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

 

outfielders

 

 

 

Tyler Cherry OF / Marvin Ridge, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 226 / POS: 42 Positional Profile: OF. Body: 5/11, 170 pounds. Strong frame, quickness present. Defense: Fluid actions, soft hands, catches the ball off his left foot, clean transitions. Arm: R.  OF - 82 mph. Accurate, medium arm stroke, high 3/4 slot. Hit: R. Slightly open, balanced, hands at back shoulder, more vertical barrel. Short stride, hands load slightly back. Short swing, barrel stays through the ball, hands have quickness, lined balls to center and to his pull side. Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average bat speed, barreled a ball to right in game action. Run:6.78 runner in the 60.

 

 

Jaxon Rauber OF / Southwest Guilford, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 98 / POS: 12 Positional Profile: OF. Body: 5/10, 170 pounds. Strong build. Defense: Athletic, fluid actions, relaxed hands, clean transfers. Arm: R.  OF - 90 mph. Quick arm, accurate, long arm action, high 3/4 release. Hit: R. Relaxed, open base, hands just below back shoulder. Small leg kick, short stride back to even, hands load back. Quick hands, short to ball, lift to the barrel path through the zone, uses the whole field, above average barrel feel. Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Has strength, barreled balls to center and left against live pitching, above average bat speed. Run:7.12 runner in the 60.

 

 

Noah Thomas OF / Rolesville, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 131 / POS: 20 Positional Profile: OF/. Body: 5/11, 170 pounds. Athletic build, room to add strength. Defense: Plays through the ball, catches the ball off his left foot, relaxed hands, clean transfers. Arm: R.  OF - 80 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot, some accuracy. Hit: R. Balanced, slightly open, hands just below back shoulder. Uses a toe tap, average stride, hands cock back. Quick hands, direct barrel path, mostly level through the zone, middle to pull side approach. Power: 90 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Hit a laser to left in game action, above average bat speed. Run:7.06 runner in the 60.

 

 

Ben Buchman OF / C / East Chapel Hill, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 83 / POS: 9   Swathmore commit Positional Profile: OF/C. Body: 5/11, 185 pounds. Athletic build, strength present. Defense: C-Fluid feet, quick transfers across the chest. OF-Athletic, aggressive through the ball, above average hands, catches ball off left foot, clean transfers. Arm: R.  OF - 88 mph. C-Short arm action, overhand release, some accuracy. OF-Accurate with carry, long arm action, over the top slot. Hit: L. Narrow base, weight over back leg, hands at back shoulder. Hands load back, toe tap, short stride. Hands have quickness, barrel stays inside the ball, lift to the swing path, uses the whole field with above average barrel feel. Power: 90 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average bat speed. Run:7.07 runner in the 60.

 

 

Victor Wilburn OF / LHP / Watauga, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 239 / POS: 45   Positional Profile: OF/LHP. Body: 5/9, 150 pounds. Thin frame, room to add strength. Defense: Athletic and aggressive through the ball, catches the ball off his right side, relaxed hands, clean exchanges with momentum into his throws. Arm: L.  OF - 75 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, some accuracy. Hit: S. Slightly open, narrow base with knee bend, hands at back shoulder. Hands load back, toe tap, average stride. Quick hands, barrel is short to the ball, stays through the zone, works middle to his pull side with feel for his barrel. Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average bat speed, made hard contact for a base hit in game action. Run:7.11 runner in the 60.

 

 

Alec DeMartino OF / OF / Millbrook, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 20 / POS: 4 UNC Wilmington commit Positional Profile: OF/OF. Body: 6/2, 195 pounds. Strong, athletic build. Defense: Athletic, catches the ball off his left foot, relaxed hands, clean transfers. Arm: R.  OF - 87 mph. Accurate with carry, long arm action, quickness through a high 3/4 release. Hit: R. Even, strong base, barrel flat above back shoulder. Loads knee to knee, short stride, small hand load. Quick hands, short to ball, barrel stays through the zone, drives the ball to both gaps. Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Fast barrel through the zone, made hard contact on two balls in game action with one being a double to the left center gap. Run:7.19 runner in the 60.

 

 

Tyler Spruill OF / OF / Hillside, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 199 / POS: 35   Salem International Positional Profile: OF/OF. Body: 5/11, 175 pounds. Strong, athletic build. Defense: Plays through the ball, catches the ball off his left foot, relaxed hands, gets momentum into his throws, longer exchange. Arm: R.  OF - 77 mph. Medium arm stroke, high 3/4 slot, accurate with some carry. Hit: R. Upright, narrow base, hands at back shoulder, more vertical barrel. Loads with a leg kick, average stride, quiet hands. Quick hands, barrel stays through the ball with lift to the swing path, gets extension through the middle of the field. Power: 94 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Has present raw power, ball recorded off the barrel over 100 mph, lots of bat speed. Run:7.37 runner in the 60.

 

 

Ethan Velazquez OF / RHP / Wakefield, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 123 / POS: 17   Positional Profile: OF/RHP. Body: 6/2, 180 pounds. Lanky, athletic frame. Defense: Fluid through the ball, relaxed hands, catches the ball off his left foot, clean transfers. Arm: R.  OF - 81 mph. Accurate, long arm action, high 3/4 slot. Hit: R. Even, wide base, hands above back shoulder. Small load, short stride, hands go slightly back. Level swing with quickness to his hands, line drive approach working gap to gap, above average barrel awareness. Power:  Above average bat speed. Run:7.07 runner in the 60.

 

 

Trenton Rhodes OF / SS / East Wilkes , NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 152 / POS: 23   Positional Profile: OF/SS. Body: 5/9, 150 pounds. Athletic frame, room to hold weight in the coming years. Defense: Athletic, fluid through the ball, relaxed hands, catches the ball off his left foot, clean transitions. Arm: R.  OF - 83 mph. Accurate arm with carry, long arm action, high 3/4 slot. Hit: R. Relaxed, even base, barrel flat above back shoulder. Fluid load, short stride, small hand load. Loose hands with quickness, short to ball, barrel stays through the zone, works gap to gap with barrel feel. Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Barreled balls to both sides of the field in game action, above average bat speed. Run:7.05 runner in the 60.

 

 

Devin Tonkins OF / SS / Greensboro Day, NC / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 87 / POS: 10 Positional Profile: OF/SS. Body: 5/9, 155 pounds. Athletic build, quickness present. Defense: OF-Athletic, relaxed hands, clean transfers. IF-Athletic, quick feet, above average hands, clean transitions. Arm: R. INF - 78 mph. OF - 82 mph. OF-Accurate, long arm action, quickness through a high 3/4 release. IF-Quick arm, feel for different arm slots, some accuracy. Hit: R. Athletic base, slightly open, hands at back shoulder. Short stride, hands load back. Quick hands, barrel is short to ball, mostly level through the zone, line drive approach using the whole field with feel for his barrel. Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.  Above average bat speed. Run:6.75 runner in the 60.