By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

The 2016 Top Prospect Games took place on June 14-15 and afforded more than 150 players from around the state the opportunity to showcase their abilities to the PBR Kentucky staff and numerous college coaches in a combination showcase/game play event.

CLICK HERE to view the top statistical performers and statistics for all players in attendance.

The following is an in-depth look at the pitchers from Team 3 (Gray). Please note that this is pitcher analysis only. Those pitchers who also participated as a position player will have that performance featured in a subsequent article.

TJ Graves, RHP, Nelson County, 2017
Max FB: 89, FB: 84-89, CB: 70-74, CH: 71-76
6-foot-4, 185-pound RHP with highly projectable frame, showed better pitchability than in the past, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot with normal effort, began his outing touching 89 mph on a few occasions and sat in the 86-88 range, velocity was 84-87 in his second inning of work, uses leverage to create downward tilt on fastball, breaking ball is more of a slider with short/late break and he threw some effective ones in the strike zone, showed a solid changeup with fading action and has confidence in the pitch, allowed two hits, walked none, and struck out three (two looking on CH, one looking on SL) in his two innings of work. Graves’ velocity and projectability make him one of the top arms available in the 2017 class.

Ethan Doty, RHP, Highlands, 2017
Max FB: 86, FB: 84-86, CB: 74-76, CH: 74
5-foot-11, 190-pound RHP had an impressive outing. Works through a high-3/4 slot with long arm action and normal effort in a somewhat deliberate delivery, fastball jumps out of hand and appears to get on hitters quickly with occasional arm-side run, breaking ball impressed with sharp 11/5 action and he really found his release point with it as the outing progressed, threw one changeup showed good sink and fade, works the corners of the plate well with all pitches, allowed one hit, hit a batter, and struck out three (one swinging on FB, two swinging on CB) in his two innings of work. His ability to throw three pitches for strikes could make an immediate impact for a college program.

Blake Graham, RHP/3B, Butler County, 2017
Max FB: 87, FB: 84-85
6-foot-2, 190-pound RHP has an athletic frame, uses shorter arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot with normal effort, quick arm, showed the ability to pound the strike zone and come at hitters aggressively, fastball has late sinking action that produced ground balls to three of the four hitters he faced, showed feel for a curveball in his warm up pitches that had 11/5 break and some depth, stuck with the fastball in game play to record his outs. Graham is a very interesting prospect who established himself as a very solid arm in the 2017 class.

Josh Graves, 3B/RHP, Nelson County, 2018
Max FB: 82, FB: 78-81, CB: 69-70,
6-foot-1, 185-pound RHP showed the most velocity he has to date. Has an athletic frame, arm action long and loose and works through a high-3/4 slot, stays tall on the mound and produces downward tilt on his fastball with occasional arm-side run, works the lower half of the zone well with the fastball, tended to miss up with the curveball that showed short break, allowed three hits and no walks in his one inning of work. Would expect to see continued velocity gains and development.

Ethan Glenn, 3B/RHP, Spencer County, 2018
Max FB: 77, FB: 75-77, CB: 60-61
6-foot, 195-pound RHP uses shorter arm action and works through an over the top slot with some effort in delivery, tends to land open, throws a straight fastball located consistently for strikes, curveball shows gradual 12/6 action, would likely see some velocity gains with keeping front side closed longer, allowed one hit with no walks in his one inning of work.

Noah Goff, RHP, Daviess County, 2017
Max FB: 79, FB: 75-78, CB: 61-62, CH: 73
6-foot-1, 225-pound RHP uses long arm action that wraps some on the back side, works through a high-3/4 slot with normal effort in delivery,  throws strikes, would benefit from working the lower part of the strike zone more consistently with all pitches, fastball is straight, curveball showed gradual 12/6 action, changeup is straight, allowed four hits and walked none while producing mostly fly ball outs in his two innings of work.