North Carolina Class of 2028: Rankings Update

With the conclusion of the summer season and the start of the school year, Prep Baseball North Carolina releases its latest fall rankings updates. While the Class of 2028 is still in its early stages, the rankings are beginning to take shape. This update expands the class by 50 players, bringing the total to the top 140 prospects in the state.

See the full Class of 2028 Release Here.

Stability at the Top

As our scouts continue to evaluate players across North Carolina, the top prospects have largely maintained their positions. Several key events highlighted players now emerging in the 2028 rankings. Most notably, the East Coast Super Sophomore Games showcased standout performances, including Brax Thompson, whose play at UNC and Burlington Athletic Park vaulted him into the top 10. While it is still early in the evaluation process, we anticipate significant movement in the rankings over the next year as players grow, develop, and our scouting staff gathers additional data from games, practices, workouts, and events.

A Summer of Growth

Following the high school season, players across the state participated in a full slate of summer competitions. Many competed at national events such as the Prep Baseball NPI and the Prep Baseball National Championships, while others made their mark in American Legion play, highlighted by Asheville’s run to the World Series in Shelby, NC.

Beyond team achievements, players used the summer to update their Prep Baseball profiles with new statistics, analytics, and video. Standouts from events such as the NC/SC Border Battle, Summer IDs, and organizational scout days earned invitations to represent Team Carolina at national showcases, including the Future Games, Super Sophomore Games, and Top Prospect Games.

The 2025 East Coast Super Sophomore Games, now in its second year, was a resounding success. Hosted at UNC and Burlington Athletic Park, Team North Carolina competed against nine other teams with top players from 12 states. The event attracted significant attention, with stats, notes, and video already informing college coaches’ evaluations for the 2025–2026 cycle.

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New Faces, Big Potential

Ten names making their rankings debut after the summer of 2025.

Brax Thompson SS / RHP / Providence, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 6 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 123 / POS: 36 Big winner from the East Coast Super Sophomore Games.  An athletic mover that flashed advanced defensive skills at Shortstop, Thompson has serious stuff on the mound that is poised to continue to grow as he continues to mature into his frame.

Alex Hampton 1B / RHP / Marvin Ridge High, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 16 / POS: 2 Big framed, strike throwers tend to continue to get better.  Hampton has good feel, especially for his size.   As he grows into the frame, look for the stuff to take another big jump.  Very high ceiling for the righty that was very impressive at the East Coast Super Sophomore Games. He earned the invite from his Charlotte Baseball Academy scout day.

Graham Virag SS / OF / Cardinal Gibbons, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 18 / POS: 7 Intriguing prospect that does a lot at a very high level.  Baseball player -- has the ability to play at a high level all over the field.  This lends to getting the bat into the lineup in multiple ways and the bat plays.

Barron McConnell RHP / 1B / Needham Broughton, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 27 / POS: 5 Long frame and solid mover, there is present stuff that allows for him to be an elevated prospect.  It is his future grades that will garner the most attention.  McConnell jumped on the seen with a very good bullpen at the Team Carolina ID: East, leading to his outing with Team NC at the East Coast Super Sophomore Games.

Cameron Massey C / OF / Heritage, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 37 / POS: 5 Team Carolina ID: East was loaded with catching talent.  Massey stood out in this impressive group, getting an invite to the Top Prospect Games.  Over the two days in High Point, Massey furthered his prospect rating with another good workout, followed by applying his tools at a high level in live game action.

Colton Small LHP / 1B / Porter Ridge High School, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 39 / POS: 5 A trending theme in this update... Size and movement patterns matter.  They always do, but at this age, we are working to project players, and where they will be in 2 years, and up to 10 years down the road.  Small has a long frame with long limbs.  A strike thrower with solid actions down the hill, his ceiling is very intriguing.

Gunnar Johnson SS / RHP / Alexander Central, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 41 / POS: 11 Johnson impressed with his actions and athleticism at the South Charlotte Panthers Scout Day. On top of the workout at Shortstop, Johnson shined in a bullpen, ripping hard, downer breaking balls.  The workout solidified him as a member of Team NC at the East Coast Super Sophomore Games where the workout actions shined in game play.

Aiden Thorbro-Steenberg SS / 2B / Apex, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 42 / POS: 12 Athletic and quick with a ton of growth and maturation ahead.  This is a prime follow in the 2028 class as he continues to develop.  Thorboro-Steenberg showed excellent bat speed at the Team Carolina ID: East and carried over good actions as part of Team NC at the East Coast Super Sophomore Games.

Chase Collins C / SS / Providence Grove, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 44 / POS: 6 Athletic build with solid catch and throw actions from behind the plate, paired with a right handed swing with direct plan and good bat speed.  Collins is positioned to continue to climb up prospect charts in the coming years.

Ryder Anderson SS / RHP / DH Conley, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 45 / POS: 13 Anderson saw his overall player grade make two adjustments during the summer.  At the Prep Baseball Scout Day with the Dirtbags, Anderson was good but it was the Team Carolina ID: East that elevated his status to an invite to the East Coast Super Sophomore Games.  Facing some of the top hitters in the 2028 class, Anderson carved over two innings, seeing his stuff play up from the bullpen actions, moving him further up the rankings list in his debut.

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