Diamond stars on display
Ryan Lynn, Jacob Keene and Dylan Swarmer will all be juniors at their respective high schools this fall.
They all hope to be playing baseball well beyond that — and may get a head start in that direction in a couple of weeks.
Swarmer, the starting catcher at Knoch, and Butler junior varsity players Lynn and Keene have been selected to play for the Team Ohio Valley 17-under squad in Cary, N.C. The team is headed there Aug. 18.
Cary is the home of USA Baseball for the 2016 National Team Identification Series.
Lynn, Keene and Swarmer all played for Team All-American in Trafford this summer.
“There are 16 teams, representing different regions from all over the country, coming to Cary for this event,” Team All-American director Dan Ninemire said. “These teams will all play games against each other.
“A task force of scouts and coaches will select 20 players to make Team USA, based on what they see in those games. There are no pre-conceived notions or reports. Everything is based on what they see down there. Everybody has an equal shot.”
Lynn, a middle infielder, and first baseman-third baseman Keene are in their third season with Team All-American. Swarmer is in his seventh year with the program.
They were three of eight players from their team selected to play in the Prospect Game hosted by the University of Pittsburgh. Five of the players from All-American — pitcher Alex Frey and shortstop Will Constantin of Murrysville joining these three — were selected for Team Ohio Valley.
“It's been a special experience,” Keene said. “I feel like I've got a good chance to be picked. This is the first year we've tried this and it's our last chance. Next year, we'll be too old.“Even if I don't make it, there will be a lot of college scouts checking these games out. It's a good opportunity to be seen.”Ninemire estimates 60 or more Division I collegiate scouts will watch the games, along with numerous Division II coaches.“This is a chance for these coaches to see a lot of the best young players in the country in the same place,” Ninemire said.Lynn described the upcoming trip as “a big step” and hopes to make an impression.“I definitely want to play college baseball, so this is important to me,” Lynn said. “I just want to make an impression, whether I'm picked for the (USA) team or not.”Swarmer hit .270 as a sophomore varsity catcher for Knoch this season.“There's going to be a lot of college coaches there,” Swarmer said. “I'm going down there to relax and just play ball, like I've been doing all spring and summer.
“Even if I don't make the team, it's still an awesome experience and an awesome opportunity.”And it's one they're not making alone. Lynn, Keene and Swarmer are all good friends.“Ryan and I have been best friends since we were 11,” Keene said. “Dylan became one of our buddies through playing ball together.“It will be nice going down there already knowing somebody.”Ninemire expects all three players to eventually play college baseball.“And all three have a legitimate shot at Team USA,” he said. “Ryan is an excellent infielder with good speed. Jacob is a power bat and Dylan is a strong defensive catcher with excellent arm strength.“They've all got something to offer and they've all earned this chance to showcase themselves. I'm excited for them.”
