Friday afternoon Kentucky Wildcat Baseball nuggets

A lot has happened this summer when it comes to the Kentucky Wildcats baseball team.

Austin Cousino had a busy summer after finishing his freshman season at Kentucky. He played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, where he was named as the 12th best prospect. The Dublin, Ohio native led Team USA this summer with a .351 batting average. Cousino will be a player to watch during his sophomore season in 2013.

Paul McConkey, a junior infielder, was named by Perfect Game USA as a New England Collegiate League top performer. The infielder played for the Holyoke Blue Sox this summer, where he hit a team-best .358. McConkey had 11 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 22 RBI, and swiped 4 bases.

Chandler Shepherd, a sophomore right-handed pitcher, was not only named as the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Pitcher of the Year this summer but he also picked up honors by Perfect Game USA as a first-team summer league All-America starting pitcher. Shepherd pitched for the Amsterdam Mohawks this summer. The pitcher was nothing but impressive as he had a 7-0 record and a 1.31 ERA. Of his 8 starts, only one game was a complete game. He limited opposing hitters to a .154 batting average, allowed 9 runs (8 earned), and tied for first in the league for wins and ERA.

Jeff Boehm, a sophomore outfielder/left-handed pitcher, was named to the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Rising Star team. Boehm also played for the Mohawks this summer, where he split between the outfield and the pitching mound. Offensively, the Illinois native hit .326. In doing so, he had 11 doubles, 1 home run, 21 RBI, and swiped 4 bases. In 5 relief appearances as a pitcher, Boehm threw six innings with 7 strikeouts.

With all the positive news going on, there is some sad news to report. Chase Mullins, a freshman left-handed pitcher, announced on Twitter yesterday that he is going to have to undergo Tommy John surgery. As a result, he will not play for UK Baseball during the 2013 season. The 6’9″ pitcher from Paris, Ky., was drafted this summer by the Texas Rangers in the 24th round but elected to pursue his collegiate career.