Player Evals: NC/SC Border Battle - NC Catchers & Corner Infielders
October 12, 2020
Brandon Hall & Matt Payne
Executive Director & Director of Scouting, PBR NC
For the second year, the NC/SC Border Battle was one of the most anticipated events of the summer. This year saw the event moved to BB&T Point Stadium in High Point, NC, home of the High Point Rockers Independent Professional club. Hosted at Winthrop in 2019, the 2020 event was suppose to be at UNC Charlotte, but moved to High Point with the ongoing NCAA Dead Period on recruiting.
With the move, the event saw more of a North Carolina flavor as most players and families are still working to navigate the ongoing COVID-19 issues. Due to the NCAA Dead Period, the event was live streamed utilizing multiple camera angles to allow college coaches to view from their offices.
Position players were taken through a full pro-style workout, with a laser timed 60, full offensive workout, and a full defensive workout. The pro-style workout was followed by a controlled scrimmage with pitchers throwing to live hitters. PBR Scouts were on hand to evaluate and report on the players in attendance.
CLICK HERE to see the full roster and statistics from the 2020 NC/SC Border Battle
By the Numbers:
- 73 players were a part of the NC/SC Border Battle
- 61 players went through the pro-style workout
- 28 pitchers threw in the controlled scrimmages
- 92 mph was the top fastball thrown on the day
- 8 arms worked at 87 mph or higher
- 84 mph was the median fastball for the event
- 4 players ran sub-7.00 on the laser timer
- 23 players ran sub-7.20 sixties
- 14 position players posted a positional velocity of 85 mph or higher in their workout
- 90 mph was the top infield velocity
- 91 mph was the top outfield velocity
- 86 mph was the top catcher velocity, working out of the crouch
- 2 hitters posted an exit velocity of 100+ mph off the tee
- 22 hitters worked at 90 mph or higher off the tee with their exit velocity
- 8 hitters posted exit velocities of 88 mph or higher in live BP
Catcher & Corner Infielders
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Braeden Murray 1B / 3B / DH Conley, NC / 2022
Positional Profile: 1B/3B.
Body: 6/2, 205 pounds. Strength present in large frame.
Defense: Fluid actions, feel around the first base bag, better than average hands, clean exchanges.
Arm: R. INF - 77 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot, some accuracy.
Hit: R. Relaxed, tall, even base, hands just below back shoulder. Weight loads back, short stride, hands work up and back. Loose hands with quickness, barrel stays through the zone, uses the whole field, above average barrel feel.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee. Double to left center in game action, has strength off the barrel, better than average bat speed.
Run:8.00 runner in the 60.
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Kaden Smith 1B / C / Western Alamance, NC / 2021
Positional Profile: 1B/C.
Body: 6/2, 200 pounds. Strong build.
Defense: 2.03-2.20 pop times. C-Quick feet, quick, clean exchanges across his chest. IF-Athletic, relaxed hands, clean transfers.
Arm: R. C - 76 mph. INF - 78 mph. C-Accurate, short arm aciton, over the top slot. IF-Accurate, short arm action, feel for different slots.
Hit: R. Relaxed, balanced, hands at back shoulder. Leg kick load against his back hip, short stride, quiet hands. Quick hands, uphill barrel path, drives the ball in the air gap to gap.
Power: 94 mph exit velocity from the tee. Ball comes hard off the barrel, above average bat speed.
Run:7.41 runner in the 60.
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Nolan Lawrence 3B / RHP / Northern Guilford, NC / 2021
Positional Profile: 3B/RHP.
Body: 6/2, 190 pounds. Strong build.
Defense: Active feet, catches the ball near center, average hands, funnels to the belt, clean exchanges.
Arm: R. INF - 79 mph. Accurate, short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: R. Open base, sits in legs, barrel flat over back shoulder. Loads knee to knee, short stride, hands go back. Quick hands, some lift to the barrel path, gets extension out front, better than average barrel feel, works through the middle of the field.
Power: 93 mph exit velocity from the tee. Ball comes hard off the barrel, above average bat speed.
Run:7.20 runner in the 60.
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Bryson Horney 3B / SS / Union Pines, NC / 2021
Positional Profile: 3B/SS.
Body: 6/1, 184 pounds. Strong, athletic build.
Defense: Athletic, solid actions, soft hands, clean exchanges near the midsection.
Arm: R. INF - 81 mph. Accurate, feel for using different arm slots.
Hit: R. Even, athletic base, hands high above back shoulder. Simple load, short stride, quiet hands. Direct barrel path, stays through the ball, some quickness to his hands, lot of barrels working gap to gap.
Power: 91 mph exit velocity from the tee. Barreled balls to both sides of the field in game action, ball comes hard off the barrel, above average bat speed.
Run:7.40 runner in the 60.
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Elijah Jordan C / 1B / Heritage, NC / 2022
Positional Profile: C.
Body: 6/1, 185 pounds. Lanky frame, strength present.
Defense: 2.13-2.25 pop times. Quick feet, quick clean transfers across the chest.
Arm: R. C - 76 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, some accuracy.
Hit: S. RH-Even base, sits in legs, barrel flat over back shoulder. No stride, barrel lifts up then back down with hand cock. LH-Even base, barrel flat over back shoulder. Weight loads back, short stride, barrel goes vertical. RH-Middle to pull approach, lift to the swing path. LH-Hands have quickness, barrel stays through the ball, gap to gap approach.
Power: R-86 L-85 mph exit velocity from the tee. Hard contact down the right field line for a double in game action, more bat speed and barrel from the left side of the plate.
Run:7.71 runner in the 60.
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Ethan Stanley C / 1B / Lee County, NC / 2021
Positional Profile: C/1B.
Body: 6/3, 165 pounds. Lanky frame, room to add strength.
Defense: 2.012.19 pop times. Quick feet, clean transfers across the midsection.
Arm: R. C - 74 mph. Accurate, short arm action, over the top slot.
Hit: R. Even, wide base, hands at back shoulder. Small load, short stride, hands go back. Short swing, barrel works down to the ball, level through the zone, uses the whole field.
Power: Average bat speed.
Run:7.39 runner in the 60.
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Positional Profile: C/1B.
Body: 6/1, 220 pounds. Thick Frame, strength present.
Defense: 2.25-2.40 pop times. Fluid feet, gets in line to target, clean transfers across the midsection.
Arm: R. C - 69 mph. Short arm action, over the top slot, some feel for the second base bag.
Hit: R. Balanced, slighty open, hands just below back shoulder. Loads against his back leg, average stride, hands go back. Hands are quick, uphill swing path, works middle to his pull side.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average bat speed, ball comes hard off the barrel.
Run:8.56 runner in the 60.
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Caleb Bowers C / 3B / Riverside , NC / 2021
Positional Profile: C/3B.
Body: 5/10, 205 pounds. Thick build.
Defense: 1.99-2.05 pop times. Quick feet, quick, clean transfers across his chest.
Arm: R. C - 74 mph. Carry, some accuracy, short arm action, over the top slot.
Hit: R. Balanced, slightly open, hands just below back shoulder. Loads knee to knee, short stride, hands get back. Relaxed, fluid, short to ball, barrel stays through the zone, middle of the field approach, better than average barrel feel.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average bat speed.
Run:7.78 runner in the 60.
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Jeb Despard C / 3B / Marvin Ridge, NC / 2021
Positional Profile: C/3B.
Body: 6/1, 205 pounds. Strong build, athleticism present.
Defense: 2.00-2.15 pop times. Quick feet, exchanges across his chest, quick release, showed feel in game action handling pitchers.
Arm: R. C - 71 mph. Accurate, short arm action, over the top slot.
Hit: R. Athletic base, slightly open, hands at back shoulder. Loads knee to knee, short stride, small hand load. Strong, quick hands, barrel is short to the ball, stays through the zone, lined balls middle and to his pull side.
Power: 98 mph exit velocity from the tee. Strength and bat speed are present, barreled a ball to center in game action.
Run:7.24 runner in the 60.
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Sean Donahue C / 3B / Durham Academy, NC / 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B.
Body: 6/1, 195 pounds. Strong build.
Defense: 2.08-2.13 pop times. Relaxed, fluid feet, transfers across his chest.
Arm: R. C - 78 mph. Accurate, short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: R. Balanced, even base, hands at back shoulder. Simple load, short stride, quiet hands. Balanced, short to ball, barrel stays through the zone, works middle and to his pull side.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee. Showed feel to hit in game action , barreled two balls, stayed back on an offspeed pitch driving it to the right center gap for a double, better than average bat speed with strength.
Run:7.27 runner in the 60.
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CJ Powell C / 3B / Eastern Alamance, NC / 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B.
Body: 5/10, 185 pounds. Strong build.
Defense: 2.07-2.16 pop times. C-Quick feet, quick clean transfers across his chest. IF-Active feet, works around the ball, catches the ball near center, average hands, clean exchanges.
Arm: R. C - 77 mph. INF - 82 mph. C-Accurate, carry, short arm action, overhand release. IF-Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, carry, some accuracy.
Hit: R. Slightly open, barrel flat over back shoulder. Small leg lift, average stride creates momentum into the ball, hands load to attack. Quick hands, barrel gets through the zone with lift to the swing path, middle to pull approach.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average bat speed, ball comes hard off the barrel.
Run:7.22 runner in the 60.
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Alex Levesque C / OF / Corinth Holders, NC / 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF.
Body: 6/1, 170 pounds. Strong, athletic build.
Defense: 1.98-2.05 pop times. Mobile hips, fluid feet, quick exchanges across the chest.
Arm: R. C - 80 mph. Accurate, short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Hit: R. Tall, open base, barrel flat over back shoulder. Average stride back to even, hands cock back. Barrel works mostly through the zone, gets extension out front, hands have quickness, works middle and to his pull side.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average bat speed, made hard contact to second base in game action.
Run:7.35 runner in the 60.
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Gavin Tompkins C / OF / JM Robinson, NC / 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF.
Body: 5/10, 165 pounds. Lanky frame.
Defense: 2.27-2.30 pop times. Feet get in line to target, transfers across his chest.
Arm: R. C - 69 mph. Accurate, short arm action, over the top release.
Hit: L. Tall, narrow base, slightly open, hands at back shoulder. Short stride, small hand load. Direct barrel path, mostly level through the zone, gets extension out front, works middle and to his pull side.
Power: 73 mph exit velocity from the tee. Average bat speed.
Run:8.27 runner in the 60.
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Austin Williams C / OF / Leesville Road , NC / 2021
Positional Profile: C/OF.
Body: 5/10, 185 pounds. Strong frame.
Defense: 2.01-2.15 pop times. Fluid feet, quick exchanges across the chest, 2.10 game pop time.
Arm: R. C - 74 mph. Short arm action, overhand release, some feel for the second base bag.
Hit: R. Narrow, slightly open base, hands at back shoulder. Simple load, short stride, quiet hands. Quick hands, short to ball, mostly level bat path, gets extension, works middle to his pull side.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee. Centered the ball up in all three game at bats with one being a homerun to left center, has feel to hit with strength and above average bat speed.
Run:7.51 runner in the 60.
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