NC Rankings: Updated Class of 2025
August 30, 2022
The PBR North Carolina 2025 Class Rankings have been updated. The spring and summer season saw PBR Scouts covering the state, watching and evaluating players from the coast to the mountains. As we continue to get to know this still young class, there is movement within the rankings list as well as new names added that college coaches and pro scouts will be following.
We release our 2025 rankings with a look at several names at the top of the list, risers in the rankings, and some new names to know. The expanded rankings are linked below with the top 50 players in the North Carolina listed.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TOP 50 IN NC
The Top 3
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Briggs McKenzie LHP / OF / Corinth Holders, NC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1
McKenzie headlines an incredibly talented top end of the 2025 rankings. A breakout spring season at Corinth Holders was followed up by a stellar summer that culminated at the PBR Future Games. His outing at the Future Games was simply breath taking. As he warmed up, the complex around Team Carolina's field became eerily quiet as the left hander pumped strikes with a quiet, athletic delivery and exceptionally quick arm. Once hitters stepped in the box, the stuff jumped. Bumping 90 throughout the outing with an electric breaking ball will make coaches take notice, but with hitters in the box, the stuff was simply dominant, blowing good hitters away and forcing them to take wild, off balance swings on balls in and out of the zone. With the frame, the ceiling remains very high for McKenzie as he continues to mature into the 6-foot-2, frame. McKenzie is uncommitted as the '22-23 school year begins.
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Samuel Cozart RHP / Wesleyan Christian Academy, NC / 2025Cozart is a name that is know nationally in the '25 class and for good reason. Not only has the physical right hander been up to 92, but he features an advanced slider and excellent feel for pitching and attacking the strike zone. Cozart built on a good 8th grade year for Wesleyan Christian, becoming a dominant ace during the high school season in '22. This summer he paced a stacked South Charlotte Panthers roster, taking the squad deep into several tournaments and capping it off with winning the PBR 15U National Championships in July. Cozart is a Mississippi State commit.
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Coy James OF / RHP / Davie, NC / 2025James is an uber-athletic, multi-sport player that has a skill set that screams high end prospect. Currently James is playing with Team USA's 15U club at the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Cup. As a freshman at Davie, James was named All-Conference and paced a lineup that averaged almost 9 runs per game, leading the squad with 36 hits, 12 doubles, and a .409 average on the year. James remains uncommitted as his SO year begins.
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The Risers
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Tyler Baird RHP / 1B / William A Hough , NC / 2025FEBRUARY 2022 RANK -- 20 Baird had a big year, beginning with a solid campaign at Hough as a FR. He continued to show his feel for pitching, while showing a bump in overall stuff on the summer circuit. A classic development profile that had Baird learning to pitch with the top end stuff coming as he continues to mature, the ceiling remains very high.
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Angel Pichardo OF / OF / Ledford, NC / 2025FEBRUARY 2022 RANK -- 21 Pichardo was a big winner from the Preseason All-State event in January as the high school season was getting set to start. While his overall tools probably deserved to land higher on the initial 2025 rankings list, it was his play in live game action that solidified him as a top 10 player in the state. Still young, and a recurring theme in the 2025 class, there is plenty of room to his high ceiling in the coming years. Pichardo is committed to Miami.
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THE NEWCOMERS
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Luke Hemric LHP / OF / Apex Friendship, NC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 27 / POS: 4
Left hander shined at the TPA Scout Day with PBR in June. Athletic build with a long arm action and slight cross-fire in the delivery, Hemric was up to 82 with solid feel for the arm side. Breaking ball has a chance to turn into a big out-pitch, spinning at 2462rpm in the bullpen session.
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Connor Robertson 3B / 2B / Mooresville , NC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 35 / POS: 6
Physical presence from the right side of the plate, and has shown solid barrel feel in BP rounds and live game action. There is developing power with an exit velocity that peaked at 95mph off the barrel. The Blast metrics are advanced too with good hand speed and advanced bat speed average.
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Ryan Wallace RHP / 3B / Union Pines, NC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 37 / POS: 14
Wallace had a standout day as a member of Team Carolina (North) at the 2022 Border Battle. On the bump the fastball played up to 84 and he showed a tight breaking ball with hard tilt, spinning at 2321rpm. Offensively there is strength with an exit velocity at 92mph.
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Seth Tickel SS / RHP / Rocky Mount Academy, NC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 39 / POS: 7
Tickel shined at the Preseason All-State event in February and then again as part of Team Carolina at the 2022 Border Battle. Strength is present in a 5-foot-11 build. Right handed hitter works for extension with good bat speed and natural lift in the swing. On the bump, Tickel works from a lower slot, changing slots at times and showing length to his slider.
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Tanner Ferguson SS / 3B / Pro5 Baseball Academy , NC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 40 / POS: 8
Ferguson stood out at the Top Prospect Games in August. A lean, athletic frame, Ferguson has excellent rhythm in his hands and feet, showing an arm that should stay on the left side of the field as he continues to mature. As his quickness improves, Ferguson will project as a SS with his rhythm and glove skills.
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Jake Barbee SS / RHP / Robinson, NC / 2025Rankings StateRank: 41 / POS: 9
Barbee posted good numbers throughout the PBR Scout Day with the On Deck O's. Running a 7.36 sixty, Barbee reached a top speed of 18.9mph and should see the sixty continue to fall as he adds strength to the 6-foot-2, frame. Offensively, Barbee works from a vertical stance with a glide onto the front leg, working for extension with solid bat speed and some leverage through contact.
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PREVIEWING THE TOP 10
