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By Dennis Healy and Trevor Brown
Co-Director of Scouting

Interested in attending a PBR New England event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

PBR Reflection: A Look Back at PBR New England's 1st year

The first year of PBR New England was a whirlwind to say the least. We had top-notch coverage throughout the year, but without the help of many coaches, players and families throughout New England we wouldn't be able to do what we do.

We strive to be the authoritative voice in the New England states as it relates to scholastic baseball.

Our first event was at The Route 1 Sportsplex in Danvers, Massachusetts. The players, just like all events, got their head-shots taken, stretched, ran the 60-yard dash, showcased their skill at their defensive position, and hit, with all of it on video.

When reminiscing about the year, there were a couple of events that stood out for me; the Top Prospect Games in June at University of Rhode Island, the Underclass Top Prospect Games at the New England Baseball Complex and without a doubt the PBR Futures Game.

At the TPG at Rhode Island, we had a good number of coaches at the event as well as a number of standout players. For example, Bryce Reagan (Vtech commit-2018), Grant Lavigne (WF commit-2018), Ian Seymour (Vtech Commit-2017), Matt Tabor (Elon commit-2017) and many more. All of these guys performed well at the event which helped with their exposure through the recruiting process.

The Underclass TPG at the New England Baseball Complex was another solid event. Younger guys got their names on the board of many coaches. Talented prospects like Shane Smith (RHP, 2018), Tim Pfaffenbichler (RHP, 2018), Jonathan Morrison (RHP, 2018) and Frank Diorio (OF/1B/LHP, 2017) showed what kind of talent is in the NE corner of the United States.

One of the better events in the entire country is the PBR Futures Game. In 2015 it consisted of 2017/2018 graduates, playing against other 2017/2018 graduates from different states across the U.S. In total, the exposure was immense, with at least 170 College recruiters in attendance. All in all, the New England players showed well and broadened their recruiting base. Quite an experience for everyone involved.

Of course, you can't tell everything about a player from just a workout, many of the best players in the big leagues have internal intangibles that cannot be recognized in a simple workout, you have to see them play in a game repeatedly.

In my opinion, this is why baseball is such a great game. The best arm isn't always the best pitcher, the best batting practice guy isn't always the guy you want up with the game on the line. It's worth all the hard work in the end, if you love it.

As we expand our coverage in 2016, we would love to hear from everyone on who is doing what, who is jumping in velocity, who is getting calls from which college coaches, etc.

Thank you to everyone who has made the inaugural year for PBR New England a success. We look forward to bringing you the most informative information regarding prospects in the New England states in 2016 and many years to follow.

Happy New Year!