Pierce Coppola was named 1st Team NorthEast Region All High School Underclass by Rawlings and Perfect Game on Tuesday, as well as 2nd Team Preseason Underclass All America. The Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All American ranking recognizes the top underclass high school baseball athletes in the U.S. Each team consists of 100 players who are currently juniors, sophomores, or freshmen in high school.
Coppola, a junior at Verona High School who pitches for VHS baseball, announced last spring that he will be playing baseball for the University of Virginia when he goes to college.
“With more than 450,000 high school baseball players in the nation, the Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason Underclass All-American players represent the very best in their class,” said Mike Thompson, chief marketing officer for St. Louis-based Rawlings. “Rawlings and Perfect Game are synonymous with the game of baseball, and the preseason awards allow us to recognize and reward these elite athletes for their hard work and contribution to the game.” Rawlings Sporting Goods Company is the official glove, ball and batting helmet supplier of Major League Baseball®.
“To receive the Rawlings-Perfect Game Preseason All-American or All-Region Award is a tremendous achievement for these high school student-athletes,” said Jerry Ford, president of Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Perfect Game. “We are proud to recognize their talent as they prepare for their careers playing collegiate or professional baseball.” Perfect Game is an amateur baseball scouting organization.
Photo copyright Kathleen Seubert. Used by permission.
