FRESHMAN PHENOM NAMED HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jiggs McGee will be naming a High School All-America team this year joining a tradition that is now 9 years old for the college ranks. Before we get to the prep team the Figment Sporting Journal has named it's High School player of the year. Just like in the college ranks when Sal Pestilli won the award as a freshman by leading the AIAA in all three triple crown categories the winner in the high school ranks is also a player who won't be draft eligible until 1936.
15 year old Walt Messer, a sophomore at McKinley Tech in Washington DC has been named the National High School Player of the Year. The first baseman, who is drawing early comparisons to Max Morris, led the nation in the big three offensive categories with a .613 batting average to go with 15 homers and 51 rbi's in just 25 games. It is early but preliminary scouting reports released by the OSA state Messer "could make multiple trips to the All-Star Game." The 1936 draft will be very interesting if both Messer and Pestilli continue to develop as expected.
The rest of the Prep All-Americans are listed below. Instead of a first and second team like in the college ranks the High School group will consist of 18 players that includes 2 catchers, six infielders, 5 outfielders and 5 pitchers.
THE FIVE PITCHERS ARE:
PETE PAPENFUS: The sophomore at West Plains High School in West Plains, Missouri led the nation in just about every pitching category including strike outs, ERA and FIP. He was 10-0 with a 0.53 ERA and averaged a high school best 16.7 k/9. If he continues to develop the 16 year old should be a high draft pick in 1936. His FIP was 0.21 and no one else, not even Rufus Barrell was close to that number.
RUFUS BARRELL II: Few high school players are better known than the junior from baseball's first family. The lefthander from Macon High School and was 12-0 with 0.81 era while fanning 185 batters in 122 innings of work. With the talent in the family already there is a lot of pressure on Barrell to live up to the name but some think the 6'4" 17 year old has a chance to be an even better pitcher than his uncle (Brooklyn King ace Tom Barrell).
WALLY DOYLE: One of the two dominant pitchers from the state of Texas that scouts have been flocking to see. The sophomore from Waco High School has a gun for a left arm, averaging 14.3 k/9 and 187 strikeouts total - second only to fellow sophomore Papenfus. Doyle was 9-2 with a 1.15 era for Waco this season.
DEL BURNS: A senior from Houston High School, Burns was 11-0 with a 0.81 era in 16 starts this season. His 0.75 WHIP was only surpassed by Barrell and Papenfus and he was fifth in the nation with a 13.5 K/9. OSA projects Burns to be a fourth round pick in their preliminary mock draft but some scouts feel he has frontline starter potential.
JOHNNY SLANEY: Another lefthander, the 17 year old senior from Greensboro, North Carolina has already committed to Golden Gate-Chico after a 10-0, 0.83 season for the Greensboro High Wildcats. Slaney was one of just 6 high school pitchers with a FIP below 1.00. He is listed as a possible second round pick on the initial OSA mock draft.
Honorable Mention: Jack Goff from Brooklyn(NY) Tilden, George Garrison from Carthage(ILL) and Manny Franco from Old Westbury (NY).
CATCHERS
WOODY STONE: The senior from Dunlap High School in Tennessee is projected in early mock drafts to be a first round pick and could challenge another Tennessee native in Adam Mullins of Eastern Oklahoma University to be the first catcher drafted. Stone has committed to College of San Diego if he does not turn pro. Slashed .541/.586/.806 in 23 games this season for the Dunlap Indians. OSA's scouting report calls him "an above average, everyday big league player."
BILL VAN NESS: The junior from Suffolk (Virginia) High School hit .525 for his team this season and led all high school catchers with a .597 on base percentage. OSA feels he can be an above average player with great contact ability.
Honorable Mention: Ken Vance from Northwood (NH) and Bill Watson from Paoli (IN)
INFIELDERS
WALT MESSER: 1B- McKinley Tech, Washington DC. Is it too early to draw comparisons to Max Morris for the sophomore? Just 15 years old he led the nation in all 3 triple crown categories, batting .613 with 15 homers and 51 rbi's in 25 games and was named the National High School Player of the Year.
CHUCK ADAMS: 1B- Memphis HS, Memphis, Tennessee. Another underclassman who posted huge numbers as the junior first baseman hit .594 with 12 homers in 22 games. He also showed some speed with 19 stolen bases.
RED JOHNSON: 1B- Central Catholic, Portland, Oregon. A junior, Johnson hit .566 with 11 homers in 24 games.
JIM LIGHTBODY: 2B- Alexandria HS, Alexandria, La. Baseball is in his blood as Lightbody is a cousin of current FABL outfielders Doug and Frank. Lightbody hit .514 as a junior and seems to have the same sweet swing as his cousins.
ELMER MILLER: 2B- Medford HS, Medford, Ma. The senior has committed to attend Bluegrass State next season after hitting .517 with 32 stolen bases in 26 high school games this year.
ROOSEVELT BREWER: 2B- Washington HS, Chicago, Il. Another of the talented freshman that entered the high school ranks this season, Brewer is not draft eligible until 1937 but some scouts are already saying his middle infield defense and speed could allow him to develop into a future all-star. He hit .536 with 4 homers this season.
Honorable Mention: Earl Kimmel, Junior 1B from Dallas(Tx) High School and Luke Micheals, freshman SS from Santa Barbara(Cal) High School.
OUTFIELDERS
SI CROCKER: East HS, Buffalo, NY. Tied for second in homers with 12 and finished second in rbi's in the nation this season while batting.518. The sophomore is draft eligible in 1936 and has a very high ceiling.
LYLE BURCH: Berea HS, Berea, OH. Another sophomore, Burch hit .548 with 34 stolen bases this season and early scouting projections see him as a solid big league centerfielder and lead-off man.
BILL MURNANE: Stone Mountain HS, Stone Mountain Ga. Just 15 years old the freshman hit .529 with 4 homers and 41 rbi's while stealing 21 bases in 26 games this season. He is not draft eligible until 1937.
BOB MULLINS: Tilden HS, Brooklyn, NY. The ceiling is high for the senior outfielder, who is tabbed for the third round in the December draft according to the early OSA Mock rankings. His high school teammate, pitcher Jack Goff, who is an honorable mention on this list, is also projected to be a high draft pick. Mullins hit .500 this season with 5 homers in 26 games but he is projected to have decent power when he grows into his 6'1" frame. Has a verbal commitment to attend Constitution State in Hartford, which is where the 18 year old was born.
JIM ALLAIRE: Webster HS, Webster, Mass. The senior from Canada moved to Massachusetts to further his baseball career. While he is not projected to have a lot of power he should make good contact at the next level and has plus speed. He has committed to Charleston Tech if he does not sign after the draft. Hit .548 with 32 stolen bases this season.
Honorable Mention: Dan Rogers, Senior from Canton South High School, Canton (OH); Ducky Pugh, Senior from Fairland (OK) HS; and Charlie Woodbury, Sophomore from Scranton (PA) HS.
Code:
1934 FABL HIGH SCHOOL ALL-AMERICANS
NAME CLASS SCHOOL
C Woody Stone Senior Dunlap (Tn)
C Bill Van Ness Junior Suffolk (Va)
INF Walt Messer Sophomore McKinley Tech, Washington DC
INF Chuck Adams Junior Memphis (Tn)
INF Red Johnson Junior Central Catholic, Portland, Oregon
INF Jim Lightbody Junior Alexandria (La)
INF Elmer Miller Senior Medford (MA)
INF Roosevelt Brewer Freshman Washington HS, Chicago, IL
OF Si Crocker Sophomore East HS, Buffalo, NY
OF Lyle Burch Sophomore Berea (OH)
OF Bill Murnane Freshman Stone Mountain (GA)
OF Bob Mullins Senior Tilden HS, Brooklyn, NY
OF Jim Allaire Senior Webster (MA)
P Pete Papenfus Sophomore West Plains (Mo)
P Rufus Barrell II Junior Macon (Ga)
P Wally Doyle Sophomore Waco (Tx)
P Del Burns Senior Houston (Tx)
P Johnny Slaney Senior Greensboro (NC)