Tobacco Road State Games

August 15–16, 2026 | Stick Williams Dream Field – Home of Queens University | Charlotte, NC

The 2026 Tobacco Road State Games brought together some of the top talent from across North Carolina for two days at Stick Williams Dream Field in Charlotte. The six-team roster featured players from the 2027–2029 classes, providing another opportunity for Prep Baseball scouts, college coaches, and professional scouts to evaluate many of the state's top prospects in one setting.

The State Games served as a culmination of Prep Baseball North Carolina's coverage throughout the preseason, high school spring, and summer circuit. The roster was built with players who performed their way into the event throughout the year, including standouts from the Preseason All-State, NC/SC Border Battle, and other events across the state. The field also featured players with experience at some of Prep Baseball's premier national and regional events, including the Future Games, Senior Future Games, Super Sophomore Games, and Junior Future Games.

With close to 20 college programs represented throughout the weekend, the event provided an opportunity for players to perform in front of evaluators while updating their Prep Baseball profiles. Position players opened the event with a pro-style workout, producing updated statistics, analytics, and video through a full offensive and defensive evaluation. Following the workout, players transitioned into game action, with each of the six teams playing two games over the course of the weekend.

Prep Baseball scouts were on hand throughout the event, collecting data, video, and evaluations. The coverage from the Tobacco Road State Games will continue with leaderboards, statistical analysis, scout notes, and player features highlighting the players and performances that stood out in Charlotte.

FULL EVENT SITE:
Rosters, Results & Leaderboards

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All-Tobacco Road State Games Team

Following two days of workouts and game action at the Tobacco Road State Games, Prep Baseball North Carolina's scouting staff has selected 21 players to the All-Tobacco Road State Games Team.

Selections were made by combining each player's performance during the event's pro-style workout with evaluations from live game action. While workout results, athletic testing, and overall tools were considered, an emphasis was placed on how players performed once the games began. Production, quality of at-bats, defensive play, stuff on the mound, and overall impact throughout the weekend all factored into the final selections.

The 21-player team provides a position-by-position look at some of the weekend's top performers. The group features five pitcher-only selections, two catchers, one first baseman, four middle infielders, two third basemen, five outfielders, and two utility players who made an impact both as position players and on the mound.

Below, we take a look at the players who earned a spot on the 2026 All-Tobacco Road State Games Team.

PITCHERS

Cole Dixon LHP / OF / Junius H Rose High, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 72 / POS: 9  + Limited hitters to 1 H and 0 R across 2 IP, striking out three in an impressive outing from the left side. + Physical presence with deception created by the front side and an over-the-top release, allowing the 84 mph fastball to play above its velocity.  + Big 1/7 breaking ball created uncomfortable swings and generated swing-and-miss both in and out of the strike zone.

Odin Ginader RHP / Marvin Ridge, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 104 / POS: 41  + One of the weekend's biggest winners, working two perfect innings — six hitters faced and six hitters retired.  + Attacked the zone with confidence, running the fastball up to 89 mph with arm-side run and finishing hitters efficiently.  + Short, late slider produced awkward swings and soft contact, giving him a quality two-pitch combination that played throughout the outing.

Aiden Harrist RHP / 3B / Metrolina Christian Academy, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 91 / POS: 19  + Faced six hitters and recorded six outs across two hitless innings, punching out three without issuing a walk.  + Efficiently attacked with a three-pitch mix, showing feel to move the fastball in and out before expanding with the slider.  + Fastball peaked at 86 mph with minimal effort, giving the outing a combination of present performance and projection.

Donovan Locklear RHP / OF / Winston-Salem Christian School, NC / 2027  + Worked 2 IP, allowing just 1 H and 0 R while striking out 3, showcasing some of the event's loudest pure stuff.  + Fastball reached 92 mph with 17.4 inches of IVB, allowing it to miss barrels at the top of the zone.  + Showed a true power curveball averaging 2788 rpm, complementing advanced arm speed and a loose, athletic delivery.

Nicholas Trogdon RHP / 1B / Northwest Guilford, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 108 / POS: 44  + One of the weekend's biggest winners, working two perfect innings — six hitters faced and six hitters retired.  + Attacked the zone with confidence, running the fastball up to 89 mph with arm-side run and finishing hitters efficiently.  + Short, late slider produced awkward swings and soft contact, giving him a quality two-pitch combination that played throughout the outing.

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CATCHERS

Lucas Barga C / 3B / Davidson Day School, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 87 / POS: 15  + Produced throughout game play, finishing 3-for-5 with two doubles and four barrels.  + Handsy swing allowed him to manipulate the barrel while consistently producing hard contact against live pitching.  + Athletic defender and solid receiver with an extremely high ceiling against the running game, including an 80 mph catcher velocity during the workout.

Brayden English C / 3B / Palisades High School, NC / 2028  + Delivered one of the event's biggest offensive performances, finishing 3-for-3 with a double, home run, walk and two barrels.  + Doubled into the right-center gap before homering to left in his next at-bat, showing the ability to impact the baseball to multiple parts of the field.  + Showed good barrel feel and an ability to get on time for velocity early in counts. Added a 94 mph max exit velocity during the workout and showed solid arm strength and accuracy behind the plate.

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FIRST BASE

Paxton Ladner 1B / RHP / Weddington, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 33 / POS: 3  + Reached base in five of six plate appearances, going 2-for-3 with three walks while producing a barrel.  + Showed an advanced ability to control at-bats while working the middle of the field with authority when he got pitches to hit.  + Best swings produced hard line drives and ground balls, complementing his game production with a 92 mph max exit velocity in the workout.

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MIDDLE INFIELDERS

Jackson Cap 2B / SS / Grace Christian Sanford, NC / 2028  + Finished 2-for-4 with a walk and a barrel, combining game production with an impressive overall tool set.  + Switch hitter showed twitch and strength in the hands while producing an 89 mph average exit velocity during BP.  + Athleticism carried to the defensive side, where he played with excellent rhythm and easy arm strength across the diamond.

Kaiden Cox 2B / OF / Jacksonville High, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 181 / POS: 6  + Finished 2-for-5 with a walk and three barrels, consistently producing quality contact from the left side.    + Flat path worked for extension with his hardest contact coming to the pull side.  + Carried a repeatable offensive approach from BP into the games after producing a 93 mph max exit velocity during the workout.

Charlie Scott SS / 2B / Eastern Carolina Academy, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 95 / POS: 15  + Consistently found the barrel in game action, finishing 2-for-5 with a double and four barrels.  + Used the entire field, including a pull-side double while also producing hard contact to center and right.  + Bat-to-ball strength stood out in the workout as well, reaching a 95 mph max exit velocity with an 87.6 mph average.

Alonzo Webster SS / 2B / Freedom Christian Academy, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 151 / POS: 24  + Went 2-for-4 with two barrels, putting both hits on the barrel during live game action.  + Athletic, projectable frame with present explosiveness, including a 23-inch vertical jump.  + Showed present strength in the box during the workout, reaching a 93 mph max exit velocity.

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THIRD BASEMAN

Caden Browning 3B / 1B / Gaston Christian, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 157 / POS: 9   + Produced three barrels and four quality at-bats during live game action, finishing 1-for-5.   + Physical frame played with good rhythm both offensively and defensively.   + Consistent hard contact carried over from the workout, where Browning reached a 94 mph max exit velocity.

Miles Hamm 3B / OF / Eastern Carolina Academy, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 51 / POS: 5   + The box score did not tell the story. Despite finishing 0-for-4, Hamm produced five barrels and repeatedly drove the baseball with authority.  + Showed elite barrel feel, consistently getting the barrel to pitches while remaining balanced and on time against quality arms.  + Several balls were driven to the pull-side warning track, while the workout provided another look at his impact potential with a massive 102 mph max exit velocity.

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OUTFIELDERS

Jacob Boone OF / OF / Lake Norman Charter, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 214 / POS: 41  + Put together a strong offensive weekend, finishing 3-for-5 with a double and two hard barrels.  + Showed strength when working through the middle of the field and carried a consistent barrel into live pitching.  + Workout numbers backed up the game production with a 94 mph max exit velocity and 88 mph average exit velocity.

Dean Colston SS / 2B / Hickory Grove Christian, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 225 / POS: 36   + Filled up the box score, going 4-for-5 with a double and four barrels, including hits in each of his first three at-bats.  + Left-handed hitter used the entire field with a handsy swing that allowed him to manipulate the barrel.  + Consistent hard-contact ability was evident during the workout as well, reaching a 93 mph max exit velocity.

Owen Eudy 3B / SS / Athens Drive, NC / 2028   + One of the weekend's top offensive performers, finishing 3-for-5 with a double, home run and three barrels.   + Homered to left in his first at-bat before later doubling to right, showing both impact and the ability to use the entire field.   + Consistently on time throughout the two games, complementing his production with a 93 mph max and 87.8 mph average exit velocity in BP.

Brody Michel OF / OF / Pro5 Academy, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 68 / POS: 8  + Consistent production from the workout through game play, finishing 3-for-4 with a walk and two barrels.  + Impacted the game defensively as well, making a web gem in center field while tracking a ball deep into the left-center gap.  + Well-rounded tool set included a 3.84-second 30-yard time, with the athleticism giving him a chance to stick in the middle of the field.

Hudson Stringer OF / 3B / Rabun Gap Nacoochee, GA / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 148 / POS: 25  + Reached base in four of six plate appearances, finishing 2-for-4 with a double and two walks.  + Hammered a hanging breaking ball to center field for his double, showing the ability to punish mistakes in live action.  + Athleticism and offensive tools showed throughout the workout with a 3.87-second 30, 95 mph max exit velocity, and 88.7 mph average exit velocity.

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UTILITY (PITCHER & POSITION)

Tyler Eason SS / 2B / East Bladen High, NC / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 131 / POS: 21  + Two-way performance earned the utility selection, highlighted by 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K and 1 BB on the mound while adding a double and barrel offensively.  + Athletic and efficient on the bump, pounding the zone with an 85 mph fastball and a sweeping breaking ball with length.  + Position-player tools added to the overall weekend: athletic actions and rhythm defensively, an 88 mph infield arm, and a 94 mph max exit velocity during the workout.

Brax Thompson RHP / SS / Providence, NC / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 15 / POS: 6 OverallRank: 261 / POS: 71  + Made an impact on both sides of the ball, producing two barrels at the plate while also delivering two strong innings on the mound.   + Featured some of the weekend's best stuff, running the fastball to 91 mph with explosive arm-side action while pairing it with a hard, late slider that averaged 2881 rpm.  + Showed advanced feel for attacking hitters, changing eye levels and speeds while utilizing a quality changeup as a third weapon.

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