Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 17 Lockport

The 2019 Porters are returning six position players and four senior hurlers, giving them a strong core with up-and-coming talent on the way. Along with the aforementioned Moerman, coach Satunas returns fellow middle-man, senior second baseman Josh Bentley (South Suburban), senior center fielder Collin Woulfe (St. Xavier), and sophomore catcher Nick Schindler. Bentley, a physical framed RHH, manned the four-hole last spring and should again this year while Woulfe is a live-bodied defender who can go get it in the gaps. Schindler, another middle-of-the-order bat, built camaraderie with the pitching staff last year and the sure-handed receiver will be detrimental in that role moving into this spring.

The Weis brothers, John and Nolan (both seniors and St. Francis commits in golf), will demand playing time again, at the plate and on the mound. John, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound left-handed-hitting power bat, threw an ample amount of meaningful innings on the bump last year while Nolan is a 6-foot-2, 175-pound utility player with a compact, middle-of-the-diamond approach at the dish.

Along with the Weis brothers, the senior pairing of LHP John Gallet (Wisconsin-Whitewater) and RHP Joe Tor (South Suburban) will look to command the top of the Porters rotation. Gallet is a projectable framed southpaw at 6-foot-2, 175-pounds that fills the zone with three offerings. Tor, a thicker build at 6-foot, 215-pounds, pitches with an uptempo style, possesses a clean arm action and also has a solid pitch mix headlined by a controlled heater topping 84 mph.

Nolan Vlcek and Kampf are young guns that will be pushing the four aforementioned seniors for innings on the mound, perhaps sporting the most upside of the group. Vlcek is an athletic 6-foot-2, 190-pound right-hander boasting an aggressive, loose arm action who’s already garnered successful playing time on varsity as a sophomore. His fastball sits in the mid 80s, topping 87 mph, with a hard biting changeup.

A new face to the Porters this season is senior transfer RHP Logan Strutz. The uncommitted right-hander missed last season due to injury and has the ability to carve out an important role on the Porters staff this spring.

An underclassman to keep an eye on is 2021 Connor Christian. A left-handed-hitting catcher/outfielder, Christian has an advanced swing for his age while garnering the tools to stick behind the plate moving forward.

BOTTOM LINE

The Porters may have returning starters on both sides of the ball, but going against a potent Southwest Suburban Conference, coach Satunas needs all systems go from the chute to get early tallies in the win column from late March to late April. Quality and useable depth is something all skippers dream on and if Lockport wants to carve their own trail to Joliet, their senior core needs to step up, lead and deliver quality playing time in order for the squad to be fresh and successful come June.