Maryland Power 25 Countdown: #21 John Carroll

February 19, 2019
Kyle Campbell
Maryland Scouting Director

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It's hard to believe but the start of the 2019 Maryland high school baseball season is almost here. 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 #21 team, the John Carroll Patriots from Bel Air, MD. Be sure to stay tuned as we release one team each weekday leading up to the release of our 2019 #1 Preseason Power 25 team on March 19th. Then, on March 20th our PBR Maryland staff will release our final preseason predictions for the upcoming 2019 season.

John Carroll 2019 SEASON PREVIEW

Head Coach: Darrion Siler (3rd Season)
Mascot: Lions
Conference: MIAA "A"
Classification: Private
2018 Record: 21-6
2018 Conference Finish: 2nd Place
2018 Playoff Finish: Lost to Loyola-Blakefield 8-2 in Consolation Bracket
Twitter Handle: @JC_Baseball_
CLICK HERE to view the John Carroll Baseball Website
CLICK HERE to view the John Carroll Baseball Schedule

2019 PBR MD POWER 25 PRESEASON RANK: #21

Returning Starters: 9

Tyler Blittersdorf (Sr.) C/OF
Brandon Crews (Sr.) RHP/UTL
John Galant (Sr.) 1B/UTL
Chris Roberts (Sr.) OF
Matthew Gonzalez Rodriguez (Sr.) INF
Nico Santoro (Sr.) INF
Stelio Stakias (Sr.) C
Hunter Tipton (Sr.) RHP/INF
Gavin Wingard (Jr.) OF

Returning Pitchers: 9

Jack Colagiovanni (Sr.) LHP
Brandon Crews (Sr.) RHP/UTL
Sam Hogue (Jr.) LHP
Ryan Ishak (Sr.) RHP
Myles Janson (Sr.) RHP
Jack Levey (Sr.) RHP
Ben Pika (Sr.) RHP
Aidan Ruiz (Jr.) LHP
Hunter Tipton (Sr.) RHP/INF

Returning Players with Post-Season / Pre-Season Honors

Tyler Blittersdorf - 2018 All-MIAA, 2018 All-County / 2019 MSABC Preseason All-State
Tyler Leach - 2019 MSABC Preseason All-State
Stelio Stakias - 2018 All-County

Key Loses

Ryan Archibald (University of Arizona)
Grant Astle (Wilson College)
Nick Collier (University of Towson)
Brad Hock

Top Newcomers

Sean Fasano (Jr.) INF
Charles Hafer III (Jr.) OF/RHP
Tyler Leach (Jr.) C/UTL

2019 Key Players

Tyler Blittersdorf (Sr.) C/OF
Ben Pika (Sr.) RHP
Matthew Gonzalez Rodriguez (Sr.) INF
Stelio Stakias (Sr.) C
Hunter Tipton (Sr.) RHP/INF

Players Signed / Committed to College

Tyler Blittersdorf (2019) - Harford CC
Jack Colagiovanni (2019) - Wake Tech CC
Brandon Crews (2019) - Lebanon Valley College
Myles Janson (2019) - Menlo College
Ben Pika (2019) - Washington College
Nico Santoro (2019) - Lebanon Valley College
Hunter Tipton (2019) - Eastern Mennonite University

Season Snapshot

John Carroll enters the 2019 season still in search of the school's first ever MIAA Conference Championship. The Patriots finished the 2018 season with a 14-4 conference record which earned them a #2 seed and first-round bye in the "A" Conference postseason tournament. However, following a loss to eventual runner-up Gilman in their opening game, the Patriots fell to the consolation bracket and soon after made an early exit from the playoffs with another loss to Loyola-Blakefield.

Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year Ryan Archibald (University of Arizona), Grant Astle (Wilson College), Nick Collier (University of Towson), and Brad Hock graduated but this year's team looks like it may have what it takes to make another serious run at an MIAA title. John Carroll returns 13 seniors from last year's squad; seven of which have already made commitments to play baseball at the next level. Seniors Tyler Blittersdorf (.357 AVG / 23 RBI's), Matthew Gonzalez Rodriguez (.348 AVG / .456 OBP), and Stelio Stakias (.327 AVG / 16 RBI's) will be looked upon as the leaders on offense trying to fill the void left behind by Archibald, Astle, and Hock while John Galant, Chris Roberts, Nico Santoro, Hunter Tipton, Gavin Wingard, and newcomers Sean Fasano, Charles Hafer III, and Tyler Leach round out what looks to be the making of a solid lineup top to bottom.

On the mound, John Carroll looks deep with seven seniors; RHP Ben Pika (1.91 ERA), RHP Hunter Tipton (2.56 ERA), LHP Jack Colagiovanni, RHP Brandon Crews, RHP Myles Janson, RHP Ryan Ishak, RHP Jack Levey, and two juniors; LHP Sam Hogue, and LHP Aidan Ruiz returning for the 2019 season. So, can the Patriots under third year head coach Darrion Siler finally get over the hump and win the "A" Conference title? We'll find out soon but certainly expect this solid group of seniors to give it one last good ride.