By Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

On Wednesday August 9^th, more than forty players assembled at Jim Perry Stadium, home of the Campbell University Camels and the A affiliate of the Houston Astros, as part of the Rawlings Prospects PBR Scout Day, and the Central Carolina Open Scout Day.  The combined event allowed players from across the state, with many representing the Rawlings Prospects, to run through a full workout in front of college coaches and PBR’s staff.  As part of the scout day, each player is receiving a full PBR player profile page equipped with verified stats, evaluations, and video.  Stories will populate the “news” section of PBR in the coming week giving more individual details on the player’s performance at the Scout Day.

The position player prospects were deep and talented, ranging in age from 2018 - 2021 graduates.  Today we focus on the players with their primary position as an infielder.

Scout Day Analysis: Infielders

 

 

Dawson Creech 1B / OF / East Wake, NC / 2020 Average build in a young 6-foot, 160 pound frame.  Some strength present already.  Ran a 7.17 sixty.  Balanced setup from the right side.  Uses a leg kick to load his weight, getting a short stride.  Bat head works to vertical on the load.  Has strength present in his hands.  Average bat speed works with some uphill leverage as the body stays on the backside.  Pull tendency and the barrel is thin through the ball at times.  Exit velocity touched 80.  Fluid with average hands at first base.  Arm action has some stiffness as it works through a long arc to a high-3/4 slot.  Showed accuracy on multiple types of throws.

 

 

Ty Cummings SS / RHP / Corinth Holders , NC / 2020 Intriguing athlete with a high ceiling ahead.  A thin 6-foot-2, 160 pounds with length and long levers.  Ran a 7.39 sixty, showing a decent burst off the line.  Arm worked up to 83 across the diamond.  Showed a feel for multiple arm swings and athleticism in the release based on the play.  High-3/4 slot showed accuracy and carry.  Easy catch-ability with quick feet and soft hands.  Athletic throughout the defensive play showed quick, clean exchanges.  Offensively works from an athletic base on the right side, loading back with rhythm.  Short stride and average bat speed work with a short, level swing, staying gap-to-gap.  Looseness in the body, showed an advanced feel for the barrel.  Strength is needed but the frame is ready to handle the addition.  Exit velocity peaked at 79. On the bump the fastball ranged 79-82.  Arm was not as fluid as on the infield, with a 2-piece arm swing from the wind-up that cleaned a little in the stretch.  Change-up mimics fastball hand speed at 73-76 with some arm side action and around the zone.  The breaking ball was 11/5 shape at 67-68 but tends to be a little loose.

 

 

Zach Ferrell 3B / SS / Apex, NC / 2018 Average build with some length in a 6-foot-1, 160 pound frame.  Strength can be added.  Quickness is present.  Ran a 7.04 sixty and flashed quickness with the bat.  Exit velocity up to 87 off the barrel.  Open stance from the left side, loads back with good rhythm.  Long, aggressive stride works to a level swing.  Looseness is present in the body.  Stays in the middle of the field.  On the infield, has active feet, with the hands working out in front of the head.  Looseness in the hips, stays low.  Average hands work with clean exchanges to a short arm action and over-the-top slot.  Carry and accuracy are present.

 

 

Kaden Gonzales 2B / OF / Rolsville, NC / 2019 Average hands and a clean exchange on the infield work to a long arm stroke and an over-the-top slot.  Showed accuracy and average carry.  A little stiff through the feet and fielding position but showed consistent ability to catch and release.  Arm measured 78 mph across the diamond. Right handed hitter works from an athletic base.  Leg kick gets to a short stride.  Better than average bat speed, staying level through the zone, and working the middle of the field.  Looseness is present.  Exit velocity peaked at 80.  Average build in the 5-foot-10, 170 pounder.  Ran a 7.68 sixty.

 

 

Joshua Harris 3B / C / Green Hope, NC / 2019 Average hands and a quick exchange work to a short arm action and high-3/4 slot.  Stays low, funneling to the mid-section.  Some bobbles in exchanges.  Positional velocity peaked at 71 from shortstop.  Behind the plate, has a willingness to work with pitchers, wanting to present, receive, and block.  Hand speed is average.  Presents an easy, low target.  Pop times ranged 2.28-2.38.  Offensively, hit from the right side with an exit velocity peaking at 77.  Open stance, using a small leg kick and short stride.  Loads the bat head to a lagged position.  Wants to stay level, working gap-to-gap.  Strength is needed and will improve barrel awareness.  Ran a 7.62 sixty.

 

 

Cody Holladay 1B / 3B / North Raleigh Christian Academy, NC / 2019 5-foot-11, 225 pound right handed hitter works from a balanced setup on the right side.  Short stride works to an uphill path, staying in the middle of the field.  Some waggle in the bat head, loads to a lagged position for launch.  Strong hands and some looseness in the swing.  Exit velocity peaked at 75.  At first-base, presents average hands, catching the ball deep in setup.  Clean exchanges work to a long arm arc and an over-the-top slot.  Some stiffness in the slow arm swing.  Flashed accuracy on multiple throws topping at 68 mph from his position.  Ran an 8.36 sixty.

 

 

Zachary Jones SS / RHP / Voyager Academy, NC / 2021 Ran a 7.41 sixty with a good burst off the line.  On the infield, stayed low, catching the ball consistently.  Footwork can quicken and may loosen the hands.  Long arm action worked to an over-the-top slot touching 72 across the infield.  Right handed hitter sets in an athletic base using a toe tap, while loading the weight back.  Stride is short from the toe tap, actually slightly behind his initial setup.  Level swing, wants extension.  Occasional length, staying in the middle of the field, fighting a heavy top hand emphasis.  Exit velocity peaked at 78.  On the mound the fastball ranged 70-74, touching 75.  Breaking ball sat at 64 with gradual 11/5 action, when action was present.  Change has arm side run at 67-68, with feel for the zone.  Long arm action gets to an over-the-top slot.  Head clears the slot early and the arm fights to be on time.  Works level and in-line.  Strength and quickness will be added to the 6-foot, 150 pound frame over time.

 

 

Austin Joyner 2B / OF / North Lenoir , NC / 2020 Average build in a 5-foot-10, 150 pound frame.  Good athlete with some quick twitch in the body.  Ran a 6.99 sixty.  Still maturing and the frame will handle strength.  Average hands on the infield, catching balls deep in his setup.  Quick and clean with the exchange as the arm works to a high-3/4 slot with a short arm arc.  Average carry, showing 70 across the diamond, with some accuracy.  Has strength increases, effort may decrease.  Right handed hitter works from a wide base and athletic setup.  Weight shift back, loads the swing, using a short stride.  Simple setup and swing.  Average bat speed works level, staying in the middle of the field.  Exit velocity showed 87 off the barrel but did not translate to the on-field BP yet.  Average barrel awareness.

 

 

Colby Miller 2B / SS / Eastern Wayne, NC / 2019 Active feet and some arm quickness on the infield.  Positional velocity peaked at 77 from shortstop.  Average hands work with fluid feet.  Quick, clean exchanges, staying in an athletic position, after funneling to the mid-section.  Accurate on throws with average carry.  Right handed hitter is slightly open to start, using a short stride to stay level through the zone.  Loads to a vertical position.  High barrel awareness, staying in the middle of the field.  Exit velocity peaked at 80 off the bat.  Ran a 7.46 sixty.

 

 

Hayden Myrick SS / OF / Clayton , NC / 2019 Switch hitter in the box that stands 6-foot, 163 pounds.  Balanced from the right side with a simple setup and flat bat path.  Showed barrel awareness with average to above bat quickness.  Exit velocity peaked at 81.  On the left side, works from an open stance, using a short stride.  Some feel for the barrel with average bat speed.  Exit velocity peaked at 82, when on the barrel.  Athletic presence on the infield, with fluid feet and average hands.  Did catch the ball deep in stance.  Quick, clean exchanges to a long arm circle and over-the-top slot.  Some accuracy as the ball carried across the diamond at 82 mph.  Feet tend to load the arm on the throws with longer shuffles.  Ran a 7.42 sixty. Right handed arm worked up to 81, sitting 77-79.  Two breaking balls with the curveball sitting 59 with early, gradual 12/6 action.  Slider worked at 69-70, using a shorter action with just slight tilt.  Change-up has good deception at 65-68.  Straight change, occasionally cuts, with near fastball hand speed.  Around the zone with all four pitches, lacking advanced command of any pitches.  Works with a small cross-fire in landing and the over-the-top slot.  Arm has some quickness to it.

 

 

Will Orr 2B / SS / FUQUAY VARINA, NC / 2021 Thin 5-foot-8, 135 pound frame.  Young with maturation ahead.  Quick release to a high-3/4 slot with average carry and a feel for accuracy across the diamond.  Arm measured 67 across the diamond.  Works to play through balls, catching it deep in stance with average hands.  Right handed hitter is balanced, starting with the front arm almost barred and a vertical bat.  Level through the zone, there is a pull emphasis in the swings.  Swing will quicken with age and strength.  Exit velocity peaked at 75.  Ran an 8.11 sixty, but showed a better burst off the line.

 

 

Christobal Perez OF / C / Raleigh Charter, NC / 2019 A 6.97 sixty from the 5-foot-9, 160 pound switch hitter.  On the right side uses a load that works down and up to set his rhythm.  Short stride, stays flat through the zone, with some length.  Average bat speed, works the gaps, with average barrel awareness and an exit velocity of 77 mph.  From the left side, uses a short stride and average bat speed on a swing that works a little more inside-out.  Limited barrel, while feeling for the swing at times.  Exit velocity peaked at 73.  On the infield uses average hands and good rhythm in his feet to catch the ball.  Aggressive to the ball with his actions.  Quick, clean exchanges to a high-3/4 slot.  Feet and body will leave the arm at times as the arm works through a long arm action.  Showed accuracy and some carry at 71 across the diamond.

 

 

Brandon Potter 3B / C / North Lenoir, NC / 2018 5-foot-8, 180 pound left handed hitter starts tall and narrow before loading back and using a short stride to produce better than average bat speed.  Bat head loads to a vertical position.  Feet and body load slow and get quick after foot strike.  Looseness is present.  Level through the zone.  Does stay on the backside and can become rotational.  Exit velocity peaked at 83 but played better in live BP.  On the infield, works from a high base and decent rhythm in the feet.  Footwork gets long on exchange as throws top at 72 across the diamond from a high-3/4 slot.  Behind the plate, has desire to block and receive.  Average presentation.  Pop times ranged 2.39-2.53 as the arm produced a positional velocity of 69 from the crouch.  Some accuracy but balls tend to fade to the arm side.  Ran an 8.07 sixty.

 

 

Alex Reyna SS / RHP / Jack Britt, NC / 2019 Good actions on the infield with soft hands and great exchanges, quick and clean, to a high-3/4 slot.  Arm played at 80 mph across the diamond showing accuracy and carry.  Left handed hitter works from an open stance with a weight shift back.  Short stride, from a leg kick, dives back to the plate.  Average bat speed with an inside-out approach, working the opposite field gap.  Hands get tied up at times, cutting off extension.  Exit velocity peaked at 72 off the barrel.  Ran a 7.64 sixty.

 

 

Tyler Spruill 3B / OF / Hillside New Tech, NC / 2021 Young player has some strength in the body already.  Still a lot of maturation ahead.  Surrounds balls with his hands on the infield, showing softness when timing is right.  Tends to catch balls deep in stance. Active, fluid feet and clean exchanges, from a funnel to the mid-section work to a short arm stroke and high-3/4 slot.  Throws topped at 69 across the diamond with some accuracy.  Right handed hitter is pressed back in his stance, loading back with the hands and using a leg kick and short stride.  Above average bat speed with looseness.  At times creating some uphill leverage.  Wants extension.  Swing is set to uphill position.  Exit velocity peaked at 83.  Ran a 7.67 sixty, with a good burst off the line.

 

 

Nick Vivona 1B / LHP / Green Hope, NC / 2019 Strength is present in the 6-foot-3, 300 pound left handed hitter.  Exit velocity up to 85.  Shows some looseness in his hands to the ball.  Tends to be top hand dominate through his finish.  Balanced, loads back, using a short stride.  Stays level, working the gaps with average barrel awareness.  Average hands on the infield that can stab at times if balls get deep into his stance.  Clean exchanges to a vertical position to throw.  Short arm action and high-3/4 slot touched 62 across the diamond with advanced accuracy.  Ran an 8.78 sixty. On the mound, the fastball ranged 72-75 from the high-3/4 slot.  Breaking ball has a tendency to just spin at 62-64 with fastball hand speed.  Straight change worked at 69-70.  Elbow loads the scapular out of the glove.  Low leg kick, keeps the shoulders level.  Fronts side clears early for the line.