The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) is pleased to announce the roster for the East Division for the upcoming 2017 PGCBL All-Star Game, which will be hosted by the Amsterdam Mohawks at Shuttleworth Park on Tuesday, July 18.
The East Division, which is comprised of the Albany Dutchmen, Amsterdam Mohawks, Glens Falls Dragons, Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs, Oneonta Outlaws, Saugerties Stallions and Utica Blue Sox, is looking to improve upon its unblemished 5-0 record from the previous All-Star Games that have been held in an East vs. West format.
The host Mohawks lead all East Division teams with eight selections, including both Week 2 co-Players of the Week: Liam Wilson (Canisius) and T.J. Collett (Kentucky). In addition, Amsterdam head coach Keith Griffin will manage the East Division squad.
Mohawk Valley is next with five All-Stars, led by 2016 co-PGCBL Pitcher of the Year Joe DeSarro (Southern New Hampshire) and 2015 All-Star closer Zach Vennaro (Mount Olive). Also returning to the PGCBL’s Midsummer Classic is Utica outfielder Taylor Olmstead (Southern New Hampshire), who played for the West Division a year ago before the Blue Sox switched sides in the offseason. Joining Olmstead in the outfield will be Utica teammate Devon Garcia (Ohio), the most recent Player of the Week recipient.
Representatives from both divisions were voted on by the league’s head coaches.
2017 East Division All-Stars
C – Anthony Vaglica (LIU Post) – Glens Falls Dragons
C – Clay Koniencki (Monmouth) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
C/1B – T.J. Collett (Kentucky) – Amsterdam Mohawks
1B – Zane Harris (Wright State) – Utica Blue Sox
INF – Jake Mueller (Wake Forest) – Amsterdam Mohawks
INF – Nick Estrella (Azusa Pacific) – Albany Dutchmen
INF – Liam Wilson (Canisius) – Amsterdam Mohawks
INF – John Valente (St. John’s) – Amsterdam Mohawks
INF – Will Holland (Auburn) – Amsterdam Mohawks
INF – Luke Pettersen (Minnesota) – Saugerties Stallions
INF/OF – Anthony Gonnella (South Florida) – Amsterdam Mohawks
OF – Austin Pollack (Hofstra) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
OF – Brian Uliana (Rider) – Glens Falls Dragons
OF – Devon Garcia (Ohio) – Utica Blue Sox
OF – Mike Brown (Dartmouth) – Oneonta Outlaws
OF – Taylor Olmstead (Southern New Hampshire) – Utica Blue Sox
RHP – Justin Bureau (Ave Maria) – Albany Dutchmen
RHP – John Clayton (Albany) – Saugerties Stallions
RHP – Joe DeSarro (Southern New Hampshire) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
RHP – Carter Knapek (UMass) – Amsterdam Mohawks
RHP – Matt Pierce (Siena) – Albany Dutchmen
RHP – Crandall Poore (Middle Georgia State) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
RHP – Zach Vennaro (Mount Olive) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
RHP – Nathan Wrighter (Bryant) – Oneonta Outlaws
LHP – Joe LaSorsa (St. John’s) – Amsterdam Mohawks
LHP – Tommy Miller (Siena) – Albany Dutchman
Prior to the annual All-Star Game, this year’s festivities will include the first-ever PGCBL Prospect Game, which is designed to showcase players who were not elected to the All-Star Game but are among the best professional prospects on their respective teams. The 2017 PGCBL Prospect game will kick-off the events on Tuesday, July 18, beginning promptly at 12:30 p.m. at Shuttleworth Park.
The East Division Prospect Team will feature a few familiar faces. Utica catcher Mitch Calandra (Eckerd) and Albany utility man Justin Childers (Ohio Dominican) were both elected to last season’s All-Star Game. Russ Olive (UMass Lowell), who recently completed the third cycle in PGCBL history, is one of three representatives from the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs on the East Division Prospect Team as well.
East Division Prospect Team
C – Mitch Calandra (Eckerd) – Utica Blue Sox
C – Dustin Skelton (Mississippi State) – Amsterdam Mohawks
C – Chris Tracz (Marist) – Oneonta Outlaws
1B – Andrew Taft (Buffalo) – Saugerties Stallions
INF – Trace Tyre (Ole Miss) – Albany Dutchmen
INF – Phoenix Hernandez (Southern New Hampshire) – Glens Falls Dragons
INF – Ben Rhodes (Siena) – Oneonta Outlaws
INF – Tyler Kelder (St. Bonaventure) – Saugerties Stallions
INF – Nick Gallo (Oklahoma State) – Albany Dutchmen
INF/OF – Matt Gorski (Indiana) – Amsterdam Mohawks
INF/OF – Justin Childers (Ohio Dominican) – Albany Dutchmen
INF/OF – Russ Olive (UMass Lowell) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
OF – Matt Feinstein (Dartmouth) – Saugerties Stallions
OF – Eric Rivera (Florida Atlantic) – Amsterdam Mohawks
OF – Tim Zeng (Fairfield) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
OF – Jack Gonzalez (Stetson) – Saugerties Stallions
RHP – Morgan McSweeney (Wake Forest) – Amsterdam Mohawks
RHP – Brendan Reitz (Florida State) – Amsterdam Mohawks
RHP – Thomas Lane (Boston College) – Amsterdam Mohawks
RHP – Tyler Mattison (Bryant) – Glens Falls Dragons
RHP – Jonathan McKinney (Southern Union State C.C.) – Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs
RHP – Greg Marino (Stony Brook) – Albany Dutchmen
RHP – Roel Garcia (Rice) – Albany Dutchmen
RHP – Trace Norkus (North Florida) – Albany Dutchmen
LHP – Jack Grabek (Bucknell) – Albany Dutchmen
LHP – Connor Romano (Rhode Island) – Glens Falls Dragons
LHP – Andrew Saalfrank (Indiana) – Amsterdam Mohawks
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2017 PGCBL All-Star Game should contact Amsterdam Mohawks President and General Manager Brian Spagnola at gm@amsterdammohawks.com or by phone at (518) 791-7546. More information can also be found on the team’s website, www.amsterdammohawks.com.
About the PGCBL
The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League is a 13-team summer collegiate baseball league in Upstate New York. Since its inaugural season in 2011, the PGCBL – which annually draws talent from some of the best NCAA, NAIA, and junior college programs – has quickly evolved into the premier wood bat league in the state of New York, while becoming one of the most widely respected summer leagues in the country. The PGCBL is affiliated with Perfect Game, the nation’s largest independent amateur scouting bureau. Last year, there were more than 1,500 players in the pros who either wore the uniform of a PGCBL team or participated in a Perfect Game event. For more information, please visit www.pgcbl.com.