty. 4.63 on the 5-10-5 agility shuttle and posted a standing broad jump of 8’5”.

Dominick D'Ercole 3B / RHP / Middle Creek, NC / 2019

Rankings StateRank: 46 / POS: 5

Average build with a strong lower half, listed at 6-foot, 165. Athleticism exists, running a 4.03 thirty and 4.39 5-10-5 agility shuttle. Standing broad jump of 9’3”. Right handed hitter is balanced and open, using a short stride back towards the plate. Simple bat position and load. Repeatable swing finds the barrel with aggressiveness. Quick through the zone, working level, staying in the middle of the field. Exit velocity of 89 off the barrel. Puts himself in position to continually drive the baseball with authority. Clean and athletic through the catch on the infield, playing through the ball with his feet. Solid rhythm between the feet and hands with looseness in the hips. Transitions to the mid-section working to a short arm action and high-3/4 slot. Accuracy and carry at 88 across the diamond.
Good tempo and clean delivery on the mound, showing feel for three pitches in the zone. Lands across his line with an easy heel-to-toe foot strike. Rolls over the front foot, falling to the 1B side. Fastball up to 85, sitting 83-84. Good feel for a change-up that has run at 74-77. In the zone, creating deception with his hand speed. Breaking ball is late and hard, with good hand speed, producing 10/4 tilt at 70-75. Short arm stroke, strong, gets to a high-3/4 slot and repeats the window on each pitch.

Nolan DeVos 2B / RHP / Hickory Ridge, NC / 2019

Rankings StateRank: 146 / POS: 5

Young frame is beginning to add strength. Average build at 5-foot-11, 160 pounds. Loose, simple swing from the right side. Balanced and open, loading back with ease, using a short stride to repeat his launch position. Good hands with better than average bat speed and good feel for the barrel. Exit velocity peaked at 87, staying level while working the middle of the field. Good rhythm throughout. On the infield, works with athleticism playing through the ball. Clean, easy exchanges with an average arm swing, clean and over-the-top. Produces carry and accuracy. Positional velocity of 83 across the diamond. Showed quickness with a 4.15 5-10-5 agility shuttle. Also ran a 4.11 thirty and posted a standing broad jump of 9’4”.
On the mound, repeats the delivery, maintaining looseness with an over-the-top slot. Fastball plays straight, occasionally cutting when throwing to the glove side. Ranged 82-84, working down hill with angle. Breaking ball spins well at 64-67. Downer action, occasionally around it in the late winter bullpen. Pushes the change-up occasionally, slowing the arm at times. When thrown with handspeed, change fades to the arm side. Sat 74-79. Tall through the delivery, allowing the shoulders to tilt uphill creating leverage. Lands square and on-line. Finishes with an athletic posture and extension.

Trey Donathan SS / RHP / Charlotte Christian, NC / 2019

Rankings StateRank: 55 / POS: 7

Davidson commit and true two-way potential. Average frame at 5-foot-9, 165 pounds. Quickness and strength exist in most phases of his game. Impressive testing with a 3.94 thirty / 4.09 5-10-5 agility test / 10’4” standing broad jump. 89 across the infield from short and 90 off the barrel from the right side of the plate. In the box, athletic setup, open, using a leg kick to get back to even, while loading his weight back. Explosive back side and quick bat through the zone. Works to be level, staying in the middle of the field with average to above feel for the barrel. On the infield, plays with quick feet and a very strong arm. Athletic, plays through the ball, clean exchanges, with quickness to a short arm action and aggressive high-3/4 slot. Carry is well above average.
Still raw on the mound as he just began the process in the last year. Fastball peaked at 87, sitting 84-86. Ball jumps out of the hand, playing heavy and in the zone. Control over command. Breaking ball is young and immature, sitting 69-73. Occasionally early and around, staying up and to the arm side. Occasionally hard and late, with extension and late snap. Tends to be early with the front side, working to create spin through the body. Slows the arm at times on change, sitting 76-77. Straight, there is feel for the zone with the off-speed pitch. Simple balance point, short, quick arm swing to a high-3/4 slot. Slinger, the front side can rotate early as he stays tall and level. Foot strike is square. Falls to the 1B side. Arm strength plays and the ball carries through the glove.

Carter Holjes 3B / RHP / Cardinal Gibbons, NC / 2019

Rankings StateRank: 124 / POS: 14

Large frame at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds. Strength in the lower half with standing broad jump of 9’7”. Ran 4.13 thirty / 4.52 5-10-5 agility shuttle. Tall setup, balanced and athletic from the right side of the box. Smooth load and leg kick to set his weight. Bat works from a relaxed position. Short path with quickness creating line drive contact. Flat through the zone, rotating on the back side. Average barrel awareness, occasionally allowing the hands to be tied up. Exit velocity of 91 with extension off the barrel. On the infield, worked to play through the ball with active feet and average to above hands. Hips tend to stay high. Fluid and clean, funnels to the mid-section and exchanges to a short arm action and high-3/4 slot. Throws from a vertical position, following the throw. Carry and accuracy are present with a positional velocity peaking at 84.
On the mound, big righty works with a short arm swing with quickness to a high-3/4 slot. Ball stays hidden behind body line, jumping on hitters. Short strider, coils at balance with body turn, uncoiling to a closed landing and square foot-strike. Fastball sat 80-83, filling up the zone, with arm side run fading early out of the hand. Breaking ball sat 69-71 with late 11/5 tilt. Has feel for the pitch, attacking the glove. Change-up is third pitch at 74-76, maintaining fastball hand speed, and creating early fade out of the hand. Profiles as reliever but as delivery becomes more athletic and extension increases he could alter the perception.

Trystan Jenkins RHP / SS / Mitchell, NC / 2018

Rankings StateRank: 222 / POS: 63

Uncommitted at this time. Wide shoulders and length in his limbs. Stands 6-foot-4, 190 pounds. Fastball up to 84 with average command and action to the arm side. Long arm arc works to a high-3/4 slot. Lands across the body slightly out of a simple delivery with average leg kick. Good posture in the head throughout. Velocity peaked toward the end of the pen as the rhythm became consistent. Slider acts as cutter at times at 76-77. Potential out pitch with hard, late action. Some tilt when on top, but can run side-to-side as well. Good feel for locating spin. Change has some run at 73-74 out of a similar window to the fastball.
Right handed hitter works out of a slight crouch, balanced, using a leg kick to load his weight. Fights for rhythm, working to stay short, wanting extension with some uphill leverage. Pull oriented, rotating on the backside and staying in his base. Average barrel awareness. Exit velocity peaked at 86. Average hands on the infield. Clean with the baseball, cautious through the exchange, to a long arm action and high-3/4 slot. Ability to manipulate the slot based on the rhythm in his feet. Looseness in his hips works to a vertical position for the throw. Positional velocity of 80 across the diamond. Ran a 4.20 thirty / 4.37 5-10-5 agility shuttle. Standing broad jump of 9’0”.

Kolbe Pierce RHP / SS / North Iredell, NC / 2019

Rankings StateRank: 175 / POS: 51

Thin, lanky build at 6-foot-1, 145 pounds. Plenty of room to add strength as he continues to mature a young frame. Loose hips and some athleticism in the delivery, coils the body at balance. Quick hand and around the zone, fastball sat 79-81, touching 82. Change-up acts as second pitch at 66-70 with arm side action. Slows the hand slightly creating early run out of the hand. Showed feel for the zone. Breaking ball ranged 63-66 as the arm slows. Slight hump out of the hand with rolling 11/5 action. Long, loose arm swing works to a high-3/4 release. Works level, landing on-line with an open toe in a heel-to-toe foot strike.
Switch hitter. Open and tall on the right side, uses a slight toe tap to load and short stride forward. Short path wants extension, creating a line drive approach with average bat speed and barrel awareness. Exit velocity of 80 from the right side. Open and dives toward the plate from the left side. Works from a tall base, sweeping the bat through the zone. Around the ball as he works for extension. Natural right handed hitter. On the infield, loose hips and active feet work to play through the ball. Funnels to the midsection with easy exchanges. Aggressive feet gain a lot of ground as the arm works with a long action to a loose high-3/4 slot. Accuracy and carry are present at 78 across the diamond. Ran a 4.29 thirty and posted a 9’1” standing broad jump.

Mitchell Seymour OF / RHP / Leeville Road, NC / 2020

Rankings StateRank: 54 / POS: 8

Exciting athlete with a young frame. Lanky build at 6-foot-2, 167 pounds. Easy to project as he begins to mature and add strength to the frame. Power and quickness exist, running a 4.02 thirty and 4.12 5-10-5 agility shuttle. Very impressive 10’4” standing broad jump. From the outfield the arm is long and loose, exploding through a high-3/4 slot. Positional velocity of 88 showing some feel for accuracy. Works to play through the ball, staying athletic in his base and through the exchange. Offensively, right handed hitter is balanced, loading back and using a short stride toward the plate. Power potential is evident when the ball is on the barrel. Exit velocity of 84 can jump with more barrel awareness. Quick bat works for extension, wanting line drives, working gap-to-gap. Raw athlete with a high ceiling as he continues to mature.
On the mound, everything seems to have upside as the athleticism plays through the delivery. Erratic at times, fastball ranged 82-85. Run and cut at times based on pitch location. Breaking ball is hard, lacking consistent command. Late 10/4 tilt ranged 72-74. As he gains feel and cleans his line, the pitch should miss bats consistently. Change-up is still developing with inconsistent hand speed, straight at 72-75. Simple delivery with an average leg kick and stable head. Long, loose arm swing gets to an exaggerated over-the-top release. Strides on-line, with the foot strike slightly closed. Hips retract as the back flattens for extension.

Alex Sniffen 3B / RHP / New Hanover, NC / 2019

Rankings StateRank: 33 / POS: 3

Massive physical presence in the lineup and on the bump. Stands 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. Middle of the order power potential with an exit velocity of 93. Some quickness present, running a 4.27 thirty and posting a 9’1” standing broad jump. Balanced, loads back using a short stride. Better than average bat speed. Strength over quickness in the swing. Loose hands work level, working for extension. Lower half has some tightness causing the barrel to work around at times. On the infield, the feet work well for a big man, playing through the ball with some rhythm. Hands get stiff at times, but caught the ball consistently. Transitions to a short arm action with carry and accuracy at 84 across the diamond.
On the mound, works with down hill angle from an over-the-top release. Fastball sat 81-84, playing straight out of the hand with a feel for the glove. Level through the delivery, slightly closed at foot strike, the arm has some length, fighting for looseness to the release. Breaking ball ranged 67-72. Inconsistent tilt, hard out of the hand. Change-up is straight, occasionally pushed, at 71-73.

Matthew Upchurch LHP / OF / Lincoln Charter, NC / 2019

Rankings StateRank: 91 / POS: 14

Athletic and strong at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds. Some effort in a delivery that has movement with a large rocker and leg lift designed to load the front hip. Posture at balance has the head leaning toward 3B. Lands open to his line as his arm works through an athletic arm swing and over-the-top slot. Some effort as the delivery has a quick pace. Fastball ranged 79-83 with run and sink in the zone. Depth and feel on a peaking at 73. Slows the arm some on the breaking ball, working for 12/6 action. Gradual arc at 65. Slows the arm on the change-up, playing as the 4^th pitch at 70.
Quickness is present in the body, running a 3.93 thirty with a 5-10-5 agility shuttle of 4.53. Standing broad jump of 9’4”. Left handed hitter works from an athletic, open base, using a leg kick to load the body. Simple hands and bat position at launch create uphill leverage with strength and better than average bat speed. Good feel for the barrel once he got into each round. Big movement on stride is used as a timing device creating some issues at times. Exit velocity peaked at 84. Aggressive in the outfield, playing through the ball with ease. Athletic transition and long arm swing to an over-the-top slot. Positional velocity touched 89 with easy carry and a feel for accuracy.

Tyler White SS / RHP / Hopewell, NC / 2019

Length in a 6-foot-2, 175 pound frame. Right handed hitter works from a balanced base with leg kick and good rhythm to load. Quick bat through the zone produced an exit velocity of 89 off the barrel. Barrel awareness can improve. Works for extension staying flat, producing line drives, and occasional top spin. Bat can get in and out of the zone quickly at times. Ran a 3.93 thirty / 4.78 5-10-5 agility shuttle. Standing long jump of 9’7”. On the infield, feet have rhythm and are active. Can work off his heels as the hands work to funnel. Exchanges to a vertical position. Long arm action to a high-3/4 slot with a positional velocity of 81.
On the mound, works to stay tall, loading the hips through balance. Short arm action gets to a high-3/4 release. Lands on-line with a closed heel-to-toe foot strike that can roll to an open position as the hips release. Fastball sat 79-81, cutting early in the pen, and running later as the rhythm was more consistent. Feel for the zone and the glove with fastball. Breaking ball ranged 66-69, in the zone, with average 10/4 action. Window gets big on spin, as the front side leaves the line. Slows the arm on the change-up, ranging 63-66.