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Conference Preview: Philadelphia Public League

March 13, 2014

By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

Philadelphia Public League

Public Division A

Returning all-Public Division A Honorees
1st-team
'14 OF Jeff Escolatico, Nueva Esperanza
'14 OF Louis Lobron, Central
'14 P Jacob Kurtz, GAMP

2nd-team
'14 IF Jamuel Cruz, Nueva Esperanza
'15 IF Stephen Callahan, Franklin Towne Charter
'15 IF Keegan McKoskey, Prep Charter
'14 OF Rob Freer, Prep Charter
'14 C Christian Coppola, Prep Charter
'14 P Roger Hanson, Washington
'14 DH Scott Siley, Washington

There was major reshuffling of the divisional alignment in the Public League this year.  The Division A incumbents (Central, Esperanza, Frankford, Franklin Towne Charter, GAMP, Masterman, Prep Charter, Washington) remain. They will be joined this season by the top five teams from last season's Division B standings (Edison, Franklin, Lincoln, Northeast, Philadelphia Academy).

  • GAMP's Kurtz has established himself as one of the top pitching prospects in the Public League. While he is continuing to sharpen his command, the medium-frame right-hander has some life on his mid-80s FB and has shown a feel for spinning a breaking ball.
  • Escolatico (.411 AVG, 24 SB) returns to set the table for Nueva Esperanza. Also contributing for coach John Grone will be '14 SS/RHP Yamil Morera-Rivera, '16 C Hector Morales (who hit .340 and started all but one game as a freshman), and '15 IF Johnny Arroyo.
  • Masterman will try to keep pace while suiting up only one senior and having 75% of the roster made up of freshmen and sophomores.

Public Division B

Returning all-Public Division B Honorees
1st-team
'15 P/IF Anthony Guzman, Edison
'15 IF Brian Nieves, Swenson

2nd-team
'15 P Nick Cammisa, Bodine
'14 IF Luis Rodriguez, Fels
'14 IF Justin Carlson, Lincoln
'14 1B Luis Castro, Swenson

Following the defections to Division A, the remaining members of Division B (Bodine, Fels, Kensington, Philadelphia Electric, Roxborough, Swenson) will be joined by the top seven finishers in Division C from last season (Boys' Latin, Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter, Carver HS of Engineeing & Science, Furness, Mastbaum Area VoTech, Olney Charter, and Overbrook).

  • Roxborough will rely on a largely young squad this year. '16 IF/RHP Collin Yeager, '15 C RHP/Randy Krok, '15 IF Michael Moore, '14 OF Stephen Archie, '15 IF David Birkmire, and '16 IF Michael Lopez are all expected to make an impact for new coach Ken Devenney.

Public Division C

Returning all-Public Division C Honorees
1st-team
'14 P Antonio Harris, Boys' Latin
'14 P/IF Kelvin Sebastro, Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter
'15 P/IF Demetrius Smith, Germantown
'14 C Frank Quiles, Mastbaum Area VoTech
'14 P/IF Brandon Hines, Overbrook
'14 OF Bobby Tinneny, Saul
'15 C Manny Fernandez, Boys' Latin

2nd-team
'14 IF Yeudy Castro, Olney Charter
'15 IF Marshall Drummond, Furness
'14 C/IF Anthony Heard, Carver HS of Engineering & Science
'14 P/IF Clinton Hickson, Germantown
'14 P/OF Rickie Quiles, Mastbaum Area VoTech
'15 P/IF Asa James, Boys' Latin
'16 IF Alex Blanco, Olney Charter

Delaware Valley Charter, Franklin Learning Center, Saul, and Southern welcome nine new members that jumped up from Division D (Bartram, Dobbins, Freire Charter, Gratz, King, Randolph, Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush, Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter, Science Leadership Academy).

  • '15 C Anthony Moore is expected to be a big contributor for coach Kevin Katz's young Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush team.
  • Science Leadership Academy, under the direction of coach Douglas Herman, will look to continue its winning ways while being led by '14 Util/RHP Jeffrey Schwartz and '14 RHP/Util Ethan Reese.

Public Division D

Returning all-Public Division D Honorees
1st-team
'16 P/C Anthony Morel, University City
'14 P/IF Maurice Johnson, University City
'14 C/IF Demetrius Rivers, University City
'14 P/IF Jeff Schwartz, Science Leadership Academy
'14 P/IF Ethan Reese, Science Leadership Academy
'15 IF Daquan Percell, Bartram

2nd-team
'16 C/P Kevin Courtney, Science Leadership Academy
'15 1B Quincy Members, Bartram
'16 P/IF Zach Singer, Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush
'14 P/C Raekwon Bynes, Simon Gratz Charter
'14 P/1B Drew Jones, Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter
'15 P/IF Ajani Gimenez, Freire Charter
'14 P/C Jordan Bynum, Lamberton

Strawberry Mansion and West Philadelphia are the only holdovers from Division D, which, in addition to members moving to Division C, also saw University City closes its doors. Restocking the division will be School of the Future, Maritime Academy Charter, New Foundations Charter, Tacony Academy Charter, and World Communications Charter.

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