Spencer Drake

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.

UK gets pair of commitments; Holland, Wunderlich are NYPL All-stars; Bottoms to play professionally in Australia

College Baseball, High School Baseball, Minor League Baseball

A college-heavy group of links from around Kentucky baseball:

  • Mike Fields of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports Louisville Eastern High School senior pitcher/infielder Spencer Drake has committed to the University of Kentucky.
  • Fields also reports former Paintsville High School standout Shane Grimm, who was 7-0 for Walters State Junior College in 2010 will sign with UK in November as part of the incoming class for 2012.
  • Brent Ingram of the UK Media Relations department finishes his list of the 20 most memorable UK games since 2006, headlined by the 2006 NCAA regional tournament.
  • UK rising senior shortstop Taylor Black also explained his decision to return to school in a feature for the UK website.
  • Former UofL right-handed pitcher Neil Holland and infielder Phil Wunderlich were named all-stars in the New York-Penn League.
  • Former Morehead St. right-handed pitcher and first baseman Michael Bottoms will be one of two non-Australians playing for the Kensington Cardinals of the South Australian Baseball League beginning in October.
  • Michael Grant of the Courier-Journal reports Louisville Cincinnati Reds fans can once again listen to the Reds on the radio after WNDA-1570 in Clarksville and WTSZ-1600 in Eminence agreed to broadcast games for the remainder of the season.

KHSBCA All-State Teams

Uncategorized

Check out the first and second Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State teams:

First Team

  • Brock Downey — Murray High School
  • Justin Hageman — Hopkinsville High School
  • Kyle Gibson — Henderson County High School
  • Cole Isom — Christian County High School
  • Cole Sturgeon — Owensboro Catholic High School
  • Ty Downing – Greenwood High School
  • Shane Waldrop — Warren Central High School
  • Brandon Alphin — Bullitt East High School
  • Corey Littrell – Trinity High School
  • John Fidanza – Ballard High School
  • Kyle Cornett – Eastern High School
  • Brian Doering – Manual High School
  • Jared Martin — Harrison County High School
  • Trevor Gott — Tates Creek High School
  • J.T. Riddle — Western Hills High School
  • Lucas Witt — Lexington Christian Academy
  • Louie Helmburg — West Jessamine High School
  • Duran Elmore — Danville High School

Second Team

  • Tyler Saltsman — Grayson County High School
  • Mikey Scott — Grayson County High School
  • Matt Bowles — Bullitt East High School
  • Taylor Banks — Pleasure Ridge Park
  • Ryan Messex — Louisville Male High School
  • Matt Spalding — St. X
  • Spencer Drake — Eastern High School
  • Corey Bays — Henry Clay High School
  • Eric Standafer — Shelby County High School
  • Austin Pugh — Conner High School
  • Brice Smallwood — Dixie Heights High School
  • Logan Dailey — Harrison County High School
  • Taylor Martin — Lexington Catholic High School
  • Evan Stephens — Lexington Christian Academy
  • Aaron Watts — McCreary Central High School
  • Noah Smallwood — West Jessamine High School
  • Chandler Shepherd — Lawrence County High School
  • Gavin Miller — Pikeville High School

You can see the honorable mention team with player’s from each region here.

Ky. high school underclassmen named to All-American list

High School Baseball

Perfect Game USA has released its preseason high school underclassmen All-American lists, and several Kentucky preps were included in the honorable mention category. I’ve listed those below with graduation year, but you can see the full team here. (Hat tip to Adam Revelette of Examiner.com.)

High-Honorable Mention:

Mark Biggs — Warren East (2011)
Zach Clooney — St. Xavier (2011)
Chandler Shepherd — Lawrence County (2011)
Matt Spalding — St. Xavier (2011)

Honorable Mention:

Chase Armstrong- Lexington Catholic (2012)
Zach Arnold- Franklin County (2012)
Michael Bollmer- Bryan Station (2012)
Beau Bouthilette- Elizabethtown (2011)
Clay Cinnamon- Mercer County (2011)
Jeremy Cline- Warren Central (2011)
Spencer Drake- Eastern (2012)
Ryan Fucci- Tates Creek (2012)
Kevin Herren- Lafayette (2012)
Matt Honchel- Harrodsburg (2011)
Will Hurt- Lexington Catholic (2012)
Tyler Jackson- Lexington Catholic (2012)
Jackson Laumann- Boone County (2011)
Matt McGowan- University Heights (2011)
Logan McQuerry- George Rogers Clark (2012)
Dalton Mellott- Ohio County (2011)
Cody Moore- Lawrence County (2011)
Logan Shaftner- Lafayette (2011)
Blake Smith- Lafayette (2011)
Andrew Willinger- St. Xavier (2012)

KHSBCA releases 2010 preseason top 50 players

High School Baseball
The Kentucky High School Baseball Coach’s Association has released its 2010 preseason top 50 players list. The honorees are listed below by first name alphabetical order with college commitments when known:
  • Aaron Schwobel (Campbellsville)
  • Andrew Bowling (Trinity)
  • Austin Clay (Daviess Co.)
  • Austin Pugh (Conner)
  • Austin Lyons (Paintsville)
  • Beau Bouthilette (Elizabethtown)
  • Brandon Alphin (Bullit East) — University of Louisville
  • Brian Hockman (Pleasure Ridge Park)
  • Brian Doering (Manual) — Western Kentucky University
  • Brock Downey (Murray) — Murray State University
  • Bud Mortin (West Jessamine) — Morehead State University
  • Chris Beymer (PLD) — Purdue University
  • Cole Isom (Christian Co.)
  • Cole Sturgeon (Owensboro Catholic) — UofL
  • Corey Littrell (Trinity) — University of Kentucky
  • Corey Sloan (Hazard)
  • Dakota Ritchie (Breathitt Co.)
  • Dalton West (Apollo)
  • Derek Stapleton (East Carter)
  • Duran Elmore (Danville) — Morehead St.
  • Eric Standafer (Shelby Co.)
  • Gus Wise (Lee Co.)
  • J. T. Riddle (Western Hills) — UK
  • Jacob Russell (Anderson Co.)
  • Jared Martin (Harrison Co.)
  • Jeff Gardner (Whitefield Academy)
  • Jimmy Conway (Eastern)
  • John Fidanza (Ballard) — Coastal Carolina
  • Jordan Cessna (Henderson Co.) — WKU
  • Justin Hageman (Hopkinsville) — WKU
  • Kyle Gibson (Henderson Co.)
  • Kyle Cornett (Eastern) — Murray St.
  • Logan Dailey (Harrison Co.)
  • Logan McQueary (George Rogers Clark)
  • Loui Helmburg (West Jessamine) — Marshall University
  • Lucas Whitt (LCA) — UK
  • Malcom Thomas (Harrison Co.)
  • Matt Bowles (Bullitt East)
  • Noah Smallwood (West Jessamine) — Morehead St.
  • Ryan Hayden (Graves Co.)
  • Sean Thompson (Franklin Co.)
  • Shane Pack (Lawrence Co.)
  • Spencer Pettet (Monroe Co.) — Belmont University
  • Spencer Drake (Eastern)
  • Tanner Smith (North Laurel) — WKU
  • Tanner Richerson (Murray)
  • Taylor Banks (PRP)
  • Trevor Gott (Tates Creek) — UK
  • Ty Downing (Greenwood) — Indiana University
  • Tyler Saltsman (Grayson Co.) — Murray St.