Prep Baseball Report

Skelding Finds Future As A Pitcher At Kentucky


Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Senior Writer

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Skelding Finds Future As A Pitcher At Kentucky

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Tommy Skelding

Class of 2023 / RHP

Player Information

  • Graduating Class: 2023
  • Primary Position: RHP
    Secondary Position: SS
  • High School: Marlington
    State: OH
  • Summer Team: Bo Jackson Elite
  • Height: 6-3
    Weight: 190lbs
  • Bat/Throw: R/R

Statistics

Pitching
90
Max FB
(04/30/22)
86 - 89
FB
(04/30/22)
72 - 77
CB
(06/10/21)
78 - 80
CH
(06/04/20)
71 - 74
SL
(07/01/20)
Pitching
Max FB
90
FB
86 - 89
CB
73 - 77
CH
77 - 80
Pitching
Max FB
88
FB
83 - 88
CB
72 - 77
CH
76 - 79
Pitching
Max FB
86
FB
84 - 86
CB
71 - 74
CH
76 - 77
Pitching
Max FB
86
FB
84 - 86
CB
71 - 74
CH
76 - 77
Pitching
Max FB
86
FB
83 - 85
CH
77 - 0
SL
71 - 74
Pitching
Max FB
86
FB
84 - 86
CB
73 - 75
CH
76 - 77
Pitching
Max FB
87
FB
84 - 87
CB
72 - 76
CH
78 - 80
Pitching
Max FB
84
FB
80 - 84
Pitching
Max FB
81
FB
79 - 81
CB
66 - 68
CH
72 - 75
Pitching
Max FB
80
FB
76 - 80
CB
64 - 68
CH
70 - 71
Position
7.09
60-yard
(08/02/20)
79
INF Velo
(08/01/20)
94
Exit Velo
(08/01/20)
4.59
H-1st
(06/12/19)
Position
60-yard
7.09
INF Velo
79
Exit Velo
94
Position
60-yard
7.09
INF Velo
79
Exit Velo
94
Position
60-yard
7.35
INF Velo
74
Exit Velo
84
Position
60-yard
7.28
Exit Velo
77
Trackman - Fastball
85.9
Velocity (max)
(08/02/20)
84.6 - 85.5
Velo Range
(08/02/20)
84.3
Eff Velocity (avg)
(08/02/20)
2553
Spin Rate (max)
(08/02/20)
2357
Spin Rate (avg)
(08/02/20)
IVB (max)
(08/02/20)
IVB (avg)
(08/02/20)
HM (max)
(08/02/20)
HM (avg)
(08/02/20)
Extension (avg)
(08/02/20)
Release Ht (avg)
(08/02/20)
Spin Score (max)
(08/02/20)
Zone %
(08/02/20)
Trackman - Fastball
Velocity (max)
85.9
Velo Range
84.6 - 85.5
Eff Velocity (avg)
84.3
Spin Rate (max)
2553
Spin Rate (avg)
2357
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Zone %
Trackman - Curveball
76.2
Velocity (max)
(08/02/20)
71.1 - 74.5
Velo Range
(08/02/20)
71.6
Eff Velocity (avg)
(08/02/20)
2409
Spin Rate (max)
(08/02/20)
2277
Spin Rate (avg)
(08/02/20)
IVB (max)
(08/02/20)
IVB (avg)
(08/02/20)
HM (max)
(08/02/20)
HM (avg)
(08/02/20)
Extension (avg)
(08/02/20)
Release Ht (avg)
(08/02/20)
Spin Score (max)
(08/02/20)
Zone %
(08/02/20)
Trackman - Curveball
Velocity (max)
76.2
Velo Range
71.1 - 74.5
Eff Velocity (avg)
71.6
Spin Rate (max)
2409
Spin Rate (avg)
2277
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Zone %
Trackman - ChangeUp
78.4
Velocity (max)
(08/02/20)
75.1 - 77.7
Velo Range
(08/02/20)
75.6
Eff Velocity (avg)
(08/02/20)
2479
Spin Rate (max)
(08/02/20)
2067
Spin Rate (avg)
(08/02/20)
IVB (max)
(08/02/20)
IVB (avg)
(08/02/20)
HM (max)
(08/02/20)
HM (avg)
(08/02/20)
Extension (avg)
(08/02/20)
Release Ht (avg)
(08/02/20)
Spin Score (max)
(08/02/20)
Zone %
(08/02/20)
Trackman - ChangeUp
Velocity (max)
78.4
Velo Range
75.1 - 77.7
Eff Velocity (avg)
75.6
Spin Rate (max)
2479
Spin Rate (avg)
2067
IVB (max)
IVB (avg)
HM (max)
HM (avg)
Extension (avg)
Release Ht (avg)
Spin Score (max)
Zone %
Trackman - Hitting
89.9
Exit Velocity (max)
(08/02/20)
79.9
Exit Velocity (avg)
(08/02/20)
226
Distance (avg)
(08/02/20)
320
Distance (max)
(08/02/20)
Sweet Spot %
(08/02/20)
Line Drive %
(08/02/20)
Fly Ball %
(08/02/20)
Ground Ball %
(08/02/20)
Trackman - Hitting
Exit Velocity (max)
89.9
Exit Velocity (avg)
79.9
Distance (avg)
226
Distance (max)
320
Sweet Spot %
Line Drive %
Fly Ball %
Ground Ball %
Blast - Hitting
25.3
Hand Speed (max)
(08/02/20)
24.2
Hand Speed (avg)
(08/02/20)
69.7
Bat Speed (max)
(08/02/20)
68.4
Bat Speed (avg)
(08/02/20)
Rot. Acc (max)
(08/02/20)
Rot. Acc (avg)
(08/02/20)
On Plane Eff (avg)
(08/02/20)
Blast - Hitting
Hand Speed (max)
25.3
Hand Speed (avg)
24.2
Bat Speed (max)
69.7
Bat Speed (avg)
68.4
Rot. Acc (max)
Rot. Acc (avg)
On Plane Eff (avg)

Pitch_Scores

Pitch Scores - Fastball
Hop+
(08/02/20)
Rise+
(08/02/20)
Sink+
(08/02/20)
Pitch Scores - Curveball
Hammer+
(08/02/20)
Sweep+
(08/02/20)

Skelding Finds Future As A Pitcher At Kentucky

ATWATER - There was a time that Tommy Skelding thought of himself as a hitter first. While the potential is still there to be a position player, pitching is where the future of the Marlington sophomore is now when it comes to playing at the next level following an August commitment to Kentucky.

“Back in the day I looked at myself as a hitter,” Skelding reflected. “I wasn’t serious about pitching until last year. When I saw my numbers make a jump, I knew I had a future in pitching.”

Kentucky believes the same thing after seeing the ninth-rated 2023 in the state during the PBR Central Ohio Limited Series.

“I first started talking to them the first week of the (summer) season after I played at a PBR event,” the 6-1 165-pound right-hander explained. “They saw a video of me and wanted to talk. That was the first week of June. I talked to them three times and then with the head coach. The third week in June they offered. After that it came down to deciding if it was the right place for me.”

Offers were made to Skelding from Ohio State and Kent State prior to the Future Games in August and after that PBR event came additional offers from Purdue and Xavier. But the Southeast Conference school closest to his hometown was at the top of Skelding’s list.

“Kentucky was watching me during the Future Games,” Skelding related. “They talked to me about how I did and how I could have done better.”

The Marlington product went on an unofficial visit to the Lexington campus with his parents in mid-August to help make a final decision.

“I like the culture they have there, the campus and the facilities,” noted Skelding, who lives five-and-a-half hours away from the university.

The trip south proved to be enough in making the decision that Kentucky is the right fit for the promising sophomore.

“I’ve wanted to play college baseball since I was a little kid,” Skelding said. “It’s been a dream my whole life. To finally do it is amazing.”

The goal of playing at the next level started to become realistic in 2019.

“The Future Games last year is where I saw I was one of the top players in my class for the state,” Skelding noted. “It opened up my eyes and showed me I had a real chance at this.”

Hard work followed.

“I’ve gained weight which has helped my velocity,” pointed out Skelding, who has topped out at 87 on the radar. “I started working full time with Mike Grady, who worked with me some last year. He helped with my mechanics and with the sequence of pitches, the count to throw a pitch and who to throw it to.”

A repertoire of a two-seam and four-seam fastball is aided by a slider and changeup.

“I still need to use my lower half more,” Skelding admitted. “I pull off earlier and use my arm. I need to sit on my glute longer and use more of my lower half.”

Business or engineering are potential majors for Skelding, a 3.8 student who feels the biggest influences in his baseball journey have been Grady, his parents and Jimmy Onate, his summer coach this year who has “helped develop me as a player and person.”

While there was discussion with Kentucky about trying two-way, “right now I’m just a PO,” Skedling noted.

“I feel I can bring a big arsenal of pitches,” Skelding said of what he can provide the UK program. “I’m working on more pitches now, trying to get a curveball. I think I need to throw harder when I’m there and if I do that I can make a big impact.”

For now, Skelding is happy the process has ended.

“I liked seeing how different every single school was that approached me,” Skelding assessed about his recruitment. “It really went a lot quicker than I expected.

“But it feels amazing. I’m excited to be a Wildcat and can’t wait to get there.”


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