Preseason High School Preview: Platte County
March 9, 2023
The Missouri high school baseball season is set to kick off shortly, with ‘Opening Day’ set for March 17th. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2023 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications.
Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.
Our 2023 preseason coverage continues today.
Team: Platte County
2022 Record: 28-7
Conference: Kansas City Suburban White
Classification: 5A
Head Coach: John Sipes
X-FACTOR
Devin Wassmann, OF, 2024, Wichita State commit: Wassmann played a huge role in delivering a championship to Platte County last spring as a sophomore, providing high level contributions in multiple ways. He swings a powerful left-handed bat right in the heart of this lineup and is a valuable asset defensively in center field. Wassmann is expected to be one of this team’s best players again in 2023, a task that the future Wichita State Shocker has already proven he’s more than capable of handling.
NEWCOMER TO WATCH
Rocco Marriott, OF/RHP, 2026: A high level athlete in the state’s 2026 class, Marriott first popped up to our staff at Creekside last summer, earning an invite to represent Team Missouri at the PBR Junior Future Games as a result. Also a more than formidable talent on the football field as a 6-foot-3, 185-pound quarterback, Marriott’s two-way abilities as a baseball player are evident. His fastball has been 86 mph, typically sitting in the low-80s, and there’s unquestionably more in the tank as he continues to mature physically. There’s advanced raw power for his age within his right-handed swing too, swatting a few deep doubles at the Future Games in the summer, while also running as fast as a 7.06 60. Marriott can impact the reigning state champions as a freshman and should continue to develop as a centerpiece for this program moving forward.
OUTLOOK
Platte County’s 2022 campaign was memorable. The Pirates won their conference and buzzed through district play, defeating East, Winnetonka, and Smithville to punch their ticket to the state playoffs. There, Platte County took down Webb City in the quarterfinals, squeaked past Fort Zumwalt east in the semis, and defeated a hot Festus team 6-1 to capture the 5A state championship.
Multiple pieces from that group are back in 2023 and this roster has talent scaled from top to bottom that experienced last year’s winning run. Two key seniors offensively are 1B Dylan Robertson (2023) and OF Dayne Wimberly (2023), both of whom played big roles at the plate last spring. Robertson’s sheer size is impressive, standing at a hulking 6-foot-6, 215-pounds with advanced raw right-handed bat strength that should fit nicely into the middle of this order. Wimberly led off for the Pirates last year and he’s a highly projectable 6-foot-4, 185-pound left-handed hitter that performs on both sides of the ball. He homered four times last spring and puts together competitive at-bats, while also having a weapon of a right-handed arm from the corner outfield position.
INF Dayton Doll (2025) started at second base as a freshman for the Pirates and is ready to take on a more expansive role this upcoming season. He’s a scrappy, competitive right-handed hitter with advanced bat-to-ball skills for his age. The transition to the varsity level didn’t faze Doll and his polish was part of the reason why his performance down the stretch proved vital for Platte County. Doll is an asset with the glove too that can move around the infield if need be, and he could be called upon to fill a void at shortstop left behind by former senior INF Cameron Lewis (2022). A multi-sport athlete that is also a running back on Platte County’s football team, Doll building off the foundation he set last year will unquestionably be a huge part of Platte County returning to the state playoffs.
There’s a few more names to know from this group that help deepen out the roster. INF Nickolas Baker (2024) and LHP Brayden Carter (2024) are two more players that return from last year’s bunch. C/INF Cameron Dean (Missouri Western State, 2023), C/INF Zachry Gaspers (2023; Baker University), OF Aidan Norris (Iowa Western CC), LHP James Schwieder (2023; Hutchinson CC), and OF Dylan Zimmerman (Highland CC) are all seniors committed to play baseball at the next level.
BOTTOM LINE
Platte County returns multiple players that helped them cap a 28-win season with a state championship. Their top-end talent coupled with a few new additions and depth throughout the roster has the Pirates pegged as one of the state’s top teams at the 5A level entering this spring.
Follow along @PBRMissouri for complete coverage of the 2023 high school season.