Prep Baseball Report

Preseason Team Countdown: No. 19 Homewood-Flossmoor



By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director 

Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 50 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:

Team: Homewood-Flossmoor
Preseason Rank:  19
2014 Record: 26-6
Conference: Southwest Suburban Conference- Blue
IHSA Class: 4A 
Head Coach: Todd Sippel
Playoff Run:
Lost in Regionals to Lincoln-Way East 7-3
2014 Final Rank:
NR
Returning Starters:
7
Returning Pitchers:

TOP PLAYERS
Name, Position, Class (College Commitment)
Jeremy Orbik, RHP, 2015 (Kentucky)

Jesse Forestell, C, 2015 (Western Michigan)
Malcolm Grady, RHP, 2015 (Wabash Valley)
Michael Shereyk, LHP, 2015 (SIU-Edwardsville)
Bryce Gray, 1B/C, 2016
Parker Coleman, OF, 2015
Zachary Taylor, OF, 2015 (Southwest Tennessee)
Percy Walters, 3B, 2016

X-FACTOR
RHP’s Jeremy Orbik and Maclolm Grady give the Vikings two of the top starting pitchers in the Chicagoland area. Both are garnering interest from professional scouts, and impressed at the Super 60 Pro Showcase. Orbik has a deep four-pitch repertoire, highlighted by a tailing 87-89 mph fastball and a sharp 80-82 mph slider. Grady sat 89-91 mph at the Super 60, and is extremely projectable at 6-foot-4 with long limbs. He also starred on the hardwood this winter for the Vikings basketball team.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH
3B Percy Walters recently impressed as the top corner infield prospect at the Romeoville Preseason I.D. Showcase. Walters showed arm strength across the diamond (85 mph) and bat speed (85 mph exit velocity). He should be one of two juniors to earn playing time on an experienced squad with seven position players returning.

Look for freshman 3B/OF Zaid Walker in the next few years. He may not see varsity action in 2015, but if he does, expect him to showcase elite bat speed for his age (84 mph exit velocity) and arm strength across the diamond (82 mph) with quality infield actions.

OUTLOOK
The Vikings are deep in pitching at the top of the rotation with Orbik, Grady, and Shereyk, but the lineup returns middle of the order power bats Jesse Forestell and Bryce Gray. Lockport should be favorite in conference after capturing the title in 2014, but the SWSC-Blue is always a dogfight with Carl Sandburg and Joliet West also returning solid ballclubs.

BOTTOM LINE
Expect Head Coach Todd Sippel’s squad to compete for the SWSC title, and with two ace arms on staff the Vikings could beat anyone come playoff time. Don’t be surprised if they make a playoff push for Joliet.

Preseason Countdown

+ Top 50 Preseason Countdown Rankings

+ 2015 Schedules Released

+ Updated Illinois 2016 Rankings

+ Updated Illinois 2015 Rankings

+ June Event Schedule

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