Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Preseason Countdown: No. 40 Eaglecrest

February 4, 2015

By John Cackowski
State Director

Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the top 50 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage. The top 50 teams are picked from all classifications, and are not divided up by class level:

Team: Eaglecrest
Preseason Rank: 40
2014 Record: 9-10
Conference: Centennial
CHSAA Class: 5A
Head Coach: Tory Humphrey
Playoff Run: N/A
2014 Final Rank: 64
Returning Starters: 7
Returning Pitchers: 5

TOP PLAYERS:

Jake Lorenzini, MIF, 2015: 5-foot-10, 160 pounds
Alejandro Torres, 1B, 2015: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds
Tommy Johnson, OF/LHP, 2015: 6-foot-2,190 pounds
Spencer Hammond,, 2016: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
Brandon Hernandez, C, 2016: 5-foot-9, 175 pounds
Brian Perales, RHP 2016: 5-foot-10, 180 pounds
Jarret Olson, RHP 2016: 6-foot-3, 170 pounds

X-FACTOR: 
Jarret Olson: Olson has an upper 80's fastball, and is a dominating presence on the mound. If he can consistently throw strikes he could shorten the game and be a dominating closer for the Raptors.

NEW PLAYER TO WATCH:
Hunter Parker: SS, 2017 5-foot-11, 155 pounds: Parker has advanced power with a live low 80's arm. 

KEY PLAYER LOST:
Jaden Fouse: Graduated

STAT RAT: 
From 2010 to 2013 the Raptors won 6 Centennial League games combined. In 2014 They won 6

BOTTOM LINE:
In 2014 the Raptors looked primed to make the playoffs for the first time in years. Already having quality wins over ranked teams such as Grandview and Arapahoe, they were sitting with a 9 and 6 record with four games left to play only to hit a wall and lose their last four games to Evergreen, Smoky Hill, Mullen, and Cherry Creek by a combined score of 25 to 3. One win in those last four probably would have put them in the top 32 to make the 5A district playoffs.  In 2015 the Raptors bring back a lot of experience, and the hard work of Head Coach Tory Humphrey has rejuvenated the baseball program and the facility over the last few years. The Raptors bring back some power arms to the mound in Brian Perales, Jarret Olson, and Spencer Hammond (All 2016 grads) who all throw in the mid to upper 80's, and also add Senior LHP Tommy Johnson to the mid 80's fastball group. Hammond and C Brandon Hernandez (2016) also bring some power and speed back to the 2015 lineup, and the Raptors also return the Centennial League home run hitter 2015,1B, Alejandro Torres. Going through the tough Centennial League can be a grind since they all have to play each other twice, but if the Raptors can learn from their experiences in 2014 and finish stronger they will be in the 5A playoff mix in 2015.

Related Material