By Phil Wade
Director, PBR Indiana

As we prepare for our 2014 high school preseason coverage, we are going to take a quick glance at teams from across the state.

Team: Plainfield
Class: 4A
League: Mid-State

Head Coach: Jeff McKeon
2013 Overall Record: 17-11
Conference Record: 8-4
Returning Starters: 8
Returning Pitchers: 5

TOP PLAYERS

Gabe Burkhardt, 1B, 2014
Alec Caprarella, SS, 2014
Tyler Garzinski, DH/1B, 2014
Hunter Smith, C/3B, 2014
Justin Martin, P/OF, 2015
Kalib Clark, C/3B, 2016

OUTLOOK:

The Plainfield Quakers and Head Coach Jeff McKeon return experience and talent in 2014.  Expectations for McKeon's team are both Conference and Sectional championships.  Plainfield finished second in the Mid-State last season and lost in the sectional finals.  The Quakers are led by Western Illinois commit 
Gabe Burkhardt.  The senior 1B hit .375 as Junior and was 2nd team All-State, and as a sophomore hit .475 with 4 HR. Up the middle, the Quakers are led by senior SS Alec Caprarella, a 6-foot-2, 180 pounder committed to D2's College of St. Rose in Albany, NY.  As a Junior Caprarella hit .321 with 9 2B and 15 RBI.  Recent Purdue-North Central commit Tyler Garzinski is expected to once again be a run producer this season.  The left handed hitter finished with 31 RBI in 2013, the second highest total in a season at Plainfield.  Senior Hunter Smith returns for his final season at Plainfield after batting .321 with 20 RBI as a Junior. RHP Justin Martin will be the Quakers No.1 on the mound this spring.  The Junior will also be counted on for offensive production after leading the team in HR's as sophomore with 4, and hitting .319 with 21 RBI.  Fulfilling the catching duties is sophomore Kalib Clark.  Clark started 90% of varsity games last year as a freshman and struck out just 3 times in 64 at bats.  

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COACHES PRE-SEASON QUESTIONNAIRE

We appreciate the strong response so far from high school coaches across the state assisting with our pre-season coverage. If you have not already done so you can fill out our coaches pre-season questionnaire online by clicking here.

click here for more 2014 Team Previews