The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2020 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, leading into a countdown through the official PBR Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2020 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Cary-Grove
Preseason Rank: On The Bubble
2019 Record: 23-14
Conference: Fox Valley
IHSA Class: 4A
Head Coach: Ryan Passaglia
Playoff Run: Sectional Finals appearance
2019 Final Rank: On The Bubble
Returning Starters: 5
Returning Pitchers: 5

OUTLOOK

Cary-Grove is historically in the mix for the Fox Valley Conference title. This year’s team is capable of doing just that yet again, but they’ll be without arguably the best player to ever wear their uniform: 2019 first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, RHP Quinn Priester. 

The void left by Priester will obviously be hard to fill, but the Trojans are bringing back several key arms to this year’s staff. Two 2019 All-Conference selections in RHP Jack Wenninger (2020; Murray State commit) and LHP/1B Ryan Weaver (2021; uncommitted) will headline the top of this rotation. Wenninger is a hard-throwing 6-foot-3 righty that logged 50+ innings of work last season and could possibly eclipse that mark again in 2020. Then there’s Weaver, a polished, control-oriented southpaw with an advanced changeup that’s a top-50 prospect in the Illinois’ 2021 class. He’ll play a major role on offense as an integral piece to the heart of the Trojan’s offense, too, after being one of their top contributors in 2019. 

Offensively, the Trojans are led by a handful of upperclassmen. Catcher Drew Stengren (2020; Central Michigan) and OF Dymitri Kanellakis (2020; uncommitted) are both experienced varsity athletes that will slot right into the heart of Coach Passaglia’s order. Stengren is a sound receiver with an accurate arm and controls the barrel at the plate. Kanellakis paced the Trojans offense last season and hit above .300 on the year with more than 10 extra-base hits. Both of them are essential pieces to the life of this team’s offense. 

There’s other interesting parts to this puzzle, too. LHP/OF Ethan Estes (2020; Marian) posted an ERA below 2.00 in 25+ innings of work last season and will get ample time on both sides of the ball this spring. Jack Thompson (2020; uncommitted) led this team in runs scored last season and is ready to provide a spark at the top of their lineup yet again. Bobby Jannusch (2021; uncommitted) is a physical bat in the middle of Cary Grove’s order. Nick Chapman (2021; uncommitted) saw some time on the bump last season and will be given the opportunity to build off that. 

The Trojans, like most teams in the Fox Valley, are built around their pitching and defense. They have some talented players that are capable of stringing together impressive seasons, and if that happens, the Fox Valley title is very much in play for this team. 

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT

Ryan Weaver (2/9/20)

Make sure to follow @PBRIllinois on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2020 season.

Find more information on the 2020 Trojans below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Twitter

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