Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Recap of PA in the 2016 MLB First-Year Player Draft

June 12, 2016

By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

The 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft concluded yesterday with five Pennsylvania preps and 23 college players who hail from the commonwealth hearing their names called. Below is a listing of each, with some brief analysis. More detailed scouting reports (particularly on the high schoolers) can be found by clicking the link to their player profile.

Selections from Pennsylvania High Schools
Name Position High School Round Pick Team Commitment
Alex Kirilloff OF Plum 1 15 Twins Liberty
Nolan Jones 3B Holy Ghost Prep 2 55 Indians Virginia
A.J. Alexy RHP Twin Valley 11 341 Dodgers Radford
Max Kranick RHP Valley View 11 345 Pirates Virginia
Dante Biasi LHP Hazleton Area 22 674 Cubs Penn State

 

Kirilloff and Jones appear almost assuredly headed toward forgoing their college commitments. Just one player picked in the top 55 in each of the past two years did not sign with the club that drafted him.

The other three are more interesting cases. Well more than half of the high schoolers selected in the 11th round the past couple of years have signed with the team that selected them. However, per draft rules, beginning in round 11, any bonus money in excess of $100,000 counts against a team's bonus pool. So, the Dodgers' and Pirates' ability to make a run at Alexy and Kranick, respectively, will be determined not only by the value the two draftees determine it will take to pry each away from college baseball, but also by how much money each club spends in the first 10 rounds. Biasi revealed in mid-May that he would require Tommy John surgery, but it is not completely unheard of for a team to sign an injured player and have him rehab under its watch.

College Selections with Pennsylvania Roots
Name Position College High School Round Pick Team
Brandon Miller
 RHP
 Millersville
 Ephrata Area
 6
 177
 Mariners
Andy Ravel RHP Kent State Wilson 7 222 Blue Jays
John Sansone
 2B Florida State Neshannock 8 228 Reds
A.J. Bogucki
 RHP North Carolina Boyertown Area 8 244 Nationals
Alex Kowalczyk
 C Pittsburgh Downingtown East 12 369 Rangers
Tony Hernandez LHP Monroe College Hazleton Area 15 458 Yankees
Chris Mattison C Southeastern Lancaster Catholic 16 474 Padres
Jay Jabs 3B Franklin Pierce Perkiomen Valley 17 520 Mets
Colin McKee RHP Mercyhurst Butler Area 18 547 Astros
James Haley 3B Penn State Bonner-Prendergast 19 570 Rays
Matt Swarmer RHP Kutztown Governor Mifflin 19 584 Cubs
Hank Morrison OF Mercyhurst Warren Area 22 663 Twins
Mick Fennell
 OF
 California of PA
 Butler Area
 22
 676
 Cardinals
Robert Bennie OF
 East Stroudsburg Stroudsburg
 24
 712
 Athletics
Saige Jenco OF Virginia Tech State College Area 24 731 Dodgers
Mike Garzillo 2B Lehigh Nazareth Area 25 743 Marlins
Pat Krall LHP Clemson Downingtown West 28 856 Cardinals
Tyler Orris SS Millersville Cedar Cliff 33 980 Rockies
Matt Smith RHP Georgetown Seneca Valley 34 1011 Brewers
David Bednar RHP Lafayette Mars Area 35 1044 Padres
Nick Yarnall
 OF Pittsburgh Hempfield 35 1061 Dodgers
Parker Bean
 RHP Liberty South Western 36 1071 Brewers
Brett Bittiger 2B Pace Pius X 40 1192 Athletics

 

Among the cohort drafted out of college:

  • 13 position players, 10 pitchers
  • NCAA Division I (12), NCAA Division II (9), NJCAA (1), NAIA (1).
  • PIAA District III (7), District VII (5), District I (4), District XI (3), Districts II/VI/X/XII (1 each)
  • Just seven of the 23 played south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Seven of those selected out of NCAA Division II played in-state in the PSAC.

Previous Draft News