2017 Spring Team Preview: Rittman Indians
February 6, 2017
By Dylan Hefflinger and PBR Staff
Editor in Chief/NW Scout
With the 2017 spring season right around the corner, PBR Ohio is eagerly anticipating bringing the Buckeye state the best high school coverage throughout the entire state.
Starting in Mid-January, we began releasing team previews for teams across the state, leading into the Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings.
To view the full list of 2017 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.
If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2017 Team Preview, click here.
Interested in attending a PBR Ohio event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.
2017 Spring Team Preview: Rittman Indians
Team Name: Rittman Indians
Head Coach: Joe Staley
Division: III
2015 Record: 18-10
Conference Record: Wayne County Athletic League
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5/3
2017 Team Strengths:
- Starting pitching
- Key contributors returning
- Leadership
- Willingness to get better
2017 Team Weaknesses:
- Pitching Depth- We have two very good at the top but many new faces after that will be counted on.
- Offense- We have some good guys back at the top, but we will be filling in 4 new starters.
- Defense killed us last year. We were 18-10 but had we fielded the ball and made plays consistently last season we would have been 4-6 wins better.
Coach Outlook: "We return two very good pitchers, but we are also replacing 4 starters and will be filling those spots with some untested players. We have the pitching to carry us, it will just be a matter of scoring some runs to back up our pitching."
PBR Outlook: Rittman and head coach Joe Staley have the talent to compete with the best in Division III. Will 2017 be the year the Indians put it all together?
Top Returning Players:
- Manny Garza, P/INF, Sr., 6'0, 185, L/R, 4-year starter, Manny has been a 2-time All-Ohioan getting 2nd team as a sophomore and 1st team as a Junior. He had an ERA of 0.65 giving up only 5 ER in 53 2/3 innings of work last season. He also had 70 K's. In his 8 Starts last year he went the distance in 7 of them while throwing 3 one hitters, and 2 two hitters. When he isn't pitching, he plays SS for us where he is our 3-hole hitter. He has hit .400 or above all three years and has led the team in most offensive categories.
- Kaleb Bauman, P/INF,Jr., 6'3 180, R/R 3-year starter Has been 1st team All-League since he was a freshman along with All-District. Kaleb was 4-0 last year with a 1.28 ERA he also had 4 saves in 38 innings to go with 48 K's to only 10 BB. He has hit .398 and 3.89 while having over 60 RBIs as a freshman and sophomore. Led team in XBH.
- Todd Ramsier, INF, Sr. 6'2 180, R/R 2-year starter. Very athletic, good defensively, will be asked to do more offensively this year.
- Jacob Carr, C/P/INF, Jr. 6'2 215, R/R, 2-year starter, power arm with a great throw out rate from behind the plate of would be basestealers. Has a lot of pop in his bat.
- Jackson Yontz, OF, Sr. 6'0, 170, R/R, 2-year starter, athletic OF with good range and speed. Will be counted on more offensively this season.
- Ethan Labouf, P/OF, Sr. 5'10, 175, R/R, 2-year starter hit .500 in limited plate appearances while going 3-0 on the mound with 1 save and 1.02 ERA.
Top Underclassmen:
- Kaleb Bauman, P/INF,Jr., 6'3, 180, R/R
- Jacob Carr, C/P/INF, Jr. 6'2, 215, R/R
- Max Brainard, OF/P Jr. 5'11, 140, R/R, coming off an injury plagued 2016
- Tyler Davis, INF, 5'8, 160, R/R, 2019
- Evan Ringer, P/INF/OF, 6'2, 160, R/R, 2019
- Garrett Yarman, INF/OF, 5'8, 155, R/R, 2019
- Tony Ramsier, C/INF/P, 5'9, 150, R/R, 2019
- Mason Wilson, P/INF, 5'8, 145, R/R, 2019
- Chad Whims, INF, 5'10, 180, R/R, 2019
A Look Back At 2016 Preseason Articles:
To view the 2016 Team Previews, click here.
To view the 2016 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.
A Look Back At 2015 Preseason Articles:
To view the 2015 Team Previews, click here.
To view the 2015 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.
