By Chris Fuller and PBR Kentucky Staff

The 2014 Kentucky Top Prospect Games featured more than 120 players over the two-day event. The following is an in depth look at the position players from Team Black.  This is position player analysis only.  Those players who pitched for Team Black will be featured in a subsequent article. 

CLICK HERE to view the top statistical performers and complete stats from the event.

middle infielders

Hunter Childress, SS, L/R, Nelson County HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 145-pound prospect with lanky build, showed some of the best defensive actions of the event with soft hands, good range, and fluid footwork.  Childress made the best defensive play of the event in game action, ranging far up the middle to field a ground ball and spinning in one motion to throw a strike to first base to record the out, has a quick exchange and able to throw accurately from different angles, 76 mph velocity across the infield (78 at previous event).  At the plate, the left-handed hitter starts in a balanced setup with a short stride, shows good balance, line drive type hitter shows the ability to use all fields, ran 4.59 down the first base line, went 1-for-5 in game play but showed the ability to barrel up the baseball, with added strength to his frame has the potential to be a high-level prospect.

Jed Arend, MIF, R/R, Daviess County HS, 2016
5-foot-9, 160-pound prospect with athletic build, shows soft hands with fluid footwork, works through the ball well and shows a quick exchange, gets rid of the ball quickly with short arm action and is able to throw accurately from different arm angles, displays good body control, showed a big increase in arm strength from previous events at 80 mph across the infield.  At the plate, hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, shows good balance, shows the ability to hit the ball the other way , ran 4.69 down the first base line, 82 mph tee exit velocity, went 0-for-4 in game play, will benefit offensively from continuing to add strength to his frame, continues to make strides in his overall game.

Will Boothe, 2B, R/R, Muhlenberg County HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 153-pound prospect continues to add weight to his frame, gets rid of the ball quickly with short arm action, accurate throws across the infield at 76 mph (78 at previous event).   At the plate, hits from a balanced setup with short stride, stay quiet and is short and quick to the ball with some hand quickness, line drive type hitter with gap-to-gap approach, good use of lower half torque, showed improved speed running 4.46 down the first base line, 80 mph tee exit velocity (83 at previous event), went 1-for-3 in game action with single to left-center and a SAC fly, solid 2B prospect.

corner infielders

Cooper Warner, 3B, R/R, Trinity HS, 2015
5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect shows athletic corner actions with fluid feet and soft hands, moves well laterally, displays good body control and the ability to throw on the move, quick exchange and gets rid of the ball quickly, showed good arm strength at 84 mph across the infield.  At the plate, hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, gets close to arm bar in load creating length in swing, shows some hand quickness and good lower half torque, gap-to-gap approach, showed improved speed running 4.57 down the first base line, 82 mph tee exit velocity, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single up the middle.

Blake Hamilton, 1B, R/R, Beechwood HS, 2015
6-foot, 230-pound prospect, soft hands with capable footwork around the bag, arm strength at 69 mph across the infield.  At the plate, hits from an open setup, squares front side with a short stride, showed good barrel awareness in his round of batting practice with power potential, showed significant increase in tee exit velocity from previous event at 87 mph, ran 4.94 down the first base line, went 2-for-4 in game play with a ground rule double and lined out hard in another at bat, solid hitter with potential to hit for power at the next level.

Aaron Hedgecock, RHP/1B, R/R, Butler HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 185-pound, strong frame with some projectability, shows good footwork around the first base bag, good arm strength, inconsistent throws at 83 mph across the infield.  At the plate, hits from a tall setup with a short stride, has made some adjustments in shortening swing since previous event, uphill path creates some lift, shows some pull side power and ball jumps when barreled, showed bat speed with 87 mph tee exit velocity, improved speed running a 4.69 down the first base line, went 1-for-4 with a single up the middle in game play showing a middle of the field approach.

Dylan Givens, RHP/1B, R/R, Marshall County HS, 2015
6-foot-6, 230-pound prospect, shows decent athleticism for size with soft hands, accurate throws starting the double play, 75 mph arm strength.  At the plate, hits from an open setup, squares front side with a toe tap, arm bar creates some length in swing but gets the barrel through with strength and lower half torque, good round of batting practice consistently barreling up the baseball with some pull side power, showed bat speed with 90 mph tee exit velocity, ran 5.08 down the first base line, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to right-center.

Blake Lambdin, 3B/RHP R/R, Spencer County HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 165-pound prospect with lanky build and room to add to frame, shows capable hands and corner actions, shorter arm action through high ¾ arm slot produced decent arm strength of 78 mph across the infield.  At the plate, hits from an open setup with a long stride, foot gets down late at times, swing has some length to it, ran 4.52 down the first base line, 82 mph tee exit velocity, went 0-for-4 in game play.

catchers

Brayden Blair, C, R/R, Bullitt East HS, 2015
5-foot-11, 160-pound prospect has athletic build with strong legs, athletic behind the plate, good receiving and blocking skills and athleticism allows him to move well laterally behind the plate, shows quick glove to hand transfer with accurate throws on the second base bag, 74 mph arm strength from the crouch (have seen up to 76) pop times ranged from 2.01-2.07.  At the plate, hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, has an arm bar in load creating some length to swing but lower half torque and some hand quickness gets the barrel through the zone, line drive type hitter with occasional gap power, ran 4.65 down the first base line, went 1-for-4 in game play with a single to right-center, solid 2015 catching prospect.

Tyler Cunningham, C, R/R, Greenwood HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 165-pound prospect with average build, showed solid receiving and blocking skills in game action, has fairly quick glove to hand transfer in producing pop times from 2.05-2.19 with 71 mph arm strength.  At the plate, hits from a slightly open setup and squares front side with a short stride, line drive type hitter, swing would benefit from more hip turn and finish through the baseball, produced a tee exit velocity of 76 mph, ran 4.97 down the first base line, showed better offensively in game action going 2-for-4 with two singles to left field.

outfielders

Cam Hill, OF, L/R, Scott County HS, 2017
5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect put on a show with his athleticism and arm strength from the outfield, attacks the ball aggressively on the ground and plays through, footwork is fluid and quick with a clean exchange, showed big arm strength at 93 mph throwing through a high ¾ arm slot.  At the plate, the left-handed hitter hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, line drive producing swing with the ability to make hard contact to all fields, compact stroke with quick hands, showed improved exit velocity from previous event at 83 mph, showed good speed running a 4.20 down the first base line, went 2-for-4 in game play using speed well on an infield single and to swipe two bags, high-level young prospect.

Nolan Simpkins, OF, L/L, Butler HS, 2015
5-foot-11, 175-pound prospect with athletic frame, plays through the ball well with athletic feet, clean exchange with throws at 77 mph from over the top arm slot, some stiffness in arm action but throws were very accurate on the third base bag.  At the plate, Simpkins continues to show major strides and he has developed some power over the last year, slightly open setup with a short stride, good hip torque in swing, creates some lift with backspin carry of the baseball showing some power to all fields, consistently squared up the baseball in his round, flashed his speed running an event best 4.02 down the first base line from the left side, 88 mph tee exit velocity, went 2-for-4 in game play with a single off the pitcher’s glove and opposite field single, solid 2015 OF prospect.

Luke Brown, LHP/OF, R/L, Murray HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 145-pound prospect with average build, shows athletic outfield actions, plays through the ball well with a clean exchange, throws stay online through over the top slot, showed strong and accurate throws with carry at 86 mph.  At the plate, hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, good use of lower half torque in swing, line drive type hitter with good rhythm, showed good speed running 4.41 down the first base line, showed present bat speed with 86 mph tee exit velocity, went 1-for-4 in game action with a sharp single to right-center, good overall athleticism.

Wyatt Skaggs, LHP/OF, L/L, Grayson County HS, 2015
5-foot-10, 170-pound prospect with stocky build and strong lower half, shows solid outfield actions and plays through the ball well, shorter arm action through over the top slot produced throws of 82 mph with some carry.  At the plate, hits from an open setup and squares front side with a short stride, mid to opposite field approach, line drive type hitter showed good barrel awareness in his round consistently squaring up the baseball, hit well in game play going 3-for-4 with 3 singles, ran 4.69 down the first base line from the left side, 79 mph tee exit velocity.

Chris Lynch, OF, R/R, Southwestern HS, 2015
5-foot-10, 180-pound prospect with athletic build and strong lower half, moves well in the outfield and plays through the ball, throws are online through over the top arm slot, showed 83 mph arm strength with some carry.  At the plate, hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, shows good balance throughout swing, generates above average bat speed, line drive type hitter, registered 84 mph tee exit velocity, showed some speed getting down the line in 4.42 seconds, went 0-for-4 in game play with a pull approach.

Brandon West, OF, R/R, Spencer County HS, 2016
5-foot-8, 145-pound prospect, attacks and plays through the ball on the ground well, showed 68 mph arm strength from the OF through an over the top arm slot, needs to continue working on arm strength.  At the plate, hits from a balanced setup with a short stride, long swing path, swing will benefit from better use of lower half and hips, middle to opposite field approach, registered 72 mph tee exit velocity, showed some speed running 4.45 down the first base line, went 1-for-5 in game play with a bloop single.