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2026 NC HS Scout Blog: Week of March 9 - 14

March 16, 2026
Prep Baseball
North Carolina

2026 NORTH CAROLINA SCOUT BLOG

As the 2026 spring season gets underway, Prep Baseball North Carolina remains committed to delivering comprehensive scouting coverage from high school diamonds across the state. Our scouting staff will be on the ground throughout the spring, evaluating top prospects, identifying emerging talent, and providing detailed analysis on the players shaping this season.

North Carolina continues to establish itself as one of the premier talent-producing states in the country, consistently sending players to collegiate programs at every level and into professional baseball. Through consistent in-person evaluations, advanced metrics, and video coverage, our goal is to spotlight the next wave of impact prospects while delivering trusted insight for coaches, recruiters, professional scouts, and fans alike.

Each week, the NC High School Scout Blog will feature in-depth reports from recent looks, breaking down tools, performance trends, and projection. Follow along throughout the spring as we provide inside access to the state’s top talent and the players poised to make noise in 2026.

Games covered this week

Alexander Central 10 St. Stephens 7

Lake Norman Charter 6 Christ the King 1

Carmel Christian 3 Charlotte Latin 4

Lincoln Charter 16 East Lincoln 3

South Iredell 5 Ashley 3

New Hanover High School 2 North Brunswick 0

Wilmington Christian 12 Coastal Christian 0

Alexander Central 10 St. Stephens 7

Friday March 13, 2026

Jude Carter, RHP, Alexander Central HS, 2027
Kennesaw State commit. Extra large frame. Listed at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds. Good mover for the size. Showed an ability to field his position and control the run game. Physical presence. Early hand pump over his head for rhythm. Stable head. Level and on-line throughout. Average stride. Athletic hips. Lower half is active and efficient. Long arm swing, slightly wrapping the body. Hand is early to show the baseball through an over-the-top slot. Solid arm speed. Arm strength over arm speed. Fastball at 86-90, 2000rpm. Solid feel for the zone. Showed an ability to elevate at times. Played true with occasional cut when thrown to the glove side. Swing and miss ticked up as he established the breaking balls. Featured a slider and curveball. Slider at 78-79, 2400rpm. Early, cutter type action. More freeze and soft contact than missing bats. Curveball at 72-76, 2500rpm. Early hop out of the hand before creating hard, downer action. Missed bats with the downer action. Got freeze when in the zone as well. High level follow that will be on pro scouts radar this summer. Big frame and good athlete suggest he is still working toward a ceiling that could have a lot of loft.

Jude Carter - (03/16/2026)

Gunnar Johnson, 3B, Alexander Central HS, 2028
Athletic infielder that also worked out of the bullpen. Listed at 5-foot-9, 175 this past fall, but looks to have added strength to the frame. Muscular build in the lower half. Good lateral movement and bend during infield/outfield. Made the routine play with ease in game action. Active feet. Simple setup and hand position. Catch and funnel to the midsection for an athletic exchange. Medium arm action to an over-the-top slot. Solid carry. Showed accuracy off platform as well. Right handed hitter collected 2 hits in three at-bats, finding 3 hard barrels. Right handed hitter. Feet under the shoulders in a slightly open stance. Hands relaxed and quiet off the back shoulder. Small leg lift and rock back into the back side. Hands push quick slightly. Works flat and direct through contact. Gap to gap approach. Good strength to the pull side. Above average bat speed. Showed feel for the zone throughout the night. Recognized spin early in counts and worked to stay on his plan with success.
On the mound the fastball ranged 82-84, 2400rpm. Breaking ball has solid shape with late action at 65-67, spinning up to 2550rpm.

Video - Preseason All-State West - FEB 2026


Gunnar Johnson - (02/11/2026)

Graham Hoke, C, Alexander Central HS, 2027
Sturdy frame with strength present. Right handed hitter. Balanced. Feet just outside the shoulders. Hands pushed back off the back shoulder and at chin level. Neutral bat head. Some waggle in the had. Rocks back into his back side and the hands relax the bat head into a flat launch. Average stride early in the count. Two-strikes shifted to a no-stride approach. Average to above bat speed with solid feel for the barrel. Behind the dish showed solid arm strength and carry between innings. Average bend in the hips. Can get vertical in his exchange and release.

Graham Hoke - (03/16/2026)

Colt Briggs, RHP, St. Stephens HS, 2027
Appalachian State commit. Lean, youthful frame with length in his limbs at 6-foot-3, 191 pounds. Straight line build. Simple delivery. Stable head. Level throughout.  Lands across his line creating some effort in the hips. Repeats with some ease. Long, clean arm action through an over-the-top slot. Quick arm. Good whip. Easy projection as he continues to add strength to the frame. Frame will handle weight and strength gains with ease in the coming years. Worked 4 innings, walking 2 and striking out 6. Showed flashes of complete control of the game. Also had stretches where he worked to tick his stuff up and lost some feel for the zone. Fastball at 86-88, 2300rpm. Swing and miss in the zone and when elevated. Slider with 10/4 tilt. Solid arm speed on the slider. Ranged 74-78. Early action. Got swing and miss due to length at times as he expanded out of the zone. Slider is primed to become a potential weapon as the body continues to mature. Positioned to be a pro follow into the summer circuit. Length, arm action, and arm speed all suggest there is another jump coming soon.

Colt Briggs - (03/16/2026)

Video - Preseason All-State West - FEB 2026


Colt Briggs - (02/11/2026)

Madddox Zablan, SS, St. Stephens HS, 2027
Athletic build. Solid mover. Good bend in the hips. Listed at 5-foot-10, 162 pounds. Active feet in infield/outfield at SS. Made the athletic plays with some ease. Hands and feet lost some rhythm on the routine play but was athletic enough to recover and produce solid carry and accuracy on throws. Right handed hitter. Balanced and stable. Feet just outside the shoulders. Hands off the back shoulder and chest. Relaxed and quiet. Average stride, working a good weight shift onto the front side. Average bat speed. Positioned to handle velocity as he continues to add strength to the frame.

Video - Preseason All-State West - FEB 2026

Maddox Zablan - (02/11/2026)

Lake Norman Charter 6 Christ the King 1

Friday March 16, 2026

*Prep Baseball scouts were on hand for the first 4 innings as they worked to see multiple games in the region on Friday.

Garrett Burris, LHP, Lake Norman Charter, 2028
Athletic build. 6-foot-3, 185 pounds. Lean, lanky frame. Works off the 3B side of the rubber. Slow tempo through the delivery. Heavy turn, coiling around the back hip. Heavy cross fire with a square foot-strike. Medium to long arm swing works through a 3/4 slot. Fairly free through the release. Good arm speed. Fastball at 83-86, 2250rpm. Slider at 74-76. Horizontal action was gradual out of the hand. Solid length at times. Worked 5 innings, giving up 1 hit, striking out 5 and walking 3.

Garrett Burris - (03/16/2026)

James Phillips, SS, Christ the King, 2027
Slight frame. Left handed hitter. Fundamentally sound. Positioned to take jumps as he adds strength to the frame. Balanced and on time. Worked flat through the zone. Good barrel feel. Lacked upper level bat speed. Showed feel for the zone. Defensively flashed good rhythm in the feet and hands. Athletic exchange. Showed accuracy. Arm strength still developing.

Carmel Christian 3 Charlotte Latin 4

Wednesday March 11, 2026

Gabe Diaz, SS, Carmel Christian, 2027
6-foot-2, 185 pounds. High-waisted Left-handed hitting shortstop. Smooth defender. Rhythm in the hands and feet. Solid carry across the diamond. In the box, slightly open stance with a bat coil. Quick hands. Advanced feel for the strike zone. Chance to drive the baseball. Strength and quickness present. Played with pace. Worked to be top speed out of the box - rewarded on a misplayed ball getting to 2B. Frame suggests there is a ton of room to his ceiling.

Video - CBA Scout Day - November 2025

Colson Krause, RHP, Carmel Christian, 2027
6-foot-2, 181 pounds. High-3/4 arm slot righty. Pitch to contact. A lot of weak contact. Frame will continue to handle more strength gains. Fastball at 81-83. Good feel for the curveball and the changeup. Breaking ball ranged 67-69. Change-up at 76-77

Cooper Holland, LHP, Charlotte Latin, 2027
Athletic frame. Lean 5-foot-11, 165 pounds. Athletic mover. Good direction. Sinks into the back side and is aggressive down the hill. Over-the-top slot. Fastball at 85-86. Slider in the zone consistently at 71-72. Missed bats in the zone and when expanding. Worked 3 innings, striking out 4 with 1 walk.

Cooper Holland - (03/13/2026)

Peyton Booker, 2B, Charlotte Latin, 2027
Right handed hitter. Balanced in the box with a simple approach. Strength at contact. Chance to drive the ball into the gaps. 2 RBI double in the 5th inning of a tied the game. Added a big hit in the bottom of the 7th, setting up the win.

Nick Smith, SS, Charlotte Latin, 2027
6-foot-1, 160 pounds. Lean. Good mover. Loose hinges. Athletic. Got his team going in two separate innings, leading to game-tying and game-winning runs. Right handed hitter. Solid strength. Good runner. 2-3 with a 2B.

Lincoln Charter 16 East Lincoln 3

Tuesday March 10, 2026

Reed Osborne, OF, Lincoln Charter HS, 2028
Listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. Broad shoulders. Muscular build. Strong. Left handed hitter airs out the swing every chance he gets. Looking to do damage. Balanced setup. Waggle in the hands. Loads down with an aggressive stride. Head drifts. Swing has some uphill leverage. Strength over quickness. Average barrel feel. Homered to the pull side gap ahead in the count, in his first at-bat. Average hip mobility. Good straight ahead speed. Bat leads the prospect. Middle of the order potential at higher levels.

Reed Osborne - (03/13/2026)

Adam Rogers, SS, Lincoln Charter HS, 2026
Mars Hill commit. Thin frame. Will handle strength gains in the coming years. Fluid mover. Good feet. Twitch present. Excellent lateral movement. Flashes rhythm and advanced hands on the infield. Solid on athletic plays. Lacking a bit on the routine play. Defensive skills have a chance to be advanced as he continues to develop. Left handed hitter. Works to be flat. Average bat speed. Average zone feel. Solid setup with upward mobility in the grade as he continues to get stronger.

Christian Cherry, OF, Lincoln Charter HS, 2028
Lean, thin build. Youthful look. Listed at 6-foot, 161 pounds. Frame will handle weight and strength gains in the coming years. Switch hitter only hit left handed in this game. Swing has quickness. Works to be flat. Average barrel feel. Wide base. Simple load with a rock back and his hands triggering. Solid zone feel. Athletic mover in the OF, covering both gaps. Arm has enough carry at this younger age. Above average runner.

Video - Preseason All-State West - February 2026

Christian Cherry - (02/11/2026)

Noah Brown, LHP, Lincoln Charter HS, 2028
Lean build with length at 6-foot, 170 pounds. Rhythmic delivery with a coil on the back hip and a glove pat in the hands. Loose hips. Athletic arm works through a medium arm swing and high-3/4 slot. Above average arm speed. Ball has ride and carry through the zone. Fastball only, with a big lead, attacking hitters at 81-84, 2300rpm.

Video - Preseason All-State West - February 2026

Noah Brown - (02/11/2026)

Tanner Matile, SS, East Lincoln HS, 2028
Lean, thin frame. Listed at 6-foot-1, 165 pounds. Solid lateral movement. Trust in his hands with an athletic exchange and release. High-3/4 slot that he manipulated with some ease on off-platform throws. Accurate arm. Hands worked from the center of the frame to the inside right hip, creating a bit of stiffness at times. Right handed hitter. Aggressive. Worked to be flat through the zone. Average to above bat speed. Setup to continue to make strides with the bat as he adds more physicality to the frame.

South Iredell 5 Ashley 3

Tuesday March 10, 2026

Eli Beekley, C, South Iredell HS, 2026
Gaston College commit. Strength present in a 5-foot-10, 180 pounds frame. Muscular lower half. Left handed hitter. Very relaxed, upright stance. Leg lift and hang for timing. Bat speed is present with a direct path. Two handed high finish. Power carries with some ease into the gaps. Natural loft through contact. Doubled and drove in 2 in the win.

Jahmeer Damon, SS, Ashley HS, 2028
Very athletic body with the twitch to match. Listed at 5-foot-9, 160 pounds. Right handed hitter. Spread out stance with a heel lift to load. Really uses the big parts of the field and keeps his bat through the zone for a long time. Bat speed is present. Athletic through contact. Has a good feel for the barrel and direction.

Dylan Hughesman, RHP , South Iredell 2027
Super competitive athlete that understands situational scenerios. High baseball IQ. Used a 3 pitch mix that included a FB sitting 79-82, touching 83. Slider with a slower temp and heavy sweeping action at 70-73. Change-up tunnels with the fastball creating deception at 72-73. Controlled the game - held runners extremely well.

Elijah Setzer, RHP, Ashley 2026
Threw 4 innings giving up only 1 run. Fastball / Curveball combo played well off each other, keeping hitters off balance. Fastball at 76-78, touching 80. Big arc to the breaking ball at 65-67. Gets down the hill and throws from a high over the top slot. Steady in the zone with both pitches.

New Hanover High School 2 North Brunswick 0

Tuesday March 10, 2026

Camden Croom, INF/RHP, New Hanover HS, 2026
UNC Wilmington commit. Broad shoulders and athletic build. Listed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. Complete game shutout, striking out 6 over 7 innings without issuing a walk. Fastball touched 89, sitting 85-88 throughout the outing. Made several big pitches to close innings, getting swing and miss and feeze on the slider at 78-79.

Video - October 2025 - Wilmington Fall ID

Ryan Grisso, 2B, North Brunswick HS, 2026
Twitchy athlete. Spread out athletic stance. Right handed hitter. Hands above his shoulders with barrel tilt. Small coil into his launch. Flat direct path with average to above bat speed. Solid defender with active feet and good instincts.



Logan Pearce, OF, New Hanover HS, 2028
Lanky youthful frame with room to add muscle. Left handed hitter. Exceptional feel for the barrel. Upright slightly spread setup. Hands activate and coil on his forward move. Gets extended through the zone.



Video - October 2025 - Wilmington Fall ID

Adler Stumpf, C, New Hanover HS, 2026
Thin build with an athletic frame. Solid behind the dish, throwing down 2.10 between innings. Handled the catching duties well. Right handed hitter. Simple coil and go action. Strength through contact. Ball fired off the barrel. Gap to gap approach with the ability to carry the ball into both gaps.

Dylan Stacks, RHP, North Brunswick HS, 2026
UNC Greensboro commit. Backed up a perfect game in his first outing of the year with another good start. Tough luck loss, working 6 innings and striking out 8. Only gave up 3 hits and 1 walk. Fastball ranged 86-89, touching 90. Pounded the zone with a good 3-pitch mix. Breaking ball at 77-79. Change-up at 80-82.



Video - February 2026 - North Carolina ProCase

Jonah Campbell, OF, North Brunswick HS, 2026
Very athletic. Has length. Covered ground with some ease in centerfield. Right handed hitter. Balanced and athletic in his set up at the plate. Hands start and finish balanced. Small stride he coils into. Good extension through the zone with some bat speed.

Andy McIntosh, CF, New Hanover 2026
Scrappy athlete and swiss army knife at the dish. Spread out at the plate, Showed bunt multiple times as part of his offensive arsenal. Fights every pitch with a short flat path that stays in the zone as long as possible. Hits the ball to every part of the baseball field and approach is truly dictated by game situation.

Wilmington Christian 12 Coastal Christian 0

Tuesday March 10, 2026

Kingston Rupert, OF, Wilmington Christian, 2029
Relaxed upright set up. Small rock into a leg kick. Drives into launch with a flat bat path with natural lift. Very athletic freshman that can really accelerate.

Matthew Naylor, 2b, Wilmington Christian, 2026
Right handed hitter. Spread out set up. Rocks into backside with active hands. Launches from a balanced position. Direct path to the ball and delivers the barrel. High, two handed finish. Aggressive runner with athleticism

Cayden Woolard, RHP, Wilmington Christian, 2027
Bigger frame. Solid direction and aggressive down the mound. Quiet set up with a rocker step straight back. Controlled forward move. Breaks hands and hides the ball in a power position behind. Over the top and with a feel for the zone. Fastball ranged 77-79, topping at 81. Curveball at 68-69 with big bend out of the hand.

Ty Forrester, 3B, Coastal Christian, 2028
Lanky, youthful frame, Left handed hitting 3rd baseman. Sets up with a wide, spread out, balanced base. Leg lift sets his trigger. Works back to the original position to launch. Keeps the the bat in the zone for a long time. Willing to use all fields.

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