Impact Baseball was in full swing in the triad region of North Carolina this past weekend… Check out the blogs below…

Saturday:

Field: Burlington Royals

10am game:
TPA 17u Nationals Grey
2023 C Luke Smith Northwood HS. Looked confident in the box. Had couple hits and a couple stolen bases.

SBA Futures 2023
2023 LHP Sean Katzbach Weddington HS. Looked comfortable on the mound. Commanded the zone really well. A lot of ground balls and swing and misses. Limited TPA to 3 runs.

12:20pm game:
TPA 18u Nations
2021 LHP Shea Defalco Corinth Holders HS. Commanded zone very well. Gave up no runs. Limited SBA to very few hits, if any.

SBA Futures 2023
Jason Johnson RHP. Good tempo on the mound. Lived on the outer parts of the plate.

2:40pm game:
TPA 17u Nationals
2023 RF Luke Smith Northwood HS. Played a good game defensively and swung the bat well. Good presence in the box for a hitter.

Dirtbags 17u Showcase
2022 RHP Nick Reiss Franklinton HS. Commanded the zone well. Worked down and got a lot of ground balls/swing and misses.

Field: Durham Athletic Park

Game 1
Rawlings Prospects 15u: Cole Kuklick P (2024) showed good velo on the mound with a solid, projectable frame. He had a clean delivery that allowed him to work deep into the game with great effectiveness. He, overall, had a dominating performance on the mound while also showing a lot of potential at the plate, as well.

TPA Nationals 15u Grey: Tommy Williams played a solid 3B with a couple nice plays including a tough slow roller to get a speedy hitter. He showed promise at the plate as well, and will only get better as he develops physically.

Game 2

Triangle Sports Hawks: Hunter N #77 SS (full name not given on roster/lineup) Showed great feel for every aspect of the game, and plays with a lot of confidence. Has a great, athletic build with the strongest arm displayed all tournament. He has a cannon that he shows off making any throw from the shortstop position. At the plate, he was eager to hit, and barreled up a ball nearly every at bat with a balanced swing from the right side. This kid is definitely one to watch.

TPA Nationals 15u White: Lindley #99 RF (full name not given on roster/lineup): One of, if not the biggest prospect in the tournament with a lot of room to grow. Already showed good balance, load, and power as a hitter, and should develop into a legitimate power threat from the right side of the plate.

Game 3:

C35 2024: Walker McDuffie P: Fastball had good velocity and a ton of tailing life. Slider froze a lot hitters as he kept hitters off balance all day and hit his spots deep into the game. He displayed ample athleticism in fielding his position, including one highlight reel reaction play. This prospect has a bright baseball future.

TPA Nationals 15u Grey: Dylan Davis: Flashed solid velocity with movement. Throwing from the 3/4 slot, his slider was filthy with a lot of horizontal break. He also displayed a very repeatable and simple delivery. As he matures physically, he will only get better.

Game 4:

C35 2024: Bryant Kimbrell: Showed an open and quiet stance at the plate that allowed him to get his barrel on plane with the ball. Gets through the ball with good extension and showed his pull-side power potential in both games of the day. As he continues to grow, he’ll certainly be a consistent homerun threat.

Triangle Sports Hawks: Bodie Happe P: His fastball had a lot of late life that really played as he hit his spots. His over the top delivery gave nice spin to his pitches as he kept hitters off balance during his outing. Mechanically, he stays in line and does a good job getting his momentum toward the plate. Keep an eye on this prospect as he develops.

Field: Winston Salem Dash

NCBA 2022 v SBA Americans 2023

NCBA

#7 Andrew Poon (RHP 2022 NW Guilford , Uncommitted) was in control of later innings in his relief appearance on the mound. He showed a athletic delivery with good intent on both FB and secondary pitches. Poon sat 80-83 (^84) working both sides of the plate effectively while mixing in a breaking ball with good depth as consistent strikeout pitch in low-mid 70s. Poon struck out 5 of his 6 outs in relief.
#27 Jay Allred (2022 LHH/OF/1B , N Guilford HS Uncommitted) had a productive day at the plate sporting a tall projectable build to continue growing into with good athletic ability. Allred plays with a high motor and possesses a lot of upside at the plate. Controlled the barrel with a flat swing well in every AB, which included a rbi 1B and a deep opposite field 2 rbi 2B.

SBA

Golden #3 SS (2023) played a clean defensive short stop through out both his games today, including a plus bare hand slow roller play in Game 1. Undersized but still growing Golden played the traditional lead off role working deep counts and walked twice. Ton of upside with gained size and strength to pair up with his natural fundamental ability.

Game 2 – NCBA v. Dirtbags 17U Select

NCBA :

#6 Kasen McCawley (2022 LHH/SS/RHP , Eastern Alamance HS Uncommitted) had a day on both sides of the ball in both games Saturday morning for NCBA. A high energy competitive ball player that showed mature feel for the game in all aspects. McCawley a slightly undersized (5’7/8) but with major upside with weight gain and/or small late height spurt. In Game 2 starting on the mound McCawley dominated the strike zone consistently working ahead in counts with feel for how to pitch with a 3 pitch mix(FB/CB/CH) in zone and effectively out of zone late in counts. Showed natural fluent timed up delivery sitting mid-80s(^88) with late life on his FB. Played his heater up with a sweeping CB with good shape 67-71 and plus CH feel to LHH at 74-76 with depth. McCawley helped himself with a couple opposite field line drive singles at the plate as well.

#88 Keaton Mathes (2022 C Grimsley HS , Uncommitted) was good defensively behind the plate and showed major upside with developing pop at the plate consistently barreling baseballs. Mathes showed good feel for C position receiving ball well for most part and showed an accurate arm from a quick pop transfer helping him throw out a base runner stealing 3rd by an easy two steps. At the plate he added a line drive double and showcased plus bat speed and quick hands to go along with his attack early approach.

Dirtbags 17U Select :

#70 Jaylend Clemmons (2022 OF/RHP , S Brunswick HS Uncommitted) sports a strong frame with lot of upside with added muscle and mechanical adjustments to accompany his natural abilities. Clemmons covered a lot of ground in CF making the position look easy in a minor league ball park that plays big. He added to that with good tools to build on at plate including plus bat speed.

#22 LHP/1B Reyn Watson (2022 Pee Dee Academy , Uncommitted) started on the mound for the Dirtbags and although he struggled at times with command or putting away batters you could see some promising potential in a kid that still looked younger than a 2022. Taller lanky frame that would benefit greatly from training to be more explosive and weight/strength gain to accompany it. He sat in 75-78 with some arm side run, and mixed in a CB that showed some shape but needs to learn to trust it and throw it with intent.

Game 3 – Dirtbags 17U Select v SBA Americans 2023

DB 17U

#22 Aaron Kimbel RHP/3B (2022 Apex HS , Uncommitted) is a big young man with some strength behind him at the plate and on the mound. In his start on the mound he stayed around 80-82(^84) from a slightly lower arm slot especially at his size coming out of an unorthodox arm action that created some late whip.

#8 OF/RHP Cooper Chasse (2022 Middle Creek HS , Uncommitted) played a good corner outfield today, including an outfield assist throwing a runner out at 3rd. A stronger kid with some quick twitch ability at plate he showed some juice on a pull side bases clearing 2B early in game and added another double this one in opposite field gap adding to his strong rbi total for game.

Field: Winston Salem Dash

Sunday: 9/20 

Winston Salem Dash
Game 1 – DB 17U Showcase v. SBA Futures 2023

DB 17U Showcase
Jacob Woodlief (OF/RHP) Franklinton HS 2022
Woodlief is a solid athlete with a good base frame to work into and build on as strength and weight progress. Hands were quick at the plate rarely getting beat and showed some good ability to adjust mid swing and stay alive fighting off breaking balls late in counts. He notched a pull side line drive 1B early on in game that would spark a small rally.

Nick Reiss (INF/RHP) Franklinton HS 2022
Plus size strong kid that definitely looks the part and is only a couple small adjustments from really tapping into some big potential at the plate. Showed signs of some pop with a big power swing at plate, loses barrel on the outer half which caused him to just miss destroying a couple pitches that could of changed the game.

SBA Futures 2023 : (No Roster or Lineup Given)
#8 (3B/C) – Big strong athletic kid especially for a 2023 and moved well laterally for his size. Made an impressive backhand play in the 1st down the 3B line and showed off a strong accurate arm from deep backhand range behind 3B saving a run. A more controlled patient approach at the plate would prove impactful for him, had a solid flat swing but got himself out swinging at less hitter friendly pitches.

Game 2 – SBA Americans 2023 v. TPA 18U

SBA Americans 2023 :  (No Roster Given)
#34 (1B/3B) : Tall lanky kid but a body that he can grow into and will unlock doors to untapped potential. Showed off some flexibility at first making two plus picks to save outs early in Game 2 at the end of a long stretch at 1B. Overswings a tad at the plate but the swing itself would be in the zone forever if the loss of body control didn’t take him out of the zone. Look for some big jumps in ability in coming two years.

#36 (RHP) Also a tall lanky kid still waiting for those post sophomore year weight gains to help him grow and move into his projectable frame. He was effective on the mound when ahead and the count working out of a 3/4 slot that gave a weird look for hitters from a taller guy on mound. He sat low-mid 70’s with some natural arm side run putting together a solid outing until tiring eventually and losing the zone later in outing.

TPA 18U .

#23 Darrien Whitaker OF/LHH (2021 Combine Academy, Uncommitted)
Whitaker showcased a ton of natural tools on both sides of the ball that played up with his impressive athleticism. He runs well (6.7) both on the bases and covering ground in the OF. Whitaker reached base every plate appearance via BB or 1B except for once which came on a blistered lineout to the SS in the last inning. He hits from the left side with a smooth under control swing doing a good job hitting the ball where it was pitched, main fix or hole in his swing was that it could get long at times. 10-15 lbs of muscle would change this kids life as well as make a college program extremely happy with his potential seeming to be limitless the more he grows and learns.

#20 Kam Walker MIF (2021 E Chapel Hill HS, Uncommitted)
– Walker had a monster day at the plate for TPA stroking 2 deep doubles of the LF wall, one almost leaving the yard, and racking up 4 rbis in the process. According to his coaches he is just starting to really figure things out at the plate and feel comfortable and balanced, the swing itself plays up with smooth effortless bat speed and stays in the zone forever when the core stays engaged. Walker also moves quick and covers ground up the middle, turning a difficult 6-4-3 double play in the game sunday with his SS that forced him to make an off balance throw on the turn at 2B. A kid that is just now tapping into his potential the future is bright.

Field: Durham Athletic Park

Game 1
TPA Nationals 15u Grey: Tommy Williams –P (Raleigh, NC): Attacked hitters on the mound and worked to keep them off-balance. Also, he displayed good pull-side power by stroking a 2-out RBI line drive down the left field line. Williams played well all weekend, and he’s one to watch.

Triangle Sports Hawks 15u: Zane Kuchta –SS/P/3B (Holly Springs): Kuchta was one of the standouts of the weekend. He consistently made solid contact, and every plate appearance seemed to be a quality at-bat. He’s a great athlete who made several all of the plays in the field look easy. On the mound, he showed good velocity and poise. This prospect is worth following.

Game 2
TPA Nationals 17u Grey: Cameron Kaplinger – MIF (Needham Broughton – 2022): Good use of lower half and keeps his hands in a great hitting slot. Balanced and short swing that produces consistent line drive contact. Hit the ball hard all weekend and flashed good leather. He’s a solid prospect to keep an eye on.

Rawlings Prospects 2024: Gage Granata – OF/LHP (Heritage – 2024): Showed a great mix of fastball and off-speed pitches that consistently kept hitters off balance. Gage had good velocity and regularly hit his spots. He also showed a lot of potential at the plate and plus speed on the basepaths. Overall, he had a great tournament and his development should be monitored closely.

Game 3
Rawlings Prospects 2024: Sam Bretherick –RHP/CF (Wake Forest, NC – 2024): Bretherick has an over the top delivery with a lot of late tailing life on his fastball. He displayed great poise and an attacking mentality on the mound. He also helped himself at the plate by delivering a 2 RBI double with bases loaded. This prospect has a ton of potential!

Triangle Sports Hawks 15u: Hunter Nolan – SS, P, C (Enloe — 2021): Displayed an all-around balanced skill set. He showed one of the highest velocities on the mound all tournament, and flashed a plus breaking ball to pair with his lively two-seamer. In addition, he consistently made hard contact with quick hands and a compact swing. Defensively, his athleticism played well at shortstop, and he showed clean mechanics as a catcher, as well. His arm strength graded as, probably, the best of the weekend.

Game 4
Dirtbags 17u Select: Luke Stokes – OF (Cardinal Gibbons—2022): Showed off his plus speed throughout the game by stretching out a would-be single into an RBI double and legging out and infield single to third base. Constantly put pressure on the defense with his legs. Mechanically, he has gap power produced from a good bat path and balanced swing. He’s a grinder with a lot of potential.

TPA Nationals 17u Grey: Brady #5 – P (no other info given): This left does a great job working downhill with good extension. He consistently hit his spots and held good velocity deep into the game. He racked up strikeouts with a simple and repeatable delivery. He is a reliable workhorse of a pitcher with even more room to grow.

Field: Burlington Royals

Game 1:
C35 2024
Walker McDuffie. Had an extra base hit. Short/compact swing. Had good movement on his breaking ball and commanded it well.

Dirtbags Select 17u
Bryson Griffin Clayton HS. Comfortable at the plate. A couple stolen bases. Good defensive plays. Worked low in the zone on the mound.

Game 2:
C35 2024
RHP JC Woolard. Looked confident in the mound. Lived low in the zone. Got a lot of swing and misses. Limited TPA to few hits.

TPA Nationals 15u
SS/RHP Hughes. Good defense. Lived low in the zone on the mound. Got out of a jam with bases loaded.

Game 3:
NCBA 2022
K. McCawley SS. Looked comfortable at the plate. Short/compact swing. Had an extra base hit. Can move on the bases.

Dirtbags Showcase 17u
2022 RHP Zack Hunt Oxford Prep HS. Limited NCBA to 1 run in the innings he pitched. Commanded his offspeed for a strike. Had many hitters guessing at the plate.