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2015 Team Preview: Kirtland

March 5, 2015

By Dylan Hefflinger and PBR Staff
Ohio Editor in Chief/NW Scout

From now until the start of the 2015 season, Prep Baseball Report Ohio will bring you in-depth team previews throughout the entire state. If your coach has not filled out the survey please have him do so through this link.

Along with the team previews, the 2015 Team Rankings will be releasing sometime late February and we hope to bring a Q&A session to discuss the rankings. To view the final regular season rankings of 2014 please click here. To view the preseason rankings from 2014 please click here.

Also, we will be releasing the preseason All-State Teams sometime in early March. To view the 2014 preseason All-State Teams please click here.

Please head over to JJHuddle to discuss the team previews.

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

2015 Team Preview: Kirtland

School Name: Kirtland
Coaches Name/Record: Luke Smrdel, 35-18
2014 Record: 20-6
Conference: Chagrin Valley Conference (Valley Division)
Conference Record/Finish: 10-0, 1st
Division Level: III

Postseason Accomplishments:

  • 2014- District #1 seed
  • 1965, 1974, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2014 – Sectional Champions
  • 1965, 1995 – District Runner-Up

Key Players Lost From 2014:

  • Ryan Loncar, CF
  • Anthony Veneri, SS
  • Domenic Camino, C
  • Jon McCollister, 2B
  • Erik Guhde, 1B

Number of Returning Starters/Pitchers: 4/5

Strengths of Team:

  • Pitching
  • Defense
  • Speed
  • Hitting for average

Weaknesses of Team:

  • Experience
  • Hitting for power

Top Prospects in Class of 2015:

  • Matthew Finkler, SR., P/3B, 6'3"-230, R-L, Comments: 2014 CVC player of the year, All-District, All-County, All-CVC, Team MVP
  • Adam Hess, 3B/1B, SR., 5'11"-205, R-R, Comments: 2014: All County, All-CVC
  • Jacob Boyd, SS/OF, SR., 6'1"-180, R-R, Comments: 2014 All CVC
  • Seth Carn, P, SR., 6'2"-240, R-R, Comments: Threw no-hitter in 2014
  • Steven Kusar, C, Sr., 6'-175, R-R

Top Prospects in Class of 2016:

  • Michael Kmentt, P, JR., 5'8"-145, R-R, Comments: Made 5 varsity pitching starts and threw no-hitter in 2014
  • Anthony Fortuna, P, JR., 6'3"-190, R-R, Comments: Made 4 varsity pitching starts in 2014
  • Joey Bates, OF, JR., 5'10"-175, R-R
  • Vinny Matticoli, OF/C/P, JR., 5'10"-165, R-R
  • David Allchin, 3B/SS/2B, JR., 5'8"-145, R-R

Top Prospects in Class of 2017:

  • Palmer Capretta, 2B/SS, SO., 5'10"-135, R-R
  • Ben Stark. C/3B, SO., 5'10"-165, R-R
  • Ryan Friedenberg, DH/2B/OF, 5'8"-140, R-R

Top Prospects in Class of 2018:

  • Tyler McCrory, P, FR., L-L

Notable College/MLB Alumni:

  • John Turk(2006)- University of Akron
  • Greg Turk(2006)- Mercyhurst College
  • Alex Fenstermaker(2013)- Bethany College
  • Kyle Torok(2012)- Hiram College
  • Clayton Torok(2012)- Hiram College

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