Prep Baseball Report

Unsigned Senior Games: Team Carbon Pitcher Analysis



By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

The Unsigned Senior Games event saw more than 80 uncommitted class of 2015 players convene at Northern Kentucky University on August 16-17.  The following is a look at pitchers who took the mound for Team Carbon during the event.  This is pitcher analysis only.  Those players who were also position players at the event will have their position player analysis in a subsequent article.  Anthony Ethington and Austin Bridgeman each touched 86 mph, and along with Team Navy's Ricky West, showed the best velocity of the event.

The following is a look at all pitchers who took the mound for Team Carbon.

Anthony Ethington, RHP, Lexington Catholic HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 173-pound RHP, lanky frame with projection, arm is loose and works easily through a high ¾ slot, fastball sat 84-86 mph with late arm-side run and sink, very good command of sharp curveball with 11/5 action at 69-73 mph, pounds the strike zone and attacks hitters well, sink on fastball generates ground ball outs, allowed no hits and struck out one in two innings of work, one of the top arms left on the board in 2015 class.

Austin Bridgeman, RHP/1B, Owensboro Catholic HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 185-pound RHP, athletic frame with projection, long and loose arm action works through high ¾ slot, arm shows some quickness, fastball showed late arm-side life through the zone, fastball varied between 80-85 mph topping at 86, lost velocity in second inning of work sitting mostly 80-81, curveball showed sharp 11/5 action at 70 mph, slider showed late bite at 75-78 mph and can be a very good pitch at the next level with continued development, allowed no hits, walked one, and struck out two in two innings of work.

Justin Arnold, RHP, Milford HS (OH), 2015
6-foot-1, 175-pound RHP, athletic frame with some projection, arm shows some quickness through a high ¾ to over the top arm slot, fastball sat 80-83 mph topping at 84, appeared to get stronger in second inning of work, curveball showed sharp downward action at 66-68 mph, throws 72-74 mph slider with late break, good command of all pitches and works both sides of the plate, allowed no hits and struck out three in two innings of work.

Will Sherman, RHP, Lexington Catholic HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 198-pound RHP with large frame, uses shorter arm action, high ¾ slot, throws strikes, minimal effort in delivery, showed slight increase in velocity from previous event as fastball sat 81-83 topping at 84 with some arm-side run, attacks inside corner well with fastball on right-handers, curveball showed tight spin at 65-69 mph and varied between 11/5 and 12/6 action, allowed three hits and struck out one in two innings of work.

Matthew Harper, SS/RHP, Logan County HS, 2015
5-foot-11, 175-pound prospect with athletic frame, uses long arm action through a high ¾ slot, throws slightly across body, works from the stretch only, fastball sat 82-85 mph with some arm-side run and late sink, lacked command of 65-66 mph curveball that tended to miss up, showed 70-71 mph slider, throws strikes with the fastball, allowed four hits and struck out one in two innings of work, all outs recorded on ground balls.

Stephen Thompson,LHP, Owensboro Catholic HS, 2015
6-foot, 168-pound LHP, arm works easily through a high ¾ slot, did not see as much velocity on this occasion as fastball sat 76-79 mph topping at 80, four-seam fastball showed some late cutting action, two-seamer showed some arm-side run, 68-72 mph curveball showed lateral action, threw a 67 mph changeup with arm-side run, allowed two hits and walked one in two innings of work, have seen Thompson’s velocity 81-83 in the past.

Ryan Garner, OF/1B/LHP, McCracken County HS, 2015
5-foot-10, 180-pound LHP with compact frame, delivery is easy and repeatable, works through a high ¾ arm slot, fastball sat 77-79 mph touching 80, good command of 63-64 mph curveball with 1/7 action, throws a 69-71 mph slider that showed some lateral action running in on right-handed hitters, 67 mph changeup with some sink and fade, pounds the strike zone with a good idea how to pitch, allowed no hits and struck out one in working a perfect inning in game play.

Logan Hicks, RHP, Meade County HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 155-pound RHP, projectable frame, uses long arm action through a high ¾ slot, smooth delivery with regular effort, fastball sat 76-79 mph with occasional slight arm-side run, showed 65-69 mph curveball with 11/5 break, throws a 72 mph knuckleball that had late tumbling action, allowed one hit, struck out two, and walked three in two innings of work.

Carter Smock, RHP/OF, Greenwood HS, 2015
6-foot-2, 165-pound RHP, lanky frame with projection, repeatable delivery, works through ¾ to high ¾ slot, showed an increase in velocity from previous event as fastball sat 77-79 mph topping at 80 and is mostly straight, curveball shows gradual 11/5 action at 60-64 mph and tended to be up in the zone on this occasion, allowed two hits and hit a batter with one strikeout in two innings of work in game action.