By Jarrett Guthrie
Editor

1. Plant

2022 Finish: 23-7, District & Region, 7A State Semifinalist
Coach: Dennis Braun (19th Season)

Outlook: The 2022 season Plant turned in, including Saladino, district and region titles and finishing the year on a 19-4 run starting with the Spring Break tourney, win was incredible. After an All-813Preps Pitcher of the Year and First Team season, Robert Satin again leads the way for the Panthers. But the University of Florida signed left-hander is hardly alone on a stacked lineup, which returns seven of its nine leading hitters from last season. Satin’s .412 batting average and 29 RBI paced the team on offense, while his 8-1 record on the mound, 2.21 ERA and 71 K’s anchored the pitching staff. Coach Dennis Braun also returns seniors Jack Meade (.366, 23 runs, 10 RBI) and Bryce Pelleriti (.264, 20 runs, 18 RBI), and sophomore UF commit Cash Strayer (.325, 18 runs, 11 RBI) looks even better than he did in his debut season – belting a homer in his first AB of the preseason at Jesuit. Senior Michael Hawks (5-5, 2.21 ERA) should be a nice combination on the mound with Satin, while also playing shortstop for the Panthers. Joining Hawks up-the-middle will be last season’s 813Preps Defend10 team member Tanner Swank (.369, 18 RBI) at second base. There will be no easing in to the regular season for the Panthers, as Plant faces four teams ranked in our Top 15 preseason rankings to begin the year, including a home opener on Tuesday against Durant.

2. Sickles

2022 Finish: 24-7, District & Region Champion, 6A State Semifinalist
Coach: Eric Luksis (Seventh Season)

Outlook: It’s almost ridiculous how stacked the Gryphons are headed into the 2023 campaign. From last season’s statistics in hits alone, Sickles brings back its entire Top 10 hitters. Sickles returns pitchers who tossed 144 of 195 innings on the mound from a season ago. All-813Preps upper classification Player of the Year Caden McDonald’s meteoric rise caught our attention in the Steinbrenner Wood Bat Classic championship game in the Fall of 2021, but even we had no idea the spring he would turn in last season – hitting .600 (not a typo), with eight homers, 42 RBI, 30 runs and 11 doubles, AND he went 9-2 on the mound, with a 1.97 ERA, with 81 strikeouts in 67.2 innings. The University of Central Florida signee will have no chance of catching opponents off-guard this year, but teams looking to pitch around him? Good luck. All-813 first teamers C Justin Allen (.308, 39 RBI, seven homers) and OF Connor Vance (.420, 32 runs, 15 RBI) return to the lineup, as do juniors Thomas Bly (.325, 32 RBI) and Cameron Guise (.378, 19 runs, 18 RBI), while senior OF/C Bryce Vance (.372 in 43 at-bats) should see a significant uptick in playing opportunities this season. Hayden Yost seemed like he was in scoring position from the on-deck circle leading the county in runs scored a season ago with 45. The Gryphons host Strawberry Crest on Tuesday night in one of two Top 5 Opening Games.

3. Jesuit

2022 Finish: 24-8, Class 5A State Champion
Coach: Miguel Menendez (16th Season, Eighth at Jesuit)

Outlook: Jesuit returns a crazy amount of talent, bolstered it with some nice varsity additions, and we have no doubt the Tigers will be a serious contender to defend the Class 5A State Championship in Fort Myers in May. But the Tigers lost some significant pieces from that championship team, and though the pedigree, college commitments and travel-ball killers dot this season’s lineup – we are excited to see how the “TEAM” performs a little more. That being said, Jesuit returns two of THE BEST players we saw last season in seniors and All-813Preps First Team selections OF/P Wes Mendes (Ole Miss signee, and All-813 Pitcher of the Year) who hit .422, with 24 runs and 21 RBI, and OF Jake Kulikowski (Miami signee, .307, 25 RBI, 21 runs, six homers), who return to the heart of the lineup. While seniors 3B Grant Jordan (.354, 19 runs, 17RBI) and C Josh Hines (.362, 12 RBI) will also be significant returning pieces for the Tigers. Mendes was 10-1 on the mound last year, with a 1.16 ERA and 93 strikeouts – including a 6 1/3 inning, 11-strikeout performance in the state championship win against Melbourne Eau Gallie. However, he will be held off the mound with mild elbow inflammation for the first few weeks, serving as the Tigers designated hitter while he recovers. RHP Brooks Chamberlin (26ip, 1.88 ERA, 33 K’s), junior lefty McCall Beimiller (East Carolina commit, 30 K’s in 19 ip), and senior RHP John Abraham (FSU signee) should see significant mound time, as well as senior Derek Westfall, who is drawing early praise from Coach Miguel Menendez. A nice addition to the lineup comes in junior 2B Noah Sheffield, who earned All-813Preps first team honors at Tampa Prep last season after hitting .408 with 25 runs and 25 RBI. The Tigers again face the toughest schedule in the 813, including a Week 1 tournament visit to Georgia to play state powers Parkview and Lowndes, and return to face off with state preseason Top 25 team Mitchell, perennial powerhouse Venice, and longtime rival Tampa Catholic in Week 2.

4. Strawberry Crest

2022 Finish: 20-9, Region Finalist
Coach: Eric Beattie (14th Season)

Outlook: Deservedly so, the biggest buzz in the county surrounds Chargers SS Arjun Nimmala – projected as an MLB first round draft selection heading into the year – but the Chargers are another team incredibly deep with returning standouts all over the place. Nimmala’s 2021 sophomore season saw him hit .400, drive in 30 and score 24, before an injury limited him last season to just 57 at-bats. Fully healthy, Nimmala will draw a lot of eyes this season, but Crest has plenty of talent that will pile up wins for the Chargers. Florida signee Alex Philpott will get the opening night start against Sickles, which ended Crest’s season last year in the region final. Philpott, a right hander who also plays centerfield, was 4-3 last year with six saves and 62 strikeouts; joining him in the rotation will be seniors Luke Richardson (6-2, 2.48 ERA, 50 K’s) and Zach Redner (8-1, 1.39 ERA and 80 K’s), while Brayden DiCerb and Jace Rayburn will see mound time as well. Eli Vickers (.309, 29 runs, 18 RBI), RayAllen Vasquez (.315, 16 runs, 10 RBI), Philpott (19 runs, 17 RBI) and Akhil Nimmala (10 runs, 10 RBI) will pace the offense. Strawberry Crest will have a tough challenge to capture its fourth-straight district title and make a fifth-straight region tournament appearance in a district that features fellow Top 5 preseason team Durant, and Top 15 squad Newsome, along with Pasco County teams Haines City, Ridge Community and Winter Haven – but whichever team emerges will have earned it.

5. Durant

2022 Finish: 18-9, District Champion, Region Semifinalist
Coach: Butch Valdes (15th Season)

Outlook: Man, how tough is this Top 5? It literally stings my brain to put this team this low. Durant’s pitching staff led by junior RHP Blaine Rowland (Florida commit, 34 strikeouts in seven appearances last year) and Plant City transfer senior Preston Rogers (FGCU signee) who went 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA and 47 strikeouts last year – perhaps having his best outing in a six-inning showing against his new team, where he allowed one run and struck out five in a game the Raiders eventually won in 11 innings. Senior Gavin Florio solidifies a pretty impressive starting rotation after making 12 appearances last season, posting a 3.98 ERA and striking out 31. And then there is the offense – and that conversation starts with last season’s All-813Preps upper classification Hitter of the Year Dylan LaPointe (also an All-813 First Team selection in 2021) who hit .425 with 23 RBI, while also walking 20 times and handling the pitching staff behind the plate. Nick April-Gath is another key bat returning for his junior year after posting a 30-hit season and scoring 25 times, while juniors Noah Morales (.287, 17 runs, 16 RBI), and Devin Suero (.325, 21 runs) also factor in to a solid offense. The Cougars are back-to-back region qualifiers and open the season against Plant on Tuesday.

6. Plant City

2022 Finish: 17-7
Coach: Michael Fryrear (11th Season)

Outlook: Soooooo when your No. 3 returning pitcher turned in 24 innings without allowing an earned run last season (Tanner Rollyson, 4-1, 0.00 ERA and 25 K’s), you have to be pretty stoked about what you are bringing on the mound. Senior Adan Longoria (South Florida signee, 3-3, 1.09 ERA, 76 K’s) proved the workhorse last season, and fire-balling junior Chase Mobley (Florida State, 5-2, 2.03 ERA, 62 K’s) has been clocked in the upper 90s in the preseason, will dominate hitters this spring. Pitching breeds success, but we have to keep it real here – we have some questions for the Raiders this season, starting with catcher. The Raiders have a couple of options there with junior Aiden Bean as the early front-runner, but senior Zane Wright will also attempt to convert from corner infielder to catch some this season as well. Hitting is another spot we have questions for The City, as Mobley (.303, 15 runs, 11 RBI) is the leading returning hitter from ’22, while Longoria posted a .267 average a season ago, which is a lot to ask of two future PO’s. Seniors Deven Gonzalez and Wyatt Fordham are the only two returning hitters who reached 10 hits last season. The Raiders start the year facing six of our Top 15 teams in its first seven games, with a skilled Freedom just outside our rankings in the home opener on Tuesday.

7. Alonso

2022 Finish: 13-11
Coach: Landy Faedo (25th Season, 21st at Alonso)

Outlook: The Ravens are a team we expect to make a BIG jump this season, returning a solid group and adding the county strikeout leader and All-813Preps first team pick RHP/3B Bryan Rivera (9-2, 0.93 ERA, 100 K’s) from Leto this season. The High Point signee will also be a key bat for the Ravens after hitting .362, with 18 RBI and play third base when not pitching. Junior Landon Nunez posted a 6-0 record with a 1.68 ERA and 37 strikeouts last season, giving Alonso a formidable 1-2 combo this year. Offensively, senior SS Christopher Morgan is a very impressive leadoff hitter who had a .384 average last year, with 22 runs scored. Eric Duran-Padua hit .429 with 19 RBI, Ben Drumheller (.302, 14 runs, 12 RBI), and Austin Kirsch (.312, 15 runs), along with Rivera make Alonso pretty scary when you look at their starting pitching. A tough 7A-District 7, which also includes Plant and Steinbrenner, will challenge the Ravens as the team looks to eclipse 15 wins for the first time in six seasons, but if Rivera and Nunez can shove like they did last season – the Ravens might be headed for a deep playoff run.

8. Jefferson

2022 Finish: 13-13, Region Quarterfinalist
Coach: Spencer Nunez (Third Season)

Outlook: A .500 season for the Dragons included a berth in the 5A region tournament last year, but the most important element to 2022 for Jefferson is solid seasoning for a team that returns 7-of-8 top hitters this year. That includes Jayden Vazquez, who seems to have a knack for coming up in clutch moments every time we’ve seen the Dragons the last two seasons. Last year, Vazquez hit .370, drove in 14 and scored 16 times. Jefferson also returns Vazquez’s co-captains OF Joseph Fritz (.358, 14 runs, 14 RBI) and 1B Alejandro Aguilar (.296, 10 RBI) to the offense, while speedy Alliuq Troupe is set to leadoff for the Dragons. Junior RHP Mikey Marroquin got a lot of work on the mound last season and produced well with a 5-4 record, a 2.98 ERA and 43 strikeouts. Marroquin is joined by newcomer senior RHP John Valle Vera, in a duo Coach Spencer Nunez calls a “No. 1A and 1B” scenario. Sophomore Jamarques Benton led the Dragons with 18 runs in ’22 and with three more seasons ahead, we have high hopes. Another big addition for the Dragons will be SS Cam Mallo, who scored 20 runs and hit .303 for Hillsborough last year. Jefferson drops down to Class 4A this season and will have to contend with another team that just missed our Top 15 – Robinson – in District 10 play, which sets up some exciting early-season tilts as the Dragons and Knights square off twice in five days in early March.

9. Lennard

2022 Finish: 17-6, Region Quarterfinalist
Coach: Victor Martinez (Third Season)

Outlook: The Longhorns ripped off 11-straight wins to open the ’22 season, putting Lennard in the region tournament for just the second time in program history, but 6-6 to close the season felt a little flat in relation to the start. Which is not to knock the ‘Horns, because 17 wins in the 813 is incredible. That will be a tough mark to duplicate and it will be a tougher start to the season with seven Top 15-ranked opponents in the first nine game. However, we expect this to be a really good baseball team this year and a playoff contender in 6A, as all nine starters have two years of high school baseball experience under their belts. All-813Preps first team pitcher Jack Mueller (Eckerd signee) was 5-2, with a 1.29 ERA and 73 strikeouts last season, and returns as the team’s No. 1. He’ll be paired with an experienced starting staff also featuring senior RHP Carter Payne (Presbyterian signee; 2-0, 2.92 ERA) and junior lefty Zack Bird (3-1, 1.08, 47 K’s). Senior SS Alex Brazer has put time in the weight room since last season according to Coach Vic Martinez, and he expects him to build on last season’s .344, 26 run, 19 RBI and four homer season to lead the offense. Fellow senior OF Logan Covey had a great summer and offseason, he’ll move to right field from second bringing athleticism and ability at the plate after hitting .304 and scoring 17 times last season. Catcher Joseph Rivera is another player Martinez said he expects to be a key factor at the plate, while also noting the addition of transfer 2B Trey Miranda (15 runs last year for Riverview).

10. Gaither

2022 Finish: 9-15
Coach: Nelson North (Ninth Season)

Outlook: Gaither rounds out our Top 10 and makes the final spot over five really good teams we listed in our Bubble 5 on Friday. The key reason for that is how much experience a young team picked up a season ago, while notching some solid wins – including a pair against Bloomingdale, one against Freedom and a district semifinal win against Leto. This year we expect that experience to pay off for a team that still has youth, but also some solid upperclassmen. Senior Steven Rojas finished the year 1-6, but limited his ERA to 3.22, while taking on the Cowboys toughest opponents. The University of Tampa signee has really improved according to coach Nelson North, adding that Rojas is motivated and has worked really hard since last spring. Junior lefty Michael Fernandez is another key arm for the Cowboys, who struck out 54 in 31 innings last year, giving the Cowboys two strong options at the start of games. Seniors 3B Miguel Pina (.292, 14 runs) and OF Scout Simpson (.360, 10 RBI) lead the Cowboys offense, with junior 1B Josh Choe, and sophomore SS David Pina (who North calls a “phenom” and the “next Oscar Mercado”) returning for his second varsity season. Senior OF Dominic Zarcone is back after missing last season with a non-throwing arm injury, and North said he expects him to be a factor in the lineup as well. Jefferson transfer MIF/P Anthony Linares is someone North said he thinks will help immediately in the infield and on the mound. Gaither squares off in a district that includes Armwood, Tech, Leto, Hillsborough and Wharton, which should be really competitive, but we give the edge here to the Cowboys.