There are no rankings of the most academically qualified prospects, but if there were, Paul Balestrieri would be near the top of the list.
Balestrieri, who threw a no-hitter for Class A Peoria June 7, played college ball at Cornell. He graduated magna cum laude, with a GPA of 3.81, and earned a degree in applied economics and management .
“I’m not worried about what I would do outside of baseball,” he said. “It’s more: What I want to do is baseball.”
Balestrieri balanced studying and sport well at Cornell. He posted a 2.18 ERA as a senior, ranking second in the Ivy League, and led the Big Red to a 21-17 record.