Photo provided Pictured are Ohio Valley products, from left, Brayden Cover (Wheeling Central), Seth Cover (Wheeling Central), Ayden Ludolph (Martins Ferry) and Nate Simon (Wheeling Park). The four have spent the summer playing for the Pittsburgh Padres Northeast Scout team. The team is 10-2 going into the weekend as they play in Fort Myers, Fla.

Four Ohio Valley baseball standouts have spent the summer playing, learning and enjoying the sport they all love.

Wheeling Park’s Nate Simon (middle infield); Wheeling Central’s Brayden (pitcher, infield) and Seth Cover (pitcher/third base); and Martins Ferry’s Ayden Ludolph (pitcher/outfield) are all members of the Pittsburgh Padres Northeast Scout team, which is a higher level travel team based in Prospect, Pa. The team also has players from Erie, Pa. to Johnstown, Pa. and the Youngstown and Pittsburgh areas.

They are currently 10-2, with second- and third-place finishes in recent tournaments.

The Padres are competing in a nationwide tournament this weekend at the Perfect Game 17U BCS National Championships at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla., as well as other sites around Fort Myers. They play the Richmond (Va.) Braves; the Fort Myers Vipers; the Mo Mariners King (Cotteville, Mo.); the Sports Academy Ballers (Lakeland, Fla.); and the 2025 Cbu American Goff (Jacksonville, Fla.).

There are 118 teams entered from 15 different states. The Padres are located in Pool I

They were 2-0 at an event at Pittsburgh earlier this summer, then did extremely well in Fairfax recently. Three of the four were at the top of performance metrics in the games in Fairfax, as well, out of 300.

They are going to Philadelphia and Cincinnati to round out the summer.

According to all four, this summer has been a great teaching tool for them to further enhance their diamond skills.

“Facing kids older than me will definitely help me during next season in high school. Also, the competition I’ve faced so far is better than what I play against in high school, so that’ll help, as well,” Brayden Cover, the youngest of the quartet at 16. “I think I’ve done fairly well against kids that are older than me.”

Simon agreed.

The competition we’ve seen this summer has drastically improved all of our skill sets. I think we all will be better players in the high school season because of this summer,” he noted. “I think we’ve all done pretty well competing against much better talent than we’ve been used to seeing. We improve every day

“The competition we’ve faced this summer is way better than what I played against last season in high school,” Seth Cover said. “The more you face better competition, the better it makes you.

“I started off a little rocky but I’ve really picked it up. The competition level has really gone up this summer, but I think I’ve settled in pretty well.”

Ludolph said this summer has opened his eyes.

“I’ve realized that back home I’m a big fish in a little pond. This summer I found out that I’m a little fish in a big pond,” he stressed. “You start to see how good baseball is outside the Ohio Valley. It’s been a great experience for me.

“I feel I’ve put my talents to good work. I think I’ve showcased my skills and I’ve competed every day.”

While it is exciting to compete against the best of the rest, all four players know there are aspects of their respective games that still need some polishing.

“I’d like to get some more velocity and work on my control a little,” Brayden Cover said. “I also need to get ahead of the hitters and not fall behind so much.”

Simon said he needs to work on some hitting techniques.

“I need to work on hitting the ball to all fields and hitting the good pitch when I see it.”

Seth Cover said, “I need to work on becoming a better hitter and putting the bat on the ball. I also need to start making the defensive plays that shouldn’t be made all the time by getting to more balls.”

Ludolph added, “I need to be a more consistent hitter and I need to gain more velocity, work on my control, and pick up a couple more pitches.”

While it has been a lot of hard work and travel, the four don’t regret it one bit.

“It’s definitely been different this summer. Surrounding myself with all the talent on our team will make me better,” Brayden Cover said.

“It’s been fun to see all the different talent levels outside of the Ohio Valley. It’s also fun to play with different players and get to know them,” Simon added.

“I didn’t know what to expect coming into this summer and a new team. I only knew the other three guys, but once you get to know your teammates and realize everyone is working for the same goal, it’s been a lot of fun,” Seth Cover said.

“It’s been very humbling. It’s made me aware that I’m not as good as I think I am and that will make me work harder to get there,” Ludolph noted.