Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballM
Follow on Instagram- @pbrmichigan

With 2023 now in the past, PBR Michigan is eagerly anticipating bringing the state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2024. Starting in February, we began releasing team previews for squads across the state. Ahead, we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way.

To view the full list of 2024 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2024 Team Preview, click here.

Interested in attending a PBR Michigan event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2024 Spring Team Preview: Algonac Muskrats

ALGONAC - After advancing to the Division 3 state quarterfinals in 2022, Algonac was the state runners-up a year ago. The question now is … Can the Muskrats take the big step in 2024?

“We feel we can compete,” noted eighth-year head coach Scott Thaler, who has a 143-86-6 record at the school. “We have our number one and number two back, so in any particular game we pitch those two we have the possibility to compete.”

While there were six players lost to graduation, four that were starters, Thaler is confident his year can be special.

“We were deep with pitching last year and our JVs wes very successful,” pointed out Thaler, whose losses from last year’s team included lefty Andrew Thomason (8-1 record), Caleb Thomas (SS/C now at Concordia), Noah Maniaci (pitcher now at Lourdes), Brandon Williams (now at Mid-Michigan), Tyler Schultz (2B now at Mid-Michigan) and Matt Meldrum (1B/DH).

The Algonac head coach points to experience as the strength with this year’s squad.

“We have two senior four-year starters that were captains last year,” Thaler explained. “A lot of these guys were on the 2022 team, so we have that postseason experience. We have team speed, more than years past, and our one and two are back. Our three and four should have pitched last year but we had seniors.”

Michigan commit Josh Kasner, the second-ranked 2024 right-handed pitcher in the state, is back to lead the way on the mound after going 11-0 with a 0.709 ERA a year ago, striking out 137. The 6-1 185-pounder, the 136th-rated senior RHP in the nation, threw a five-hitter and hit a three-run home run in a 4-1 victory over Lansing Catholic in the state semifinals a year ago.

Junior Bryce Simpson, a 6-2 180-pound southpaw getting D-I looks, also returns following a 6-1 season, his lone defeat coming in the state finals, with a 1.49 ERA, fanning 79 in 51.2 innings.

Sophomore Cole Thaler, son of the head coach, did not permit an earned run in 10 innings last year and is set to fill the three spot on the staff with junior Nate Vercammen number four.

A trio of seniors are expected to play major roles with catcher Evan Saddler hitting leadoff after a .325 campaign with 49 runs, 28 RBIs, three home runs and 31 stolen bases. Outfielder Cal Meleski averaged .355 with 24 runs and 13 RBIs and is back to possibly play second base with Matthew Rix moving from the nine-hole in the order to near the top after batting .302 with 23 RBIs and 29 steals.

Simpson and senior Matt Waelens are penciled in to play first base, with Waelens also playing DH.

“The key right now is second base,” according to Thaler, with Meleski, junior Ayden Pate and sophomore Steven Walthers in the mix.

Kasner, who had some two-way offers at the next level, will play shortstop when on the mound, batting third after hitting .375 with 52 runs, 40 RBIs and three home runs a year ago. Vercammen will be at short when Kasner pitches, while also filling in as the backup catcher.

Rix, who started at third base last season, returns to play third or outfield, with juniors Connor Haden and Jake Lovelace other potential third basemen.

Cole Thaler will man center field with Meleski in left and Simpson in right. It all depends on who pitches and starts and second base, with Rix another possible outfielder.

“As always with high school baseball, finding ways to score runs will be the key,” Thaler said. “We have got to score runs at the bottom, get runners on and create things better this year. Our pitchers will keep us in all the games. Defense, while it didn’t show it in the championship game, was our forte all season long last year.”

That 7-1 loss to Bridgman only fuels the motivation for Algonac, which won the Blue Water Area Conference title for the first time last season, the first league crown for the program since 1988.

“We have a lot of seniors that saw what it was like last year and want to return there,” concluded Thaler, whose team set a school record with a 37-4 record in 2023. “They’re hungry. They’re disappointed in the ’23 result.

“Last year the senior group pushed everybody in the offseason and this one did the same thing,” Thaler added. “These are all high-character kids and they’re very, very coachable.” 

2024 Spring Team Preview: Algonac Muskrats

Team Name: Algonac Muskrats
Head Coach: Scott Thaler
Division: 3
2023 Record: 37-4
2023 Tourney Finish: State Finals loss to Bridgman
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5/3

Coach Outlook: "Our starting pitching will be our strength this year. We hope to learn from the post-season experience we have gained the past few seasons and hopefully make another run. Our returners are hungry."

2024 Team Strengths:

• Starting Pitching
• Leadership
• Team Speed
• Hitting
• Post season experience 

Top Returning Players:

• Josh Kasner, RHP/SS, 5-11/185, 2024, R/R 4-year starter, team captain, U of M commit. Last Year Stats -.375, 8 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 40 RBI, 52 R, 21 SB. 11-0, .709, 137 K, 16 BB
• Evan Saddler, C/OF, 5-11/160, 2024, R/R, 4-year starter, team captain. Last Year Stats -.329, 7 2B, 3 HR, 28 RBI, 49 R, 34 SB.
• Cal Meleski, OF/INF, 5-10/160, 2024, R/R, 2-year starter. Last Year Stats -.359, 4 2B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 24 R.
• Matthew Rix, 3B/OF, 5-9/160, 2024, R/R, 2-year starter. Last Year Stats -.301, 15 RBI, 29 R, 29 SB.
• Bryce Simpson, LHP/OF, 6-1/175, 2025, R/L, 2-year starter. Last Year Stats - 6-1, 1.49, 79 K, 17 BB

Class of 2024 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

• Josh Kasner
• Evan Saddler
• Cal Meleski
• Matthew Rix
• Matthew Waelens

Class of 2025 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

• Bryce Simpson
• Nate Vercammen
• Ayden Pate
• Conner Hadden

Class of 2026 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

• Cole Thaler
• Steven Walther
• Zac Yntema

Recent Articles