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2016 PBR Draft 100: Three Pennsylvania Players In The Top 35

December 9, 2015

By Greg Williams
Pennsylvania Director of Scouting

The recent release of our 2016 PBR Draft 100 marks the 6-month point before the Major League Draft in June. The PBR Draft 100 ranks the top high school prospects eligible for the upcoming draft, including players outside of Prep Baseball Report’s coverage area of 27 states. This list is compiled after months of seeing games across the country and conversations with scouts and college recruiters. Players within PBR’s coverage area remain in the same order as they are in the 2016 Overall Rankings.

The 2015 Major League Draft saw RHP Mike Nikorak (Stroudsburg) selected by the Rockies with the 27th overall pick in the 1st round. Infielder Travis Blankenhorn (Pottsville Area) was selected next by the Twins with the 80th overall pick in the 3rd round. A total of seven Pennsylvania high school players were drafted in total in a fairly average year for total number of high school draft picks coming out of the state.

This year, however, appears to be a little different than any in recent memory as there are three Pennsylvania high school players currently in the top 35 of the PBR Draft 100. The 2016 draft could end up being the most top heavy for Pennsylvania in recent memory with all three players potentially being selected early.

A Look At The Top 10

Rank Name State School Class Pos Commitment
1 Jason Groome NJ Barnegat 2016 LHP Vanderbilt
2 Riley Pint KS St. Thomas Aquinas 2016 RHP Louisiana State
3 Mickey Moniak CA La Costa Canyon 2016 OF UCLA
4 Blake Rutherford CA Chaminade College Prep 2016 OF UCLA
5 Ian Anderson NY Shenendehowa 2016 RHP Vanderbilt
6 Reggie Lawson CA Victor Valley 2016 RHP Arizona State
7 Kevin Gowdy CA Santa Barbara 2016 RHP UCLA
8 Josh Lowe GA Pope 2016 RHP Florida State
9 Forrest Whitley TX Alamo Heights 2016 RHP Florida State
10 Delvin Perez PR International Baseball Academy 2016 SS

CLICK HERE to view complete PBR Draft 100 List

Pa prospects on the list

No. 14, SS Nolan Jones (Holy Ghost Prep)
Nolan JonesJones, a Virginia recruit, has established himself has a top prospect over the past few months. He immediately jumps out with his frame, standing at a physical and projectable 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. He moves well laterally and runs a 6.94-second 60, but may move off shortstop as he fills out. That would put more pressure on his bat, but he’s shown that shouldn’t been a problem. Hordes of scouts were bearing down on his at-bats in Jupiter—from area guys to scouting directors—and he didn’t disappoint. He went 5-for-15 with a home run, showing an easy swing, balance and strength at contact from the left side. Over the summer, he hit .333 (25-for-75) with in games that were tracked by Trackman Baseball.

No. 18, OF Alex Kirilloff (Plum HS)
Alex KirilloffKiriloff has a long, projectable frame at 6-foot-2, 195 pounds. His BP sessions have been inconsistent and uninspiring at times, but when the game starts, things seemingly click for the Liberty recruit. He has shown some swing-and-miss tendencies in the past, but his swing is loose, quick and produces good raw power. At the Area Code Games, he squared up some elite arms. In Jupiter, he was on time and controlled at the plate, going 5-for-16 with a double and a triple. While he does play a fair amount at first base, Kiriloff is at least an average runner and moves well enough to hold down a corner outfield spot. Kirilloff is now ranked eighth, jumping all the way from 82.

No. 32, OF Brandon McIlwain (Council Rock North HS)
Brandon McIlwainIt wouldn’t be a complete shock if McIlwain doesn’t touch a baseball after his senior year of high school. He’s ranked among the country’s top recruits as a dual-threat quarterback and committed to South Carolina for football. He understandably has some rawness to his game, but he looks like more than just an athlete playing baseball. He has some noise in his load that affects his timing, but he showed a knack for making loud contact at East Coast Pro and again at the Area Code Games. In 29 at-bats between the two events, he struck out just five times while collecting nine hits. His hands tend to drag and his back leg kicks out in his swing, but he’s athletic and strong with good bat speed. If he were to focus on baseball full time, he could be a special prospect. He’s an above-average runner with an average arm.

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