Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 22 Minooka

*Stoner will miss the 2019 season with an elbow injury.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

There are going to be so many new faces in Minooka’s dugout and in their everyday lineup, so it’s almost impossible to choose just one. With that being said, the Indians will boast a talented, if inexperienced, pitching staff in 2019 and might need all the help they can get putting runs on the board in support of their rotation. Junior middle infielder Nick Serr was set to play plenty this spring, but the importance of his role has been magnified after the news broke that senior infielder Zach Stoner, a Benedictine commit, would be out all season due to injury.

While the middle of this infield was a lot better with these two in it, Serr is more than capable of picking up the slack, despite his inexperience at the varsity level. He’s long been a natural defender and is going to play a reliable shortstop for Minooka. Offensively, Serr’s more of a table-setter than run-producer – which is fine. He uses a simple stroke from the right-handed batter’s box and this, coupled with his barrel control and athleticism, should translate to a productive season at the plate.

There aren’t many players on Minooka right now who can be counted on to generate runs, but Serr is one of them – and his continued development offensively is important to this young team.

X-FACTOR

The Indians’ 2020 class is going to be a memorable one. It’s fully-stocked with skilled players who are talented enough to contribute in a big way this spring and still contain the upside to push Minooka deep into the postseason.

As mentioned previously, Minooka’s pitching staff looks like it can compete with the best in the state. It will be young and it will be (mostly) untested, but it is a gifted group. We’re labeling the young 2020 arms on this rotation as this team’s X-Factor, because at the end of the spring, its growth will determine just how far the Indians were able to go.

Cooper Herold, Scott Harper, Johnathan Forneris, and Brandon Keyster will each back up a pair of seniors on staff that should be the No. 1 and 2. Though, it wouldn’t surprise us at all if Herold broke through to become this team’s best arm because he might be its most talented one. He’s the No. 33-ranked junior in the state and is among the top-ranked uncommitted prospects in the area. We last saw him in August at All-State Games where he came away as our No. 1 overall prospect in attendance. He has a live and easy arm that touched 89 mph back then, with advanced feel for a swing-and-miss changeup.

As for Harper and Forneis, we saw them both back in mid-February at the Lockport showcase where the two touched 88 mph – a six-tick increase for Harper and a seven-tick increase for Forneris since the same showcase in 2018. And both were able to show a feel for offspeed, too. One would think, they’re going to carve out some role for themselves on this staff, one way or another.

OUTLOOK

Minooka hasn’t made it out of their region these past two springs, which has been disappointing, but given the quality of their rotation, this year’s version of the Indians looks extremely fascinating. The Southwest Prairie is one of the more difficult conferences in the state this spring – with the four promising Plainfield programs, Oswego and Oswego East, among others. But Minooka is uniquely equipped to challenge for the conference crown.

We’ve seen in years past just how effective a strong pitching staff is in prep ball, and with Minooka’s depth on the mound, it’s a sustainable strength. Yes, admittedly, there will be a reliance on a green group of juniors on the staff, but of the four names listed in the X-Factor section, it’s fair to presume that two of them will be able to make a seamless stride into the varsity rotation.

All of a sudden, senior starters Dean Procarione and Jack Bell won’t have to shoulder more of a load than what they’re able to carry. Say Herold harnesses his stuff and bursts onto the scene this spring, showcasing the ability to lead a staff and take the ball in big games this May. That trio of starters might not be the first group you think of when you list the most dominant rotations in the state, but with Harper, Forneris, and others warming up in the bullpen, Minooka’s pitching staff looks like it can hang with any other team’s.

And, as if the rotation wasn’t already loaded, LHP Reed Gannon and RHP Kyle Walter are two top-20-ranked prospects in the state’s 2021 class waiting in the wings. They might not be able to crack the staff in a regular role this spring, but if they somehow managed to – watch out.

Doing all the receiving for this crater deep rotation will be junior backstop Kyle Czarnecki, who is also the No. 14-ranked 2020 catcher in the state. He’s strong and uses it in the right-handed batter’s box. In fact, he might emerge as the Indians’ primary run producer this spring.

Fellow juniors Pedro Martinez, Nick Gough, and Nate Cochran – in addition to the aforementioned Serr – represent the biggest question mark on this Minooka squad. Just how many runs can this team score? Surely, they won’t need many. But they’ll need enough offense to stay competitive in both their conference race and once the postseason rolls around.

Harper, Keyster, and Forneris are better prospects on the mound, but they also have some upside in the outfield. They could also become impact factors at the plate, especially if there just isn’t enough room for them on the staff.

BOTTOM LINE

It’s within the realm of possibility that Minooka fields one of Illinois’ best pitching staffs in 2019 – and one that is at least seven or eight arms deep. However, the inexperience within their rotation is less of a concern than their lack of experience on offense and in the field.

It’s hard to predict where the majority of Minooka’s runs will come from. They won’t need to be an offensive juggernaut, but their staff will still need support, especially considering the juniors on this team are only just going to be introduced to the varsity level of competition.

Maybe the Indians are a year away from authentically competing in both their own conference and the 4A state title scene, but there’s more than one scenario in which they are able to put together a makeshift offense and pitch their way to a lengthy run in May, and possibly even June.

Make sure to follow @PBRIllinois on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2019 season.

Find more information on the 2019 Indians below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Website
+ GameChanger
+ Team Twitter

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN