Colorado Top 50 Countdown: No. 12 Heritage Eagles
March 12, 2018
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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.
Like any preseason ranking for any sport, last year our list created a lot of fun conversations, debate, and opinions among players, coaches, and families. To see what we got right, and what we got wrong in 2017 Click Here
What makes our list unique is it combines all classifications (1A through 5A), and 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.
Factors that are considered when creating the Top 50 List are the following:
- How many current players are returning that are in PBR Colorado rankings
- How many overall players committed or non-committed are returning
- How many starting pitchers are returning
- Success the previous season
- History of success in the program
* We expect the teams in the Top 50 Countdown will compete for at least a district playoff spot in 2018
Team No. 12: Heritage Eagles
2018 Preseason Rank: 12
2017 Preseason Rank: 7
2017 Record: 13-8
Conference: Continental
CHSAA Class: 5A
Head Coach: Tyler Munroe
2017 Playoff Run: Lost to Rock Canyon in District Play
2017 Final Rank: 13
Returning Offensive Starters: 8
Returning Pitchers: 3
Returning Innings on Mound: 66
RBI's returning: 87
STAT RAT: 170 strikeouts on the 2017 season. How do you duplicate these numbers with the 2018 staff?
X-FACTORS: The Eagles will need to find a way to fill the holes left by a talented crop of seniors in 2017.
BOTTOM LINE: For Heritage, the first key factor seems to be very similar to several teams this year, responding to a coaching change. Munroe takes over a talented team that will challenge in the Continental League. Heritage can run out quality pitching in every game and the offensive production will fall on the shoulders of Gunnar Kozlowitz for 2018. If this team comes together and plays to their ability, we expect them to make noise come tournament time.
Players to Watch
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Riley Egloff RHP / C / Heritage, CO / 2018Rankings StateRank: 5 / POS: 2
6-foot-4, 205 pounds. Has modified stretch windup. High hips, still growing. Looks like he's going to hit a growth spurt. Arm slot is short on back side then comes from deceptive 3/4 angle. Quick arm. Lower half works well, lands slightly closed.. Fastball sits 86-87 mph touching 88. Off speed pitches are same arm speed as fastball. Curveball has late break with 11/5 shape. Change has good sink, and comes at a tough 78-80 mph velocity. A lot more coming with him when he grows. Solid prospect.
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Jimmy Hebenstreit LHP / OF / Heritage High School, CO / 2020Rankings StateRank: 23 / POS: 1
A 6-foot-2, 170-pound left hand hitting LHP/OF. At the plate he hits from a balanced stance with a slow load on the pitch. Good lower leg drive on the swing. Hands come through the zone on an uphill path. Exit velocity was 84 MPH. On the mound he stands tall and gets balanced. Strong lower leg drive to the plate and stays in-line on his delivery. Arm speed stays consistent on all three pitches. Delivery is from a high ¾ arm slot. Fastball was 82 MPH with command down in the zone. He added a 62 MPH Curve with sharp break and finished with a 74 MPH Change with late down movement.
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Justin Sperry RHP / OF / Heritage, CO / 2018Rankings StateRank: 71 / POS: 23
A 6-foot-1, 180-pound RHP/OF. On the mound he stands tall and gets balanced. Strong lower leg drive to the plate and stays in-line on his delivery. Arm speed stays consistent on all three pitches. Delivery is from an over the top arm slot. Fastball was 82 MPH with command down in the zone. He added a 62 MPH Curve with 11/5 break and finished with a 70 MPH Change with late down movement.
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Ryan Hutchinson C / OF / Heritage, CO / 2018Rankings StateRank: 62 / POS: 9
5-foot-11, 185 pounds. Bats and throws right. At the plate has a wide stance, load is short back, short stride. Line drive hitter gap to gap. Good extension through ball, sometimes a bottom hand finish. Had a very good live round barreling everything. Bat speed plays better then 81 mph exit velo off tee. Very solid behind the plate with pop times of 1.97, and effortless release. Good fundamentals framing and blocking. Ran a 4.29 home to first. Underrated player in our state.
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Eric McKnight RHP / 1B / Heritage, CO / 2019Rankings StateRank: 9 / POS: 4
A 6-foot-2, 180-pound right hand hitting RHP/OF. At the plate he hits from a balanced stance with a slow load on the pitch. Good lower leg drive on the swing. Hands come through the zone and create good whip. Exit velocity was 88 MPH. On the mound he stands tall and gets balanced. Strong lower leg drive to the plate and stays in-line on his delivery. Arm speed stays consistent on all three pitches. Delivery is from a high ¾ arm slot. Fastball was 89 MPH with command down in the zone. He added a 71 MPH Curve with sharp 11/5 break and finished with a 77 MPH Change with late down movement.
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Gunnar Kozlowitz 1B / 3B / Heritage, CO / 2019Rankings StateRank: 31 / POS: 2
A 6-foot-1, 200-pound left hand hitting 1B/3B. At the plate he stands slightly open with a long stride to come square. Lower half is solid and drives through the zone creating good pull side power. Swing is quick with great extension out front. Exit velocity was 92 MPH.
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Lucas Quezada RHP / 1B / Heritage High School, CO / 20206-foot, 170 pounds. Bats left, throws right. Closer to 5-foot-10, but everything is super effortless, and he repeats it in an advanced manner given his age. Arm is quick, and he painted his fastball from side to side down in the zone. Fastball was 82-83 and it looked like he was just flipping it in. Stays linear. Threw a straight changeup with fastball arm speed for strikes and a slurve that took solid shape, but is still developing. Change was 74-75 mph. Curveball comes in at 70-72 with 10/4 shape. Solid prospect.
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