Photo by Cody Tomer West Virginia’s Mitch Bratt throws out a pitch during the Black Bears’ game against Mahoning Valley Tuesday. The Scrappers won, 7-1.

MORGANTOWN — Is this Heaven?

Almost. It’s West Virginia, but it is the place where dreams come true.

The MLB Draft League is giving top baseball prospects in college and high school who have hopes of being drafted into professional baseball a chance to showcase their skills for MLB Club scouts in a six-team league.

Managed by former MLB ball player Jedd Gyorko, the West Virginia Black Bears are one of the founding members of the league giving young ball players the chance of a lifetime.

The league will implement a 68-game season with an annual all-star break centered around the MLB Draft in July.

“I wish there was a league like this when I was coming through,” Gyorko said.

“It would have been a lot of fun and beneficial to be able to use this and have the people in this league who are coaching to learn from.

“Everything has been great so far and hopefully we can win a few games coming up.”

Gyorko spent 10 seasons in the Major Leagues and belted 30 home runs in 2016 for the St. Louis Cardinals, which ranked 11th in the National League.

Tuesday’s starting left-handed pitcher Mitch Bratt, a high school player from Canada, idolized Gyorko growing up and is thrilled to be on his roster.

“I’ve seen him on TV many, many times and it’s pretty interesting to finally see him face-to-face and to have conversations with him,” Bratt said of Gyorko. “I’ve definitely retained a lot of information from him and I’ll continue to do so.

“It’s an honor to be a part of this league. I’m probably one of the few high school players. I’ve taken away knowledge from the older guys on the team. I’ve been picking their brains as much as I can and I’m trying to learn every little thing about the game from the coaches, too.”

West Virginia fell to Mahoning Valley 7-1 on Tuesday but in his first outing of the season, Bratt, who is committed to Florida State, allowed just one run on three hits, while striking out six and walking two.

“My curveball was definitely working for me (Tuesday),” Bratt said. “I was able to locate that pitch throughout the entire game. My fastball was pretty good, as well.”

Working with Bratt and the rest of the pitching staff behind the dish is Morgantown High School alum and former Johnny Bench Award winner for the best catcher in West Virginia, Caleb Taylor, who is enjoying the MLB Draft League ride so far.

“It’s always a challenge learning new arms,” Taylor said. “Guys have different stuff and I’m learning what they like to throw in different counts but this league is a real good opportunity for all of us and playing with these guys makes everyone better.”

On the Mahoning Valley side, the young Scrappers are led by manager and former big leaguer Coco Crisp, who enjoyed 15 years in the Majors, while winning the World Series in 2007 with the Boston Red Sox and helping the Cleveland Indians get to the “Fall Classic” in 2016 with crucial home runs in the ALDS and the ALCS.

Crisp’s squad took a 1-0 lead in the second, the only run allowed by Bratt, when A.J. Henkle delivered a RBI double for a 1-0 edge.

Ethan Brown started strong for the Scrappers, holding the Black Bears’ bats to one hit through 3.2 innings but then after back-to-back singles, Crisp went to his bullpen.

Reese Dutton entered the game and fanned Trey Romay to escape the jam with the 1-0 Scrappers’ lead still intact.

Brown finished with four punch outs and five free passes.

Dutton again escaped trouble in the sixth. After surrendering back-to-back singles to start the frame, he fired two straight strikeouts and induced a groundout to keep West Virginia scoreless.

In the seventh, Mahoning Valley plated two on RBI hits from Jason Hinchman and Ethan Kavanagh to pocket a 3-0 cushion.

Cooper Swanson provided some pop for West Virginia in the bottom of the seventh with a solo blast to left-center to cut the deficit to 3-1 but five Black Bears’ errors in the eighth allowed Mahoning Valley to add four more runs to remove all doubt.

“Swanson had a big swing,” Gyorko said. “It was good for him to hit a ball hard. I just want to tell these kids to keep working. That’s what it comes down to. Everything is right here in front of you. You want it, you have to go out and get it. Grab it and run with it.”