Follow @PBRKentucky

By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

Last Saturday, February 14, more than 100 players from all corners of the state convened at Champions Baseball Academy in Nicholasville for the third annual Preseason All-State Showcase. Over the coming days we will continue to take a look at all players who participated in the event.

Below we take a look at the Class of 2016 middle infielders who were in attendance.

Jacob Abbott, SS/RHP, R/R, Lafayette HS, 2016
6-foot, 175-pound prospect shows good combination of offensive and defensive ability, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced/wide stance, uses a leg kick trigger, short stride, shows good balance throughout swing, compact swing, consistently squared the baseball up showing some gap power, ran 6.97 60-yard dash, 90 mph exit velocity. Defensively, is an athletic defender at both SS and 3B, athletic actions, soft hands, good lateral movement and plays through the ball well, good body control with the ability to throw from multiple arm angles, 85 mph arm across the infield, high-level prospect.

Carson Coleman, SS/RHP, R/R, Lexington Catholic HS, 2016
6-foot-2, 175-pound prospect immediately passes the eye test with athletic frame, athletic player with tools, right-handed hitter hits from an open stance, gets to square with a short stride, hands are loose and quick, shows power potential, flashed bat speed, 91 mph exit velocity, good speed, 6.75 60-yard dash. Defensively, shows athletic actions, good body control, soft hands, has ability to throw accurately on the move from different arm angles, very good arm strength at 87 mph across the infield, has the tools to be a high-level shortstop at the next level.

Hunter Childress, SS, L/R, Nelson County HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 155-pound prospect has added 10 pounds to frame since summer, left-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, short stride, fluid swing that produces line drives, good balance, gap to gap approach, hit several hard line drives in his round, ran 7.40 60-yard dash. Defensively, showed a big jump in arm strength to 83 mph across the infield (78 previous best), continues to show very athletic actions with soft hands, good footwork and angles allow him to play faster than straight line speed indicates, high-level defender who continues to improve arm strength and offensive ability.

Jackson Gooding, SS, R/R, Bowling Green HS, 2016
5-foot-11,175-pound prospect has gotten stronger and added 10 pounds to frame, increased every measurable at the event. Right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, generates good bat speed, line drive type hitter with occasional flashes of gap power, ball jumped off bat in impressive round of batting practice, ran 6.90 60-yard dash, 84 mph exit velocity. Defensively, not a flashy type but very solid, showed a jump in arm strength at 83 mph across the infield, accurate throws, good lateral movement and body control, sure hands, continues to make improvements at each event.

Josiah Robbins, SS, R/R, Boyle County HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 178-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, mid-length stride, gets close to an arm bar which creates some length in swing but gets the barrel through the zone with quick hands, line drive type hitter with flashes of gap power, good use of lower half, ran 7.13 60-yard dash, 89 mph exit velocity. Defensively, shows soft hands, good lateral movement, inconsistent accuracy on throws, high-3/4 release, 81 mph arm strength across the infield, good upside.

Lane Kennemore, SS, R/R, Mayfield HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 165-pound prospect, right-handed hitter continues to impress offensively, hits from an open stance, squares front side with a short stride, good rhythm and balance, loose and easy swing with quick hands, consistently made hard line drive contact, ran 7.21 60-yard dash, 86 mph exit velocity. Defensively, hands work, plays through the ball well, quick exchange, high-3/4 release, showed the most arm strength we have seen from him at 78 mph across the infield, accurate throws, has made impressive strides in overall game.

Jeffrey Purnell, RHP/SS, R/R, Boone County HS, 2016
6-foot-3, 175-pound prospect with lanky frame, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, short stride, level swing path with flat finish, line drive type hitter, showed ability to use all fields, generates some bat speed, 88 mph exit velocity off the tee, ran a 7.49 60-yard dash. Defensively, shows good footwork, plays through the ball well, hands work, showed a quicker exchange than he did at previous event, short high-3/4 release, 82 mph arm across the infield (84 at previous event), solid footwork allows him to play faster defensively than straight line speed indicates.

Brandt Pawley, 2B, L/R, Central Hardin HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 155-pound prospect shows good athleticism, left-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, hands are set high and drop to trigger swing, shows average bat speed, line drive type hitter who can use speed as an offensive weapon from the left side, ran 6.97 60-yard dash, 80 mph exit velocity. Defensively, shows soft hands, good footwork allows him to work through the baseball well, good body control with the ability to throw accurately on the move, ¾ release, solid arm strength at 83 mph across the infield, accurate throws.

Blake Redmon, 2B/RHP, R/R, Franklin County HS, 2016
5-foot-8, 155-pound prospect has added 10 pounds to frame, right-handed hitter hits from a slightly open stance, has a leg kick trigger, short/compact swing, line drive type hitter that uses all fields well, maintains good balance through swing, ran 7.30 60-yard dash, 85 mph exit velocity. Defensively, shows soft hands, good footwork, plays through the ball well, good lateral movement, arm looks looser and more athletic than in the past, showed a personal best 78 mph arm strength across the infield with high-3/4 release, good body control, continues to make overall improvements to game.

Will Boothe, SS/RHP, R/R, Muhlenberg County HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 155-pound prospect, 7.40 60-yard dash and 78 mph arm strength across the infield were personal bests, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, minimal stride, maintains good balance throughout swing, uses lower half well, short swing path, line drive type hitter, 82 mph exit velocity. Defensively, plays through the ball with solid footwork, soft hands, high-3/4 release with 78 mph arm strength across the infield, projects best as a 2B at the next level.

Evan Slone, SS, L/R, Ludlow HS, 2016
5-foot-9, 163-pound prospect has added 10+ pounds to frame since last summer, left-handed hitter has made some adjustments allowing for better balance and more compact swing, balanced stance, short stride, good balance, line drive type hitter who shows good ability to use all fields, ran 7.53 60-yard dash, personal best 81 mph exit velocity. Defensively, shows average hands, gets rid of the ball quickly with short arm action, high-3/4 release, showed slight increase in arm strength at 73 mph across the infield, accurate throws.

Zach Wegenast, 2B, R/R, Holy Cross HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 180-pound prospect significantly improved every measurable from previous event last summer. Right-handed hitter hits from a slightly open stance, mid-length stride, limited use of backside and lower half at times, line drive type hitter with mid to opposite field approach, 85 mph exit velocity off the tee (76 at previous event), ran 7.44 60-yard dash. Defensively, shows playable hands, quick exchange, long high-3/4 release, 79 mph arm across the infield (76 at previous event), accurate throws

Will Wimber, 2B, R/R, Reitz Memorial HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 165-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a wide base, short stride, maintains good  balance throughout swing, line drive type hitter squared up several line drives in his round of batting practice, ran 7.50 60-yard dash, 80 mph exit velocity. Defensively, shows playable hands, works through the ball well, has a short high-3/4 release with 70 mph arm strength across the infield, accurate throws across the diamond.

Nate Beavers, RHP/2B, R/R, Woodford County HS, 2016
6-foot-2, 168-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, short stride, tends to cut off lower half with limited finish through the baseball, short swing path, line drive type hitter, ran 7.64 60-yard dash, 84 mph exit velocity. Defensively, showed good arm strength across the infield at 80 mph (78 at previous event), playable hands, works through the ball, quick exchange with short high-3/4 release.

Brock Damron, SS, R/R, Boyd County HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 185-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced/wide stance, short stride, shows some strength in swing, level swing path, collapses at times on back side, shows flashes of power, ran a 7.45 60-yard dash, 87 mph exit velocity. Defensively, hands work, gets rid of the ball with a quick exchange, short high-3/4 release, 71 mph arm strength will need to improve for left side of the infield, mostly accurate throws across the diamond..

Allen Howe, RHP/2B, R/R, Trinity (Whitesville) HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, short stride, line drive type hitter with flashes of occasional gap power, uses opposite field well, has some strength in swing, showed some bat speed with 88 mph exit velocity off the tee, ran 7.65 60-yard dash. Defensively, tends to drop to a knee when fielding the ball, gets rid of the baseball with a short ¾ release, 76 mph arm strength across the infield.