Grand Slam Challenge: Copiague’s Franklin Parra has decisions to make soon
Copiague's Franklin Parra Credit: James Escher
Franklin Parra is a busy guy. The last few weeks have had the Copiague senior’s head spinning.
The 6-2, 187-pound lefthanded pitching prospect is juggling pre-draft invites from a variety of major league teams. He along with his potential college baseball coach at San Jacinto are anxiously awaiting the MLB amateur draft on Monday.
His draft slot will determine whether or not San Jacinto loses one of Long Island’s top prospects to the pro ranks.
Everything in Parra’s future hinges on the immediate future.
“I’ll have some big decisions to make very soon,” Parra said. “And I’ve been studying like crazy, so I can graduate on time. That’s been the most important thing for me.”
On top of everything, Parra was selected to the 14th Grand Slam Challenge pitting Nassau’s blue-chip seniors against Suffolk’s at 7 p.m. on June 8 at St. Joseph’s (L.I.).
Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are $10 each with most of the proceeds to benefit the Cohen Children’s Hospital.
Parra, who struck out 74 batters in 34 innings this spring, is slated to start the game. The lefty with a 92-mph fastball and nasty curve has been targeted as a top prospect by the Royals, Mets, Phillies and Yankees.
Parra’s batterymate will be St. John the Baptist catcher Logan O’Hoppe, the CHSAA Player of the Year, who hit .511.
O’Hoppe, an East Carolina scholarship commit, is also high on MLB draft boards as one of the top catching prospects in the northeast.
Parra and O’Hoppe hope to join a long list of Long Islanders who’ve played in this game and gone on to professional baseball, including major leaguers Nick Tropeano (Angels), Danny Barnes (Blue Jays), Marcus Stroman (Blue Jays) and Steven Matz (Mets).
GRAND SLAM CHALLENGE
June 8, 7 p.m.
AT ST. JOSEPH’S (L.I.)
SUFFOLK SENIOR ALL-STARS
1B — Ryan Foran, Eastport-South Manor
2B — Logan Doran, Ward Melville
2B — Justin Aviles, Brentwood
SS — Kyle Johnson, Newfield
SS — Mike McCormick, Eastport-South Manor
3B — Jake Russo, Sayville
3B — George Rainer, Mount Sinai
C — Logan O’Hoppe, St. John the Baptist
C — Josh Lester, Copiague
OF — Jake Guercio, West Islip
OF — Matt Hogan, Hills East
OF — Joe Grillo, Rocky Point
OF — Kyle Olson, Sachem North
OF — Will Shaw, St. John the Baptist
OF — Anthony Ippolitto, West Islip
P — Franklin Parra, Copiague
P — Jarred Vanderhoof, Longwood
P — Bobby Vath, Newfield
P — Chris Buehler, Ward Melville
P — Gavin Buda, Harborfields
P — Jem Sisco, Southampton
P — Liam Pulsipher, Center Moriches
P — Rob Ray, Bayport-Blue Point
P — Kevin Czeczotka, St. John the Baptist
NASSAU SENIOR ALL-STARS
1B — Anthony Fontana, Wantagh
1B — Will Feil, Wheatley
SS — Thomas Eletto, Locust Valley
SS — Anthony D’Onofrio, Wantagh
3B — Jason Bottari, Plainedge
C — Anthony Carleo, North Shore
C — Andrew Primm, Massapequa
C — Dylan Judd, Oceanside
OF — Jack Peluso, Chaminade
OF — Jack Stolper, Port Washington
OF — Ryan Saltzman, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK
OF — Mike Handal, Garden City
P — Jason Coules, Bellmore JFK
P — Nick Fressle, Division
P — Mark Faello, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK
P — Robert Lucano, Garden City
P — Dom Rutigliano, Carey
P — Patrick Hoffman, East Meadow
P — Brendan McFall, Oceanside
P — Brandon Buchan, MacArthur
P — Jared Restmeyer, St. Anthony’s
P — Joe Keller, MacArthur
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
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