2018 Top Prospect Games: Pitcher Analysis

Spencer Calloway RHP / OF / East Forsyth , NC / 2019

Average frame at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds.  Around the zone with three pitches.  Fastball ranged 71-75 from a high-3/4 slot.  Long arm action, working behind the body line slightly.  Average hand speed with the hand getting to the top of the slot early.  Average leg kick, working for rhythm throughout the delivery.  Level and on-line, landing square with the foot at foot-strike.  Breaking ball has occasional late action with 11/5 tilt.  Hand can get around the pitch, flattening at times.  Spin sat 67-69.  Change-up mimicked fastball’s hand speed, touching 70.

Sawyer Worrell LHP / OF / Clayton , NC / 2019

Physical presence at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds with projection left.  Potential two way player ran a 6.99 sixty and turned in an exit velocity of 92 mph off the barrel from the right side.  Left handed pitcher’s feel continued to grow throughout his outing, flashing command of fastball in the 2^nd inning with a breaking ball in the zone.  Fastball ranged 77-81.  Breaking ball could be erratic but flashes hard, late tilt at times with 1/7 depth.  Good hand speed on the breaking ball, sitting 65-67.  Did get around the pitch occasionally creating more side to side action at 72.  Breaking ball can still mature and may miss bats as it continues to develop.  Shows feel for the change-up at 69-71 with fade and deception out of the and.  Some rhythm in the delivery, working level.  Long arm action works through some stiffness to a high-3/4 release and average arm speed.  Some effort through the finish, stiff on the front side and falling slightly toward 3B. 

Offensively works from a strong and balanced setup with a slight waggle in his bat.  Loads the weight with a small leg kick and short stride.  Direct path with a repeatable swing.  Gap to gap approach.  Barrel awareness is present.  Strength over quickness in the swing.  Arm has carry, with accuracy, in the outfield at 84 mph out of the hand.  Fluid footwork and easy exchanges.

Josh Allen RHP / 1B / North Lincoln, NC / 2019

Large frame at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds.  Some effort in an over-the-top slot, showing feel for three pitches in the zone.  Some feel for moving fastball in and out in his sequencing.  Fastball ranged 77-81.  Long arm swing and average hand speed.  Level and on-line in the delivery.  Foot strike is square, allowing for some extension.  Breaking ball was erratic early, but he found consistency in his second inning.  Gradual 10/4 tilt at 66-68.  Works from a similar window as the fastball.  Straight change-up appears from fastball hand speed at 70-72.  Attacked the zone with the change and it appeared to be the 2^nd pitch for most of the outing.

Collin Welch RHP / OF / Western Harnett, NC / 2019

Average 5-foot-10, 165 pound frame.  Strike thrower, erratic in the zone at times from an easy arm action.  Smooth delivery, average leg kick, and long arm swing.  Tempo builds throughout the delivery.  Lands square, slightly across his line, with good back side drive.  Quick hand to an over-the-top release creating some arm side run when on the arm side.  Fastball ranged 82-86.  Good slider with late tilt at 67-73.  Some length to the pitch on the higher end of the velocity range.  Has feel for the zone with spin.  Slider works out of the same window as fastball creating deception.  Change-up is the third pitch working from a slightly slower hand, but with feel for the zone.

Jacob Landis LHP / OF / South Point, NC / 2019

Average frame at 6-foot, 175 pounds.  Around the zone most of the outing.  Pounded the down zone with a fastball ranging 79-81.  Cut the fastball to the glove side at times at 75.  Sweepy slider, late at times sat 71-74, acting more as a cutter at the higher end velocities.  Change-up worked from solid hand speed at 73.  Some rhythm to the delivery with level shoulders throughout.  Works on-line, landing square.  Long arm action to a high-3/4 slot with better than average hand speed.  Easy to regular effort, finishing with decent extension.

Mason Gwyn RHP / OF / North Surry, NC / 2019

Charlotte commit, making his declaration shortly after the Top Prospect Games.  Lanky, athletic frame at 6-foot-2, 170 pounds.  Some strength present with plenty of room to continue to add to the frame.   Fastball bumped 91 in his first inning, sitting 86-89 throughout the outing.  Hard, riding action on the fastball, it jumped on hitters getting swing and miss in the zone and chase when elevated out of the zone.  Smooth delivery with an average leg kick.  Repeatable with a stable head and solid balance point.  Aggressive stride with the arm on time and working to positions of strength.  Excellent hip to shoulder separation.  Long arm action gets to a high-3/4 slot with a very quick hand.  On-line, finishes with good extension.  Breaking ball had gradual 12/6 tilt at 72, with a slight hump out of the window.  Change-up touched 80. 

Tyler Driver RHP / Pro5 Academy, NC / 2019

Charlotte commit.  Athletic build with long levers at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds.  Frame will continue to handle strength as he matures.  Fastball jumped on hitters, creating chase when elevated.  Ranged 86-89, straight but hard.  Slider is new to the repertoire featuring downer tilt at 74-77.  Fastball look-alilke created chase down in the zone.  Erratic at times with the pitch, misses were buried underneath strike zone.  Straight change-up looks like fastball out of the hand at 73.  Shows feel for the change.  Stable head over the rubber throughout the delivery with some rhythm.  Level, the shoulders close through balance, working back to on-line at foot-strike.  Long arm swing with a slight bottoming out.  High front side glove provides some deception.  Over-the-top release and quick hand.  Fights for extension on a strong, stable front side.

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

Athletic 6-foot, 170 pounds.  Some length in the frame.  Good athlete, ran a 6.97 sixty.  Potential dual prospect.  Fastball up to 83 late in the outing as he found his rhythm and began to flood the zone.  Fastball sat 76-83 with arm side run on the arm side.  Change-up acts as second pitch, with high deception at 71-75.  Good hand speed, the change plays straight creating swing and miss.  Gradual 1/7 tilt to the breaking ball at 65-71.  Feel for all three pitches and willing to attack hitters in multiple ways.  Some rhythm in the delivery, loading the back side at balance with shoulders gaining a slight uphill leverage.  Swings the leg to an average kick with a slight hip turn.  Average arm swing, with looseness, to a high-3/4 slot.  Works on-line, landing square.  Fights for extension as he can leak out of balance early causing some rotation in the delivery.  Stuff should continue to grow as strength is added to the frame.

Offensively he works from the left side using an athletic, tall, slightly open setup.  Smooth load using a small leg kick, getting his lower half through the ball. Looks to get extension with some feel for his barrel.  When timing is off his barrel works out of the zone to quickly. Fluid swing with a gap to gap approach.  Exit velocity recorded at 85 mph.  Athletic in the outfield, playing through balls, with fluid feet and average hands.  Clean exchanges with a long arm action throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Accurate arm with carry to his throws topping at 85 mph. Looks to drive the ball in game but pulls off occasionally, possibly looking to do too much.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP / 1B / Davie County, NC / 2019

East Carolina commit.  Physical presence in an athletic frame at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds.  Dual prospect with a high ceiling on the mound and strength present in the box.  Left handed pitcher was down a little from some earlier outings in the summer, sitting 83-86.  Hard, sweeping breaking ball works from a similar slot as the fastball at 76.  Long, loose arm swing to a high-3/4 slot.  Quick hand and athletic delivery.  Smooth through the repeatable delivery, the arm works without much effort. 
Offensively he works from the left side using an open setup.  Smooth back in his load using a small leg kick, getting his lower half through the ball.  Above average speed with barrel whip.  Impressed in batting practice showing power potential, driving balls to all fields.  Fluid swing with his exit velocity peaking at 97 mph.  Plays athletic at first base with soft hands and fluid feet.  Long arm action, with carry to his throws topping at 86 mph across the diamond.  Recorded a 7.37 in the 60-yard dash.

Matt Heiman LHP / OF / Pinecrest, NC / 2019

Small frame at 5-foot-9, 155 pounds.  Feel for three pitches and pounds the zone.  Created soft contact throughout the outing, consistently putting hitters on their heels with strike one.  Fastball ranged 73-75.  Some run to the arm side when locating to the arm side.  Good hand speed on the breaking ball with 1/7 tilt at 65.  Slight hump out of the hand, within the fastball window.  Flashed swing and miss potential on the change-up at 68.  Straight with occasional fade, especially in put-away situations where the slot drops slightly.  Works through an average leg kick with some coil in the body.  Separates to a long arm swing, reaching away.  Front side works slightly above the shoulder level.  Ball hidden behind the body line until it begins to come forward, allowing stuff to play up slightly.  Average hand speed and high-3/4 slot.  Good direction, landing on-line and square with average extension.

Carter Holjes RHP / OF / Cardinal Gibbons, NC / 2019

UNC Wilmington commit, committing shortly after the Top Prospect Games.  Lanky frame that should continue to add strength.  Stands 6-foot-4, 200 pounds.  Good angle on his fastball when down zone from an over-the-top slot.  Fastball ranged 83-87.  Feel for the zone, lacking specific command at this time but it should develop.  Breaking ball is erratic at times, showing better feel as the outing progressed.  Similar window as the fastball, the breaking ball has 11/5 tilt 71-76.  Occasionally around the pitch with side to side action.  Some effort in the delivery, lifting to an average leg kick that is intended to load the front hip and coil the body.  Slightly rotational out of balance, lands on-line and square.  Average stride length, falling down the hill slightly.  Long arm swing has some quickness at the release.  High ceiling as the feel for the body and arm increases with age.

Stirling Thomas LHP / 1B / Tuscola, NC / 2019

Average frame at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds.  Some effort in a side arm delivery.  Long arm swing with looseness that works behind the body line.  Level, there is some rhythm in the delivery.  Landing across his line, fights to get the back side to fire to allow for extension and direction.  Erratic command for most of the outing as the side slot is still somewhat new.  Some sink, wanting to stay to the arm-side.  Fastball ranged 68-71.  Did pop the slot up to a high-3/4 occasionally, touching 77.  Slider is soft, sweeping slightly at 64.

Nolan DeVos RHP / 3B / Hickory Ridge, NC / 2019

Average frame with athleticism present at 5-foot-11, 160 pounds.  Repeats the delivery with an average leg kick and long arm action that can bottom out slightly.  On-line and square as the arm gets to an over-the-top slot.  Angle to the fastball when down.  Fastball ranged 81-84, getting swing and miss when paired with the breaking ball in the zone.  Breaking ball has depth and creates issues for hitters at 71-73.  Late, downer 12/6 tilt, working from a similar window as the fastball.  Has the ability to add and subtract on the breaking ball throughout counts.  Change-up to left handed hitters mostly from a slightly lower slot with a slightly slower hand.  Straight at 73-75.  Occasionally sinks with better extension.

Luke Barrow RHP / OF / Wesleyan Christian, NC / 2020

Coastal Carolina commit.  Athleticism is present.  Average build at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds.  Fastball down just a bit from earlier in the summer at 83-84, but still jumping on hitters and getting chases when elevated.  Slider is an out pitch waiting to happen.  Advanced spin and feel, sitting 76-79.  Power 10/4 tilt with hard length at times.  Slider disappeared under bats, in the zone, and created chase out of the zone.  Big trust in the slider.  Average to high leg kick, working on-line and level.  Good head stability over the rubber at balance.  Long arm swing and quick hand get to a high-3/4 slot.

Joe Barrow RHP / 3B / Broughton, NC / 2019

Strength is present in a 6-foot-2, 193 pound frame.  Athletic build.  Around the zone with better than average hand speed from an over-the-top slot.  Fastball ranged 82-86, working to attack hitters with trust in the pitch.  The breaking ball tunnels like the fastball, creating deception.  Short, darting action at 73-74.  Some effort in the delivery, fighting for rhythm in the arm swing.  Strength at balance with head stability over the rubber.  Good direction, landing on-line and square at foot-strike.  Some length in the arm swing with a slight elbow lead.  Head clears the space for the hand, creating a bigger window for hitters at times.  Back side gets through well, creating a slight fall to the first base side.  Stuff may continue to grow as the arm quickens and as extension becomes more direct.