By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

On July 22-23, a total of 100 players from the Classes of 2016, 2017, and 2018 convened at Bryan Station High School and the University of Kentucky for the 2nd Annual Kentucky Underclass Games Event.  The following is a look at the position players from Team Carbon.  This is position analysis only.  Those players who also pitched at the event had their pitching featured in a previous article.

middle infielders

Jaxson Blair, 2B/OF/RHP, R/R, Lexington Christian Academy, 2016
5-foot-10, 155-pound prospect shows good athleticism, ran 6.86 60-yard dash, 83 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, maintains good balance, line drive type hitter, offensive game will improve with additional strength.  Defensively, showed well as both an outfielder and infielder, moves well in the outfield and plays through the baseball with athletic actions, accurate throws to the third base bag with online carry, 84 mph arm.  In the infield, good footwork and lateral movement, soft hands, accurate arm at 79 mph across the diamond, went 0-for-3 in game play, athletic prospect.

Noah Marion, 2B, L/R, North Bullitt HS, 2016
6-foot, 145-pound prospect ran a 7.41 60-yard dash with 76 mph tee exit velocity, left-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, shows ability to use all fields, line drive type hitter, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single up the middle.  Defensively, shows soft hands and fluid footwork, works through the baseball, accurate arm from ¾ slot, has ability to throw on the move, reached top velocity of 74 mph across the infield.

Hunter Wright, SS/RHP, R/R, Paul Laurence Dunbar HS, 2017
5-foot-10, 140-pound prospect ran a 7.32 60-yard dash and registered 78 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, arm bar creates some length in swing, line drive type hitter with level swing path, offensive game will benefit from added strength.  Defensively, shows athletic infield actions, arm is loose and accurate across the diamond, reached a top velocity of 78 mph, athletic young prospect with good upside.

Nathan Henry, RHP/SS, R/R Lexington Christian Academy, 2017
6-foot, 160-pound prospect ran 7.43 60-yard dash and showed his bat speed with 86 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from an open stance with a short stride, line drive type hitter, impressed in batting practice with hard line drive contact to all fields, went 0-for-3 in game play.  Defensively, shows adequate hands and an accurate arm across the diamond, reached a top velocity of 76 mph, should continue to develop game and is a 2017 player to watch.

Nick Nelson, 2B, R/R, St. Xavier HS, St. Xavier HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 140-pound prospect ran 8.00 60-yard dash with 77 mph tee exit velocity, hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, shows some hand quickness, line drive type hitter, went 0-for-3 in game play.  Shows well defensively with soft hands, quick exchange, and ability to throw accurately from different arm angles, showed significant improvement in arm strength from previous event at 74 mph across the infield (68 at previous event).

Mason Vinyard, 2B/RHP, R/R, St. Mary HS, 2017
6-foot-2, 170-pound prospect ran 8.45 60-yard dash with 71 mph tee exit velocity. Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, short line drive producing swing, maintains good balance, went 1-for-3 in game play with a line drive single to center.  Defensively, shows better movement than 60 time would indicate, works through the baseball, soft hands, showed the ability to throw accurately on the move from different arm angles, accurate arm across the infield, 78 mph arm strength.

corner infielders

Eddie Satisky, 3B/RHP, R/R, Lafayette HS, 2017
6-foot, 180-pound prospect ran a 8.45 60 yard dash with 82 mph tee exit velocity, hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, brings front foot back in load, short swing path, generates some bat speed through the zone, consistently squared up the baseball in batting practice showing some pull side power, went 0-for-3 in game play with two strikeouts. Defensively, shows solid corner actions, good body control with the ability to throw on the move from different arm angles, accurate arm across the infield with 78 mph arm strength.

Lofton Pigg, 1B/LHP, R/L, Calloway County HS, 2018
6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect ran a 7.34 60-yard dash with 80 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with no stride, good balance, strong use of lower half, generates good bat speed through the zone, stays inside the baseball well, went 0-for-3 in game play hitting the ball hard on two occasions.  Defensively, shows soft hands with good footwork around the bag, 72 mph arm across the infield, high follow in 2018 class with potential to develop into power bat.

Nolan Johnson, LHP/1B, L/L, Daviess County HS, 2017
6-foot, 150-pound prospect ran a 7.93 60-yard dash with 78 mph tee exit velocity. Hits from an open stance with a short stride, hands show some looseness, wraps some in load, went 0-for-3 in game play with two strikeouts.  Defensively, shows soft hands with 76 mph arm across the infield, good footwork around the first base bag.

Andrew Parker, RHP/1B, R/R, Eastern HS, 2017
6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect ran a 7.94 60 yard dash with 76 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, stays quiet with level swing path, showed good barrel awareness in batting practice, went 0-for-2 in game play.  Defensively, shows good movement at first base, starts double play well, 70 mph arm across the infield.  Solid young hitter.

Rudy Akemon, 3B, R/R, Hazard HS, 2017
5-foot-11, 185-pound prospect ran an 8.06 60 yard dash with 76 mph tee exit velocity. Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, long and level swing path, shows occasional power to the pull side, went 0-for-2 in game play with a pull approach.  Defensively, showed average corner actions, short arm action, 65 mph arm across the infield.

John Hicks, 3B, R/R, Greenwood HS, 2018
6-foot, 200-pound prospect ran an 8.10 60 yard dash and registered 79 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from an open stance with medium length stride, line drive type hitter with some gap to gap power, went 0-for-2 in game play.  Defensively, showed some accurate throws across the infield with developing arm strength at 64 mph.

catchers

Jackson Milhollan, C/OF, R/R, Ballard HS, 2017
5-foot-7, 130-pound prospect flashed some speed running a 7.06 60 yard dash, registered 74 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, line drive type hitter, showed opposite field approach in game play going 0-for-3 with line out in one at bat.  Defensively, showed solid receiving skills and improved pop times from previous event at 2.27-2.34, 66 mph arm strength from behind the plate.  As an outfielder, plays through the ball, 71 mph arm strength with some accurate throws to the third base bag.

Nick Jarvis, C, L/R, Harlan HS, 2016
6-foot-2, 200-pound catcher with physical frame ran a 7.84 60 yard dash with 75 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a slightly open stance with minimal stride, uphill swing path, ball jumps when barreled, shows some flashes of power.  Defensively, showed pop times of 2.21-2.35 with 68 mph arm strength from the crouch, room to improve pop times with quicker feet, shows developing receiving skills, solid blocker.

outfielders

Justin Ray, OF, S/L, Carroll County HS, 2016
5-foot-9, 145-pound prospect ran a 7.25 60 yard dash and registered 74 mph tee exit velocity from the left side and 73 mph from the right side.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride from both sides of the plate, left-handed swing looks more natural with a solid, line-drive producing stroke, shows potential from the right side as well, went 0-for-3 in game play making contact to all fields.  Defensively, shows athletic outfield actions, attacks the ball on the ground well, reached a top velocity of 78 mph on mostly accurate throws to the third base bag, interesting switch-hitting prospect.

Noah Thornberry, OF, L/L, Warren Central HS, 2017
5-foot-9, 150-pound prospect ran a 7.32 60 yard dash and registered 78 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with short stride, good use of lower half torque, creates some barrel whip through the zone, creates some lift in swing, ball jumps when barreled and showed some opposite field power, went 0-for-3 in game play.  Defensively, plays through the ball well on the ground, developing arm strength of 71 mph with short arm action.

Mason Schroeder, OF, L/R, Danville HS, 2017
5-foot-10, 145-pound prospect ran a 7.44 60 yard dash and registered 74 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with minimal stride, level swing path, line drive type hitter, showed mid to opposite field approach in game play going 0-for-3.  Defensively, two-handed approach to ball on the ground, can play through the ball more aggressively, showed 72 mph arm strength on throws to the third base bag.

Duncan Smith, OF, L/R, Hopkinsville HS, 2016
5-foot-9, 130-pound prospect ran a 7.62 60-yard dash and registered 67 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, good balance, level swing path with line-drive production, went 0-for-3 in game play making contact to all fields, reached on an error and stole a base.  Defensively, two-handed approach to ball on the ground, showed a loose and accurate arm on throws to the third base bag, reached a top velocity of 73 mph.