2015 WWBA World Championship Event Page
By
now you're surely aware of the talent that has taken the fields at
the world's most heavily scouted tournament event, the WWBA World
Championship. Every year the best players from around the nation take
the fields at the Roger Dean Complex in Jupiter, Fla. to determine
who is the best in the nation.
Look
no further than the favorites to win this year's major awards at the
Major League level. From Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor competing
for the American League Rookie of the Year Award, to Kris Bryant
doing the same in the National League. Josh Donaldson and Bryce
Harper both previously appeared in Jupiter and are the favorites for
the AL and NL Most Valuable Player Awards respectively.
And
then you have the perennial Major League All-Stars including Mike
Trout, Clayton Kershaw, Buster Posey and Andrew McCutchen as well as
rising stars that include Matt Harvey, Anthony Rizzo, Nolan Arenado,
Manny Machado, Jose Fernandez and a seemingly countless number of
notable big leaguers.
While
so much of the focus is often on the players that are making an
impact on the professional level of baseball, whether that be at the
major or minor league level, every year I like to look at past
Jupiter participants who are now among college baseball's top
talents.
This
season marks the 10th year that I have assembled such a team. From Posey, Harper,
Donaldson, Gerrit Cole, Lance Lynn and Stephen Strasburg just to name
a few, the impact that the WWBA World Championship has on the next
level of baseball truly is impressive.
The
talent that makes up this year's group of college players that played
in Jupiter within the past 3-4 years is no less impressive and stands
to make a significant impact on next year's draft, the top minor
league prospect lists to come over the next 2-3 years and the big
leagues in the not-so-distant future.
To
visit the past features, year-by-year, click on the following links:
Catcher
Chris
Okey, Clemson
Cardinals
Scout Team/FTB Chandler/Mizuno, 2011-12; Central FL PG Royal, 2010
Catcher
and first base were the two toughest positions to choose one player
from a deep well of college talent, and several of the players were
legitimate candidates at both positions. Okey got the nod here, for a
variety of reasons. The first being his defense, as the former PG
All-American continues to receive high grades for his skills behind
the dish, with a strong throwing arm and cat-like lateral quickness.
He has an extensive history performing at a high level, including
three straight appearances at the WWBA World Championship, all with
the illustrious FTB program. Okey was named a First Team Perfect Game College All-American in 2015 after hitting .315-12-57 for
the Tigers and has positioned himself as a likely first-round pick in
next June's draft.
Florida's
J.J. Schwarz, Florida (Cardinals Scout Team/FTB Chandler, 2013; Palm
Beach Select, 2012), Virginia's Matt Thaiss (Tri-State Arsenal,
2011-12; Team EvoShield 2010), Tulane's Jake Rogers (DBAT/MSL
All-Stars, 2012) and USC's Jeremy Martinez (Cardinals Scout Team/FTB
Chandler, 2012; SGV Arsenal, 2010) are all proof of the talent at the
position and would provide enviable depth.
A.J. Puk, EvoShield Canes, 2012
First
Base
Pete
Alonso, Florida
All
American Prospects, 2012; East Coast PG Gray, 2011
Alonso
was a force in the middle of the All American Prospects lineup at the
WWBA World Championship in 2012, a lineup that included PG
All-Americans Kyle Tucker and Daniel Reyes. Alonso hit .462
(6-for-13) with two home runs and five RBI on his way to being named
to the event's All-Tournament Team, his last PG event. While
he made an immediate impact as a freshman, he really took off during
the summer of 2014, being named the Northwoods League's MVP, and
followed that up with a big sophomore season for the Gators despite
missing the first month of the season due to a broken foot. After a
deep run in the College World Series in 2015 Florida appears to be
the favorite to open the 2016 season as the No. 1 team, and Alonso's
presence in the middle of their lineup has a lot to do with that.
K.J.
Harrison of Oregon State (GBG Marucci, 2013), J.J. Matijevic of
Arizona (Chandler Baseball, 2013, Mid-Atlantic PG Orange, 2012) and
Zack Collins of Miami (South Florida Elite Squad, 2011-12) are a trio
of big boppers that would fit in nicely with any lineup. Harrison and
Collins also add further depth and versatility to the already deep
group of catchers listed above.
Second
Base
Nick
Senzel, Tennessee
Royals
Scout Team, 2012
The
recipient of Perfect Game's 2015 Summer Collegiate Player of the Year, Nick Senzel is coming off of a huge summer spent on the
Cape in which he took home MVP honors and was at or near the top in
nearly every notable offensive category, finishing first in RBI (33),
runs (34), hits (56), doubles (16) and slugging percentage (.558).
This is coming off his first two years at Tennessee in which he hit
.315 as a freshman and .325 last spring. While he played third base
over the summer months, he's expected to slide back to his usual
position at second base for the 2016 season and could be taken among
the top 10 picks in next June's draft with another strong showing.
Louisville's
Nick Solak (Caneglosi Baseball, 2011-12), Notre Dame's Cavan Biggio
(Houston Heat, 2012) and Florida Gulf Coast's Jake Noll (Chet Lemon's
Juice, 2011) were also considered for the first team and would
provide valuable depth up the middle of the infield.
Third
Base
Will
Toffey, Vanderbilt
Syracuse
Sports Zone, 2013
The
left side of the infield doesn't have nearly has many standout
candidates as the right side does, but that isn't to take anything
away from the immediate contributions that Will Toffey made as a
freshman for the CWS runner-up Vanderbilt Commodores. Draft eligible
as a sophomore, Toffey hit .294 with 20 doubles, four home runs and
49 RBI as the team's everyday third baseman, providing valuable
protection for the team's Nos. 2 and 3 hitters, Rhett Wiseman and
Dansby Swanson. With those two graduating to pro ball Vanderbilt will
turn to players like Toffey as well as outfielders Bryan Reynolds and
Jeren Kendall to emerge as the new leaders on offense with hopes of
returning to Omaha for the third straight year.
Sheldon
Neuse of Oklahoma (Texas Scout Team Yankees, 2012) gives the team not
only a valuable backup at the hot corner but also a power arm out of
the bullpen as a proven two-way talent.
Shortstop
Kevin
Smith, Maryland
Baseball
U, 2013
While
his .273 batting average as a freshman doesn't necessarily stand out
Kevin Smith proved to be more than capable of handling the shortstop
position for the Terrapins during his introductory season to college
baseball. Twenty-two of his 68 base hit went for extra-bases, and he
also stole 11 bases while providing a steady glove up the middle on
defense for a team that knocked out the No. 1 postseason-seeded UCLA
Bruins from Regional play. Maryland was bounced from the postseason
the following weekend in the Super Regionals by the eventual champion
Virginia Cavaliers, but it was still a successful season for Smith,
who was named a First Team Freshman All-American by Perfect
Game.
Ole
Miss has a pair of middle infielders that could factor into the
shortstop discussion in Errol Robinson (Victus Orioles, 2012) and
Tate Blackman (Orlando Scorpions/Mets Scout Team, 2013; Orlando
Scorpions Purple, 2012; EvoShield Force, 2011)
Mike Shawaryn, Tri-State Arsenal, 2012
Outfield
Nick
Banks, Texas A&M
Houston
Banditos, 2012
Buddy
Reed, Florida
Texas
PG Teal, 2012
Corey
Ray, Louisville
Marucci
Elite, 2011
Line
these three players any way you'd like in the outfield, as they all
have the ability to play center field, and as a result would cover a
tremendous amount of ground defensively while providing valuable
assets on offense. Banks is the best natural hitter of the three, a
former PG All-American who is coming off of a huge sophomore season
for the Aggies. Reed may be the most athletic player in all of
college baseball, a switch hitter with pop from both sides of the
plate and a dynamic tool-set. Ray may have the most helium of the
trio as he continues to garner high praise from the scouting
community with a chance of being taken among the top 5-10 overall
picks in next year's draft.
Their
statistics were remarkably similar last year when all three were
college sophomores, and they combined to hit .330 with 40 doubles, 13
triples, 23 home runs, 148 runs scored, 151 driven in and 61
stolen bases. However you break down the math, that is a significant
amount of offensive production.
It
wasn't easy picking only three from a group of players that includes
Kyle Lewis of Mercer (BigStix Gamers, 2012), Ryan Boldt of Nebraska
(Ohio Warhawks, 2011-12), Jeren Kendall of Vanderbilt (Reds Midwest
Scout Team, 2013) and Auburn's Anfernee Grier (Marucci Elite, 2012).
Utility
A.J.
Puk, Florida
EvoShield
Canes, 2012; Reds Midwest Scout Team, 2011
Although
most consider Puk's future to be brighter on the mound, where the
lefthander has the ability to sit in the 92-95 mph range while
touching higher, he also offers considerable promise as a lefthanded
slugger. He put on a power display during the home run challenge at
the 2012 WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship just weeks before being
named to the All-Tournament team in Jupiter for his offensive
contributions. A Perfect Game All-American earlier that year, Puk's
stuff has gotten considerably better, as many to most expected, since
arriving on campus in Gainesville, and could be taken with the first
overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft if he continues to make strides on
the mound.
Perfect
Game 2015 College Freshman of the Year Brendan McKay (DBacks
Team BC, 2013) made a huge impact for Louisville both as their
cleanup hitting first baseman and Saturday starter and was also
considered for the utility role.
Starting
Pitchers
Jordan
Sheffield, Vanderbilt
Ohio
Warhawks, 2012
Mike
Shawaryn, Maryland
Tri-State
Arsenal, 2012
Connor
Jones, Virginia
EvoShield
Canes, 2012
Alec
Hansen, Oklahoma
Mountain
West '13, 2012
There's
a nice blend of size, stuff and proven experience among this group of
starters, all of whom throw righthanded. Hansen and Sheffield stand
out as the staff's hardest throwers, with each having the ability to
approach triple digits while maintaining mid-90s velocity late into
games due to their live arms. Hansen stands out in particular from
this group as a frequently discussed candidate to go first overall in
next year's draft thanks to his 6-foot-7, 235-pound frame and power
arsenal. Shawaryn and Jones may not throw as hard, but both can touch
the mid-90s, with Shawaryn usually living in the 92-94 range and
Jones a tick below that.
Jones
has experience on his side, serving as Virginia's ace during their
CWS championship run last June while also matching eventual event
Most Valuable Pitcher Tyler Danish (now a member of the Chicago White
Sox organization) nearly pitch-for-pitch in a semifinal matchup
between the EvoShield Canes and Chet Lemon's Juice at the 2012 WWBA
World Championship.
Jones
and Shawaryn were both named to the 2012 WWBA World Championship
All-Tournament Team.
Picking
just four starters for this team is never an easy task, as you could
easily round out two more dominant staffs with the following
pitchers:
Matt
Crohan, Winthrop (PG Crimson Bandits, 2011)
Dakota
Hudson, Mississippi State (Royals Scout Team, 2012)
Alex
Lange, Louisiana State (Marucci Elite, 2013)
David
Peterson, Oregon (Cardinals Scout Team/FTB Chandler, 2012-13)
Cody
Sedlock, Illinois (Reds Midwest Scout Team, 2012)
Kyle
Serrano, Tennessee (Royals Scout Team, 2012)
Mitchell
Traver, TCU (Houston Heat, 2010-11)
Kyle
Wright, Vanderbilt (Midland Redskins, 2013)
Relief
Pitcher
Zack
Burdi, Louisville
Chicago
Scouts Association, 2012
Zack
is the second of two Burdi brothers that emerged from the University
of Louisville with the ability to regularly record triple-digit
readings on a radar gun while serving as the team's closer, and he
also follows in his older brother Nick's footsteps by being
recognzied on this team. The younger flamethrower went 6-1 with nine
saves a year ago in 20 relief appearances, posting a stingy 0.92 ERA
while limiting baserunners by allowing just 16 hits and eight walks
in 29 1/3 innings. As noted his fastball touches 100-plus, and
routinely is delivered in the 97-99 mph range to go along with a
wicked upper-80s slider, making late come-from-behind wins a near
impossible feat for opposing teams.
Miami's
Bryan Garcia (Cardinals Scout Team/FTB Chandler, 2012), Louisiana's
Dylan Moore (D-BAT, 2013), Cal State Fullerton's Chad Hockin (Yak
Baseball West, 2012) and Vanderbilt's Ben Bowden (PG Crimson Bandits,
2011) would form a lethal bullpen bridging the gap between a
potentially dominant starting staff and Burdi's power arm.