Top Prospect Games; Day One Notes

June 14, 2017

By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

The Top Prospects Games was hosted at Fayetteville High School. This event featured players from the 2018, 2019, and 2020 classes. This group was invited by our staff, using our extensive work scouting throughout the fall 2016 and spring of 2017 to make our selection. Through our scouting and using our trusted high school and summer coaches as cross checkers, we managed to compile the most talented Top Prospects Games roster in the three years we have hosted this event.

I will work through each player’s video; and statistics for a few weeks, for now; let us look at just a few thoughts I had from the day one:

2018 RHP Will Richardson showed well during BP; he starts with a tall stance; using a simple load stride combination; he attacks the baseball with aggression and fast bat speed. He has the ability to hit for power to the pull side. In game he showed that he is a true two way player. He pitched 81-84 mph from a low ¾ arm slot with late sink. His ability to command two secondary pitches, make him very intriguing on the mound. His slider worked 72-75 mph with late action. His changeup was 69-71 mph with late sink. Richardson is uncommitted, he has upside to throw harder with a few simple mechanical fixes, and his ability to pitch separates him from most uncommitted 2018 arms. The fact that he has shown potential to be a middle of the bat, will make him a hot commodity throughout the summer.

2018 LHP Kaleb Hill; Continues to separate himself from the talented arms in the 2018 class. The Ole Miss commit worked up to 89 mph with his fastball. He uses a simple delivery with little effort. He has an advanced feel to spin his breaking ball. His large frame, makes it easy to project there is more velocity to come as he continues to fill out.

2018 RHP Kam’Ron Mays-Hunt has tools that are off the charts; He runs a 6.53 in the 60, 90 mph during defensive evaluations; offensively he is raw but has bat speed, and strength. During the position player work out he was an impressive prospect. When he stepped on the mound, he became the uncommitted 2018 to watch. He worked 88-91 from a ¾ arm slot with slight arm side run. He showed command of his slider thrown 76-78 mph with late 10/4 action.

2020 OF Clayton Gray, validated being the first 2020 commit from the state of Arkansas. The Arkansas commit showed an advanced run tool running a 6.43 and a 6.64 in the 60. Defensively he showed the ability to play through the baseball with fluid footwork and clean arm action. He threw the baseball 78 mph. In game he made consistent loud contact including a bases loaded triple which drove in 3 runs.

Gray has a lot of company in the 2020 class; 2020 INF G Allen, 2020 INF Marcus Brown, 2020 OF/LHP Nick Griffin, 2020 OF Houston King; 2020 CIF Luke Pectol, 2020 Brayden Sites, and 2020 MIF Beau Stuckey all displayed an advanced skill set with athleticism. I will get more in depth about this group over the days to come.

The 2019 class is coming on, a class that has been full of question marks, with a small number of physically advanced players, are starting to figure things out, with a group of players beginning to separate themselves from the pack.

2019 RHP Zane Ryne Neves, led this group as he showed the ability to pitch collegiately now. His fastball was commanded for strikes at 86-89 mph with slight sink. He complimented it with a sharp slider thrown 75-77 mph with sharp 10/4 action. 2018 C John Hoskyn, 2018 C William Poppy and 2018 C Jake Wright look to be moving themselves into that next wave of players to watch.

Top Prospect Games; Day One Notes

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