2018 Rankings Update: Scouting Reports 1-10

By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

The 2018 Rankings were updated on July 10^th 2017. Over the next week I will breakdown the top 50 players in the state, with scouting reports and a look at some of the top prospects video in PBR Plus articles. Below you will find the scouting reports on the Top 10 Players in the class. 

Connor Noland RHP / 3B / Greenwood, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:1 POS:1 Overall Rank:50 POS:22 Noland is a 6-foot-2 180-pound right-hander with an athletic frame and build. He showed an advanced feel for the strike zone locating 4 pitches for strike. His fastball worked 86-89 mph with late life through the strike zone. He located a slider with 10/4 shape and a late break thrown 78-81 mph. His curveball was thrown 71-73 mph with 11.5 shape and early break. He flashed a changeup thrown 74-75 mph with arm side run, the two times he threw it. Noland pitches from an H ¾ arm slot, with quick arm speed, a short arm action, good balance and regular effort, with a simple tilt and topple delivery. He repeats his smooth rhyme, his shoulders stay level as he stays in line with home plate. He finishes upright and square to home plate. Overall Noland has a quick arm and an advanced feel to pitch with 4 pitches.

Kaleb Hill LHP / Watson Chapel, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:2 POS:1 Overall Rank:85 POS:11 Hill is a 6-foot-4 195-pound left-hander with a large frame and an athletic build. He is an advanced athlete with a quick arm. He pitches from an H ¾ arm slot with a short arm action with quick arm speed. He repeats his tall and fall delivery with little effort. He uses consistent rhythm, however it is a choppy with a slight pause with his arm action on the backside. He works with his shoulders uphill and finishes upright. His fastball was located down in the strike zone at 89-91 mph, his curveball showed depth and 1/7 action thrown 72-75 mph with late break. He threw his changeup 69-70 mph with erratic command. Overall Hill is an advanced athlete with a quick arm and an advanced breaking ball.

Jaden Hill RHP / SS / Ashdown, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:3 POS:2 Overall Rank:65 POS:27 Hill is a 6-foot-5 210-pound right-hander with a large frame and a physical build. He pitched 88-90 mph from a H ¾ arm slot with a short arm action. He threw a change up and slider. His slider was thrown 78-79 mph with 10/4 shape and early break. The change up was thrown 75-76 mph with near fastball arm speed and slight arm side run. He uses a measured delivery that is repeated consistently. He has a distinct balance point and finish square to the plate upright. Overall Hill is very physical with a quick arm, his upside is tremendous as he continues to learn how to pitch.

Connor McCullough RHP / SS / Maumelle, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:4 POS:3 Overall Rank:260 POS:99 McCullough is a 6-foot-1 170-pound right-hander with an athletic frame and a thin build. He uses a short quick arm action from a H ¾ slot. His drop and drive delivery is repeated consistently with regular effort. He commanded the strike zone with a fastball which worked 87-90 with slight sink. He complimented his fastball with a curveball thrown 78-79 with late break and 11/5 action. Overall McCullough is a solid athlete with a quick arm and a feel for two advanced pitches.

Miller Pleimann RHP / Fayetteville , AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:5 POS:4 Pleimann is a 6-foot-3 180-pound right-hander with a large frame and an athletic build. He pitches off his fastball thrown 88-89 mph located in the bottom half of the strike zone on a consistent basis. He also showed the ability to located a curveball with 11/5 shape and late break at 78-79 mph. He pitches from a High ¾ arm slot with a loose arm. He uses a simple tall and fall delivery with little effort. He maintains he finish square to the plate with limited extension. Overall Pleimann is an intriguing pitcher with his frame and clean arm action.

Kam'Ron Mays-Hunt SS / Bentonville, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:6 POS:1 Mays-Hunt is a 6-foot-1 170-pound right-handed pitcher / outfielder with an athletic frame and physical build. He showed advanced tools during the pro-style work out running a 6.59 in the 60. He threw the baseball 93 mph from the outfield and 92 mph across the infield. He showed raw bat speed producing exit velocities up to 91 mph. Defensively he plays through the baseball with fluid footwork, and throws with short arm action from a ¾ arm slot. Offensively he starts from a tall stance with a minimum load stride combination. He attacks the baseball with a downward plane swing.  As a pitcher he shows a quick arm from a ¾ arm slot. His delivery is simple with a distinct balance point and little effort. He commands the fastball consistently in the strike zone working 88-91 mph with late life through the zone. He also throws a sharp slider with 10/4 shape and late break thrown 77-80 mph. Overall Mays-Hunt is an advanced athlete with a rawness to his game as a position player, on the mound he has a feel to pitch, and projects to throw harder.

Wade Beasley RHP / RHP / Horatio, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:7 POS:5 Overall Rank:92 POS:40 Beasley is a 6-foot-2 200-pound right-hander with a large frame and an average build. He showed advanced arm strength throwing his fastball 90-93 mph with slight sink. He pitches from a H ¾ arm slot with a quick arm with some strength to the arm action. He repeats his delivery consistently using rushed rhythm with late hand separation. He threw a curveball as his secondary 76-77 mph with 11/5 shape and early break. Overall Beasley is a large player with raw strength, he will continue to be a top prospect as his arm strength is advanced.

Evan Hiatt LHP / 1B / Catholic, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:8 POS:2 Overall Rank:63 POS:7 Hiatt is a 6-foot-1 180-pound left-hander with a wide frame and an average build. He shows an advanced feel to pitch with three pitches. His fastball worked 84-87 mph, his curveball was thrown 76-77 with 1/7 shape and late break, the change up was thrown 71-72 mph fastball arm speed and arm side run. Mechanically he does a sound job repeating his simple tall and fall delivery with easy effort and limited extension. Overall Hiatt is an advanced pitcher, that projects to throw harder as he physically matures.

Tyler Johnson 1B / RHP / Bentonville, AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:9 POS:1 Overall Rank:218 POS:10 Johnson is a 6-foot-2 185-pound 1st basemen/ outfielder, with a large frame and an athletic build. He attacks the baseball with fast bat speed and an advanced feel for the barrel. He starts from a tall stance, he uses a simple load stride combination, he uses a slight uphill swing which flashes pull power. He uses his lower half partially. Defensively he plays through the baseball with fluid footwork. He uses a short arm action and throws the baseball with accuracy. Overall Johnson is an advanced left-handed hitter with above average athleticism.

Andrew Stanley C / 2B / Searcy , AR / 2018 Rankings  State Rank:10 POS:1 Stanley is a 5-foot-8 180-pound catcher with an athletic frame and physical build. Defensively Stanley threw pop times 1.98-2.10 consistently with accuracy. He blocks with adequate skill and effort. He attacks the baseball with fast bat speed producing exit velocity up to 88 mph. He starts from a slight-open stance, diving back into the plate with a line drive swing. Overall Stanley is an advanced hitter with above average athleticism. He is a solid catcher but profiles better as a middle infielder or corner outfielder.

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