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:

SS Sammy Infante

Team: Pace
Preseason Rank: 2
2018 Record: 24-6
FHSAA Class: 5A
Head Coach: Tom Duffin
Playoff Run: 5A State Champion
Returning Starters: 11

TOP PLAYERS
Name, Position, Class (College Commitment)
Sean Ambrose, INF, 2021 (FIU)
Yordani Carmona, LHP, 2019 (Miami)
Albert Hernandez, RHP, 2020 (Miami)
Sammy Infante, SS, 2020 (Miami)
Michael Machin, OF, 2019 (Miami)
Victor Mederos, RHP, 2020 (Miami)
Roberto Moya, C, 2020
Nicholas Regalado, RHP, 2020 (Miami)
MC Sagaro, INF, 2020 (Miami)

X-FACTOR

Yordani Carmona. The senior won 9 games in 2018 as a junior. Carmona posted a 9-1 record with a 1.33 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched. Carmona will lead a talented and deep pitching staff.  

KEY PLAYERS LOST

Michael Montes
Kenny Gonzalez
Luis Tuero

OUTLOOK
The defending 5A state champion return nearly all of the offense and all of their top arms from 2018. Yordani Carmona will lead the way on the mound. The senior won 9 games in 2018 as a junior. Carmona posted a 9-1 record with a 1.33 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched. Carmona will lead a talented and deep pitching staff. Victor Mederos, Albert Hernandez and Nicholas Regalado all return and combined for 12 wins in 2018. Pace has eight Division 1 commits, with seven of those being to Miami. All four pitchers who will see significant time are already committed to stay at home and go to Miami. Offensively, they do lose their top two hitters from 2018 in Luis Tuero and Michael Montes, but ROberto Moya, Sammy Infante and company are primed and ready to carry the load. Moya, who led the team in home runs in 2018 with six, also batted .411 and has big power potential. Sammy Infante also batted .393 with five home runs. Overall, the high-end pitching talent and depth and offensive firepower in a hitter friendly park will have Pace ready to defend their 5A title

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