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By Jacob Gill
Pennsylvania Assistant Director of Scouting

Today marks the fifth 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's grouping includes 2A schools from five districts on the eastern half of the state.

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.

Top Prospects

1. Colin Eiser, 2018 LHP/OF, Neumann-Goretti (Villanova)
2. Nate Rolka, 2019, RHP, Lackawanna Trail
3. Joseph Messina, 2019 RHP, Neumann-Goretti
4. Jake Pothering, 2019, RHP, Schuylkill Haven Area
5. Daniel Sabath, 2017, RHP, Christopher Dock Mennonite
6. Nick Ramanjulu, 2018, RHP, Devon Prep
7. Aiden Baur, 2018, 3B, Neumann-Goretti
8. Nolan Bolton, 2019, 3B, Christopher Dock Mennonite
9. Daniel Keer, 2017, 1B/RHP, Marian Catholic (Shepherd)
10. R.J. McGettigan, 2018, 1B/OF, Neumann-Goretti

District I (1 bid)

Devon Prep will be gunning for its fourth straight district title (two in the old 2A and one in the old 1A) and fifth straight state tournament appearance this spring. Having graduated last season's ace, the junior duo of RHP Nick Ramanjulu and LHP Jay Wilmer will look to fill the void. Despite the loss of its top offensive weapon, the line-up does not lack for experience, with sophomore shortstop Andrew Czachor, junior second baseman Tyler Wright, senior outfielder T.J. O'Reilly, junior catcher Luke Piontek, and Susquehanna-bound first baseman Jimmy Loftus back to provide run production for coach Mark Aquilante.

Christopher Dock Mennonite has captured two straight district crowns in the old 1A, and beat Devon Prep in an early regular-season contest last year with the strike-throwing Sabath and his quality fastball/slider combo on the mound. Junior RHP David Keller returns as an experienced Robin to Sabath's Batman atop the rotation, as the two logged 90% of the team's innings last spring (sounds impossible, but when most games end by mercy rule, that's what you get). The offense suffered some attrition with four of its top bats (and top four threats on the base paths) departed via graduation, but the physically developed Bolton and the senior infield duo of Justin Burkholder and Andrew Walters provide a strong starting point from which to reload.

Nary a senior will be found on the Bristol roster this spring, as a group of sophomores and juniors will look to carry the Warriors. Pitching staff graduated its two most experienced arms, leaving sophomore LHP Chris Paci and junior RHP Austin Funair to front the rotation. The four returning starters for coach Lou Persichetti's offense are junior first baseman Xavier Corbin, the infield duo of Jarret Wagner and sophomore George Delgado, and outfielder Paci.

District II (1 bid)

Northwest Area welcomes back the bulk of the pitching staff from its district championship team (in the old 2A), led by senior RHP Brian Hardiman, junior RHP Brandon Hardiman, and sophomore RHP David Piestrak. The offense did suffer some attrition, however, so coach Lou DiPasquale will lean on junior catcher Austin Ford, shortstop Piestrak and the Hardimans to generate runs.

Virtually the entire roster remains intact for Blue Ridge, which finished one win shy of a state tournament berth in the old 1A last spring. Senior RHP Jake Decker has been a linchpin in the rotation since his freshman year, while senior RHP Derek Stento has logged major innings for multiple years himself. Those two headline a quintet of seniors in the line-up that includes infielder Nick Folk, plus outfielders Logan Conrad and Eric Peters. The junior tandem of outfielder Victor Armondi and infielder Jeff Zawiski also return to a veteran offense.

The bulk of the roster returns for Old Forge, including all but two line-up regulars and four of five primary pitchers. Senior 1B/RHP Ben Grochowski and junior OF/LHP Brendan Mozeleski will impact multiple phases of the game, while junior RHP Mason Boettger and senior C/OF Shane Smith will also contribute heavily for coach Tony DiMattia.

Virtually the entire pitching staff returns for Lackawanna Trail, with junior RHP D.J. Klinges and 6-foot-3, 205-pound Rolka, who comes off a freshman season during which he struck out more than two batters per inning, back as the 1-2 punch atop the rotation. With his biggest bat gone to graduation, coach Todd Peters will lean on Rolka, senior outfielder Thomas Huffsmith, and senior infielder Tyler Baltrusaitis to buoy the offensive production.

Coming off its first playoff win in recent seasons, Elk Lake welcomes back virtually its entire roster. The senior trio of RHP Zack Groover, outfielder Blake Chew, and first baseman Brandon Traver, along with junior RHP/3B Caleb Ely and sophomore RHP Nate Pettyjohn will again play a big role in the team's success for coach Tony Rezykowski.

Nearly three-quarters of the mound work (including the 1-2 rotation punch) and two-thirds of the regular line-up graduated for Holy Cross. Junior Joe Degrazia and senior Timmy Murphy should see their roles grow after logging double-digit innings last spring, while senior infielder Cory Miller and senior C/OF Josh Mies are the leading returning offensive threats.

District IV (2 bids)

Bloomsburg Area welcomes back six position player starters and gets back two more major contributors who missed most of last season due to injury. The primary battery will be formed by the Wilkes-bound duo of LHP Zach Adamchick and catcher Nick Malatesta, who will also put the fingers down for the sophomore RHP tandem of Evan Long and Blaise Hock. Corner infielder Long and junior infielder Nick Anderson will also serve as primary run producers for coach Keith Thrush.

Time to reload the roster for Troy Area coach Stephen Mattocks, who graduated his top three pitchers and welcomes back just three line-up regulars. Junior RHP Clark Jackson is the lone holdover to have logged more than 1.2 innings on a staff that will also feature junior RHP Mason Bellows and sophomore RHP Hunter Kendall. The infield duo of Jackson and his fellow junior Nate Martin will anchor the line-up, along with senior 1B/DH Kody Schucker and transfer senior catcher Matt LaBadie, a Mercyhurst North East commit.

Another NTL school with holes to fill is Wellsboro Area, which graduated five position player starters and its staff ace. Junior RHP Johnny Rowland is the presumptive staff ace ready to move up one spot in the rotation. Also an outfielder, Rowland joins junior infielder Dalton Prough as the primary returning run producers.

Coming off a season in which the team had just one senior on a roster that was 70% underclassmen, first-year South Williamsport Area coach Smokey Stover should have a cohesive group to mold in his image. Major contributors could include senior infielders Aaron Orgitano and Luke Plankenhorn, senior RHP Tyler Askley, and sophomore RHP Tripp Breen.

Line Mountain graduated its top two offensive weapons, but returns six others who logged regular playing time last spring, led by senior infielder Justin Kaleta, junior outfielder Tyler Bonner, and senior first baseman Travis Fultz. Kaleta logged more innings on the mound last year than all other returning members of the staff combined, so coach Kevin Mace will turn to Fultz and senior Kai Smith to assume an increased workload.

Muncy coach Joe Dunn might need to pass out name tags at practice this spring, after 87% of the staff's innings pitched and seven starting position players from last season departed via graduation. The left side of the infield duo of junior shortstop Nathan Paisley and sophomore third baseman Coleman Good are the lone returning line-up regulars. The junior tandem of second baseman Swayze Alpaugh and first baseman Chad McElwee could join them on the infield, while freshmen Christian Good and Tanner Gold could make an immediate impact. Coleman Good is the lone pitching staff holdover to have logged more than two-thirds of an inning last year, putting senior RHP Jeffrey Fry and junior LHP Cody Alpaugh in position to earn large workloads.

District XI (1 bid)

As Schuylkill Haven Area looks to get back to the state tournament for the third time in four seasons, the Hurricanes will likely turn to the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Pothering and junior LHP Brandon Schaffer as the 1-2 punch atop the rotation. Freshman outfielder Kobe Brish (who averaged eight yards-per-carry and scored 12 touchdowns as a freshman on the varsity football team) looks to join a line-up that features senior infielder Cole Handling, sophomore catcher Austin Clauser, and junior infielder Dawson Evitts as primary run producers.

Minersville Area must find a way to replace five position player starters, two of whom also logged nearly 70% of the team's innings last spring. Senior RHP/IF Steele Fekette is the lone pitching staff holdover to have logged more than 6.1 innings, while he also drew 21 walks in 21 games last spring. The senior tandem of outfielder Nolan Hoffman and catcher Conner Andruchek are the leading returning hitters for the Battlin' Miners.

Defending district champ and state quarterfinalist Marian Catholic is staring down the gun barrel with just one returning line-up regular and only two pitchers who logged innings last spring (totaling just 15% of the teams' 2016 mound work). 6-foot-3, 220-pound Keer and senior RHP Jarod Paisley are the lone returners with more than a trace of varsity experience. Looking to fill the offensive void for coach Tony Radocha will be Paisley and his fellow senior Anthony Collevechio, along with junior C/3B Max Nolter.

Panther Valley faces a bit of a rebuilding campaign, needing to replace four of the six pitchers who logged double digit innings last spring, as well as five of its most productive hitters. Senior RHP Anthony Micholik and junior RHP Jon Hafer will step up one rung on the staff depth chart. Also an OF/SS, Micholik will power coach Rich Evanko's offense, along with junior 1B/OF Tristan Black and sophomore C/OF Mason Goida.

District XII (1 bid)

As they are seemingly every year, defending state champ Neumann-Goretti is one of the biggest favorites in any classification of any district to earn a state tournament berth. Lots of innings to replace, but the athletic 6-foot-2 Eiser, long and lanky Messina, and junior LHP Joe LaFiora are more than capable. A junior-heavy line-up for first-year coach and Saints alum Mike Zolk will be led by the the left-handed bats of the speedy Eiser, McGettigan, and Baur, along with the steady defense and right-handed stick of Chestnut Hill-bound infielder Jared Healey.

Coming off a state quarterfinal appearance, MaST Community Charter, which fell to Neumann-Goretti in last year's district title game, welcomes back virtually its entire roster. Senior RHPs Kyle Wenclawiak and Greg Wenclawiak are back as coach Mark Roth's dynamic duo atop the rotation. Senior SS/RHP Matt Carter doubles as the bullpen ace and leading offensive performer for a line-up that returns seven of nine regulars, including the Wenclawiaks and junior catcher Jack Lawson.

Season Preview Content