On Sunday January 26^th, ninety-one of the top players in the state of North Carolina converged at the Ultimate Performance Sports Center in Matthews, NC.  The Preseason All-State showcase event is the top winter event in North Carolina year after year and with the increased demand, there are now two sessions, an east and a west.  Below we take our first look at some player notes from the Preseason All-State West.

The day consisted of a full pro-style workout with pitchers throwing controlled bullpens, followed by defensive workouts for the position players.  Hitters were able to go through multiple cages to get loose prior to moving through two exit velocity stations.  Live BP was taken in a large cage, allowing scouts and coaches to see the ball fly off the bat.

Throughout the workout, PBR scouts were taking metrics on players while evaluating their complete skill set.  Today we take a look at each category as well as the leaders in those categories.  As we continue to dive into all of the information gathered, players will receive a full evaluation and the PBR staff will put together top prospect lists from the event.

CLICK HERE to see the full roster and stats from the Preseason All-State West

Preseason All-State West – By the Numbers:

• 91 players went through the workout at Ultimate Performance
• 36 pitchers threw controlled bullpens
• 80 hitters went through offensive and defensive workouts
• 24 players ran a sub-4.00 on the 30 yard laser timed sprint
• 33 hitters posted an exit velocity of 90 mph or higher
• 9 of 19 catchers posted a pop time of 2.10 or lower
• 7 Outfielders posted a positional velocity of 90 mph or higher
• 10 Pitchers worked at 86 or higher
• 3 arms touched 90 or better
• 2468rpm was the top fastball spin rate at the event.

 

Statistical Leaders: Preseason All-State West

 

THE 30 YARD DASH

With the event being held indoors and a January date, PBR's staff decided to run a laser timed 30 yard dash instead of a sixty.  The high school season is right around the corner and the 30 provides a slightly safer alternative as players are just getting back into form.  At Ultimate Performance there is plenty of room to run a full sixty on the laser timer, giving coaches and scouts another metric to measure players against. 

Seventy-eight players ran the 30 with twenty-four running sub 4.00.  4.08 was the median run time of the players at the event.  Below are the top times from the Preseason All-State West.

(Note: The chart lists this category as Home to First, however this was a straight 30 yard dash from a steal break.)

 

Exit Velocity

Eighty offensive players went through multiple rounds off of a tee to gauge their exit velocity.  Players were afforded the opportunity to use their bat and bats supplied by Mizuno.  Thirty-three players posted an exit velocity of 90 mph or higher with the top bolt getting to triple digits.  The median exit velocity posted came in at 88 mph.

The comparison of the player bat vs. the Mizuno bat was intriguing.  The median exit velocity for each bat came in at 88 mph.  Forty-two hitters posted their high exit velocity using the Mizuno bat.

 

POSITIONAL VELOCITY – INFIELDERS

With the indoor setup at Ultimate Performance, infielders were able to simulate a full length ground ball, working through an exchange and make a throw of approximately 120 feet to a target.  PBR scouts were able to watch the catch, footwork, hands, exchange, and release while gathering information off of a radar gun to give us a feel for arm strength.  Scouts were also able to see carry and accuracy on throws.  Thirty-nine infielders worked out for scouts present.  The median reading for the group checked in at 81 mph across the diamond.  Below are the top positional velocities for infielders from the Preseason All-State West.

 

POSITIONAL VELOCITY – OUTFIELDERS

Outfielders were able to take a full ground ball off of a fungo, playing through the ball and working to a throw that was approximately 180 feet in distance, at a target.  With the space Ultimate Performance provided, scouts in attendance were able to see outfielders work through the ball, transition the baseball into a throw.  Carry and accuracy were paired with a gun reading to give feedback on the arm strength of each outfielder.  Below are the top outfielder positional throws.  The median throw was measured at 85 mph from the twenty five outfielders participating.

 

CATCHER POP TIMES & POSITIONAL VELOCITY

In the pro-style workout, catchers workout from behind home plate, making multiple throws to 2B, simulating a stolen base attempt.  Scouts again are looking for a quick, clean transition to the release as well as carry and accuracy on the throw.  For catchers, evaluators will put a stopwatch on the “pop time” or the time the ball hits their glove to the time the ball hits the MIF’s glove at 2B.  Coaches can also time the transition from when the ball hits the catchers glove to when he is able to release his throw.  PBR scouts add the radar gun to put a number on the arm strength out of the crouched position.  The top pop time in the workout was a 2.00, with a median time from the group of 19 catchers of 2.09.  The top positional velocity checked in at 78 mph out of the hand, while the median for the group clocked in at 74 mph.

 

MAX FASTBALL

Pitchers threw a controlled bullpen for scouts at Ultimate Performance as part of the Preseason All-State West.  In total, thirty-seven arms threw on the day.  While it is still January, and most arms may not peak until closer to the mid-season, there were several players to spotlight as they flashed advanced stuff and a feel for pitching.   The top fastball came from 2022 RHP Calvert Clark, a Clemson commit that is very athletic on the bump.  From the 37 arms, 16 worked at 85 or higher with Clark reaching 92.  The median top fastball for the day came in at 83 mph.