Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 5 Providence Catholic

March 11, 2019
By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 11, 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 2019 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 2019 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Providence Catholic
Preseason Rank: 5
2018 Record: 21-15
Conference: Chicago Catholic League (Blue)
IHSA Class: 4A
Head Coach: Mark Smith
Playoff Run: Regional Final
2018 Final Rank: On The Bubble
Returning Starters: 2
Returning Pitchers: 6

TOP PLAYERS

NAME	STATE	SCHOOL	CLASS	POSITION	COMMITMENT
Bryce Barnett	IL	Providence Catholic	2019	RHP	Arizona State
Jack Flynders	IL	Providence Catholic	2019	1B	Kishwaukee JC
Brennan Geers	IL	Providence Catholic	2019	1B	Triton JC
Alex Helmin	IL	Providence Catholic	2019	OF	Arizona State
Jake McKendry	IL	Providence Catholic	2019	RHP	Heartland CC
Josh Mrozek	IL	Providence Catholic	2019	2B	Kent State
Tyler Struck	IL	Providence Catholic	2019	C
Daniel Dombrowski	IL	Providence Catholic	2020	RHP
Ryan Manikowski	IL	Providence Catholic	2020	RHP	Creighton
Ken Middleton	IL	Providence Catholic	2020	RHP
Jake Mucha	IL	Providence Catholic	2020	SS
Brendan Slota	IL	Providence Catholic	2020	3B
Ben Vitas	IL	Providence Catholic	2020	RHP/INF
Ryan O'Neil	IL	Providence Catholic	2021	SS

KEY LOSSES

NAME	STATE	SCHOOL	CLASS	POSITION	COMMITMENT
Logan Anderson	IL	Providence Catholic	2018	C	South Suburban JC
Jacob Hilty	IL	Providence Catholic	2018	RHP	-
Nick Jones	IL	Providence Catholic	2018	C	Memphis
Ryan Kaup	IL	Providence Catholic	2018	2B	Wabash Valley JC
Dakota Kotowski	IL	Providence Catholic	2018	OF	Missouri State
Ethan Petric	IL	Providence Catholic	2018	RHP	Joliet JC

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

INF Ryan O’Neil. O’Neil is a talented sophomore who may get the first shot at the opening at shortstop this spring. O’Neil attended an event this winter and showed the tools and athleticism that should allow him to be more than just fit-in at the varsity level. He has a muscular 5-foot-10, 175-pound frame, runs a 6.90 in the 60-yard dash, has a strong right-handed swing that stays short to the ball, and reliable hands on the infield with enough arm strength to stick to the left side.

Ryan O'Neil (2.18.19)

X-FACTOR

RHP Bryce Barnett. Barnett, a senior Arizona State commit, returns for his final season as a Celtic. The dynamic right-handed pitcher will be looked at as the ace of the staff for the third year in a row. Barnett can run his fastball up to 92 mph and features a devastating slider that he throws in the low-80’s. If Barnett stays healthy all spring, he will give the Celtics a chance to beat any team in the state come playoff time.

Bryce Barnett (2.11.18)

OUTLOOK

On paper, the Celtics look as strong and as complete as any team in the state. On the mound, they bring back senior and three-year ace Bryce Barnett, who is one of two Arizona State commits on this team. Barnett, one of the top arms in the state, will bolster a pitching staff that should be the strength of the team. Alongside Barnett will be junior RHP/INF Ryan Manikowski. Manikowski, a Creighton commit, has a mid-80s fastball paired with arguably the best slider in the 2020 class. He gained valuable experience on varsity last season and it'll help the one-two punch knock out opponents all spring long. Fellow junior RHP/INF Ben Vitas, should round out the Celtics' big three on the mound. Vitas battled an injury last season but should be 100 percent by the start of opening day. He'll also see time on the infield but his feel for a three-pitch mix and competitiveness on the mound will likely be where he's most valuable.

Another mid-80s arm at head coach Mark Smith’s disposal will be senior RHP Jake McKendry, a Heartland CC commit. LHPs Brennan Geers and Zach Costello (St. Xavier commit) as well as RHPs Aidan Goggins, Daniel Dombrowski, and Ken Middleton, will add to the wealth of arms on this Celtics staff this spring.

On the other side of the ball, despite only returning two position players from last year’s squad, Providence Catholic should be more than capable to score enough runs consistently. When looking at the offense, look no further than the other future Sun Devil, OF Alex Helmin. Helmin is a 6-foot-4, 180-pound prospect with one of the highest ceilings in this senior class. He should hit in the middle of the order for PC this spring and has the speed to play a well above-average center field. If Helmin stays healthy all season, it gives the Celtics the potential to have a game-changing weapon on both sides of the ball. Another senior who should help lead the way will be the left-handed-hitting OF Josh Mrozek, a Kent State commit. Mrozek has a fluid, loose swing and is a 6.57 runner in the 60. Doing the majority of the catching looks to be senior Tyler Struck. The strong-bodied, wide-shouldered catcher has a strong arm himself, but his biggest duty will be receiving the hard throwers from behind the plate. The sophomore O’Neil should get the first opportunity to claim the shortstop position, while juniors Jake Mucha, Brendan Slota, Vitas, and Manikowski will also compete for spots around the infield.

BOTTOM LINE

Given the amount of newcomers to the lineup, it may take the Celtics a little time to come into their own, but when spots and roles get solidified they can be as talented as any team in the Chicago Catholic League Blue – and any other squad in the state, for that matter. Expect the Celtics to be playing their best baseball come May, when it matters the most.

Make sure to follow @PBRIllinois on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2019 season.