Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 25 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:

LHP Parker Messick

Team: Plant City
Preseason Rank: 18
2018 Record: 16-7
FHSAA Class: 8A
Head Coach: Mike Fryrear  
Playoff Run: Lost in District Semi-Final
Returning Starters: 10

TOP PLAYERS
Name, Position, Class (College Commitment)
Parker Messick, LHP, 2019 (FSU)
Cade Shissler, SS/RHP, 2019 (Stetson)
Grant Gifford, RHP, 2019 (Keiser)
Casey Mawhinney, RHP, 2019
Hunter Emerine, C, 2019
Jarod Wingo, RHP/2B, 2020
Tyler Dowdy, RHP/1B, 2020
Demario Williams, OF, 2021

X-FACTOR
Parker Messick. The team captain, Messick batted .298 with 4 home runs while also leading the team to 6 wins on the mound in 2018.

KEY PLAYERS LOST
Dylan Robinson
Austin Eldridge
T.J. Gayne

OUTLOOK
Plant City return a very deep and experienced pitching staff, with five players back who logged more than 10 innings, led by senior LHP Parker Messick. Messick led the team with 6 wins and a 1.58 ERA in 2018, while also batting .298 with 4 home runs. Plant CIty also returns 8 from their starting lineup, including Stetson recruit Cade Shissler, who batted .321 with 24 runs scored in 2018. They are not only talents, but deep, with experience throughout the lineup and on the mound. The depth and talent with the experience has them primed for a run in 2019.

 RECENT NEWS