By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

The 2018 class had some strong performances as freshman and the rankings reflected that. As we move forward and more players get a chance to compete on a bigger stage it will be intriguing to see how the rankings change. The next chance to see change will be in February as we roll out the updated 2018 rankings.  Before we make changes let’s take a look at where we are right now.

2018 RHP Connor Noland, Greenwood HS lands the No.1 ranking. The hard throwing right-hander led the bulldogs on the mound last spring and even picked up a win in the 6A State Tournament.

2018 RHP Connor Noland, Greenwood HS
Noland is a 6-foot-2 180-pound, right-hander with a large frame and an athletic build. Noland anchored a Greenwood pitching staff as freshmen. He competes in the strike zone with a fastball 84-86 mph. His breaking ball has 11/5 shape and is thrown with near fastball arm speed. Mechanically he is sound with repeatable mechanics and rhythm. He pitches from an H ¾ arm slot with a quick loose arm. Noland is a good athlete with a big arm and advanced ability to throw strikes. Noland is already garnering attention from the elite of college baseball.

In at No. 2 is Jakobi Jackson, a multi-talented athlete that did a little bit of everything for the Wildcats last spring, he hit lead off, played centerfield and help on the mound. Jackson runs a 6.9 in the 60, and has shown the ability to hit for power to both fields.

2018 OF/LHP Jakobi Jackson, Watson Chapel HS
Jackson is a 6-foot 190-pound athlete with a large frame and an athletic build. He is an advanced offensive player with ability to hit for power to both fields. He starts from an athletic stance with a fluid load, he attacks the baseball with fast bat speed. He has slight uphill bat path. He does a sound job maintaining rhythm and balance throughout his swing. Defensively he shows good instincts on balls in the air. He plays through the baseball with a fluid exchange and a strong arm with carry. As a pitcher Jackson pounds the strike zone with a fastball 79-82 mph. He compliments the fastball with a 1/7 curveball with sharp late break. Overall Jackson is an advanced hitter with above average athletic ability.

Pitchers round out the remaining top 5 which includes  No. 3 RHP Connor McCullough , No. LHP  4 Evan Hiatt and No. 5 LHP Jordan Wicks. All three played significant roles at their respective high schools and are expected to do the same this spring. Recruiting as already begun for all of them and I expect decisions to be finalized with Hiatt soon, McCullough committed to Oklahoma last summer.

2018 RHP Will Richardson has made a jump through the fall up to No. 7 he appears to be the other arm of the 2018 class to be garnering early recruiting attention.

The arms in this class are solid but there are a few position players that should start getting some love as they continue show well on the bigger stages, No. C 6 Nick Farkouri, No. CIF 8 Luke Johnson, No. 9 MIF Kam’Ron Mays Hunt and No. MIF 10 Pate Fullerton.

A few players that have shown potential to be the largest mover’s No. 17 OF Parker Gavazzi, No. C  27 Layne Hartsfield and No. 31 RHP Bennett Shoptaw. These players should all have larger soles for their high schools in the spring, with more experience I believe they could make a jump.

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Connor Noland	AR	Greenwood	2018	RHP
2	Jakobi Jackson	AR	Watson Chapel	2018	OF
3	Connor McCullough	AR	Maumelle	2018	RHP	Oklahoma
4	Evan Hiatt	AR	Catholic	2018	LHP
5	Jordan Wicks	AR	Conway	2018	LHP
6	Nick Fakouri	AR	Sylvan Hills	2018	RHP
7	Will Richardson	AR	Woodlawm	2018	RHP
8	Luke Johnson	AR	Shiloh Christian	2018	1B
9	Kam'Ron Mays-Hunt	AR	Bentonville	2018	SS
10	Pate Fullerton	AR	Harding Academy	2018	SS
11	Landon Brown	AR	Shiloh Christian	2018	RHP
12	Kaleb Hill	AR	Watson Chapel	2018	LHP
13	Jalen Hill	AR	Ashdown	2018	3B
14	Alex Day	AR	Ashdown	2018	C
15	Tyler Johnson	AR	Bentonville	2018	1B
16	Hank Hannah	AR	Catholic	2018	LHP
17	Parker Gavazzi	AR	Conway	2018	OF
18	Andrew Hreha	AR	Conway	2018	C
19	Ollie Reddick	AR	White Hall	2018	OF
20	Drew Chilton	AR	Benton	2018	SS

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