2020 Baltimore County Season Preview
March 3, 2020
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With the 2020 Maryland High School baseball season just underway and games right around the corner, we begin to close out our complete preseason coverage with a look at every conference throughout that state. We will break down each conference with a preview of teams expected to contend as well as key players from across the league that you won't want to miss play.
Note: A preseason questionnaire was sent out to all Maryland high school baseball coaches in Mid-January to gain pertinent information for this piece but not all forms were completed and returned. Below is a compilation of information received as well as thoughts from our staff at PBR Maryland.
Baltimore County "A" Division
Catonsville Comets
*Dulaney Lions
Eastern Tech Mavericks
Franklin Indians
Hereford Bulls
Perry Hall Gators
Sparrows Point Pointers
Towson Generals
*Denotes 2019 Conference Champion
PLayers to Watch List
Catonsville Comets
Mark Brady SS 2020
Nick Eiswert OF 2021
Josh Tingler OF 2021
Dulaney Lions
Ryan Conroy RHP 2020 (Penn State - Harrisburg)
Cole McGee LHP 2020 (Washington College)
Reid Bark OF 2021
Wilson Farlow RHP 2021
Jack Felt INF 2021
Todd Mozoki RHP/1B 2021 (James Madison)
Eastern Tech Mavericks
Cam Sklar SS 2020
Franklin Indians
Roman March OF 2020
Hereford Bulls
Michael Timmerman SS 2021
Towson Generals
Josh Edwards LHP 2020
Doyle McNew C 2020
Henry Pleszkoch RHP 2020
Noah Perkinson RHP 2021
Tariq Talley SS 2021
2020 "A" DIVISION Season Preview
FAVORITES
Catonsville Comets: The Comets lose their top two arms from a year ago in First Team All County pitcher Ben Hall and Second Team All County pitcher Will Jones. Head coach Eric Warm will need several younger guys to step up as they look to fill that void but still figure to be strong offensively again with Mark Brady, Nick Eiswert, and Josh Tingler returning. Brady and Eiswert garnered First Team All County honors in 2019 hitting .443 and .561 respectively. Tingler was named to Second Team All County as an outfielder and hit .400 last season for the Comets. Top newcomer, sophomore catcher Daniel Capka also figures to make an impact at the plate and will play a critical role in helping a young pitching staff develop over the course of the year.
Dulaney Lions: Dulaney enters the 2020 season with a new head coach for the first time in over a decade as Andrew Fava takes over for Ryan Wolfsheimer. Wolfsheimer spent 12 years as the head coach building the Lions baseball program into not only a Baltimore County powerhouse but also as a state contender in the MPSSAA 4A classification. This year's squad will surely miss the leadership and impact that last year's Baltimore County Player of the Year Bryce Frederick (Radford) made but several other key players return which should make them again the favorite to win the Baltimore County "A" Division and contend for a spot in the MPSSAA State Quarterfinals. Junior Todd Mozoki (First Team All County) is one of the top two-way players in the state and will lead the charge in 2020 coming off a season in which he went 6-0 on the mound with 63 strikeouts in 43.2 innings pitched. Mozoki also slugged .818 a season ago and hit .442 with six home runs in the middle of the order. Joining Mozoki on the mound this year are 2019 Baltimore County Pitcher of the Year Wilson Farlow (8-0 with a 0.48 ERA in 2019), lefty Cole McGee (Washington College), and senior right-hand pitcher Ryan Conroy (Penn State - Harrisburg). Offensively, senior Finn Drew and junior Reid Bark figure to be impact bats with top newcomers Richard Harrison Jr. and Jack Felt adding depth.
Towson Generals: Head coach Shawn Tormey did a great job in his first season at the helm, inheriting a Generals program that saw nearly all of their starting nine graduate in 2018. Towson returns junior Noah Perkinson as one of the top pitchers in the county and talented sophomore shortstop Tariq Talley. Look for seniors Josh Edwards and Henry Pleszkoch to help Perkinson anchor the staff and for senior Doyle McNew, and top newcomers Ryan Boice and Justin Mealey to make an impact offensively for the Generals as they look to be one of the stronger teams in the "A" Division this year.
CONTENDERS
Eastern Tech Mavericks: The Mavericks will sorely miss First Team All County selection Michael Birchfield's all around versatility in 2020 as he did a little of everything last year. On the mound, at the plate, and in the field Birchfield was the glue for the Mavericks and he will turn that duty over to senior Cam Sklar for 2020. Sklar will need to have a big year and Eastern Tech will need several others to step up as they look to contend for the "A" Division title.
Franklin Indians: Franklin will be led once again by 2019 Baltimore County Offensive Player of the Year Roman March. March hit .531 for the Indians a season ago with 11 doubles, 4 triples, 5 home runs, 29 RBI's and scored 30 runs. Look for brothers Dean Carr and Evan Carr to also play key roles on the mound and at the plate for the Indians and first year head coach Matt Morris.
Hereford Bulls: Hereford loses a ton from last year's State Semifinalist team with First Team All County selections Jimmy Kells, Justin Bishop, and Aaron Winsker all gone. Look for talented junior middle infielder Michael Timmerman to step into more of a leadership role as the Bulls look for several younger guys this year to step up in order to keep them in contention for the "A" Division title.
BALTIMORE COUNTY "B" DIVISION
Dundalk Owls
Kenwood Bluebirds
Lansdowne Vikings
Loch Raven Raiders
Parkville Knights
Pikesville Panthers
*Randallstown Rams
Western Tech Wolverines
*Denotes 2019 Conference Champion
PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST
Dundalk Owls
Jeremy Tirschman 1B/RHP 2022
Kenwood Bluebirds
Mark Rongione INF 2020
Lansdowne Vikings
Jonah Baney C 2020
Parkville Knights
Cole Milam P 2020
Jayme Troy SS 2020
Owen Stettes 3B/P 2021
Grant Turner C 2021
Randallstown Rams
Eric Herbert INF/P 2020
Mekhi Stevens SS/P 2020 (University of Maryland - Eastern Shore)
Robert Jacobs OF/P 2022
Western Tech Wolverines
Jalen Williams INF 2021
2020 "B" DIVISION SEASON PREVIEW
FAVORITES
Parkville Knights: Head Coach Joe Daddura led Parkville to a 10-6 record in his first season at the helm and looks to have an even stronger squad in 2020. The Knights return three of their top arms with seniors Cole Milam (4-2 record, 44 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched), Nate Scholze (2-2 record, 16 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched), and junior Owen Stettes (2-2 record, 19 strikeouts in 18.2 innings pitched) back. At the plate, Stettes, seniors Jayme Troy, Trevor DeLosier, and sophomore Owen Evans will anchor a lineup that also figures to get a huge boost from transfer junior catcher Grant Turner. Coach Daddura also expects top newcomers Anthony D’Alfonso, Joe Dunn, and Joel Corona to make an impact throughout the season.
Randallstown Rams: 12th year head coach Marc Stevens led the Rams last season to their best finish since 1989. Randallstown finished 17-3 on the year falling 5-2 to McDonough in the 2A State Semifinals. This year’s team loses three key pieces at the plate in Reggie Shaw (First Team All County), Adam Harrison, and Stevie Thomas. All of whom batted over .435 for the Rams in 2019. Randallstown will also miss Sylvester Graham on the mound but do return senior star two-way player and UMES commit Mekhi Stevens. Stevens garnered First Team All County honors in 2019 hitting .438 with 34 stolen bases and scored 45 runs. He was also dominant on the mound going 5-1 striking out 47 batters in 36 innings pitched to the tune of a 1.91 ERA. Look for senior Eric Herbert (.479 AVG., 22 RBI / 4-0 Record, 3.00 ERA), and sophomore Robert Jacobs (3.53 AVG., 15 RBI / 4-0 Record, 1.47 ERA) to also have big seasons joining Stevens as impact two-way guys. A trio of juniors including Antonio Rainey, Trevor Platt, and Jarius Smoot figure to add depth and play key roles in 2020 as the Rams look to repeat as Baltimore County “B” Division champions and make another deep run in the MPSSAA playoffs.
BALTIMORE COUNTY "C" DIVISION
Carver A&T Wildcats
Chesapeake - BC Bayhawks
Milford Mill Millers
New Town Titans
Overlea Falcons
Owings Mills Eagles
Patapsco Patriots
Woodlawn Warriors
*Pikesville won the "C" Division in 2019 and moved up to the "B" Division for 2020.
MORE MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL CONFERENCE PREVIEWS