Book selected to compete in PBR Future Games

Colton Book, a rising junior left-hander at Manheim Central, will pitch for Team PA at the Prep Baseball Report (PBR) Future Games in Georgia, which will be held from July 31 to Aug. 3. Lititz Record file photo

It’s been an eventful week for Colton Book.

First, the rising Manheim Central junior left-hander tossed a no-hitter for his Keystone State Bombers 17U baseball team last Thursday at the Boston Open.

Then, not long after returning home, Book learned Sunday that he had been added to the Pennsylvania team’s roster for the Prep Baseball Report (PBR) Future Games, featuring the top uncommitted Class of 2021 prospects and select 2022 prospects from PBR’s 40-plus state coverage area.

“It’s awesome,” Book said. “I was definitely really excited. The kids I know that are going are really good.”

The 6-foot-4 lefty is replacing recent Duke University-commit Fran Oschell, a junior-to-be at Malvern Prep, for the Games, to be held at LakePoint in Cartersville, Ga. from Wednesday, July 31 to Saturday, Aug. 3.

“We select roughly 15 to 20 players state-wide each year, and they are players that are either entering their sophomore or junior year of high school. They have to be uncommitted,” said Greg Williams, the Prep Baseball Report director of scouting for the state of Pennsylvania. “Typically, we’ll have 250 to 300 college coaches in attendance.”

Book has already been talking with roughly 15 to 20 schools, and since last Saturday — just two days after striking out eight in his no-hitter in a 9-0 Bombers’ win — he received Division-One offers from UMass Lowell, Marist, and Seton Hall.

Pitching at the PBR Future Games could open some more doors for Book, who has a four-pitch repertoire which includes a fastball, change-up, curve ball and slider.

Adding velocity to a heater which Book says has reached 84 miles per hour is among his goals at the top of his list.

His command, however, is a serious asset, which allowed him to finish 7-0, 0.35 ERA for the Barons this spring, allowing just two earned runs while helping his team win the L-L Section Three championship and advance to the District Three 5A playoff quarterfinals.

“I would say (a strength) is definitely being able to hit spots, throw any pitch for a strike and throw any pitch anywhere in the strike zone — inside, outside, all that kind of stuff,” Book said.

Relying mostly on his fastball, Book’s blueprint is to get ahead in the count and then take advantage of his options.

In 40 innings this spring for Manheim Central, he struck out 47 batters and walked just 12.

“I would say I try to get (batters) out with the first pitch, and then if I don’t do that, then I’ll try to strike them out,” Book said.

On the Pennsylvania team which is heading to Georgia for the PBR Future Games, Williams said that Book might not yet have the velocity that the other pitchers do, but he is at the top of that group in other qualities.

“In command and feel for his pitches, he’ll be at the top of the list,” Williams said. “He just has a very good understanding of how to pitch and the velocity should come as he continues to develop physically.”

Team PA’s first roster in 2012 was highlighted by Darlington’s Brendan McKay, who made his Major League debut this season with the Tampa Bay Rays, retiring the first 17 Texas Rangers he faced on June 29 in a 5-2 victory.

In all, five players who have represented Team PA have gone on to sign professional contracts.

For Book, going to Georgia will be a quick trip, but one he hopes is productive.

“It’s a great opportunity to go pitch in front of a bunch schools and get my name out there,” he said.