Underclass Report: Top Position Players

By:  Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

Recruiting is beginning to pick up for a players in the 2018 as more schools begin to recruit this group or  at least evaluate several players in this class throughout the spring before their final summer as high school baseball players. Here is a look at five players that are uncommitted that I believe will be some of the first names to come off the recruiting board.

Jakobi Jackson, OF, Watson Chapel
Jackson is a 6-foot 190-pound athlete with a large frame and an athletic build. He is an advanced offensive player with ability to hit for power to both fields. He starts from an athletic stance with a fluid load, he attacks the baseball with fast bat speed. He has slight uphill bat path. He does a sound job maintaining rhythm and balance throughout his swing. Defensively he shows good instincts on balls in the air. He plays through the baseball with a fluid exchange and a strong arm with carry Overall Jackson is an advanced hitter with above average athletic ability.

Kam'Ron Mays-Hunt. MIF, Bentonville HS
Hunt is a 5-11 170-pound athlete with a medium frame and an athletic build. At short-stop he has smooth footwork and soft hands as he plays through the baseball. He throws from   a 3/4 arm slot with a quick arm. showing advanced arm strength with accuracy. Offensively he has a short compact swing that produces line drives. He does a good job maintaining balance through his swing to extension. Overall Mays-Hunt is a premium athlete with raw tools and advanced defensive skills.

Pate Fullerton, MIF, Harding Academy, AR
Fullerton is a 5-foot-11, 160-pound middle infielder with an athletic frame. Defensively, he plays through the ball with fluid footwork and advanced actions. He uses a quick exchange and a short quick arm action. Offensively, he attacks the baseball with a compact, line-drive swing. He starts with an athletic stance and uses a simple load and stride. He has shown the ability to hit line drives to all fields on a consistent basis. Overallm Fullerton is an advanced player with a high baseball IQ.

Jack Stroth, C, Conway HS, AR
Stroths is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound backstop with an athletic frame. He is a solid defender with pop times consistently in the 2.01-2.11 range. He blocks and receives with solid effort and technique. Offensively, he starts with an athletic stance with a slight load and stride. He attacks the baseball with a quick bat and remains balanced through extension.

Luke Johnson CIF Shiloh Christian
Johnson is a 6-foot-3 230-pound corner infielder with a large frame and solid build. Offensively he starts from a slight open stance, he uses a slight leg kick as his timing mechanism. He attacks the baseball with a slight uphill swing. He shows the ability to hit the ball for power to pull side. He plays through the baseball with solid footwork, he uses a normal exchange. He as elongated arm action from a H ¾ arm slot. He throws the ball accurately across the infield. Overall Johnson is a physically imposing player with an advanced feel to hit.

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