Prep Baseball Report

2016 Rankings: Updated on 2.13.16



By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

After a great January, our staff has set down over the last few weeks and reworked each class. We kick things off with an updated 2016 rankings and will work our way through the 2019 rankings here in a few weeks. The 2016 rankings are have changed quite a bit, with players finishing their high school careers, the rankings have shifted from who these players potentially could be to who they are now as a prep player. This rankings have expanded from 50, to 100, and now to 130 players. If a player is on this list we feel they have at least one tool that could compete at the collegiate rankings as you move to the top, players have more college ready physical tools.

Overall No. 1

Evan Lee, LHP, Bryant High School
Lee is a 6-foot-1 180-pound left-handed pitcher/ outfielder with a large frame and an athletic build. He is a solid athlete that runs a 6.70 in the sixty. He has a line drive swing with fast bat speed. He will be an integral part of the Hornet’s offense this spring. On the mound he pitches from an H ¾ arm slot with a quick arm action. He pounds the strike zone with his fastball 85-88 mph with late run. He has shown more arm strength flashing fastballs up to 92 mph. He isn’t just a thrower he understands how to pitch and locates his changeup and curveball on a consistent basis. Lee is committed to the University of Arkansas.

Position Player

Luke Bandy MIF/OF Providence Academy
Bandy is 6-foot 180-pound middle infielder with an athletic build and frame. He runs a 6.69 in the 60. He plays through the baseball with fluid foot work, and some stiffness to his glove actions. He has fluid exchange with a quick clean arm action. He throws the ball up to 88 mph across the infield. He attacks the baseball with fast bat speed producing exit velocities up to 94 mph. His stance is tall and works with a slight uphill bat path. He has shown the ability to hit the ball to the opposite field on a consistent basis. Overall Bandy is a superior athlete and will only get better the more he plays the game. 

Top Unsigned Pitchers

No. 20 Ryan Czanstowski ,RHP Mountain Home HS- Physical right-hander up to 88 mph with progressing secondary pitches.

No. 27 Joey Savin, LHP Fayetteville HS- Athletic LHP with pitchability. Fastball up to 86 mph, solid two sport athlete that has upside as he plays baseball more consistently.

No. 28 Drew Dyer LHP Benton HS- Fastball velocity 85-88 mph with solid 1/7 curveball. Physical build may play college football instead of baseball.

No. 30 Ty Gordon RHP Green County Tech HS- 6-foot-5 with a projectable frame and build. Fastball 82-85 limited use of lower half, solid arm action.

Top Unsigned Position Players

No. 35 Darien Burns OF Hamburg HS- Left-handed hitter with raw bat speed. He has the ability to hit the ball to all fields with doubles power. Average arm, solid defender

No. 37 Cooper King MIF Harrison HS- Maybe the best baseball player in this class, does everything right, undersized but solid swing and plus defensive actions.

No. 42 Luke Price OF Dover HS- A Physical outfielder, he runs a 6.9 in the 60. Raw Power, three sport athlete that needs time to figure it out. Home run power with a hip slide.

No. 48 Cole Boyd C/OF Horatio HS- undersized athlete with several tools. Off the mound up to 84 mph, he shows good baseball instincts anywhere he plays. He led the state in home runs as a junior. Fast bat speed with a fee for the barrel.

Committed

This group has been heavily recruited with 72 of the 130 having signed a national letter of intent before their senior season starts. For the players that remain uncommitted, there will be plenty of time as colleges try to fill holes in their roster they are discovering as their season continues.

2016 Rankings

Updated on Feb 12, 2016

Rank

Name

State

School

Class

Pos

Commitment

1

Evan Lee

AR

Bryant

2016

LHP

Arkansas

2

Kasey Ford

AR

Bentonville

2016

RHP

Kansas State

3

Luke Bandy

AR

Providence

2016

SS

Dallas Baptist

4

Dylan Thompson

AR

Catholic

2016

LHP

Arkansas

5

Zach Jackson

AR

Bryant

2016

RHP

Arkansas

6

Austin Powell

AR

Star City

2016

C

Arkansas State

7

Hunter Heffley

AR

Rogers

2016

LHP

Arkansas

8

Angus Denton

AR

Beebe

2016

RHP

Arkansas

9

Drew Young

AR

Bentonville

2016

RHP

Central Arkansas

10

Carter Brown

AR

Bentonville

2016

RHP

Arkansas Little Rock

For Complete List Click Here

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