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By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

On 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. We wrap up our analysis of the players in attendance over the next few days with a look at the pitchers who participated in the event.

Below we take a look at the Class of 2016 pitchers who were in attendance. This is pitcher analysis only. Those players who also participated as a position player at the event had their position player performance featured in a previous article.

Jake Ziegelmeyer, RHP/1B, Ryle HS, 2016
6-foot-3, 205-pound RHP with strong frame that projects well at the next level, continues to show an increase in velocity, arm is quick and works through a high-3/4 slot, up tempo delivery with a tendency to rush occasionally, fastball sat 86-88 mph and touched 91 mph on last fastball of the day, fastball shows good arm-side run and late sink through the zone, throws a power-type curveball at 73-76 mph with sharp 11/5 action, changeup is solid and thrown with good arm action at 77-80 mph with good sinking action, also throws a hard slider at 79-80 mph with some bite that has potential to be a very good pitch at the next level, high-level Class of 2016 pitcher who continues to make velocity gains.

Michael Higgins, RHP, South Oldham HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 165-pound RHP has added 10 pounds to projectable frame since last summer and showed a significant increase in velocity, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 to over the top arm slot, showed a little more effort in delivery than in the past, fastball sat 85-87 mph and touched 89 on one occasion, showed some feel for 69-72 mph curveball, shows confidence in 77-81 mph changeup that displays some arm-side fade and sink, changeup is thrown with good arm action, continues to develop into one of the top arms in the 2016 class in Kentucky.

Josh Floyd, RHP, Warren Central HS, 2016
6-foot-4, 175-pound RHP with ideal pitcher’s frame that projects well, showed expected significant increase in velocity, uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, clean arm action, quick arm, minimal effort in delivery, fastball sat 84-87 mph touching 88 with good downward tilt, shows some feel for 66-70 mph curveball with 11/5 action, 71-73 mph changeup shows some sink and fade. Floyd has made the expected jump in velocity with more possibly to come, good upside for the projectable right-hander.

Jeffrey Purnell, RHP/SS, Boone County HS, 2016
6-foot-3, 175-pound RHP with frame that projects well at the next level, uses short arm action and works through a high-3/4 to over the top arm slot, has some effort in delivery, arm is quick, good downward tilt on 84-86 mph fastball that touched 87 on one occasion, throws a 71-73 mph curveball with sharp 11/5 action and shows good feel for it, throws changeup with good arm action at 76-77 mph, also flashes a 76-77 mph slider with some bite,  good upside on the 2016 prospect.

Tyler Horsley, RHP, Ballard HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 190-pound RHP showed a jump in velocity since last summer. Uses long arm action working through a high-3/4 slot, regular effort in delivery, occasionally lands open when throwing his fastball, fastball is straight at 85-86 mph topping at 87 once, showed one of the better curveballs of the event at 68-72 mph with 12/6 action and very good depth, shows good feel for his 73-74 mph changeup that is mostly straight, shows ability to throw secondary pitches for strikes and continues to develop into a top arm in the 2016 class.

Carson Coleman, SS/RHP, Lexington Catholic HS, 2016
6-foot-2, 175-pound RHP with very projectable and athletic frame, uses shorter arm action and works through a ¾ to high-3/4 slot, arm shows quickness, has big arm-side run on his fastball that he has difficulty locating in the zone at times, fastball sat 83-85 mph touching 87 on one occasion, throws a slurvy type breaking ball at 68-70 mph that is erratic, 81-83 mph changeup shows good arm-side run and he throws it for strikes, changeup would be more effective with bigger velocity difference off fastball. Coleman has only been pitching for a year and has big potential on the mound as he continues to develop.

Reid Pope, OF/RHP, McCracken County HS, 2016
6-foot, 185-pound RHP showcased good velocity at the event, uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, arm shows quickness, delivery has some effort, fastball sat 83-86 mph touching 87 with some slight arm-side run, shows feel for a 67-71 mph curveball with short 11/5 action, changeup is thrown with good arm action at 71-74 mph and shows some late sink and fade through the zone, recent velocity increase with more possibly to come.

Parker Redmon, RHP, Scott County HS, 2016
6-foot-5, 180-pound, highly projectable RHP with ideal frame, works through a 3/4 arm slot, arm shows some quickness, good rhythm and tempo in delivery with minimal effort, repeats delivery well, shows ability to throw all three pitches for strikes, fastball sat 82-84 mph touching 86 on one occasion with some late arm-side run, shows good feel for 68-72 mph curveball with 11/5 action, locates curveball well at the bottom of the zone, changeup is thrown with good arm action at 71-73 mph and shows feel for the pitch, more velocity likely to come for Redmon.

Ricky Raisor, RHP, Highlands HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 175-pound RHP showed a significant increase in velocity from last summer, uses shorter arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, fastball sat 82-84 mph topping at 85 with some late arm-side life, curveball has really evolved as he showed one of the best of the day with sharp 11/5 action at 67-71 mph, throws 71-72 mph changeup with good arm action and has good deception off the fastball, stays behind the changeup well as it displays good arm-side fade and sink. Raisor is one more velocity jump away from developing into a high-level prospect on the mound.

Jacob Abbott, SS/RHP, Lafayette HS, 2016
6-foot, 175-pound prospect uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, arm action is loose and clean, good rhythm in delivery with regular effort, shows ability to consistently throw strikes with all three pitches, fastball sat 83-85 mph, shows good feel for curveball at 71-74 mph with sharp/late 11/5 action, throws a solid changeup with good sink and locates it at the bottom of the strike zone at 76-79 mph, good pitchability with potential for more velocity.

Aidan Elias, OF/RHP, Sayre HS, 2016
6-foot-2, 170-pound RHP with good pitcher’s frame that projects well, works through a high-3/4 slot, arm is loose and quick, minimal effort in delivery, fastball sat 81-83 mph, shows feel for 66-70 mph curveball with 11/5 action, throws a 74-76 mph changeup with good arm action that shows sink and fade through the zone, good feel for the changeup and throws it for strikes, arm works well and projects to add more velocity.

Chris Brown, RHP/3B, Allen County-Scottsville HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 185-pound RHP with strong frame, uses shorter arm action that comes straight back out of the glove, high-3/4 arm slot, showed some effort in delivery on fastball, fastball sat 81-83 mph touching 84 on one occasion and tended to be up in the zone, fastball is mainly straight, showed good feel for 66-69 mph curveball that he threw consistently for strikes with 11/5 action, slows arm some on 69-72 mph changeup that is straight, showed an increase in velocity since last summer when fastball was 79-81 mph.

Will Boothe, SS/RHP, Muhlenberg County HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 155-pound RHP uses long arm action through an over the top arm slot, good tempo in delivery, good direction with lower half, fastball is straight at 78-80 mph topping at 82 on one occasion, shows good feel for 66-70 mph curveball with 12/6 action and some depth, throws 70-73 mph changeup with good arm action, changeup is straight but has good deception off the fastball, fills up the strike zone with all three of his pitches.

Seth Johnson, OF/RHP, Franklin Simpson HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 160-pound RHP with room to fill in frame, uses long arm action and works through a ¾ slot, drop and drive type delivery with minimal effort, throws slightly across body at times, fastball sat 79-82 mph with occasional arm-side run, curveball shows sharp 11/5 action when he stays on top of it but gets under it at times leaving it up, shows some feel for 70-73 mph changeup, interesting prospect on the mound.

Nate Beavers, RHP/2B, Woodford County HS, 2016
6-foot-2, 168-pound RHP with good pitcher’s frame that projects well, uses short arm action and works through a low-3/4 to ¾ arm slot, fastball sat 79-81 mph (up to 83 at previous event) and showed arm-side run, shows some feel for 64-66 mph curveball with 11/5 action but occasionally gets under it, also showed a 70-71 mph slider that he drops further down on than the curveball that he tended to get under on this occasion, throws a solid 72-74 mph changeup with good deception and arm speed that shows late sink and fade, has some funk in delivery that could make for an uncomfortable at bat.

Kyle Fieger, RHP, Beechwood HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 165-pound RHP uses short arm action through a high-3/4 arm slot, regular effort in delivery, good direction with lower half, fastball sat 79-80 mph touching 82 on one occasion, fastball shows good arm-side run, 66-68 mph curveball tended to be up as he was getting around it, changeup showed to be his best present secondary pitch 72-73 mph with good fade, throws changeup with good arm action and shows good deception off the fastball.

Drew Borman, OF/RHP, Conner HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 170-pound RHP showed an increase in velocity since last summer, uses short arm action that comes straight back from the glove, works through a high-3/4 slot, regular effort in delivery, fastball sat 78-81 mph topping at 82 and was mostly straight, 62-64 mph curveball shows 11/5 action and was thrown mostly for strikes, showed a 69-72 mph changeup that is mostly straight and showed the ability to locate it down in the zone, 64-67 mph slider tended to be flat, curveball is best secondary pitch at present.

Lindon May, RHP, Henry Clay HS, 2016
6-foot-4, 170-pound, highly projectable RHP with ideal frame, uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, clean arm action, shows minimal effort in delivery and repeats it well, fastball sat 77-78 mph and is mostly straight, curveball is best secondary pitch at 65-68 mph with 11/5 action and some depth, shows good feel for the curveball with good command, has a tendency to get around his 69-70 mph changeup with some cutting action that has potential to be a solid pitch if he stays behind it consistently, combination of frame and loose arm should lead to more velocity in the future.

Blake Redmon, 2B/RHP, Franklin County HS, 2016
5-foot-8, 155-pound RHP has converted from an over-hand pitcher to a side-arm pitcher, fastball sat 75-79 mph touching 80 on one occasion and showed some arm-side run and sink, 62-66 mph curveball displayed gradual sweeping action, changeup proved to be his best current secondary pitch from the sidearm slot at 69-72 mph with very good sink and fade through the zone, the drop down to a sidearm pitcher makes him an interesting prospect on the mound with the potential to be very effective as he continues to develop the curveball.

Allen Howe, RHP/2B, Trinity (Whitesville) HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 190-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, arm shows some quickness, easy effort in delivery, fastball sat 77-78 mph touching 79 once and is mostly straight, 66-70 mph curveball tends to be up in the zone with gradual 11/5 action, throws a 67-69 mph changeup with good velocity difference off fastball, shows some feel for the changeup and is able to throw it consistently for strikes.

Rick McGraw, 3B/RHP, Christian County HS, 2016
5-foot-9, 155-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a 3/4 arm slot, shows some slight stiffness in arm action occasionally, regular effort in delivery, fastball sat 76-79 mph and showed some arm-side run and sink with the ¾ slot, shows good feel and command of 63-65 mph curveball with 11/5 action, tended to bury 69-70 mph changeup but has the makings to be a good pitch with further development.

Tanner Maple, 1B/RHP, Greenwood HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 180-pound RHP uses long arm action and works through a 3/4 slot, has an up tempo delivery with regular effort, fastball sat 73-75 mph topping at 76 with some arm-side run, changeup is his best secondary pitch at 62-65 mph with some arm-side fade and sinking action, lacked feel for 56-59 mph curveball and slows arm on it, also showed a 65-68 mph cutter.