By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the top 75 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:

Team: Brother Rice
Preseason Rank: 19
2013 Record: 21-15
Conference: Chicago Catholic Blue
IHSA Class: 4A
Head Coach: John McCarthy
Playoff Run: Lost in Regionals
2013 Final Rank: Not Ranked

Returning Starters:  6
Returning Pitchers: 4

TOP PLAYERS
Kevin Sullivan, SS, 2014 (Middle Tennessee State)
Kevin Biondic, 3B/RHP, 2014
Andrew Dyke, OF/C, 2016
Ian McGinnis, LHP, 2014 (Illinois Wesleyan)
Brian Musielak, RHP/1B, 2014 (Concordia)
Mike Enriquez, RHP, 2014 (Lewis)
Mike Massey, MIF, 2016 (Illinois)
Alex Alarcon, RHP, 2015
Jake Barry, 1B/RHP, 2014 (St. Mary’s)
Danny Paluch, INF/OF, 2015

X-FACTOR
Senior 3B Kevin Biondic returns to anchor the Crusaders offense. With a lot of good, young talent in the program, Biondic will be counted on to deliver as he did as a junior when he batted .413 with a .496 on-base percentage, 14 doubles, 2 homers, 43 hits and 36 RBI.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
Mike Massey, MIF, 2016. The left-handed hitting middle infielder is a St. Rita transfer who is already verbally committed to Illinois.

KEY PLAYER LOST
Wendall Ferguson, OF/LHP (Claflin)

STAT RAT
RHP Brian Musielak posted a 7-2 record with a 3.29 ERA while throwing a team-high 61.2 innings as a junior.

OUTLOOK
Last year the young Crusaders played the role of spoiler in the rugged Chicago Catholic Blue, finishing with a 9-7 mark. They won’t take anyone by surprise this season. With six returning starters, pitching depth and one of the state’s best stable of underclassmen, coach John McCarthy has the program on the rise once again. Defensively, the team should be rock-solid with the return of SS Kevin Sullivan, 3B Kevin Biondic and the addition of 2016 infielder Mike Massey. Pitching depth is another strength, as the top three starters return, along with the team’s closer, Michael Enriquez. While the Crusaders no doubt have depth on the mound, they lack the dominant No. 1 as other Catholic Blue programs. Brother Rice is definitely well-stocked for future success, too. Sophomore Andrew Dyke (.313 BA, 17 RBI as a freshman) is one of the top prospects in Illinois’ 2016 class and has an impact bat. Dyke and Massey are just two of several high-level 2016 and 2017 prospects in the program.

BOTTOM LINE
The Crusaders will be extremely competitive in the Chicago Catholic Blue - a league that features the best teams in the state. But they may be a year or two away from being a state-wide powerhouse, as they were four, five years ago.

Make sure you follow @PBRillinois on Twitter for complete Illinois high school baseball coverage throughout the season.

Season Countdown

+ Preseason Team Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2015 Player Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2014 Player Rankings

+ June Event Schedule