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Summer Collegiate  | Story | 5/30/2018

2018 PGCBL Season Preview

Shane Sturtz
Photo: Matt PIerce (Travis Larner)

Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League – PGCBL.com

With 64 teams selected to the NCAA Tournament on Monday, the road to Omaha nearly underway, but it also marks the beginning of something else – the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. Played across Upstate New York, the 13-team wooden bat league is one of the best in the country with top players from all levels of college baseball. The 48-game season begins June 1.

League President Robert Julian credited the talent, coaches, fans, and atmosphere of the PGCBL for being a one-of-a-kind summer league.

“A number of our players ultimately are drafted or signed to professional contracts,” Julian said. “It’s an opportunity for college players to showcase their talent. It’s an opportunity for fans to see a very good quality of baseball in smaller communities. Our baseball is important to keeping baseball as a part of the American culture.”

The PGCBL allows players to focus solely on baseball to craft their skills for the future, which is only intensified by the Perfect Game brand.

“It’s a healthy relationship for both Perfect Game and for us because it puts their brand out there in a league that is well regarded and well respected,” Julian added. “For the players, it gives them a degree of legitimacy as a potentional prospect that they might not get if they were in other leagues.”

This season, the league will be split into three divisions for the first time: the East (Albany, Glens Falls, Oneonta, Saugerties, Amsterdam), the Central (Adirondack, Watertown, Utica, and Mohawk Valley) and the West (Elmira, Jamestown, Newark, and Geneva).

Each team will play 24 home games and 24 road games. The regular season ends July 31 with seven teams advancing to a three-round postseason. The top two teams from each division will advance to the playoffs along with the team with the next best record. From there, the top overall seed will receive a bye with the wild card team playing in a one-game playoff with the two-seed from their same division. The semifinals will be three-game series with matchups based on win percentage, followed by a best-of-three series to decide the championship. The 2018 PGCBL All-Star Game will be July 18 at Historic Dunn Field, home of the Elmira Pioneers, for the third time.

The Watertown Rapids will be playing in their inaugural season, while the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs will be looking to repeat as PGCBL champions.

Last year, the DiamondDawgs upended perennial powerhouse, the Amsterdam Mohawks, in the divisional finals to eventually win their second championship in three years over the Jamestown Jammers of the West Division. The DiamondDawgs fought back from a 2-0 deficit in the second inning and overcame a 4-4 tie in the third inning to eventually win 8-4 behind a solid bullpen effort.

Russ Olive (UMass Lowell), the 17th-ranked PGCBL prospect, led the DiamondDawgs in batting average (.324), runs scored (38) and hits (55), while totaling a league-leading eight home runs and 42 RBIs. Joe DeSarro (Southern New Hampshire) had a team-leading five wins, while the pitching staff featured three players with sub-2.00 ERAs and three more pitchers with over 40 strikeouts.

As for other teams around the league, the Albany Dutchmen return two 2017 First Team All-PGCBL selections in pitcher Matt Pierce (Siena) and Nick Estrella (Azusa Pacific). Estralla batted .308 with 13 extra-base hits last year while Pierce dominated on the mound going 8-1 with a 1.71 ERA to earn 2017 Pitcher of the Year.

The Dutchmen also could get a huge addition from John Malcolm, a top high school prospect and 2018 Vanderbilt commit. Malcolm, a 2017 Perfect Game All-American, is the best high school prospect from his home state of Michigan. He is ranked among the top 200 draft-eligible prospects and could be a key piece to the Dutchmen roster.

The Amsterdam Mohawks, who have won four championships, will get back soon-to-be D-III All-American Toby Welk, among others, who is hitting a video-game-like .492 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI for Penn State Berks. The Mohawks may also add PG All-American Lenny Torres, Jr., a hard-throwing righthanded pitcher that is a potential first-round pick.

The Glens Falls Dragons will get back starting pitcher James Varela who went 11-1 with a 2.40 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 13 starts for Division II LIU Post. The junior started eight games for the Dragons a year ago, racking up 37 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings.

Freshman James Ramsey from Kentucky, could be the next pitcher from the SEC to lead the Elmira Pioneers, following in the footsteps of Ole Miss closer Parker Caracci and Kentucky ace Sean Hjelle. In his first year in Lexington, Ramsey lead the team in appearances while striking out 42 batters in 36 innings.


Where are they now?

A handful of recent PGCL alums have shined in the NCAA spotlight during this season. From mashers like NC State’s Brett Kinneman to hard throwers like Ole Miss Rebel, Parker Caracci, this list has multiple players who earned all-conference honors.

Brett Kinneman (Amsterdam 2016), NC State: Kinneman has developed every year he has been at North Carolina State and this year was no different. As a junior, Kinneman blasted a team-leading 17 home runs with an ACC-leading 60 RBI to earn First Team All-ACC honors. In his first year on campus, he was a Freshman All-American and Kinneman’s breakout this year was a key reason for the 10th-ranked Wolfpack earn a No. 1 seed and host the Raleigh Regional.

Sean Hjelle (Elmira 2016), TJ Collett (Amsterdam 2017), and Justin Lewis (Elmira 2015), Kentucky: Hjelle has been Kentucky’s Friday starter this year after being named the SEC Pitcher of the Year a season ago, going 7-5 in 14 starts registering 91 strikeouts in 99 1/3 innings with a 3.44 ERA. The righthander struck out a season-best 13 batters while giving up only one hit in 7 2/3 innings against Oakland (Mich.) on Feb 23. He was just as dominant during his days in the PGCBL where he struck out 42 batters over 44 innings with a 3.06 ERA.

Hitting machine TJ Collett racked 27 hits in 20 games (.375) in the PGCBL last summer for Amsterdam before fracturing his foot. Collett’s sophomore season at Kentucky was cut short due to a hip injury, but he still managed to hit .304 with 10 home runs in 32 games.

Lewis, a 2015 Elmira alum, was a solid third starter for the Wildcats this year, compiling a 7-3 record over 12 starts, while holding hitters to a .232 batting average. As a sophomore, Lewis struck out 91 batters in 72 2/3 innings and is a top 100 MLB Draft prospect. Kentucky finished the season 34-22, and barely missed an NCAA Tournament berth.

Will Holland (Amsterdam 2017), Auburn: Holland has been the top hitter for the Auburn Tigers this year who were an outstanding 29-6 at home this season. The shortstop earned Second-Team All-Conference honors after leading his team in hits (70), on-base percentage (.408), runs (54) and has the second most RBI with 46. Holland only hit .209 in his freshman year with Auburn but turned things around when he tallied 31 hits in 31 games in the PGCBL last summer. No. 19 Auburn won 39 games and will face Northeastern in the Raleigh Regional as the two seed.

Eric Rivera (Amsterdam 2017) and Tyler Frank (Amsterdam 2016), FAU: Rivera has been a staple in the middle of the lineup for the Owls, driving in 46 while hitting .286 with 10 stolen bases. Rivera hit .293 in the PGCBL over 43 games with 17 extra-base hits.

Frank was the primary leadoff hitter for the Owls, leading the team in doubles (19), slugging percentage (.586), walks (51) and on-base percentage (.459). The shortstop earned First Team All-Conference honors and led his team to a runner-up finish at the C-USA Conference Tournament. The Owls are the three seed in the Gainesville regional.

Houston Roth (Elmira 2017) and Parker Caracci (Elmira 2016), Ole Miss: Like his time with the Elmira Pioneers in 2016, Parker Caracci has been mostly untouchable for Ole Miss this season. In a team-leading 25 appearances, Caracci has a 4-2 record with 68 strikeouts and only 10 walks in 43 2/3 innings. Caracci’s 1.85 ERA resulted in 10 saves and Second Team All-SEC recognition.

Roth threw a complete game in the PGCBL last year, while striking out 46 batters in 36 innings pitched. In 13 appearances at Ole Miss, he has a 5-0 record with 65 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings. Third-ranked Ole Miss won the regular season SEC West title, the SEC Conference Tournament and is hosting an NCAA Regional in Oxford.

Matt Gorski (Amsterdam 2017) and Paul Milto (Amsterdam 2016), Indiana: Gorski has led the Hoosiers in nearly every hitting category, while Saturday starter Paul Milto was a force on the mound for Indiana this year. Both Amsterdam alums, Milto only walked nine batters in 44 2/3 innings during the 2016 PGCBL season. He used his pinpoint control to hold batters to a .239 average en route to a 7-2 record in 12 starts for Indiana. Milto was selected to the Big Ten’s All-Second team.

Gorski hit an astounding .363 in 54 games, while racking up 24 extra-base hits, 39 RBI and 19 stolen bases. The do-it-all left fielder was a First Team All-Big Ten selection. Gorski was the hero for the Hoosiers in a Big Ten Tournament elimination game where he clubbed a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 5. Indiana won 38 games and is the two seed in the Austin regional.

Luke Reynolds (Newark 2016), Southern Miss: Reynolds, a 2016 PGCBL alum, had quite the year for Southern Miss, becoming the first-ever player to earn Newcomer of the Year and Player of the Year in the same season. Reynolds led his conference in seven offensive categories: batting average (.400), on-base percentage (.562), slugging percentage (.727), total bases (149), runs scored (69), home runs (15) and walks (63). Reynolds led Southern Miss to a 23-6 conference record to win the Conference USA regular season crown as well as the conference tournament over Florida Atlantic. The 14th-ranked Golden Eagles are the two seed in the Fayetteville region.

Griffin Roberts (Amsterdam 2016) and Jake Mueller (Amsterdam 2017), Wake Forest: Mueller was the leader of Wake Forest’s offense, while Roberts was the top pitcher on the Wake Forest staff. Mueller led the team in batting average (.303), hits (69), runs (38), walks (43), on-base percentage (.420) and stolen bases (18).

Roberts was a Second Team All-ACC selection and Wake Forest’s Friday starter. In 14 starts, Roberts registered 130 strikeouts in 96 2/3 innings, while holding opposing hitters to a measly .221 batting average. Roberts earned three ACC Pitcher of the Week honors as Wake Forest won 25 games.

Joe Genord (Amsterdam 2016), South Florida: Genord was a tough out in the PGBL in 2016, hitting .296 in 47 games with seven home runs, 45 RBIs and 30 walks. Genord’s summer success transferred over to NCAA play where he hit .317 in 45 games with a team-leading 15 home runs and 50 RBIs to earn Second Team All-AAC honors. South Florida went 35-20-1 and earned a two seed in Stetson’s Regional.

John Valente (Amsterdam 2017) and Jeff Belge (Amsterdam 2016), St. John’s: Like most of the players on this list, Valente had a dominant season for the Red Storm, claiming the Big East Player of the Year – the first ever player from St. John’s to do so. As the leadoff man for the Red Storm, Valente hit a conference-best .356 with 79 hits, 51 runs scored, 106 total bases and 11 stolen bases. Valente even drove in 40 runs to lead the Red Storm to 15-3 regular-season conference record, a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, a Big East Tournament Championship and a three seed in Clemson’s NCAA Regional.  

Belge was a key piece to the Red Storm pitching staff, like he was for the Amsterdam Mohawks in 2016. This year for St. John's, Belge appeared in 15 games, striking out 70 batters in 61 innings, while also holding hitters to a .177 batting average. 
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