Follow on Twitter- @PrepBaseballM
Follow on Instagram- @pbrmichigan

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.

Interested in attending a PBR Michigan event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2024 Spring Team Preview: University Liggett

GROSSE POINTE WOODS - Jay Ricci is thrilled to be the head coach at his alma mater.

“This is really exciting,” the 1994 University Liggett graduate said of taking over the program for Dan Cimini, who has moved on to take the head coaching position at Northville. “Dan was here for 17 years and it was great working with him.”

But the task at hand will be a challenge.

“There was a nice senior class that left,” Ricci pointed out. “We will be missing five Division 1 players, so there are big shoes to fill. Expectations are different.”

Four seniors, 11 juniors and “a handful of sophomores that could make an impact” will comprise the 2024 roster for Ricci, a coach in Little League and travel organizations before taking over as JV coach at Liggett last year.

“The toughest part is keeping the cupboard stocked,” Ricci admitted. “There are 280 kids total here, so it’s tough to compete at the level of the Catholic League Central.”

The Knights lost to Grand Rapids Christian 2-1 in the Division 2 state finals a year ago, but many of the standouts from that squad are gone, including the Player of the Year, Jarren Purify, who is now at Clemson. Catcher Oliver Service has taken his game to Texas, Jack Jones and Ryan Jones are both at Michigan State while Reggie Sharpe, another MSU commit, is now at Combine Academy in North Carolina for his senior year.

“Preston Barr will lead us,” Ricci pointed out about the staff ace, a Michigan commit ranked 15th in the state among seniors. Barr, who was 5-2 with a 1.27 ERA last season while also hitting .389 with three home runs, went the distance in the state championship game last season, allowing four hits and no earned runs in a complete game performance.

“We have three other seniors that played minimally last year and of the top four or five juniors only one played a major role,” Ricci noted. “But we have two or three nice pitchers that scratched the surface as sophomores.”

Andrew Stalker and Nick Greene are senior right-handers expected to aid the cause on the mound with Mack Phillips and Jackson Fetter, a pair of 6-7 juniors, showing a lot of promise for a team that must replace Joey Randazzo (8-3, 2.70 ERA), Tommy Schoeck (4-0, 2.10 ERA) and Sharpe (5-2, 2.89 ERA). Fetter threw 26.3 innings last season going 2-3, while Stalker was 1-1 in four appearances and Phillips saw action in three games.

Junior Eddie Narva and Cam Veitengruber, the 35th-ranked 2024 RHP in Michigan, are others expected to be in the mix.

Gary Stacy, who will play center field and bat leadoff, is another potential arm. The junior led the state of Michigan in touchdowns this fall and is one of the top players on the Liggett hockey team. Stacy averaged .275 in 2023 while driving in 10 runs.

Andrew Johnson, who played first base last year, will catch with senior Zach Hill at first. Stacy will be the backup catcher with Johnson, a .285 hitter last season with 15 RBIs, also filling in at first base. Junior Ben Wehrmann is another that Ricci will rely on behind the plate.

Greene is a possibility at second base, a position “up in the air” according to Ricci.

Barr will be at shortstop when not pitching with Green, who finished with a .270 batting average last year, a potential to play short when Barr is hurling.

Fetter will play third back with Stacy in center. Stalker, Phillips, Veitengruber and Narva are candidates to play outfield for Liggett according to the first-year head coach.

“Speed is a huge strength for us,” Ricci noted. “I also see pitching as a strength.”

To that, the new mentor credits changes made on the staff as beneficial.

“I revamped the staff,” Ricci explained. “John Dombrowski, who coached at Wayne State, is the catching coach and Justin Robinson, who coached 17U ball, is the pitching coach. I kept one coach from last year.

“With Justin, I think pitching will be a strength for us,” Ricci said. “I’m not sure about our defense. There’s been a lot of changing spots and we only have three or four returning.

“As for hitting, losing 11 seniors and five D-1 players is tough. These kids are going to get opportunities to make an impact.”

There is a lot that stands out in the eyes of Ricci.

“I like the kids as kids,” Ricci said. “They’re awesome. They’re baseball kids that play other sports. They want to be there. They can’t wait to get going.”

The same can be said of Ricci, who has high expectations heading into the season.

“I like our chances in D-2,” noted Ricci. “We have eight solid pitchers, that’s where it starts. We talk a lot about the mental game, and these kids are strong mentally. The talent is there.”

Two sophomores bring added hope to the future and possibly the present added Ricci, who also credited the support of athletic director Leython Williams for helping the cause.

“Kaanan Taylor has the potential to make an impact and play some where,” Ricci said of the left-handed hitting 10th grader, who shows promise at pitcher in addition to at the plate. “Javion Gray is another that projects out. He’s an infielder with potential to play second base and shortstop.”

Recent Articles