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SEASON PREVIEW: SLUH Jr. Billikens

By High SchoolNo Comments

St. Louis University High School’s baseball program had a challenging season with limited success in 2021, but they also had a young core of players that received a lot of varsity experience. Given the talent level of these young players and the experience they gained last year, it isn’t hard to envision them making some noise while bouncing back in a big way in 2022. The MCC is tough to navigate with some of the best teams in the state playing in the conference seemingly every season, but the Billikens look to compete in large part due to a talented group of arms. SLUH is truly a dark horse candidate to take the MCC crown.

What they have going for them:

It’s easy to see that the strength of the Billikens is their high-level arms and that starts with 2022 LHP Jack Dumont (SLU commit). Jack has a strong build that will allow him to eat innings and hold his mid to upper 80’s velocity. He missed time last season with an injury, but he is back to full strength for the 2022 season. He looks to also be a major bat in the middle of their lineup.

Not to be outdone by his older brother, 2024 RHP Andrew Dumont (uncommitted) provides the Billikens with another ace.  Dumont has been able to sit 88-90 this off-season with command of the zone. He also has a CH/SL that he can control and draw swing and misses with. Dumont will look to build on the 30 innings he threw last season in his FR. campaign.
2023 RHP Garrett Shearer (uncommitted) may offer their best blend of pitchability and size. Shearer can ramp his fastball up to the upper 80’s and creates great horizontal movement. He returns with 7 starts under his belt and the experience to compete against tough MCC lineups. He will look to limit his walks this season and use his jump in velocity to rack up strikeouts.

2023 3B Parker Guthrie (uncommitted) will be a breakout candidate for the Billikens. He will need to be a staple in the middle of their order and provide a back-end bullpen arm. His numbers don’t jump off the page from a season ago, but you can tell the coaching staff trusts him in a myriad of roles.

2023 Infielder Henry Zenor is yet another player who could be a major piece for the Jr. Bills. Zenor is a fundamentally sound player with a beautiful stroke from the left side of the plate. He looks to take a step forward defensively in his second season as SLUH’s starting SS.

 

Concerns:

Like many teams we’ve covered so far, we find ourselves unsure as to what the team’s output will be offensively. SLUH returns just one player that hit above .300 a season ago. They also lost three of their top offensive contributors from last season.

It will be interesting to see how the Jr Bills establish an offensive identity. One positive is that they run the bases well and provide some disruptive speed.

They will need a combination of 2022’s Tommy Etling (uncommitted), Alex Shelton (uncommitted), and Mikey Floretta (uncommitted) to be huge contributors this Spring. This trio needs to provide senior leadership and timely hits throughout the course of the year. Adding Jack Dumont back to the lineup should also provide a much-needed boost.

The thing is, they don’t really need to be the best offensive team in the area to win a lot of games because of the plethora of talented pitchers on the roster. However, they will need to capitalize on what other teams give them and provide timely hits. If they can do that, there’s no telling what their ceiling is.

Unmentioned players to watch:

2024 SS Charlie Ison-McCall (uncommitted)
2022 RHP John Loretta (uncommitted)
2022 LHP Dennis Jakubik (uncommitted)

February 25, 2022
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SEASON PREVIEW: Timberland Wolves

By High SchoolNo Comments

The Timberland Wolves enter the 2022 season with big names on the roster and high expectations for the team. The Wolves 2021 squad had a roster capable of going deep into the state tournament, but ultimately ended with four straight losses and being eliminated by their rival, Holt. That being said, there are several reasons to believe they’ll be a contender for a state championship in 2022.

What they have going for them:

They have some of the biggest star power in the state with their 2022 and 2023 classes. In addition to big names, the Wolves have depth all around the diamond with a wealth of varsity experience. It all starts with 2023 LHP and Arkansas commit Adam Hachman. He has the ability to live 93-95mph, occasionally touching upper 90’s, while pairing it with a CB/CH. Hachman will be able to dominate HS hitters if he can live in the zone and choose when he needs to ramp it up. The southpaw fanned 49 batters in 27 innings pitched last season.

As if Hachman wasn’t enough, the Wolves have 2023 RHP Jackson Yarberry (uncommitted), a high level RHP that gives Timberland one of the top 1-2 punches in the state. Yarberry can sit 86-88, occasionally popping 90, and also possesses excellent command and pitchability. The righty has a workhorse frame and should be able to eat up innings throughout the course of the season.

2022 UTIL Ryan Dickherber (Lindenwood) returns to pace the offense after boasting a .423 avg a season ago. He led the team with 13 XBH and showcases a free and easy lefthanded swing. He will need to provide a spark at the top of the Wolves batting order.

Timberland has an impressive list of college commits in the 2022 class, including Owen Powers (Jeff Co), Landon Willbrand (Lindenwood), Anthony Fumagalli (Illinois-Springfield), Ayalew Sisay (Indianapolis), Parker Dempsey (Drury) and Wyatt Seymore (Spoon River). This many quality, experienced varsity players should serve to provide consistency for the wolves lineup.

 

Concerns:

All the players mentioned so far were main stays in the lineup a season ago. Despite this, they fell short of expectations that many had for them.

Timberland will usually face their opponent’s best pitcher, and it will be interesting to see how their lineup holds up to this challenge.

The Wolves will also need to do a better job of executing on little things, and they need the high-end talent on their roster to consistently deliver results. Things like throwing strikes, limiting errors, bunt defense and quality baserunning can be separators in high school baseball. They had an abundance of errors a season ago and were also unable to steal many bags.

Undoubtedly, Timberland is a team capable of having a lot of success this Spring, and they’ll be a fun one to follow.

Unmentioned players to watch:

2023 Carson McCaleb C (uncommitted)
2023 Connor McCaleb RHP (uncommitted)
2022 Kyle Czeschin INF (uncommitted)

February 24, 2022
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SEASON PREVIEW: Liberty Eagles

By High SchoolNo Comments

The Liberty Eagles are coming off a 15-win season in which they sputtered at the end losing three straight. They lost some valuable contributors that look to be high level collegiate athletes. However, they return an experienced core of players that look to lead them to new heights.

What they have going for them:

Liberty fields one of the deepest pitching staffs in the state. It is led by 2023 RHP Seth Benes (uncommitted) who returns with valuable experience as a sophomore. Benes can ramp his FB up to 92 and live in the 88-90 range. This is paired with a high spin CB and great pitch ability. He will also be a major contributor in the heart of their lineup.

The Eagles return 2022 RHP Sam Gordley (St. Charles CC) and his five wins from a season ago. Gordley pitched 39+ innings with 43 strikeouts. With improved control, Gordley will be able to eat even more innings and give the Eagles a 1-2 punch. Gordley is able to sit mid 80’s and provide a tick or two more when needed.

2022 RHP Tyler Timmerman (St. Charles CC) returns from a torn Achilles that sidelined him for the 2021 season. He provides a cherry on top as another mid 80’s arm with a starter profile. Timmerman needs to get into the swing of things facing hitters again, but we should see him only get stronger as the season goes on.

2022 Trevor York (uncommitted) paces the offense with a .400 avg and the ability to play a vital role at
SS. York puts the ball in play only striking out twice all of 2021. He is also an efficient base runner
stealing 8 bags last season. York will need to provide a spark plug at the top of the Eagles lineup.

 

Concerns:

The Eagles should be even better on the mound than a season ago. Unfortunately, they aren’t sure where the offense will come from just yet. The Eagles lost a lot of firepower from their lineup with Victor Quinn, Konner Hutchings, Peyton Vieluf, and Kyle Bermudez graduating. They accounted for all but one of the Eagles home runs.

They will need the trio of 2022 OF Cooper Swift (Moberly CC), 2022 INF Cole Vance (East Central CC), and 2023 C Peyton Braile (uncommitted) to step up. They will play crucial positions to the Eagles success in the 2022 season. Braile will need to command a potent Eagles pitching staff and give a spark in the power department.

Their pitching staff will allow them time to find their offensive identity. If they do, they could be a dangerous team come districts and beyond.

Unmentioned players to watch:
2024 Tyler Holman RHP/OF (uncommitted)
2023 Aidan Cole LHP (uncommitted)
2023 Ethan Weiler RHP/OF (uncommitted)
2023 Ryan Casteel INF (uncommitted)

February 22, 2022
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SEASON PREVIEW: CBC Cadets

By High SchoolNo Comments

CBC is known as a high school athletics powerhouse, and the Cadet’s baseball program is no exception to this reputation. Head Coach Mason Horne has had tremendous success in his tenure as head coach, having won multiple state titles while coaching some of the most talented players in the area. 

Players like Matt Vierling, Jake Burger, Christian Little, Kurtis Byrne, and Justin Paulsen give perspective to the talent that CBC baseball has rostered over the last decade. These names also serve to give perspective (and perhaps for some, pause) as to how impressive it is that the 2022 Cadets could be the most talented team they’ve had in recent memory.

What they have going for them:

It’s often said that a pitching is the most important aspect of a team, and unsurprisingly, the Cadets are loaded. If you took their pitching staff of Tyler Charlton (Missouri State), Cameron Poe (Duke), Jake McGhee (Mizzou), Michael Walsh (Lindenwood), Daniel Flier (Jeff Co) Evan Margherita (Quincy), Kyle Byrne, Nazzan Zanetello (Miami), and cut it in half, you’d still have an above average high school rotation. 

When it comes to position players, the Cadets offense is loaded with top tier athletes. Perhaps most impressive is University of Miami commit Nazzan Zanetello (2023) who is easily one of the most exciting players in the state. Zanetello is the type of player that coaches and scouts are immediately easily drawn to because of his long and athletic frame, clean infield actions and effortless arm strength. His athleticism allows for him to be extremely dynamic, and it will be exciting to watch this spring as he makes his team better offensively, defensively, and even on the mound with his low 90’s fastball. 

2023 Outfielder Kaden Peer (Mizzou commit) will undoubtedly play a key role for CBC. Peer runs well and has a linear swing that compliments his skillset. He also has a plus arm in the outfield. The Cadets 2023 class also features 2023 C/UTL Ryan Stevens, a hard-nosed player who is a spark plug and can do a lot of little things to help his team win. 

Seniors Ayden Robinson-Wayne (Missouri Southern) and Daniel Flier (Jeff Co) are both reputable players that figure to be starters in the cadets’ lineup as well. 

Miles Birke (2023), Kyan Franklin (2023), Jake McGhee (2024) and Luke Matschiner (2022, Drury Commit) are all solid players as well that would likely be top of the order bats in the average high school lineup and could wind up putting up big numbers. 

Concerns:

It may be true to say that the biggest thing standing between the Cadets and winning the 2022 State Title are the Cadets themselves. 

From the outside looking in, it would appear that anything less than a state Championship for the Cadets would be falling short of expectations. And that might be the expectation most people will have for them, but that doesn’t make it a reasonable one. 

In a format that features a single elimination postseason, the pressure that 16, 17, and 18 year old kids face is immense. The Cadets will go all season facing opposing team’s top pitchers, and playing opponents that are energized to play them. They will be challenged, game after game, and how they respond will ultimately dictate their identity as a team, their chemistry, and their readiness for the playoffs. 

To assume they will win simply because they have the most talented team is to have a limited understanding of the game of baseball. Talent gets pre-season coverage, but execution gets state championships. Without a doubt, the Cadets will be one of the most exciting teams to follow this Spring.

February 9, 2022
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SEASON PREVIEW: Parkway West Longhorns

By High SchoolNo Comments

The Parkway West Longhorns are coming off a dominant 2021 season in which they went 23-4, eventually being upset by Rockwood Summit in the district final. Despite having a ton of success in 2021, it is conceivable that they could be as good or even better in 2022. They are led by second year head coach Andrew Jett. 

“Despite having a ton of success in 2021, it is conceivable that they could be as good or even better in 2022.”

What they have going for them: 

2023 Infielder Gannon Snyder is one of the most dynamic players in the area. He is an elite bat that has the ability to both get on base at a high rate while also getting on base a ton due to a generally disciplined approach. Snyder is an aggressive base runner with a high baseball IQ, and also has an above average arm. He may be able to help the Longhorns on the mound as well. 

2023 Catcher Tyler Lang (uncommitted) is coming off a 2021 season in which he led the team in batting average as a sophomore, hitting a robust .431 to compliment a whopping .576 OBP and 1.187 OPS. We see Lang as one of the most underrated players in the St. Louis area. The hit tool is extremely advanced, and defensively he is a high level receiver that grades out overall as above average.

2024 Infielder Mason Beno (uncommitted) has a shot to emerge as one of the best prospects in St. Louis’ 2024 class. Beno made varsity as a freshmen on a loaded Parkway West team last spring, and contributed on both the mound and in the field for the Longhorns. This year, he takes on an even bigger role, as they’ll likely lean on him as both a top end rotation piece and a top half of the order bat.

2022 LHP/1B Luke Wright is a front of the rotation talent that will be headed to JuCo powerhouse Heartland CC in the fall. At 6 foot 4 with a muscular build, Wright is an imposing figure on the mound. He features a mid to upper 80’s fastball with a plus changeup and a functional breaking ball. Wright hit .360 for the Longhorns last spring and figures to play an even bigger role offensively this year for Parkway West. 

Concerns:

The reality is the Longhorns are losing some significant pieces that will undoubtedly be tough to replace. They lost their entire starting outfield from 2021 (Nicholas Harms, Isaac Kittrell & Griffin Snyder), along with Dartmouth commit Elliott Krewson. 

Despite the loss of some significant pieces, they will benefit from the fact that talented players such as Snyder, Lang, 2023 INF Cooper Walkoff and Beno are each a year older and more experienced. This was one of the best underclass groups in the area last spring, and they have a chance to be a dominant group against competition that’s closer to their age in 2022.  

Another factor in the 2022 Longhorn’s success will be the availability of aforementioned senior LHP/1B Luke Wright. He is currently working his way back from an injury that has sidelined him the past several months. His availability could be another pivotal factor in determining Parkway West’s success.

Unmentioned players to watch:

Alex Gitt (Lindenwood)

Denver Eaves (East Central CC)

Ben Seavey

Zack Boland 

Bryce Drake

Brayden Gilmore 

February 8, 2022
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