Updated 2018 Overall Rankings: Arkansas Players

September 12, 2015

By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

The overall updated 2018 overall rankings were released yesterday. The rankings were expanded from 50 to 100. There were two Arkansans that were ranked in that group. RHP Connor Noland and OF Jakobi Jackson, below you will find our scouting report on both players.

Connor Noland, RHP, Greenwood HS
State Ranking 1 National 1
State Pos 1 National Pos 10

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.

Jakobi Jackson, OF, Watson Chapel HS
State Ranking 2 National 96
State Pos 1 National Pos 16

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 through out 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.