By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

On July 22-23, a total of 100 players from the Classes of 2016, 2017, and 2018 convened at the University of Kentucky and Bryan Station High School for the 2nd Annual Kentucky Underclass Games Event.  The following is a look at the position players from Team White.  This is position analysis only.  Those players who also pitched at the event had their pitching featured in a previous article.

middle infielders

Matthew Gammon, SS, L/R, Shelby County HS, 2016
6-foot, 175-pound prospect, athletic build, ran a 7.58 60-yard dash, 81 mph tee exit velocity. Left-handed hitter, balanced stance, leg kick, short stride, explosive lower half, hands show quickness, creates some lift with pull-side power, went 2-for-4 in game play with a single to center and infield single. Defensively showed athletic actions, soft hands, good lateral movement, quick exchange, short arm action, ability to throw on the move, accurate arm at 73 mph across the infield, projects as offensive second baseman.

Clayton Stallings, 2B, R/R, Bullitt East HS, 2016
5-foot-8, 135-pound prospect, smaller build, ran 7.78 60 yard dash, 76 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, slightly open stance, hands back load, shorter swing path, uses lower half well, generates some bat speed, gap-to-gap approach, good round of batting practice consistently squaring the baseball, went 0-for-4 in game play making hard contact on a few occasions. Defensively showed good body control, ability to throw on the move, short arm action, ¾ slot, accurate throws, 68 mph arm strength across the infield.

Broc Kuerzi, 2B, L/R, Ballard HS, 2016
5-foot-7, 175-pound prospect, stocky build, ran a 7.84 60-yard dash, 75 mph tee exit velocity. Left-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, good balance, line drive type hitter, uses all fields well, went 1-for-3 in game play with a double to left-center. Defensively showed adequate hands, average actions, short arm action, high ¾ slot, accurate arm, 68 mph arm strength across the infield.

Trenton Heckman, RHP/SS, R/R, DeSales HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 145-pound prospect ran a 7.94 60-yard dash, 65 mph tee exit velocity.  Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, maintains good balance throughout, long and level swing path, line drive approach, went 2-for-3 in game play with a bloop single to left and line drive to right. Defensively showed good lateral movement to both sides, adequate hands, short arm action, high ¾ slot, some accurate throws, 71 mph arm across the infield.

Timmy Hardin, 2B, R/R, DeSales HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 155-pound prospect ran a 7.56 60-yard dash, 75 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, maintains good balance throughout, pre-pitch hand movement, went 0-for-4 in game play with two strikeouts, offensive game will benefit from added strength. Defensively showed adequate hands, short arm action, low ¾ slot, 65 mph arm strength across the infield.

corner infielders

Michael Lobred, 3B/RHP, R/R, Bullitt East HS, 2017
5-foot-11, 155-pound prospect ran a 7.58 60-yard dash, 74mph tee exit velocity. Right handed hitter, open stance, long stride, uphill swing path, went 2-for-4 in game play with a line drive single to left-center and single to right field. Defensively showed adequate hands, short arm action, high ¾ slot, accurate arm, 70 mph arm strength across the infield.

Logan Holland, 1B/RHP, R/R, Lafayette HS, 2016
5-foot-11, 160-pound prospect, athletic build, ran a 7.46 60-yard dash, 78 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, open stance, short stride, maintains good balance throughout, level swing plane, line drive type hitter with gap-to-gap approach in BP, went 1-for-4 in game play with a bloop single to right, oppo approach in game play. Defensively showed soft hands, good actions, solid footwork around the first base bag, 72 mph arm across the infield.

Jack Biernesser, RHP/3B, R/R, St. Xavier HS, 2017
5-foot-11, 165-pound prospect ran a 7.76 60-yard dash, 65 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, slightly open stance, medium stride, good balance, level swing path, line drive approach, went 2-for-4 in game play with singles to center and right and two strikeouts. Defensively showed soft hands, good lateral movement, short arm action, high ¾ slot, some accuracy on throws, can play through slow roller better, 76 mph arm across the infield.

Will Hemingway, 3B, R/R, Owensboro HS, 2016
5-foot-10, 150-pound prospect, slender build, ran a 7.52 60-yard dash, 78 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, slightly open stance, short stride, average bat speed, high hand finish, line drive approach, went 0-for-3 in game play with two RBI groundouts. Defensively showed soft hands, quick exchange, gets rid of the ball with short arm action, high ¾ slot, most throws accurate, 70 mph arm across the infield.

Brady Bowling, RHP/1B, R/R, Lafayette HS, 2017
6-foot, 155-pound prospect, lanky build, ran a 8.44 60-yard dash, 71 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, tall stance, medium stride, average bat speed, line drive approach, went 1-for-3 in game play with a single to left-center and one strikeout. Defensively showed average hands, decdnt footwork around the first base bag, 72 mph arm across the infield.

Donavon Alderson, LHP/1B, L/L, Franklin-Simpson HS, 2018
5-foot-11, 165-pound prospect ran a 8.68 60-yard dash, 75 mph tee exit velocity. Left-handed hitter, balanced stance, toe tap, short stride, hands load back, short path to the ball, can finish with better extension, gap to gap approach, went 0-for-4 in game play with three strikeouts. Defensively has room for improvement in hands and feet, short arm action, low ¾ slot, 64 mph arm across infield.

Blake Wheeler, RHP/1B, R/R, Central Hardin HS, 2017
6-foot, 185-pound prospect, ran a 8.69 60-yard dash, 76 mph tee exit velocity. Right handed hitter, slightly open stance, uses a leg kick trigger, level swing path, went 0-for-3 in game play with two strikeouts. Defensively showed adequate hands, room to improve footwork, 68 mph arm across the infield.

catchers

Tanner Johnson, C, R/R, South Oldham HS, 2017
6-foot, 170-pound prospect, athletic build, ran a 7.32 60-yard dash, 81 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, balanced setup, short stride, short path to the ball, line drive type hitter with gap-to-gap approach, went 3-for-3 in game play with singles to center, right, and right-center.  Defensively showed well above average arm strength for age, 78 mph from the crouch, short high ¾ release, 2.00-2.08 op times, accurate throws to the bag, solid defensive catcher, high follow in 2017 class.

Jared Riordan, C, R/R, Bullitt East HS, 2017
5-foot-10, 140-pound prospect ran a 7.97 60-yard dash, 76 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, loads up on back leg, long stride, can get better extension through finish, line drive approach, pull tendencies , went 0-for-4 in game play with two strikeouts. Defensively showed quick transfer, short high ¾ arm slot, 73 mph arm from the crouch, some accuracy, 2.02-2.14 pop times, young player continues to make strides.

outfielders

Cam Hill, OF, L/R, Scott County HS, 2017
5-foot-10, 155-pound prospect, athletic build that projects, ran 7.00 60-yard dash, 84 mph tee exit velocity. Left-handed hitter, balanced stance, short stride, maintains good balance throughout, short path with good extension through the ball, quick hands, flashes gap power, went 1-for-3 in game play with a ground-rule double to right-center and SAC fly. Defensively showed big arm strength, 91 mph from outfield, online carry, aggressively attacks the baseball, high energy player, high-level prospect.

D’Markeo Taylor, OF, R/R, Bryan Station HS, 2015
6-foot, 180-pound prospect, strong and athletic build, showed good speed running a 6.83 60-yard dash, 80 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, medium stride, explodes with lower half, generates bat speed through the zone, flashes pull-side power, long HR over left field fence in BP, went 1-for-3 in game play with single to left-center. Defensively, shows good lateral movement at 3B, short arm action, high ¾ slot, 71 mph arm strength across the infield. As an OF, showed 75 mph arm strength from high ¾ slot with a long exchange.

Devon Key, OF, L/R, Bryan Station HS, 2016
6-foot, 183-pound prospect, strong and athletic build, showed plus speed running a 6.69 60-yard dash, 81 mph tee exit velocity. Left-handed hitter, balanced stance, minimal stride, inconsistent lower half, hands show some quickness, occasional pull-side power in batting practice, went 0-for-3 in game play. Defensively tentative approach, shorter arm action, ¾ slot, some accuracy, 78 mph arm strength, athletic prospect.

William Manson, RHP/OF, R/R, Paul Laurence Dunbar HS, 2016
6-foot-1, 160-pound prospect, lanky frame, ran 7.21 60-yard dash, 81 mph tee exit velocity. Right-handed hitter, balanced stance, medium stride, level swing pane, low finish, pull approach, went 2-for-4 in game play with two doubles down the left field line and two strikeouts.  Defensively plays through the ball, long arm action, high ¾ slot, inconsistent accuracy, 75 mph arm strength.

Jaxson Smith, OF, S/R, South Warren HS, 2017
6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect, athletic build with projection, ran a 7.53 60-yard dash, 77 mph tee exit velocity. Switch-hitter, balanced setup with short stride from both sides of the plate, looks more comfortable from the left-side, line drive approach, went 0-for-3 in game play with two strikeouts. Defensively showed 78 mph arm, long arm action, high ¾ slot, some accurate throws to third base.