Updated and Expanded 2018 Rankings
April 1, 2016
By Chris Fuller
Director of Operations
Some new players from the 2018 class emerged from our winter events, making an update and expansion of the 2018 rankings necessary. The rankings now include our top 40 players, but given that we are talking about sophomores, these rankings will continue to evolve and change as we continue to see more players from the class.
Ryder Green (3B/RHP, Hardin Valley Academy) hangs on to the top spot. The Kentucky commit has been hammering the baseball this spring for the defending state champs hitting .455 with two triples, four home runs, and 17 RBI’s in 10 games. Green also runs his fastball up to the high 80’s on the mound.
Mt. Juliet RHP Ethan Smith occupies the No. 2 spot. The highly projectable 6-foot-3, 180-pound RHP tops out in the high 80’s with a hard, advanced breaking ball for his age. Smith is committed to Vanderbilt.
Switch-hitting power threat Bass Cooper (1B/RHP, Knoxville Central HS), checks in at No. 3. Cooper, a member of Team Tennessee for the PBR Future Games last year has been getting largely pitched around this spring, but he is an advanced switch-hitter with home run power from both sides of the plate. Cooper is committed to Tennessee.
Biggest Risers/New Entrants
Camden Sewell (RHP, Cleveland HS) emerged in a big way at our Winter Preseason Preview Showcase in Chattanooga. The projectable, 6-foot-3, 165-pound RHP has loose and clean arm action that produces an 84-86 mph fastball that touched 88 with hard and late arm-side life. Sewel checks in at No. 8 in the rankings.
Alec Lubas (OF/LHP, Ravenwood HS) emerged at our Winter Preseason Preview Showcase in Chattanooga, showing good power and bat speed from the left side to go along with good arm strength. Lubas also showed low 80’s velocity on the mound. He has gotten off to a big start for Ravenwood this spring, hitting .524 with five doubles, a triple, and 15 RBI’s in 13 games. Lubas checks in at No. 11 in the rankings.
Rudy Maxwell (C/3B, Ensworth HS) checks in at No. 17. The physically advanced 6-foot-3, 220-pounder showed good arm strength and 1.95-2.01 pop times to go along with some pop in his bat.
Here is a look at the top 10
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Commitment |
1 | Ryder Green | TN | Hardin Valley Academy | 2018 | 3B | Kentucky |
2 | Ethan Smith | TN | Mount Juliet | 2018 | RHP | Vanderbilt |
3 | Bass Cooper | TN | Knoxville Central | 2018 | 1B | Tennessee |
4 | Andrew Benefield | TN | Siegel | 2018 | SS | Louisville |
5 | Tate Kolwyck | TN | Arlington | 2018 | SS | Vanderbilt |
6 | Paul Komistek | TN | Knoxville Christian | 2018 | 3B | Tennessee |
7 | John Langworthy | TN | Siegel | 2018 | RHP | Louisville |
8 | Camden Sewell | TN | Cleveland | 2018 | RHP | |
9 | Luke Murphy | TN | East Robertson | 2018 | RHP | |
10 | Ryan Weathers | TN | Loretto | 2018 | LHP | Alabama |
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE COMPLETE 2018 RANKINGS.