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By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

Today marks the tenth installment of our season preview content, which will run for four weeks up to the first official PIAA competition date on March 24. Each article includes a list of top prospects from amongst the cohort of schools, as well as write-ups of a number of teams in the cohort. The number in parenthesis after each header is the number of state tournament bids allotted to that district or sub-region. Today we work our way to Districts VI and X on the western side of the state in class 3A.

We received inquiries in the past regarding how we decide which teams to detail. A team profiled in the article is less an indication of what type of season we expect it to have and more a function of how much information we are able to compile. For example, if we have not recently seen a team in person (there are over 600 baseball-playing high schools in the state), stats are not available on-line, and a school district spam filter gobbled up our e-mails to the coach that contained the questionnaire, we might not have enough information to write a full paragraph on that school.

District VI (2 bids)

Top Prospects:
1. Dylan Gearhart, 2019, RHP, Mount Union Area (West Virginia)
2. Mason Ronan, 2018, LHP, Penn Cambria (Michigan State)
3. Chase Smith, 2017, OF, Central (Penn State Harrisburg)
4. Logan Williamson, 2017, SS, Philipsburg-Osceola (Shippensburg)
5. Jacob Rupp, 2017, RHP, Central Cambria (Lock Haven)

Virtually the entire line-up returns for district runner-up and state tournament qualifier Central, which also welcomes back its staff ace in Penn State Altoona-bound Jarrett Imler. Joining him in coach A.J. Hoenstine's rotation will be junior RHP Brady Nicewonger and Pittsburgh-Johnstown-bound RHP Josh McKnight. In his last year on the diamond before joining the Penn State football team, speedy senior shortstop Alex Hoenstine will once again spark an offense that will also get major contributions from the toolsy Smith, who can also really go get it on defense, first baseman McKnight, and senior second baseman Larry Corle.

One win shy of a state tournament berth last season, Philipsburg-Osceola welcomes back two-thirds of its starting line-up and over 70% of its innings. The junior RHP duo of Josh Earnest and Gage Coudriet will reprise their significant roles on coach Doug Sankey's staff, while senior RHP Cam Domblisky should draw an increased workload. Featuring a solid across-the-board skill set, Williamson will spark an offense that will also call on second baseman Earnest, sophomore outfielder Micah Martin, and junior outfielder Brandon Kephart to produce runs.

One lone senior received playing time for Penn Cambria last spring, leaving a veteran squad behind for this season. A trio of returning pitchers logged more than 30 innings, led by Ronan, who has a live arm and solid curveball, and could become a dominant force on the mound if he can harness his command. Also back to share the workload is junior RHP Tanner Perrone and senior RHP Garrett Martynuska. The infield tandem of Garrett and Gavin Martynuska are on-base machines atop the line-up (combined 49 walks plus hit-by-pitches in 21 games last season), while senior catcher Jonah Diehl and junior outfielder Dallas Hite will provide some pop for interim coach Jim Ronan.

Mount Union Area features one of the top batteries in the area in the polished-beyond-his-years Gearhart and physical Harford CC-bound catcher Hunter Blair. A pair of southpaws -- sophomore Seth Smith and senior Zach Brenneman -- could be in a position to soak up some of the available innings behind Gearhart. Also an outfielder, Brenneman will factor heavily into run production for an offense that must replace more than half of its starters.

Just four seniors who garnered significant playing time last season return in Richland coach Josh Day's first season at the helm. On the mound, junior LHP Cory Owens, sophomore RHP Joey Kovachick, and senior RHP Brady Rogalla should all log innings. An offense led by Waynesburg-bound infielder Cory Faight, Pittsburgh-Johnstown-bound infielder Jason Ozog, and outfielder Owens could get a mid-season boost from the return of senior C/OF Tim Rubal from injury.

Huntingdon Area coach George Zanic will be looking to replenish a depleted line-up. The Bearcats will be led by the junior tandem of RHP/1B/OF Jared Showalter and RHP/IF Nicholas Holesa.

Following the graduation of seven senior position player starters, three of whom doubled as often-used members of the pitching staff, Bald Eagle Area coach Jim Gardner will be staring at a very inexperienced line-up card this spring. Senior LHP Brian Egan is back after leading the staff in innings, while senior RHP Ty Walker will pick up a chunk of the vacated workload. Senior catcher Kyle Gill and junior shortstop Grant King are among a bevy of new faces who will join the two lone line-up holdovers: senior third baseman Hunter Eminhizer and senior utility Tanner Kresovich.

Virtually the entire roster remains intact for Cambria Heights this spring. The senior duo of LHP Gavin Campbell and RHP Brody Mezzelo will be joined by junior RHP Brandon Bearer in logging innings. Senior outfielder Michael Patrick will team with the junior trio of catcher Tyler Lamont, outfielder Ronnie Verdavior, and utility Jason Serafin in powering coach Adam Sowers' offense.

District X (2 bids)

Top Prospect: Connor Rakow, 2019, OF/RHP, Franklin Area

Coming off a district title, Fairview returns seven of nine position players (all seniors) who received regular playing time, but only one pitcher, senior LHP Ryan Cedzo (a strike-thrower with a good feel for his secondary stuff), who logged more than four innings last season. Also an outfielder, Cedzo will again spark coach Joe Spinelli's offense, along with his corner infielder classmates Anthony Cooper and Adam Hutchinson.

Big roster turnover at Franklin Area, which graduated six line-up regulars and more than two-thirds of its innings. While not big in numbers, there is talent in the returning line-up core that includes the toolsy Rakow, fleet-footed senior outfielder Nate Emerson (one of the fastest players in the state), and Mount Union-bound first baseman Trey Weaver. Rakow and Weaver will also see their mound time increase for coach Brian Schmidt, who will turn to 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior RHP Brendon Gordon to assume the role of ace.

Time to reload on the mound for 2016 2A district runner-up and state tournament qualifier Girard, which graduated four of the five pitchers who toed the rubber last season, leaving senior Corey Mason poised to ascend to the top of the rotation. Also an outfielder, Mason is the leading returning hitter for an offense that welcomes back five position player regulars.

For Greenville, senior Piercen Fenton is back atop the rotation after logging nearly half of the innings last year for a staff that does not have another returnee who posted double-digit innings. Also an outfielder, Fenton will help power a largely intact offense that also features junior first baseman Jamin Wentling and senior third baseman Nate Maietta. P/OF Connor Gilfoyle comes off a solid rookie season and highlights a group of a half dozen sophomores who could make an impact for coach John Cascio.

North East will be looking to replace its top two pitchers and the heart of its line-up from last year. The sophomore duo of C/IF Brock Conn and infielder Colin Watts started every game as freshmen and will now assume the top two spots in the pitching rotation after getting a smattering of innings on the mound. In his first season, coach Jordan Fargiorgio will also lean on senior 3B/C Ayden Orton for run production.

Northwestern will feature a junior-laden roster, with RHPs Tyler Pacansky and Caleb Graham joining senior RHP Austin Moyer in picking up the slack for the Wildcats' graduated ace. Coach Craig Miller will turn to the junior keystone combo of shortstop Aaron Hull and second baseman Tristan Oliveria, along with junior first baseman Cole Mundkowsky and senior outfielder Ethan Randall to anchor the line-up.

Mercyhurst Prep must replace more than half of its line-up and its top two pitchers this spring, and will be doing it with just a 12-player roster. In addition to graduated departures, one of the team's top two pitchers and top three hitters transferred out of state. Holding down the offensive fort will be the senior tandem of outfielder Steve Tome and infielder Nick Tyler. With more than three-quarters of last year's innings up for grabs, coach Randy Durkoske will turn to the junior RHP trio of Brian Webb, Kaleb Brunecz, and Colton Pointz to add to their workloads.

Season Preview Content