As we get closer and closer to NC State baseball’s opening day, we’re taking a look at what the Wolfpack’s 2022 roster will look like.
On Monday we looked at the Pack’s talented group of incoming transfers, and now we’ll take a look at NC State’s exceptional incoming freshmen headlined by a couple of top-end recruits in Payton Green and Tommy White.
Here’s all of the Pack’s 2021 freshmen, listed by jersey number, and what they bring to the Wolfpack:
Payton Green, Infielder
A 6-foot-3 shortstop from just down the road, Green is an exceptional incoming freshman for NC State.
Green was a star at Green Hope High School in Cary, where he turned enough heads to get selected in the 15th round of last year’s draft by the Boston Red Sox. Green was the No. 8 overall recruit, and No. 2 shortstop, in North Carolina according to Perfect Game, and he was a top-300 recruit nationally.
Green does it all well. He had a sub-7.00 60-yard dash time in high school, 86mph velocity throwing across the infield and has bat speed metrics in the upper 90s in percentile.
The Wolfpack’s starting shortstop spot will likely come down to Green and transfer Josh Hood, with both very likely to find a starting spot in the lineup somewhere regardless.
Chase Nixon, Outfielder
NC State has had some pretty high-profile players in the past 10 years with familial ties to big-league players, most notably Joe Dunand and Preston Palmiero.Nixon will join that group with the Pack, as his dad, Trot, is a former World Series champion and 12-year MLB veteran.
The younger Nixon joins NC State out of New Hanover High School in Wilmington,where he was the No. 12 outfielder in North Carolina, according to Perfect Game. A top-500 national recruit, Nixon has good speed with an official 6.96 60-yard dash time, and he offers the Pack a solid left-handed swing.
He hit a massive home run in the Wolfpack’s fall scrimmage against Duke in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, and as a strong pull-side lefty gives the Pack a potential power bat in the lineup.
Jacob Cozart, Catcher
If a top-end catching recruit from Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point sounds familiar to Wolfpack fans, that’s because it is.
Cozart is the highest-rated of NC State’s 2022 freshmen, a catcher from the same school that gave the Wolfpack Patrick Bailey. Cozart is the No. 4 overall recruit in North Carolina and the No. 1 catcher, and he’s the No. 10 catcher nationally.
A 6-foot-3 catcher with astrong 1.90 recorded pop time, Cozart will have the opportunity to start behind the plate right away for NC State. He’s a left-handed hitter with some pretty good bat speed metrics for a catcher, and he’s got a chance to be the next in a long line of highly-drafted NC State catchers when his time comes.
Tommy White, Infielder
The most electric recruit of NC State’s 2021 class by far, White can rip the absolute cover off of a baseball.
A product of the heralded IMG Academy in Florida, White was an Under Armour and Perfect Game All-American last year. He was PG’s No. 1 ranked third baseman in the entire class of 2021, and he was the No. 18 overall player on a national level.
White is massive at 242 pounds, a really well-built frame that is likely to make him the best power threat on the Wolfpack’s roster right away. White is a special, special recruit, and he will almost certainly have a starting spot at one of the corner infield spots for NC State right away.
Will Marcy, Infielder
A Raleigh product from Crossroads Flex High School in Cary, Marcy is a 6-foot-3 infielder who comes in as the No. 12 shortstop and No. 71 overall player in the state of NC, according to Perfect Game.
While Marcy might not have the immediate impact that Green will, he’s got a good frame andsolid measurables. He hit. 403 during his junior yearwith Pro5 Baseball Academy, where he was teammates with Green last year. He’s got a sub-7.00 60 time and upper-80s velocity throwing across the infield.
Marcy is an added piece to some good middle-infield depth for the Pack, and he’s a guy to keep an eye on for the future of the program.
Carson Kelly, Infielder/Right-Handed Pitcher
While technically listed as both an infielder and pitcher, expect Kelly to do his work on the mound for the Wolfpack.
Kelly is a 6-foot-2 righty who earned conference pitcher of the year honors at Lee County High School, and he joins NC State as the No. 8 right-handed pitcher in the state of North Carolina and No. 26 overall in the state.
Kelly is a good athlete who can touch 90 with his fastball, and he also features some good offspeed action. Like Wolfpack pitcher Sam Highfill, Kelly will drop his arm angle from time to time.
He pitched some strong innings for NC State in both fall practices and the fall scrimmage against Duke,meaning he’s very likely to get some opportunities for the Pack this year.
Sam Griesbauer, Right-Handed Pitcher
Another talented righty, Griesbauer features a lively fastball that sits around 92mph and a slider to go along with it.
Griesbauer’s got good length at 6-foot-3, and he was ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 2 right-handed pitcher and No. 6 overall recruit in Massachusetts.
Like Kelly, Griesbauer should get an opportunity to get on the field early as NC State figures out its pitching situation.
Brandon Hudson, Right-Handed Pitcher/Outfielder
Another player technically listed as a two-way player that will likely do his work on the mound, Hudson was the No. 13 overall and No. 3 ranked right-handed pitcher in North Carolina for the class of 2021. He was a second-team All-State selection from HSOT.
He’s a 6-foot-4 righty who can touch the lower 90s with his fastball, and he tosses from a three-quarter arm slot to add some deception. The Pack has some really good pitching talent in this class of 2021, and Hudson is very much a part of that.
Carter Lindsay, Outfielder
A 5-foot-10 lefty outfielder from AC Reynolds High School in Asheville, Lindsay was a four-time All-Conference player in high school.
He’s Perfect Game’s No. 10 outfielder from N.C. for 2021, and he also played football. He’s got a good frame at nearly 200 pounds, and he’ll add some depth to the Pack’s outfield that is looking to replace Tyler McDonough and Jonny Butler.
Jacob Halford, Right-Handed Pitcher
Halford joins the Pack from Northern Guilford High School, where Elliott Avent and Chris Hart have gone and gotten a handful of players over the past few years (Josh Pike, Cameron Cotter).
Halford is a 6-foot-3 righty who is a top-40 player from N.C. and the No. 13 right-handed pitcher. He’s got an upper-80s fastball as well as a slider, curveball and changeup that all give significant drop in velocity.
Jacob Dienes, Left-Handed Pitcher
A 6-foot-2 lefty from Wilson, Dienes is a homeschool product who was named The Wilson Times’ Male Athlete of the Year for 2021. Dienes was also a first-team All-State selection from HSOT after going 10-1 with a 1.29 ERA.
Dienes was the No. 10 LHP in the 2021 class from N.C. according to Perfect Game, and he brings a high-velocity fastball with some craftiness to the Wolfpack. He’s also got some other sports in his background, as Dienes is a third-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Garrett Moffett, Left-Handed Pitcher
Another lefty arm, Moffett is a 6-foot-2 pitcher who earned All-State honors for N.C. from High School Overtime. He’s the No. 7 LHP in N.C. for 2021 according to Perfect Game, and he’s a top-150 LHP nationally.
Moffett posted an absurd 0.67 ERA as a senior, featuring a high-80s fastball with a changeup and curveball as well. He was also First-Team All-State for N.C. last year from HSOT.
Win Scott, Left-Handed Pitcher
The aptly named Scott did a lot of winning in high school, where he did big things for Ragsdale out in Jamestown. Scott was Metro 4A Player of the Year and earned a number of All-State honors as a senior. He also threw the first seven-inning perfect game in Guilford County history.
Scott has nasty stuff, and he was the No. 6 LHP in N.C. A top-75 national LHP, Scott can do a lot of good things on the mound and pitched well for the Wolfpack in the fall.
