Leading up to the start of the high school season, we will count down the Top 25 preseason teams every day as part of our comprehensive season coverage:

RHP/OF Najer Victor

Team: East Ridge
Preseason Rank: 25
2019 Record: 15-9
FHSAA Class: 7A
Head Coach: Bret Simmermacher
Playoff Run: Lost in the first round


TOP PLAYERS
Name, Position, Class (College Commitment)
Najer Victor, RHP/OF, 2020 (Florida Statei)
Jahlani Rogers, OF, 2020 (FGCU)
David Parker, C, 2020 (Kennesaw State)
John Ball, UTIL, 2020
Dwanye Maduro, SS/RHP, 2020

X-FACTOR

Najer Victor - Victor is one of the best two-way players in the 2020 class and will be leaned upon on both sides of the ball to set the tone for the Knights. He has topped out on the mound at 96 mph and runs a 6.40 60. Victor will need to use his elite athleticism in 2020 to lead East Ridge on a deep playoff run.

KEY PLAYERS LOST
Brandon McBride, 3B, 2019 (Gardner-Webb)
Norman Carreno, OF, 2019
Chance Hilton, 1B, 2019

OUTLOOK
The East Ridge Knights return 7 starters from a team that finished 15-9 overall and 7-1 in the district in 2019. The 2020 season will be quite different than 2019 as they are playing in a new district and will compete against some of the top teams in the Orlando area. All 7 starters that return are seniors that have played at the varsity level for 3 seasons, so their veteran experience is one of their biggest strengths. The Knights return their top three pitchers from last year in Najer Victor (Florida State), Dwayne Maduro, and John Ball. Victor posted a 0.93 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 37.2 innings in 2019. He was voted the District Player of the Year last season and will be a key part of this team’s success. Dwayne Maduro threw the most innings for East Ridge last year with 51, and he posted a 2.20 ERA with 61 strikeouts in those innings. John Ball added 37 innings for the Knights where he posted a 2.84 ERA with 35 strikeouts. On the offensive side, East Ridge is led by senior OF Jahlani Rogers (FGCU). Rogers was their biggest offensive threat last year as he led the team with a .356 average with 3 HR and 15 RBI. East Ridge also returns their senior catcher David Parker (Kennesaw State). He batted .322 with 11 RBI and 6 doubles in 2019. This team, backed by their senior leadership, should be ready to make some noise in 2020. Make sure to follow @pbrflorida on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the season.

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