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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: Millbrook
Nickname: Pioneers
Class: 4A West
Conference: 21A and the Northwestern District
Coach: Brian Burke
2015 Record: 19-3
2015 Post Season: Conference Tournament
Returning Starters/Position: 5
Returning Pitchers: 3

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Alex Amos (SS/RHP, 2016, Pittsburgh) Amos led the Pioneers with a .453 average in 2015 and also stole 18 bases. He is an athletic infielder with a good arm who has some power and the ability to hop up on the mound and contribute. Amos is ranked 18^th in the PBR VA/DC Class of 2016. 
Trey Braithwaite (RHP, 2016, Naval Academy) Braithwaite went 6-0 in 2015 with a 1.00 ERA and 50 striekouts in 42 innings of work. He works in the low-80s and has a very good curveball.
Trenton Burgreen (MIF, 2016) Burgreen is a line drive hitter with some speed and soft hands in the field.
Conor Hartigan (OF, 2017, Coastal Carolina) Hartigan has the potential to be a true five tool player and hit .375 in 2015, lead the Pioneers with 7 triples and 2 HR. He is currently ranked 10^th in the PBR VA/DC Class of 2017 Rankings.
Ryan Kennedy (LHP/1B, 2017, Kennesaw State) Kennedy is a transfer from North Stafford and has a lot of upside on the mound. He has good feel for his three pitch mix and knows how to pitch. He is currently ranked 29^th in the Class of 2017.
Anthony Simonelli (RHP, 2017, Coastal Carolina) Simonelli missed 2015 with an injury. He was 10-0 as a freshman with 1.57 ERA and possesses elite stuff with a high 80s fastball and good secondary offerings. Simonelli is currently ranked 4^th in the Class of 2017.

 

SEASON OUTLOOK
The Pioneers had an outstanding regular season in 2015 and finished the season ranked in the PBR VA/DC Power 25. The Pioneers were upset by rival Sherando in the Conference tournament and missed the 4A North Regional. The 2016 Pioneers are stacked on the mound with Amos, Braithwaite, Simonelli, Kennedy, and Austin Murphy and will be able to run a very good arm out to the mound in every game. The lineup will have to replace a couple of key pieces that were lost to graduation in Ryan Hartigan (OF, Virginia) and Bruce Keenan (MIF, Bucknell). Despite those losses, the lineup should be in good shape with Amos at the top of it and Burgreen and Hartigan in the heart of it. The Pioneers will have good speed up and down the lineup and will be dangerous on the bases. If Millbrook can consistently produce enough runs to win with their potentially dominant pitching staff, the Pioneers will be one of the best teams in Virginia this year and will return to the 4A West Regional and be one of the favorites to survive that tournament and advance again to the State Tournament at Liberty, where they were successful in reaching the 4A State Championship in 2014 before losing to Hanover.