6/7/2017 baseball Edit

In-depth look at Kentucky's 2017 baseball recruiting class

Justin Rowland & Derek Terry

Staff

Kentucky is set to take on Louisville in the first super regional appearance in the history of the program.

But the future looks bright, too. CatsIllustrated.com takes an in-depth look at Kentucky's 2017 baseball recruiting class, player by player, to get you acquainted with who the Cats may be working with in the future.

Bear in mind, the MLB Draft, as always, could impact the look of this group when the time comes for players to enter the program.

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RHP Ben Jordan | 6'9, 225 | Olive Hill (Ky.) West Carter / Kentucky Baseball Club

In Brief: Bats left, throws right. Perfect Game (profile here) has clocked Jordan's fastball at 92 MPH, but Jordan told CatsIllustrated.com he can hit 97. He had Tommy John surgery in April.

READ: UK baseball commit Ben Jordan has enormous upside

RHP Brad Dobzanski | 6'3, 195 | Franklinville (N.J.) Delsea Regional / 9ers Baseball Club

In Brief: Perfect Game (profile here) third team All-American.

"On Saturday, Dobzanski showed an athletic delivery, with a well-balanced back side and a smooth leg lift and stride. He has a loose, fluid arm action with a slight wrap in the back before he fires through his three-quarters arm slot.

Dobzanski’s fastball worked at 88-91 mph in his first inning, showing very late sinking action. Het settled into the upper 80s later in the outing. His control really came along as he went; of the 69 pitches he threw, 50 were strikes. But perhaps more impressive than his control was his curveball, which showed late dive when Dobzanski hit on it. The pitch checked in at 76-80 and broke from 12-to-6."

"Now a senior with a fastball that has touched 91 mph and improved off-speed stuff, Dobzanski has accepted a scholarship to the University of Kentucky.

After a strong summer with the 9ers Baseball Club in Wall and at Perfect Game tournaments and showcase events, Dobzanski has emerged as the South Jersey player most likely to be first off the board in the major-league baseball draft in June."

Dobzanski was named New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year recently. He's a player to keep an eye on during the MLB Draft.

LHP Mason Hazelwood | 6'5, 205 | Salvisa (Ky.) Mercer County / Elite Baseball Club

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American (profile here). Perfect Game clocked his fastball at 87 MPH but that was on July 1, 2016.

"Working mostly 85-88 mph and touching as high as 89, Hazelwood’s delivery is extremely deceptive, allowing the raw velocity of his fastball to play up several ticks, inducing an inordinate amount of empty swings on mid-80s fastballs, simply because the opposing (extremely talented) hitters simply couldn’t pick up the ball quickly out of his hand. The pitch shows good life to the arm side and enough feel to throw strikes, and he backed it up with a swing-and-miss changeup and solid breaking ball. It’s a three-pitch mix from a 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame with athleticism and control, and it would be a shock if Hazelwood remained uncommitted for long."

Read more: 2016 Fall Ranking Risers

"Getting the start for Kentucky Baseball Club, Perry showed off explosive arm speed, and his first pitch of the game checked in at 95 mph. He eventually settled in and pitched at 89-91, touching 94 often early in the game. Perry also effectively used his hard slider; the pitch registered at 82-85 and showed late vertical snapping action. It has the chance to be an above-average or better pitch as Perry gains strength and finds consistency."

Perry is another guy to watch out for during the MLB Draft. He's ranked as the top player in West Virginia by Baseball America.

RHP Eddie Freeman | 6'5, 230 | Turner, Kan.

In Brief: Perfect Game 2017 Central Region honorable mention (profile here). Perfect Game recorded an 88 MPH fastball back in July of 2016. Prep Baseball Report lists his other pitches as a curveball and a changeup, both of which clock in the mid-70's.

RHP Zach Haake | 6'4, 185 | John A. Logan C.C./Arkansas State Univ.

In Brief: Haake signed with Arkansas State coming out of the Class of 2015 before detouring to John A. Logan Junior College. In 14 appearances last year (13 starts) he posted an 8-1 record in 78.2 IP with a 2.52 ERA and 91 K's.

“It’s a dream come true, I’ve wanted to play in the SEC since I was little,” said Haake, a hard-throwing 6-foot-6 right-hander whose fastball has been timed as high as 96 mph. “When I made the transfer move and I told John A. Logan I was coming, I was kind of worried because I was going from Division I to a junior college and didn’t know what to think. For me, this is a good fit and I liked it a lot.”

Haake is ranked No. 151 by Baseball America, meaning he could be a high draft pick. At 6-foot-6, Haake has the long, lanky body-type pitching coach Jimmy Belanger has excelled with in recent years.

LHP Joseph Cantillo | 6'4, 225 | Kailua, Haw.

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American (profile here). In 2016 Perfect Game clocked his fastball at 89 MPH. Perfect Game named Cantillo to the World Championship All-Tournament Team following the 2016 WWBA World Championship in Jupiter. His official stats listed from that event: three innings, six strikeouts and a walk. Cantillo told Hawaii Prep World that he had roughly a dozen Division I offers. His finalists were Kentucky, UCSB and Texas Tech.

"Coach Roland Fanning (recruited him). Kentucky has everything I kind of wanted. The best coaching staff, to me. I really made a connection with them, same values, family, hard work, team first. It’s a big school, 30,000 students and you get the true college experience. And the SEC Is the best baseball conference in the country, best facilities, nicest stadiums. All of those are just a plus."

Cantillo was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Hawaii.

RHP Aaron McGeorge | 5'11, 165 | Wabash Valley College/Henry Clay H.S.

In Brief: As a Class of 2015 local prospect McGeorge had a fastball that touched the upper 80's, and, according to Prep Baseball Report, counted a curve, changeup, cutter and even a knuckle in his repertoire. According to Perfect Game (profile here) McGeorge has been listed among the Top 100 JUCO prospects for the upcoming 2017 MLB Draft (December 2016) and also the top 150 JUCO prospects overall (late January 2017).

C Coltyn Kessler | 6'3, 195 | High Ridge (Mo.) Rockwood Summit / Rawlings St. Louis

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-America (profile here). Also listed as a Second Team All-Central Region team choice and an All-Tournament selection following the 17U WWBA event. Perfect Game listed Arkansas State, Illinois State, Kansas State, Liberty, Mississippi State, Missouri State, Murray State, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisville, Memphis, Missouri and Tennessee as other colleges of interest.

1B Spencer Harbert | 6'1, 206 | Middletown, Del. / Tri-State Arsenal Prime-1

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-Northeast Region selection (profile here).

"Harbert has a strong athletic build. Defensively, shows athletic actions with good footwork moving laterally to both sides. Gathers well fielding out front and getting a strong throwing base under him. Uses a lower slot on throws that show accuracy and carry across diamond. Hit from a square upright stance with a narrow base. Toe tap trigger to start his swing, which is fluid with good extension through ball. Stays linear to ball and shows good bat speed. Gap to gap approach with good barrel control. Makes consistent solid contact. Flashed ability to lift and showed power potential. Good Student" (Perfect Game, 2016 Northeast Indoor Showcase scouting report: See profile linked above).

Harbert also played football for Middletown. He was named to the All-State 2nd team as a linebacker.

SS Thomas Bennett | 5'10, 160 | Frankfort (Ky.) Western Hills / KY Baseball Club

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and Second Team All-Central Region (profile here). WWBA Underclass World All-Tournament selection (October, 2015). He also had the opportunity to play at Louisville, Ohio and Southern Illinois, according to the State-Journal.

"I was set on another school when they released Coach Henderson," Bennett told Cats Illustrated. "And it turned out that same day I was set on another school, that's when they hired Coach Mingione. I did my research, I got information on him, and I asked coaches in the area (about him). From what I heard, that got my attention."

“Thomas is obviously a great athlete but an even better young man,” WHHS coach Drew Chism said. “He’s always looking for ways to improve and help his team on and off the field.

“He is the best competitor there is, constantly bringing his teammates to his level. Thomas will be very successful at anything he does, and I am just glad to have had the opportunity to coach not only a great player but a great young man as well.”

SS Trey Dawson | 6'2, 190 | Chipola College / LSU / Hurricane, W.V.

In Brief: Dawson played in 59 games for Chipola College last year, batting .276 with 9 HR, 38 RBI, 50 runs scored and three steals. He drew 37 walks in 222 plate appearances with 51 strikeouts.

"Dawson made four starts and played in 27 games his freshman season at LSU. He batted .111 (2-18) in that time. Dawson was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 32nd round of the MLB Draft in 2015 but chose to go to school.

As a high schooler, Dawson earned 2015 First-Team All-State honors in West Virginia and posted a .425 batting average, 20 stolen bases and a .557 on-base average in 2015. He committed just one error as a senior."

OF Cam Hill | 5'10, 180 | Georgetown (Ky.) Scott County / Midland Redskins

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-Central Region (profile here). World Championship All-Tournament team (October, 2015). According to Prep Baseball Report, a 6.77-second 60-time and 95 MPH outfield velocity.

OF Luke Benoit | 6'4, 210 | IMG Academy (Fla.) / Northboro (Mass.) / Evoshield Canes, Midland Redskins

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and First Team All-Northeast Region (profile here). According to Perfect Game, a 6.66-second 60-time (July, 2016). 17U BCS All-Tournament team.

"Benoit has a slightly open, narrow stance with his hands high above the shoulder. His hands don’t move much from that spot while he leg lifts and strides forward, and they don’t really need to. Benoit’s hands are already in a strong launch position, so while some kind movement or separation is what I look for, it is not necessary in his case. Today, the Kentucky commit impressed with his ability to adjust to off-speed and still have hard contact. One at-bat comes to mind where he lined a single down the third base line off a hanging curveball. Another impressive attribute for Benoit is his running ability. His long strides and speed make the basepaths seem shorter."

OF Ryan Shinn | 6'2, 220 | Hartford C.C. / Florida Gulf Coast Univ. / Jobstown (N.J.) Northern Burlington

In Brief: Had a .374 batting average at Hartford C.C. with 20 HR, 71 RBI and 11 steals in 2017. Had just one error on the season until his second to last game of the season. At Florida Gulf Coast University in 2016 he started 10 games with zero errors. Was an All-South Jersey selection out of high school.

OF Ben Aklinski | 5'11, 195 | Phoenix College

"Simply put, as the coaches agreed in unison, no one player made more of a difference to their team this season than the Bears’ sophomore outfielder. Aklinski entered the 2017 season with a proverbial bullseye on him, since he was the Bears’ most potent hitter during his freshman campaign with a .361 finishing batting average. That made little difference for opposing pitchers trying to stop Aklinski this past year, since like his freshman year, he led the Bears in hitting from the first game of the season to the last, finishing with the same .361 average this year as well.

"The Greenway High School alum also was named the ACCAC Baseball Division II Player of the Week three different times this year, including twice during a two-week stretch in which Aklinski raised his batting average nearly 40 points. Aklinski had nine games where he had 3 hits or more, including a trio of four-hit games."

OF Ryan Johnson | 6'3, 205 | San Jacinto College / TCU / College Station (Tex.)

In Brief: As a high school recruit from the Class of 2015, in College Station (Tex.), Johnson was a Perfect Game First Team All-American (profile here). In the past six months Perfect Game has listed Johnson as one of the Top 100 JUCO prospects for the upcoming 2017 MLB Draft and he ranks in the 300-400 range among all prospects overall. For TCU as a freshman in 2016, Johnson played in 21 games and started five.

"With senior outfielders Zach Reks and Marcus Carson set to graduate after this season, Kentucky’s coaches have set out to find quality outfielders who could potentially play right away next season.

On Wednesday afternoon, Kentucky recruiting coordinator Roland Fanning might've found an impact player right away. Ryan Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound outfielder from San Jacinto College (Texas), committed to the Wildcats."

OF Tanner Johnson | 6'2, 185 | Crestwood (Ky.) South Oldham / Kentucky Baseball Club

In Brief: 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game Honorable Mention All-American and Second Team All-Central Region (profile here). 17u WWBA All-Tournament selection.

"On Jan. 2, the day he committed, Johnson was taken to the location of the new stadium by Henderson. Johnson hopes that the new stadium and future players can help change the perception of UK baseball in the SEC.

“I think it’s going to be big the next few years getting a stadium and rewrite what people know about Kentucky,” Johnson said."

OF/P Grant Macciocchi | 6'2, 184 | West Chester Township (Ohio) Moeller/Murray State (JUCO)

In Brief: Macciocchi started his career at Missouri but transferred after his freshman season. At Murray State, he hit .393 with four home runs and 50 RBI. As a pitcher, he went 7-0 with a 2.30 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 13 walks. He's a potential two-way player with UK as well. Macciocchi was high school teammates with current Wildcats Riley Mahan and Zach Logue.

IF Troy Black | 6', 210 | Waynesville, Ohio | Murray State

In Brief: Black is another JUCO prospect committed to UK from Murray State. He transferred there from Ohio, where his older brother Ty just completed his career with the Bobcats. Troy was one of the top hitters in JUCO baseball, finishing the season with a .450 batting average, six home runs, 63 RBI and 11 stolen bases.

IF Kaden Polcovich | 5'10, 180 | Edmond, (Okla.) Deer Creek

In Brief: Polcovich was committed to Oklahoma for a time but eventually signed with UK. He's one of UK's top high school prospects and is considered as one of the top high school infielders in the nation. His father played at the University of Florida.

Arizona, Arizona State, South Carolina, Arkansas, Kansas State, West Virginia and Oklahoma State were some of the other schools Polcovich considered before signing with UK.

RHP Trip Lockhart | 6'3, 182 | Lexington (Ky.) Lexington Catholic

In Brief: Lockhart's fastball usually sits 87-89 but can touch 90 on occasion. He also throws a breaking ball and changeup, both normally around 76-78 MPH. Lockhart threw 59 innings during his senior season, with 79 strikeouts and a 1.2 ERA. He finished 7-2 on the season.

IF Alex Rodriguez | 5'8, 176 | Pimbroke Pines, Florida | Northern Oklahoma College

In Brief: His name will likely always be a conversation starter as he shares it with a former All-Star infielder. This Rodriguez belted 12 home runs and drove in 55 runs while hitting .335 as a sophomore. He played shortstop at the junior college level.