Prep Baseball Report

2020 Bayside Conference Season Preview


Kyle Campbell
Maryland Scouting Director

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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.

 

Bayside "North" Division

Cambridge S-Dorchester Vikings
*Colonel Richardson Colonels
Easton Warriors
Kent County Trojans
Kent Island Buccaneers
North Caroline Bulldogs
North Dorchester Eagles
Queen Anne's Lions
St. Michaels Saints

*Denotes 2019 Conference Champion

 

PLayers to Watch List

 

Cambridge S-Dorchester Vikings

Khalik Beasley OF 2020
Jason Duey II 3B/1B 2020 (Columbia)

Colonel Richardson Colonels

Jackie Zebron OF 2020

Kent County Trojans

Kenny Fowler INF/RHP 2020
Noah Iseman 1B 2021 (Radford)
Dean Sipe INF/RHP 2021
Peyton Taylor RHP/OF 2020 (Cabrini)
Buddy Welch RHP 2020

Kent Island Buccaneers

Ryan Corbin RHP/SS 2021
Cooper Fulton OF 2020 (Mary Washington)
Garrett Griebel INF 2022
Hunter Griebel RHP 2020 (Wilson)

North Caroline Bulldogs

Lee Byrd RHP 2021
Christopher Curler II RHP 2021
Brandon Steinberg OF 2022

North Dorchester Eagles

David Johnson Jr. OF/SS 2020

St. Michaels Saints

Jock Luthy C/RHP
Ben Morris LHP 2020
Jeremy Patchett 1B 2021
Josh Risher OF
Nolan Sawatsky SS
Josh Sherwood RHP/INF 2022

 

2020 Bayside "North" DIVISION Season Preview

 

FAVORITES

Kent County Trojans: Head coach Mike Iseman returns as the skipper at Kent County after a few seasons away. Son, Noah Iseman returns as a key power bat in the lineup a season after hitting .532 and slugging .702 with 24 RBI’s. Also returning for the Trojans as the team’s ace and key piece in the lineup is senior Peyton Taylor. Taylor hit .491 a season ago and forms a pretty formidable middle of the order again this season alongside Iseman for the Trojans. Kent County also returns junior Ian Walters, senior Kenny Fowler, and junior Dean Sipe in the lineup. Look for Taylor, Sipe, Fowler and senior Buddy Welch to anchor the staff with junior Gary Emory set to contribute on the mound and in the lineup this season.

Kent Island Buccaneers: The Bucs enter the 2020 season as one of the favorites to win the Bayside North with a much older and more experienced group. Leading the way this year on the bump will be Wilson College commit Hunter Griebel and junior Ryan Corbin. Corbin will also be a key figure in the lineup alongside Mary Washington commit Cooper Fulton and sophomore infielder Ryan Corbin.

St. Michael's Saints: It figures to be an interesting year at St. Michael’s as head coach Brian Femi looks to the next wave of young talent to step up hoping to continue the sustained success the program has seen over the past decade. Coming off a 17-4 campaign a season ago, the Saints will need to replace two major impact players from 2019 in Nick Newnam and Jack Vener. Looking to lead the way on the mound in their absence is Josh Sherwood and Ben Morris. Sherwood went 3-0 with 2.10 ERA last year while Morris finished with a 4.31 ERA. Both have big upside and are poised to take over. At the plate, Nolan Sawatsky, Josh Risher, Owen Baum, Jock Luthy, and Jeremy Patchett look to anchor the lineup.

 

CONTENDERS

Colonel Richardson Colonels: The defending MPSSAA 1A State Champions lose a ton but do return senior outfielder Jackie Zebron as a key piece to build around in 2020. 

 North Caroline Bulldogs: North Caroline is a wildcard this year with a nice one-two punch on the mound with a healthy Lee Byrd and Christopher Curler II. Sophomore outfielder Brandon Steinberg also figures to give the lineup a boost.


 

Bayside "South" DIVISION

Crisfield Crabbers
James M. Bennett Clippers
*Mardela Warriors
Parkside Rams
Pocomoke Warriors
Stephen Decatur Seahawks
Snow Hill Eagles
Washington Jaguars
Wicomico Indians

*Denotes 2019 Conference Champion

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH LIST

 

Crisfield Crabbers

Theron Mrohs P 2021

James M. Bennett Clippers

Sang Baek RHP 2020 (George Mason)
Anders Brown OF/RHP 2020 (UMES)
Aaron Combs RHP 2020 (Salisbury)
Colby Dailey SS 2022
Naythan Lewis C 2021
Paul Oscar C 2020
Alex Smoot LHP 2021
Garrett Southern 2B/RHP 2020
Max Taylor 1B 2020 - First Team 

Mardela Warriors

Ethan Peterman RHP 2020
Jacob Shelton OF 2020
Jaden Shelton INF 2022

Parkside Rams

Brady Bailey RHP 2021
Anthony Sarbanes SS/RHP 2021

Pocomoke Warriors

Ethan Peterson P/INF 2020

Stephen Decatur Seahawks

Noah Ager INF/RHP 2020
Blake Marshall OF 2020
Hunter Selzer RHP 2020 (Shenandoah)
Ashten Snelsire C 2022
Evan Truit RHP 2021

Snow Hill Eagles

Chris Baumann P/OF 2021
Clay Gaskill C/OF 2021
Cole Gursky C/P 2020 (Salisbury)

Washington Jaguars

Aiden Webster P/INF 2020

Wicomico Indians

Daniel Davis C 2020 
Luke Elzey 3B 2021
Brayden Luers 1B 2021
Kevon Whitehead OF 2022

 

2020 Bayside "South" DIVISION SEASON PREVIEW

 

FAVORITES

James M. Bennett Clippers: The Clippers defeated C. Milton Wright 5-3 last year to claim their fourth state championship in school history and first since 2012. This year's team will have a bunch of familiar faces as co-head coaches Jay Fenoglietto and Jesse Serig return six starters and five arms from 2019. On the mound, Aaron Combs (Salisbury) returns as the team's ace with the hard throwing Sang Baek (George Mason) available to close out tight games as he did all throughout the playoffs a season ago. Both garnered First Team All-Bayside South honors a season ago. Look for seniors Anders Brown (UMES), Garrett Southern, and junior Alex Smoot to also play key roles on the staff that looks to replace Ryan Mitchell (Delaware State). Brown and Southern figure to also make an impact in a lineup that also sees back seniors Max Taylor (First Team All-Bayside South), Paul Oscar, junior Naythan Lewis, and talented sophomore shortstop Colby Dailey. Look for juniors Chase Dixon, Jacob Hare, Chase Illian, and Jake LeCates to also contribute this year at the plate and in the field as the Clippers look to defend their title in 2020.

Stephen Decatur Seahawks: Stephen Decatur figures again to be one of the top teams from the shore in 2020. While the Seahawks do lose last year's Bayside Conference Pitcher of the Year Hayden Snelsire (Randolph Macon), LHP Jack Rosenberg (Christopher Newport), and shortstop Ridge Watson, head coach Rich Ferro returns two hard throwing aces in senior Hunter Selzer (Shenandoah) and junior Evan Truitt. That one-two punch on the bump should provide them with an opportunity to match up with anyone in the state this season. Seniors Noah Ager, Blake Marshall, and sophomore catcher Ashten Snelsire return to anchor an offense that at times struggled to score runs in 2019. They will need those three to continue their production as some younger guys step up. Look for sophomores Calvin Lorance and Logan Tapman to also add depth on the mound behind the big two this season. Last year, the Seahawks came up just short of playing for the Bayside Conference Championship losing 3-1 to Mardela in a classic pitcher's duel; and then ran into eventual 3A State Champion James M. Bennett in the 3A East Section II Final. This year they move to the MPSSAA 3A South Region with the new regional alignments where they will once again face Bennett, Chesapeake-AA, and Northeast-AA. Oxon Hill from Prince George's County and Easton from Talbot County join them to make it a six team pod with the winner clinching a berth into the newly formed State Quarterfinals.

 

CONTENDERS

Mardela Warriors: Mardela will look to senior righty Ethan Peterman to lead them this year with 2019 First Team All Bayside South selections Dylan Smith (Salsibury),  Ryan Teaman (Salisbury), and outfielder Troy Turner (UMES) gone.

Snow Hill Eagles: Don’t count out Snow Hill who look to be contenders once again in the South, one year removed from playing for the Bayside Conference Championship in 2018. Head coach Todd Lampman returns talented two way University of Salisbury commit Cole Gursky to anchor the lineup and staff in 2020. Look for junior Chris Baumann to play a critical role on at the plate and on the mound as well and for junior Clay Gaskill to make an impact provided his versatility. 

Wicomico Indians: The Indians look to be strong contenders in 2020 with a solid core returning from a season ago. Look for Second Team All Bayside-South selection Daniel Davis to anchor the lineup and staff behind the dish alongside juniors Luke Elzey, Brayden Luers, and sophomore Kevon Whitehead.

 

 

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