By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

The 2016 Top Prospect Games took place on June 14-15 and afforded more than 150 players from around the state the opportunity to showcase their abilities to the PBR Kentucky staff and numerous college coaches in a combination showcase/game play event.

CLICK HERE to view the top statistical performers and statistics for all players in attendance.

The following is an in-depth look at the pitchers from Team 7 (Black). Please note that this is pitcher analysis only. Those pitchers who also participated as a position player will have that performance featured in a subsequent article.

Braxton Cottongame, LHP/OF/1B, Perry County Central, 2018
Max FB: 87, FB: 85-87, CB: 70-73
6-foot-4, 188-pound LHP instantly became one of the top arms in the 2018 class and committed to Kentucky following the event. Long and lanky with tremendous upside, Cottongame worked quickly and showed a quick arm through a high-3/4 slot, fastball showed occasional arm-side life. He also mixed in a curveball with sharp 1/7 action. In game action Cottongame struck out two batters (both on FB) in a perfect inning of work.

Nicolas Nelson, RHP/1B, Mason County, 2017
Max FB: 89, FB: 85-86, CB: 74-76,
6-foot-2, 185-pound RHP committed to Xavier University following the event. Has an athletic frame with a quick arm that works through an over the top arm slot, has some effort and head snap in delivery, fastball works on a downhill plane at times, shows a sharp curveball with 11/5 and occasional 12/6 action, came after hitters aggressively with the fastball, allowed three hits and walked one in his inning of work.

Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, Trinity, 2017
Max FB: 86, FB: 83-86, CB: 71-75
6-foot-2, 190-pound RHP with an athletic frame, arm action is loose and quick, works through a ¾ slot that produces good arm-side run on his fastball, breaking ball is very sharp with 11/5 action, had a tendency to miss out (to RHH’s) with the breaking ball in this outing but it has potential to be a college level swing and miss pitch, allowed one hit, walked two, and struck out two in his two innings of work. Pfaadts frame and quick arm should lend to more velocity development. Would not be surprised at all to see him consistently in the high-80s his senior season.

Brandon Pingleton, RHP/2B, Garrard County, 2017
Max FB: 85, FB: 83-84, CB: 72-73
6-foot, 170-pound RHP with athletic frame, arm action is loose and very clean, works through a high3/4 arm slot with regular effort, works quickly and attacks the strike zone, showed a gain in velocity since last summer, fastball shows occasional arm-side run and sink, throws a solid curveball with tight spin and 11/5 action, retired the side in order in his one inning on the mound, competes well and knows how to pitch. Pingleton has likely not reached his ceiling with additional velocity likely to come.

Jack Ockerman, LHP/OF, Woodford County, 2017
Max FB: 83, FB: 79-81, CB: 65-66,
5-foot-10, 160-pound LHP showed a slight uptick in velocity, arm action is clean and loose and works through a high-3/4 slot with normal effort, fastball is mainly straight, throws a curveball with 1/7 action and some depth, consistently fills up the strike zone with both pitches, worked a quick and efficient inning recording two infield outs and a strikeout (swinging on FB).

Ethan Osborne, RHP, Sheldon Clark, 2017
Max FB: 83, FB: 80-82, CB: 69-73
6-foot-2, 190-pound RHP uses a long, windmill type arm action that works through a high-3/4 slot with some effort, showed a slight uptick in velocity since previous event, fastball shows occasional arm-side run, curveball is solid with 11/5 action and quality depth, showed an ability to throw both pitches for strikes, allowed four hits to go along with no walks and two strikeouts (one on FB, one on CB) in his two innings of work.

Ty Ramey, RHP, Caldwell County, 2018
Max FB: 81, FB: 78-81, CB: 68-69
6-foot-6, 210-pound RHP with large frame and obvious projectability, works through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort and long arm action, showed similar velocity from winter event, fastball is straight but he stays tall and uses leverage to produce a downhill plane, curveball showed solid depth and good 11/5 action, consistently throws strikes with all pitches, allowed one hit and struck out two (both swinging on FB) in his two innings of work. Ramey has yet to show additional velocity, but it’s certainly a possibility moving forward.