Prep Baseball Report

Best of 2025: Catcher Arms


Brandon Hall
NC / Mid-ATL Director of Scouting

Best of 2025: North Carolina Leaders

The Best of 2025 series serves as a comprehensive look back at the top performers across the Prep Baseball landscape in North Carolina throughout the 2025 calendar year. This collection pulls from every Prep Baseball event held in the state, along with national and regional events that featured Team North Carolina, creating a data-driven snapshot of the players who consistently stood out across the year.

2025 was a banner year for the state on the national stage. Team NC delivered strong performances at the Future Games, Jr. Future Games, Sr. Future Games, and the Super Sophomore Games, continuing to establish North Carolina as a reliable producer of high-end talent. The state was also represented by four players at the Super60, while two North Carolina prospects earned selections to the Prep Baseball All-American Game, highlighted by 2027 LHP Connor Salerno, who took home Most Valuable Pitcher honors.

That momentum carried over to the professional level, as North Carolina was well represented in the 2025 MLB Draft. With recent updates to the state rankings for the 2026 through 2029 classes, it’s clear that MLB scouts and college recruiters alike will continue to track the state closely in the years ahead.

The Best of 2025 leaderboards are built from the event analytics that power the Prep Baseball platform. Each event provides players with verified data, updated video, and measurable benchmarks that allow for direct comparison by position, class, and within the state. With over 1,000 college coaches and professional scouts subscribed, the platform serves as a vital tool for player evaluation, development tracking, and exposure—connecting North Carolina’s top performers with opportunities at the next level.

Best of Catcher Arms | Best of 2025

The Best of Catcher Arms leaderboards highlight backstops who separated with arm strength and efficiency during 2025 Prep Baseball events. Arm velocity was recorded on throws to second base from the crouch, simulating a live stolen-base attempt, while pop times were captured simultaneously to provide full context.

By pairing raw arm velocity with pop time, this leaderboard offers a more complete look at a catcher’s ability to control the running game, accounting for transfer, footwork, release, and accuracy—not just radar-gun readings. Broken down by overall leaders and class-by-class standouts, this data identifies catchers who consistently showed game-ready arm traits throughout the 2025 event cycle.


CATCHER ARM VELOCITY - FROM THE CROUCH

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Matthew Ulicny NC Phillips Academy 2026 C 85
^ Wyatt Lytle NC Pro5 Academy 2026 C 85
2 Tyce Thompson NC South Central 2027 C 83
3 Henry Tutera NC Christ School 2028 C 82
^ Giovanni Luisa NC Weddington 2027 C 82
^ Jack McKellar NC Rocky Mount 2026 C 82
^ Leyton Guhl NC Metrolina Christian Academy 2027 C 82
4 Ryker Butcher NC DH Conley 2025 C 81
^ Brady Maxwell NC Pro 5 2027 C 81
^ Cameron Massey NC Heritage 2028 C 81
^ Ben Cannaday NC Willow Spring 2026 C 81
5 Hudson Tuttle NC Reagan 2027 C 80
^ Lawson Tyndall NC Eastern Carolina Academy 2029 C 80
^ Lincoln Lawson NC Randleman 2028 C 80
^ Banks Woody NC Pro5 Academy 2027 C 80

2026 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Matthew Ulicny NC Phillips Academy 2026 C 85
^ Wyatt Lytle NC Pro5 Academy 2026 C 85
2 Jack McKellar NC Rocky Mount 2026 C 82
3 Ben Cannaday NC Willow Spring 2026 C 81
4 Darrow Holder NC Hickory 2026 C 78
^ Will Holden NC West Forsyth 2026 C 78
^ Evan Hodges NC Richmond Senior 2026 C 78
^ Paul Greeley NC Charlotte Catholic 2026 C 78
^ Jonathan Piner NC East Carteret 2026 C 78
5 Nate Mizelle NC Garner 2026 C 77
^ Tommy Shaw NC Charlotte Stampede 2026 C 77
^ Hodge Williams NC Holly Springs 2026 C 77
^ Gavin Mathis NC Cary 2026 C 77
^ Spencer Sciotto NC South Mecklenburg 2026 C 77

2027 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Tyce Thompson NC South Central 2027 C 83
2 Giovanni Luisa NC Weddington 2027 C 82
^ Leyton Guhl NC Metrolina Christian Academy 2027 C 82
3 Brady Maxwell NC Pro 5 2027 C 81
4 Hudson Tuttle NC Reagan 2027 C 80
^ Banks Woody NC Pro5 Academy 2027 C 80
5 Maddox Deans NC Southern Nash 2027 C 79
^ Hayden Willoughby NC DH Conley 2027 C 79
^ Harrison Mears NC South Brunswick 2027 C 79

2028 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Henry Tutera NC Christ School 2028 C 82
2 Cameron Massey NC Heritage 2028 C 81
3 Lincoln Lawson NC Randleman 2028 C 80
4 Ellis Reed NC Gray's Creek 2028 C 79
^ Jack Catron NC Kingsmen Baseball Academy 2028 C 79
5 Tyson Cameron NC Pro5 Academy 2028 C 78

2029 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Lawson Tyndall NC Eastern Carolina Academy 2029 C 80
2 Grayson Durrant NC Pro5 Academy 2029 C 75
^ Clark Johnson NC Eastern Carolina Academy 2029 C 75
3 Chase Kafes NC Heritage 2029 C 74
4 Avery Cooney NC Carrboro 2029 C 73
5 Cole Cavanaugh NC Wesleyan Christian Academy 2029 C 72
^ Teagan Nickerson NC Eastern Carolina Academy 2029 C 72


CATCHER POP TIMES

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Matthew Ulicny NC Phillips Academy 2026 C 1.82-1.94
2 Ryker Butcher NC DH Conley 2025 C 1.83-1.91
3 Jack McKellar NC Rocky Mount 2026 C 1.83-1.93
4 Wyatt Lytle NC Pro5 Academy 2026 C 1.86-2.04
5 Banks Woody NC Pro5 Academy 2027 C 1.87-2.01
6 Jacob Reynolds NC Charlotte Christian 2028 2B 1.89-2.11
7 Cole Bowman NC Wesleyan Christian Academy 2027 C 1.90-2.06
8 Tyce Thompson NC South Central 2027 C 1.90-2.08
9 Harrison Mears NC South Brunswick 2027 C 1.91-2.00
10 Westin Tompkins NC Walkertown 2026 C 1.91-2.01

2026 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Matthew Ulicny NC Phillips Academy 2026 C 1.82-1.94
2 Jack McKellar NC Rocky Mount 2026 C 1.83-1.93
3 Wyatt Lytle NC Pro5 Academy 2026 C 1.86-2.04
4 Westin Tompkins NC Walkertown 2026 C 1.91-2.01
5 Nate Mizelle NC Garner 2026 C 1.94-2.01

2027 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Banks Woody NC Pro5 Academy 2027 C 1.87-2.01
2 Cole Bowman NC Wesleyan Christian Academy 2027 C 1.90-2.06
3 Tyce Thompson NC South Central 2027 C 1.90-2.08
4 Harrison Mears NC South Brunswick 2027 C 1.91-2.00
5 Giovanni Luisa NC Weddington 2027 C 1.91-2.09

2028 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Jacob Reynolds NC Charlotte Christian 2028 2B 1.89-2.11
2 Lincoln Lawson NC Randleman 2028 C 1.93-1.96
3 Cameron Massey NC Heritage 2028 C 1.93-2.05
4 Tyler Colvin NC William Amos Hough 2028 C 1.93-2.11
5 Jack May NC Western Alamance 2028 C 1.93-2.12

2029 GRADS

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Lawson Tyndall NC Eastern Carolina Academy 2029 C 1.97-2.04
2 Grayson Durrant NC Pro5 Academy 2029 C 2.01-2.30
3 Clark Johnson NC Eastern Carolina Academy 2029 C 2.06-2.16
4 Tristan Stewart NC Hoggard 2029 C 2.07-2.20
5 Will Brincefield NC Needham Broughton 2029 C 2.08-2.18


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