Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 13 Homewood-Flossmoor

KEY PLAYERS LOST

Zaid Walker, OF (Michigan State)
Kyle Salley, LHP (Duke)
Tylon Ross, RHP (Purdue)
Christon Woods, LHP (Concordia, IL)
Michael Marseille, INF (Southeastern CC)
Maurey Garrett, INF (Heartland CC)
Isaiah Gaines, OF (Prairie State JC)
Joshua Gaines, OF (Prairie State JC)
Ryan Cox, RHP (Ripon College)

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Even though the Vikings are going to be rostering a handful of sophomores this spring, the newest face in Homewood-Flossmoor’s dugout is head coach John McCarthy. McCarthy spent eight springs as head coach of a perennially strong Brother Rice program, and just enjoyed his most successful season at the helm of the Crusaders. He coached Brother Rice to a sectional championship in 2018 before being ousted from the postseason by the eventual champs, Plainfield North, in the supersectional round.

McCarthy has Chicago-area baseball ingrained in his DNA. He’s a St. Rita graduate who won over 180 games as head coach of Brother Rice, and is an ideal selection as the pick to inherit a Homewood-Flossmoor team bursting with talent on all sides of the ball.

It could be said that the Vikings underperformed in 2018, finishing just five games over .500 while enduring an early playoff exit despite penciling in since-graduated premier talents like OF Zaid Walker (Michigan State) and LHP Kyle Salley (Duke) everyday, in addition to many of the same names occupying the lineup sheet this season.

Still, we’re banking on McCarthy getting the most out of this year’s edition of the Vikings, something he’s been capable of doing in years past.

X-FACTOR

The Coupet kids and their performance in 2019 will go a long way in determining just how much of better Homewood-Flossmoor will be this spring. Isaiah, a junior now, spent his summer on Team Illinois at the PBR Future Games and committed to Ohio State shortly after. The southpaw is slated to back up senior righty and ace Tyler Schlaffer in the rotation, giving the Vikings among the strongest one-two punches in the Southwest Suburban Conference – one that could at least rival Lincoln-Way East, anyway.

The younger Coupet, Gallien, a sophomore, is more effective in the right-handed batter’s box and on defense. He’s a natural infielder but might offer Homewood-Flossmoor more value in the outfield this spring, with mainstays like Tre Hondras likely occupying up-the-middle spots on the infield this year. At February’s Underclass Invitational, Gallien continued to show progress at the plate, making consistent hard contact.

The Coupets will have a lot to do with the tone the Vikings set at the conclusion of this spring, especially looking back on and evaluating McCarthy’s first year at the top of the program.

Gallien Coupet (2.17.19)

OUTLOOK

There’s a nice balance of experience and leadership combined with young and hungry underclass talent in Flossmoor right now. The senior battery of Schlaffer and backstop Jacob Schroeder (Northern Illinois) is an enviable duo to rely on for big games, especially once conference play begins and the Griffins from Frankfort head to town. Coach McCarthy called his catcher Schroeder the team leader in our preseason questionnaire, an important duty in a season where the Vikings will be filling some sizable holes, namely the gaping ones left by Walker and Salley, two prospects selected in June’s MLB Draft, though both opted to make good on their college commitments instead.

Walker was a genuine PBR Illinois Player of the Year candidate, and earned first team all-state honors, too. He launched 12 homers last spring, slugged .970, and drove in 49 runs. That kind of production is impossible to hope to replicate, so the Vikings shouldn’t worry about doing so.

Schroeder and Hondras spent much of last spring in the middle of this Vikings lineup and will be doing the heavy lifting this season. An even-keeled approach on offense is critical because their production will spark the players behind them in the order, many of whom are sophomores. We touched on the importance of Gallien Coupet above and he’ll be joined in the order by fellow 2021 grad and outfielder William Pauling. Pauling participated in last month’s Underclass Invitational, too, and ran the second-fastest 60-yard dash (6.54), generating some optimism he can put it to use in the outfield. He won’t necessarily be leaned on as a key cog on offense, but any production he can provide will be welcome.

Much of the same can be said about middle infielder Josh McAlister, who spent some time on the varsity team as a freshman last spring. He’s a tooled-up athlete oozing with talent all over the diamond – but he’s still putting it all together. There’s some early reports of injury here, so that’s a situation to continue monitoring.

Schlaffer and the elder Coupet make this rotation great, and sophomore righty Chad Readey might have what it takes to elevate this rotation to among the tops in the state. The 6-foot-8 prospect was yet another Flossmoor rep at the Underclass Invitational and offered us our first live look at his stuff. He sat in the 82-84 mph range in his bullpen and realistically could continue ascending as he grows into his big frame and gets more comfortable on a varsity mound.

BOTTOM LINE

The Vikings tried bashing their way to wins last spring and struggled to keep their opponents off the bases and, thus, the scoreboard. A much improved rotation, featuring a bonafide ace, a reliable back-up, and an on-the-rise No. 3, could help Homewood-Flossmoor find more wins this spring, despite graduating some of last year’s name brand talent.

They have a core in place, on both the mound and in the middle of their order, to produce not just a winning spring, but a deep playoff run. The best-case scenario requires a leap in production from a sophomore group that’s going to need to really pull its weight in 2019.

The reinvigorated Vikings are not one to underestimate, and are eager to prove themselves.

Make sure to follow @PBRIllinois on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2019 season.

Find more information on the 2019 Vikings below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Website
+ GameChanger
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN