Prep Baseball Report

Updated Class of 2013 Rankings



After a long summer, PBR Ohio has updated the rankings for the Class of 2013. This class, which is extremely deep with pitching, includes eight pitchers in the top ten rankings. 

The changes start at the top with Midview left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer taking over the top spot. Lauer, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound southpaw from northeast Ohio, made noise in late July after de-committing from the University of Kentucky and issuing a pledge to the local Kent State Golden Flashes. The southpaw shows command of an upper 80's fastball that reaches into the low 90's along with a hard 78-79 mph breaking ball. But, before he arrives on campus in Kent, Lauer will likely find himself deciding between college and an early professional career after an impressive summer that saw his stock rise for next June's draft. 

Lima Shawnee right-handed pitcher Cory Wilder rebounded from a rough spring by putting together several standout performances this summer. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound right-hander displayed an effortless upper 80's fastball that consistently touched into the low 90's. Combining his fastball with a hard 77-79 mph slider, Wilder's stock rose dramatically before committing to North Carolina State in July. He collected numerous offers from schools around the country, including Arkansas, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech, as well as Midwestern programs such as Purdue, Kent State, and Ohio State. 

Piketon's Zach Farmer, who previously held the top spot in the rankings, has been busy this summer with his team's schedule as well as stops at the Perfect Game National Showcase in Minnesota, the East Coast Pro, and the Area Code Games. The talented southpaw, who entertained many different offers before committing to Ohio State, has experienced an up and down summer, but still shows the velocity and breaking ball to make an immediate impact at the next level (if he isn't drafted). 

The remaining top ten is rounded out by Maderia outfielder Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas recruit), Amherst right-handed pitcher Griffin Weir (Stanford recruit), Defiance right-handed pitcher Robert Zeigler (Kentucky recruit), Mason right-handed pitcher TJ Zeuch (Pittsburgh recruit), Walsh Jesuit catcher Cassidy Brown (Loyola Maramount recruit), Mason right-handed pitcher Andrew McDonald (Virginia Tech recruit), and Findlay left-handed pitcher Jimmy Orwick (Notre Dame recruit).

To view the complete top 200 players, please click here