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With 2023 now in the past, PBR Michigan is eagerly anticipating bringing the state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2024. Starting in February, we began releasing team previews for squads across the state. Ahead, we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way.

To view the full list of 2024 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2024 Team Preview, click here.

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2024 Spring Team Preview: Ann Arbor Greenhills Gryphons

Team Name: Ann Arbor Greenhills Gryphons
Head Coach: Terry Mullen
Division: 3
2023 Record: 20-15
2023 Tourney Finish: Regional Semifinals loss to Ottawa Lake-Whiteford
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 8/8

Coach Outlook: "After two rebuild years in 2021 and 2022, we were able to exceed expectations in 2023 with a 20-win season. The team was anchored by Sam Dorfman, our lone senior starter. Though Sam was limited on the mound, he helped anchor the lineup and earned all-region at first base. His loss will be felt, however the team returns 8 other starts as well as two projected starters that missed much of last year due to injury. We might return more experience than almost any team in division 3, with our entire infield entering their third year as starters (first basemen Kade Mason has split time in the infield and outfield the prior two seasons). We're as strong as you can get up the middle with junior Jeremiah Bowman behind the plate. Bowman is in his third year as our starting catcher and threw out over 35% of baserunners last season, including the final out of our 1-0 district championship win. At shortstop, junior Fran Love enters his third season starting at short. Fran has consistently improved in all facets of the game and is our team's engine. Junior Talen Pilz will also get time at shortstop and third base. Senior Dominic Schuster enters his fourth season starting in centerfield. He's speedy and gets excellent reads on balls, routinely running down would-be hits. On the mound we return 207 of 222 innings pitched from 2023. Senior Owen Day (40.2), Love (41.1), Pilz (25.2), and sophomores Charlie Rich (19.2), Nick Roney (18.2), Ethan Berry (16.1) expect to take the bulk of the innings this year with Bowman and Senior Jibran Ali also seeing time on the mound when they are not catching. With such a deep pitching staff, our schedule is quite loaded up and we expect to be able to be especially competitive in second halves of doubleheaders. Love, Bowman, Pilz, and Day anchor a lineup that returns 5 players that exceeded 100 plate appearances last year. Chase Weaver (Jr-OF), Roney, Berry, Mason, Ali and Schuster will round out an experienced lineup that should also welcome the return of senior Brandt Toporski. Toporski, who led off as a freshman in 2021, was limited to only 10 at bats in 2023. The experience and comfort this team has with each other is off the charts, but staying healthy and continuing to hone at all aspects of the game will be necessary to achieve some lofty goals against top competition. We expect to contend well in the CHSL Intersectional which routinely features some of the best small school programs in the state. We're excited to compete for a top spot in the league, but it will certainly not come easy with the other programs returning talent as well."

2024 Team Strengths:

• Experience
• Pitching depth
• Defense
• Balanced lineup

Top Returning Players:

• Fran Love, SS, Jr, 5'8", 160, R/R. Ideal lead-off hitter than enters third season starting at SS. Last year: .345 AVG, 5 2B, 1 3B, 18 RBI, 46 R, 25 BB, 41 SB. 4-1, 1.86 ERA, 41 K, 12 BB
• Jeremiah Bowman, C, Jr, 5'9", 170, R/R. Ideal #2 hitter entering third season starting at C. Last year: .284 AVG, .471 OBP, 4 2B, 22 RBI, 15R, 12 SB. 5-2, 2.31 ERA, 32 K, 13 BB
• Talen Pilz, 3B/SS, Jr, 6'2", 185, R/R. Top-level hitter gaining serious college interest, third year starting at 3B. Last year: .384 AVG, .504 OBP, 7 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 26 RBI, 22 R, 11 SB. 1-3, 2 SV, 4.36 ERA, 33 K, 17 BB.
• Owen Day, 2B/OF/P, Sr, 5'11", 190, R/R. Experienced pitcher and developing power at the plate. Last year: .277 AVG, 5 2B, 1 3B, 18 RBI, 21 R, 15 SB. 2-2, 2.07 ERA, 48 K, 33 BB.
• Nick Roney, 1B/OF/P, So, 6'0", 180, L/L. Exceptional power athlete that is honing skill on the mound and at the plate. Last year: .300 AVG, 6 2B, 16 RBI, 13 R, 11 SB. 2-0, 3.75 ERA, 25 K, 23 BB
• Ethan Berry, 2B/3B/P, So, 6'1", 170, R/R. Developing raw talent, expect big jumps on the mound and at the plate. Last year: .222 avg, 3 2B, 9 RBI, 10 R. 1-1, 1SV, 3.43 ERA, 12 K, 13 BB
• Kade Mason, 1B/OF, Jr, 6'0", 170, L/L. Break-out sophomore year in limited action, has speed and pop. Last year: .324 AVG, 5 2B, 6 RBI, 13 R, 9 SB.
• Brandt Toporski, 2B/OF, Sr, 5'10", 160, R/L. Key bat returning from limited action in 2023. 2022 sophomore stats: .299 AVG, 4 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBI, 11 R, 8 SB
• Charlie Rich, P, So, 5'8", 155, L/L. Craft lefty that gets outs. Last year: 3-0, 1.42 ERA, 9 K, 13 BB

Class of 2025 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

• Talen Pilz
• Jeremiah Bowman
• Fran Love

Class of 2026 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

• Nick Roney
• Ethan Berry
• Charlie Rich

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