By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

The PBR Kentucky Top Prospect Games took place June 16-17 at Western Kentucky University and afforded close to 120 players from around the state the opportunity to showcase their abilities to the PBR Kentucky staff and many college coaches in attendance. The following is a look at the pitchers who took the mound for Team Black during the event. This is pitching analysis only. Those pitchers who also played a position at the event will have that evaluation featured in a subsequent article.

Tyler Horsley, RHP/OF, Ballard HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 190-pounds, athletic frame, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot, quick arm, regular effort in delivery, fastball sat 85-88 mph, mostly straight, 68-70 mph curveball shows good depth and 11/5 action thrown for strikes, has good feel for 76-78 mph changeup working the bottom of the zone, allowed two hits and struck out one (swinging on CH) in his inning of work, continues to develop into one of the top uncommitted arms in 2016 class.

Adam Elliott, LHP, St, Xavier HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 175-pounds, athletic frame, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot, quick arm, fastball sat 82-85 mph, works both sides of the plate and not afraid to attack hitters inside, throws a 68-70 mph curveball with 1/7 action that was good when down in the zone, 73 mph changeup is thrown with good arm action with late fade and sink, allowed three hits and struck out one swinging on a curveball in his two innings of work. Elliott is one of the better available 2016 left-handed arms in KY’s 2016 class.

Darren Williams, RHP, Mason County HS, 2016
6-foot-6, 200-pounds, large frame with projection, uses long arm action, high-3/4 slot, up tempo delivery, showed a big increase in velocity since last summer, fastball sat 83-85 mph touching 86 on one occasion, showed a slurvy type breaking ball at 63-67 mph, mixed in one 73 mph changeup that produced a strikeout swinging, pounds the strike zone, allowed one hit with one strikeout in an efficient two-inning outing, size and projectability makes him a very interesting 2016 pitching prospect.

Jake Rist, RHP, DuPont Manual HS, 2016
6-foot-3, 210-pounds, strong frame, works through an over-the-top arm slot that creates some downward angle on fastball, showed similar velocity from last summer as fastball sat 81-83 mph, 67-70 mph curveball with 11/5 action, mixed in one 74 mph changeup, struggled with command in his first inning of work but bounced back to throw a perfect second, allowed no hits, walked four and struck out three in his outing.

Jack Ockerman, OF/LHP, West Jessamine HS, 2017
5-foot-9, 150-pounds, works through a high-3/4 slot with regular effort, clean arm action, fastball sat 77-79 mph touching 81 on one occasion, consistently locates fastball at the bottom of the zone, two-seam fastball shows some arm-side run, throws a 64-67 mph curveball with gradual 1/7 action that tended to be up in the zone, showed one 72 mph changeup, worked a perfect inning with two ground ball outs and an infield pop-up, has potential to add more velocity.

Marcus Johnson, LHP/OF, Bryan Station HS, 2016
6-foot, 185-pounds, strong and athletic frame, works through a high-3/4 to over the top slot, minimal effort delivery, has room for more extension, fastball sat 80-81 mph touching 82 once, threw one curveball at 67 mph, allowed three hits, hit a batter, and struck out one in his inning of work.

Michael Simmons, LHP, Lafayette HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 165-pounds, lanky frame, uses shorter arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, minimal effort delivery, control type pitcher who hits spots and changes speeds to be effective, fastball sat 70-72 mph, touched 73 once, slow curveball with 1/7 action at 60-63 mph, showed a 67 mph changeup with some fade through the zone, allowed four hits and struck out two (one looking on a CB) in his two innings of work.

Wyatt Hillerich, LHP, Kentucky Country Day HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 170-pounds, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot, regular effort in delivery, fastball sat 71-73 mph with occasional arm-side run, showed a slow, sweeping curveball at 57-59 mph, struggled with command in his outing with five walks in two innings, also allowed four hits and finished with one strikeout.

Michael Flynn ,1B/LHP, Bourbon County HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 198-pounds, uses long arm action, works through a ¾ slot, works across body and lands closed, fastball sat 62-65 mph, sweeping curveball at 60 mph with lateral action, allowed one hit and hit a batter in his one inning of work.