Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 25 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage. Prior to that, we will break down some other teams across the state and what to watch for.

Team: Sickles
 

2019 Record: 9-15*
FHSAA Class: 7A
Head Coach: Eric Luksis
Playoff Run: N/A
Returning Starters: 15

OUTLOOK

Bunch of returners that have played together for many years dating back to little league. They have 10 seniors, most of which have been on varsity since their freshman/Sophomore year when Coach Luksis took the program over. Sickles is a team that is hungry and driven. District conference is going to be extremely competitive but they’re up for the challenge. A team as a whole with a lot of varsity playing experience that has succeeded and failed together. Of the 10 seniors, 6 are committed to play college baseball and others will soon be committing. This is a team that works extremely hard in the classroom, weight room and on the field. 

Team: Bishop Snyder

2019 Record: 17-9
FHSAA Class: 3A
Head Coach: Zach Osbeck
Playoff Run: N/A
Returning Starters: 15

OUTLOOK

2020 Cardinals will look to build upon the momentum from 2019 when they finished 1st in a difficult district. Cardinals will return all starting position players with Danny Neri and Nick Wrubluski at the heart of the order. JD Garner (SR-RHP) will once again lead the staff who posted a school record 1.79 ERA last year. No longer will Snyder be able to sneak up on teams, as teams will throw their best arms at the Cardinals. If they can continue the improvement and momentum from the 2019 season, Snyder will once again be competing for a district title. 

Team: East River

2019 Record: 12-13
FHSAA Class: 6A
Head Coach: Jerry Kennedy
Playoff Run: N/A
Returning Starters: 10

OUTLOOK

The East River Falcons enter the 2020 season under the direction of Head Coach Jerry Kennedy. The Falcons return a bulk of their lineup including Seniors Tyler Hipple (CF/RHP), Jackson Bazemore (1B), JM Hau (2B) and sophomore Alex Vazquez (SS) from last year’s club and are looking to continue building on the foundation that Coach Kennedy has instilled. On the mound the Falcons will look to several lefthanded arms to pitch meaningful innings including Connor Murphy (Junior), Mondo Perez (Junior), Ryan Rapp (Junior), and Hunter Key (Freshman). Key is a talented two-way player who will be relied on heavily by the Falcons during the 2020 campaign. The bullpen will be anchored by starting CF Tyler Hipple and C Ozzie Mora. The key to Falcons success will be pounding the zone early in counts and challenging hitters. Offensively the Falcons will be paced at the top of the lineup by Sophomore MIF Alex Vazquez and Senior CF Tyler Hipple. Vazquez and Hipple both have game changing speed and the ability to disrupt an opponent on the basepaths. Behind Hipple in the Falcons lineup will be run producers C Ozzie Mora (Junior), OF/LHP Hunter Key (Freshman) and 2B JM Hau. Hau returns as a proven commodity after hitting near .400 the past two seasons. Mora and Key are both talented but untested. The Falcons will also look for contributions from 3B/RHP Tanner Boyd, OF CJ Picone, OF Noah Moritz and 1B Jackson Bazemore.

Team: Rockledge

2019 Record: 24-5
FHSAA Class: 4A
Head Coach: Greg Clayborne
Playoff Run: Lost in Region Semifinals
Returning Starters: 9

 

Outlook

The 2020 Rockledge Raiders will be a blend of youth and experience as their two biggest classes will be junior and freshman classes. These two classes will likely make up about 70% of the players in the program. Rockledge will have front line pitching and a solid defense behind it which should give them a chance to compete in any game. Rockledge will look for a young and thus far inexperienced line-up to come around at the plate as the year progresses.

 

 

RELATED CONTENT