Prep Baseball Report of North Carolina was on hand at Athletes Lab in Maiden, NC on Saturday November 20th  for the Blue Ridge College Classic Baseball Showcase. Players went through a workout in the spacious ALAB Facility that featured a 30-yard sprint, catchers going through a defensive workout making throws to second base, pitchers throwing a controlled bullpen, hitters taking live batting practice in the open area allowing for coaches and scouts to see ball flight, infielders taking ground balls, and players get their arm velocities measured while doing pull-downs into a net. Several college coaches were in attendance to observe the workout. 

Below we take a look at some of the position players who stood out throughout the workout as well as some of the top arm velocities and pop times. 

Quick Hitters - Position Players

Connor Peschel, IF/RHP, Foard, 2022

Athleticism present in a 6-foot, 165-pound frame with room to fill out in the coming years. Made hard contact working through the middle of the cage. Hands are quick with better than average bat speed. Balanced throughout the swing. 

Boone Herman, IF, Hickory, 2023

Strong, athletic build at 6-foot, 180-pounds. Hit several balls off the barrel with a balanced approach. Compact swing with strong, quick hands. Solid defensive actions. 

Justin Skewes, C, St. Stephens, 2023

Strength present in a 6-foot-2, 183-pound build. Worked gap to gap in his BP rounds. Barrel gets extension out front with strength and quickness in his hands. 

Henry Stewart, C, Hickory, 2023

5-foot-9, 185-pound build. Worked gap to gap in BP with some lift to the swing path and feel for the barrel. Relaxed during his defensive workout with clean transitions and an accurate arm.

James Tate, OF, St. Stephens, 2023

Athletic build at 6-foot-1,160-pounds. Left hand hitter. Flat swing path with his barrel staying through the zone. Lined several balls through the middle of the cage.

Cameron Coleman, OF, Northgate (GA), 2024

Thin frame with quickness present. Has room to fill out in the coming years. Switch hitter. Fast hands from both sides of the plate. More barrel feel from the right side on this day. 

 

 

Enrique Mendoza, OF, Newton Conover, 2024

Athletic build. Worked through the middle of the cage with a balanced swing. Has feel for his barrel with extension out front, hands have quickness.

Cade Norton, C, Blue Ridge (SC), 2024

6-foot-1, 165-pound frame. Fluid swing working to both sides of the cage in his BP rounds. Average to above bat speed. Has arm strength from behind the plate. 

Blake Powell, C, Foard, 2024

Hands are quick with some lift to the swing path. Average to above bat speed with some strength in his hands. 

Trey Spees, IF, East Lincoln, 2024

Physical build at 6-foot, 175-pounds. Left hand hitter. Made plenty of hard contact in BP working through the middle and to his pull side. Barrel stays through the zone with a line drive approach. Hands have strength with above average bat speed. 

Braxton Tramel, IF, Foard, 2024

East Carolina commit. 5-foot-9, 185-pound build. Switch hitter. Balanced swing from both sides while showing feel for the barrel. Looks to stay short to the ball, flatter bat path from the left side, more uphill path right handed. Solid defensive actions. 

 

Collin Chappel, RHP/IF, 2025

Lanky frame with room to add strength. Direct barrel path to the ball with a line drive approach. Hit several balls of the barrel working through the middle of the cage. 

Brycen Gaither, OF, St. Stephens, 2025

Strength and quickness present in a 5-foot-9, 160-pound frame. Getting back into baseball shape after recently finishing his football season. Hands are quick with above average bat speed for his age. Balanced approach, some length to the swing with a flat barrel path through the zone. 

 

Evan Matile, OF, East Lincoln, 2025

Long, lanky frame at 6-foot, 165-pounds with room to add strength in the coming years. Left hand hitter with a balanced approach. Hands have quickness. 

Ashton Mock, C, Woodruff (SC), 2025

Short path to the ball with better than average feel for his barrel. Balanced throughout his swing hitting several line drives. 

 

JT Smith, C, Hendersonville, 2025

5-foot-7, 130-pound build. Should add strength in the years ahead. Squared balls up with a gap to gap approach. Clean transitions behind the plate with accuracy to his throws. 

 

Brady Stober, C, Hickory, 2025

Young frame with room for maturation ahead. Balanced swing with loose, quick hands. Lined several balls through the middle of the cage. Arm has accuracy from behind the plate.

Top CATCHER POP TIMES & POSITIONAL VELOCITY

In the pro-style workout, catchers workout from behind home plate, making multiple throws to 2B, simulating a stolen base attempt.  Scouts again are looking for a quick, clean transition to the release as well as carry and accuracy on the throw.  For catchers, evaluators will put a stopwatch on the “pop time” or the time the ball hits their glove to the time the ball hits the MIF’s glove at 2B.  Coaches can also time the transition from when the ball hits the catchers glove to when he is able to release his throw.  PBR scouts add the radar gun to put a number on the arm strength out of the crouched position.

Name	Position	High School	Grad Year	Velocity
Cade Norton	C	Blue Ridge (SC)	2024	80
Cooper York	C	Ashbrook	2022	76
Broden Thompson	C	Lincoln Charter	2024	75

Name	Position	High School	Grad Year	Pop Time
Cade Norton	C	Blue Ridge (SC)	2024	2.01-2.18
Henry Stewart	C	Hickory	2023	2.10-2.21
Broden Thompson	C	Lincoln Charter	2024	2.12-2.18

Top Pulldown Arm Velocities