As we gear up for one of our top invite-only events of the year, the Arkansas Top Prospect Underclass Games, we will begin breaking down our notes on each of the prospects who will be in attendance. This year, the Underclass Games will see many of the state’s top athletes from the 2028 and 2029 classes compete, giving them an opportunity to be seen by numerous college coaches during an open-contact period of recruitment. This year’s event will be held on June 10th at the University of Central Arkansas. 

Jace Dulaney C / RHP / Walnut Ridge, AR / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 17 / POS: 3 Dulaney has a sturdy frame, coming in at 5'11 206 lbs in our last look at him. At the plate, he utilizes quiet hands and a flat bat path to find some barrels, and has had exit velocities into the low 90s. Behind the dish, he's showcased pop times under two seconds, with his best clocking in at 1.97 seconds.

Tyce Fletcher 3B / RHP / Cabot, AR / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 24 / POS: 3 Flecther has a long, lean frame, and should only continue to see improvement across the board as he continues to develop physically and add strength. At the plate, he has a long, flat bat path, and has showcased an ability to consistently find barrels. He was up to 79 mph with the fastball last time we saw him, and has continued to develop a changeup and curveball as offspeed pitches.

Cj Gibson OF / Conway, AR / 2029 Gibson is an athletic two-way player, pitching and hitting from the left side. This will be our first look at the young prospect who will look to break into a talented Conway lineup next spring.

Jake Johnson SS / RHP / Episcopal Collegiate, AR / 2029 We got our first look at Johnson last summer, where he displayed raw tools that should translate as he continues to develop physically. A year later, this will be Johnson's first chance to showcase some of those improvements as he closes in on the start of his high school career.

Ronin Ketchum SS / RHP / Northside, AR / 2028 Rankings  StateRank: 14 / POS: 6 Already standing at 6'1 220 lbs, Ketchum has as advanced physical frame that points to high potential as a powerful athlete. On the mound, he uses a long, loose arm action from a high 3/4 slot, sitting in the mid 80s with a high-spin fastball, mixing in a slider and changeup as offspeed offerings. He has present power at the plate, with solid metrics that should only continue to improve as he taps into his strength.

Aaron Leslie SS / RHP / Nemo Vista, AR / 2029 This will be our first chance to see Leslie, a two-way prospect that will look to take a spot in the middle-infield for Nemo Vista next spring as he enters his freshman season.

Emerett Patterson LHP / OF / Siloam Springs, AR / 2029 Patterson is a true lefty, two-way prospect, pitching and hitting from the left side. Defensively, he is primarily an outfielder. He will attend Siloam Springs next spring for his freshman year.

Haygan Phillips 1B / 3B / Mt. Vernon/Enola, AR / 2029 Phillips has a solid frame for his age, standing at 5'8 142 lbs. The right-handed hitter mans the corner-infield spots defensively. He will look to take over a starting spot next spring for Mt. Vernon-Enola High School.

Alfie Thompson C / RHP / Lakeside, AR / 2028 Thompson made an impressive statement this spring, getting consistent time in the lineup of a quality Lakeside squad during the back half of the season, typically as the designated hitter. Thompson will now look to parlay the success of his freshman campaign into an increased role next season, and a big summer could go a long way towards that.

Cason Willing C / OF / Berryville, AR / 2028 At the plate, Willing utilizes rhythmic hands and a long, flat bat path to find some barrels. He saw exit velocities up to 90.9 mph in our last look at him at Preseason All State. He displayed calculated actions defensively, and was 2.11-2.18 behind the dish.

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