Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 9 Brother Rice

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Cameron Hill’s upside matches his premium frame, as a 6-foot-3, 198-pound athlete who will help Brother Rice win in a multitude of ways, in his first season inside the Crusaders’ dugout. Hill’s a transfer from Kenwood and he’s coming off a busy summer, in which he represented Illinois at the PBR Future Games down in Georgia. He started 2020 on a high note by announcing his verbal commitment to Purdue, coincidentally the new home of the recently graduated Michael Bolton – conveniently, Hill will attempt to fill one of the holes left in the outfield after Bolton’s graduation.

Injecting Hill into this lineup will certainly help Brother Rice recover from the losses suffered after the graduation of its 2019 class. The junior has what it takes to help the middle of this Crusaders lineup a three-headed monster. He swings an easy, loose upside right-handed bat. The ball jumps off his barrel with more power to come as he fills out his long, highly-projectable frame. Hill’s arrival for the Crusaders could not have come at a better time as last year’s entire starting outfield has since graduated.

Cameron Hill (7/31/19)

X-FACTOR

Brother Rice often fields one of the most competitive teams in the state, on an annual basis. It’s not often that a freshman is able to emerge on a roster teeming with talent, but Jack Lausch broke through last spring and is one of their most important pitchers in 2020. Ranked inside the top-20 of the state’s 2022 class, Lausch’s lanky and athletic 6-foot-2 frame features an athletic, quick arm that was up to 85 mph in February of 2019. Lausch emerged throughout the season as one of Brother Rice’s most trustworthy arms. By the time playoffs rolled around he was called on to pitch Brother Rice’s sectional semis match-up with Nazareth and he went toe to toe with one of the state’s best arms, too.

Lausch looks prepared to snag a No. 1 role that should be up for grabs on this Crusaders staff. There are some juniors and seniors present that fit the role of a dependable starter, but Lausch’s live arm, athleticism and poised demeanor give him an edge. Any kind of jump on the bump would give Brother Rice one of the few things they’re lacking on paper: a go-to arm.

Jack Lausch (2.23.19)

OUTLOOK

In Sean McBride’s first season at the helm of Brother Rice’s dugout, he was able to steer the uber-talented squad – one in which we called No. 2 in our Preseason Rankings – to a 25-win spring that ended in the St. Rita Sectional’s semifinals against Nazareth Academy, in a battle between the Nos. 2 and 3 seeds. The Roadrunners walked off the Crusaders in the bottom of the eighth inning with a bases-loaded walk on a borderline 3-2 pitch.

Not an easy way to close a campaign, one that began with state title aspirations, but the second season of McBride’s tenure has its stakes set just as high. Once again he has an extremely talented roster to work with, granted it’s also one that will be attempting to plug some holes, could help Brother Rice push themselves to Joliet in what would be their first state appearance since 2007.

We already detailed how the Crusaders will be buoyed by Cam Hill and the sophomore Lausch, but familiar faces will determine whether or not Rice is driving southwest to Joliet in June.

Now a senior, Jack Payton will continue to operate as the rudder to Brother Rice’s pitching staff. In some ways, Payton’s game management from behind the plate is the most critical piece to the Crusaders’ deep staff. Outside of Lausch and his potential to become a sophomore No. 1, Brother Rice isn’t guaranteed a go-to arm that some of their CCL competition has. Payton’s role as a receiver, game manager, and catch-and-throw artist is integral to the success of this team. And while he constantly (and deservedly) earns praise for his defense, his right-handed bat is just as valuable. The future Louisville backstop is built with a picturesque catcher’s frame – at a sturdy, strong 5-foot-11. He uses it exceptionally well at the plate, creating leverage and bat speed capable of leaving the yard to all fields. 

Jack Payton (2/2/20)

The third piece of Brother Rice’s big three is Marquis Jackson, a McLennan JC commit. Jackson is a dynamic left-handed hitter and a menace on the bases. When Jackson is hot he is as dangerous an offensive threat as anyone in the state. Jackson is also capable of playing anywhere on the infield and serves as one of the top options out of the bullpen due to his strong arm. Jackson has an aggressive, competitive attitude on the mound and goes right after hitters with a fastball he can run into the upper-80’s.

Filling out this rotation: seniors Micah Gouwens, Luke Whirity, and Jake Sullivan, as well as juniors Mike Bernas, Ben Guzek, and Sebastian Barrera. It’s a stable staff, one that should be able to keep Brother Rice in most ballgames, even in a competitive conference playing one of the toughest schedules in the state.

Cushioning the Payton-Jackson-Hill trio in the lineup looks to be Luke Lawrence, an uncommitted junior who is skilled enough to play multiple positions – including catcher, when Payton needs a break. Lawrence has a smooth left-handed swing that continues to become more dangerous as he adds strength to his 6-foot, 165-pound frame.  There is also seniors, INF Dylan Robertson (Iowa Western CC), 1B Alex Roche (uncommitted) and OF Connor King (uncommitted) who could earn ample time this spring.Junior INF Nate Mosquedo is yet another piece that could play a role in the lineup.

And, as always, Brother Rice is boasting some high-end talent in the pipeline, including sophomores Lausch, Brandon Rogers and Nick Daugherty, and freshman Zion Rose. As for Rose, he’s a nationally ranked freshman, right around the top 75 in the 2023 class, and is already committed to Louisville. We’ll see how much playing time, if any, he earns for himself in his first season of high school ball, but he’s arguably the most exciting freshman in the state.

BOTTOM LINE

Whenever you reflect on the roster it took to lift a state championship the year before, the ingredients are often pretty similar. There’s some seniority, depth in the rotation matters, compounded by a middle of the order that could manufacture runs in more ways than one. That sounds a lot like the 2020 Brother Rice roster. They lost some key members of the 2019 squad, but the depth on this roster should propel the Crusaders to state contention.

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

Find more information on the 2020 Crusaders below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Website
+ Team Twitter

PBR ILLINOIS PRESEASON POWER 25