By Greg Williams
Pennsylvania/West Virginia Director of Scouting

The 2016 Western PA Top Prospect Games will take place on June 14 and 15 at Seton Hill University. The Top Prospect Games have become the premier event of the summer for aspiring college prospects statewide and continue to grow in popularity every year.

For the first time in five years the Top Prospect Games will be divided into two events at two locations for the summer of 2016. The Eastern PA Top Prospect Games will follow the Western PA event on July 19 and 20 at La Salle University.

To view rosters from previous four years and the 202 college commitments that have been made by prospects in attendance click on the following links.

2015 PA Top Prospect Games (33 commitments)
2014 PA Top Prospect Games (66 commitments)
2013 PA Top Prospect Games (72 commitments)
2012 PA Top Prospect Games (31 commitments)

Today we continue a series of articles previewing the rosters of each of the six teams that will participate over the course of two days. A total of six nine inning games will be played with each team playing one game per day.

SCHEDULE:

June 14:
9:00am  Red Team vs. Black Team
1:00pm  White Team vs. Blue Team
5:00pm  Grey Team vs. Gold Team

June 15: 
9:00am  Red Team vs. White Team
1:00pm  Black Team vs. Grey Team
5:00pm  Blue Team vs. Gold Team

* Players report 90 minutes prior to game time each day
* Live batting practice prior to each game on June 14
* Defensive evaluations & 60-yard dash prior to each game on June 15

WHITE TEAM

Name	Position	Class
Dawson Magar	RHP - 6/14	2018
Aidan Thomson	RHP - 6/14	2018
Ryan Shirley	LHP - 6/15	2017
Brian Hellested	RHP - 6/14	2017
Brine Takahashi	RHP/1B	2017
Matt Alexander	SS/2B	2017
Zack Blystone	SS/2B	2017
Dakota Jarrett	2B/SS	2017
Cole Collins	3B	2017
Drew Hefner	C/3B	2017
Brock Herrod	C/2B	2017
Jeremy Burnstein	OF/3B	2018
Nick Krugh	OF	2017
Ryan Orsargos	OF	2018
Brett Steinle	OF	2018
Dakota Sunday	RHP - 6/15	2018
Thomas Zbezinski	LHP - 6/14	2017

* Blue denotes West Virginia prospect

The White Team is made up of 16 prospects that includes five pitcher onlys that should turn some heads. Dawson Magar (3-0 2.70 ERA), Ryan Shirley (7-3, 2.25 ERA), Dakota Sunday (2-0, 0.65 ERA), Thomas Zbezinski (3-2, 2.16 ERA) and Aidan Thomson (5-2, 2.35 ERA) will each toe the rubber for three innings a piece over the course of the two day event.

Additionally, junior righty Brian Hellested (Penn-Trafford) has been added to the roster with uncertainty regarding Aidan Thomson's availability. Thomson and his Vincentian Academy teammates have advanced to the PIAA Class A semifinal round on June 13. Hellested spun a no-hitter this spring. 

West Virginia prospects make up nearly a third of the White Team roster led by a pair of Bridgeport Indians juniors Drew Hefner and Brine Takahashi. The pair helped lead Indians to a third consecutive West Virginia AA state title this spring. Hefner, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound left-handed hitting C/3B hit .420 with 29 RBI on the season. Takahashi stepped into the starting rotation following injuries to the Indians top two starters and did not disappoint. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound RHP/1B went 7-1 allowing just 34 hits in 40 innings of work while striking out 41.

2018 outfielder Nick Krugh (Seton-La Salle) will also be a player to keep an eye on. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-handed hitter has shown above average pop and has been a mainstay in the Rebels lineup the past two years.

PARKING INSTRUCTIONS:

PREVIOUS TEAM PREVIEWS

• WV  - Jun 8, 2016
  Western PA Top Prospect Games Preview: Red Team

• WV - Jun 9, 2016
  Western PA Top Prospect Games Preview: Black Team