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15 Days Until the State Football Announcement
Gatorade 2023 - 2024: Player of the Year

Baseball - Pennsylvania

athletes playing Baseball
The POY Logo
BASEBALL

David Shields

LHP/OF
MT. LEBANON HS
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
SENIOR
Height: 6-FOOT-2
Press Release

Peak Performance

0.25

ERA

.418

Batting Average

28

RBI

1.244

OPS
“David Shields was the best pitcher we faced this year. He’s also one of the best pitchers we’ve faced in my 17 years coaching at Hempfield. He has three plus pitches that he commands very well and he’s so poised at all times throughout the game. It’s very impressive for a player his age to be so composed, especially with the number of scouts that were in attendance when we played him. We knew we would have to hold their team to one run or less to have a chance against him.”
Tim Buzzard
Head Coach head coach at Hempfield High
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

At the time of his selection, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior left-handed pitcher and outfielder had led the Blue Devils (28-2) to the Class 6A WPIAL tournament final this season. Shields owned a 5-0 record on the mound through 30 games along with a 0.25 ERA and recorded 52 strikeouts against just three walks in 28 innings of work. At the plate, he batted .418 with seven doubles and 28 RBI entering the WPIAL final, compiling an OPS of 1.244. Ranked as the Nation’s No. 41 prep prospect in the Class of 2024 by Baseball America, he was a participant in the MLB Prospect Development Pipeline League.

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Shields has maintained a 3.3 weighted GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play baseball on scholarship at the University of Miami this fall, but is projected as an early round selection in July’s Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

Shields has volunteered locally at the Miracle League baseball facility operated by big league veteran Sean Casey. He’s also donated his time to multiple youth events such as clinics, evaluations and games in association with the Mt. Lebanon Baseball Association.