Prep Baseball Report

Preseason Countdown: No. 44 Paonia



By John Cackowski
State 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. The Top 50 teams are picked from all classifications, and are not divided up by class level. To see the entire list click here

Team: Paonia
Preseason Rank: 44
2016 Record: 22-2
Conference: 2A District 2
CHSAA Class: 2A
Head Coach: Nate Miller
Playoff Run: Lost to Limon 4-2 in 2A Final Four
2016 Final Rank:
19
Returning Starters: 9
Returning Pitchers: 5

TOP PLAYERS:
Kayden Seriana, RHP/1B, No. 32 2018 (Grand Canyon Commit)
Trevor Smith, INF/RHP, 2017
Jaden Miller, C, 2018
Dagan Rienks, 1B, 2017
Slater Podgorny, MIF, 2018

Anders Schopp, UTIl, 2018
Alex Lozano, OF, 2018
Garrett Beck, OF, 2017

X-FACTOR:
Experience is the key for the Eagles. With the talent they are returning, and the playoff experience they have gotten the last two years that should help them at least reach the 2A Final Four again this spring.

STAT RAT:
Kayden Seriani led the entire state in all classifications with 13 home runs, and 49 runs scored. He was 2nd in RBI's with 47.

BOTTOM LINE:
The Eagles were 3 outs away of moving on to the 2A state championship but gave up 3 runs in the 7th inning against Limon and lost 4-2. The good news is the Eagles bring back every starter this spring to make another run at the title. Junior Kayden Seriani returns and looks to pad his already impressive resume. Last spring Seriani led the entire state in all classifications with 13 home runs, and 49 runs scored. He was 2nd in RBI's with 47. He also hit .537. Seriani was also the No. 1 option on the mound for the Eagles carrying a 0.64 ERA striking out 82 batters in 54 innings. Senior Trevor Smith hit an impressive .617 as a junior last year. He was the All-Classification state leader in RBI's beating out his teamate with 49. Smith also pitched 38 innings last year and carried a 1.64 ERA.  Junior catcher Jaden Miller returns coming off a sophomore season in which he hit .554 leading the teams with 21 doubles. Miller also hit 7 homeruns, and drove in 34. Miller should be the No. 3 option on the hill after pitching 23 innings last year carrying a 2.64 ERA and striking out 36. Senior Dagan Rienks hit over .350 last year, and Juniors Slater Podgorny, Anders Schopp and Alex Lozano also return coming of a sophomore year in which they all hit over .350 last year as well Lozano hitting .511. The Eagles not only will be favorites to win the 2A title this year, but should be favorites to repeat in 2018.