By Chris Fuller
PBR Kentucky

The annual Preseason All-State Showcase at Champions Baseball Academy in Nicholasville included more than 120 players from all parts of the state looking to showcase their abilities prior to the high school season. In what is the premier preseason scouting event in the state, there were many standout performances which we continue to feature.

Complete stats for all players were posted a few days following the event.

CLICK HERE to view the stats from the event.

The following is a look at the Class of 2017 pitchers who participated in the event. This is pitcher analysis only. Those pitchers who also participated as a position player at the event had that performance featured in a previous article.

Eddie Satisky, RHP, Lafayette, 2017
Max FB: 90, FB: 85-88, CB: 69-71, CH: 76-78,
6-foot-3, 200-pound EKU commit showed a jump in velocity that makes him one of the top 2017 RHP’s in the state. Use long arm action through a ¾ slot that produces hard arm-side run on his fastball that explodes in on right-handed hitters, curveball shows sharp 11/5 action, has great feel for his changeup that mimics the arm-side life of his fastball. Satisky will be a consistent high-80’s to low-90’s arm coming out of high school.

Brody Heil, LHP, Trinity, 2017
Max FB: 84, FB: 82-84, CB: 67-69, CH: 74-75, SL: 69-71
6-foot, 184-pound LHP is the top uncommitted lefty in the 2017 class. Quick/loose arm action works through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort in delivery, excellent pitchability pounding the zone with all pitches, fastball shows occasional arm-side run with late life, curveball has tight spin and 1/7 action consistently at the bottom of the strike zone, excellent feel for very solid changeup with sink, slider showed similar action as curveball and wasn’t as hard as in the past.  Heil showed better velocity early in the high school season (84-86/87).

Mason Hazelwood, LHP/1B, Mercer County, 2017
Max FB: 89, FB: 81-87, CB: 57-61, CH: 74-78,
6-foot-6, 205-pound LHP with an extremely high ceiling, uses long arm action and works through a ¾ slot with regular effort, fastball showed mostly some cutting action but occasional arm-side run as well, velocity was inconsistent at times, slows arm on curveball but did show a better feel for the pitch with gradual 1/7 action, changeup showed the most improvement of any pitch throw for consistent strikes with good arm-side run and some sink. Hazelwood still has some development to go through, especially with the curveball and repeating his delivery, but he’s making progress and is unquestionably one of the most intriguing uncommitted arms in the 2017 class.

Jonathan Beymer, RHP/2B, Hopkinsville, 2017
Max FB: 87, FB: 85-86, CB: 64-66, CH: 79-81,
6-foot-1, 170-pound RHP showed a nice jump in velocity, uses loose/quick arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort, fastball shows occasional late sinking action, shows good feel for curveball that varies between 11/5 and 12/6 action with good depth, throws the changeup for consistent strikes with good arm action. Beymer has evolved into one of the top uncommitted arms in the 2017 class.

Austin Shepherd, RHP, Paul Laurence Dunbar, 2017
Max FB: 85, FB: 82-84, CB: 64-69, CH: 68-73, SL: 70
6-foot-2, 190-pound RHP has a quick arm and works through a ¾ to high-3/4 slot with regular effort, fastball jumps out of his hand with hard arm-side run, occasional late separation causes him to miss arm-side with the curveball but it’s good when delivery is in sync with sharp 11/5 action, slider is thrown harder than curveball with slurvy type action, will slow arm occasionally on changeup but has good feel for it. Shepherd’s frame and quick arm should mean more velocity to come. He has the potential to work his way into a top arm in the 2017 class.

Jared Sizemore, LHP, Harlan County, 2017
Max FB: 83, FB: 80-82, CB: 67-69, CH: 70-73
6-foot-2, 200-pound LHP with strong frame, uses quick arm action that works mostly through an over the top arm slot with regular effort, consistently pounds the strike zone with all pitches, fastball shows some consistent cut action, curveball has very tight rotation and sharp 12/6 action with depth, shows very good feel for his changeup and stays behind it well to produce significant sink and fade through the zone with good velocity difference off the fastball. Sizemore’s current velocity and pitchabiilty make him one of the top uncommitted LHP’s in the 2017 class.

Sammy Mudd, OF/RHP, St Xavier, 2017
Max FB: 84, FB: 82-84, CB: 68-70, CH: 73-75
5-foot-8, 160-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with some effort in delivery, quick arm, shows ability to pound the strike zone with all pitches, fastball is mostly straight, curveball shows sharp 11/5 action and throws is consistently at the bottom of the strike zone, changeup is solid with good fading action and thrown with good arm speed. Mudd has stayed consistent with his velocity since last summer.

Braden Wyatt, C/3B/RHP, Boyd County, 2017
Max FB: 84, FB: 82-83, CB: 70-73, CH: 68-70,
5-foot-11, 155-pound RHP uses quick and loose arm action through a high-3/4 slot, deliberate delivery with regular effort, fastball is straight, curveball shows some inconsistency but the best one displayed sharp 11/5 action in the strike zone, tends to slow arm on changeup though he did show good feel for it and located it in the strike zone. Wyatt’s arm works well and there may be more velocity in the tank.

Seth Hill, RHP, Knox Central, 2017
Max FB: 84, FB: 80-82, CB: 67-69, CH: 69-71
5-foot-11, 185-pound RHP showed an uptick in velocity from previous event, uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort, arm shows some quickness, shows ability to throw all pitches for strikes, fastball shows late arm-side life, curveball shows sharp 11/5 action and is a very solid pitch, shows feel for the changeup that has late sinking action. Hill continues to get better and may have more velocity in the tank.

Parker Thomas, RHP/1B, Woodford County, 2017
Max FB: 83, FB: 80-83, CB: 71-73, CH: 77-79,
6-foot-1, 186-pound RHP uses long arm action that wraps occasionally on backside, woks through a ¾ arm slot with regular effort, arm action is clean and projects for more velocity, throws strikes with all pitches, fastball shows slight arm-side run, good feel for curveball with 11/5 action, changeup shows some sink but will be more effective with bigger velocity difference off fastball. Thomas is an interesting mound prospect with more velocity likely to come.

Luke Price, 1B/RHP, Christian Academy of Louisville, 2017
Max FB: 83, FB: 79-80, CB: 68-72, CH: 74-76,
6-foot-5, 225-pound RHP showed a slight uptick in velocity, uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, stays tall and uses leverage well to produce downward plane on fastball, locates it well at the bottom of the strike zone, shows feel for curveball with occasional sharp 11/5 action, shows confidence in changeup and throws it for strikes with good arm action. May be more velocity to come for the big right-hander.

Adam Fusco, RHP/3B, South Oldham, 2017
Max FB: 81, FB: 79-81, CB: 65-69, CH: 69-72
6-foot-1, 170-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort in delivery, showed some feel for curveball that has varying 10/4 and 11/5 action, changeup is a solid pitch with some late fade through the zone and is thrown consistently for strikes, given his arm action and frame would expect to see the possibility of Fusco adding more velocity in the near future.

Aaron Blake, RHP, Christian Academy of Louisville, 2017
Max FB: 80, FB: 78-80, CB: 65-69, CH: 70-71
5-foot-11,185-pound RHP showed slightly better velocity at fall event (up to 82). Uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort in delivery, fastball shows some sink and thrown for consistent strikes, shoed better feel for curveball from the stretch as it displayed solid 11/5 action, changeup showed some late tumbling action at the bottom of the strike zone.

Andrew Spalding, SS/RHP, Marion County, 2017
Max FB: 81, FB: 78-80, CB: 68-71, CH: 70-72,
6-foot, 165-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a ¾ slot, loose/clean arm action, good tempo in delivery, arm slot produces good arm-side run on fastball, curveball is slurvy when thrown in the strike zone but gets around it at times and misses up and arm-side, throws a solid changeup with good sinking action and deception off the fastball.

Clay Wagoner, RHP, Warren East, 2017
Max FB: 80, FB: 78-80, CB: 65-67, CH: 72-74, SL: 68-69
6-foot-3, 195-pound RHP with projectable frame, uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, minimal effort in delivery, average arm speed, throws a fastball that is mostly straight for strikes, has good feel for the curveball that displays gradual 12/6 action and some depth, showed a slider that has sharper action than the curveball, changeup shows some tumbling action at the bottom of the strike zone and is thrown with good arm speed.

Austin Dick, SS/RHP, Somerset, 2017
Max FB: 80, FB: 75-77, CB: 66-68, CH: 67-69
6-foot-1,160-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a low-3/4 to ¾ slot with normal effort in delivery, arm action is loose and clean, arm slot produces good arm-side run on fastball, curveball shows mostly 11/5 action and shows some feel for the pitch, has excellent feel for the changeup thrown consistently for strikes at the bottom of the zone with good sink and fade.

Chase Robinson, RHP/OF, Madison Southern, 2017
Max FB: 80, FB: 77-79, CB: 65-67, CH: 71-75,
6-foot-1, 165-pound RHP showed a slight increase in velocity from fall event, uses shorter and quick arm action through a high-3/4 slot, up tempo delivery with maximum effort, falls hard off the first base side at times, fastball was mostly straight and consistently thrown for strikes, curveball showed 11/5 action with some feel for the pitch, solid changeup with sink and thrown with good arm action.

Luke Wilson, OF/RHP, Henry Clay, 2017
Max FB: 81, FB: 79-80, CB: 68-70, CH: 71-73
6-foot, 180-pound RHP works through a high-3/4 arm slot with slight stiffness in arm action and regular effort in delivery, commands fastball well with occasional arm-side run, locates curveball down in the zone with 11/5 action, shows excellent feel for a solid changeup with good velocity difference off fastball, stays behind changeup well to produce good sink and fade on the pitch, showed ability to throw consistent strikes throughout his bullpen session.

Sam Seahorn, SS/RHP, Sayre, 2017
Max FB: 77, FB: 76-77, CB: 65-70, CH: 71-73,
5-foot-10, 155-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through an over the top arm slot with regular effort in delivery, lands open on occasion, has good feel for all pitches and pounds the strike zone consistently, fastball shows occasional sink, curveball shows solid 11/5 action with good depth, changeup is very good with good sink and fade through the zone thrown with fastball arm action. Seahorn’s pitchability is excellent.

Reece Ison, 3B/RHP, Prestonburg, 2017
Max FB: 78, FB: 77-78, CB: 65-68, CH: 71-73
6-foot, 180-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 to over the top arm slot with regular effort, fastball is thrown for strikes and shows occasional late sink, struggled at times to find consistent release point on curveball but is showed solid 12/6 action when he got out front with it, changeup is a solid offering thrown with good arm action and has late sink through the zone.

Andrew Sharp, C/RHP, East Carter, 2017
Max FB: 81, FB: 78-79, CB: 67-68, KN: 68-70
5-foot-7, 185-pound RHP uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot with some effort in delivery, lands open on occasion, fastball is straight and thrown for strikes, showed feel for curveball with 12/6 action and did a nice job keeping it down in the zone, throws a knuckleball for a changeup that he was able to throw mostly for strikes.

Isaac Oelling, OF/RHP, Dixie Heights, 2017
Max FB: 77, FB: 74-76, CB: 62-65, CH: 65-67,
6-foot-2, 175-pound RHP with long/lanky, projectable frame, uses shorter arm action and works through a ¾ slot with some effort in drop and drive type delivery, throws the fastball for strikes with occasional arm-side run, gets under curveball at times, some curveballs displayed 10/4 action, shows feel for the changeup and throws it with good arm speed as it displays some fading action through the zone.

Noah Smedley, SS/RHP, Dixie Heights, 2017
Max FB: 73, FB: 71-73, CB: 64-66, CH: 60-61,
6-foot, 150-pound RHP uses short arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with minimal effort, locates the fastball in the strike zone with occasional arm-side run, curveball shows solid 11/5 action and some depth and is his best secondary pitch, tends to slow arm and get under his changeup that needs continued development.

Adren Thompson, 1B/RHP, Henry Clay, 2017
Max FB: 74, FB: 70-72, CB: 59-61, CH: 64-67, KN: 64
6-foot, 280-pound RHP works through a high-3/4 arm slot with some stiffness in arm action, shows ability to throws consistent strikes, fastball is straight, curveball shows gradual 11/5 action, throws a changeup with some sink in the zone, also showed a knuckleball with the ability to throw it in the strike zone.