North Allegheny shortstop Cole Young is a top MLB Draft prospect
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Western Pennsylvania is known as a hotbed for high school football talent but not so much in baseball.
That could change this summer because of a student at North Allegheny High School who could hear his name called early in the Major League Baseball draft.
North Allegheny senior Cole Young has been a known commodity in the baseball world for years. As a freshman, he accepted a scholarship to play shortstop at Duke. But in the past few years, he's drawn a lot of attention from the pro ranks and will need to decide which route he takes this summer.
"I'm just going out having fun in my senior season," Young said. "I'm not really thinking about the draft or whether I'm going to Duke or not. I'm just trying to play well and we'll see what happens down the road"
What happens "down the road" will likely involve a team selecting him in the first round of July's draft. Every time he takes the field for N.A., at least 12 scouts are in attendance watching his every move. And Young has taken it upon himself to make sure those scouts are aware of his daily schedule.
"He and his brother, Blake, have really made to have open communication," said Cole's mother, JoAnne Young. "If he's going to a team or to Duke, that's a lot of money that they're investing, and we want them to know everything about Cole."
Some of those scouts have been from the Pirates organization, and Young has a bit of history with the team. When he was 10 years old, he won the national Pitch, Hit and Run competition and was honored at PNC Park where he got to meet then-manager Clint Hurdle.
"I've had a few conversations with a few people in the organization," Cole said. "That would be super cool (to play there) because I grew up watching Neil Walker play and Andrew McCutchen. I went to a game a few weeks ago and I love that stadium."
One thing that has drawn the attention of MLB teams is his work ethic and personality. Many players have great talent and ability, but it's often players who truly love the game that make an impact.
"He's one of those players where if you got to know him on a personal level, you root for a kid like that," said North Allegheny head coach Andrew Heck. "He just does things the right way."
"Cole was given a gift, and he's worked hard on top of that gift," said the teen's mother. "As a mom, I'm just so proud of him and grateful that he's so blessed."