2026 East Coast Super Sophomore Games: Rewinding a Premier Weekend for the Class of 2029

From Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2, Columbia, South Carolina, played host to the 2026 East Coast Super Sophomore Games. Rivaling the format and prestige of the legendary Future Games, this premier event served as a marquee showcase for the top high school baseball talent along the East Coast.

Over the three-day weekend, Founders Park (home of the University of South Carolina) and Lexington County Ballpark (home of the Coastal Plain League's Columbia Blowfish) transformed into the epicenter of amateur baseball. The tournament featured 10 regional teams representing nine different states, including dedicated rosters for Team NC and Team Select that highlighted top-tier regional talent.

For the players—all premier prospects from the Class of 2029—the event offered a massive opportunity to go head-to-head with their highest-ranked peers. For collegiate coaching staffs in attendance, and watching from their campus, the weekend marked the official starting line to initiate and build out their 2029 recruiting boards, backed by both advanced analytics and live in-game evaluations.

The action kicked off Friday at Founders Park with an intensive data-collection and player workout session. Following the showcase portion, teams transitioned to live game play, battling through three a three game schedule that concluded on Sunday.

Now that the dust has settled, we are diving deep into the data and the tape. Read on as we break down the standout performers, metric leaders, and defining scouting insights from a weekend loaded with future college and professional talent!

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2026 East Coast Super Sophomore Games: Workout Day Metric Leaders & Standouts

The 2026 East Coast Super Sophomore Games officially kicked off in Columbia, South Carolina, with an intensive, data-driven Workout Day at Founders Park.

Setting the tone early in the opening session, Team NC and Team Select took the field in Pod 1 alongside Team Virginia and Team South Carolina. The group showcased elite physical upside across defensive evaluations, laser-timed speed metrics, and TrackMan-backed batting practice off live Hack Attack machines.

Workout Workflow: How the Data Was Captured

The morning began with a comprehensive defensive showcase and athletic testing circuit:

• Defensive Workouts: Position players were evaluated from their primary positions (OF from RF/CF; C behind the plate; INF from 3B, SS, and 1B). Scouts evaluated rhythm, arm stroke, positional velocity, accuracy, and carrying momentum through the target.
• Laser-Timed Speed: Players ran laser-timed 60-yard dashes, recording crucial 10-yard and 30-yard splits to evaluate initial burst and top-end speed.
• Offensive & Vision Testing: Following defense, players moved through cage preparation before taking live reps on the field. TrackMan captured ball flight, exit velocity, and spin rates, while players simultaneously underwent Vizual Edge testing and vertical jump assessments.

North Carolina Standouts: Individual Player Highlights

💥 Heavy Hitters & Power Bat Speed

• Sam Piscorik (3B | Wakefield High)
• Highlights: Dominated the offensive leaderboard across almost every major category. Piscorik captured top honors, from NC, with a blistering 101.3 mph Max Exit Velocity, a 93.4 mph Avg Exit Velocity, and an explosive 76.4 mph Avg Bat Speed. He added a sub-7.00 runner profile to his day with a 6.97s 60-yard dash.
• Whitton Butler (1B | High Point Christian Academy)
• Highlights: Butler put his elite raw power on full display, posting a 99.3 mph Max Exit Velocity (2nd from NC on the day). He supplemented the raw pop with top-6 in-state finishes in both Avg Bat Speed (69.3 mph) and On-Plane Efficiency (73%).
• Cooper Long (SS | Terry Sanford)
• Highlights: Long drove the baseball with authority throughout his round, recording a 95.7 mph Max Exit Velocity (4th in NC). He paired the power with a 68.8 mph Avg Bat Speed and a consistent 71% On-Plane Efficiency.
• Owen Duncan (SS | Metrolina Christian Academy)
• Highlights: Duncan brought elite rotational acceleration to the box, generating the 2nd-fastest Avg Bat Speed of the session at 71.0 mph. That bat speed translated to heavy contact, yielding a 94.9 mph Max Exit Velocity and an 88.1 mph Avg Exit Velocity.

⚡ Pure Speed & Dynamic Movers

• Kingston Rupert (OF | Wilmington Christian Academy)
• Highlights: Rupert proved to be one of the top pure athletes at the event, setting the pace with the NC's fastest 30-yard dash (3.74s) and the 2nd-fastest 60-yard dash (6.76s) from the workout.
• Ryder Sheffield (SS | North Stanly High)
• Highlights: Sheffield combined elite speed with impactful contact. He logged the fastest NC 60-yard dash of the day at 6.70s and the 2nd-fastest 30-yard split (3.75s), while posting a 95.3 mph Max EV and 90.5 mph Avg EV.

🛠️ All-Around Tools & Barrel Consistency

• Karsen Dodd (SS | Providence High)
• Highlights: Dodd put together one of the most complete stat sheets of the morning. He finished in the top 3 from NC across multiple categories, including Max EV (96.4 mph), Avg EV (91.4 mph), Avg Bat Speed (70.9 mph), 60-yard dash (6.83s), and 30-yard split (3.82s).
• Colton Pettinato (2B | Metrolina Christian Academy)
• Highlights: One of the most balanced profiles on the field, Pettinato secured top-10 finishes (NC Players) in Max EV (94.5 mph), Avg EV (88.7 mph), Avg Bat Speed (69.9 mph), and overall speed (6.91s 60-yard dash).
• Max Liriano (SS | Eastern Carolina Academy)
• Highlights: Liriano stood out for his barrel feel and swing path repeatability, finishing 2nd from NC in On-Plane Efficiency (83%) and 4th in Avg Exit Velocity (89.9 mph).
• Jacob Frangipane (SS | Homeschool NC)
• Highlights: Showing off a smooth, highly repeatable swing, Frangipane ranked 3rd from NC with an 80% On-Plane Efficiency. He backed up his offensive efficiency on the turf with a 6.92s 60-yard dash and a 3.83s 30-yard split.
• Cole Christian (C | South Mecklenburg High)
• Highlights: Christian demonstrated high athleticism behind the dish and in the box. The backstop ran a 6.99s 60-yard dash, posted a 77% On-Plane Efficiency (4th from NC), and registered a strong 94.4 mph Max Exit Velocity.
• Michael Marelli (OF | Providence High)
• Highlights: Marelli turned in a well-rounded athletic profile, clocking a 6.94s 60-yard dash and a 3.85s 30-yard split while maintaining a steady 71% On-Plane Efficiency.

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