November 15, Prep Baseball Report (PBR) released the updated rankings for high school baseball in Georgia. On the top of the list of superstars sits a familiar name from NC: senior shortstop Arnold “Jay” Abernathy. Rapidly climbing through the class of 2024 ranks, Abernathy developed to become a force in the Georgia baseball scene. He committed to the country’s second-ranked recruiting class at the University of Tennessee in August 2022. Abernathy made quite the name for himself with the Warriors as his monstrous athleticism created a buzz in the NC dugouts, springboarding him to a starting position within his first year with the Warriors. Still showing strength in his sophomore year, Abernathy exited the 2022 summer season with 21 offers and selected the Volunteers over other Division Ⅰ programs such as Texas Christian University and the University of Miami.
“I love the fans, I love the coaches. The fans are amazing, we have a great support base behind us. Coach [Josh] Elander and Coach [Tony] Vitello, those two guys were great recruiters. As a team, I just love it there,” Abernathy said.
The season following his commitment stands as one for the ages to come. Abernathy flew across the diamond, stealing dozens of bases and crafting countless highlight plays from shortstop. He led the Warriors to the playoffs for a third consecutive season, topping off his junior year with tremendous upside.
PBR scouting director Justin Goetz broke down Abernathy’s performance in the February Georgia Dugout Club tournament. Amongst hundreds of national talents, Goetz chose Abernathy as the number one-hitter in the tournament, pointing at Abernathy’s seven hits in three games, the highest among the senior class. Two of those hits came off a 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft prospect, according to Goetz.
“He’s arguably the fastest hands in the class, both at the plate and exchange-wise at shortstop. He’s a near top-of-the-scale runner who is very instinctive on the base paths… The dude can hit no matter what he does mechanically… The best way to judge a bat is how they respond to high-level arms, and he responds very well,” Goetz said.
Goetz continues to show quite an interest in Abernathy since the Volunteers-commit played in the 2022 Future Games. Goetz released a groundbreaking scouting report on Abernathy December 15, 2022, titled “The Human Blur.” The article highlighted the key elements of Abernathy’s game and catalyzed the frenzy around the prospect. Goetz even drew comparisons between Abernathy and Atlanta Braves superstar Michael Harris Ⅱ. The human blur slashed three hits, two runs scored, two runs batted in and four stolen bases at the Future Games. Since his sudden commitment to Tennessee, Abernathy’s name has sunk into the high school baseball conversation. His hype may stick around as scouts and analysts persist with testimonies to Abernathy’s serious potential as a first or second-round prospect in the 2024 MLB draft.
Summer 2023 sparked Abernathy’s breakout year in the ranks. Perfect Game (PG) placed him in the nation’s top 100 in June, and PBR ranked him second in the state in August, narrowly behind North Cobb Christian senior outfielder Michael Mullinax. Abernathy played in a multitude of national showcases and tournaments including the Minority Baseball Prospects Takeover, PBR Showdown and National Program Invitational. At the PG National Showcase, Abernathy earned a perfect 10 out of 10 PG grade.
His throwing velocity reaches up to 98 miles per hour, which currently ranks fifth in the country. Running a 6.38-second 60-yard dash, Abernathy also placed in the top one percent of his class. After playing with the USA Prime national team, Abernathy earned a spot on the San Diego Padres scout team, further showcasing his talents to MLB coaches. His team tore through the summer heat and punched a ticket to Jupiter, Florida to play in the WWBA World Championship series.
Scouts and analysts unanimously see the potential in Abernathy’s game as they continue to highlight his unparalleled agility and soft touch on defense. His small frame takes no power away from his bat as Abernathy can pound baseballs 350 feet and barrels the ball on nearly half of his cuts. Abernathy stole 46 bases and batted .430 to finish the summer in the top of his class.
“This whole winter has been a snowball for me. I’m trying to get ready for my senior season by working at [Pinnacle Performance] five times per week… I’ve been training with my dad since I was four or five years old and haven’t stopped since,” Abernathy said.
With high school baseball season on the horizon, Abernathy now prepares to lead NC to a state championship. His personal goals include a potential school record of 51 steals which he could certainly break with his unparalleled speed.
Abernathy’s indisputable talent on the field combined with a benevolent character display his outstanding leadership. After graduation, he hopes to leave an everlasting impact on NC not simply as a baseball player, but as a leader, a young man and a spark of positivity for NC’s future.
