By Sean Duncan 

Ryan Koziol, who?s one of the top players in the country, has officially transferred from Brother Rice HS and will attend Providence Catholic HS for his senior year. The 6-foot-3, 165-pound Koziol had been an impact two-way player at Brother Rice since his freshman year.

Koziol, who's verbally committed to the University of Arizona, is the best two-way prospect in the state. This summer, the right-handed pitcher and left-handed hitting shortstop was one of the final cuts to make USA Baseball?s 18-U national team.

With Koziol, Providence Catholic will once again be one of the best teams in the state. The Celtics finished runner-up in Class 4A after falling to Lyons Township in the 2011 championship game. Coach Mark Smith had graduated three first-team Prep Baseball Report All-State players, including Player of the Year Sam Travis, from his 37-4 club.

On the mound, Koziol features an easy 87-91 mph fastball and command of three pitches. At the plate, Koziol is a pure left-handed hitter who should help fill the void left by Travis, C Dan Potempa, SS Joe Houlihan and 2B Kevin DeFilippis.