By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

The 2017 season is rapidly approaching. As we get closer to season, I begin my preview of each team and stories that will affect the overall results of the high school season, and who will ultimately end their season in Baum Stadium on the campus of the University of Arkansas. We will finish our coverage of the 7A West with preseason all-conference players and the conference player of the year.

Preseason Conference Predictions

1. Fayetteville
2. Har-Ber
3. Bentonville
4. Springdale
5. Heritage
6. Rogers
7. Van Buren
8. Bentonville West 

The Fayetteville Purple Dogs are my preseason pick to win the 7A West. The experienced gained in 2016 will pay huge dividends in 2017. They developed depth on the mound with enough high end talent to win the No.1 vs No.1 game. 2018 RHP Miller Plieman, looks to be making strides to be one of the more dominant arms in the league. They follow Plieman with 6 players that have shown the ability to command the strike zone with a mid-80s fastball or better. Offensively they will do enough to win, behind pitching and a sound defense. If they falter Har-Ber and Bentonville will be in the mix. The final few spots may be more interesting than the top spots in the race. Van Buren is a wild card with Dalton Reeves giving them a shot night in and night out. You could say the same for Heritage (Logan Easley) Rogers (Mckaden Templeton). It will come down to who can find consistent performers around their frontline players or who can stay healthy. It should be a fun race to watch with a large number of underclassmen competing throughout the league.

Player of the Year: 2017 Andrew Roach RHP/MIF Sprindgale High School

2017 RHP/MIF Andrew Roach was the conference player of the year as junior, I do not see a falloff in his performance as a senior. He is as crafty as they come on the mound throwing from multiple arm slots and commanding the strike zone with three pitches. Besides being a dominant on the mound expect him to lead their offensive unit from the top of the order. There is a buzz around the Springdale program and Roach is a big reason why.

Pitcher of the Year: 2018 Miller Plieman

Plieman will be the key for the Purple Dogs if they are to win the league. They have a very talented pitching staff, but they need a guy to stabilize the rotation and give them a shot night in and out against the frontline starters in this league. Plieman has the ability to do just that. His fastball works 85-88 with slight sink and he commands a solid breaking ball and changeup for strikes. He is starting to be a hot commodity on the recruiting scene and he will be one of if not the most feared pitcher in the 7A West.

7A West Preseason All-Conference Team

P: Andrew Roach Springdale-RHP-2017
P: Miller Plieman Fayetteville-RHP-2018
P: Jacob Williams Bentonville-RHP-2017
P: Mckaden Templeton Rogers-RHP-2019
P: Dalton Reeves-Van Buren-LHP-2017
C: Caleb Grace Har-Ber-2017
1B: Tyler Johnson- Bentonville-2018
2B: Logan Easley- Heritage-2017
3B: Nathan Lyons- Bentonville-2018
SS: Hayes Cox Fayetteville-2017
OF: Caleb Kimbel Har-Ber-2017
OF: Greyson Lee Rogers-2017
OF: Dylan Qualls Heritage -2018
UTL: Blake Adams: Har-Ber-2019
DH: Ben Roach Springdale-2019

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