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By John Nolan
Assistant Director of Scouting/Content Management 

As we enter February, the high school season is quickly approaching. As the month progresses and February turns into March, we will take a look at high school programs throughout our coverage area as they prepare for the 2016 season.
 

Team: Annandale
Nickname: Atoms
Class: 6A North
Conference: Patriot Conference 7
Coach: Dan Porter
Twitter: @Atoms_Baseball
2015 Record: 14-7
2015 Post Season: Tied for First in Regular Season, Conference Tournament
Returning Starters/Position: 7
Returning Pitchers: 4

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aaron Boyd (OF, 2016) Boyd is a projectable athlete with sub-7 speed. He uses the whole field as a hitter with gap power potential and a decent arm in the outfield.
Nathan Corcoran (OF, 2016)
Colin Corey (SS/RHP, 2016)
Mason Farman (C, 2016) Farman is a decent thrower from behind the plate who has a line drive stroke and uses the whole field well.
Tim Johnson (RHP/OF, 2016, St. Joseph’s)
Tucker Mack (OF/RHP, 2016)
Grant Thompson (MIF, 2016)

 

SEASON OUTLOOK
Annandale is coming off of one its best seasons in recent memory in 2015 in which the Atoms finished the regular season tied with Lake Braddock for first place in the Patriot Conference. Unfortunately, Annandale was upset in the first round of the Conference Tournament by T.C. Williams and missed the 6A North Regional. The 2016 Atoms will have a younger team, having graduated the 2014 Conference Pitcher of the Year and 2015 Conference Player of the Year. The Atoms will still be talented this spring and will be very strong defensively and have speed up and down their lineup. Farman anchors the defense from behind home plate and the Atoms will convert a lot of balls into outs with their speed and athleticism. The pitching staff is short on experience after Johnson, but has enough talent to get the job done. If the 2016 Atoms can replicate their stellar 2015 offense and some of their inexperienced arms rise to the challenge, then Annandale will again be one of the better teams in Conference 7 and will be in position to go to the 6A North Regional this spring.