By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

Top 10 stories of 2013:  #5

Five Pennsylvania High School Players selected in the Draft
- Note: Stories are in their original form from when they were written. This story ran on June 10 recapping the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft. After three days, forty rounds and 1,216 selections, five Pennsylvania high school players heard their name called.

After three days, forty rounds and 1216 selections, the 2013 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is complete. Five Pennsylvania high school standouts had the thrill of hearing their name called.

Ian Stiffler, 6'1" 175 RHP, Somerset HS - 7th round (223rd overall), Atlanta Braves

The Virginia Commonwealth University recruit exhibits a loose arm action while working in the upper-80s and flashing low-90s. He went 4-1 with a 2.35 ERA, 29 H, 17 BB and 67 K in 44.2 IP while leading the Eagles to the District VI title and a berth in the PIAA class AAA state tournament.

Andy Ravel, 6'1" 175 RHP, Wilson HS - 21st round (630th overall), Arizona Diamondbacks

There is plenty of projectibility in Ravel's wiry, athletic frame. He typically works in the upper-80s and will run his fastball into the low-90s on occasion, with solid command of the strike zone and feel for his secondary pitches. He went 7-1 with a 1.05 ERA, 38 H, 16 BB and 76 K in 60 IP for the Bulldogs. Ravel signed an NLI with Kent State University.

Travis Ott, 6'4" 170 LHP, Shippensburg HS - 25th round (766th overall), Washington Nationals

The Greyhounds' lanky southpaw saw a velocity spike this spring, which brought with it a rise up draft boards. Working in the upper-80s and occasionally touching the low-90s, Ott went 5-2 with a 1.82 ERA and a school-record 112 K.

AJ Bogucki, 6'3" 187 RHP, Boyertown Area HS - 31st round (920th overall), Minnesota Twins

Bogucki is the top prospect in PBR PA's 2013 rankings. His performance this spring was a bit uneven, as his fastball touched 93 at times, but he worked mostly in the upper-80s with a solid slider and developing curveball. Despite not consistently showcasing the stuff that allowed him to be chosen for the Under Armour All-American Game and sign with the University of North Carolina, Bogucki still managed to go 5-2 with a 1.93 ERA, 40 H, 29 BB and 80 K in 58 IP.

Seth Wagner, 6'8" 220 LHP, Mifflin County HS - 39th round (1160th overall), Minnesota Twins

Wagner's XL frame screams upside. While the Huskies scuffled this spring, Wagner posted a 2.44 ERA with 34 H, 32 BB and 84 K in 51.2 IP. He is committed to Penn State University for next fall. 

In addition, 21 alumni of Pennsylvania high schools were drafted out of the college ranks:

+ Ty Young, 3B, U Louisville [Malvern Prep] - 7th round (218th overall), Tampa Bay Rays
+ Nick Keener, RHP, Mansfield U [Williamsport] - 10th round (304th overall), Los Angeles Dodgers
+ Lou Trivino, RHP, Slippery Rock U [Upper Bucks Christian] - 11th round (341st overall), Oakland
   Athletics
+ Ethan Mildren, RHP, U Pittsburgh [Laurel Highlands] - 12th round (350th overall), Minnesota Twins
+ Tim Mayza, LHP, Millersville U [Upper Perkiomen] - 12th round (355th overall), Toronto Blue Jays
+ Ian Miller, CF, Wagner Col [Bishop Shanahan] - 14th round (417th overall), Seattle Mariners
+ Ryan Etsell, RHP, Hillsborough CC [Northeast Catholic] - 16th round (487th overall), LA Angels of
   Anaheim
+ Joe Gunkel, RHP, West Chester U [Hershey] - 18th round (533rd overall), Boston Red Sox
+ Matt Wotherspoon, RHP, U Pittsburgh [Crestwood] - 20th round (606th overall), Detroit Tigers
+ Jon Kemmer, LF, Brewton-Parker Col [Clarion Area] - 21st round (617th overall), Houston Astros
+ Joshua McCauley, RHP, Shepherd Col [James Buchanan] - 21st round (618th overall), Chicago
   Cubs
+ Eric Dorsch, RHP, Kent State U [North Allegheny] - 21st round (645th overall), Cincinnati Reds
+ Sean Townsley, LHP, High Point U [Oley Valley] - 25th round (742nd overall), Miami Marlins
+ Matt Pierpont, RHP, Winthrop U [Canon-McMillan] - 26th round (769th overall), Colorado Rockies
+ George Roberts, 1B, Kent State U [Forest Hills] - 26th round (780th overall), Arizona Diamondbacks
+ Zach Shank, SS, Marist Col [Warwick] - 28th round (837th overall), Seattle Mariners
+ Jerry Mulderig, RHP, Rider U [Council Rock South] - 28th round (839th overall), Pittsburgh Pirates
+ Joe Bennie, 2B, East Stroudsburg U [Stroudsburg] - 28th round (851st overall), Oakland Athletics
+ Matt Abramson, RHP, U Tampa [Conestoga] - 29th round (873rd overall), Chicago White Sox
+ Alex Haines, LHP, Seton Hill U [Hempfield Area] - 33rd round (979th overall), Colorado Rockies
+ Nick Ferdinand, OF, U Delaware [Archbishop Ryan] - 35th round (1051st overall), Philadelphia
   Phillies

This group provides an interesting takeaway for current high schoolers who aspire to appear on this list in future seasons: professional baseball can be achieved from any geographic region of the country and from any level of college baseball.  If you are good enough, the scouts will find you, so choose the school that is the best fit for you.

For a sneak peek at which 2014 grads could hear their name called this time next year, check out PBR PA's 2014 Rankings.

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