Maryland Power 25 Countdown: #21 South Carroll

February 20, 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 #21 team, the South Carroll Cavaliers from Carroll County. 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 2020 season as team get ready to square off on opening day later that afternoon.

South Carroll Cavaliers 2020 SEASON PREVIEW

Head Coach: Brian Zawacki (8th Year)
Mascot: Cavaliers
County: Carroll
Conference: Carroll County
MPSSAA Classification: 2A West Region I
2019 Record: 10-8
2019 MPSSAA Playoff Run: Lost in the MPSSAA 2A Sectional Semifinals
to Oakdale (11-2).
CLICK HERE to view the South Carroll Cavaliers Athletics Website
CLICK HERE to view the South Carroll Cavaliers Schedule

2020 PBR MD POWER 25 PRESEASON RANK: #21

Returning Starters: 5

Aidan Greaney (Jr.) 3B
Alex Hess (Sr.) SS
Nick Malone (Jr.) C
Logan Miller (So.) 2B
Joe Westbrook (Sr.) 1B

Returning Pitchers: 3

JB Berry (Sr.) RHP
Will Irwin (Sr.) RHP
Nick Trey (Sr.) RHP

Returning Players with Post-Season / Pre-Season Honors

JB Berry - 2019 First Team All-Carroll County Athletic League
Aidan Greaney - 2019 First Team All-Carroll County Athletic League
Alex Hess - 2019 First Team All-Carroll County Athletic League
Will Irwin - 2019 Second Team All-Carroll County Athletic League
Nick Malone - 2019 PBR Maryland Preseason All-State Underclass
Logan Miller - 2019 Second Team All-Carroll County Athletic League
Nick Trey - 2019 Second Team All-Carroll County Athletic League
Joe Westbrook - 2019 Second Team All-Carroll County Athletic League

Key Losses

None

Top Newcomers

Ryder Chaulk (Jr.) P
Christopher Durkin (So.) OF
Noah Paglase (Jr.) OF
Dylan Yourmans (Sr.) P

2020 Key Players

JB Berry (Sr.) RHP
Aidan Greaney (Jr.) 3B
Alex Hess (Sr.) SS
Will Irwin (Jr.) RHP
Nick Malone (Jr.) C
Logan Miller (So.) 2B
Nick Trey (Sr.) RHP

Players Signed / Committed to College

JB Berry (2020) - Charleston Southern University
Nick Trey (2020) - Frostburg State University

Season Snapshot

South Carroll enters 2020 as one of the favorites to win the Carroll County Championship with several key returners back from a season ago. Eighth year head coach Brian Zawacki and the Cavaliers were bounced early from the MPSSAA playoffs in 2019 losing 11-2 to Oakdale in the 3A West Sectional Semifinals. With a sour taste in their mouth from how last year's season ended, look for this strong group of upperclassmen to make some noise come playoff time as they finish out their careers in 2020.

This year's staff looks to be very strong with senior RHP JB Berry (Charleston Southern) leading the way as the team's ace. The senior righty has seen a big jump in his velocity since striking out 48 batters in 39.2 innings pitched to the tune of a 1.06 ERA a season ago. Fellow seniors Nick Trey (19.1 IP, 0.72 ERA) and Will Irwin (4-1 record with 38.1 IP and a 2.92 ERA) also have a lot of experience toeing the rubber for the Cavaliers making this year's starting rotation strong with three big arms. Top newcomers Dylan Yourmans and Ryder Chaulk figure to hear their numbers called throughout the season and could end up playing key roles on the staff depending on how things shake out.

Trey, a Frostburg State commit will also be one of the main catalysts in a lineup that returns six starters overall in 2020. Trey hit .354 in 2019 and will be joined by senior SS Alex Hess (.383 AVG), junior 3B Aidan Greaney (.415 AVG, 18 RBI's), and junior C Nick Malone in the top-to-middle part of the order. Sophomore 2B Logan Miller (.319 AVG) and senior 1B Joe Westbrook also return as impact bats with top newcomers Noah Paglese and Christopher Durkin looking to get on base and in scoring position for those older guys.

In the new MPSSAA regional alignments for 2020, South Carroll remains in the 2A West Region I where they will be joined with fellow Carroll schools Century, Francis Scott Key, Liberty, Winters Mill and Howard County schools Glenelg and Oakland Mills. Oakdale moves to Region II of the 2A West Region meaning that they will not face the Bears prior to a match-up in the State Quarterfinals should they advance through Region I.