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2015 Team Preview: Maize

January 31, 2015

By Sean McCann
Prep Baseball Report Kansas

As we prepare for the upcoming 2015 high school season, we will be taking a preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.

Team: Maize
Nickname: Eagles
Class: 6A
League: AVCTL-I
Head Coach: Rocky Helm
Years as Head Coach at School: 16
2014 Overall Record: 18-7
2014 League Record: 10-2
2014 League Finish: 1st
2014 Post-Season Finish: Runner-up at 6A state tournament
2014 Final Top 25 Ranking: 4

Returning Starters: 2
Pitchers with 15+ Innings Returning: 1

TOP RETURNERS (College Commitment)
Connor Lungwitz, RHP, 2015 (Wichita State)
Corrigan Bartlett, OF, 2015
Jake Karst, C, 2016

X-FACTOR
Connor Lungwitz. Lungwitz, also a standout quarterback for the Eagles on the gridiron, solidified his commitment to play baseball at Wichita State by inking a National Letter-of-Intent this November. As one of the top professional prospects in the state, MLB scouts will keep a close eye on the projectable 6-foot-5, 205-pound right-hander this spring.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
The return of two players that missed the 2014 season due to injury should boost Maize’s hopes this spring in senior infielder Elijah West and senior right-hander Jared Luebbe.

KEY PLAYER LOST
Brady Hoover, 3B, 2014. Now a freshman at Hutchinson CC, Hoover provided Maize with a middle of the line-up threat last spring leading the Eagles in RBI on his way KABC 6A First-Team All-State honors.

KEY STAT
Last spring’s AVCTL-I title marked six years in a row Maize claimed the league title.

2015 OUTLOOK
On paper things might appear somewhat bleak for Maize this spring after losing seven everyday starters and the majority of innings pitched on the mound from their 6A state runner-up team. However, anyone that has followed Maize's program knows they tend to re-load rather than rebuild and 2015 should be no different. For starters, they have a legitimate number one pitcher in senior Connor Lungwitz. In addition, they return their top offensive player from last season, center fielder Corrigan Bartlett who hit .414 with 27 runs scored, 20 RBI and 10 stolen bases. Junior catcher Jake Karst, one of the top catching prospects in the 2016 class who started as a sophomore, also returns. Senior right-hander Justin Navrat is expected to emerge as a starter on the mound while Elijah West and Jared Luebbe return from injuries last spring with expectations to impact the program.

For Kansas high school baseball news and updates follow us on Twitter @pbrkansas

COACHES PRESEASON QUESTIONNAIRE

We appreciate all of the help provided by high school coaches across the state assisting with our preseason coverage. If you have not already done so you can fill out our coaches' preseason questionnaire online by clicking here.

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