The North Carolina class of 2022 has just finished it first year of high school, but the baseball players representing the class have already made noise on a national level.   Prep Baseball Report of North Carolina delays the release of the freshman class rankings until after their spring season, and this is the first look at what the scouts of PBR have seen from the 2022 class in North Carolina.

This class will continue to grow.  Players will move up and players will move down.  The rankings list will grow from the initial 50 in this release to somewhere around the top 300 before they graduate.  Scouts from PBR have been beating the path across North Carolina, attending practices, workouts, HS Games, Club tournaments, while also hosting organization scout days and showcases.

 

The North Carolina Class of 2022 Rankings

At the top end of the rankings are several players that have made waves on the national seen already.  Ryan Clifford (OF/1B, Leesville Rd HS) is ranked No. 1 Overall in the PBR network.  A physical left handed hitter, with serious power has played with Team USA and in national events.  Still uncommitted, it is not a surprise that he comes in at No. 1 in the state’s initial rankings.

(Ryan Clifford - Fall 2018)

 

The next seven players in the initial Top 50, are all players that are inside the PBR Overall Rankings.  Carter Boyd (RHP, Reagan HS), Michael Gupton (OF, Rolesville HS), Matthew Matthijs (RHP, DH Conley HS), and Xavier Isaac (1B, East Forsyth HS) have all made noise at the varsity level in HS in their first year.   Boyd, a Florida commit, helped a very deep pitching staff at Reagan reach the 4A State Semifinals.  Matthijs, a UNC commit, was in a similar position, throwing a gem in game three of the East Region Finals of the 3A level, against eventual state champion, New Hanover, who rallied in extra innings to take the win.  Michael Gupton, a NC State commit, may be the fastest player in the country, not just in the 2022 class.  Gupton also stars on the track where he has won national sprint competitions and is on the radar of USA Track and Field.

(Carter Boyd - Fall 2018)

 

Within the Top 50, nine players are committed.  As the summer wears on, we will probably see a few more names come off the board, but we will also see names added to the rankings as PBR continues to search and find the top players in the state.  PBR will be at various tournaments across the state, tracking players, as well as continuing to run tournaments at Lake Point in Emerson, GA, where several NC teams are scheduled to be in the coming weeks.   PBR will also be running the Top Underclass Games at UNC on July 23 where many of the players inside the initial rankings, and players that were considered, or sent in by HS and club coaches, will be attending.  PBR will be looking to update the 2022 rankings again at the end of the summer, prior to the fall season.

NC Class of 2022 Rankings – By the Numbers

• 9 Players are committed inside the Top 50
• 4 Players are committed to NC State
• 2 Players are committed to East Carolina
• 19 Players are listed as RHP, with 4 listed as LHP
• 9 infielders are listed inside the Top 50
• 8 catchers are included in the initial rankings

 

NC Class of 2022 Rankings

 

Rank	Player	HS	POS	Commitment
1	Ryan Clifford	Leesville Road	OF
2	Calvert Clark	Charlotte Christian	OF/RHP
3	Carter Boyd	Reagan	RHP	Florida
4	Michael Gupton	Rolesville	OF	North Carolina State
5	Matthew Matthijs	DH Conley	RHP	North Carolina
6	Michael Colonna	Weddington	RHP
7	Xavier Isaac	East Forsyth	1B	East Carolina
8	Eli Jerzembeck	Providence	RHP
9	Lukas Schramm	Apex	C/OF
10	Matt Heavner	North Lincoln	SS	North Carolina State

To see the complete rankings, CLICK HERE.