BUTLER TWP — All Colin McKee had to do was get on the mound.

Mercyhurst College coach Joe Spano didn't need much of a look to offer the Butler right-hander a scholarship to pitch for the defending PSAC champions.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound McKee, who fashioned a 3-0 record as the Golden Tornado's No. 3 starter last year, has signed an early letter-of-intent to join the Lakers.

“They have an excellent pharmacy school there and that's what I'm majoring in,” said McKee, who carries a 4.1 grade point average. “I want to get my pharmacy degree and see where that takes me.”

He may want to see where baseball takes him as well.

McKee was 3-3 with a 2.26 earned run average, tossed three shutouts and a no-hitter, and struck out 32 batters in 33 innings for the Dave Sugar team in the Youngstown B League last summer.

“(Butler teammates) Cody Herald and Tyler Slepski played for that team the year before and recommended me to the coach,” McKee said. “That was a great experience for me. It was good to get out there and get some innings in.

“Tyler and Mick Fennell were our top two pitchers at Butler last spring. That didn''t leave me with a whole lot of opportunities on the mound.”

Slepski and Herald are now playing baseball at Seton Hill University. Fennell signed early with California (Pa.) University and will join McKee in the front end of Butler's rotation this spring.

“Colin is exactly the type of kid we look for,” Spano said. “He's got the frame and arm speed. We're intrigued by his potential because he hasn't thrown a ton of innings.”

Spano compares McKee's sitiation with that of Eric Aschley, a Seneca Valley graduate who is now an ace senior hurler with Mercyhurst.

“Eric was stuck behind Cory Mazzoni and Kyle Helisek in high school,” Spano said. “He came here, developed and now has a chance to get drafted.”

Mazzoni went on to North Carolina State and was drafted in the second round by the New York Mets last June. Helisek went on to pitch at Villanova.

Spano knows something about getting pitchers drafted. Mercyhurst has had seven pitchers selected in the major league draft since 2007, including Nick Gillung by the St. Louis Cardinals last June.

“We believe Colin is going to come up here, develop into a solid collegiate pitcher and a possible pro,” Spano said.

Terry Dobson, McKee's coach at Youngstown, agrees with that assessment.

“He's got the size, he's got the arm slot,” Dobson said. “He's already throwing in the mid to upper 80's consistently and that's without any college coaching.

“I believe Colin McKee has plenty of untapped potential.”

Mercyhurst will graduate seven pitchers in 2012.

“This kid is stepping into a good situation. Opportunity will be there,” Spano said.

McKee was actually a catcher until he was 12 years old. He broke his leg in a soccer accident and his ability to squat behind the plate for long periods of time disappeared.

His arm strength never left.

“My dad wouldn't let me pitch much in my early years,” McKee said. “I'm reaping the benefits from that now. My arm is pretty fresh.”

McKee also received scholarship offers from Slippery Rock, Indiana (Pa.) and Seton Hill. He received inquiries from Wofford (S.C.), Villanova, Lafayette and Harvard.