On Wednesday October 16t, Prep Baseball Report hosted an event at the impressive Ultimate Performance facility in Matthews, NC.  An indoor facility, it allows for a full pro-style workout with players getting a lot of reps.  With rain falling for most of the day, players were able to get the full workout with Ultimate Performance’s facility.

During the open identification, players were able to run a laser timed 30, moved indoors and to a 30 yard dash instead of a 60 due to the weather, workout at their defensive position, and go through multiple offensive stations for evaluations.  The facility at Ultimate Performance allows outfielders to field through batted ground balls and make throws of up to 150 feet.  Infielders and catchers are able to make full length throws, simulating positional play.  Offensively, hitters worked through multiple cages, including an exit velocity cage, prior to getting to open box cage that allowed hitters and evaluators to see the ball fly off the bat. 

We finish our look at the player analysis with the infielders and pitchers that attended.  Seven primary infielders went through the full workout with two primary pitchers, who also worked out as position players .  Each uncommitted with grad years ranging from 2020 - 2023.  Several players put up numbers that catch the eye.

CLICK HERE to see the roster and statistics from the event.

 

Queen City ID: Infielder and Pitcher Analysis

 

 

INFIELDERS

 

Austin Wood SS / 2B / North Gaston, NC / 2022   5 foot 7, 150-pound frame.  Right hand hitter with a balanced setup.  Loads knee to knee in his lower half with his hands working back.  Looks to stay in the middle of the field with some feel for his barrel.  Bat path can get uphill at times.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 80 mph.  Fluid feet on the infield, catching the ball in the center of his body with average hands.  Clean transfers with a long arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot. Some accuracy to his throws, that topped at 73 mph.  Recorded a 4.21 in the 30-yard dash.

 

 

Ick Cirino SS / 2B / Hickory Ridge, NC / 2021   5 foot 10, 185-pound build with strength present.  Balanced setup from the right side with some barrel waggle.  Weight and hands work back during his load.  Transfers his weight through the ball, with his barrel getting extension out front.  Some strength in his swing with a gap to gap approach.  Average to above average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 91 mph.  Quick, active feet on the infield.  Average hands with clean transfers and a quick release.  Accurate arm that topped at 82 mph.  Recorded a 3.97 in the 30-yard dash.

 

 

William Blackburn 1B / RHP / Lincolnton, NC / 2023   6 foot 1, 215-pound build.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate.  Weight works back during his load with his shoulders getting some uphill tilt.  Barrel works mostly flat through the zone.  Weight glides into the ball through the swing.  Looks to stay in the middle of the field with his exit velocity recorded at 88 mph.  Active feet, playing through the ball on the infield.  Average hands with clean transfers and a long arm action, throwing from a high ¾ slot.  Accurate arm that topped at 77 mph.  Recorded a 4.44 in the 30-yard dash. On the mound, the righthander creates some angle on the fastball from an over-the-top slot.  Fastball sits 72-76.  Gradual, downer breaking ball is around the zone at 59-63.  Slight hump and roll out of the hand.  The change-up worked at 67-68 with some deception from the hand speed.  Some rhythm to the delivery, working to repeat.  Works level and on-line, landing in-line and square at foot strike.  Long arm swing as he stays tall over the rubber.  Average to above extension.

 

 

Mason Smith SS / RHP / Lincoln Charter, NC / 2022   Athletic frame at 5 foot 11, 155-pounds.  Athletic setup from the right side of the plate.  Uses a toe tap during his load.  Loose, quick hands that get through the zone.  Hit a lot of line drives during his batting practice rounds.  Some strength in his swing with above average bat speed.  Exit velocity recorded at 87 mph.  Fluid feet on the infield with average hands.  Clean transfers with a quick arm, throwing from a ¾ slot.  Arm has carry to first base, topping at 80 mph.  Recorded a 4.07 in the 30-yard dash.  Whippy, athletic delivery.  Repeats with an ability to be in the zone with all three pitches.  Showed some feel for locating fastball.  Fastball has run sitting 80-81.  Breaking ball is early, slight hump out of the hand, but in the zone.  Flashed an ability to expand with the curveball as well.  Curveball ranged 64-66.  Flashed a short cutter at 67-68.  Slight plunge out of the glove on the change-up, maintaining good hand speed through release.  Around the zone, the straight change sat 72-73.  Smooth rhythm works level and in-line, landing square, creating average to above extension.  Long, loose arm swing works to a high-3/4 slot.  Quick arm leads to projection as the body continues to mature.

 

 

Connor Miller SS / 3B / Charlotte Country Day , NC / 2021   Athletic frame at 6 foot, 176-pounds.  Right hand hitter who starts with a wide base.  Weight works back during his load with little to no stride.  Short bat path, staying inside the ball with a flat stroke.  Some quickness to his hands and centered a lot of balls during batting practice.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 82 mph.  Athletic, fluid actions defensively with some rhythm through his catch and release.  Soft hands with an accurate arm that topped at 83 mph.  Recorded a 3.93 in the 30-yard dash.

 

 

Carter Bass SS / 2B / High Point Christian, NC / 2021   Athletic build at 5 foot 10, 178-pounds.  Hits from the right side with an open setup.  Smooth load with his hands working back and his lower half getting back to even.  Loose hands with better than average barrel awareness.  Balanced, fluid spraying the ball around the cage with a line drive approach. Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 86 mph.  Solid actions on the infield.  Has rhythm to the feet and hands playing through the ball.  Softness to his hands with an accurate arm that topped at 76 mph.  Recorded a 4.15 in the 30-yard dash.

 

 

Tate Ellis SS / 2B / Ardrey Kell, NC / 2021   6 foot, 180-pound strong build.  Balanced setup with some bat waggle from the right side.  Weight and hands work back during his load with a short stride.  Loose, quick hands through the zone with a flat bat path.  Above average feel for his barrel hitting balls to both sides of the cage.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity recorded at 87 mph.  Moves low on the infield with quick feet.  Above average hands taking the ball to his chest after catch.  Accurate arm with some carry that topped at 78 mph to first base.  Recorded a 4.09 in the 60.

 

 

 

PITCHERS

 

Logan Murphy RHP / 1B / Weddington, NC / 2022   6 foot 2, 190-pound build.  Tall, balanced setup from the right side of the plate. Weight and hands work back during his load with a short stride.  Balanced swing with a level bat path through the zone.  Looks to stay through the middle of the cage with his exit velocity topping at 73 mph.  Active feet defensively, catching the ball in the center of his body, with high hips at the catch position.  Average hands with clean exchanges, throwing from a mostly ¾ slot.  Arm topped at 73 mph to first base.  Recorded a 4.72 in the 30-yard dash. Fastball has occasional sink, playing straight to the glove side.  Good feel for the zone with the fastball, ranging 71-75, touching 77.  Slows the arm a bit on the breaking ball, still creating late 11/5 tilt at 61-62.  Erratic at times, but around the zone as he threw the breaking ball more.  Some rhythm working level and landing square and on-line.  Somme effort as the arm works through a medium arm swing.  Stays tall through balance working to an over-the-top slot.

 

 

Bain Sipe RHP / OF / Maiden , NC / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 142 / POS: 50   Athletic frame at 5 foot 10, 170-pounds.  Strength is present.  Fastball seems to play heavy out of the hand, ranging 84-86 with a spin rate of 1892 – 2292 rpm.  Breaking ball has late 11/5 tilt at 66-71.  Erratic, as the hand speed can slow at times, there is depth.  A knuckled grip leads to spin rates ranging 1569 – 1707 rpm on the breaking ball.  Change-up plays straight, attacking the zone at 77-78 with low spin rates at 1125 – 1422 rpm.  Small side step, dragging the pivot foot to the 1st base side.  Low kick to the belt, staying tall over the rubber.  On-line, landing in-line and square.  Long arm swing with a slight reach works to an over-the-top slot.  Quick at times, the arm speed does alter pitch to pitch.  There is upside as the arm learns to works at the same rate it does from the outfield. Recorded the best positional velocity on the night from the outfield with his arm topping at 93 mph.  Showed athleticism recording a 3.86 in the 30-yard dash.  Balanced setup from the right side of the plate.  Short stride with his hands cocking during his load creating some bat angle behind his head.  Quick hands and looks to stay through the middle of the field, getting extension through the zone.  Average bat speed with his exit velocity reaching 85 mph.  Athletic and fluid through balls in the outfield.  Average hands with clean transfers.  Arm has carry from an overhand slot.