UK now has commitments from 3 of the top 4 prospects in the state of Kentucky for the class of 2018. This new staff can really recruit.
Baseball Commits
- Thread starter BluegrassBlake
- Start date
I have never really been able to keep up with baseball recruiting. What kind of pace are these guys on? It seems like they are really raking in recruits for both 17 and 18. Is this kind of a torrid pace for 18 kids or is it normal?
Crosby Bringhurst, a Right Handed Pitcher from Utah committed last Friday.
So, what do you guys think about these recruits so far? I have seen where we have gotten the top players in several states, and that is outstanding. However, if you look at the recruiting rankings by Perfect Game we're not in the top 25 for either 2017 or 2018 (and I know a lot can change). In 2017 we're ranked 26th and in 2018 we're ranked 45th. For the two years we have 20 commitments and just 1 top 100 player.
So, what are your thoughts on this guys? With Henderson, especially in the past several years, we stacked up numerous top 100 recruits, with many of them (if not most) heading to the pros. With these two new classes UK doesn't have any top 100 recruits. Is that a better strategy?
Disclaimer: I am not saying we're doing good or bad. I think it is extremely hard to tell in baseball just how good your recruiting classes might be until you actually have the guys on campus. Just trying to spark some discussion.
So, what are your thoughts on this guys? With Henderson, especially in the past several years, we stacked up numerous top 100 recruits, with many of them (if not most) heading to the pros. With these two new classes UK doesn't have any top 100 recruits. Is that a better strategy?
Disclaimer: I am not saying we're doing good or bad. I think it is extremely hard to tell in baseball just how good your recruiting classes might be until you actually have the guys on campus. Just trying to spark some discussion.
I think that is an interesting question. If it's a strategy, only time will tell how well it pays off. I was always skeptical of our recruiting classes in baseball because I knew we would lose the top of the class to pro baseball. So I was always asking myself how good the classes really were after the best players are skimmed off. If he is grabbing players from the level just below the ones who will be drafted, these classes could turn out to be excellent compared to other classes after they lose their top players to the pros. I'm not sure how to tell if that is the case or not. I'm hopeful though.
One thing that I didn't notice before is that they also have an "average ranking" for the players. UK's 2017 class is a 4.00, and is a 3.60 in 2018. In 2016 we had 8 recruits, 2 top 100, and our average ranking was 6.63. In 2015 we were ranked 62nd with an average of 3.78 and 3.00 in 2014. I think most of our averages have been in 4.0-5.0 range.
Not sure that makes anything any clearer, but it seems to me like the very best teams load up one some of the big boys, and they keep a few of them and then they also have good second tier players. I think this is typically how Vanderbilt does it.
Wow - that's close to 16-17 commits for this next class and a boatload of pitchers. Interesting to see how this will 'play' out.
I like it. Now we have to get a guy like Marsh to choose college instead of professional baseball. 88 is pretty decent, but isn't overpowering. Sounds like it is likely that he has some good off speed stuff, which is encouraging.
Not sure if this has been posted but it appears Brad Dobzanski (sp.) - 2017 RP from NJ committed ?
Looks like a good get. Was ranked the 289th best player in the country his senior season (2015). Started his career at Florida Gulf Coast. Only hit .125 as a freshman though. Played in 15 games.
Not too worried about what he did as a freshman. There is a learning curve. Plus it's hard to hit well if you're only playing sparingly. We need more power, especially on the left side of the plate. No reason not to take advantage of the short porch at the Cliff.
Appears that Kyle Music - 6'5" RHP from Cincy (Milford) has committed (2018). 90 MPH fastball.
I was told his size (5-10, 165) means he's likely to go to school. This was after his showing in Jupiter.
I don't think he was ever a starter at LSU. Played in 11 games as I recall. My son played with him in the Alaska Baseball League this past summer. Says he's good. Hit about .275 over the summer, which was good for 3rd on the team. That's against very good pitching.
He's spending this year down at a JUCO in Florida, so I guess he will come in as a junior.
Dawson will have to clean up his game if he is going to be a major contributor. He was a big time recruit, but had 3 errors in 29 attempts last year, and that is just not good at all. At the very least shore up the defensive end and then we can talk about hitting the ball.
That is a slight build for someone like Perry to bring that level of heat with his FB and slider.
Might be best suited as a closer maybe ?
And CB with the errors that we've seen at the SS the last couple of years, anything would be an improvement, right ?
Might be best suited as a closer maybe ?
And CB with the errors that we've seen at the SS the last couple of years, anything would be an improvement, right ?
His fielding pct. was .939 this summer. 10 errors/98 assists. That's significantly better than Mahan last season for UK. Hard to make much of the 3 errors in 29 attempts at LSU. That's kind of a small sample size.
http://pointstreak.com/baseball/team_stats.html?teamid=18493&seasonid=30084&view=fielding
Yea. That is true. It is hard to say. Sometimes that is just a product of some bad luck. Sometimes it gets into your head after you make one. By the time he gets here he should be even more prepared to help us out at a needed position. He will have another summer to polish his game and improve his hitting. Hopefully he can get into another competitive summer league like the Alaska League again next year.
How did your son like playing in the Alaska League? I think it would be one of the coolest things to do (no pun intended).
He loved it. Once in a lifetime opportunity. They play 60 games in 2 months, so not much free time, but he did go hiking and salmon fishing with teammates a couple days. And broke out of a short slump by hitting a walk-off HR with 2 strikes and 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth to win 1-0. I have the radio call of that saved on my phone.
Congrats to him. Sounds like he had a blast. Hope he has a good season this upcoming Spring!
