Quick Hitters: NC/SC Border Battle - '25 SC Position Players and Pitchers
July 10, 2023
Over 115 of the top players from North Carolina and South Carolina converged on UNC Charlotte’s Robert & Mariam Hayes Stadium on June 28, 2023 for the PBR NC/SC Border Battle. In front of over 30 college and professional coaches and scouts, players from each state went through a pre-game workout and then played 9+ innings in a controlled scrimmage.
Position players opened the day with an offensive workout, taking live BP on the field. TrackMan and Blast were used to track pre-swing and ball-flight analytics. Players then went through a defensive workout at their position, allowing coaches and scouts to get a feel for their athleticism, movement, and arm strength.
After the workout, North Carolina took on South Carolina in game play. Pitchers threw to live hitters in a controlled environment, allowing PBR Scouts to control pitch count and stress of each inning. Hitters got live looks at pitchers, allowing the coaches and scouts in attendance to further their evaluations after BP, in the live setting.
One of the marquee events of the summer, the 2023 NC/SC Border Battle did not disappoint. Several players boosted their profiles, while others solidified their spot as one of the top prospects in the Carolinas.
Below we break down some of the numbers from the event. To see a player’s full profile, simply click on his name. To see the NC/SC Border Battle roster, full stat page, plus analytics from the event, CLICK HERE.
Quick Hitters
XL frame at 6-3 240 pounds with present strength. Lots of hard consistent contact in BP with an uphill path through the ball. Showed the ability to drive the ball with authority. Had a max exit velo of 96.7 mph and a max distance of 377 feet. Good hand and bat speed
Joey McGovern, Seneca, 2025, OF
6-0 180 pound strong frame with present strength. Shows good hand speed in swing while keeping his barrel on plane. Made consistent hard contact with the ability to drive the ball. A good line drive approach with a max exit velo of 96.5 mph and a max distance of 365 feet.
J.R. Struk, Oceanside Collegiate, 2025, INF
6-2, 195 pounds, physically fit body. Hits with good hand-and-body rhythm and an athletic stance. Has a short stride before moving forward to launch. A quick, compact swing with a line drive approach that works through from gap to gap while remaining behind the ball. Consistent powerful line drives with a top exit velocity of 95.9 mph around the field. With short, crisp arm movements and the ability to throw from various arm angles, the defense displayed fluid footwork and clean frontal exchanges.
6-0 200 pound strong physical frame with good athleticism. Good short path in swing while staying through the ball with natural loft in swing. Showed good hard contact with a max exit velo of 92.5 mph and a max distance of 325 feet. Behind the plate showed good quickness in his footwork and exchange on throws down to 2B.
Justin Sheffield, Conway, 2025, OF
Lean athletic physique with room for strength addition, 5-10 pounds, 185 pounds. Hits with a small toe tap stride and a balanced stance. Has a top exit velocity of 92.2 mph and has good bat speed across the zone with good rotational acceleration. Has a gap-to-gap line driving approach while also squaring up multiple balls in game. Displays a strong, precise arm for the OF position while fielding the ball in front of him and working through it at up to 87 mph.
Bennett Edwards, Laurens Dist 55, 2025, C
6-1 160 pound lean projectable frame. Left handed swing with a good flat path through the ball with good extension out front. Good line drive approach while using the whole field. Had a max exit velo of 92.1 mph and a max distance of 278 feet. Behind the plate showed great footwork with good direction along with quick and clean exchanges.
Cale Reynolds, Clarendon Hall, 2025, OF
5-11 180 pound strong frame with good athleticism. Consistent hard contact in BP with natural lift in swing while working through the ball. Good bat speed through the ball producing a max exit velo of 92 mph and a max distance of 300 feet. Showed off a good arm while uop to 88 mph and good carry on throws.
Larson Montgomery, York, 2025, RHP/C
165 pound lean frame, 5-11. Hits with a short stride from a balanced, straightforward setup. Showed a loft in his swing and an upward trajectory, resulting in an average launch angle of 25.9 degrees. A maximum distance of 335 feet and an exit velocity of 91 mph. On the mound ran his FB up to 84.4 mph and a feel for his CB and CH. Able to move his pitches around the zone.
Macon Leppert, Blythewood, 2025, C
6-foot-2, 160-pound frame. Left hand hitter. In BP produced lots of hard contact with a pull side approach while looking to do damage. Max exit velo of 90.7 mph and a max distance of 353 feet. Swing has looseness with a flat barrel path and quick hands. Behind the plate showed quick feet and exchanges on throws down to 2B
Zechariah Haney, Camden, 2025, RHP/OF
6-1 195 pound strong physical frame. Left handed hitter with a simple setup and strength in his hands. A short swing while staying through the ball with a good line drive approach and a max exit velo of 90.7 mph and a max distance 315. Behind the plate shows good exchange and arm strength with accuracy on his throws. On the mound showed the ability and feel to mix in 4 different pitches for strikes.
Zach Snead, AC Flora, 2025, INF
5-10 160 pound lean athletic frame. Uses a short compact swing with good rotation through the ball with good hand speed. Has a line drive approach while using the whole field. Produced a max exit speed up to 90.4 mph. Good clean action in the infield with the ability to throw from multiple arm angles and good carry on throws.
Pierce Mullen, Bishop England, 2025, C
6-0 170 pound projectable frame. Had a short compact swing while producing line drives around the field. Had a max exit velo of 90.3 mph and a max distance of 340 feet. Behind the plate showed off good arm strength while up to 78 mph and showing off quick footwork and direction on throws to 2B.
Julian Baldwin, Daniel, 2025, OF
a 6-1, 185-pound physical frame. Hit with a short forward step and a regulated load while standing tall and upright. Has a level path through the ball and a good line drive approach that results in consistent firm contact. Had a maximum distance of 324 feet and an exit velocity of 89.7 mph.
Aaron Tolbert, Easley , 2025, C/OF
5-9 165 pound frame. Short swing worked above the ball and stayed through the ball and showed the ability for barrel accuracy. Had a max exit velo on the day of 89.3 mph. Defensively showed good direction on throws through the bag with accuracy and carry.
Ayden Clay, Pendleton, 2025, INF
5-11 and 150 pounds. Gets to a good hitting position with a controlled load and leg lift. A line drive approach around the field with a good flat path through the ball. Consistent contact with a maximum distance of 309 feet and an exit velocity of 89 mph. Showed good athleticism, the ability to play both the infield and outfield, and good arm strength in the infield and 87 mph throughout the diamond.
Cole Smith, Northwestern, 2025, RHP/INF
5-10 145 pound lean frame. On the mound showed the ability to mix 3 pitches for a strike. Able to attack hitters with his FB while up to 84.1 mph and a max spin of 2418 rpm. CB was up to 77 mph and a max spin of 2406 rpm. With the bat produced a max exit velo of 88.6 mph and a max distance of 276 feet.
Henry Dryden, St. Joseph Catholic, 2025, INF
5-9 150 pound lean frame. Uses a short contact swing with a flat path through the zone with consistent hard contact and a line drive approach. Swing produced a max exit velo of 88.3 mph and a max distance of 312 feet. Good footwork and carry on throws while fielding the ball out front.
Jackson Gordon, Legion Collegiate, 2025, OF
A wiry 6-0, 170-pound frame with potential to add on. Hits with a smooth load and a modest stride to maintain balance. Uphill path through the ball, with a maximum distance of 316 feet and an exit velocity of 88 mph. The arm speed from the outfield was up to 87 mph and the ball carried well.
Brady Smouse, Blue Ridge, 2025, INF
6-0 170 pound athletic frame with room to add on. Uphill path through the ball while looking to lift the ball and do damage, had an average launch angle of 24.9 degrees. Swing produced a max exit velo of 87.2 mph and a max distance of 328 feet.
Max Whitmer, Wando, 2025, RHP/C
6-1, 195 pounds, strong, and athletic. Quick arm from a 3/4 arm slot, controlled athletic delivery down the mound, and good direction. With extension out front and a top speed of 85.9 mph and a maximum spin of 2198 rpm, the fastball has good life. With a 2/ 8 break at speeds of up to 75.2 mph and a maximum spin of 2211rpm. With the bat showed off a good line drive approach while using the whole field. Had a max exit velo of 86.1 mph and a max distance of 281 feet.
Blayne Edwards, Lake City, 2025, INF
6-3 165 lean projectable frame with plenty of room to add on. Flat path while working above the ball and through it. Swing produced a max exit velo of 86.1 mph and a max distance of 232 feet. Showed good carry on throws across the diamond.
Joe Harrison, Greenville, 2025, C
6-0, 165-pound slender body with good strength and room for more. Hits with good balance and a straightforward setup, bending over to load the swing. Has a level path through the zone and an 85.5 mph maximum exit velocity and a max distance of 310 feet. Behind the plate displayed strong quick feet, made a rapid exchange, and made solid clean throws down to second base.
Cooper Henderson, Seneca, 2025, INF/OF
5-9 135 pound lean frame. Worked above the ball while showing the ability to barrel the baseball. Had a max exit velo of 78.8 mph. In the infield showed good footwork through the ball while producing arm velo of 79 mph.
Robert Cole, Christ Church Episcopal, 2025, RHP
6-3, 185-pound build with potential for strength growth. With a more pronounced leg lift and a deliberate delivery. Has a smaller, shorter arm swing and throws with a High-3/4 arm slot. A fastball with a top speed of 89.9 mph and a max spin of 2289 rpm. Slider has a max velo of 79.2 mph with a max spin of 2117rpm and a brief 2/8 break with late action out of the same window as FB. The change up featured a nice tempo and action that was in the zone, with a maximum velo of 79.8 mph and an average spin on CH of 1859 rpm.
Will Howard, Emerald, 2025, RHP/1B
205-pound big build, 6-2. With a top exit velocity of 90 mph. The hands are strong and use a gap-to-gap approach with a flat barrel pat through the zone. A maximum distance of 340 feet was produced. This bat has good power potential and makes consistent, reliable contact. On the mound ran his FB up to 82.7 mph and a max spin of 2284 rpm with the ability to move it around the zone. His CB was up to 72.6 mph and a max spin of 2275 rpm.