NC/SC Border Battle: Quick Hitters - NC Pitchers

Aidan Cluskey, LHP, Reagan HS, 2023
Average 6-foot, 185 pound frame.  Some strength present. Medium arm action working through some effort to a high-¾ slot.  Average arm speed.  Strike thrower with feel for three pitches.  Fastball at 78-80 with run out of the hand.  Sweeping slider has average length.  Good arm speed on a change-up that created some hitter discomfort.

Travis Rhoads, LHP, Ledford HS, 2023
Athletic presence with some length at 6-foot-3, 190 pounds.  Choppy delivery that is searching for tempo but the stuff has a chance to give hitters a fit.  Fastball up to 85mph, 2054rpm.  Sink metrics with some run out of the hand.  Slider spins at 2332rpm with big horizontal break moving across the plate.  Erratic in this outing but it could be some reshaping of feel as he continues to see the stuff tick up.

Chace Chaplin, 3B/RHP, Middle Creek HS, 2023
Strength present at 5-foot-11, 200 pounds.  Profiles as a hitter first, but is intriguing on the bump as a strike thrower from a high-¾ slot with good feel for his secondary stuff.  Fastball peaked at 86mph, 2400rpm.  

Ethan Plesser, LHP, Cape Fear HS, 2024
Long frame at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds.  Slightly closed with a tuck at the top of his balance.  Good arm speed through a high-¾ slot.  Short strider.  Up to 81 with the fastball showing over 18in of horizontal break out of the hand.  Better feel for his arm side.  Flooded the zone with the fastball.  Breaking ball with 2/8 tilt at 68-71, averaging 2221rpm of spin.  Change-up metrics suggest it could be a weapon.  Change was used as the 3rd pitch.

Ryan Wallace, RHP, Union Pines HS, 2025
Average build at 5-foot-11, 175 pounds.  Some effort in the arm action as it bottoms out, working to an over-the-top slot. Solid two pitch mix.  Fastball ranged 82-84 with a 1:30 spin tilt out of the hand.  10/4 tilt from the breaking ball with good feel for his glove side at 69-71, 2321rpm.  Late, the breaking ball could emerge as an out pitch with maturation.

Tyler Goodson, RHP, Maiden HS, 2024
Broad shoulders with an athletic presence at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds.  Long, easy arm stroke.  Solid arm speed that is setup to increase as he continues to mature.  High-¾ release with an athletic arm.  Fastball ranged 84-88 with sink metrics and some run.  1:15 spin tilt at release.  Showed feel for both sides of the zone.  Slider is still maturing with short, side to side action at 74-77.

Brandon Benkovics, RHP, Wayne Country Day, 2025
Strength and power present at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds.  Stretch only.  Short arm action working out of the glove directly into a scapular load.  Over-the-top slot.  Strike thrower with excellent direction.  Fastball peaked at 86mph, 2226rpm.  Solid ride, playing true out of the hand.  Showed feel for the glove side.  May be able to pitch elevated with his ride as he continues to mature.  Slider has depth and horizontal action at 71-73, 2321rpm.

Ayden Sumner, RHP, East Henderson HS, 2024
Lanky 6-foot-2, 180 pounder.  Big rocker and big turn into balance.  Long arm swing works through some effort to an over-the-top slot.  Better than average arm speed.  Fastball at 77-80 with some run out of the hand.  Elevated but attacking the zone throughout.  

Seth Tickel, RHP, Rocky Mount Academy, 2025
5-foot-11, 185 pounds.  Multiple slot guy showing feel for both the over-the-top slot and a ¾ slot.  Athletic delivery with an athletic arm through both slots. Fastball peaked at 82mph from the OTT slot and showed over 15in of arm side action from the lower slot.  Slider has more effect from the lower slot.  Good feel for the zone with the fastball.  Used the slider more for chase and effect.

Connor Shoulders, LHP, Dixon HS, 2023
6-foot-1, 190 pounds.  Long arm action with a reach out of the glove.  Some effort through an over-the-top slot.  Good glove side feel for the fastball and breaking ball.  Fastball has solid ride at 80-82, 1865rpm.  Breaking ball is inconsistent but flashed some depth with occasional 11/5 tilt at 60-62.

Landon Johnson, RHP, Forsyth Country Day, 2024
Big frame with broad shoulders and athleticism present at 6-foot-8, 205 pounds.  Choppy delivery, still working to gather consistent rhythm and feel for his center mass.  Should come with maturation.  Coils the lower half through balance.  Medium arm swing loads the scapular to a high-¾ slot.   Rotational finish.  Fastball up to 84mph, 1991rpm.  Breaking ball rolls through the zone but shows some depth with 11/5 tilt.