By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

The PBR Kentucky Underclass Games event took place on June 29-30 with a combination showcase/game play event at Sayre HS and the University of Kentucky. The event afforded players from around the state the opportunity to showcase their abilities and establish themselves as top players in their respective classes. The following is a look at the position players for Team Red at the event. This is position player analysis only. Those players who also pitched for Team Red had that evaluation featured in a previous article.

middle infielders

Logan Castleman, SS, R/R, Beechwood HS, 2019
5-foot-9, 155-pound right-handed hitter hits from an open stance and squares up with a short stride, shows some hand quickness for young prospect, line drive type hitter with level swing path, 75 mph exit velocity, has good speed for age with 7.14 60-yard dash, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to left field and made contact in each at bat. Shows athletic actions with soft hands defensively, works through the baseball well, long high-3/4 release with good arm strength for age at 76 mph across the infield, solid young prospect to keep an eye on moving forward.

Noah Huseman, RHP/SS, R/R, Beechwood HS, 2017
5-foot-11, 175-pound right-handed hitter hits from an open stance and gets to square with a short stride, has an arm bar in load phase creating some length in swing, long/level swing path, line drive type hitter, average bat speed, 79 mph exit velocity, ran a 7.66 60-yard dash, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to left field. Soft hands with good lateral movement defensively, short high-3/4 release with good arm strength at 81 mph across the infield and accurate throws, arm is current best tool.

Drew Goodlett, SS, R/R, Collins HS, 2019
5-foot-9, 150-pound right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, tends to drop hands to trigger swing causing a long/uphill path at times, has some hand quickness, registered 79 mph exit velocity, good speed for age with 7.05 60-yard dash, went 0-for-4 in game play with one strikeout. Charges the ball aggressively in the infield with playable hands, good body control with ability to throw accurately on the move, ¾ release with above average arm strength for age at 77 mph across the infield, good athleticism for young prospect.

Eric Silvy, 2B/RHP, R/R, Christian County HS, 2019
5-foot-8, 135-pound Right-handed hitter hits from an open stance, has a leg kick trigger with a long stride, bars arm in load phase with some wrapping of bat, long swing with average bat speed, 75 mph exit velocity, ran a 7.76 60-yard dash, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to left field and two strikeouts. Shows adequate hands defensively, above average arm strength for age with a long high-3/4 release, accurate throws, 75 mph velocity across the infield, game will continue to evolve with physical maturity and strength gains.

corner infielders

Trent Shelby, 3B, L/R, McCracken County HS, 2017
5-foot-10, 160-pound left-handed hitter had an impressive showing. Hits from a open stance and squares up with a short stride, short swing path and gets the barrel through the zone with quick hands, line drive type hitter with gap power, uses all fields well, ran a 7.25 60-yard dash, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to left field. Best defensive showing to date, soft hands and good corner actions, good body control with ability to throw on the move, accurate throws across the diamond with 80 mph velocity.

Luke Price, RHP/1B, L/R, Christian Academy of Louisville, 2017
6-foot-3, 205-pound left-handed hitter hits from an open stance and loads back, short stride, shows flashes of pull-side power and could develop more in the future, 84 mph exit velocity, ran a 7.65 60-yard dash, went 0-for-2 in game play with a SAC fly. Has soft hands defensively, shows some athleticism for size, 81 mph arm strength across the infield with accurate throws, solid defensively at first base.

outfielders

Peyton Brown, OF, R/R, West Carter HS, 2018
5-foot-8, 160-pound right-handed hitter established himself as a top 2018 prospect. Hits from an open stance with an aggressive stride, slight uphill swing path, flashes good power to the pull side for size, good bat speed for age with 85 mph exit velocity, ran an event best 6.77 60-yard dash, went 2-for-3 in game play with singles to left and right and also reached base on an error. Shows good athleticism in outfield, plays through the baseball, long over the top release with 83 mph velocity and good carry to throws, threw a runner out at third base easily in game play, definitely a 2018 to follow closely.

Trey Eden, OF, R/R, Madison Central HS, 2018
6-foot, 155-pound right-handed hitter flashed speed with a 6.95 60-yard dash. Hits from an open stance and gets to square with a mid-length stride, hands load back with an arm bar that creates some length to swing, showed some present bat speed with 81 mph exit velocity, hit well in game play going 2-for-4 with two singles (one would have been a double but slipped rounding first base), aggressive on bases (stole third base). Played through the ball more aggressively than previous event, long high-3/4 to over the top release, accurate throws, showed an increase in velocity from the fall at 78 mph.

Tyler Gabehart, OF/RHP, R/R, Fern Creek HS, 2018
5-foot-10, 145-pound right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, mid-length stride, good bat speed for age, 82 mph exit velocity, line drive type hitter who shows some power to the pull side, good speed, ran a 6.98 60-yard dash, went 1-for-4 in game play with a double that short-hopped the left field wall. Plays through the ball in the outfield, good athleticism, long exchange, high-3/4 release with accurate throws, 76 mph velocity with average carry, continues to make impressive strides in overall game.

Ben Keplinger, OF/RHP, R/R, Paul Laurence Dunbar HS, 2017
5-foot-10, 165-pound right-handed hitter hits from an open stance and squares with a long stride, short swing path with some bat speed, line drive type hitter, registered a 90 mph exit velocity, showed some speed with a 7.06 60-yard dash, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to right field and two strikeouts. Defensively, plays through the ball with soft hands and fluid feet, long high-3/4 release, some accurate throws, 68 mph velocity will need to continue to improve.

Cannon MCDaniel, OF, L/R, South Warren HS, 2018
6-foot, 145-pound left-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, average balance and bat speed, level swing path, line drive type hitter, 70 mph exit velocity, ran a 7.37 60-yard dash, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to left-center and two strikeouts. Plays through the ball in the outfield with soft hands, long high-3/4 release, 74 mph velocity with some accurate throws to the bag.

catchers

Jackson Campbell, C/OF, R/R, Logan County HS, 2017
5-foot-8, 160-pound right-handed hitter right-handed hitter, flashed good speed with 6.83 60-yard dash, hits from a narrow/open stance and squares front side with a longer stride, good lower half torque and maintains balance through swing, quick hands, went 1-for-4 in game play with a double to left field. Athletic defender in the outfield, very accurate throws with 81 mph velocity and online carry. Behind the plate has an extremely quick transfer and release with quick feet, over the top release, 73 mph velocity, all throws on the bag with 1.86-1.92 pop times.

Tyler Grigalis, C, L/R, Lexington Catholic HS, 2018
5-foot-10, 170-pound left-handed hitter established himself as a high-level 2018 prospect. Hits from an open stance and squares front side with a short stride, good balance throughout swing, short swing path with good extension through contact, gap to gap approach and showed good pull side power, 80 mph exit velocity, ran a 7.33 60-yard dash, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to right field. Showed a big jump in arm strength from last fall, 76 mph from the crouch with 1.91-1.95 pop times, very accurate throws glove side on the bag, quick transfer and release.

Hunter Evans, C, R/R, South Warren HS, 2018
6-foot-3, 165-pound right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, long stride, gets to front side early at times, shows projectable power, ball jumps off his barrel, 72 mph exit velocity, ran a 7.85 60-yard dash, went 1-for-3 in game play with a double that was smoked to left-center field. Showed improved arm strength defensively from previous event at 71 mph from behind the plate, improved pop times 2.08-2.20 with a quick release, has room to improve footwork which would result in better velocity, tended to one hop throws to second base.

Robert Justus, C, R/R, Hopkinsville HS, 2019
5-foot-5, 149-pound right-handed hitter hits from a balanced stance, short stride, lacks involvement of lower half in swing, long swing path, 70 mph exit velocity, ran an 8.76 60-yard dash, went 0-for-4 in game play with three strikeouts. Defensively showed 66 mph arm strength from behind the plate, 2.20-2.28 pop times with fairly quick transfer and release, mostly accurate throws to the bag.