Kentucky baseball commitments
Commitment lists are courtesy of Perfect Game, Prep Baseball Report and independently verified sources.
2023
Blake Bowen
Position: Infielder
Measurables: 6-2, 205 pounds
School: Wooster
Hometown: Wooster, Ohio
Scouting report: Bowen, a left-handed hitter who likely projects as a third baseman or corner outfielder, earned First-Team All-State honors in Ohio’s Division I as a junior. He hit .581 with seven home runs, 13 doubles, four triples, 48 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. The hope for Kentucky is Bowen develops into a middle-of-the-order power bat.
Hudson Brown
Position: First base
Measurables: 6-6, 220 pounds
School: Northpoint Christian
Hometown: Olive Branch, Mississippi
Scouting report: Brown’s physicality stands out. A strong, powerful hitter from the left side, Brown is one of the top players in Mississippi as he enters his senior year. Of the top 14 players in Mississippi according to Perfect Game, Brown is the only one currently slated to leave the state. Brown is a premier defender who could come into Kentucky competing for a spot immediately. He hit .458 with 21 doubles and six homers as a junior.
Griffin Cameron
Position: Outfielder
Measurables: 6-1, 178 pounds
School: Lexington Catholic
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Scouting report: It’s been a while since the Wildcats had a player who fits the mold of Cameron. A Lexington Catholic product, Cameron’s calling card is his defense and speed. He ran a 6.4 60-yard dash at Kentucky’s camp and can stick in center field once he gets to college. As a junior, Cameron hit .351 with five doubles, two triples and three home runs. Cameron is ranked as the top player in Kentucky according to Perfect Game.
Ben Cleaver
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-3, 177 pounds
School: Independence
Hometown: Thompson’s Station, Tennessee
Scouting report: There’s a case to be made that Cleaver is Kentucky’s best pitcher committed in 2023. An athletic, tall, left-handed pitcher, Cleaver has a fastball that projects to be in the mid-to-low 90s as his body matures. Cleaver will likely be scouted this spring by MLB clubs. Cleaver could be an early contributor to Kentucky’s 2024 team if he gets to campus.
Landon Franklin
Position: Infielder
Measurables: 6-2, 180 pounds
School: Walker Valley
Hometown: Cleveland, Tennessee
Scouting report: One of the earliest commitments in the 2023 class, Franklin has a baseball ‘makeup.’ He’s good defensively, instinctual on the field and will continue to work to improve his game. There’s a chance Franklin could stick at shortstop, but he should have the ability to play second base or third base if not. His bat will need to continue to progress.
Connor Fugate
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-4, 175 pounds
School: Paintsville
Hometown: Paintsville, Kentucky
Scouting report: Fugate is a three-sport athlete at Painstville High School, also lettering in football and basketball. Once he fully commits to baseball, the hope is he’ll add weight and turn into a high velocity right-handed pitcher. Fugate had a 3.07 ERA in 45.2 innings in 2022. He struck out 68 batters, walked 21 batters and allowed 20 earned runs.
Kyuss Gargett
Position: Infielder
Measurables: 6-1, 180 pounds
School: Cathedral
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
Scouting report: Gargett is the twitchy, ultra-athletic and competitive athlete that SEC programs are willing to take a chance on. Gargett, who was also a defensive back on Cathedral’s state championship football team in 2021, ran a 6.4 60-yard dash at a camp at Kentucky. He will need to continue to add weight once he gets on campus, but Gargett could just be scratching the surface of his baseball talent. He’ll have a chance to stick at shortstop.
Aydan Hamilton
Position: Infielder
Measurables: 6-4, 175 pounds
School: Campbell County
Hometown: Alexandria, Kentucky
Scouting report: Hamilton enjoyed an outstanding junior year before an injury cut his season short after 20 games. In those 20 games, he batted .490 with 24 hits, six doubles, three home runs and 18 walks compared to just six strikeouts. Hamilton comes from good bloodlines as his father played professional baseball.
Evan Hart
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-5, 200 pounds
School: Mercer County
Hometown: Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Scouting report: Named Third-Team All-State by the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association as a junior, Hart’s stock rose considerably over the summer of 2022. His fastball velocity jumped to the low-90s and sat in the upper-80s for most of the summer. His curveball is considered one of the best from a left-handed pitcher in his class. Hart was selected for the prestigious Super 60 Pro Showcase in February, sponsored by Prep Baseball Report.
Ben Higdon
Position: Outfielder
Measurables: 6-3, 194 pounds
School: John A. Logan College (signed with Memphis in the 2021 recruiting class)
Hometown: Paducah, Kentucky
Scouting report: The lone junior college commitment in Kentucky’s 2022 class, Higdon has raked at John A Logan College his spring. Through 51 games, Higdon slashed .478/.564/.957 with 27 doubles, 2 triples, 19 home runs, 89 RBI, 43 strikeouts and 31 walks. A native of Paducah, Kentucky, Higdon projects as a power bat from the left side.
Ethan Hindle
Position: Infielder
Measurables: 6-1, 192 pounds
School: Arrowhead
Hometown: Delafield, Wisconsin
Scouting report: Several Power-5 schools wanted Hindle once he showed out as one of the top players in the Midwest Future Games in 2021, but Kentucky was on him early and earned his commitment. Hindle has all of the tools to be a successful player in the SEC. He’s athletic enough to play shortstop, third, second or center field.
Johnny Hummel
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-0, 180 pounds
School: Erskine College
Hometown: Matthews, North Carolina
Scouting report: One of the fascinating aspects of the portal era is the number of players from Division II and Division III who enter the portal before graduating undergrad to apply for graduate school at their next stop. Hummel will finish his career at Erskine before coming to Kentucky next year. He finished with a 2.20 ERA last year and struck out 46 batters in 28.2 innings. Hummel will likely top out around 92 mph with a hammer breaking ball.
Raymond Saatman
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-0, 185 pounds
School: Sayre
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Scouting report: Saatman sits in the upper 80s to lower 90s with his fastball. He has a good feel on the mound and could project as a reliever early in his career with a 90-93 mph fastball with a plus-slider.
Tommy Skelding
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-3, 185 pounds
School: Marlington
Hometown: Alliance, Ohio
Scouting report: Every year there are players who leave coaches holding their breath as the MLB draft rolls around. Skelding could be that player this summer. His fastball and breaking ball have top-of-the-line metrics, which scouts love to see. He’s aggressive on the mound and could have a fastball that hits around 95 mph in the spring. Skelding jumped over 250 spots in the most recent Perfect Game rankings, so it’ll be interesting to see how he’s viewed in the industry once his senior season is complete.
Josh Skowronski
Position: Infielder/outfielder
Measurables: 6-5, 215 pounds
School: St. John’s Catholic Prep
Hometown: Frederick, Maryland
Scouting report: Skowronski could be considered a hidden gem in some ways since he’s not as active on the high-level travel ball scene as some others, but there might not be a more exciting position player committed to Kentucky. Built like a tight end, Skowronski ran an impressive 6.7 60-yard dash for his size. Vanderbilt, Maryland and Virginia Tech were a few of the schools on Skowronski before he committed to Kentucky.
Eli Small
Position: Catcher
Measurables: 6-1, 205 pounds
School: South Elkhorn
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Scouting report: Most scouting services view Small as the best player in Kentucky’s class. Ranked as a top-300 player by Perfect Game and PBR, Small is a toolsy athlete who will likely play catcher in college. Of all of Kentucky’s position players, Small is the one to watch closest when it comes to the MLB draft. Like Hart, Small was selected for the Super 60 Pro Showcase in February.
Jake Titus
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-5, 209 pounds
School: Ottawa
Hometown: Ottawa, Kansas
Scouting report: Titus landed on Kentucky’s radar when he touched 93 mph at a camp before his junior season. An uber-athletic dual-sport athlete at the high school level, Titus could one day sport the best velocity on Kentucky’s roster. Titus had Tommy John surgery but should be healthy to pitch by the time he enrolls at Kentucky.
2024
Samuel Bradley
Position: First base
Measurables: 6-4, 220 pounds
School: Jackson County
Hometown: Hoschton, Georgia
Scouting report: Bradley has a similar profile to 2023 signee Hudson Brown. Tall, powerfully built left-handed hitter who likely projects as a first baseman but might play corner outfield. Bradley plays travel baseball with Team Elite, which is consistently one of the best teams in the country.
England Bryan
Position: Right-handed pitcher/catcher
Measurables: 6-2, 195 pounds
School: Middle Tennessee Christian
Hometown: Hillsboro, Tennessee
Scouting report: Bryan could legitimately pitch or play catcher at Kentucky. As a pitcher, he likely projects as a power reliever with a hard fastball and good slider. Bryan has impressed behind the plate, though, and is a switch-hitter who is more advanced from the right side at this point.
Bradley Ferrell
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-3, 165 pounds
School: South Central
Hometown: Laporte, Indiana
Scouting report: The highest-ranked commitment to this point in the 2024 class, Ferrell has a fastball that’s touched 93 mph and he has a good curveball to boot. His command will need to improve but Ferrell is one of the most projectable righties in his class.
Leighton Harris
Position: Left-handed pitcher/first base/outfield
Measurables: 6-3, 185 pounds
School: Frederick Douglass
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Scouting report: Like other players in his class, it’s hard to say at this point whether Harris will develop into a better pitcher or hitter at this point. Harris performed well with the bat over the summer and could be a first baseman or corner outfielder if that’s the route he goes. On the mound, Harris is a left-hander who has a starter profile with a 84-87 mph fastball and good breaking ball. He’s not thrown a ton of innings in his high school career as a few injuries have limited him on the mound.
Hayden Mains
Position: Outfielder/right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-1, 175 pounds
School: Rowan County
Hometown: Morehead, Kentucky
Scouting report: Another player with two-way potential, Mains had a 1.20 ERA last year with 62 strikeouts in 40.2 innings. At the plate, he led Rowan County with a .455 average, 12 doubles, seven triples and three home runs. He camped at UK several times and his testing performance was better each time. Also had a big performance last summer for Team Kentucky in the future games.
Zach Moss
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-6, 180 pounds
School: Hopkinsville
Hometown: Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Scouting report: Another tall, projectable right-hander, Moss has good metrics and spin with his fastball and breaking pitches. He’s never fully committed to baseball so the hope is he’ll become a flamethrower as he ages.
Khaleel Pratt
Position: Outfielder
Measurables: 6-5, 188 pounds
School: Augusta Christian
Hometown: Evans, Georgia
Scouting report: Pratt is a star basketball player who started on a state championship team in Georgia during his sophomore season. Still, his love is on the diamond. Pratt has one of the strongest outfield arms of anyone committed to Kentucky. He has a good swing from the left side of the plate and could tap into more power once he gets to Lexington. He’ll play with the East Cobb Astros this year so plenty of scouts will see him.
Zak Spurrier
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-2, 210 pounds
School: Central Hardin
Hometown: Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Scouting report: One of the biggest risers in the 2024 class over the summer, Spurrier was a major recruiting win in-state for Kentucky when he chose the Wildcats over Louisville, Alabama and West Virginia. Spurrier’s build reminds some of former Mississippi State starter J.T. Ginn.
2025
Braxton Van Cleave
Position: Outfielder
Measurables: 6-3, 195 pounds
School: Mansfield
Hometown: Mansfield, Texas
Scouting report: Hunter Richardson could profile as a high-end, legitimate draft prospects throughout his high school career, but Van Cleave may join him in the coming years. He has good speed and projects to have a strong all-around game. He fits the left-handed hitting, projectable power mold that Kentucky has started adding in recent classes.
Jake Fults
Position: Infielder
Measurables: 5-11, 160 pounds
School: Jesuit Dallas
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Scouting report: A smaller player with good speed, Fults’ calling card at this point is his glove. He’s a true shortstop prospect who performed well at Kentucky’s camp in February. Fults is a 6.8 60-yard dash runner.
Hunter Richardson
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-1, 182 pounds
School: Butler
Hometown: Vadalia, Ohio
Scouting report: An advanced pitcher for this age. Throws plenty of strikes and will continue to develop a three-pitch mix as he gets older. Fastball has already topped out at 87 mph so there’s hope he’ll eventually sit in the low 90s with good breaking stuff.
Brock Silvers
Position: Outfielder/Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-4, 205 pounds
School: Middleton
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Scouting report: Silvers is ranked as the top player in Idaho and a top-150 player overall in the 2025 class by Perfect Game. Silvers projects as either a right-handed pitcher or a corner outfielder. He’s currently around 85-88 on the mound with his fastball. As a hitter, Silvers projects as a future power hitter as he continues to fill out his 6-4 frame.
*Scouting reports will be available for future classes after the high school season.
2026
Gary Gibson
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-0, 175 pounds
School: Sayre
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Evan Hampton
Position: IF/OF
Measurables: 5-11, 178 pounds
School: Owensboro
Hometown: Owensboro, Kentucky
Nate Millington
Position: Infielder
Measurables: 6-3, 155 pounds
School: Terre Haute North
Hometown: Terre Haute, Indiana
Kaden Powell
Position: 1B/OF
Measurables: 6-4, 230 pounds
School: Smith County
Hometown: Carthage, Tennessee
Sammy Swank
Position: Right-handed pitcher
Measurables: 6-2, 170 pounds
School: McCutcheon
Hometown: Lafayette, Indiana