Maryland Power 25 Countdown: #10 John Carroll

March 6, 2020
Kyle Campbell
Maryland Scouting Director

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It's hard to believe but the start of the 2020 Maryland high school baseball season is just two weeks away. Every week throughout the season we will release our Power 25, ranking the top twenty-five teams from across the Old Line State. Today we continue our Preseason Power 25 countdown by taking a look at our #15 team, the John Carroll Patriots from the MIAA Conference. We will release one team in our countdown each weekday leading up to the release of our 2020 #1 Preseason Power 25 team on March 19th. Then, on March 20th our PBR Maryland staff will release it's final preseason predictions for the upcoming season as team get ready to square off on opening day later that afternoon.

John Carroll Patriots 2020 SEASON PREVIEW

Head Coach: Darrion Siler (4th Season) ewfr
Mascot: Patriots
Conference: MIAA "A"
2019 Record: 14-10
2019 Conference Finish: 7th Place
2019 Playoff Finish: Did not qualify for Postseason Tournament.
Twitter Handle: @JC_Baseball_
CLICK HERE to view the John Carroll Baseball Schedule

2020 PBR MD POWER 25 PRESEASON RANK: #10

Returning Starters: 6

Sean Fasano (Sr.) SS
Charlie Hafer (Sr.) C/OF
Cody Kurek (Jr.) OF
Tyler Leach (Sr.) C/3B
Aiden Ruiz (Sr.) 1B/LHP
Gavin Wingard (Sr.) OF

Returning Pitchers: 3

Evan Exter (Sr.) RHP
Sam Hogue (Sr.) LHP
Aiden Ruiz (Sr.) LHP/1B

Returning Players with Post-Season / Pre-Season Honors

Charlie Hafer - 2019 PBR Maryland Preseason All-State
Tyler Leach - 2020 MSABC Preseason All-State, All-Harford

Key Losses

Tyler Blittersdorf C
Brandon Crews RHP
Johnny Galant INF
Matthew Gonzalez INF
Chris Roberts OF
Nico Santoro INF
Stelio Stakias C

Top Newcomers

Matthew Achibald (So.) RHP/3B
Ben Pierce (So.) LHP

2020 Key Players

Sean Fasano (Sr.) SS
Charlie Hafer (Sr.) C/OF
Sam Hogue (Sr.) LHP
Cody Kurek (Jr.) OF
Tyler Leach (Sr.) C
Aiden Ruiz (Sr.) 1B/LHP
Gavin Wingard (Sr.) OF

Players Signed / Committed to College

Sean Fasano (2020) - Delgado Community College
Charlie Hafer (2020) - West Virginia Wesleyan College
Sam Hogue (2020) West Virginia Wesleyan College
Tyler Leach (2020) High Point University
Aiden Ruiz (2020) - California University of Pennsylvania
Gavin Wingard (2020) - California University of Pennsylvania

Season Snapshot

John Carroll just missed out on qualifying for the MIAA "A" Conference playoffs in 2019 finishing in 7th place during the regular season. 4th year head coach Darrion Siler and the Patriots lose quite a bit from last year yet still return a very talented, older, and experienced group in 2020. Offensively, John Carroll figures to have one of the strongest lineups in the MIAA with their main question being on the mound.

Offensively, table setters Sean Fasano (Delgado CC), and Cody Kurek will look to get on in front of some really big bats in the middle of the lineup. Senior High Point University commit Tyler Leach headlines a group in the middle of the lineup that includes Charlie Haffer (West Virginia Wesleyan), Aidan Ruiz (Cal U. PA), and Gavin Wingard (Cal U. PA). Losing Tyler Blittersdorf (Harford CC) will hurt but the Patriots look to be deep enough with their lineup to contend for a spot this year in the playoffs.

On the mound the question becomes who will step up and keep them in ballgames as pitching tended to be a bit of a struggle last season as well. Seniors Sam Hogue (West Virginia Wesleyan), Evan Exter, and Ruiz return on the bump with a pair of sophomores in Matt Archibald and Ben Pierce really looking to be the difference makers. Both sophomores figure to be aces in the future and their early development at the varsity level this season figures to be the key on the mound. Archibald will also see time in the field with the potential to be another big bat in the lineup.

Altogether John Carroll looks versatile at the plate and if Hogue, Exter and Ruiz can step up as leaders on the mound until the younger guys get some experience, the Patriots should find themselves competing for a spot in the MIAA 'A" Conference playoffs by seasons end.