Austin Cousino

D’Backs close to trading Mark Reynolds to Baltimore

College Baseball, Major League Baseball

 

Mark Reynolds; Photo from Wikimedia Commons

The Winter Meetings have officially started meaning baseball news will likely be coming frequently in the next few days. Remember to check back to BluGrass Baseball often for any Kentucky news, and follow us on Twitter here for up-to-the-minute updates. We’ll get the Winter MEetings started with a quick rundown of Kentucky news, including a likely trade of one Bluegrass State major leaguer:

 

  • Multiple reports have the Arizona Diamondbacks on the verge of trading third baseman Mark Reynolds, who was born in Pikeville, to the Baltimore Orioles. Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports the trade has been completed pending physicals.
  • Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Pirates appear to have dropped out of the derby for former UK right-handed pitcher and Ashland native Brandon Webb.
  • Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas reports the Texas Rangers may also be interested in Webb.
  • Bubba Brown of Baseball America profiles University of Kentucky signee and Ohio prep outfielder Austin Cousino, who missed his junior season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Yahoo! Sports posts unconfirmed UK signing class

College Baseball, High School Baseball

We’ve noted each of the college baseball early signing classes released by Kentucky schools, but the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky have not officially announced their early classes. Despite the lack of a university news release Yahoo! Sports posted a signing list for UK on the Rivals.com message board thread where Kendall Rogers was tracking signing classes from across the country. The list matches previous media reports about commitments but has not been confirmed by UK:

  • RHP Chandler Shepherd — Lawrence County High School
  • RHP Spencer Drake — Eastern High School
  • INF Ryan Loehnert — St Xavier High School
  • RHP Taylor Martin — Lexington Catholic High School
  • OF Jeff Boehm — Lansing, Ill.
  • LHP Jerad Grundy — Heartland CC
  • OF Austin Cousino — Dublin, Ohio
  • C Greg Fettes — Madison Heights, Mich.
  • INF Max Kuhn — Zionsville, Ind.
  • LHP Sam Mahar — Pleasant Prairie, Wisc.
  • LHP AJ Reed — Terre Haute, Ind.
  • RHP Shane Grimm — Walters State CC

Yahoo! Sports didn’t list Grimm on their Kentucky early signing period class, but the Herald-Leader reported in August the former Paintsville High School star had committed to UK. The headliner of the class is probably Cousino, who was named the tournament MVP at the 2009 IBAF ‘AA’ World Youth Championships for Team USA (16U). Shepherd, Drake and Martin were each named KHSBCA 2nd Team All-State in 2010.