By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

The three-day affair that is the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft concluded Saturday evening with five standout performers from Pennsylvania high schools having the pleasure of hearing their name called.

Josh Ockimey, 1B, Neumann-Goretti HS (Red Sox, 5th round, 164th overall)
Listed at 6-foot-1, 215-pounds in the MLB Scouting Bureau database, Ockimey can put on a display in batting practice, which he often needed to do post-game for scouts while getting pitched around in game action.  A physical monster, the Indiana Hoosier commit can drive the ball to all parts of the ballpark.  While his other tools don't grade out as highly, as one scout plainly said about Ockimey during a Saints game this spring: "You just don't find left-handed power like his very often."

JJ Matejevic, SS, Norwin HS (Red Sox, 22nd round, 674th overall)
Drafted as a middle infielder, Matejevic's 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame will see him move to a corner sooner rather than later.  No matter, as his bat will play at just about any position.  The left-handed hitter has a simple approach, good bat speed, and emerging game power.  Should he choose to go the college route, the Arizona recruit would be the rare Pennsylvania product to head west. 

Taylor Lehman, LHP, Keystone Oaks HS (Marlins, 34th round, 1007th overall)
At 6-foot-7, it's hard to miss Lehman, in or out of uniform.  His secondary stuff is still developing, but the Penn State recruit typically worked 86-88  with his fastball, while occasionally touching 90 this spring.  A quality athlete, Lehman has always laced up his spikes immediately after his season on the hardwood ends, so there is still plenty of projection left in him.

Brendan McKay, LHP, Blackhawk HS (Padres, 34th round, 1017th overall)
Louisville thought it had the perfect recruit when McKay signed his NLI: a 6-foot-1 southpaw with a legit breaking ball and plus command whose mid-80s fastball would not attract the attention of pro scouts.  When McKay's velo jumped up into the 87-90 range this spring, however, radar guns began popping up en masse behind the plate at his starts.  Luckily for the College World Series-bound Cardinals, McKay slid out of the top ten (bonus pool) rounds and will likely end up on campus with the opportunity to make an immediate impact.

Andrew Bechtold, SS, Garnet Valley HS (Rangers, 37th round, 1116th overall)
Solid across the board, Bechtold's arm strength is his standout tool, which should allow him to stay on the left side on the diamond.  Reports have the Maryland commit with solid velocity on the mound as well, making him a potential two-way contributor at the college level.  Bechtold already has some strength in his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame and, assuming he doesn't sign, will almost assuredly have a pro body by the time his career in a Terrapins uniform is over.

In addition to the five players above, nineteen alumni of Pennsylvania high schools were drafted out of the collegiate ranks.

Pennsylvania HS Graduates Selected out of College

Name	Pos	College	High School	Team	Round	Overall
Derek Fisher	OF	Virginia	Cedar Crest	Astros	Competitive Balance A	37th
Mike Papi	OF	Virginia	Tunkhannock Area	Indians	Competitive Balance A	38th
Dan Altavilla	LHP	Mercyhurst	Elizabeth-Forward	Mariners	5	141st
Brian O'Grady	1B	Rutgers	Archbishop Wood	Reds	8	245th
Matt Hockenberry	RHP	Temple	South Western	Phillies	9	267th
Scott Williams	RHP	State Col of Florida Manatee-Sarasota	Conestoga	Rangers	11	336th
Connor Walsh	RHP	Cincinnati	Radnor	White Sox	12	348th
Eric Dorsch	RHP	Kent State	North Allegheny	Pirates	15	461st
Ryan Seiz	1B	Liberty	Christopher Dock	Angels	17	509th
Luke Curtis	RHP	Pittsburgh	Philipsburg-Osceola	Brewers	18	536th
Joe Harvey	RHP	Pittsburgh	Kennedy-Kenrick	Yankees	19	572nd
Jordan Carter	RHP	Saint Joseph's	Methacton	Indians	22	668th
Vinny Nittoli	RHP	Xavier	Pine-Richland	Mariners	25	741st
Aaron Cressley	RHP	Pitt-Bradford	Corry Area	Padres	26	777th
Will Kengor	SS	Slippery Rock	Pittsburgh Central Catholic	Tigers	28	850th
Tyler Herb	RHP	Coastal Carolina	Williams Valley	Mariners	29	861st
Brandon Hinkle	LHP	Delaware	Hempfield	Blue Jays	34	1014th
Matt Wotherspoon	RHP	Pittsburgh	Crestwood	Yankees	34	1022nd
Keenan Kish	RHP	Florida	Germantown Academy	Reds	34	1025th