The
PG National Games, an event dedicated to the top underclassmen and
held annually in conjunction with the Perfect Game All-American
Classic presented by Rawlings, often serves as a preview of some of
the players people can expect to participate in the following year's
Classic. The 2011 edition was no exception.
Of
the 25 players that were profiled among last year's top prospects, 10
will be playing on national television courtesy of CBS Sports on
Sunday, August 12 as part of this year's Classic. The top prospect
from last year's event was Reese McGuire, a catcher from Kent, Wash.
whose scouting profiles routinely point out how he plays catcher with
shortstop-like quickness.
It's
no surprise that McGuire takes great pride in his defensive prowess.
“I
love to be the offense guy, get the big hit (etc.), but my
strongpoint is catching,” McGuire said of his dedication to
improving his defensive skills. “I've always loved to play, and I
always look for the next thing I can get better at whether it's a
certain way of catching the ball, or a certain way of blocking it. I
take most of my pride in catching.”
As
good as McGuire is behind the plate, the combination of his defense
and his offensive potential has led to him being ranked the No. 8
overall player, and the No. 1 overall catcher, in the class of 2013.
A left-handed hitter, McGuire is short to the ball with the ability
to make consistent, hard contact to all parts of the field. Again,
this is by no accident.
“My
thought is to hit the ball wherever it's pitched and not necessarily
waiting for it to be thrown to a certain spot,” McGuire said. “I'm
not trying to get a hit because you can't necessarily dictate if
you're going to get a hit or not, you just hope it finds a hole.
Even if you go 0-for-4 with four line-outs right at someone that's
still a good day because you're hitting the ball well.”
Playing
in the Pacific Northwest at Kentwood High School in his hometown of
Kent, Wash., McGuire has been a known commodity for quite some time.
In addition to his time spent playing at the PG National Games,
McGuire also attended the 2011 WWBA World Championship as a member of
the Midland Redskins/Royals Scout Team, and attended the National
Showcase in Minneapolis, Minn. earlier this summer.
“Coming
to the (National) Showcase you get to see the top prospects that you
don't get to see all of the time in your individual state,” McGuire
said of his experience at the Metrodome in mid-June. “It's pretty
exciting to come together to play with and against the best.”
“Those
are the ones that (coaches and scouts) said, “these are the ones
you should go to,” McGuire continued, pointing out the conscious
choices he has made to attend the events he has given the travel
involved. “For my parents it's been kind of crazy to figure out
who's going to come with me whether it's my mom or my dad. I've
actually travelled to places with say, my mom, and from there I flew
to another state, my mom flew home, but then my dad flew out to meet
me so he could go to the next event. They're always flip-flopping
since my dad is always working and my mom has the summer off being a
teacher which makes it a little bit easier, but it definitely can be
a little bit tough.”
McGuire's
participation in those events, where he continues to prove that he
can indeed play at a high level with and against the top players from
across the nation, led to his selection to participate in the 2012
Perfect Game All-American Classic.
One
of the biggest allures of playing in the Classic is to be showcased
in front of a national audience on television, and for a catcher it
provides the opportunity to manage an all-star collection of
pitchers. That cast has included current MLB hurlers Jeremy
Hellickson, Matt Latos and Madison Bumgarner as well as budding young
arms such as Jameson Taillon, Gerrit Cole and Lucas Giolito.
“It's
awesome to step up to the plate and be challenged by the top pitchers
in the country, knowing that they're going to be throwing their best
stuff and you're going to be giving your best swing every time,”
McGuire said when asked what part of the game he looked forward to
the most. “I'm very excited to get back there behind the dish and
catch. The more I catch that kind of (velocity) the more it comes
more naturally.
“I
really enjoy working with them because everyone is on the same page,
we're working to get with pitch calling, getting to know each other.
It's very exciting, because it's not something everyone gets to do
and experience.”
In
the process of his time spent at the 2011 PG National Games,
conducted at Cunningham Stadium of the University of San Diego
campus, he has since committed to play college ball for the Toreros.
“San
Diego has always been my favorite vacation spot,” McGuire said of
his commitment. “I just love the area, love the beaches and
the weather is just perfect, the perfect temperature for
baseball.
“Going
to the showcase at the San Diego field, my dad and I were walking off
the field at the end of the showcase and we ended up getting a little
tour of the school. It was a no-brainer for me, just everything that
I saw, the ballfield and that area were everything that I had thought
and dreamed of. I was real comfortable with the idea of going in and starting as a freshman.”
In
addition to getting to know fellow USD recruits, including All-American teammates
Stephen Gonsalves and Ian Clarkin, McGuire recognizes that the
opportunities to play at numerous prominent, national events has
allowed him to make some life-long friendships.
“I
definitely knew some of them,”
McGuire said. “I met Stephen Gonsalves at the (PG National Games),
so we got to know each other and we're pretty close friends now. We
talk, text and tweet all of the time. I'm close to Dustin Driver as
well since we've played on some scout teams together. I'm pretty
close to a lot of the guys now, everybody seems to gel together since
we're all in it with the same goal.
“It's
pretty exciting because I met a lot of good (people) there, people
that I probably wouldn't have met if I didn't go to the National
(Showcase). But yeah, you can look at what the other top guys have
and what you may have on them or find things that you can work on.”
One
thing that all of the Perfect Game All-Americans have in common, past
and present, is their participation in an event in which the proceeds
are donated to local children's hospitals to aid in treatment of
pediatric cancer. For many young players, this is a concept readily
recognized as a noble and worthy cause, but rarely truly appreciated
until they visit Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego.
“That's
something I didn't really understand at first, and then I read about
it and heard about it and I realized how incredible the exposure this
big national event creates,” McGuire said, eager to take part of
all of the events, on and off the field, as part of the Classic.
“They can really benefit with a cause like this. I think it's a
great thing that Perfect Game does this.”
Prior
to taking in all of the activities that make up the three full days
of the Classic, McGuire has another stop in Southern California.
McGuire leaves this weekend to Long Beach, Calif. to participate in
the Area Code Games before he makes yet another stop to his favorite
vacation destination. That stop could be his last before he is faced
with the decision to honor his college commitment at the University
of San Diego or turn pro, and it's one he's looking forward to.
“To
be selected is an honor because there are so many great players out
there with tons of talent. It's one thing to be an all-star and fill
a position on your own team, but to be chosen as one of the top
(players) in the country is awesome.”