By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

Hunter Sullivan, the top uncommitted player in Kentucky’s 2016 class (currently ranked No. 3) took the mound for the first time this spring as his Elizabethtown Panthers took on Warren East last evening. With PBR Kentucky scout Jeff Johnson in attendance, the 6-foot, 175-pound RHP worked four innings as Elizabethtown cruised to a 10-0 victory in five innings.

Sullivan opened his outing in impressive fashion with a fastball that sat 88-90 mph, and he showed the ability to attack hitters aggressively with his 76-78 mph, sharp breaking ball. He used the fastball/breaking ball combination to strike out the side in the first inning.

One of the concerns about Sullivan, due to his average size, is how long into games he will be able to maintain his velocity, and he did show a slight drop in the second inning as his fastball routinely sat 85-87 mph.  Despite the minor drop, he cruised through the second, retiring the side in order while striking out one in the frame.

In the third, Sullivan seemed to ramp it back up a notch as the fastball sat 87-88 mph and he struck out the side for the second time in three innings. He also threw a couple of changeups in the 77-79 mph range that both stayed out of the zone (outside to right-handed hitters).  He throws the changeup with good arm action and it has the potential to be a solid pitch for him at the next level.

Sullivan worked his final inning in the fourth, as his fastball sat 84-85 mph, and finished the game with eight strikeouts while allowing two hits and one walk.

While Sullivan’s velocity did drop off some during his outing, that is common this early in the season, and he showed the same dominant stuff he used to rack up 12 wins as a sophomore last season.