2019 Top Prospect Games - Statistical Analysis
August 14, 2019
One of the premier events each summer on the PBR docket is the North Carolina Top Prospect Games. This year, the Top Prospect Games took place on August 7th at Campbell University with over 50 of the top players from North Carolina in attendance. Position players worked through a full pro-style workout, followed by a controlled scrimmage with pitchers throwing live to hitters. PBR scouts were on hand to collect stats, notes, and evaluations on each player in attendance.
In the coming days and weeks, we will dive deep into information and players from the Top Prospect Games. Below are the statistical leaders from several key categories collected during game play and during the workout portion of the day. While the stats do not paint a complete picture of the athlete, they do give us a starting point as we work to put grades on each player’s tools and his overall projection.
CLICK HERE to see the full stats from the Top Prospect Games
2019 NORTH CAROLINA TOP PROSPECT GAMES – QUICK HITTERS
The 60 Yard Dash
The 60 has been used for a long period of time to gauge speed in baseball players. A bit antiquated, it does allow scouts to compare players from different time periods and has become a standard testing distance for pro-style workouts. During the Top Prospect Games, players ran on a laser timed course. The surface at the event was synthetic grass. Only one time came in under 7.00, which in August, most players are not peaking their 60 times. There were 11 players that ran a sub-7.20. The median time for the laser timed 60 checked in at 7.41.
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | 60-yard |
1 | Joey Ferrari | NC | Sanderson | 2020 | SS | 6.70 |
2 | Kaden Brown | NC | Garner Magnet | 2020 | OF | 7.02 |
3 | Chase Caristo | NC | Apex | 2021 | SS | 7.06 |
^ | Cameron Verrier | NC | Cleveland | 2020 | SS | 7.06 |
4 | Oliver Zohn | NC | South Garner | 2021 | SS | 7.07 |
5 | Jacob Bebber | NC | Alexander Central | 2020 | C | 7.08 |
Exit Velocity
During the offensive portion of the day, players worked through an exit velocity testing station. At this station, players attacked a ball on a tee with a radar gun reading the exit velocity of the ball off the barrel. Players had the chance to swing their own bat, plus bats provided by Mizuno. The numbers below are only from the exit velocity station. In-game, the scoreboard at Campbell’s Jim Perry Stadium had TrackMan running, showing the distance and exit velocity off the bat of batted balls. The top exit velocity checked in at 97 mph and 16 players registered a speed of 90 mph or higher in the testing. The median exit velocity from the Top Prospect Games was 87 mph.
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Exit Velo |
1 | Corey Avant | NC | Sun Valley | 2020 | OF | 97 |
2 | Hogan Stallings | NC | Wake Forest | 2020 | 1B | 95 |
^ | Lukas Schramm | NC | Pro5 Academy | 2022 | OF | 95 |
3 | Graham Smiley | NC | East Lincoln | 2022 | C | 94 |
^ | Jacob Bebber | NC | Alexander Central | 2020 | C | 94 |
^ | Wesley Lug | NC | William Amos Hough | 2021 | C | 94 |
^ | Brooks Brannon | NC | Randleman | 2022 | C | 94 |
^ | Cole Schiff | NC | Heritage | 2021 | LHP | 94 |
4 | Austin St. Laurent | NC | Western Alamance | 2020 | SS | 93 |
5 | Ryan McCrystal | NC | Fuquay-Varina | 2021 | C | 92 |
^ | Samuel Fleming | NC | Zebulon Vance | 2020 | SS | 92 |
6 | Dylan Koontz | NC | William Amos Hough | 2021 | 3B | 91 |
^ | Cameron Verrier | NC | Cleveland | 2020 | SS | 91 |
^ | Corbin Lanowitz | NC | Walkertown | 2020 | SS | 91 |
7 | Maxwell Doherty | NC | Lake Norman Charter | 2020 | C | 90 |
^ | Tanner Lyne | NC | Concord Academy | 2022 | RHP | 90 |
8 | Korbin Pettigrew | NC | John T Hoggard | 2022 | SS | 89 |
9 | Joey Ferrari | NC | Sanderson | 2020 | SS | 88 |
^ | Matt Heavner | NC | North Lincoln | 2022 | SS | 88 |
^ | Peter Maldonado | NC | Heritage | 2021 | C | 88 |
10 | Aaron Williams | NC | Davie | 2020 | C | 87 |
^ | Jake Contino | NC | Lake Norman | 2020 | RHP | 87 |
^ | Noah Thomas | NC | Rolesville | 2021 | OF | 87 |
^ | Colton Stotler | NC | West Wilkes | 2020 | 3B | 87 |
^ | Noah Barozzino | NC | Hough | 2020 | 2B | 87 |
Positional Velocity – Infielders
Infielders were able to workout at Shortstop in the pro-style portion of the Top Prospect Games. Players were hit a variety of ground balls, moving to secure the ball before transitioning the ball into a throw across the diamond. Scouts are evaluating multiple areas during this session. Arm strength, carry, accuracy, and ease of actions can all be marked. PBR scouts add a radar gun to give a number to the arm strength. While the radar reading does not tell the entire story, it does give evaluators a feel for pure arm strength. 30 infielders worked out from either shortstop or 1B. The top radar reading across the diamond registered at 90 mph, with a median reading of 80 mph.
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | INF Velo |
1 | Austin St. Laurent | NC | Western Alamance | 2020 | SS | 90 |
2 | Ryan McCrystal | NC | Fuquay-Varina | 2021 | C | 89 |
3 | Daniel Stephens | NC | Pro 5 Academy | 2020 | SS | 88 |
4 | Matt Heavner | NC | North Lincoln | 2022 | SS | 86 |
5 | Corbin Lanowitz | NC | Walkertown | 2020 | SS | 85 |
6 | Graham Smiley | NC | East Lincoln | 2022 | C | 84 |
7 | Dylan Koontz | NC | William Amos Hough | 2021 | 3B | 82 |
8 | Adam Quintero | NC | Piedmont | 2021 | SS | 81 |
^ | Gavin Sentell | NC | Ledford | 2021 | SS | 81 |
^ | Korbin Pettigrew | NC | John T Hoggard | 2022 | SS | 81 |
^ | Tanner Lyne | NC | Concord Academy | 2022 | RHP | 81 |
^ | Samuel Fleming | NC | Zebulon Vance | 2020 | SS | 81 |
^ | Joey Ferrari | NC | Sanderson | 2020 | SS | 81 |
9 | Isaiah Mack | NC | Combine Academy | 2023 | 3B | 80 |
^ | Jackson Bowman | NC | Wesleyan Christian | 2020 | 2B | 80 |
^ | Oliver Zohn | NC | South Garner | 2021 | SS | 80 |
^ | Noah Barozzino | NC | Hough | 2020 | 2B | 80 |
10 | Devin Tonkins | NC | Greensboro Day | 2021 | OF | 79 |
^ | Ryan Smith | NC | Apex Friendship | 2020 | SS | 79 |
Positional Velocity – Outfielders
Similar to the infielders, there are several data points that evaluators are looking for as outfielders took batted balls from right field, making throws to home plate. PBR scouts, again, took radar readings on each throw, giving scouts a chance to gauge arm strength with a solid number. Eleven outfielders worked out from right field. The top positional throw marked at 93 mph. The median outfield throw for the group was at 82 mph.
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | OF Velo |
1 | Lukas Schramm | NC | Pro5 Academy | 2022 | OF | 93 |
2 | Corey Avant | NC | Sun Valley | 2020 | OF | 88 |
3 | Korbin Pettigrew | NC | John T Hoggard | 2022 | SS | 85 |
^ | Jackson Bowman | NC | Wesleyan Christian | 2020 | 2B | 85 |
4 | Colby Davis | NC | Cleveland | 2020 | RHP | 83 |
5 | Devin Tonkins | NC | Greensboro Day | 2021 | OF | 82 |
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 1.90, with a median time from the group of 11 catchers of 2.05. The top positional velocity checked in at 84 mph out of the hand, while the median for the group clocked in at 77 mph.
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Pop Time |
1 | Graham Smiley | NC | East Lincoln | 2022 | C | 1.90-2.06 |
2 | Ryan McCrystal | NC | Fuquay-Varina | 2021 | C | 1.94-1.96 |
3 | Jacob Bebber | NC | Alexander Central | 2020 | C | 1.96-2.11 |
4 | Brooks Brannon | NC | Randleman | 2022 | C | 2.01-2.14 |
5 | Wesley Lug | NC | William Amos Hough | 2021 | C | 2.03-2.14 |
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | C Velo |
1 | Ryan McCrystal | NC | Fuquay-Varina | 2021 | C | 84 |
2 | Graham Smiley | NC | East Lincoln | 2022 | C | 80 |
3 | Wesley Lug | NC | William Amos Hough | 2021 | C | 78 |
^ | Peyton Wilkins | NC | Wayne School of Engineering | 2021 | C | 78 |
4 | Aaron Williams | NC | Davie | 2020 | C | 77 |
5 | Maxwell Doherty | NC | Lake Norman Charter | 2020 | C | 76 |
Max Fastball
Pitchers threw live to hitters at the The Top Prospect Games. The innings were controlled to limit some of their stress and to allow them to showcase their arsenal to the coaches and scouts in attendance. Eighteen arms threw at the event with the top fastball registering at 91 mph. The median top fastball came in at 84 mph.
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Max FB |
1 | Cyle Phelan | NC | Fuquay Varina | 2021 | LHP | 91 mph |
2 | Jackson Kirkpatrick | NC | McMichael | 2020 | RHP | 90 mph |
3 | Zane Taylor | NC | PRO5 Academy | 2021 | RHP | 89 mph |
^ | Ryan McCrystal | NC | Fuquay-Varina | 2021 | C | 89 mph |
4 | Corey Avant | NC | Sun Valley | 2020 | OF | 88 mph |
5 | Case Stroup | NC | Apex Friendship | 2020 | LHP | 87 mph |
6 | Tanner Lyne | NC | Concord Academy | 2022 | RHP | 86 mph |
7 | Noah Carter | NC | Chatham Charter | 2020 | RHP | 85 mph |
8 | Jake Contino | NC | Lake Norman | 2020 | RHP | 84 mph |
^ | Dylan Koontz | NC | William Amos Hough | 2021 | 3B | 84 mph |
^ | Noah Barozzino | NC | Hough | 2020 | 2B | 84 mph |
9 | Cole Schiff | NC | Heritage | 2021 | LHP | 83 mph |
^ | Matt Poole | NC | Corinth Holders | 2021 | RHP | 83 mph |
10 | Carson Hinnant | NC | Heritage | 2020 | RHP | 82 mph |
^ | Jacob Coffin | NC | Pro5 Academy | 2022 | LHP | 82 mph |
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