Prep Baseball Report of North Carolina held a scout day with the CBA Copperheads on Saturday August 25^th at Pfeiffer University.  Thirty-one players, ranging in graduation years 2019 – 2022, worked out for PBR.  The CBA Copperheads are based out of Concord and Lake Norman, just north of Charlotte.  They run multiple teams ranging from high school showcase teams down to the youth level.  Players and teams workout out of multiple fields and two indoor facilities.

Through the course of the workout, position players had the opportunity to run a laser timed 60, workout offensively in a cage setting and live on field, and then workout at their defensive position.  Pitchers were able to throw controlled bullpens.  The PBR staff was on hand to execute the day and record the stats on the players.  Each player in attendance will receive an evaluation from the PBR staff, verified statistics, and a prospect video added to their PBR profile. 

Seven middle infielders worked out on the day, including three that also threw bullpens.  Konni Durschlag (SS, Mallard Creek HS, 2020) is not quite back to full strength from a hamstring issue but was able to workout offensively and impressed in his rounds of BP.  On the infield, several younger players flashed athleticism with a chance to carry the ball across the infield from the left side.  Kannon Frady (SS, Lake Norman HS, 2020) and Grant Sutton (SS, Hough HS, 2021) look to be athletic enough to handle the middle at higher levels.  Sutton also peaked at 81 in a very crisp bullpen, featuring a solid three-pitch mix.

PBR Scout Day: CBA Copperheads By The Numbers
+ 31 Players took part in the scout day
+ 28 Players went through the position player workout
+ 18 Players threw controlled bullpens as part of the scout day
+ 2 players ran sub 7.00 sixties… 4 ran sub 7.10
+ Median sixty time on the laser timer was 7.57
+ 16 Players worked out on the infield with the top arm velocity of 81 mph
+ 9 Players threw from the outfield with 3 above 80 mph
+ 5 Catchers.  Top Pop time of 2.22
+ 5 arms above 76 with a high of 81… Most arms were still working back into condition after shutting down for a few weeks after the summer.

               CLICK HERE for the full roster from the CBA Copperhead Scout Day

               CLICK HERE for the full statistical breakdown of each player in attendance

 

Middle Infielder Analysis

Eddie Dew SS / RHP / Hickory Ridge, NC / 2021 Athletic frame with plenty of room for growth and maturity, standing 5-foot-9, 135 pounds.  Right handed hitter is balanced, with a slightly closed stance.  Smooth load back and short stride with good balance throughout.  Lots of barrels with average bat speed and a good approach.  Exit velocity of 80 mph working level through the zone producing line drives, staying in the middle of the field.  Good rhythm and fluid, the swing should play at a high level with additional strength.  Defensively has good bend in his hips, working low through the ball as he plays through it.  Hands can get deep at the feet continue to work forward through the catch, but the catch was consistent.  Fluid and clean, transitions to a long arm swing and over-the-top release.  Some accuracy at 70 mph across the diamond.  Carry should increase with strength.  Ran a 7.92 sixty. On the mound,  works with a repeatable delivery and stable head.  Average leg kick with the back-side pre-set to carry his weight.  Slightly across his line at foot strike with the foot in a square position.  Good rhythm throughout.  Long arm swing and high-3/4 slot with the arm speed still developing.  Fastball ranged 66-68.  Maintains his hand speed for the most part on spin and change-up.  Breaking ball at 68-62, with gradual 11/5 tilt.  Erratic, missing to the arm side throughout the bullpen.  The change-up sat 58-60, straight, and around the zone.

Konni Durschlag SS / RHP / Mallard Creek, NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 52 / POS: 14 Still working back from a leg injury in the late summer, but almost cleared for full participation.  Powerful build with a strong lower half, standing 5-foot-9, 175 pounds.  Strength is present in the swing with an exit velocity of 94 mph off the barrel.  Strength translated on the field where the swing is geared to lift and there is high barrel awareness.  Tall and open in his stance, uses a leg kick to load the weight back with good rhythm.  Aggressive lower half and good head discipline.  Quick bat through the zone with a pull emphasis as he works to create extension.

Kannon Frady SS / OF / Lake Norman, NC / 2020 Intriguing prospect had a good day, flashing solid tools across the board.  Athletic frame, standing 5-foot-11, 160 pounds.  Ran a 7.09 sixty with a good burst off the line.  Sixty time should continue to improve as strength is added and he can maintain top speed longer.  Defensively works with a good presence at shortstop, catching the ball consistently with fluid feet and good rhythm.  Average hands may soften with more of a funnel to the midsection.  Clean transition to a medium arm swing and high-3/4 slot.  Has the ability to adjust his arms swing and slot based on the rhythm in his footwork.  Average carry with accuracy at 80 mph across the diamond.  Right handed hitter works from a balanced setup.  Slight weight shift back while lifting the barrel off the shoulder sets his launch position.  Short stride.  Quickness and barrel awareness are present.  Consistent barrel contact produced line drives from a short, level path through the ball.  Good rhythm throughout the swing.  Exit velocity peaked at 82 mph and may improve as he works for better extension through the ball, especially to pull side.  Room left to his ceiling as he continues to add strength to the frame.

William Gray SS / 2B / Mount Pleasant, NC / 2021 Average build with some length at 5-foot-9, 150 pounds.  Still maturing.  Quick hands from the right side of the dish producing an exit velocity of 81 mph.  Works from a tall base with a vertical bat.  Leg kick helps to load the weight back as the hands load back slightly.  Short to no stride length from his setup.  Rushed at times, there is barrel awareness when the launch position is reached early.  Some uphill leverage in the swing with a pull conscious effort.  Defensively works around the ball with a sharp angle at times.  Good bend in the hips working low through the ball.  Clean transitions as the feet flatten.  Funnels to the midsection with a long arm swing to an over-the-top slot.  Some effort in the release hurting accuracy.  74 mph across the diamond.  Ran a 7.82 sixty. On the mound, easy, repeatable delivery with a short rocker and smooth transition to balance.  Average leg kick.  Long arm swing has some looseness, working to a high-3/4 slot.  Fastball at 68-71, erratic at times with better feel for the arm side.  Breaking ball has early, gradual tilt at 60-61.  Straight change works with some deception in the hand speed, ranging 64-67.

Wilson Kalinoski 2B / OF / JM Robinson, NC / 2020 Average frame has some length at 5-foot-10, 145 pounds.  Room to add strength in the coming year.  Right handed hitter has good barrel awareness.  Open stance and tall in his setup.  Slight weight shift back with some bat waggle into his launch.  Short stride.  Average bat speed works short to the ball.  Line drive approach.  Fights through some stiffness that may correct itself with strength.  Exit velocity of 72 mph.  The feet are active defensively.  Works to play through the baseball, cautious with his exchange to a long, loose arm swing and high-3/4 slot.  Some feel for accuracy with throws measuring 71 mph out of the hand.  Caught the ball consistently, but the front side did not always close down to his line on his throws, hurting some of his carry.  Ran a 7.71 sixty.

Dominic Meli 2B / SS / Lake Norman Charter, NC / 2021 Thin frame and average build at 5-foot-11, 145 pounds.  Right handed hitter.  Open stance, diving back toward the plate.  Loads back with the hands.  Some rhythm, working to transition to the front side.  Swing should shorten with increased strength level.  Pull emphasis looking for extension.  Exit velocity of 78 mph off the barrel.  On the infield, seems to charge through most plays, working to play through the ball.  Hands work.  Clean exchanges as the ball funnels to the midsection.  Long arm swing and low-3/4 release.  Some feel for the bag on throws measuring 72 mph out of the hand.  Ball seems to fade to the arm side on most throws.  Ran a 7.81 sixty.

Grant Sutton SS / OF / Hough, NC / 2021 Quickness and athleticism are present in an average build at 5-foot-10, 145 pounds.  Plenty of maturation to come.  Ran a 7.03 sixty and should improve the time with continued strength gains in the coming years.  Good rhythm between the feet and hands on the infield.  Works to play through the ball, occasionally catching the ball deep in his stance.  Quick, clean transitions to the right hip, separating to a high-3/4 slot.  Can adjust arm swing and slotting based on the play and the rhythm with his footwork.  Easy release and good carry at 81 mph out of the hand.  Finishes through the bag with accurate throws.  Right handed hitter is tall with a vertical bat.  Small weight shift back and short stride working to average bat speed and short path.  Consistent contact to the pull side, producing line drives.  Good rhythm throughout the swing.  Exit velocity peaked at 78 mph. On the mound he pounded the down zone with hard arm-side run to the fastball at 78-81.  A high ceiling may exist with the fastball that works from a quick arm and seems to jump out of the hand.  Breaking ball flashed the potential to miss bats in the bullpen setting at 67-70 with late 10/4 tilt.  Tunneling with the fastball there is deception.  Has feel for the zone with spin.  Change-up sat 74-75, again showing signs of deception in its release and tunnel.  Pounded the down zone again with the change.  Easy, repeatable delivery and release.  Stable head on easy turn to balance with an average leg kick.  Long, loose arm swing to a high-3/4 slot.  Lands just slightly across his line with a slightly closed front foot.  Good extension.