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Michigan Mailbag: February 11th

February 12, 2015



By Brent Alwine and Dylan Hefflinger
Michigan Scouting Director and Michigan Editor in Chief/Regional Scout

Every week, PBR Michigan holds an interactive chat through Twitter with our followers. Our goal is to be accessible. This is your chance to take advantage of our expertise. Ask questions to Brent Alwine, Michigan Scouting Director, about the recruiting process, upcoming high school season, specific prospects, PBR events, or anything else that may be on your mind.

We would like to thank all who participated, we enjoy bringing you knowledge and expertise on players and programs in your area.

We will be answering questions on either Tuesday or Wednesday, stay tuned.

10 of the top questions from the Ask.FM Q&A Session on February 11th


Who are your top 2018 pitching prospects?

PBR: Not having seen a ton of 2018 pitchers at this point.

  • Spencer Schwellenbach - Saginaw Heritage- RHP
  • Logan Lee - Rockford - RHP
  • Cole Daniels - Saline - LHP

Who from Lake Orion do you think will "show out" and surprise people this year?

PBR: Ian Simek has put in an off season like I have not seen before. Look for big things from him this spring and summer. Ian has lost 20-pounds, improved his speed, bat speed, and overall athleticism.

Who are the most projectable 2017 RHP's/LHP’s in Michigan you think can play at the next level in a DI program?

PBR: There are a lot of them:

  • Nate Jones - Battle Creek Lakeview-RHP 
  • Nolan Petroelje-Hudsonville-RHP     
  • Brenden Lovell-Vicksburg-RHP
  • Josh Waalkes-Grandville-RHP
  • Max Stevenson-Utica Eisenhower-RHP/SS
  • Bryce Davis-Sparta-RHP
  • Jarod Melle-Lowell-RHP
  • Blake Dunn-Saugatuck-RHP/C/S
  • Jesse Heikkinen-Holt-LHP Committed to Michigan State
  • Haydin Brandt-Portland-LHP 
  • Ethan Whitcomb-South Lyon-LHP

How many players from the Michigan coverage area do you think will get drafted this year and who?

PBRL If the draft was today and this is purely my opinion:

  • Nick Plummer-OF-Brother Rice
  • Luke Shilling-RHP-Notre Dame Prep

How does an underclassman know if a college is interested in him?

PBR: Colleges will contact you via phone/email/text if you are a 2015 or 2016 graduate. College coaches will contact your coaches with interest if you are a 2017 or 2018 graduate.

With Seth Freed (2014) gone how is division 1 champion Bay City Western going to be this year with the loss of their best infielder?

PBR: Bay City Western returns plenty of depth in the infield to win them games. Coach McDonald will always have his teams prepared for game one.

What do I say in an email to a college coach if I'm interested in them?

PBR: I would starting gather schools that you’re interested in and that offer the degree you intend to study, distance from home (so you family can see you play), and financially what schools you can afford. Focus on schools that you can play at, ask your high school (communicate with your HS coach that you want to play in college) and summer coach what level (DI, DII, DIII, JUCO, NAIA) you should focus on. Attend the schools camps this winter to put skills front and center for them to evaluate you. Communicate with coaches via email and provide them with you GPA, ACT/SAT, and your statistics. Provide your summer coaches and high schools coaches names and numbers. Include your summer schedules and high school schedules.

If I Commit to a DIII school go there and have a good season, is it possible to be able to transfer to a DI? Do DI schools look at people who contact them from DIII schools?

PBR: Rarely if ever does a Division I school recruit a Division III school. To transfer up to a DI school you would have to sit out a year and Division I coaches cannot speak with players on other collegiate teams.

When is the best time to contact a coach or school that you are interested in them?

PBR: Now! You need to be proactive in the process and not wait for schools to come to you.

Can PBR attach a youtube link of a players recruiting video to his PBR profile so college coaches can see more video than just the video provided from a showcase event?

PBR: The videos that are in your profile are from PBR events or PBR Scouts game video footage.

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