Reynolds gives PDP League jersey to N.J. catcher

The PDP League jersey tour through the United States has been ongoing since late April, and Wednesday's ceremony featured a special guest who added an extra touch of prestige to an already exciting moment for a young high school ballplayer.

MLB Network analyst Harold Reynolds, a two-time American League All-Star and 12-year MLB veteran, attended the jersey presentation at Mahwah High School in New Jersey for catcher Kyle Teel, who will be one of 80 participants in the inaugural PDP League this summer.

Reynolds, along with representatives from MLB and USA Baseball, presented Teel with his official PDP League jersey, with his classmates, friends and family watching.

"I wish I had had this kind of support when I was a kid," Reynolds said. "Baseball's got to get that gravity back of being America's pastime and these are the little things that make it happen. Being able to be at a high school, being able to let everybody see how cool it is, and just get baseball back going where it should be."

Teel is one of six players from the northeast to be feted with a jersey presentation ceremony.

"I was really excited," he said. "I only heard great things about [the PDP League]. The ability to compete against the best players in the country, and the opportunity, it's an honor."

Teel is described by USA Baseball officials as "... one of the most athletic and energetic catchers in the country for the 2020 class. The University of Virginia commit hails from one of the most baseball rich areas in the northeast. Kyle is a left-handed-hitting catcher that plays with undeniable energy."

The PDP League, which will be held from mid-June through early-July at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., is an invitation-based development opportunity for approximately 80 of the top high school baseball players eligible for the 2020 MLB Draft. It will include competitive game play, practice and training sessions with MLB club representatives serving as on-field coaches, and evaluation using modern technologies tailoring individualized development curricula for each player.

The players who participate in the PDP League will receive hands-on tutorials from some of the most well-known names in recent Major League history. A few weeks ago, MLB announced that Ryan Howard, Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones and Barry Larkin will help coach the kids.

The PDP League will be a primary identification opportunity for USA Baseball's 18U National Team, slated to compete in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup in Busan, South Korea, in early September. Additionally, the league will be a feeder for a new MLB All-Star High School Prospect Game for the best high school baseball players, taking place in Cleveland as part of MLB’s All-Star Week festivities in July.

As a part of the player experience, all athletes will receive a tablet for the duration of the league for athlete communication, scheduling, daily pushing of data and personal video review, among other functionalities.