PDP League gets underway in Florida

June 17th, 2019

BRADENTON, Fla. -- “Your attitude will determine your altitude.”

Eighty of the best rising high school seniors in the country were greeted at the inaugural Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League on Monday by former big leaguer and current MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds, who stressed the importance of leagues like this for up-and-coming players.

“These kids are traveling all over the country, all the different showcases," Reynolds said. "We want to bring them to one place."

The league held its media day on Monday at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where the best high school prospects in the United States and Puerto Rico will have a chance to show why they are the top prep players eligible for the 2020 MLB Draft.

Additionally, the league will serve as an identification opportunity for the USA Baseball 18U Team, which is scheduled to compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup in Busan, South Korea, in early September.

Players from around the country did fielding drills and took batting practice while getting some tips from some famous former players.

“What we are looking at is what separates the top 40 from the bottom 40,″ said former pitcher Alan Embree, who is serving as a PDP League coach.

At the conclusion of the three-week league, the top 40 players will be selected to play in the High School All Star game at Progressive Field in Cleveland on July 6, a game that will be streamed live via MLB.com.

Three-time World Series champion and 1998 World Series MVP Scott Brosius, USA Baseball’s senior director of player development, stressed that the league will not only help the players hone their skill sets but will also help them make the transition from amateur to professional baseball. The league, a joint venture between MLB and USA Baseball, will also improve the talent and visibility of amateur baseball.

For players like Mariner HS (Cape Coral, Fla.) shortstop Alex Freeland, the league is a blessing for him and the other 79 players that are attending.

“It makes you feel humbled to be considered one of the top 80 players in the country,” Freeland said. “It’s fun to be around these ex-players who are able to give us so much knowledge about the game.”

The PDP league will run through July 4 and will include fielding and hitting development training with a rotating carousel of coaches, which will include Hall of Famers Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, and Barry Larkin as well as former All-Stars Lance Berkman and Ryan Howard and 21-year MLB veteran LaTroy Hawkins. Scouts from all 30 Major League clubs will also be in attendance throughout the league.

Team Howard
Alek Boychuk, C, Mill Creek HS (Ga.)
Miles Garrett, RHP, Parkview HS (Ga.)
Alec Gonzalez, IF/RHP, Marion Catholic HS (Ill.)
Edward Howard, MIF, Mount Carmel HS (Ill.)
Cam Brown, RHP/Util., Flower Mound HS (Tx.)
Alex Freeland, 2B/3B, Mariner HS (Fla.)
Drew Romo, C, The Woodlands HS (Tx.)
Masyn Winn, RHP/MIF, Kingwood HS (Tx.)
Brody Drost, LHP, Alfred M. Barbe HS (La.)
Christian Rodriguez, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (Ca.)
Lucas Gordon, LHP, Notre Dame HS (Ca.)
Jared Jones, RHP, La Mirada HS (Ca.)
Blake Money, RHP, Summit HS (Tn.)
Brandon Fields, OF, Dr. Phillips HS (Fla.)
Carson Montgomery, RHP, Windermere HS (Fla.)
Austin Hendrick, OF, West Allegheny HS (Pa.)
Nolan McLean, 3B/RHP, Garner HS (N.C.)
Kyle Harrison, LHP, De La Salle HS (Ca.)
Nelson Berkwich, LHP, American Heritage (Boca Del Ray) HS (Fla.)
Michael Brooks, IF, Palm Beach Central HS (Fla.)

Team Jeter
Corey Collins, C, North Gwinnett HS (Ga.)
Jackson Phipps, LHP, East Paulding HS (Ga.)
Kyle Teel, C, Mahwah HS (N.J.)
Colt Keith, 3B/1B/RHP, Biloxi HS (Ms.)
Aaron Nixon, RHP/2B, McAllen HS (Tx.)
Luke Wagner, LHP, Red Land HS (Pa.)
Colby Halter, Util/RHP, Bishop Kennedy HS (Fla.)
Jake Eddington, RHP, Doniphan HS (Mo.)
Max Rajcic, RHP, Orange Lutheran HS (Ca.)
Nick Griffin, LHP/OF, Monticello HS (Ar.)
Cayden Wallace, 3B, Greenbrier HS (Ar.)
Drew Bowser, SS/3B, Harvard-Westlake HS (Ca.)
Jordan Carrion, MIF, American Heritage HS (Fla.)
AJ Vukovich, 1B, East Troy HS (Wi.)
Jace Bohrofen, OF, Westmoore HS (Ok.)
Dylan Crews, OF/C, Lake Mary HS (Fla.)
Travis Sthele, RHP, Reagan HS (Tx.)
Petey Halpin, OF, St. Francis HS (Ca.)
Jason Savacool, RHP, Baldwinsville HS (N.Y.)
Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP, Owasso HS (Ok.)

Team Jones
Josh Shuler, OF, North Gwinnett HS (Ga.)
Werner Blakely, INF, Early College Of Excellence (Mi.)
Tanner Witt, 3B/RHP, Episcopal HS (Tx.)
Dylan Ray, RHP, Bob Jones HS (Al.)
Charez Butcher, RHP, Kokomo HS (In.)
Enrique Bradfield, OF, American Heritage HS (Fla.)
Timmy Manning, LHP, Cardinal Gibbons HS (Fla.)
Yohandy Morales, SS/3B, Monsignor Pace HS (Fla.)
Max Carlson, RHP, Burnsville HS (Mn.)
John Morgan, 1B, Brother Martin HS (La.)
Cade Horton, RHP, Norman HS (Ok.)
Jackson Fristoe, RHP, Paducah Tilghman HS (Ky.)
TJ McCants, MIF, Pensacola Catholic HS (Fla.)
Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit HS (Or.)
Liam Norris, LHP, Green Hope HS (N.C.)
Michael Brown, 1B, Vacaville HS (Ca.)
Tyler Soderstorm, C, Turlock HS (Ca.)
Joey Dixon, RHP, Bingham HS (Ut.)
Mario Zabala, OF, International Baseball Academy (P.R.)
Jack Bulger, C, Dematha HS (Md.)

Team Larkin
Marquis Grissom, RHP, Counterpane HS (Ga.)
Jordan Walker, 3B, Decatur HS (Ga.)
Ben Hernandez, RHP, De La Salle Institute (Ill.)
Ben Wiegman, RHP/3B, Carmel Catholic HS (Ill.)
Carson Swilling, RHP/OF, Smith Station HS (Al.)
Kellum Clark, 1B/RHP, Brandon HS (Ms.)
Robert Moore, MIF, Shawnee Mission East HS (Ks.)
Milan Tolentino, MIF, Santa Margarita Catholic HS (Ca.)
G Allen, 3B/1B, Little Rock Christian HS (Ar.)
Kevin Parada, C, Loyola HS (Ca.)
Robert Hassell, OF, Independence HS (Tn.)
Alex Santos, RHP, Mount St. Michael Academy (N.Y.)
Dax Fulton, LHP, Mustang HS (Ok.)
Hunter Haas, MIF, Corona Del Sol HS (Az.)
Ethan Long, 3B/RHP, Mountain Pointe HS (Az.)
Carson Tucker, MIF, Mountain Pointe HS (Az.)
Chase Davis, OF, Franklin HS (Ca.)
Luke Boyers, OF, Boerne-Samuel V Champion HS (Tx.)
Jackson Miller, C/RHP, JW Mitchell HS (Fla.)
Nate Savino, LHP, Potomac Falls HS (Va.)

Schedule
Thu, June 13 - Arrival Day
Fri, June 14 - On-Boarding & Tours
Sat, June 15 - On-Boarding & Practice
Sun, June 16 - Off Field - Game On Nation Presentation
Mon, June 17 - PDP League Media Day
Tues, June 18 - Simulated Game
Wed, June 19 - Individual/Team Practice
Thu, June 20 - League Games
Fri, June 21 - League Games
Sat, June 22 - League Games
Sun, June 23 - Off Field - Universal Studios
Mon, June 24 - Individual/Team Practice
Tues, June 25 - Simulated Game
Wed, June 26 - Individual/Team Practice
Thu, June 27 - League Games
Fri, June 28 - League Games
Sat, June 29 - League Games
Sun, June 30 - Off Field- Echelon Front Presentation
Mon, July 1 - Individual/Team Practice
Tues, July 2 - League Games
Wed, July 3 - League Games
Thu, July 4 - League Games