By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

The PA Top Prospect Games are less than a month away (June 11 & 12) at Bucknell University. Today we take an in depth look at the rosters and the talented prospects lined up to participate.

 

Red Team

The Red Team has 12 position players highlighted by 6-foot, 170-lb. OF Shane Connahan from Midd-west HS. Connahan is ranked No. 67 in the PA Class of 2014 and was a member of Team Pennsylvania at the 2012 Midwest Future Games at the University of Illinois.

The Red Team will have seven pitchers throw over the course of the two day event. Devon Walker, ranked No. 75 in the PA Class of 2014, should impress with his 85 mph fastball and command of secondary pitches.

Black Team 

The Black Team has 12 position players with Governor Mifflin RHP/3B John Catchmark among the top prospects on this roster. The 6-foot, 185-pound sophomore is ranked No. 36 in the PA Class of 2015.

The Black Team will have seven pitchers toe the rubber with RHP Chance Malek (Garnet Valley) and RHP Russell Rhoads (Episcopal Academy), ranked No. 36 and No. 41 in the PA Class of 2014 respectively, anchoring the staff. RHP Tim Brennan (Holy Ghost Prep), ranked No. 61 in the PA Class of 2015 and Catchmark should also impress. A late addition to the roster is LHP LaRon Mitchell. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound lefty is ranked No. 5 in PA and No. 35 in the PBR combined rankings for the Class of 2014.

Blue Team

The Blue Team has 13 position players, including OF/RHP Hayden Gruber (Friends Central), ranked No. 56 in the PA Class of 2014 and SS/RHP John Matthews (Punxsutawney), ranked No. 6 in the PA Class of 2016. Both prospects will also pitch during the course of the event.

The Blue Team pitching staff will have eight pitchers, including RHP Crae Watkins (Brookside, OH), a submarine pitcher that is the lone prospect in the event hailing from Ohio.

White Team

The White Team will have 12 position players with OF Scott Kuczala (Wyomissing), ranked No. 40 in the PA Class of 2015, likely to impress. Kuczala will be a member of the Team Pennsylvania roster at the Midwest Futures Games in August on the campus of Indiana University.

A pair of Avon Grove HS pitchers will anchor the White Team's eight man pitching staff. RHP Eric Ligda, a member of Team Pennsylvania at the 2012 Midwest Future Games, and LHP Joe Thompson are ranked No. 88 and No. 107 in the PA Class of 2014 respectively.

Grey Team

The Grey Team will have 12 position players highlighted by C/OF Kevin Mohollen (Strath Haven), ranked No. 37 in the PA Class of 2014. Mohollen has had a fantastic high school season, helping lead Strath Haven to an undefeated regular season and the No. 1 spot in the PBR Class 4A team rankings.

Fellow catchers Christian Porterfield (West Middlesex) and Brandyn Smith (Cedar Cliff) are both highly ranked prospects in the Class of 2014 who should also shine for the Grey Team.

The Grey Team will have a seven man pitching staff will be anchored by RHP Brandon Schllimm (Elk County Catholic), ranked No. 108 in the PA Class of 2014. Schlimm is a 6-foot-4, 175-pound prospect that sits in the mid-80's with his fastball.

Gold Team

The Gold Team will have 11 position players including OF Braxton Giavedoni (Punxsutawney), ranked No. 4 in the PA Class of 2016 and 2B/OF Shane Churma (Penn Trafford), a member of Team Pennsylvania for the 2013 Midwest Future Games, ranked No. 25 in the PA Class of 2015.

The Gold Team pitching staff is the strongest staff among the six teams on paper. Included on the six man staff are unsigned senior RHP Matt Maiers (Hampshire HS, WV), who is currently 9-0 this season for the #2 ranked 3A team in West Virginia and his high school teammate OF/RHP Shane Ennis, who has eight saves this season. Add in RHP/3B Nate Dickey (Central Dauphin) and RHP Isaac Mattson (Harborcreek), ranked No. 63 and No. 99 respectively in the PA Class of 2014, and it is easy to see why this staff on paper is so highly regarded.

Schedule:

June 11                                                                         June 12

7:15am - 7:30am                                                      7:30am

+ Check-in for Red/Black Teams                                 + Red/Blue Teams report

8:00am - 8:45am                                                      8:00am-8:45am

+ Live Batting Practice on the field - both teams           + Defensive evaluations - both teams

9:00am - 11:30am                                                     9:00am-11:30am

+ Game 1 - Red Team vs. Black Team (9 innings)         + Game 4 - Red Team vs. Blue Team

11:15am - 11:30am                                                    11:30am 

+ Check-in for Blue/White Teams                                 + Black/Grey Teams report

12:00pm - 12:45pm                                                   12:00pm -12:45pm

+ Live Batting Practice on the field - both teams            + Defensive evaluations - both teams

1:00pm - 3:30pm                                                       1:00pm - 3:30pm

+ Game 2 - Blue Team vs. White Team (9 innings)         + Game 5 - Black Team vs. Grey Team

3:15pm - 3:30pm                                                       3:30pm

+ Check-in for Grey/Gold Teams                                  + White/Gold Teams report

4:00pm - 4:45pm                                                       4:00pm - 4:45pm

+ Live Batting Practice on the field - both teams            + Defensive evaluations - both teams

5:00pm - 7:30pm                                                       5:00pm - 7:30pm

+ Game 3 - Grey Team vs. Gold Team (9 innings)          + Game 6 - White Team vs. Gold Team

rosters

Click Here for a complete roster of all prospects registered to participate, including direct links to each player's profile page.

Click Here for a breakdown of prospects by team.