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.

Kicking off the evaluations, PBR will look at each pitcher-only, breaking down their performance from the event.  Eleven pitcher-only players threw controlled bullpens, Two committed players threw, both in the 2018 class.  Seven pitchers in the 2019 class and two from the 2020 class completed the group.  A full look at the pitcher-only players includes several projectable frames and pitchers showing feel for multiple pitches early in the season. 

2019 grad, Jackson Reid (RHP, Mooresville HS) created a buzz walking in the building, standing 6-foot-7.  The big righty did not disappoint when he took the mound, reaching 85.  Jacob Carter (2019, RHP, Crest HS) features a strong frame with advanced feel for his breaking ball.  Carter’s arm strength has continued to develop, touching 84 in the late January pen. 

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

PITCHER ONLY EVALUATIONS

 

 

Jesse Ashenfarb LHP / 1B / Cox Mill, NC / 2020   Lean 6-foot-1, 180 pound frame with length in his limbs.  Straight line build that can handle additional strength.  Simple delivery, builds tempo from slow to balance, working to be quick to the foot strike.  Short arm action, loads the scapular, releasing from a high-3/4 slot.  Ball is hidden and may jump on hitters.  Fastball ranged 74-77 with arm side run when thrown to the arm side.  Flashed increasing command of the fastball throughout the bullpen.  Change up has fade, nearing the same arm speed as fastball, sitting 68-70.  Stays tall on the back side as he leaves balance, creating some effort through the transition to the front side.

 

 

Ian Asken RHP / 1B / Apex Friendship, NC / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 107 / POS: 35   Large frame with broad shoulders, standing 6-foot-9, 225 pounds.  Long arm swing hides the ball, working in-line with the body.  Slight coil at balance.  Creates extension.  Has a feel for the strike zone from a high-3/4 slot.  Coming out of basketball, this was an early bullpen.  Fastball sat 80-81, running out of the hand.  Commanded the zone with the breaking ball at 66-71.  Late 10/4 tilt creating depth with similar hand speed to the fastball.  Change-up sat 69-70, around the zone, with deception out of the release.

 

 

Luke Barrow RHP / OF / Wesleyan Christian, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 60 / POS: 16   Wide shoulders and an athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds.  Works with ease, repeating the delivery.  Commands three pitches with an ability to work the fastball to both sides of the plate.  Strike thrower.  Good rhythm in an athletic delivery works to a loose, easy arm swing and high-3/4 release.  Fastball worked 80-82, straight, commanding the glove.  Breaking ball sits 71-74 with gradual shape out of the hand.

 

 

James Burcham RHP / 1B / East Wilkes, NC / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 141 / POS: 41   Lanky frame with long limbs at 6-foot-5, 188 pounds.  Some strength is present.  Slightly coiled at the hips at balance, swing the front leg to a heel-toe foot strike, on-line. Shoulders remain level.  Long arm stroke with the ball turning early as it reaches a high-3/4 slot.  Some effort through the finish where the front foot will release and swing open.  Fastball sat 77-79, throwing strikes but lacking command in the zone.  Good feel for a breaking ball at 65-67 with gradual 10/4 tilt.  Spin is in the zone mimicking the fastball hand speed.  Change up is still developing, erratic with misses down in the zone, while ranging 74-78.

 

 

Jacob Carter RHP / C / Crest, NC / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 66 / POS: 22   Wide shoulders with strength in the lower half at 6-foot-4, 170 pounds.  Frame will continue to handle strength as it matures.  Fastball worked easy, sitting 80-82 from a quick arm and high-3/4 slot.  Repeats the delivery, working with direct lines, landing square, while staying level.  Advanced breaking ball has late 11/5 action.  Above average feel and command, ranging 64-69, flashing an ability to add and subtract on the pitch during the pen.  Change-up is third pitch at 70-71, occasionally cutting out of the hand.  Easy to see fastball – curveball combination continuing to get better in the coming months.

 

 

Nathan Ledford RHP / 3B / Gaston Christian, NC / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 187 / POS: 55   Average 6-foot-1, 190 pound frame.  Fastball peaked at 84, sitting 81-83 in the late January bullpen, with hard run to the arm side. Slight coil in the lower half as the shoulders stay level.  Lands on-line with an easy heel-to-toe foot strike.  Loose arm has quickness getting through an over-the-top slot.   Change-up ranged 71-74, in the zone, with fastball hand speed.  Occasional arm side run early out of the hand.  Breaking ball worked 64-68 with early 11/5 tilt.  Around the zone, the window can get big on the spin pitch as the front side tilts off the line.  Some room left to project stuff.

 

 

Jackson Reid RHP / Mooresville, NC / 2019   Eye catching length in a lanky 6-foot-7, 180 pound frame.  Athleticism is present.  Delivery is continuing to develop, working with quickness to balance, gathering and under control through a long arm swing, prior to accelerating at foot-strike.    Arm works behind the body line, with length as it gets to a high-3/4 slot, trending down his line and through the target, but occasionally rotational and finishing toward 1B.  Fastball up to 85, sitting 81-83, a little erratic in the late January bullpen.  Played hard out of thhe hand with occasional run and occasional cutting action.  Has feel for the zone with a change-up at 75-76, producing arm side run from the same window as the fastball.  Around the breaking ball, the spin is still developing while ranging 66-68.  Length, coordination, and athleticism suggest very good projection for the future.

 

 

Gordon Soffel RHP / 1B / Cuthbertson, NC / 2019   Average build at 6-foot, 190 pounds.  Quick tempo through the delivery working to a long arm swing and over-the-top slot.  Arm lags at times creating some rotation in the delivery, but the timing cleaned as the late January bullpen lengthened.  Good command with the fastball at 80-82.  Sink and run present, especially to the arm side.  Advanced feel of a breaking ball with gradual tilt at 67-70.  Change-up has fade, around the zone, with similar hand speed to the fastball, sitting 74-75.

 

 

Olen Stamper RHP / 3B / West Rowan, NC / 2018 Rankings  StateRank: 242 / POS: 66   Long limbs standing 6-foot-4, 185 pounds.  Catawba Valley CC commit works with ease over the rubber, repeating a clean delivery.  Controlled tempo through balance.  Long arm swing, remains loose as it works to an over-the-top slot.  Maintains posture throughout the delivery.  Easy heel-to-toe foot strike, slightly across his line.  Around the zone with the fastball at 76-79, working down hill and gaining extension on release.  Breaking ball has excellent shape and hand speed with late, downer action sitting 69-70.  Change-up is still working into form, ranging 72-74 with occasional fade.

 

 

Jake Wolf RHP / 3B / Middle Creek, NC / 2018 Rankings  StateRank: 198 / POS: 59   Strong lower half and athletic build standing 6-foot-1, 173 pounds.  UNC Greensboro commit creates extension out of a high-3/4 slot.  Simple delivery is repeated while maintaining posture over the rubber.  Strong activation from the back side as the front foot strikes with an easy heel-to-toe landing.  Long arm swing has strength and looseness.  Quickness is present in the body and translated at the release.  Fastball sat 80-84 in the late January bullpen with easy projection left in the pitch.  Advanced feel for a change-up showing fade at 74-75.  Mimics the fastball with its hand speed.  Still early in the year for Wolf’s breaking ball, sitting 73-74 and erratic at times.  Sharp 11/5 tilt should reign the zone as we enter the spring with an ability to create some swing and miss.

 

 

Zach Zedalis RHP / OF / Cox Mill, NC / 2019 Rankings  StateRank: 169 / POS: 49   Stocky frame with strength present, standing 5-foot-10, 170 pounds.  Works from a side-saddled position and easy transition to his balance point.  The leg kick is a little abbreviated, staying tall on the backside through foot-strike.  Lands slightly across his line, working to an over-the-top slot.  Similar mechanics, crouching at the waist while leaving balance, when he drops to a low-3/4 slot.  Fastball sat 80-82, touching 83 from the elevated slot.  When dropping down, velocity dipped to 77-79.  Breaking ball is thrown hard from a similar window as the fastball at 66-69, with 10/4 tilt, working to find the zone.  Drops down to the lower slot to throw a slider, sweeping out of the hand at 63-66.  Change-up has some deception out of the hand at 70-74.