Oct. 8, 2013

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Nine Kentucky baseball standouts earned all-star honors in their respective collegiate summer leagues. Learn all about Kentucky’s summer league participants in the latest UK baseball notebook.

Zach Arnold, So., C (Frankfort, Ky.)


Coastal Plains League: .198/.283/.236, 21-for-106, 4 2B, 10 RBI, 4-4 SB

• No. 48 prospect (Perfect Game)

Played in 36 games with 33 starts for Morehead City in the Coastal Plains League … Batted .198 (21-for-106) with 12 runs, four doubles and 10 RBI … Had a 9-23 walk-strikeout ratio, laying down three sac bunts, hanging one sac fly and sporting a .283 on-base percentage … Stole 4-of-4 bases and fielded .976.

Kyle Barrett, So., OF/2B (Douglasville, Ga.)


Perfect Game League: .343/.418/.394, 47-for-137, 4 2B, HR, 11 RBI, 18-22 SB

• No. 3 prospect (Baseball America)
• No. 5 prospect (Perfect Game)
• Perfect Game Collegiate League All-Star

Had an all-star summer with the Amsterdam Mohawks in the Perfect Game Collegiate League … Joined UK pitcher Dylan Dwyer and UK staff member and former star Mike Brown on the Mohawks, which won the league title for the second consecutive year … Played in 38 games with 35 starts, batting .343 (47-for-137) with 29 runs, four doubles, one homer and 11 RBI … Stole 18-of-22 bases, with a 16-13 walk-strikeout ratio and a .418 on-base percentage … Had one outfield assist, fielding a perfect 1.000.

Andrew Bryant, R-So., IF (Lexington, Ky.)


All-America League: .453/.573/.531, 29-for-64, 3 2B, 3B, 4 RBI, 11-12 SB

• No. 5 prospect (Perfect Game)
• All-America League Tournament MVP

Won the batting title during an all-star summer in the All-American Collegiate League … Hit .453 (29-for-64) with 14 runs, three doubles, one triple and four RBI … Played in 22 games … Finished with a .573 on-base percentage and a .531 slugging percentage … Went 4-for-4 on June 22 … Stole 11-of-12 bases … Led Rowan to the league title and was named MVP of the tournament.

Kyle Cody, So., RHP (Chippewa Falls, Wis.)


Cape Cod League: 1-1, 5.00 ERA, 9 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 9 SO

• No. 30 prospect (Perfect Game)

Pitched in two games in the Cape Cod League for the Wareham Gateman, before returning home with a minor injury … Pitched nine innings in his two starts, allowing seven hits and five earned runs, walking four and striking out nine with a 5.00 ERA and a 1-1 record … Dominated in his Cape Cod League debut, working six shutout, two-hit innings, walking two and striking out four in a win … Second start ended his summer, taking a loss in three innings, allowing five hits and five runs, walking two and striking out five.

Austin Cousino, Jr., CF (Dublin, Ohio)


USA Collegiate: .273/.347/.439, 18-for-66, 2 2B, 3 3B, HR, 7 RBI, 0-2 SB

Played on the USA Collegiate National Team for the second consecutive summer, the first player in program history to earn a second spot on the prestigious 22-man roster … Hit .273 (18-for-66) in 22 games and 19 starts, with 11 runs, two doubles, three triples, one homer and seven RBI … Had a 3-20 walk-strikeout ratio, getting hit by five pitches and owning a .347 on-base percentage … Laid down a sac bunt and had a sac fly … Had one outfield assist on the summer … Led USA to a historic five-game sweep over Cuba in Omaha, Neb., and a series win over Japan in Tokyo … Was coached by TCU head coach Jim Scholossnagle, with Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco serving as the pitching coach … Was joined on the team by UK teammate A.J. Reed during the trial portion of the summer. 

Dylan Dwyer, So., LHP (Murray, Ky.)


Perfect Game League: 2-2, 4.87 ERA, 40.2 IP, 40 H, 25 BB, 40 SO

• No. 18 prospect (Perfect Game)

Joined UK outfielder Kyle Barrett and UK staff member and former star Mike Brown in leading the Amsterdam Mohawks to the Perfect Game Collegiate League title … Made 11 starts on the summer, with a 2-2 record and a 4.87 ERA … Worked 40.2 innings, allowing 40 hits and 25 walks, striking out 40 and allowing opponents to hit .263.

Greg Fettes, R-So., C (Madison Heights, Mich.)


West Coast League: .135/.273/.135, 5-for-37, 3 RBI

Played in 14 games with the Victoria HarbourCats in the West Coast League … Hit .135 (5-for-27) with three RBI and two runs … Had a 7-11 walk-strikeout ratio … Finished with a .273 on-base percentage … Summer ended on July 4.

Dorian Hairston, So., OF (Lexington, Ky.)


Great Lakes League: .211/.361/.294, 20-for-95, 6 2B, 2 3B, 11 RBI, 5-5 SB

Played for the Lexington Hustlers in the Great Lakes League … Played in 28 games, hitting .211 (20-for-95) with seven runs, six doubles, two triples and 11 RBI … Had an 8-28 walk-strikeout ratio, stealing 5-of-5 bases … Finished with a .294 on-base percentage.

Max Kuhn, Jr., IF (Zionsville, Ind.)


Northwoods League: .280/.375/.418, 63-for-225, 13 2B, 6 HR, 46 RBI

• No. 47 prospect (Perfect Game)
• Northwoods League Big League Showcase

Had an all-star summer in the Northwoods League, playing in a grueling 60 games … Batted .280 (63-for-225) with 39 runs, 13 doubles, six homers and 46 RBI … Known for his keen eye at the plate, sporting a 30-48 walk-strikeout ratio … Had a summer-high four-hit game on July 14, with three RBI and four doubles … Was named to the Northwoods League Big League Dreams Showcase, going 1-for-2 with two walks in the game, with the rosters selected by area scouts.

A.J. Reed, Jr., LHP/1B (Terre Haute, Ind.)


Cape Cod League: .218/.317/.382, 4 2B, 3B, HR, 11 RBI; 1-2, 3.60 ERA, 25 IP, 22 H, 7 BB, 21 SO



USA Collegiate: .364/.462/.455, 4-for-11, 2B, 3 RBI; 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 SO

• No. 28 prospect (Perfect Game)

Started the summer with the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League, before switching over to the USA National Team’s trials … After narrowly missing the USA National Team final 22-man roster, moved back to the Harwich Mariners … Played in 20 games at the plate in the Cape, batting .224 (15-for-67) with four runs, five doubles, one triple, two homers and 12 RBI … Sported a 6-23 walk-strikeout ratio and a .583 slugging percentage … On the mound, went 1-2 with a 3.60 ERA in five starts, tossing 25 innings, allowing 22 hits and seven walks, striking out 21 … Worked six one-run innings in his CCBL summer debut on June 15 … Did not appear regularly in the everyday lineup until August in the CCBL … Had a great trial run with the USA National Team, batting .364 in five games with two starts (4-for-11) with a double and three RBI … Drew two walks and struck out four times … Made one start on the mound for USA, working five shutout, one-hit innings, walking one and striking out five, allowing just a single and a .059 opponent average.

Matt Reida, Sr., SS (Russiaville, Ind.)


New England Collegiate League: .273/.345/.323, 27-for-99, 5 2B, 5 RBI, 11-14 SB

• NECBL All-Star

Had an all-star summer in the New England Collegiate League … Hit .273 (27-for-99) in 30 games, after joining the team following the MLB Draft in June … Played in the Cape Cod League in 2012 but did not have a summer assignment until the draft concluded … Had five doubles in 30 games, with five RBI and 11 steals in 12 attempts … Worked an 11-20 walk-strikeout ratio … Was named the starting shortstop for the NECBL All-Star Game on July 21.

Jacob Russell, R-So., C/1B/OF (Lawrenceburg, Ky.)


Perfect Game Collegiate League: .199/.284/.368, 27-for-136, 3 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 27 RBI, 3-4 SB

Played in 43 games with 38 starts for the Newark Pilots in the Perfect Game Collegiate League … Hit .199 (27-for-136) with 22 runs, three doubles, four triples, four homers and 27 RBI … Had an 11-45 walk-strikeout ratio, stealing 3-of-4 bases and notching four outfield assists.

Chandler Shepherd, Jr., RHP (Louisa, Ky.)


Cape Cod League: 2-3, 2.77 ERA, 35.2 IP, 27 H, 9 BB, 28 SO

• No. 46 prospect (Perfect Game)
• Cape Cod League All-Star

Earned All-Star honors in the Cape Cod League after a dominating summer in the top collegiate summer league in the nation … Went 2-3 with a 2.70 ERA in eight games and seven starts … Worked 36.2 innings, allowing 27 hits and nine walks, striking out 28 … ERA was the second-best in the league (0.87) before allowing eight runs in 4.2 innings in his summer finale … Did not allow an earned run through his first two starts in the Cape, working 14 consecutive shutout innings and had a stretch of 15 straight scoreless later in the year … Went six shutout, one-hit innings in his CCBL debut on June 16 … Worked another six shutout, three-hit innings in his next start … Took his first loss with three runs allowed in six innings, with nine strikeouts vs. Hyannis on July 2 … Worked a shutout frame in the all-star game … ERA took a hit in his finale, allowing eight runs on nine hits in 4.2 innings vs. Falmouth on July 31.

Zach Strecker, R-So., RHP (Louisville, Ky.)


Prospect League: 5-2, 2.31 ERA, 62.1 IP, 66 H, 5 BB, 28 SO

• Prospect League All-Star

Had an all-star summer in the Prospect League with the Slippery Rock Sliders, where he teamed with UK outfielder Storm Wilson … Was a workhorse in the league, going 5-2 with a 2.27 ERA in 10 games and eight starts … Worked 63.1 innings, allowing five walks and 66 hits, striking out 28 … Strecker worked one shutout and worked at least six innings in all eight of his starts … Was named an all-star, pitching a scoreless inning for the East squad … Worked a season-low six innings in his first start of the summer, winning his first three starts … Worked eight shutout innings on June 19, seven shutout innings on June 26 … Worked a complete game on July 20, allowing four runs.

Micheal Thomas, R-Sr., C/1B (Elizabethtown, Ky.)


Alaska League: .261/.327/.295, 23-for-88, 3 2B, 13 RBI

• Alaska League All-Star
  

Earned all-star honors in the Alaska Collegiate League while playing with the Matsu Miners … Played in 25 games, batting .261 (23-for-88) with three doubles and 13 RBI … Had a 6-22 walk-strikeout ratio … Got off to a slow start before getting hot in the middle of the summer and finishing on a 0-for-13 streak that hurt his final average, which got as high as .295.

Ka’ai Tom, Jr., OF (Kaneohe, Hi.)


New York Collegiate League: .278/.429/.546, 27-for-97, 4 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 14-18 SB

• NYCBL All-Star

Played in 34 games in the New York Collegiate Baseball League for the Sherrill Silversmiths … Batted .278 (27-for-97) with 27 runs, four doubles, two triples, six homers and 25 RBI … Owned a 20-20 walk-strikeout ratio and stole 14-of-18 bases … Reached base safely in 29 of 34 games … Had a two-homer game on June 5, going 2-for-2 with four runs scored, also drawing a pair of walks … Hit over .300 for the first 30 games of the summer, before going 1-for-13 to finish at .278.

Trace Vorbeck, R-Fr., IF/RHP (Corbin, Ky.)


Valley League: .224/.313/.306, 7 2B, 6 RBI; 1-0, 3.92 ERA, 1 SV, 18.1 IP, 18 H, 10 BB, 11 SO

Played in the Valley League for the Stasburg Express … Played both ways, appearing in 11 games with one start on the mound, sporting a 1-0 record and a 3.54 ERA … Worked 20.1 innings with one save, allowing 19 hits and 10 walks, striking out 12 … At the plate, played in 27 games, batting .224 (19-for-85) with eight runs, seven doubles, six RBI, seven walks and 31 strikeouts.

Storm Wilson, R-Fr., OF (Somerset, Ky.)


Prospect League: .288/.354/.354, 61-for-212, 10 2B, 2 3B, 17 RBI, 15-20 SB

• Prospect League All-Star

Had a breakout summer in earning all-star honors in the Prospect League for the Slippery Rock Sliders, teaming with UK righty Zach Strecker … Played in 55 games, hitting .288 (61-for-212) with 33 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, 17 RBI and a 16-21 walk-strikeout ratio … Stole 15-of-18 bases … Came off the bench in the all-star game, getting an at bat and adding a walk … Average was over .300 all summer until dropping below in the last two games of the year … Had a 4-for-5 game vs. Chillicothe and stole two bases twice.

Brent Ingram (brent.ingram@uky.edu; 859-608-6230)