By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

The 2017 season is rapidly approaching. As we get closer to season, I begin my preview of each team and stories that will affect the overall results of the high school season, and who will ultimately end their season in Baum Stadium on the campus of the University of Arkansas. We will continue to work through the 7A Central and dig in on North Little Rock High School.

In 2016 The Charging Wildcats won the 7A East and earning a first round bye in the state tournament. Unfortunately, they fell to Catholic High School 7-4. A good sign for them, is they return most of their starting lineup and pitching rotation. The unfortunate issues for them is that their big loss was 2016 RHP Christian Goshen witch was a competitor that would keep them in any contest. The big question this year is who is that guy or is their position players good enough it won’t matter.

On The Mound

This unit will be by committee, all season with a several players that compete at a high level and command the strike zone. Names to know will be 2017 RHP Nick Butler, 2017 RHP Drew Menard, 2017 RHP Owen Stuckey and 2018 RHP Tucker Sparks. Sparks shows advanced pitch-ability with three pitches, and has shown the consistent ability to miss bats. 

Offensively

A group that returns 7 starters from a year ago, they will not be lacking experience, or athleticism. 2017 INF Reed Shepherd, 2017 MIF Zac Freeman and 2017 OF Chase Freeman, are high energy players that will be able to get on base consistently and help create chaos with their athleticism once on base. A young name to watch out for is 2019 OF Alex Cauley, a versatile athlete with a compact line drive swing that may fit into this group overall plan. Besides the three guys at the top this unit will fill in with a stable of other solid players depending on match ups, as this roster is deep with position players.

Overall

A very solid unit with quality athletes up and down their lineup. If they can find enough guys to keep hitters off balance they may swing themselves into the thick of the race. Offensively one of the better units 1-9 throughout the state, in a league that has several high end arms, I am just unsure will that will land them.

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