By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

The Class of 2015/2016 Fall Prospect Games took place on October 19 at Bellarmine University and afforded prospects to showcase their abilities in a showcase/game play format.  Players were split into two teams with position players taking extended infield/outfield and batting practice on the field prior to playing a double-header.

The following is a look at Team Black position players.  This is position player analysis only.  Those players who also pitched for Team Black during the event had their pitching analysis featured in a previous article.

middle infielders

Bo Saunders, SS, Scott County HS, 2015
6-foot, 170-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with medium stride, maintains good balance, loose hands create some barrel whip through the zone, line drive hitter with some gap power, shows ability to use all fields, ran event best 7.15 60-yard dash, 79 mph exit velocity (84 at previous event), went 1-for-4 in game play with a double down the left field line, aggressive base runner.  Defensively, shows soft hands, athletic footwork with good lateral movement, quick exchange, ability to throw from multiple arm angles on the move, 81 mph arm strength across the infield with accurate throws, one of the top MIF’s left on the board in the 2015 class.

Cooper Warner, SS, R/R, Trinity HS, 2015
6-foot, 168-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, maintains good balance, generates some bat speed, good rhythm in swing, line drive type hitter with gap to gap approach, consistently squared the ball up in batting practice, ran 7.49 60-yard dash, 78 mph exit velocity (84 at previous event), went 2-for-4 in game play with a single to left and infield single. Defensively shows the versatility to play multiple infield positions, soft hands, works through the baseball, good arm strength across the infield at 84 mph with the ability to throw from multiple arm angles, solid unsigned senior.

Matthew Gammon, SS, L/R, Shelby County HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 180-pound prospect, left-handed hitter hits from balanced stance with a short stride, explodes with lower half, short path to the ball, shows ability to drive the ball to the gaps with occasional pull-side power, ran 7.64 60-yard dash, 77 mph exit velocity (82 at previous event), went 1-for-4 in game play with an infield single.  Defensively, shows soft hands, athletic actions, gets rid of the ball quickly with short arm action, good body control with the ability to throw on the move from multiple arm angles, showed very accurate arm, 78 mph arm strength across the infield.

Kyle McKinley, SS/RHP, R/R, Bullitt East HS, 2016
6-foot, 160-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a tall stance with a long stride, shorter swing path, line drive type hitter with the ability to use all fields, registered 75 mph exit velocity off the tee, ran 7.70 60-yard dash, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to right field, showed some aggressiveness on the bases.  Defensively, shows soft hands, long exchange, long high-3/4 release, 78 mph arm across the infield with some carry, all throws accurate, should continue to make strides in game with added strength to frame.

Nate Beavers, RHP/2B, R/R, Woodford County HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 167-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, can get more consistent use from lower half, has a short path to the ball, line drive type hitter who squared the ball up in the second half of his batting practice round, ran a 7.53 60-yard dash, 75 mph exit velocity off the tee, went 0-for-4 in game play.  Defensively, shows soft hands and good lateral movement fairly quick exchange with shorter high ¾ release, 78 mph arm across the infield with accurate throws, offensive game will benefit from added strength to frame.

corner infielders

Jake Ziegelmeyer, RHP/3B/1B, R/R, Ryle HS, 2016
6-foot-3, 200-pound prospect, right-handed hitter, hits from a balanced stance, short stride, wraps some in load, explodes with lower half,  uphill bat path with high one hand finish, showed some power to all fields, ball jumps off bat, ran 7.68 60-yard dash, 85 mph tee exit velocity, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to left-center.  Defensively, shows the ability to play both corner spots, good footwork, tends to field the ball at third base with throwing hand away from glove hand, has a quick release with 84 mph arm across the infield, accurate throws to first base.

Devin Vanover, 1B, R/R, Madison Southern HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 250-pound prospect, right-handed hitter with strong lower half, hits from an open stance and squares front side with an aggressive stride, uphill path to the ball creates some lift, generates bat speed through the zone with strong frame, shows significant pull-side power, ran 8.02 60-yard dash, 87 mph exit velocity off the tee (92 at previous event), went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to center field.  Defensively, hands work at first base, shows decent movement for big guy, 74 mph arm across the infield, has potential to hit for power at the next level.

Ross Ledford, 1B, R/R, Grace Christian (TN), 2016
6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced/spread stance with a short stride, flat bat path, generates some bat speed, 81 mph exit velocity off the tee, solid round of batting practice with good barrel awareness, continued to hit well in game play going 2-for-4 with singles to center and right field.  Defensively, showed adequate hands and feet at first base, 75 mph arm strength represented slight increase from previous event.

Drew Clark, LHP/1B, L/L, Butler County HS, 2016
6-foot-2,190-pound prospect, left-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, has some hand quickness, cuts off finish at times, line drive type hitter, ran 7.75 60-yard dash, 83 mph exit velocity off the tee, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to center field.  Defensively, shows adequate hands at first base, 75 mph arm across the infield with some accurate throws.

Paul Haupt, 3B, R/R, Christian Academy of Louisville, 2016
5-foot-11, 180-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, short stride with a leg kick, significant pre-pitch hand movement, long swing path, gap to gap approach, ran 7.58 60-yard dash, 79 mph exit velocity off the tee, went 0-for-4 in game play.  Defensively, shows adequate hands, fields ball out front and funnels to body, short high-3/4 release, inconsistent accuracy on throws, 72 mph arm strength across the infield.

catchers

Dallas Wills, C, R/R, Shelby County HS, 2015
5-foot-10, 150-pound right-handed hitter starts with a spread stance and uses a leg kick with minimal stride, tends to bar arm in load creating some length in swing, line drive type hitter, mid to opposite field approach, registered 80 mph exit velocity off the tee, ran 7.58 60-yard dash, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single up the middle.  Defensively, shows solid abilities behind the plate,  quick footwork and glove to hand transfer, showed a slight increase in arm strength at 72 mph, pop times ranged from 2.00-2.11, very accurate throws to the bag.

Caleb Ahlers, C, R/R, Nelson County HS, 2015
5-foot-11, 180-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a toe tap trigger, minimal load, short swing path, showed good barrel awareness in batting practice consistently squaring the baseball, line drive production, ran 7.53 60-yard dash, 79 mph exit velocity off the tee, went 0-for-4 in game play with a pull approach.  Defensively, showed good arm strength from the crouch at 76 mph, good direction on footwork with room to improve quickness, pop times ranged from 2.16-2.29 on inconsistent accuracy, arm strength present with potential to be solid defensive catcher.

Jacob Considder, C, R/R,Eastern HS, 2016
6-foot, 210-pound prospect, right-handed hitter hits from a spread stance with no stride, can use lower half more consistently, level swing path with gap to gap approach, ran 7.96 60-yard dash, 82 mph exit velocity off the tee, went 0-for-3 in game play.  Defensively, showed 68 mph arm strength from the crouch, long ¾ release, average receiver, pop times ranged from 2.26-2.35.

outfielders

KeShaun DeWalt, OF, R/R, Male HS, 2015
5-foot-6, 145-pound prospect shows good athleticism, right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, leg kick with a short stride, tends to land hard on front foot, short path to the ball, line drive type hitter, ran a 7.20 60-yard dash, 72 mph exit velocity off the tee, went 0-for-4 reaching base three times on errors in game play with a pull approach.  Defensively, plays through the ball with a clean exchange, long high-3/4 release with 72 mph arm strength, good accuracy on throws to the third base bag.

Kameron Davis, OF, L/R, DuPont Manual HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 165-pound prospect, left-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, shows the ability to use all fields and can make hard opposite field contact, line drive type hitter, showed improved speed from previous event with 7.51 60-yard dash, registered 76 mph exit velocity, went 0-for-4 in game play.  Defensively, showed 74 mph arm strength (76 at previous event), ¾ release, some accurate throws to the third base bag.