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By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

On Saturday, February 14, more than 100 players from all corners of the state convened at Champions Baseball Academy in Nicholasville for the third annual Preseason All-State Showcase. We wrap up our analysis of the players in attendance over the next few days with a look at the pitchers who participated in the event.

Below we take a look at the Class of 2018 and 2019 pitchers who were in attendance. This is pitcher analysis only. Those players who also participated as a position player at the event had their position player performance featured in a previous article.

Justin Manley, RHP, North Hardin HS, 2018
6-foot-3, 150-pound RHP, young prospect with highly projectable frame, uses long arm action and woks through a low-3/4 to ¾ arm slot, fastball shows slight arm-side run at 75-79 mph, touched 83 mph on his last fastball, 62-66 mph needs continued development as he gets under it and leaves it up and out of the strike zone, also shows a developing 68-69 mph slider, throws a solid 70-73 mph changeup that is currently his best secondary pitch, a 2018 RHP to keep an eye on.

Cole McKay, RHP/1B, Eastern HS, 2018
5-foot-8, 150-pound RHP, young prospect with above average velocity for age, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 slot, tends to throw across body slightly at times from the stretch, fastball sat 75-78 mph topping at 79 on one occasion, tends to slow arm on 59-60 mph curveball with gradual 11/5 action, changeup is best secondary pitch at present at 64-66 mph that varied between arm-side run and cutting action, also showed a 63-64 mph splitter with some tumbling action, young arm to keep an eye on.

Benton McGill, RHP, Nelson County HS, 2018
6-foot-3, 160-pound RHP, young prospect with ideal pitcher’s frame that projects well, uses long arm action through a high-3/4 arm slot, good direction with lower half, fastball sat 72-74 mph and topped at 76 on one occasion, fastball is mostly straight, shows a developing curveball at 55-58 mph, tends to drop arm slot on curveball and get under it, changeup is best current secondary pitch at 65-68 mph thrown with good arm action, solid potential for this young prospect and one to keep an eye on in 2018 class.

Chase Thomas, RHP/1B, CAL, 2018
5-foot-9, 130-pound RHP uses loose arm action and works through a high-3/4 slot, has some effort in delivery, aggressive hip load, good lower half direction, fastball sat 73-76 mph topping at 77 and is straight, showed a harder curveball for age at 64-68 mph with 11/5 action, lacked some feel in throwing the curveball for strikes but should develop into a solid pitch, also throws a 64-68 mph changeup that is straight, arm works and should continue to develop on the mound with growth and physical maturity.

Wyatt Stevenson, C/RHP, Christian County HS, 2019
5-foot-10, 173-pound, young RHP who has the foundation to be a high-level pitcher in the 2019 class. Uses long arm action and works through a ¾ to high-3/4 arm slot, has an easy effort delivery, lands open on occasion from the windup, shows above average velocity for age at 76-78 mph, fastball shows some arm-side run, 60-61 mph curveball shows gradual 11/5 action and is thrown for strikes, changeup is best present secondary pitch at 66-69 mph and shows good sink and fade, also threw a 63-64 mph knuckle ball, a young 2019 prospect to keep a close eye on moving forward.