OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Perfect Game recently released its Top 300 Junior College Prospect list for the 2021 Major League Baseball Draft, and eight member of the Johnson County Community College baseball team were named to the list.
Freshman outfielder Quinton Hall (Mill Valley HS/Shawnee, KS) earned the highest ranking at No. 100. Out of high school, Hall was ranked the No. 3 outfielder in Kansas, and No. 4 overall prospect by Perfect Game.
The others appearing on the list are freshman outfielder Nick Iannantone (Joliet Catholic HS/Plainfield, IL) at No. 148; sophomore right-handed pitcher Rene Ramos (Blue Valley Southwest HS/Houston, TX) at No. 153; freshman outfielder Jackson Galloway (Lee's Summit West/Lee's Summit, MO) at No. 176; sophomore right-handed pitcher Paul Rector (Victory Christian HS/Broken Arrow, OK) at No. 233; freshman right-handed pitcher Matt Ronnebaum (Blue Valley West/Overland Park, KS) at No. 240; freshman infielder Isaiah Cohens (Goddard HS/Wichita, KS) at No. 259 and freshman catcher Nate Stevens (Waunakee HS/Waunakee, WI) at No. 278.
Johnson County officially opens its 2021 season on Friday, February 12 when they host Dawson in the first of a four-game series. That game also marks the start of a new era in JCCC baseball history, as Eric Horner takes over as the Cavaliers new skipper. Horner previously served 17 seasons as Kent Shelley's top assistant.
Last season, Johnson County was 20-3 and ranked 9th in the NJCAA when the season was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Five sophomore members from that team, along with 16 freshmen return for the 2021 campaign.
Hall was selected first-team All-American by JUCO Baseball Blog after batting .462 (30-for-65) with seven doubles, two triples, six home runs, 32 runs scored and 23 driven in. He collected 10 multiple-hit games and seven multiple-RBI games. Entering the 2021 season, Hall is ranked as the ninth-best player in community college baseball by JUCO Baseball Blog.
Iannantone batted .449 (22-for-49) with four doubles, four triples, three home runs, 17 runs scored and 20 driven in. He also drew 10 walks. His four triples tied Galloway for most in the conference and eighth in the country. He produced five multi-hit and five multi-RBI games.
Ramos transferred to JCCC after playing the 2019 and 2020 seasons at McLennan Community College. As a freshman, Ramos made 13 appearances with two starts. He posted an ERA of 4.79 with 19 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched. In last year's COVID season, he made six appearances, logging 9.1 innings pitched. He originally committed to Oklahoma.
Galloway hit at a .403 clip (25-for-62) with six doubles, four triples, two home runs. 19 runs and 17 driven in. His four triples tied for first in the conference and ranked eighth in the NJCAA. He had six multi-hit and four multi-RBI games.
Rector has mad 27 appearances in 2019 and 2020, all in relief. He has struck out 80 batters in 52.1 innings. He is 2-1 with six career saves, which tie him for seventh at JCCC. He has allowed just 28 runs which ranks as the third lowest total in team history for a career.
Ronnebaum was 3-0 with one complete game and a save. He posted an ERA of 3.47 with 31 strikeouts.
Cohens batted .500 (10-for-20) with three doubles, a triple, eight runs and four driven in. He also drew seven free passes. Cohens had three multiple-hit games and one multi-RBI game
An original Arkansas commit, Stevens transferred to JCCC last spring. He played in started 17 games for the Cavaliers, batting .379 (22-for-58) with four doubles, four home runs, 10 runs scored and 18 driven in. He collected nine multiple-hit six multiple-RBI games. Stevens was also solid behind the plate, committing only one error in 143 chances for a fielding percentage of .993.