Baseball / FHSI Preview: The Classic

FHSI Preview: The Classic

Date:  Source: Florida Collegiate Summer League

The 11th annual Florida League High School Invitational will continue with its second week of play on Monday, March 19 at Sanford Memorial Stadium. This year's edition will feature more than 50 schools from Florida, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas, and Virginia. Some of the best young players in professional baseball have played in the FHSI over the past decade, including Cleveland Indians SS Francisco Lindor, Chicago Cubs 2B Javier Baez, New York Yankees 1B Greg Bird, Chicago White Sox RHP Carson Fulmer and Colorado Rockies Top Prospect Brendan Rodgers.

The second week of the 2018 FHSI, called "The Classic", will feature twenty teams, all from Florida, in a pool-play format.

Colonial
The Colonial High Grenadiers will make the first appearance in the FHSI since the inaugural tournament in 2008. Local coaching legend Mike Smith (750 career wins) took over the program in 2015, and will look to continue its growth, building off last year’s 15-10 record. The Grenadiers are on the hunt for their first district title since 2003. The strength of this team is on the mound where senior Kenneth Aguayo and junior Michael Ojeda form a solid 1-2 punch as starters, with Jarrin Sweeney and Louis Trinidad cleaning things up out of the bullpen.  The offense will rely on a veteran lineup that is full of upperclassmen.

East River
The East River Falcons enter the 2018 season and their first FHSI under the direction of Head Coach Jerry Kennedy. The Falcons return six starters from last year’s club headlined by 2019 LHP/OF Parker Murphy, 2018 SS/C Jorge Fernandez and 2020 OF Tyler Hipple. On the mound the Falcons will be led by Murphy, 2019 Danny Miner and 2019 Ricardo Matos. The bullpen will be led by dual threat 2018 Otto Drozd, who will also serve as the Falcons starting shortstop. Offensively the Falcons will be paced at the top of the lineup by the speedy Hipple and the powerful Fernandez.

Hagerty
Hagerty made their FHSI debut last season and return once again in 2018 under the tutelage of head coach Matt Cleveland. The Huskies, who were 8A state runner-up last season, are a young team with only one senior on the roster, but they boast loads of talent. The headliner is Riley Greene, a Florida commit, who Perfect Game has ranked as the national #1 OF in the 2019 class. Infielders Vaughn Grissom (FIU) and Jackson Grabsky (Jacksonville) round out a potent lineup. Chris Ragosta and Luke Babineau will anchor the pitching staff.

Lake Minneola
For the third time, Lake Minneola will make an appearance at the FHSI. Coach Esteban Bejarano is excited for his 2018 squad thanks to a strong group of seniors that includes college commits Anthony Dorak, Alek Trowell, Logan Alaniz, and Tyler Smith. Their leadership and skills at premium defensive positions will allow a somewhat inexperienced pitching staff to keep games competitive. Coach Bejarano expects the Hawks to compete for a district title this season.

Leesburg
Following a one-year hiatus, the Leesburg Yellow Jackets return for their fourth FHSI event. They are looking to bounce back after a tough 2017 season, but should have success with the leadership of their five seniors. Trey DeJarlais will set the table and control centerfield, while Alexis Quevedo should supply the power in the middle of the lineup. Look for Seth Bryant to set the tone on the mound as the leader of the staff. Youngsters Hector Fernandez (2020) and Austin Wehr (2021) have bright futures, and will see significant playing time all season long.

Montverde Academy
Montverde Academy returns for their seventh FHSI under the direction of Victor Valencia. The Eagles routinely feature a roster full of talent, and this year is no different. Nander de Sedas is the name to remember, ranking as high as the #3 high school prospect in the country for the 2018 class. He is a do-it-all talent on the field with great tools all around. The pitching staff is led by Kerry Wright, a 6’5 righty who lives in the mid-90s with his fastball. Two-way player Saul Gonzalez is a valuable piece on the mound and at the plate as well. Jake Holland features a powerful right-handed bat, and will be a big run producer for the Eagles.

Mount Dora
We welcome Tim Tedeschi and the Mount Dora Hurricanes to their first FHSI. He is excited for his team this team that features “a great mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen that are learning to gel together.” The Hurricanes are led by seniors Bryant Heston, Ricardo Garcia, Trevor Doyle and Thomas Jeckovich. A solid, consistent pitching staff is the key to the team’s success. Coach Tedeschi fully expects to make a run at the district title and compete in the state playoffs.

Ocoee
The Knights of Ocoee High return for their third FHSI and first since 2014. Head Coach Bobby Brewer led Ocoee to a 20-8 record last season, and will look to make a run in the district this year. With seven seniors and six juniors on the team, there is plenty of experience to go around. Ryan Lattner, Ethan Long and Orlando Perez will anchor the pitching staff, while Caleb Andreus and Collin Hall should lead the offense.

Olympia
For the fifth consecutive year, the Olympia Titans will play in the FHSI. Coach Chuck Schall has done a masterful job over the past few years, leading the team to a #1 National Ranking in 2015 and having multiple players drafted. The Titans are young, but talented, featuring a mix of one freshman, three sophomores, four juniors and two seniors in the starting mix. Jeslyn Whitehead and Matt Cobb will lead the team on the mound while Austin Vetter, Collin McMahon and Richie Lakes will keep the offense running. 

Orangewood Christian
The Orangewood Christian Rams will play in their 7th FHSI tournament. Head Coach Scott Hilinski’s club took home a District Championship last year, and will look to make a run to the state playoffs in 2018. He loves his team’s toughness and work ethic. The offense should help the Rams win ballgames, led by slugging 1B Zach Sutter. Behind the plate, junior Brooks Rikeman will control the game and pitching staff. Nate Sullivan, Andrew Pelski, Drew Bane, Andre Cardinali and Josh Morse should all contribute quality innings on the mound.

Palm Beach Central
Head Coach Tony Gullo and the Broncos of Palm Beach Central will make their first FHSI appearance since 2015. PBC is incredibly deep, boasting ten players who have signed or verbally committed to play at the next level. The pitching staff is a strength, led by Krishna Raj, James Meyers, Justin Rivero, Jeremy Neff and Zack Brundage. Jake Simon will pace the offense, with Ivan Suarez chipping in as well. The Broncos will also look for contributions from 2020s Michael Brooks and CJ Kayfus, who are both Top 100 prospects in their draft class according to Perfect Game.

Royal Palm Beach
The reigning champions of the 2017 FHSI Classic return to defend their title under Coach Thomas Coates. After an 18-10 finish last year, the Wildcats are looking to make a run in the district this season. They return four starters and have a deep pitching staff. Senior catcher Nick Toney is a leader behind the plate, and has some serious power with the bat. Logan Wood, Quinten Romo and David Rodriguez should offer quality innings on the mound.

Seminole
For the eighth time, the Seminole Seminoles will make an appearance at the FHSI. Head Coach Derek Wolfe has put together an exciting, disciplined team that can do everything on the field. The headliner is Matt Allan, a junior RHP/1B who has been on the radar of scouts since his freshman year. The Florida commit throws in the low 90s, and has plus power with the bat. In addition to Allan, the Seminoles will look to Freddy Albaladejo and Brandon Seekamp to lead the pitching staff. Sean McArdle and Craig Conk on the bats to keep an eye on.

Seminole Ridge
Seminole Ridge returns to the FHSI for the fourth time in 2018. Coach Trent Pendergast thinks he has a solid lineup and pitching staff that will compete at the 8A level. Senior Dustin Reville, who is committed to FAU, is the ace of the staff. Ryan Batezel and Mark Link will also contribute on the mound. On offense, look for Nick Healton, along with Batezel, Link and sophomore Daulton Frank to produce runs.

Suncoast
After making their FHSI debut in 2017, the Suncoast Chargers are back for another year. Coach Louie Siciliano led the Chargers to a District title last year, and looks to repeat again in 2018. His team is extremely senior heavy, with nine players poised to graduate once the season ends. Senior captain Jack Virden is the leader of the team behind the plate. He was named to the All-Tournament Team last year after hitting .500 in four games. His teammate Nathan Brodsky, another All-Tournament Team selection will help drive in runs as well. Johnny Amonica, Matt Lambertson and Garret Parkins will form the pitching rotation for the Chargers.

Timber Creek
Two-time FHSI champion Timber Creek returns for their sixth appearance following a state championship run last season. Coach Tim Beaman returns his entire pitching staff from that squad, led by seniors Bret Neilan and Preston Schumacher. Neilan was the FHSI Classic top pitcher in 2017, while Schumacher tossed a shutout in the state championship game. On offense, Coach Beaman expects big time power from Parker Smith, Marcos Roque, and Neilan. The Wolves are strong contenders to repeat at the district and state level.

University Christian
The Fighting Christians of University Christian return for their fifth straight FHSI tournament. Coach Daryl Bizier led them to a state runner-up finish last season, and with the return of nine players from that team, will look to go all the way this year. Darien Smith is a do-it-all player for UC both on the mound and at the plate. Ryan Meister will look to repeat his .429 average from last year’s FHSI. Gage Dixon, Lance Bolton and Jerrett Schlacter will bolster the Christian’s formidable pitching staff.

University
The University Cougars will play in their first FHSI this year. Head Coach Jim Loud brings a team made up almost entirely of seniors and juniors. He believes that their experience, along with a hard-nosed work ethic, will help the Cougars compete with anyone. Senior OF Johziel Serrano and senior 2B Heriberto Maldonado will set the table at the top of the lineup with their speed. Alex Littlejohn, Lenny Cuesta, and Jeremy Ruiz will anchor the Cougars’ pitchting staff.

West Boca
We welcome the West Boca Bulls to their first FHSI tournament. Head Coach Bobby Stallone is in his second year as skipper, and will look to a deep pitching staff to carry his team. A trio of upperclassmen … Zac Dodson, Sean Walters, and JJ Richman … form a solid 1-2-3 punch on the mound. The offense is young, but improving, and will be led by slugging first baseman Alex Cordero. Coach Stallone believes that his pitching and defense will help the Bulls improve vastly compared to last season.

Winter Springs
Head Coach Dave Nathanson brings the Winter Springs Bears to their third straight FHSI tournament. The team’s #1 attribute is experience, with 11 seniors on the roster. Coach Nathanson is high on his pitching staff, led by Alex Goff, Nolan Vargo and Andy Rodriguez. On the offensive side, Michael Jordan will lead the way, with Jake Hinxman and Zach Barnhill helping with run production at the plate. Good pitching and strong team defense make the Bears a tough matchup for any opponent.

 

For schedule updates, live stats and game recaps, please visit FloridaLeagueTournaments.com