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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: Jefferson Forest
Nickname: Cavaliers
Class: 4A West
Conference: 23 and Seminole District
Coach: Ryan Gilleland
Twitter: @jfcavsbaseball
2015 Record: 19-9
2015 Post Season: Conference 24 Champions, State Runners-up
Returning Starters/Position: 7
Returning Pitchers: 3

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sean Burch (OF, 2016) Burch is an extremely fast top of the lineup presence who also covers a lot of ground in the outfield with his speed. He is currently ranked 102^nd in the Class of 2016 Rankings.
Indiana Hall (RHP/IF, 2016, Concord) Hall was First Team All-State last year and contributes as a two way player. Hall’s fastball sat in the mid-80s at the State Tournament and he paired it with a good breaking ball. At the plate, Hall is middle of the order presence with pull home run power. He is currently ranked 37^th in the Class of 2016 Rankings. 
Morgan Marshall (OF, 2017)
Zach Peek (RHP, 2016) Peek returns to the Cavalier rotation after missing 2015 with an injury.
Camdyn Smith (C/RHP, 2016) Smith is a solid defender behind the plate with a good arm and quick release. At the plate he barrels balls consistently and has a gap-to-gap approach.
Cody Whitten (LHP/1B, 2017)

 

SEASON OUTLOOK
Jefferson Forest is coming off of an outstanding 2015 season that saw the Cavaliers win the Conference 24 Championship and advance to the 4A State Championship game before losing to Glen Allen. The Cavaliers lost a few key players to graduation in Zach Duff (C/RHP, Radford) and Christian Bourne (RHP, James Madison). Both contributed on the mound and Duff anchored the middle of the Cavalier lineup in 2015. The 2016 Cavaliers will be talented again on the mound with Hall and Whitten and the return to the rotation of Zach Peek. The outfield will be very good, returning all three starters in Burch, Marshall, and Chris Crouch. That group covers a lot of group, helping the pitching staff out. Losing Duff behind the plate would normally have a significant impact, but Smith caught last year when Duff pitched and should easily handle the full-time catching duties. Jefferson Forest had a good run last year and will again have a very talented team in 2016. The Cavaliers will face a tough road back to the State Tournament as Conference 23 and the 4A West are loaded this spring, but look for Jefferson Forest to have the talent to go deep in the Regional Tournament and return to Liberty.