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 outfielder or Catcher.

Positional Analysis: Outfielders and Catchers

Outfielders

Cade Anderson OF / RHP / Jacksonville, NC / 2019 Some athleticism present in the average 5-foot-11, 170 pound frame.  Arm works with ease through a long arc to an over-the-top slot from the outfield, reaching 86 from his position.  Carry with some feel for accuracy to the target.  Right handed hitter is balanced and athletic, loading down, while using a short stride.  Strength is present.  Better than average bat speed.  Exit velocity peaked at 84 off the barrel.  Swing can get long as the hands tend to cast a little from launch.  Ran a 7.51 sixty. Right handed pitcher, worked up to 85, sitting 82-84.  Short, side to side slider ranged 72-74.  Change-up was in the zone at 76-77, mimicking fastball.  Slight coil at balance gets to a long arm circle and high-3/4 slot that is quick through the release.  Good rhythm, works level, on-line and in-line.

 

 

Aidan Cooper OF / 1B / Hertiage , NC / 2021 Young build with length in the levers at 6-foot-1, 158 pounds.  Touched 78 on positional throws from the outfield and ran a 7.69, showing a decent burst off the line.  Fluid through the ball, is quick and clean in exchanges to a long arm action and over-the-top slot.  Some elbow lead in the arm swing, working above the shoulder line.  Showed a feel for accuracy.  Right handed hitter works from an open stance with a vertical bat.  Leg kick and aggressive stride, wants extension, while trying to stay middle of the field.  Slight glide approach onto the front side, the hands can get low at launch.  Strength will come with maturity and the frame can handle the addition.  Exit velocity peaked at 73. On the bump, fastball reached 75, sitting 72-74.  Slight cross-fire and some elbow lead in the arm swing to a high-3/4 slot.  Gradual 10/4 shape on curve balls ranging 62-67.  Showed feel for a change-up at 67-69.

 

 

Connor Flanagan OF / SS / Raleigh Hawks Homeschool, NC / 2020 Some athleticism and quick twitch present in young player.  Ran a 7.25 with a good burst off the line.  Arm carried 74 from the outfield and 72 from the infield.  Exit velocity peaked at 78 off the bat.  On the infield, works with rhythm in the feet.  Clean exchanges, while the hands can soften.  Long arm stroke with quickness.  Shows accuracy from the infield and outfield.  In the box, right-handed hitter works from an open stance and average stride.  Loads the bat head to a lagged position.  Set to work with uphill leverage.  Pull side tendency with a heavy top hand.  On the mound, the fastball ranged 73-76.  Breaking ball works with a hump out of the hand.  Early, gradual 12/6 shape at 60-64.  Misses were to the arm side.  Change-up had the same arm side misses at 66-69.  An over-the-top slot comes from a tall balance position with some coil in the body.  Lands slightly closed, fighting to get to the slot.

 

 

Gage French OF / Wake Forest, NC / 2018 Strength is present in a 6-foot, 160 pound frame.  Ran a 7.13 sixty and showed an exit velocity of 84 off the bat.  Right handed hitter sets up with a wide, balanced base.  Loads the bat head to a vertical position while slightly dropping the hands to his launch position.  Limited stride.  Pull tendency in the approach with average bat speed.  Some waggle in the bat head creating different launch points and average feel for the barrel.  Long arm action works to a high-3/4 slot from the outfield.  Some stiffness as the positional velocity measured at 75.  Showed advanced feel for accuracy on throws.

 

 

Trexler Ivey OF / RHP / Wakefield, NC / 2020 Athletic frame at 6-foot-1, 170 pounds.  Room to add strength.  Plays QB as well.  Good presence already.  Right handed hitter works from a balanced, athletic base.  Hands load down with a vertical bat.  Short stride produces better than average bat speed.  Some pull tendency, trying to stay gap-to-gap.  Loose and fluid throughout, the swing projects to continue to develop with added strength and quickness.  Exit velocity peaked at 81.  Clean and works to play through balls with aggression in the outfield.  Throws peaked at 75 from the position with a strong arm swing to a high-3/4 slot.  Advanced accuracy with carry.  Easy arm and footwork.  Athletic demeanor.  Ran a 7.32 sixty. On the bump, threw strikes with all three.  The fastball ranged 77-79, touching 81.  Breaking ball has gradual 11/5 shape at 68, mimicking the fastball’s hand speed.  Again, good hand speed on the change-up at 69-72.  Change plays straight, out of a similar window to fastball.  Slight shoulder restriction and head tilt as the arm works to a high-3/4 slot.

 

 

Tucker Jackson OF / RHP / Apex, NC / 2018 Strength and quickness is present in the right-handed hitter.  Ran a 7.12 sixty and flashed an exit velocity of 89 off the barrel.  Athletic setup, slightly open, uses a short stride while the bat loads to a lagged position.  At times rushed through his load, the swing can get long.  When on time, the swing is flat through the zone, working the middle of the field.  In the outfield, the feet work with rhythm through the ball.  Clean exchanges can get long as the feet work to set the arm.  Long arm swing to an over-the-top slot producing a positional velocity of 83 mph.  Showed advanced accuracy and some carry from a quick arm.  Right handed pitcher sat 79-81 from a high-3/4 slot with good arm speed.  Long and loose through the arm arc, works from a tall balance point, staying level throughout.  Slow tempo to landing, uses a high front side to create some deception.  Breaking ball sat 65-68 with gradual 11/5 shape.  Change-up has some arm side action at 68-72, around the zone, with similar hand speed to the fastball.

 

 

Matt Kelley OF / SS / Corinth Holders, NC / 2020 Twitchy athlete ran a 7.08 sixty.  Thin, developing 6-foot, 165 pound frame.  Arm speed measured at 86 from the outfield and 81 across the infield.  Exit velocity peaked at 79 off the barrel.  Average hands and fluid feet through the ball, working to play through most balls on the infield.  Transitions to a long arm action and over-the-top slot showing a feel for accuracy, with carry.  Active feet and a quick arm are present.  Right handed hitter works from a tall base and open stance.  Uses a short stride while loading the bat head to a vertical position.  Waggle in the bat head through the launch position and creating different launch points.  Average barrel awareness that can improve.  Looseness is present in the body and swing.  Level, wants extension, while working the gaps.  Strength will improve the quickness and the frame is ready to handle more strength.  On the bump, fastball sat 78-81, touching 83.  Threw strikes with all three pitches from a quick high-3/4 slot.  Some effort present.  Breaking ball has sharp 11/5 tilt at 65-68.  Occasionally cuts the change-up at 67-69.  Threw a couple of changes to the arm side with arm side action.

 

 

Caleb McRoy OF / LHP / Wakefield, NC / 2018 Good athlete at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds with some quick twitch in the body.  Ran a 7.00 sixty and registered 89 mph from his positional throw in the outfield.  Left handed thrower, the arm works through a long arc, stabbing and bottoming out before getting to an over-the-top slot.  Showed advanced feel for accuracy on throws that had carry and life out of the hand.  Offensively, the left-handed hitter works from a tall base, using a weight shift back to load.  Short stride gets to a level swing, staying gap-to-gap.  Looseness and rhythm are present.  Simple, easy, and shows high barrel awareness.  Exit velocity peaked at 84.  Dual possibility from the left side on the mound, fastball peaked at 86, sitting 81-84, jumping out of the hand.  Erratic command but a quick arm from the over-the-top slot.  Stab is still present but the body gets back on time, working slightly uphill through the shoulders with some effort.  Breaking ball has a hump out of the hand at 65-68, with 12/6 tilt.  Flashed feel for the zone with the spinner.  Change-up is a distant 3rd pitch at 72-74, playing straight out of the hand with minimal feel.

 

 

Mitchell Seymour OF / RHP / Leeville Road, NC / 2020 Long and athletic, yet still very raw in his development.  6-foot-2, 160 pounds.  Ran a 7.05 sixty.  Produced 83 from the outfield and on the mound.  Exit velocity was up to 88 off the barrel.  Defensively, the hands are aggressive, at times hard, through the ball.  Fluid feet and exchanges into an over-the-top slot with above average arm speed.  Loose, showed advanced accuracy and carry.  Right handed hitter starts balance.  Bars the front arm on the load as the hands work from a low launch point.  Short strider.  Above average bat speed, is level through the zone.  Swing can get long.  Average barrel awareness.  Looseness and strength is present.  On the mound, the fastball ranged 79-83 from the over-the-top slot.  Long arm action and average balance point, works level and on-line.  Breaking ball has gradual 11/5 arc at 64-67.  Change-up is in play at 68-71 with near fastball hand speed.

 

 

Catchers

 

Jack Irby C / OF / Leesville, NC / 2020 Young bodied 5-foot-11, 180 pounder.  Left handed hitter works from a balanced setup and slight crouch.  Uses a leg kick and short stride to get to a short, level swing path with average bat speed.  Some stiffness present that may work out with added looseness.  Stayed in the middle of the field.  Average barrel awareness.  Behind the plate, presents well, slightly turned at times but the hands work.  Positional velocity peaked at 73 on throws to 2B ranging 2.22 – 2.34.  Ball fades to arm side, showing some accuracy with misses up the line.  Average carry.  Low exchanges and a short arm arc that works to a high-3/4 slot.  Easy blocker, keeping balls around the plate.  Athletic recovery with quick, clean exchanges into a strong arm action.  Ran a 7.92 sixty.

 

 

Kenny Leiner C / 3B / Wakefield, NC / 2019 Average build in a 5-foot-10, 160 pounder.  Pop times ranged 2.10 – 2.16 with a positional velocity of 73 from the crouch.  Wide base with flexible hips, presents an easy target for pitchers.  Hands worked well.  Showed a willingness to block and recover.  Aggressive through the ball on throws with a short arm action to a high-3/4 slot.  Better than average carry with throws in the vicinity of the 2B bag.  Switch hitter works with a lagged bat head on the left side.  Uses a leg kick to generate average bat speed.  Works to stay in the gaps, wanting extension.  Some looseness in the swing.  From the right side, the launch works from a vertical angle.  Average stride with a leg kick and average bat speed.  Exit velocity peaked on the right side at 82 but did not lag far behind at 81 from the left side.   On the infield average hands, with occasional stabbing action, worked to clean exchanges from a deep catch point in the stance.  Showed accuracy on throws of 73 mph across the diamond.  Ran an 8.39 sixty.

 

 

Zachary Long C / 1B / Fuquay Varina, NC / 2020 Pop times ranged 2.10 – 2.32 from the 5-foot-11, 160 pound back stop.  Short arm swing works to a high-3/4 slot showing a feel for accuracy on throws that touched 70 out of the crouch.  Good stance with flexion in the hips.  Target can ride high at times.  Shows a willingness to block and an ability to coral the ball nearby.  Exchanges across the chest to a strong arm action.  On the infield, tends to catch the ball deep but has active feet.  Clean exchanges and showed accuracy on several types of throws.  74 across the infield.  Left handed hitter works from a tall base, loading back and using a short stride.  Average bat speed, has some looseness as it works level and flat through the zone showing barrel ability.  Stays in the middle of the field.  Exit velocity peaked at 82.  Ran a 7.62 sixty.