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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.

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2024 Spring Team Preview: Rockford Rams

ROCKFORD - With 11 college commits among a dozen returning players, expectations are certainly high at Rockford.

“Our thing is old-school pitching and defense,” explained head coach Matt Vriesenga. “Worry about ourselves.”

There is more that Vriesenga says in describing his philosophy.

“My thing is I love baseball,” the Rockford mentor said. “I’ll buy into analytics, but you also want to just go out and play baseball.”

This season pitching is “really up in the air” according to Vriesenga, who must replace Drew Ferguson, now at Kellogg CC following a 7-1 campaign with a 1.60 ERA for the Rams a year ago.

Andrew Landis, who is headed to Oakland as a shortstop, could have a prominent role on the mound but that is an uncertainty at this point.

“I’d love not to pitch him, or maybe move him to a reliever role,” noted Vriesenga, a head coach at Grand Rapids Christian from 2004-07 and a pitching coach at Calvin College for four years before taking over at Rockford in 2015.

Sam Schmuker, a Grand Rapids CC commit, pitched in relief last year and returns along with Aiden Schauss, an Aquinas commit as a catcher who will see time on the mound.

“We have a bunch of others that will pitch,” pointed out Vriesenga, who led Rockford to a Division 1 state runners-up finish in 2019. “They’re good ones, we just don’t know where they’ll fit in.”

What Vriesenga does know is that Jackson Wyble will be behind the plate for his senior year.

“He’s one of the best catchers I’ve had,” noted the Rockford head coach, who lost three-year starting catcher Matt VandenHout to graduation.

Michael Skarda, the third-rated senior first baseman in Michigan, returns to play first after the Davenport commit hit .398 with 34 RBIs, 28 runs scored, five home runs, seven doubles and three triples a year ago. Skarda, who will likely bat third, could also see time on the mound.

Payton Skarda, also a Davenport signee, bats left like his twin brother and is slated to lead off and play center field following a season in which he hit .357. There is also the potential for the 6-3 200-pounder to pitch this year.

Jack Lockwood, another left-handed hitter whose dad played at Michigan State and is now helping coach the Rams, will play right field with the Grand Rapids commit, who batted .250 with 13 RBIs last season, joined in the outfield by Conner VanderTuig, the lone senior not committed to play in college.

Younger players could also fit in the mix.

“We have a very talented sophomore class and a junior class that’s good, but none played varsity last year,” Vriesenga noted.

Four seniors that will head off to play in college next year are contending for time at second base and shortstop, with Landis the primary shortstop after the eighth-ranked 2024 SS in Michigan hit .371 with 26 runs scored and 22 RBIs while only striking out twice a year ago. 

Kellogg commit Gavin Engelsman, Grand Rapids recruit Haiden Noakes and Aquinas signee Trent Bolen are the other seniors slated to play middle infield for Rockford. Engelsman hit .294 a year ago and Noakes batted .371 while Bolen had 16 plate appearances.

Gabe Stouffer, a Lansing CC commit, is penciled in at third base after hitting .305 with five doubles, one triple and two home runs in 2023.

“I like that we have some really good kids,” Vriesenga said. “They’re friends on and off the field. The biggest thing is getting two different groups together and meshing the two classes.

“They played together when they were little,” Vriesenga added. “They made a great run to the Michigan Little League state finals.”

The Rockford mentor points to getting the job down at the plate as the key to success.

“Can we hit the ball consistently?” Vriesenga concluded. “We try to get all the players to understand that there are productive at-bats. We talk about men in scoring position with less than two outs.

“We also need to play good defense. The teams I’ve had that made a run to the state tournament have had that. Another thing is we can’ give up free bases with walks and errors. We’ve got to limit the free bases.”

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