Brandon Webb; Photo by SD Dirk via Flickr

Latest links from around Kentucky baseball:

• Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas reports Ashland native and former UK right-handed pitcher Brandon Webb plans to be ready for Spring Training but isn’t making firm timetables like last season.
• Durrett also breaks down the process that led Webb to wear No. 33 in Texas to honor his late friend Jon Hooker, who was his roommate and teammate at UK and died in the flight 5195 crash.
• Big East baseball coaches have picked the University of Louisville to finish third in the league. Junior infielder Ryan Wright and redshirt junior outfielder Stewart Ijames were both named to the preseason All-Big East team.
• College Baseball Lineup (formerly Ping! Baseball) named Wright a preseason third team All-American.
• Jim Callis of Baseball America ranks former UK left-handed pitcher Chris Rusin‘s changeup and control as the best in the Chicago Cubs’ system.
• Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com reports the Cincinnati Reds have signed former MLB outfielder Jeremy Hermida to a minor-league contract. If Hermida doesn’t make the MLB roster out of Spring Training he could end up with the Louisville Bats.