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PA Residents Make Impact on Elite College Programs

February 14, 2014

By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

MLB Opening Day is six weeks away, the high school season in PA doesn't start for another month, and most of us can look outside our windows to see streets, trees, cars and rooftops blanketed in snow. But, fear not, baseball fans! NCAA Division I teams around the country will throw out their first pitches this weekend starting today...and the Commonwealth is well-represented. Players who cut their teeth in PA high schools aren't simply competing on the highest level, they are having a major impact.

Cincinnati sophomore 2B Ian Happ (Mt. Lebanon), Virginia junior OF Derek Fisher (Cedar Crest) were named 1st-team Preseason All-Americans by Baseball America, while Virginia junior OF/1B Mike Papi (Tunkhannock) landed 2nd-team recognition . Fisher (#10) and Papi (#39) were also listed among BA's Top 100 College Prospects for the 2014 MLB First-Year Player Draft, while Pitt RHP Matt Wotherspoon (Crestwood) checks in among the top college seniors. Happ and Virginia OF Joe McCarthy (Scranton) are among the top college prospects for the 2015 draft.

They, and many others, are making their mark at college baseball's A-list programs. Below is a recap of all former PA high schoolers, with their 2013 stats (hitter slash lines are AVG/OBP/SLG) who are currently on rosters of Baseball America's College Preseason Top 25, as well as current PA residents who have committed to those schools.

#1
Virginia
Cavaliers

So OF/1B Rob Bennie (Stroudsburg) - 200/294/200 in 15 AB (13 games, 0 starts)
Fr LHP Adam Bleday (Titusville)
Jr OF Derek Fisher (Cedar Crest) - 293/405/483, 8-11 SB in 205 AB (55 games, 55 starts)
So IF John La Prise (Devon Prep) - 171/244/229 in 35 AB (19 games, 7 starts)
So OF/1B Joe McCarthy (Scranton) - 336/469/453, 11-12 SB in 223 AB (60 games, 60 starts)
So LHP David Rosenberger (Allentown Central Catholic) - 1.38 ERA, 31 H, 3 BB, 23 K in 32.2 IP
Jr OF/1B Mike Papi (Tunkhannock) - 381/517/619, 6-8 SB in 176 AB (55 games, 47 starts)

Current Commitments
3B/RHP Ryan Karstetter (Scranton) - #18 in PA class of 2015
RHP/IF Max Kranick (Valley View) - #4 in PA class of 2016
OF Jake McCarthy (Scranton) - #5 in PA class of 2015
OF Cameron Simmons (Spring-Ford) - #21 in PA class of 2015

#3
Indiana
Hoosiers

Current Commitments
LHP Zach Guth (Franklin Area) - #19 in PA class of 2015
LHP Connor Higgins (Parkland) - #9 in PA class of 2015
1B Josh Ockimey (Neumann-Goretti) - #7 in PA class of 2014

#5
North Carolina State
Wolfpack

So RHP Karl Keglovits (Nazareth Area) - 4.05 ERA, 13 H, 6 BB, 6 K in 13.1 IP

Current Commitments
LHP Brian Brown (Coatesville) - #11 in PA class of 2014
OF Brett Kinneman (West York) - #26 in PA class of 2015

#6
Florida State
Seminoles

So IF John Sansone (Neshannock) - 233/379/321 in 193 AB (63 games, 61 starts)

#10
Vanderbilt
Commodores

Jr C Chris Harvey (Germantown Academy) - 250/328/442 in 52 AB (29 games, 13 starts)

Current Commitments
LHP/OF JJ Bleday (Titusville) - #2 in PA class of 2016
SS Liam Sabino (Blair Academy (NJ)) - #2 in PA class of 2014

#17
North Carolina
Tar Heels

Fr RHP AJ Bogucki (Boyertown Area)
So C Matt Rubino (Hopewell) - 200/385/200 in 10 AB (12 games, 0 starts)

Current Commitments
SS/RHP Kyle Datres (Loyalsock Township) - #2 in PA class of 2015
LHP Brendon Little (Conestoga) - #13 in PA class of 2015
LHP Nick Raquet (State College) - #8 in PA class of 2014

#20
Louisville
Cardinals (40 on roster as of 2/3)

So 1B/3B Danny Rosenbaum (Plymouth Whitemarsh) - 258/288/344 in 93 AB (39 games, 24 starts)
Fr IF/OF Matt Rowland (Springside Chestnut Hill)
Jr IF Sutton Whiting (New Wilmington) - 308/390/393, 24-30 SB in 201 AB (64 games, 63 starts)

Current Commitments
LHP Brendan McKay (Blackhawk) - #4 in PA class of 2014

#21
Alabama
Crimson Tide

So RHP Mike Oczypok (Spring-Ford) - 3.02 ERA, 43 H, 12 BB, 28 K in 44.2 IP

Current Commitments
RHP Mike Nikorak (Stroudsburg) - #8 in PA class of 2015

#23
Florida
Gators

R-Jr RHP Keenan Kish (Germantown Academy) - 3.38 ERA, 5 H, 3 BB, 7 K in 5.1 IP
So IF Jason Lombardozzi (Chambersburg) - transfer from College of Central Florida

Elsewhere around Division I (from Baseball America's conference previews):

  • America East - Binghamton is the favorite, with almost one quarter of their roster hailing from PA, including: So RHP Jake Cryts (Blue Mountain), Jr RHP Anthony Grillini (James M Coughlin), Fr OF Darian Herncane (State College), Jr C Nick Pancerella (Devon Prep), Fr C Eddie Posavec (North Penn), Fr 1B/RHP Jextin Pugh (Bishop Guilfoyle), and Fr RHP Jake Wloczewski (Whitehall).
  • American - In addition to Ian Happ's honors detailed above, Cincinnati R-So RHP Connor Walsh (Radnor) is the #9 prospect from the AAC for the 2014 draft.
  • Atlantic-10 - Saint Joseph's Jr RHP Tim Ponto (Owen J Roberts) checks in as the #4 draft prospect from the A-10.
  • Big South - League favorite Coastal Carolina will be pushed toward another regional berth by Fr RHP Zac Burke (Penn Manor), Sr RHP Tyler Herb (Williams Valley), So OF Anthony Marks (Montour), and Fr C Jake Riegel (Conrad Weiser). Gardner-Webb Jr RHP Matt Fraudin (Upper St Clair) is the league's #4 draft prospect.
  • Colonial - Towson Sr OF Kurt Wertz (South Williamsport) is the pre-season Player of the Year.  Fr RHP Cory Gantz (Hempfield) begins his rookie season at CAA favorite UNC Wilmington.
  • Horizon - Youngstown State Sr RHP Nic Manuppelli (Plum) is the #7 draft prospect in the league.
  • Metro Atlantic - Sr IF Ronnie Bernick (Baldwin) and Fr LHP Michael Ginther (West Middlesex) will aim to help Canisius live up to its preseason favorite billing in the MAAC.
  • Mid-American - The #6 prospect for the next two draft classes out of the MAC is Kent State So IF Zarley Zalewski (Valley), who will be joined by eight other PA residents on the Golden Flashes roster.
  • Mid-Eastern - So IF Cameron Onderko (Norwin) is rostered at MEAC preseason favorite Delaware State.
  • Ohio Valley - After sitting out last spring as a redshirt, RHP Luke Nientimp (McDowell) looks to carve out a role for himself with OVC favorite Tennessee Tech.
  • Patriot - Lehigh OF Justin Pacchioli (Nazareth Area) is the preseason Player of the Year and #3 draft prospect in the League, while his teammate, 2B Mike Garzillo (Nazareth Area), checks in at #4.

BA took a brief look at NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, Junior College, and NAIA as well.  Keystoners who will make their presence felt at those levels include:

  • Division II - Seton Hill Sr LHP Alex Haines (Hempfield Area) is listed as the #5 prospect in D-II. So C Colby Conway (Palmyra Area) has been a fixture in the line-up for national championship favorite Mount Olive so far this spring, while Fr OF Jay Jabs (Perkiomen Valley) has joined preseason #3 Franklin Pierce.
  • Division III - Pitt-Bradford Jr RHP Aaron Cressley (Corry Area) and Alvernia Sr LHP Mike Weinhold (Conrad Weiser) are the 4th and 5th best draft prospects, respectively, in D-III.
  • Junior College - Ranked third in the preseason, State College of Florida boasts two players from PA: So LHP Alain Girman (Serra Catholic) and Fr C/RHP Scott Williams (Conestoga). Fr C Jason Costa (State College) has joined the team at preseason #5 Walters State CC.

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