2015 Team Preview: Atherton HS

Team: Atherton
Nickname: Rebels
District: 27
Region: 7
Head Coach: Jared Baker
2014 Overall Record: 17-18
2014 District Record: 3-2
2014 Region Record: 7-5
2014 Post-Season Finish: Lost in 1st Round of Region

TOP PLAYERS (Coach’s Comments)

Neil DeNicola, 2015, OF, R/R, 6-2 210, All-District.  Big time prospect runs well, 6.8 60-yard, hits for power and average and moves well in the outfield.  Hit .360 last year with 12 doubles and 38 RBI's. Makes the switch to center field this year and expect him to have a big year for us. (Profile and Video on PBR site)
                                                                                                                                           
Brady Schmidt, Senior, INF/P, S/R, 6-3 180, All-District.  Really came out of nowhere last year ended up hitting .380 for us with 10 doubles, 2 HRs and 25 RBI's.  He will be our number 1 in the rotation and throws the ball well.  Good velocity and decent change-up which should get hitters out.  Plays 1st base for us when he doesn’t pitch. (Profile and Video on PBR site)
                                                                                                                                                      
Matthew Kruer, Senior, INF/P, R/R, 5-9 150, All-Region Tournament Team.  Struggled a bit last year as a junior, but expect him to come back around.  Will be the everyday shortstop and expect him to improve with the glove.  He will be the team's closer and throws the ball in the low 80s with an above average breaking ball.  Stole 25 bases last year and has great speed.  He hit .250 but I feel that will go up this year.
                                                                                                   
Kyle Mitchell, Senior, INF/P, R/R, 5-9 150, All-District.  He was a player that stepped up and solidified third base for us.  Very strong kid for his size and an above average glove.  He hit .310 for us last year with 8 doubles and 24 RBI's.  He logged the most innings out of any returning pitcher (32 inn) and finished with an ERA of 1.74.  He has a rubber arm can throw 1-2 inn each night we need him.  Hides the ball well and great deception makes him a tough pitcher to face.

Griffin Odom, Freshman, INF/P, R/R, 5-10 170. Very solid ballplayer, had a nice fall where he hit over .400 and threw it well off the bump.  I expect him to be our number 2 in the rotation and bat somewhere in the middle of the order.  We are very high on him.

TOP UNDERCLASSMEN  

Robby Matney, 2018, INF/P

EJ Kelso, 2018, OF/P

Jerry Schneidtmiller, 2018, INF/P

Austin Jump, 2018, INF/P

According to the Coach:

I feel we should be better than last year's team. We return 8 starters from a team that lost many close games.  Our offense will be our strength, we should be able to put some runs on the board.  Our line-up has a good mixture of speed and power and that should translate into some big innings for us.  Pitching will be the question mark, we will rely on a few freshman to fill those voids and if they can improve throughout the year we should be okay. The back-end of our bullpen will be tough if starters can get through 3-4 innings we will have a chance.  I really like my team this year, very good mixture of experience and young guys and it's made practices very competitive.  I think we can win the region if our pitching comes around by the end of the year.