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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. 

Like any preseason ranking for any sport, last year our list created a lot of fun conversations, debate, and opinions among players, coaches, and families. To see what we got right, and what we got wrong in 2017 Click Here

What makes our list unique is it combines all classifications (1A through 5A), and 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.

Factors that are considered when creating the Top 50 List are the following:

- How many current players are returning that are in PBR Colorado rankings
- How many overall players committed or non-committed are returning
- How many starting pitchers are returning
- Success the previous season
- History of success in the program

* We expect the teams in the Top 50 Countdown will compete for at least a district playoff spot in 2018

Team No. 48: Delta Panthers

2018 Preseason Rank: 48
2017 Preseason Rank: 23
2017 Record: 16-5
Conference: 4A Northern
CHSAA Class: 3A Western Slope
Head Coach: Steve Reiher
2017 Playoff Run: Lost to Valley in 3A Final 8
2017 Final Rank: 39
Returning Offensive Starters: 2
Returning Pitchers: 3
Returning Innings on Mound: 70
Returning RBI's returning: 43

STAT RAT: 
Since 2011, the Panthers have had one of the best overall records in Colorado going 106 and 42. 

X-FACTORS: 
The Panthers will miss the 137 RBI's and 16 homeruns that graduated from 2017. They will have younger players to fill in, and with winning 106 games over the last 6 years proves the program has had depth. 

BOTTOM LINE: 
The Panthers were our 2nd highest preseason ranked 3A team in 2017, and spent most of the year ranked No. 1 in our 3A rankings, but after beating Rye handedly 15-1 to start off the 3A state playoffs, they lost a barn-burner to Valley 20-17 in the Region 8 District championship to advance to the Final 8. Pitching will be the strength for the Panthers in 2018 with a lot of experience returning. The Panthers will most likely fill in the holes lost to graduation, however with the amount of offense not returning, and the fact they were one of the favorites to win the 3A state championship in 2017 only to get knocked out in regionals, they get dinged down to 48. We still expect Delta to be a factor in 3A. 

Key Player Lost: 

 

Justin Violet 1B / Delta, CO / 2017 Rankings  StateRank: 198 / POS: 15 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. The first baseman led the team with 5 home runs in 2017 while driving in 34. Violet hit .523 while carrying a .612 OBA.

 

Key Players Returning: 

 

jasper carmichael / RHP / Delta, CO / 2018 6-foot-1, 175 pounds. Bats and throws right. Carmichael will anchor the offense in 2018. Last spring Carmichael hit .423 while driving in 14 runs and scoring 23. On the mound he will be one of the starters this spring. Last year Carmichael logged 33 innings on the mound, going 5 and 1 on the season while posting a 2.70 ERA. Carmichael struck out 46 batters.

 

Josh Reeder OF / Delta, CO / 2018 5-foot-11, 230 pounds. Reeder packs a punch when he hits, and will be a middle of the order hitter in 2018. Last spring Reeder hit 3 homeruns while driving in 19. Shows raw, power potential at the plate.

 

Drake Horn RHP / Delta, CO / 2018 5-foot-9, 175 pounds. Bats and throws right. Good athlete. Quarterback and captain of the football team. Horn will anchor the pitching staff in 2018. Last year he logged 30 innings on the mound going 4 and 0 on the season while striking our 30 batters. Had an ERA of 2.08.

 

Players That Can Make An Impact:

 

Dylan Hollenbeck OF / Delta, CO / 2018 6-foot, 180 pounds. Hollenbeck in limited action in 2017 hit .333, and on the mound pitched 6 innings carrying an ERA of 2.10.