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 4 (Navy). Please note that this is pitcher analysis only. Those pitchers who also participated as a position player had that performance featured in a previous article.

Mason Hazelwood, LHP/1B, Mercer County, 2017
Max FB: 87, FB: 82-87, CB: 62-67, CH: 76-79,
6-foot-6, 211-pound LHP has tremendous upside, arm action is long and works through a ¾ slot, fastball showed occasional effective cutting action, showed a much improved curveball with 1/7 action and some depth that he was able throw for strikes, changeup is a solid pitch that he has a feel for, threw two hitless innings with one walk and three strikeouts (two on FB, one swinging on CB) in his two innings of work. Hazelwood’s current velocity and upside make him one of the top uncommitted arms in the 2017 class. He has the potential to develop into a dominant college pitcher.

Ryan Hawks, RHP, Warren East, 2019
Max FB: 84, FB: 81-84, CB: 72-75, CH: 72
6-foot-2, 185-pound RHP with projectable frame, uses shorter and quick arm action through a high-3/4 slot, arm is loose and athletic, works slightly across body, touched 84 on multiple a few occasions with late sink on the fastball, showed a harder curveball with sharp break, changeup is thrown with good arm action and fades late through the zone. Hawks pounds the zone and works both sides of the plate well. He has firmly established himself as one of the top arms in the 2019 class.

Wyatt Stevenson, C/RHP, Christian County, 2019
Max FB: 85, FB: 82-85, CH: 73
5-foot-11, 185-pound RHP showed a big jump in velocity from previous event. Uses shorter arm action and works through a ¾ slot, arm is loose and quick, throws a heavy fastball from an up tempo delivery with late arm-side run that he likes to run in on the hands of right handed hitters, did not show a breaking ball but throws an effective changeup with good velocity difference that mimics the fastball action, allowed two hits and produced two ground ball outs in his one inning of work. Stevenson is definitely a 2019 arm to watch for additional velocity gains and development.

Nicholas Wooden, OF/RHP, Logan County, 2018
Max FB: 84, FB: 80-83, CB: 70-72
6-foot, 135-pound RHP with slender and projectable frame, arm action is long and clean and works through a high-3/4 slot, loose arm, generates very easy velocity, fastball shows occasional good arm-side life, shows good feel for his curveball that has sharp 11/5 action and good depth when he doesn’t get around the pitch, hit a batter and struck out one (fastball looking) in his one inning of work. Wooden projects for more velocity and is certainly an arm to keep a close eye on in the 2018 class.

AJ Hacker, 1B/RHP, Rowan County, 2019
Max FB: 81, FB: 79-81, CB: 65-67, CH: 70-72
6-foot-2, 195-pound RHP continues to grow into his frame and show an uptick in velocity, arm is loose and works through a high-3/4 slot with minimal effort, fastball is mostly straight, curveball has really developed since his last event with solid 11/5 action and thrown for strikes, flashed one 68 mph changeup, allowed two hits and struck out one (fastball looking) in his one inning of work. Expect to see more velocity development in the near future.

Hunter Guy, RHP, Louisville Male, 2018
Max FB: 75, FB: 71-73, CB: 60-63,
5-foot-11, 190-pound RHP works through a high-3/4 arm slot with regular effort in delivery, stabs occasionally on backside, consistently pounds the strike zone and pitches to contact, fastball shows occasional good arm-side run, shows feel for the curveball with gradual 11/5 action, allowed two hits, walked none, and struck out one (swinging on CB) in his two innings of work.