Sept. 2, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. — After being named as the top prospect in the New York Collegiate Baseball League last summer, Kentucky junior pitcher Logan Darnell has been named the sixth-best prospect in the Alaska Summer Collegiate League, Baseball America announced.

Playing for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots this summer, Darnell appeared in 13 games, starting nine. The native of Joelton, Tenn., posted a 5-1 record on the summer with a 1.66 ERA and 37 strikeouts. Darnell only walked a total of 18 batters over a stretch of 49 innings.

“Darnell keeps everything down in the zone with a fastball that sits at 88-89 mph and touches 91,” said Baseball America’s Conor Glassey. “He also has a sharp slider. There is some effort in Darnell’s delivery, but he is a good competitor.”

Darnell was one of Kentucky’s main relievers last season, appearing in a team-high 28 games and posting a 5-6 record. The junior ended the season with a 4.50 ERA, three saves, and 47 strikeouts in 46 innings pitched. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound left-handed hurler has a career ERA of 4.38 for Kentucky in two seasons after a nice freshman campaign where batters hit only .183 against him.

Last summer, Darnell pitched for the Amsterdam Mohawks in the NYCBL, where he was tabbed the top prospect in the league. That summer, Darnell pitched in eight games with six starts. Darnell earned a 3-0 record and a 1.82 ERA. The lefty worked 34.2 innings, striking out 33, allowing only 24 hits and seven earned runs.