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On the Bubble: Grayslake Central

March 9, 2020
By Diego Solares
Illinois Staff

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: Grayslake Central
Preseason Rank: On The Bubble
2019 Record: 28-10
Conference: Northern Lake County
IHSA Class: 3A
Head Coach: Troy Whalen
Playoff Run: Super-sectionals appearance
2019 Final Rank: On The Bubble
Returning Starters: 3
Returning Pitchers: 1

OUTLOOK

The Rams came one win away from reaching state last season before losing to the eventual 3A champion Montini. They are missing several key pieces from last year’s 28-win team but have an interesting collection of young, yet somewhat inexperienced talent.  

Grayslake Central should be strong up the middle. Senior backstop Daniel Rogers (2020; uncommitted) might be the team’s top overall contributor. He hit .350 last season with 24 RBIs and six doubles, all while playing solid defense at one of the diamond’s most important positions. SS Marcus Maristela (2020; McHenry CC) is a four-year varsity starter and is the spark at the top of this lineup that the Rams rely on. Then there’s junior 2B/RHP Nate Mieszkowski (2021; uncommitted), who hit .350 last year and is ready to repeat as potentially this team’s top bat. He’ll get some time on the mound as well, making him a valuable all-around player for the Rams.  

Some other contributors should be CF Nathan Casper (2020; uncommitted) and Aaron Lieberman. Casper hit .290 last year while Lieberman (2020; uncommitted) tossed 14 innings with a 2.10 ERA. His role could expand as this team continues to search for reliable arms throughout the spring. 

Coach Whalen has a talented trio of sophomores that all could impact the varsity team in some way this year. Charlie Marisca (2022), a recent Missouri commit, is a top-50 prospect in the class and has a chance to be a middle-of-the-order type of contributor this spring. Both Brendan Whalen (2022; uncommitted) and Charlie Bien (2022; uncommitted) are expected to get varsity innings on the mound this season.

The Rams might have several question marks surrounding them, but they’re a talented group, led by a handful of experienced seniors. The key to the Rams success could come down to what they get from their talented juniors and sophomores.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT

Charlie Marisca (2/16/20)

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

Find more information on the 2020 Rams below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Twitter

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