2014 MLB Draft: Multiple Former and Current WPIAL Players Selected on Day 3

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, June 8, 2014 | 8:49 AM

On day three of the Draft, former North Allegheny and Kent State pitcher Eric Dorsch was selected in the 15th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dorsch, while at North Allegheny, won the 2009 WPIAL AAAA Baseball Championship and was a runner up finisher in 2010.

At Kent State, Dorsch was moved to the role of closer and thrived in his Redshirt Junior Season, posting ten saves with a 3.56 ERA. 

Also on day three, Norwin Shortstop J.J. Matijevic was taken in the 22nd round by the Boston Red Sox, becoming the first WPIAL current high schooler to be selected in the 2014 Draft. Matijevic was, hands down, the top hitter in the WPIAL in 2014, winning the triple crown of batting. In the regular season, he hit .607 with 10 home runs and 37 RBI, all top marks in District 7. He also scored 29 runs, good for third best in the WPIAL.

Matijevic, an Arizona recruit, homered in six consecutive games this season, believed to be a WPIAL record. That streak tied him for 12th longest in the National Federation of High Schools record book. Matijevic is the first player from Norwin to ever be drafted. Despite being selected, Matijevic will likely keep his commitment to Arizona and reenter the Draft in three years. 

In round 25, Xavier Pitcher/Outfielder and Pine-Richland grad Vinny Nittoli was picked by the Seattle Mariners. Nittoli was once named WPIAL Pitcher of the Year and received All-State honors while playing for the Rams. Nittoli hit .273 with 19 RBI for the Muskateers this season, while posting a 2.38 ERA in 87 innings of work this year. 

In the 28th round, former Pittsburgh Central Catholic and Slippery Rock infielder Will Kengor was selected by the Detroit Tigers. Kengor led Slippery Rock with a .415 average and 30 RBI in 2014. He was named the PSAC Baseball Athlete of the Year this season.

in Round 34, the Miami Marlins selected one of the WPIAL’s tallest baseball players in Keystone Oaks’ Taylor Lehman. Lehman, a 6’7″ left handed pitcher, is committed to Penn State. Lehman helped the Golden Eagles to a 9-8 record and first round appearance in the WPIAL Playoffs this season.

Also in the 34th round, Brendan McKay, the left-hander from Blackhawk, was picked by the San Diego Padres. McKay finished his high school career with a 30-2 record and over 350 strikeouts during his time with the Cougars. The senior became the story of the Spring in Western Pennsylvania, recording the third longest consecutive innings streak without allowing a run in United States history. The streak, which reached 71 2/3 innings, was snapped during the WPIAL Championship Game, in which Blackhawk fell, 5-3, to West Allegheny. He finished just 2/3 of an inning away from second place all-time.

McKay was named the Gatorade Pennsylvania Baseball Player of the Year for the second straight season, the only player to accomplish that feat. Coach Bob Amalia said he knew McKay was special after his first game as a freshman.

McKay has signed with Louisville. It was thought to be a no-brainer that he would be headed to a professional career, but that is now less clear. He was projected as a fifth to tenth round pick before the high school season started, but received national attention including a feature story by Yahoo! Sports during the year. 25 major league teams sent scouts to see McKay during his senior year, which was highlighted by a 20 strikeout performance against Shenango and a no hitter against West Allegheny in the regular season. The Indians handed McKay one of his two career losses in the title tilt. 

McKay, who was very silent about the possibility of a Major League team being able to sign him and pull him away from Louisville, will now likely keep his commitment and play NCAA baseball, despite being taken by the Padres.

Tags: Blackhawk, Keystone Oaks