On July 24th, top players from North Carolina and South Carolina converged on Winthrop University for the first ever NC/SC Border Battle.  The Border Battle allowed players to workout and compete in front of college coaches and pro scouts, while updating their information for their PBR Profile, connecting them with over 900 college coaches and pro scouts that subscribe to PBR.

The event was a huge success with players from each state impressing those in attendance.  The process to break all of the information down has begun.  Player statistics have been loaded to the event page and onto each player’s personal PBR Profile.  Along with stats, each player has a PBR Video from their workout on their profile page. 

As we continue our look at the players that represented NC at the Border Battle, we turn our attention to the catchers.  A very talented group of catchers, each with a little different tool set that can help set them apart from others.

 

 CLICK HERE to see the full statistics from the NC/SC Border Battle.

 

NC/SC Border Battle Analysis: NC Catchers

 

Michael Carico C / OF / Glenn, NC / 2020   Davidson commit.  6 foot, 180-pound build with strength present.  Athletic, slightly open setup from the left side of the plate.  Smooth load with a controlled leg kick and his hands working back.  Above average bat speed with wrist snap through the zone.  Has lift in his swing with strength to his pull side, while flashing feel for the barrel.  Exit velocity recorded at 89 mph.  Positional velocity to second base topped at 74 mph with clean transfers across his chest with a high ¾ release.  Some feel for the second base bag with pop times ranging from 2.07-2.28.  Recorded a 7.16 in the 60.

Hank Dodson C / Northern Guilford, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 148 / POS: 21   Strong build at 5 foot 11, 175-pounds.  Hits from the right side with a slightly open, upright setup.  Leg kick during his load with his hands working down and back.  Above average bat speed with pop to his pull side during batting practice.  Quick hands with some barrel whip.  Good game swings hitting a ball hard to center field.  Higher setup with quick feet through his throws to second base.  Clean exchanges, throwing from a high ¾ slot with his positional velocity topping at 72 mph.  Some feel for the second base bag with pop time ranging from 2.05-2.14.  Recorded a 7.39 in the 60.

Michael Groves C / OF / Holly Springs, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 89 / POS: 10   UNC Asheville commit.  Athletic, strong build at 6 foot 3, 190-pounds.  Switch hitter.  Slightly open from the left side of the plate.  Smooth load with a leg kick and hands working back.  More balanced from the right side with a smaller load.  Looser swing from the left side with some lift in his swing.  Has pull strength from the right side.  Drove a ball to left center field during game action.  Exit velocity recorded at 87 mph.  High hips in his setup behind the plate with quick exchanges across his chest.  Positional velocity topped at 77 mph from an over the top slot.  Pop times ranged from 2.08-2.14.  Feet look to work around the ball on the infield with average hands.  Some carry to his throws across the diamond that topped at 85 mph.  Recorded a 7.34 in the 60.

Alexander Imposimato C / OF / Heritage, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 123 / POS: 18   5 foot 11, 180-pound average build with room to add strength.  Hits from the right side with a balanced setup.  Small leg kick during his load with a short stride and quiet hands.  Balanced, smooth swing with a line drive approach, working gap to gap.  Relaxed hands with his barrel working level through the zone.  Feel for his barrel with average bat speed.  Swing can get long at times against live arms.  Exit velocity recorded at 93 mph.  Some accuracy to his throws to second base with clean transfers, using a short arm action, throwing from an over the top slot.  Positional velocity from a crouch position topped at 74 mph.  Pop times ranged from 2.06-2.29.  Recorded a 6.74 in the 60.

Kenny Leiner C / 3B / Pro5 Baseball Academy, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 145 / POS: 20   6 foot 2, 200-pound build with some strength present.  Switch hitter who only hit from the left side at this event.  Sets up tall and slightly open from the left side.  Short stride with his feet getting back to even and his hands working back during the load.  Balanced swing with a level bat path through the zone.  Works mostly middle to his pull side with some strength in his swing.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 89 mph.  Arm topped at 75 mph to second base from a crouch position with some feel for the bag.  Clean transfers to a high ¾ release with his pop times ranging from 2.11-2.18.  Recorded a 8.15 in the 60.

Zachary Long C / 1B / Fuquay Varina, NC / 2020   6 foot, 180-pound strong build with room to add more.  Offensively he works from the left side with an athletic, slightly open setup.  Gets his weight stacked on his back leg with a controlled leg kick during his load.  Fluid, balanced swing with a slightly uphill path.  Works mostly middle to his pull side during batting practice with feel for his barrel.  Loose swing with some barrel whip in game action, driving two balls to right field.  Exit velocity recorded at 84 mph. Accurate arm to second base, transferring across his chest, with a short arm action, throwing from an over the top slot.  Positional velocity from a crouch position topped at 75 mph.  Pop times ranged from 2.06-2.18.  Recorded a 7.24 in the 60.

Ethan Martin C / 1B / Northwest Guilford, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 135 / POS: 19   Athletic build with strength at 5 foot 11, 175-pounds.  Balanced setup from the left side of the plate.  Simple load, getting his weigh back with his hands working slightly up and back.  Gap to gap approach during batting practice with a balanced swing.  Feel for his barrel with a flat stroke. Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 81 mph.  Accurate arm to second base with quick transfers across his chest with a high ¾ release.  Pop times ranged from 2.11-2.13.  Arm velocity from a crouch position topped at 72 mph.   Recorded a 7.84 in the 60.

Carter Merrill C / 1B / Stuart Cramer, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 93 / POS: 11   Physical at 6 foot 2, 210-pounds.  Hits from the right side with a narrow base, slightly open with a high back elbow.  Medium length stride with his hands working back.  Level stroke, lacking some lower half causing his barrel to get long at times.  Works mostly middle to his pull side during batting practice.  Barreled balls to both gaps during game action.  Exit velocity recorded at 92 mph.  Transfers across his chest, throwing from an over the top slot with his positional velocity topping at 80 mph from a crouch position.  Some feel for the second base bag with pop times ranging from 2.0-2.10.  Recorded a 7.77 in the 60.

Alejandro Rodriguez C / SS / Wesleyan Christian Academy, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 50 / POS: 5   5 foot 11, 165-pound average frame with present athleticism.  Switch hitter.  Balanced, athletic setup from both sides of the plate.  Simple load with a short stride with the barrel working to a more upright position.  Loose hands with a flat stroke from both sides.  Works mostly middle to his pull side from both sides of the plate.  More strength is present from the right side.  Flashes feel for his barrel with average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 91 mph.  Arm has carry from behind the plate from a high ¾ slot.  Some feel for the bag with his positional velocity from a crouch position topping at 81 mph.  Pop times ranged from 1.90-1.99.  Athletic on the infield with above average hands.  Funnels to the right hip after catch with the ability to use different arm slots to first base.  Arm has carry across the diamond topping at 87 mph. Recorded a 6.94 in the 60.

Jonathan Villa C / OF / Lumberton, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 161 / POS: 24   5 foot 11, 180-pound build with strength present.  Offensively he works from the right side with his hands back in the setup.  Short stride with his barrel tipping forward during the load.  Loose hands hand with some uphill tilt in the shoulders during the swing.  Gets the barrel to the ball when his load syncs up.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 91 mph.  High hips in his setup behind the plate, transferring across his chest with a high ¾ release.  Positional velocity from a crouch position topped at 70 mph.  Pop times ranged from 2.24-2.33.  Works to the ball in the outfield slowing down through catch with a longer exchange.  Some accuracy to his throws that reached 80 mph.  Recorded a 7.14 in the 60.