By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

The Preseason All-State Showcase saw 19 pitchers from the 2015 class take the mound to throw bullpen sessions. Top to bottom it was a solid group with several showing the potential to be high-level prospects.

Below is a look at the Class of 2015 pitchers from the event.

top performers

Zac Conner, RHP/OF, Paul Laurence Dunbar HS, 2015
6-foot-5, 190-pound prospect with lanky frame and big projectability, uses long arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, good rhythm and tempo in delivery, fastball showed late arm-side life at 85-86 mph, throws a 74-76 mph curveball and 78 mph slider, some inconsistency with the breaking balls but some sliders showed sharp/late break and have the potential to be a swing-and-miss type pitch with further development, showed good command of 76-79 mph changeup with significant sink and fade thrown with good arm action, big upside for this potential high-level prospect.

Anthony Ethington, RHP, Lexington Cathlic HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 173-pound prospect with lanky build and good projectability, good rhythm and tempo in delivery, repeats delivery well, uses long and loose arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, fastball showed hard/late sink at 83-84 mph (3-5 mph increase since August 2013), showed good command of 72-74 mph breaking ball that has sharp/late break, good arm action on 76-78 mph changeup with some fade.  Ethington has showed a big recent jump in velocity and would not be surprised to see more in the near future, potential high-level prospect.

Mitchell Jones, RHP, Highlands HS, 2015
6-foot, 160-pound prospect with lanky frame that projects, uses long arm action through a ¾ arm slot, showed an increase in velocity from previous event as fastball sat 83-85 and touched 87 on his final pitch, shows good command of curveball that showed sharp 10/4 action at 69-72 mph, also throws a 70-72 mph slider that is similar to his curveball, good run and sink on 73-76 mph changeup thrown with good arm action, and throws a 71 mph splitter with some sink, good command of all pitches, potential high-level arm in the 2015 class.

Kaven Brown, RHP, Bourbon County HS, 2015
6-foot-4, 195-pound prospect, lean and lanky frame with good projectability, uses long arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, arm is loose, easy effort in delivery, fastball showed good arm-side run at 82-84 mph, showed good command of 69-72 mph curveball with sharp 11/5 action, throws a 72-75 mph slider that should continue to develop, 74-75 mph changeup showed good sink and fade thrown with good arm action, potential high-level prospect that projects for more velocity in the near future.

Christian Ricketson, RHP, Union County HS, 2015
5-foot-11, 167-pound prospect with athletic build, uses shorter arm action through an over the top arm slot, delivery requires some effort, arm is very quick, fastball is mainly straight at 83-85 mph and touched 86, fastball lost some velocity from the stretch 81-82 mph, curveball showed tight spin and sharp 11/5 action at 67-68 mph, changeup shows some fade at 70-73 mph, changeup s would benefit from better arm action (tends to push it), definite arm to follow in 2015 class with potential to be high-level prospect.

Stephen Thompson, LHP, Owensboro Catholic HS, 2015
5-foot-11, 155-pound prospect with lanky build and long legs, arm is loose, works through a high ¾ arm slot, fastball showed good arm-side run at 81-83 mph, showed good command of 71-72 mph curveball that showed hard 2/8 action with tight spin, changeup sat 78-79 mph with run and needs bigger velocity difference off fastball to be most effective, good upside for this left-hander and an arm to follow closely in the 2015 class.

Logan Mallory, RHP/1B, North Laurel HS, 2015
6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect with strong and athletic frame with room to fill, uses medium arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, repeatable delivery, throws downhill, 4-seam fastball showed some cut action, 2-seamer showed arm-side run, fastball sat 82-84 mph, good command of 70-74 mph curveball with sharp 11/5 action, showed good command of 75-76 mph changeup thrown with good arm action, has shown a slight increase in velocity in the last year with potential to add more in the near future.

Maxx Mahon, RHP/1B, West Jessamine HS, 2015
6-foot-1, 235-pound prospect, uses medium arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, arm shows some quickness, showed good command of all pitches, fastball sat 83-84 and touched 85 with some late life, showed 71-73 mph curveball with sharp 11/5 action, good feel for 75-77 mph changeup that showed solid sink and fade, pounds the strike zone, the question is with his frame is there any additional velocity to come, would be high-level pitching prospect with some velocity gains.

Taylor Grider, RHP, Russell County HS, 2015
6-foot, 180-pound prospect with athletic frame, uses shorter arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, arm is quick, repeats delivery, fastball is mainly straight at 82-84 mph, curveball showed some depth at 64-65 mph which he commanded well, tendency to slow arm on the curveball, changeup is a solid pitch at 74-76 mph with good run and sink, throws a lot of strikes with all 3 pitches, definite arm to follow in the 2015 class.

best of the rest (alphabetical order)

Addison Coffey, C/RHP, Boyle County HS, 2015
5-foot-9, 160-pound prospect with average build, room for additional strength on frame, uses long arm action through high ¾ arm slot, fastball shows occasional cutting action at 77-79 mph, has good command of 64-66 mph curveball that showed more gradual 11/5 break than previously, strays behind changeup well to generate good sink and fade at 73-74 mph, good command of changeup with good arm speed, fills up the strike zone consistently with all 3 pitches.

Cameron Edwards, LHP/OF, Campbell County HS, 2015
5-foot-11, 175-pound prospect with athletic build, uses shorter arm action through high ¾ arm slot, arm is loose and athletic, repeats compact delivery, fastball shows late arm-side run at 77-78 mph, shows good command of 61-62 mph curveball with 2/8 shape, tendency to slow arm on curveball, throws a cutter at 72-73 mph that is solid with late movement, showed inconsistent command of 68-69 mph changeup, interesting prospect that could see velocity gains in the near future.

Matthew Frank, RHP, Christian Academy of Louisville, 2015
6-foot-3, 190-pound prospect , athletic and projectable frame, uses long arm action through an over the top arm slot, fastball showed late arm-side run and sink at 80-81 mph, curveball showed 12/6 shape with some depth at 67-71 mph, tends to bury changeup at 75-76 mph that was mainly straight, goodlife on fastball, secondary pitches have improved and continue to develop, good projectability.

Patrick McBride, RHP, Hancock Co HS, 2015
6-foot-4, 190-pound prospect, athletic and projectable frame, uses long arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, repeatable delivery, fastball is mainly straight at 79-81 mph and touched 82, showed good command of 67-70 mph curveball with 11/5 action, 73-75 mph changeup is a solid pitch and showed good sink and fade thrown with good arm action, consistently throws strikes with all 3 pitches

Evan Nicoulin, 2B/RHP, Paul Laurence Dunbar HS, 2015
6-foot, 167-pund prospect with athletic build, uses short arm action through a high ¾ to over the top arm slot, delivery requires some effort, lands open at times, showed a quick arm, fastball showed some cut action at 79-82 mph, showed good command of 71-72 mph curveball with sharp 11/5 action, gets around changeup causing some cut action at 71 mph, curveball is solid and best secondary pitch at present, has potential for additional velocity.

Sam Shelley, RHP, Lafayette HS, 2015
6-foot-1, 172-pound prospect, athletic build with room to fill in, uses long arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, arm is loose, fastball is mostly straight at 78-80, showed good command of solid 69-72 mph curveball with late 11/5 action, throws 74-75 mph changeup with good arm action and it showed good sink, solid secondary pitches with possibly more velocity in the tank.

Will Sherman, RHP, Lexington Catholic HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect uses shorter arm action through an over the top arm slot, delivery requires minimal effort,  fastball is straight at 81-82 mph, showed good command of 65-66 mph curveball with 12/6 action, tends to slow arm on 69 mph changeup that showed some fade, has potential with continued development of secondary pitches.

Parker Taylor, LHP, Nelson County HS, 2015
6-foot-3, 185-pound prospect, lanky frame with projectability, uses long arm action through a high ¾ arm slot, arm is loose with some quickness, lands closed, fastball sat 78-80 mph touching 81 with good arm-side run, showed some feel for 69-70 mph curveball with sharp 1/7 action, 73-75 mph changeup showed some run when he stayed behind it, and occasional cutting action when he got around it, interesting prospect on the mound that should project for more velocity.

Travis Weber, OF/RHP, Butler HS, 2015
5-foot-9, 170-pound prospect, uses medium arm action through over the top arm slot, fastball was mainly straight on this occasion at 76-77 mph (77-80 at previous event), curveball shows gradual 12/6 action at 66-69 mph, good command of the curveball consistently throwing it for strikes, shows good command of 71-72 mph changeup with some run and sink, consistently pounds the strike zone with all three pitches.