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With Fall Signing Day behind us and the 2017 season essentially complete, PBR VA/DC will look ahead to the upcoming spring and the 2018 season in our Spring Forward series, which will run on the website in the coming weeks. In this series, we will focus primarily on players that we have seen this year and are looking forward to seeing again in 2018, these posts will not have anything to with prospect rankings.

Today we take a look at some of the players who transferred to a new high school for the 2017-2018 school year and who have the potential to have a major impact at their new school.

 

Spring Forward: Transfers

William Balkin OF / Patriot, VA / 2018 Balkin transferred from Osbourn Park to Patriot for his senior year. The Yellow Jackets lost their top arm from 2017 to graduation and also lost their top hitter and a defensive anchor in Balkin. Patriot will slot Balkin into centerfield and near the top of the order where he can use his speed to get on base in front of what will be a potent Pioneer lineup as Patriot looks to return to the 6A State Tournament in 2018.

 

Tyler Casagrande OF / Riverside, VA / 2018 Casagrande (Arizona) left Paul VI Catholic to play his senior year at Riverside. The Rams reached the 3A State Championship game in 2017 in the program's second year of existence and Casagrande's arrival should help fill the lineup hole left by the graduation of Trey Campbell. With Riverside moving up to 4a this year, adding Casagrande's bat to a lineup that returns most of its key pieces could be crucial to the Rams.

 

Blake Fisher SS / Highland, VA / 2020 Fisher transferred to Highland from Battlefield and reclassified in the process, putting him in the proper class for his age. He is an athletic shortstop with some speed and has the chance to develop into a legitimate two-way prospect. The Hawks reached the VISAA Division II State Semifinals in 2017 but lost some key players to graduation, Fisher will be part of a Highland team that is built to be dangerous in 2018 and 2019.

 

Dylan Fisher OF / Highland, VA / 2019 Like his younger brother, Fisher moved from Battlefield and reclassified to be in the correct class for his age. Unlike his brother, Fisher will occupy a spot in the Hawk outfield and his lefthanded bat will fit nicely in the middle of their order. He provided some pop during the fall ball season and will help the depth of Highland's lineup.

 

DON GOODES OF / WAPAKONETA, OH / 2018 Goodes transferred for the second offseason in a row, but this time the VMI commit has left the Commonwealth completely and moved to Ohio. He vacates the Greenbrier Christian outfield and the Gators will miss his lefthanded bat and menacing arm.

 

Carson Jones LHP / Deep Run , VA / 2019 Jones is a Virginia commit and leaves Steward for Deep Run. Jones joins a young Deep Run team that struggled during the 2017 regular season but surged during the playoffs despite being the fifth seed to win the Conference 11 Championship and advance to the 5A South Region tournament. Adding an arm of Jones' caliber to a strong group of returners will make the Wildcats a dangerous team in 2018.

 

Matthew Michel RHP / Highland, VA / 2019 Michel is the third player to leave Battlefield for Highland during the offseason, the difference between him and the Fishers is that he did not reclassify. The Hawks gained an arm with massive upside in the very projectable Michel. He has a lanky frame and a quick arm and was up to 87 in the fall with plenty of room to add velocity as he continues to develop. Michel is a high-end arm and has the potential to be a game-changer for the Hawks.

 

Cristian Sanchez RHP / Centreville, VA / 2018 Sanchez is a Virginia commit and the current top prospect in the VA/DC 2018 Rankings and has left Paul VI Catholic after one year to return to Centreville for his senior year. He and John Farley (Eastern Kentucky) will give the Wildcats a one-two punch that few in the Concorde District or 6A Region D will be able to match. He showed a velocity jump this fall and has demonstrated the ability to sit in the 90s and reach 94, which will draw plenty of scouts out to see the Wildcats and new head coach Scott Rowland in 2018.

 

Jonoven Savage C / Nansemond River, VA / 2018 Savage verballed to Virginia Tech early during his high school career but re-opened his recruiting after the Hokies made a coaching change last summer. Savage leaves Western Branch for Nansemond River. The Bruins won the 2017 6a State Championship with Ethan Alexander as the starting catcher and centerpiece to the Bruin lineup and Alexander is set to return this spring. Savage will join a Warrior squad that won the 5a State Title in 2016 and despite a down 2017 will have a lot to work with in potential ace Gage Williams (Longwood).

 

Will Schroeder SS / Freedom-South Riding, VA / 2018 Schroeder is a North Carolina commit and transferred from Loudoun County to Freedom. Schroeder is a legitimate two-way prospect who could just as easily pitch or stick at short at the next level. He joins an Eagle roster that was young and pulled an upset over Bassett in the first round of the 4a West Region tournament in 2017. Freedom moves up to 5a in 2018 and having Schroeder's dynamic bat and arm could push them deep into the playoffs.

MORE SPRING FORWARD