It's Memorial Day morning and looking like the opening day of the First Region baseball tournament will be a washout, so here's my guess at an area all-star team. The Paducah Sun officially sponsors an all-area football team and the All-Purchase basketball team, but these are my informal selections:
C ... Drew Williams, Heath: It's a close call between Williams and Marshall County's Brantley Barrett, but Williams' solid defense, quick release and contributions as a pitcher gives him the slight nod. Ever so slight ... honorable mention goes to a pair of juniors, Calloway County's Casey Brockman and Ballard Memorial's Alex Harper. Crittenden County's Jacob McMican has made a believer out of me.
1B ... Ramsey Walker, Lyon County: Walker's a big kid (6-6, 240) with a nice swing and a steady run-producer, and he's also the Lyons' best pitcher. He beats out Marshall County's Daniel Riley. Heath's Daniel Webb could easily be the pick, but he comes later.
2B ... Josh Reynolds, Calloway County: He's also one of the region's better pitchers, but Reynolds is a good hitter and defender and the Lakers' steady leader. Honorable mention goes to Eric Warren of Heath, who is often overshadowed by some of his high-profile teammates, but has a bat and glove that have established him a steady contributor for the state-ranked Pirates.
SS ... Tyler O'Daniel, Marshall County: He's recovered nicely from a weird hip injury that cost him virtually all of last summer. O'Daniel has been the region's best defensive shortstop for a couple of years, and he started to become a force with the bat a couple of years ago. Lone Oak's Daniel Edwards gets honorable mention, as does Ballard Memorial freshman Jordyn Abell.
3B ... Bradley Cobb, Murray: Three years ago, he looked like a decent prospect at catcher, but he switched positions so that he could also develop into one of the region's better pitchers. Cobb is baseball's version of a gym rat, a kid that knows the game inside and out. Marshall County's Tyler Johnson merits a mention, too.
OF ... Chad Wright, Heath: Earlier this spring, I wrote that Wright may be the region's best center fielder since Steve Finley roamed Brooks Stadium as an early-1980s star at Paducah Tilghman. That's a debatable premise, but there's no questioning that Wright is the area's top position-player prospect. Wright's a speedy lefty hitter and an extra-base threat each time he steps up to the plate.
OF ... Luke Shuemaker, Lone Oak: Another fine lefty hitter and a solid center fielder, I would play Shuemaker in right field on this club, the same position he will likely play for Paducah's American Legion team this summer. Shuemaker has a nice line-drive bat and has settled into the #2 spot in the Purple Flash's batting order.
OF ... Gerick Sullivan, Marshall County: It's a tough call for the third outfield spot, but Sullivan has been swinging a wicked lefty bat all spring. Honorable mention goes to Murray's Shawn McClure and Lone Oak's Allen Haase.
P ... Daniel Webb, Heath: He could've gotten the nod at first base, too, but there's no question that Webb's future is on the mound — that's why major league scouts have been flocking to his games this spring. Webb's mid-90s fastball, sharp curve and improving change-up are a package that could see him picked somewhere in the first two rounds of the amateur draft.
P ... Cody Forsythe, Marshall County: It's rare to see a pitcher succeed at the high school level with almost exclusively fastballs, but Forsythe's ability to locate has frustrated hitters all spring.
P ... Colton Pool, Ballard Memorial: Pool isn't very big and doesn't throw particularly hard, but all he does is throw strikes and win. He owns wins over Marshall County and Calloway County this spring and he and lefty Caleb Shelley give the Bombers a fighting chance to be a regional tournament surprise.
P ... Alex Wood, Crittenden County: Wood missed much of the early spring with an elbow injury that dates back to football season, but he's back to 100 percent. Wood was impressive in the All A Classic sectional game against Murray, losing 1-0 on Bradley Cobb's no-hitter, and he's achieved a rarity — he threw a perfect game this spring, the second of his career. Also earning some mention: Marshall County's Seth Waldrop, Trigg County's Donald Bush and Heath's underrated John Evanko.
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2 comments:
Joey, thanks for mentioning Seth Waldrop as a pitcher to be considered on an all star team. He is 9-0 this year with and ERA around 1.5. I doubt there is a better record in the state, maybe. Six of his wins have been on the road this year. I have seen most of the pitchers in this area this year and I think his curve ball is second to none. He was clocked at the Murray high game at 85. I am a little biased since he is my grandson, but the record speaks for itself.
Didn't catch it earlier, but Ramsey at Lyon County is not a first region player. Move Daniel Riley up to first place
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