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2023 Spring Team Preview: Bay City John Glenn

BAY CITY - What might have been.

A year ago Bay City John Glenn scored two runs to pull within 3-2 against Forest Hills Eastern in the bottom of the seven inning and had runners on first and third with one out, only to come up a run short. While Eastern went on to capture a Division 2 state championship, John Glenn is looking ahead at a promising 2023 campaign.

“We have 14 of 16 returning from last year and one of the two seniors we had, who was a great kid, did not get on the field much,” head coach Jeff Hartt noted. “The other played left field and batted seventh.

“We have 12 guys who can pitch that are decent,” Hartt added. “I’m not afraid to put any of them on the mound because we play great defense.”

A trio of seniors, all college commits, headline the pitching staff for Hartt, who has the sixth most wins in MHSAA history with an 877-421-5 record. Pitcher/shortstops Tanner Sonntag and Brody Krzysiak, both Oakland commits, along with Nathan Ball, a Northwood signee who will play right field when not on the mound, are all back after big seasons a year ago.

Sonntag, the fourth-ranked senior RHP in the state, was 5-2 with a 1.21 ERA in 46.1 innings, Krzysick, the sixth-rated 2023 catcher in Michigan, was 5-4 with a 2.14 ERA in 55.2 innings, and Ball, the fifth-ranked senior outfielder in the state, was 5-2 with a 1.25 ERA in 39.1 innings. At the plate, Ball averaged .425 with 25 RBIs, Krzysiak .396 with 45 runs scored and Sonntag .303 with 33 runs and 24 RBIs.

The deep pitching staff also includes juniors Ben MacKenzie, 4-0 1.96 ERA, Brayden Debo, 4-1 2.96 ERA, and Eli Richardson, 2-0 0.51 ERA. Sophomores Hayden Ruff and Nick Naylor bring more arms to the Bulldogs, which a year ago finished third in the Tri-Valley Conference behind Essexville and Freeland. John Glenn went on to defeat Essexville in the district championship game, the 13th district title in school history to go along with three regional crowns and two state runners-up finishes in 2012 and 2017.

“We’ve consistently competed on a yearly basis,” Hartt said. “Even in years we struggle with wins and losses, our guys compete. The guys are dedicated in the offseason and play in the fall. They have decent baseball IQs and just compete. We will play anybody.”

In addition to strong pitching ahead, the Bulldogs will feature experience.

Senior Brady Rogers, a Lawrence Tech commit who batted .298 a year ago playing every position but first base, will catch, with McKenzie or sophomore Remington Ranck at first base.

Sophomore Colten Beson will be at second base with Ruff moving over from second to third base this season. Junior Wilson Weyrowske is also looking to get time at second base.

Naylor, who hit .247 as a freshman,  will man center field with Ball in right and Richardson in left. Senior Ben Bricker and junior TJ Cwiklinski, who hit .292 in 2022, will also play outfield.

“One thing I definitely like about this team is the work ethic,” explained Hartt, the second-winningest active coach in Michigan who begins his 39th year after taking over the program in 1985. “The Monday after the state finals these guys were working out. They played summer ball and worked all winter. I don’t remember a team that’s put in more work.

“They also seem to care about one another. They’ve gelled together and include everybody. They generally care for one another.”

Hartt also points to a coaching staff of Rob Fisher, Tanner Gilles, Bill Ruff and Shawn Lynch with playing important roles.

“These guys put in all kinds of time in the offseason,” Hartt said. “They’re very good baseball coaches that have been around the game and are good at teaching it to the kids. We teach a team concept of getting one more run than the other team. If you pull together you can achieve that. These guys are not selfish at all.”

The regular season begins on March 28 against Odessa Lakewood before a spring break trip to Vero Beach, the first time John Glenn has gone to Florida since the 1997 and 1999 teams went to Cocoa Beach.

“On paper we look pretty good, and our kids have some high goals, but there are things from last year that we need to improve on,” Hartt admitted. “We were horrible at bunting and we need to cut down on our strikeouts. If we improve on that, we can be a good team and contend with anybody.”

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