Three days before the MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland, West Allegheny High School’s Austin Hendrick will play in a national all-star game in the same stadium.
Hendrick, who will be a senior at West Allegheny, will play in the inaugural High School All-Star Game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Progressive Field. The game includes 40 top players across the country and will be streamed live on www.mlb.com.
The new high school game includes players who competed in the Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League, a showcase for 80 of the top high school baseball prospects in the country. That league was played from June to early July at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The High School All-Star Game is sponsored by MLB and USA Baseball. The MLB All-Star Game will be Tuesday at Progressive Field.
In addition to playing in the game, Hendrick will also participate in the eight-player High School Home Run Derby Sunday.
Hendrick has been a starter at West Allegheny since his freshman year. He is an outfielder-pitcher who made a verbal commitment to Mississippi State before his sophomore season. He has a big reputation on the national level and was recently ranked by Perfect Game scouting service as the No. 3 player in the country for the class of 2020. That would project him as a possible first-round selection in next year’s MLB draft.
What’s interesting about Hendrick’s reputation nationally is that the six opposing coaches in West Allegheny’s section this past season did not select him as an all-section player. Not even second team all-section. It should be pointed out, though, that Hendrick got a late start to the season because of hernia surgery.
Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh
First Published: July 5, 2019, 3:29 p.m.
