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 the University of Kentucky and Bryan Station High School for the 2nd Annual Kentucky Underclass Games Event.  The following is a look at the position players from Team Royal.  This is position analysis only.  Those players who also pitched at the event had their pitching featured in a previous article.

middle infielders

Rook Ellington, SS/RHP, R/R, McCracken County HS, 2018
5-foot-10, 150-pound prospect showed good speed for age running a 7.16 60-yard dash, registered 84 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with aggressive stride, good lower half torque, took good round of batting practice,went 1-for-4 in game play with a triple, aggressive on bases.  Defensively, shows soft hands and good lateral movement, some accurate throws with 70 mph arm across the infield, 2018 prospect to follow.

Cameron Dukes, 2B/RHP, R/R, Bullitt Central HS, 2016
6-foot, 170-pound prospect ran a 7.75 60-yard dash and registered 84 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from an open stance, slight leg kick trigger, gets close to arm bar in load creating some length in swing, gets through the zone with quick hands, generates good bat speed and shows some gap power, went 0-for-3 in game play with two strikeouts.  Defensively, shows soft hands, good body control with the ability to throw on the move from multiple arm angles, reached a top velocity of 81 mph across the infield with good carry, accurate arm.

Benjamin Heideman, 2B, R/R, Central Hardin HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 170-pound prospect showed good speed running a 6.96 60 yard dash and registered 76 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a leg kick trigger, level swing path, line drive type hitter with gap to gap approach, went 0-for-3 in game play.  Defensively, shows soft hands with athletic infield actions, good lateral movement and body control, reached a top velocity of 71 mph across the infield (74 at previous event), solid defender.

Tyler Gabehart, SS/RHP, R/R, Fern Creek HS, 2018
5-foot-8, 135-pound prospect ran a 7.38 60 yard dash and registered 72 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with minimal stride, good balance, line drive type hitter, consistently squared the baseball in his round of batting practice, went 0-for-4 in game play making contact in each at bat.  Defensively, shows good lateral movement, improved playing through the baseball from previous event, accurate arm across the infield at 68 mph (showed better arm strength at 76 mph previous event).

Jacob White, 2B, S/R, Hancock County HS, 2018
5-foot-11, 145-pound prospect ran a 7.63 60-yard dash and registered 68 mph tee exit velocity. Hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, good balance, short swing path, line drive type hitter, went 2-for-4 in game play with an infield single and bloop single to right.  Defensively, shows adequate hands, throws were accurate across the infield, reached a top velocity of 69 mph, young prospect should continue to improve overall game.

corner infielders

Brian Baxa, RHP/1B, R/R, Danville HS, 2017
6-foot-2, 200-pound, physical prospect ran a 7.80 60-yard dash and showed bat speed with 87 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, good lower half torque, strong frame generates bat speed, show power to the pull side, good round of batting practice consistently squaring up the baseball, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to left field.  Defensively, has soft hands, good arm strength, 80 mph across the infield, high follow in 2017 class.

Griffin Wells, 1B/OF/LHP, L/L, Hazard HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 175-pound prospect ran a 7.52 60 yard dash with 84 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from an open stance and squares front side with a short stride, good use of lower half, hands show some quickness, some gap power present, went 2-for-3 in game play with two singles to left field, hits to all fields well, solid stroke from the left side.  Defensively, shows good athleticism at first base, 69 mph arm across the infield.  As an outfielder, made some accurate throws to the third base bag with a top velocity of 74 mph.

Jared Grant, 3B, R/R, Madison Central HS, 2017
6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect with physical frame, ran a 7.89 60-yard dash and registered 80 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a leg kick, good use of strong lower half, swing path creates some lift, shows some power to the pull side, went 0-for-3 in game play with two strikeouts.  Defensively, shows adequate hands, average corner actions, 71 mph arm strength across the infield on mostly accurate throws.

Ethan Hobson, RHP/3B, L/R, North Oldham HS, 2018
5-foot-11, 145-pound prospect ran a 7.32 60-yard dash and registered 78 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced setup with a leg kick and medium stride, hands show some quickness, line drive type hitter, went 1-for-4 in game play with a line drive single to left field.  Defensively, showed 73 mph arm strength on throws to third base using short arm action.

Isaac Humphrey, 3B/RHP, R/R, Paducah Tilghman HS, 2017
6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect ran a 7.88 60-yard dash and registered 78 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a tall setup with a short stride, long and level swing path, jumps at ball occasionally, shows flashes of power to the pull side, went 0-for-3 in game play with one strikeout.  Defensively, showed average hands with some accurate throws across the infield, reached a top velocity of 68 mph.

catchers

Brent Lovell, C, R/R, Rockcastle County HS, 2018
5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect showed good speed for age running a 7.06 60-yard dash and showed well above average bat speed for age with 88 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, line drive type hitter who may develop power as he continues to mature, went 1-for-3 in game play with a line drive single to center.  Defensively, shows a quick transfer and release, good arm strength for young prospect at 75 mph from the crouch, pop times ranged from 1.92-1.98 with some accurate throws on the bag, definite high follow in 2018 class.

Derek Schneider, C, R/R, McCracken County HS, 2016
6-foot-2, 200-pound prospect with strong frame, ran a 7.58 60-yard dash with 81 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from an open stance, squares front side with a short stride, good balance, line drive hitter with flashes of gap power, consistently squared the baseball in batting practice, shows the ability to use all fields, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to right field.  Solid defensive catcher, feet show some quickness, good blocking skills, showed 78 mph arm strength room to improve pop times with more accurate throws to the bag, pop times ranged from 2.05-2.15.

Cole Ratliff, C, R/R, Hazard HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 180-pound prospect ran a 7.68 60-yard dash and registered 82 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a narrow and open stance, squares front side with an aggressive stride, good use of lower half, short path to the ball, went 0-for-3 in game play reaching base on an error with a pull approach.  Defensively, showed 70 mph arm strength with mostly accurate throws to the second base bag, pop times ranged from 2.10-2.25.

outfielders

Chaiten Tomlin, OF, R/R, Montgomery County HS, 2016
6-foot, 160-pound prospect showed some speed running a 7.01 60-yard dash and registered 81 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with an aggressive stride, line drive type hitter with some power to the pull side, went 1-for-3 in game play with a double down the left field line.  Defensively, shows athletic outfield actions, plays through the ball, arm is loose and athletic, mostly accurate throws to the third base bag, reached a top velocity of 80 mph with some carry, solid prospect.

Michael Riley, OF, R/R, Logan County HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 160-pound prospect showed some speed running a 7.02 60-yard dash and registered 78 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, good balance, short path to the ball, line drive type hitter, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to right field.  Defensively, attacks and plays through the ball well, reached a top velocity of 80 mph from the outfield with some carry, mostly accurate throws to the third base bag.

Matthew Thiel, OF/RHP, R/R, Covington Catholic HS, 2017
6-foot-1, 185-pound prospect ran a 7.45 60-yard dash and registered 72 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced setup with a slight leg kick and short stride, short and direct swing path to the ball, hands are loose with some quickness, generates better bat speed than exit velocity indicates, shows a pull approach, went 1-for-2 in game play with an infield single and SAC fly.  Defensively, plays through the baseball, some accurate throws to third base, developing arm strength at 74 mph.

Garrett McIntire, LHP/OF, L/L, Christian Academy of Louisville, 2016
5-foot-9, 140-pound prospect ran a 7.40 60 yard dash and registered 71 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance, front foot back in load, short path to the ball, line drive type hitter, went 0-for-4 in game play with two strikeouts.  Defensively, attacks the ball on the ground, showed 75 mph arm strength, some accurate throws to the third base bag.

Garrison Gray, OF, L/R, Model HS, 2017
5-foot-7, 135-pound prospect showed good speed running a 6.91 60-yard dash, registered 71 mph tee exit velocity.  Hits from a balanced stance with a short stride, line drive type hitter, offensive game will improve as he adds physical strength, went 1-for-4 in game play with a bloop single and two strikeouts.  Defensively, moves well in outfield, some accurate throws to the third base bag, showed developing arm strength at 69 mph.