[baseball1974]

Based off the conversation that we were having in another thread, I really wanted to find out about the best hitters east of Lexington? I didn't want to narrow it down to a specific region, so I guess this would be referring to regions 13-16. If you want to take it region by region first then so be it, but I want to know the other hitters everyone thinks deserve this. From everything I've heard most of them are in the same area?

[TPX]

Hitting as a whole in these regions face a disadvantage because they do not face the same type of pitching as the Lexington and Louisville regions do on a daily basis. Contrary to what alot of people think, it is rare for a kid to face 80-83 once a week and some teams never see this type of pitching because other teams wdo not want to waste their best against certain teams. When they face 85 plus they usually will get blown away. Stats are also different depending on teams. A kid hitting .450 for a team that plays a weak schedule is not a better hitter than a kid that hits .350 for a team that travels to Fla. for spring break and goes to tournaments in Lexington or Louisville.

[TPX]

Jacob Barnhill from Boyd County is probably one of the better hitters. He is an Ohio state commit and one of the best catchers in the state.

[Skimps]

Jacob Barnwell^

[baseball1974]

I agree with you in some regards but the Lexington and Louisville schools have a lot of cupcakes as well. They don't like traveling around the state because they don't have to. In Louisville you have teams like Doss, Valley, Shawnee, Bethlehem, Whitfield Academy, Central, Atherton, Fairdale, Fern Creek, Wagner, Southern, Iroquois, Seneca, Western, DeSales, Beth Haven, Country Day, and Portland Christian that would not be able to compete in eastern KY. None of these schools have anyone throwing even close to 80 mph and in reality there are only a handful of schools in Louisville that are top notch and then some are hit and miss from year to year and then the rest I listed.

In Lexington you have Sayre, east Jessamine, woodford, franklin, Frankfort, Model, Berea, Madison southern, Bryan station, and even Boyle was bad last year. Bryan Station and Boyle could have competed in eastern KY last year but most are hit and miss. Woodford won the state championship a couple years ago and they had to beat the same team a couple times just to get to 6 wins.

There is more talent in these places overall, but there is also a lot of bad teams that make up everyone's schedule just like eastern KY. Lexington and Louisville have more schools that are more likely to win state titles, but the stats are not that far off unless you're talking about a Wolfe county or a Phelps player hitting over .500? That would be the exact same as somebody from Doss or Sayre hitting over .500. When you take the good teams in eastern KY and look at their stats their usually legitimate. I'm talking about the Boyd County teams, Johnson Central, Lawrence usually plays a good schedule, Paintsville, Ashland, etc.

[baseball1974]

Jacob Barnhill from Boyd County is probably one of the better hitters. He is an Ohio state commit and one of the best catchers in the state.

So do you think everyone would agree that Barnwell is #1?

[TPX]

Jacob Barnwell^

You are correct.

[TPX]

I agree with you in some regards but the Lexington and Louisville schools have a lot of cupcakes as well. They don't like traveling around the state because they don't have to. In Louisville you have teams like Doss, Valley, Shawnee, Bethlehem, Whitfield Academy, Central, Atherton, Fairdale, Fern Creek, Wagner, Southern, Iroquois, Seneca, Western, DeSales, Beth Haven, Country Day, and Portland Christian that would not be able to compete in eastern KY. None of these schools have anyone throwing even close to 80 mph and in reality there are only a handful of schools in Louisville that are top notch and then some are hit and miss from year to year and then the rest I listed.

In Lexington you have Sayre, east Jessamine, woodford, franklin, Frankfort, Model, Berea, Madison southern, Bryan station, and even Boyle was bad last year. Bryan Station and Boyle could have competed in eastern KY last year but most are hit and miss. Woodford won the state championship a couple years ago and they had to beat the same team a couple times just to get to 6 wins.

There is more talent in these places overall, but there is also a lot of bad teams that make up everyone's schedule just like eastern KY. Lexington and Louisville have more schools that are more likely to win state titles, but the stats are not that far off unless you're talking about a Wolfe county or a Phelps player hitting over .500? That would be the exact same as somebody from Doss or Sayre hitting over .500. When you take the good teams in eastern KY and look at their stats their usually legitimate. I'm talking about the Boyd County teams, Johnson Central, Lawrence usually plays a good schedule, Paintsville, Ashland, etc.

I actually think the bottom teams in the 13th-16th are a lot worse than the bottom feeders in the 6th, 7th or 11th region. I don't know if Barnwell is the best hitter or not. He is good though and has a legit D1 arm behind the plate.

[dawg fan]

Barnwell is a stud, what's the kid from greenups name, I think the 16th has better hitting overall than the 15, lc plays a lot of 16th region and for the most part they are better hitting teams than the 15th region.
In the 15th imo
1. Turner, lc
2. Daniels, paintsville
3. The kid from belfry can't think of his name
4. Keesee, lc
5. Miller paintsville, could be better than all of them but he didn't play last year, so hard to say how he will come back, if he picks up where he left off put him at 1.

[baseball1974]

I actually think the bottom teams in the 13th-16th are a lot worse than the bottom feeders in the 6th, 7th or 11th region. I don't know if Barnwell is the best hitter or not. He is good though and has a legit D1 arm behind the plate.

On average their about the same. If you just compare one region to the 6th or 7th then there are more bad teams in Louisville, but if you compare all the teams in eastern KY to the 6th or 7tg then you're probably right. It may take doing it that way to equal the number of teams in Louisville. I can tell you though with certainty that somebody like east ridge or Russell would beat every team I listed with the exception of maybe DeSales and Southern. Every team I listed would be in the bottom half of every region in eastern KY. Some of them are so bad they can't even get all their players to show up for games. I know teams that send their jv to play some of those teams because it doesnt help their team and they'd rather practice. The good programs in Louisville have the luxury of Indiana being close. So unless one the those teams are in their district they can get around having to play them. When I was coaching I'd have stats sent to me from different teams and I was really interested in a player from DeSales. His coach told me to come watch their game with Doss. It ended up like 25-17 and I felt dumber about baseball when I left. Then I noticed his stats were against those teams and it made sense. I will say though that DeSales is remarkably better than they use to be. They even made it to the region championship and the All "A" championship about four years ago. They would probably be in the mid to upper tier in eastern KY.

I seen a game at Iroquois High School once and the visiting team I was there to watch had to sit in the bleachers because they didn't have a visitors dugout. The home team had a dugout, but there was no roof on it. I asked one of the parents and they said it was a bad neighborhood and a group of students set the visitors dugout on fire and the school said it wasn't worth rebuilding. That was a first for me.

Another terrible team that's on everyone's schedule is Evangel Christian. Teams schedule them every year but its not guaranteed from year to year they'll field a team.

I think everyone would be amazed at how bad some of the teams are. I think Phelps could mercy half of those teams?

[baseball1974]

Barnwell is a stud, what's the kid from greenups name, I think the 16th has better hitting overall than the 15, lc plays a lot of 16th region and for the most part they are better hitting teams than the 15th region.
In the 15th imo
1. Turner, lc
2. Daniels, paintsville
3. The kid from belfry can't think of his name
4. Keesee, lc
5. Miller paintsville, could be better than all of them but he didn't play last year, so hard to say how he will come back, if he picks up where he left off put him at 1.

So LC has two of the top 5 in the 15th and JC doesn't have anybody?

With Paintsville's pitching staff and having these hitters back in the lineup, does that make them the overwhelming favorite in the 15th?

I was under the impression that JC and Paintsville are similar in regards to talent?

[dawg fan]

I beleave jc graduated 8 or 9 last year and 5 or 6 were starters. They may have the talent of paintsville or lc but they have not had the chance to show it yet. With paintsville and lc they are returning almost the entire team. Lc lost regional champ. By 1 run. Now that doesn't mean jc doesn't have hitters they may end up with the best in the state we just have not seen them in varsity action yet while with lc and paintsville they were underclassmen dominate teams last year.

[Bob Seger]

JC only lost 3 starters. Hill, Mayes, and Young. Others that graduated were roll players (pinch runners, Designated runners, etc.)and occasional spot starters depending on who they played. Don't know why you are so hung up with this 8 or 9 senior stuff. It's nothing at all like you are trying to make it out to be.and as far as this youth movement stuff you are trying to feed everyone, JC was probably overall younger as far as starters. They started 2 freshmen and 2 eighth graders.

[Eagle84]

I beleave jc graduated 8 or 9 last year and 5 or 6 were starters. They may have the talent of paintsville or lc but they have not had the chance to show it yet. With paintsville and lc they are returning almost the entire team. Lc lost regional champ. By 1 run. Now that doesn't mean jc doesn't have hitters they may end up with the best in the state we just have not seen them in varsity action yet while with lc and paintsville they were underclassmen dominate teams last year.

I think JC returns 2 (9th), 3(9th) & 5(11) best average hiters from last year team. In addition, Zach Salyers who was hurt most of the yaer will DH and is a very good hitter. JC will be young I can forsee JC playing 3 9th, 3 10th & 2 12th on the defense. While pitching 2 sr, 1jr, 3 fr,

[baseball1974]

I beleave jc graduated 8 or 9 last year and 5 or 6 were starters. They may have the talent of paintsville or lc but they have not had the chance to show it yet. With paintsville and lc they are returning almost the entire team. Lc lost regional champ. By 1 run. Now that doesn't mean jc doesn't have hitters they may end up with the best in the state we just have not seen them in varsity action yet while with lc and paintsville they were underclassmen dominate teams last year.

The question I have about LC is who is going to replace their ace? There was a big drop off after him in the rotation and without that #1 pitcher that can go head to head with everybody else's #1, thoughts of winning region are far off. Most regional championship games or even district title games always come down to pitching and defense. Once you get to a regional championshipeverybody will score at least a run or two, but not everybody will have that pitcher with ice in his veins or a defense behind him that is lights out in late game situations? I just don't see LC improving that much on defense or having an ace they can rely on to win the region?

Having those good hitters is a good place to build around, but where do you go when one or both of them go hitless in the post season?

[dawg fan]

I think you will seevturner move to 3rd. 3rd is where we had the majority of our erros, ss committed a few in the second half of the season after he broke two bones in his right hand at russell and had a hard time keeping the swelling down. Cyrus will be at second, I beleave bailey will be their #1 pitcher, coverdale, salyers, cantrell, bowen, barger, boyer, will all pitch big innings. You will also see turner and keesee in some relief spots. Our biggest weakness is at catcher hopefully we have improved at this spot.

[ForearmShiver]

Barnwell is a stud, what's the kid from greenups name, I think the 16th has better hitting overall than the 15, lc plays a lot of 16th region and for the most part they are better hitting teams than the 15th region.
In the 15th imo
1. Turner, lc
2. Daniels, paintsville
3. The kid from belfry can't think of his name
4. Keesee, lc
5. Miller paintsville, could be better than all of them but he didn't play last year, so hard to say how he will come back, if he picks up where he left off put him at 1.

Paintsville's Catcher Burchell has to be in this conversation as well. Kid has been a rock solid hitter for three consecutive years.

[travelball]

I would think the Turner kid from LC would be at the top of this list.

[HornetFan5]

I'll say...
Turner, LC
Daniels, Paintsville
Keesee, LC
Miller, Paintsville
...and then...
Taylor, Belfry


And if you wanna add another couple hitters onto that, I'll say....
Prater, Phelps
Fannin, Belfry

[OffTheHook]

Just an update on Matt Miller from Paintsville.
Took part in EKU Showcase couple weeks ago and goes 2/3 with 2 doubles. Very Good sign that he is taking right off where he left off.

[MHS Parent4Life]

I believe we have one in the 13th that would be tough to beat. Daniel Neal from South Laurel, whom has already signed with Tennessee, will make a run at Mr. Baseball this year.

[baseball1974]

I believe we have one in the 13th that would be tough to beat. Daniel Neal from South Laurel, whom has already signed with Tennessee, will make a run at Mr. Baseball this year.

South Laurel has a couple that is on that list. Neal was recruited by a lot of big time programs.

[Van Hagar]

I believe we have one in the 13th that would be tough to beat. Daniel Neal from South Laurel, whom has already signed with Tennessee, will make a run at Mr. Baseball this year.

You're right about Daniel of course, but you've got a guy on your own team that I have always thought was just a dynamite hitter (and all-around player) in Jake Brock. I know he has had some injury issues, will he be good to go for baseball season?

[baseball1974]

You're right about Daniel of course, but you've got a guy on your own team that I have always thought was just a dynamite hitter (and all-around player) in Jake Brock. I know he has had some injury issues, will he be good to go for baseball season?

In the four decades I spent coaching and recruiting players there was always a type or makeup of a kid that I tried to get. The Brock kid is exactly the type of mental makeup id love to have for every player on my team. He's a tough smart kid that is fun to watch. He is the quintisential lead off hitter. He's a small kid that makes up for it in being smarter, more aggressive, and playing with more passion and heart than anyone on the field. He is the type of kid that no matter who you play for you want to see succeed. I was asked by a former colleague of mine last year to go watch him play. He is a recruiter for a Divison 2 school, and he had heard about his rotator cuff and wanted to know if he would still be worth pursuing. After my first time telling him he was indeed legit he thought it might have been a fluke game or something, so I kept going to see him, even at practice. After watching about 10 games and a couple weeks of practice I finally convinced him that even with the injury he is better than most everyone on the field. I think he hit over .420 last year and broke a school record with close to 60 runs scored, and also stole close 30 bases as well. What is even more impressive is even with the inury, he didn't miss one game all year. He won't ever have the power numbers that most you'll see that get Mr. Baseball and his size doesn't help him in the voters eyes either. However, he is exactly the kind of kid that every state should want as their Mr. Baseball, just off of what he represents as a players and young man. I usually don't rant and rave about players, but he is one that I'm glad you brought up. Very old school throwback player with no excuses and only knows one speed, really fast. I've heard he is that way on the football field as well, going head on into the biggest players he can find. I'd love to see him and his team at State tournament this year. If nothing else, just so everyone else can see him.

[Van Hagar]

Hey, I'm right there with you on Brock. I've been on his bandwagon since middle school, when we (North Laurel) played them, we couldn't get him out, and we had exceptional middle school pitchers like Zach Hurley and Logan Mallory, both kids who are going on to college to pitch after high school, Hurley to Western, and Mallory to Kentucky Wesleyan. Brock's team wasn't very good, but man that cat could flat out play, at the plate and in center.
Overall, I don't think there has ever been a deeper pool of senior talent in this region than there will be this year, with four tremendous players in South's infield, North returning Hurley, Mallory and Ethan Maxey for their senior years, Brock from Middlesboro, right there are eight kids who should definitely play at the next level, at least five of them have already signed.

[Hit N' Run]

Jake Brock heck of a hitter and he is a tough out and Neal is a wonderful hitter that just gets it done when he goes to the plate.Can't believe no one has mentioned Griffin Wells from Hazard.He is very patient at the plate,not a power hitter, but is a solid hitter for the Bulldogs.

[washed up]

Ben Jordan of West Carter has the highest ceiling of any kid in eastern Kentucky. He is 6'8'' and while he may end up on the mount permanently, he is very good at the plate as well.

[baseball1974]

Ben Jordan of West Carter has the highest ceiling of any kid in eastern Kentucky. He is 6'8'' and while he may end up on the mount permanently, he is very good at the plate as well.

I agree with you in regards to his ceiling pitching, but I haven't seen him hit enough to be able to say he has the highest ceiling of anyone in eastern ky. There is a very talented young man at Boyd county that may have something to say about that. Have you been able to see enough of eastern ky to say that?

[washed up]

I agree with you in regards to his ceiling pitching, but I haven't seen him hit enough to be able to say he has the highest ceiling of anyone in eastern ky. There is a very talented young man at Boyd county that may have something to say about that. Have you been able to see enough of eastern ky to say that?

I have seen a lot of 16th region and a little 15th. I also have some insight on what a few colleges think about kids. Cable Wright is as good of a hitter as the 16th has seen in a few years and from what I hear Morehead is figuring that out. In the current crop, I havent seen the couple of Paintsville kids mentioned but I have heard good things about them. I think kids like Hensley at Russell and Damron at Boyd are tough outs as well. Wyatt at Boyd is a sleeper. Ashland is down and Fairview has as tough time building a baseball program. Raceland doesnt have anyone that wows me but they like Greenup have a few solid kids who will produce in that region. I dont know a lot about the Lewis kids. Davis at Rowan gets kids to swing it prettty well it seems. His centerfielder is a nice player. I am not familiar with Fleming or Morgan or Lawrence. I will see more of various schools this spring but sometimes you just cant tell from a couple of games.

[baseball1974]

Just out of what I have seen this year, Jacob Barnwell from Boyd will be setting the bar and everyone else will fall below it. Every year I still get a list of possible prospects, both position players as well as pitchers. Usually I get a list of each in the fall and then I'll get a more in-depth list at the beginning of March. Even though I've been retired from coaching for awhile I still seem to get these every year for almost all the states in the southeast and a few in the Midwest. This is a preliminary list that I got a few days ago. The only order it's in is alphabetical and there are some kids that I haven't seen play. I have even gotten on a few lists at times that had kids that were already graduated. So like I said this list is not complete at this point in time and it will always contain kids from all grades. There may be freshman on here that this particular scout may see a lot of upside to. This is just a list of position players. If you see someone that should be on it then list them by all means, because some kids may have gotten more exposure than others just based off of where the scout was at when he was making the list.


Rudy Akemon-Hazard
Zach Allen-South Laurel
Jacob Barnwell-Boyd
Jake Capobianco-North Laurel
Dalton Cornett-Knott County Central
Jordan Doyle-Lewis County
Joe Gaines-South Laurel
Samuel Hamilton-Pikeville
Brayden Imel-Knox Central
Reece Ison-Prestonsburg
Nick Javis-Harlan County
Brent Lovell-Rockcastle County
Jaren Lovely-Magoffin County
Trey Martin-South Laurel
Ethan Maxey-North Laurel
Chayse McClure-Rockcastle County
Jake McWhorter-North Laurel
Daniel Neal-South Laurel
Cole Ratliff-Hazard
Kaden Rose-West Carter
John Sizemore-Clay County
Clay Slone-Pikeville
Tanner Thompson-Pikeville
Austyn Turner-Knott County Central