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 8 (Gray). 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.

James Dupree, RHP, Sayre, 2017
Max FB: 86, FB: 83-86, CB: 70-72, SL: 76
6-foot-3, 210-pound RHP with strong/athletic frame, arm is quick and works through a high-3/4 slot with normal effort, worked quickly and filled up the strike zone in one of the more impressive outings of the event, two-seam fastball shows good arm-side run, shows good feel for his sharp curveball with 11/5 action, also showed a harder slider with short/late break, worked two perfect innings striking out the first four hitters he faced (3 looking FB, one swinging SL). Dupree showed a jump in velocity from last summer. Would not be surprised to see high-80s velocity from him in the near future.

Drew Rom, LHP, Highlands, 2018
Max FB: 84, FB: 82-84, CH: 75-77, SL: 74-77
6-foot-1, 168-pound LHP has the potential to be one of the top left-handers in the 2018 class. Rom’s arm action is long and loose and works through a high-3/4 slot with minimal effort, fastball was mostly straight but works both sides of the plate, showed a late-breaking slider that was inconsistent in the zone, has solid feel for the changeup, allowed four hits in his two innings of work which was the product of elevating some fastballs in the hitting zone, also struck out three (two on FB one on SL). Rom’s breaking pitch needs some work, but he has all the makings of developing into a highly-sought LHP.

Dalton Shoemake, LHP, Glasgow, 2017
Max FB: 83, FB: 80-83, CB: 62-65
6-foot, 175-pound LHP uses long and clean arm action with minimal effort and works through a high-3/4 slot, shows good pitchability with a fastball/curveball mix, has shown similar velocity at each event, two-seam fastball shows good arm-side run, has excellent feel for the curveball with 1/7 action and good depth, allowed two hits and struck out two (one FB, one CB) in his two innings of work. Shoemake’s ability to pitch will make him a valuable LHP on a staff at the next level.

Jonathan Beymer, RHP, Hopkinsville, 2017
Max FB: 85, FB: 82-83, CB: 71-72
6-foot-2, 175-pound RHP with projectable frame, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot, arm action is loose and clean, quick arm, fastball velocity was down slightly from previous event (up to 87), showed a harder curveball than in the past with sharp 11/5 action and tight spin, allowed two hits and struck out two (both looking on FB) in his two innings of work. The combination of Beymer’s frame and arm action should lead to additional velocity as he fills out his frame.

Chase Robinson, RHP, Madison Southern, 2017
Max FB: 80, FB: 79-80, CB: 68-73,
6-foot-1, 165-pound RHP has plenty of room to fill in slender frame, arm action was longer than previous events with less effort in delivery, works through a high-3/4 arm slot, fastball velocity was similar as previous events, showed a slider type breaking ball with late/short break and occasional sharpness, allowed two hits and walked one in his two innings of work, will benefit from working more consistently in the lower part of the strike zone.