2020 Western Maryland Athletic Conference Season Preview
March 12, 2020
Follow @PBRMaryland
Facebook & Instagram
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.
Western MD Athletic Conference
Allegany Campers
Fort Hill Sentinels
Mountain Ridge Miners
Northern-Garrett Huskies
Southern-Garrett Rams
PLayers to Watch List
Allegany Campers
Grant Cain RHP 2021
Griffin Madden 1B/RHP 2023
Fort Hill Sentinals
Eston Bender RHP/OF 2022
Northern-Garrett Huskies
Isaac Bittinger C 2021
Zach Hallenbeck SS/RHP 2021
Southern-Garrett Rams
Cory Ashby OF 2020
Branson Sloane OF 2022
Isaac Upole LHP 2022
2020 Season Preview
FAVORITES
Allegany Campers: Losing two-way standout Jackson Bauer off of last year’s team will hurt (led the team with a .423 AVG and was also 3-0 on the mound with a 3.25 ERA) but they do return ace right-handed pitcher Grant Cain and figure to get a boost from freshman first basemen and right-handed pitcher Griffin Madden.
Northern Garrett Huskies: 30th year head coach Phil Carr’s 2020 squad will have a completely different look with just Zach Hallenbeck returning from last season’s 18-3 team. The Huskies lose ten seniors off of last year’s team and also will be without junior Jake Rush due to an injury. Hallenbeck garnered Second Team All-AMAC honors in 2019 hitting .342 while also going 2-0 with a save on the mound. Junior catcher Isaac Bittinger headlines a group of top newcomers that also includes: Mason Brenneman, Jamison Warnick, Kaleb Montgomery, Landon Broadwater, and Ian Eggleston.
Southern Garrett Rams: The Rams look to be tough this year with two-way standout Cory Ashby returning to anchor the lineup coming off a season in which he hit .420 with four doubles, three triples, two home runs, scored 22 runs and drove in 31 runs. The senior was also 4-1 on the mound with a 2.43 ERA and struck out 38 batters in 31.2 innings pitched. Sophomore outfielder Branson Sloane also returns as a key piece in the lineup while sophomore left-handed pitcher Isaac Upole is one of the top prospects in the 2022 class and figures to be a dominant force on the mound out west.
MORE MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL CONFERENCE PREVIEWS