Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 8 Edwardsville

Missouri State commit, senior OF/INF/RHP Hayden Moore, is one of the few players on this year’s roster with varsity experience. Like the aforementioned Funkhouser, Moore will be leaned on heavily in a number of different areas and played a vital role in their 2019 run to the title. Moore will be slotted at the top of the order as the catalyst for the offense and is used to creating havoc on the bases. He will also see the majority of time in center field but is athletic enough to play all over and could see some time at shortstop when Funkhouser is on the mound. Moore also should see plenty of time on the mound thanks to a mid-80’s fastball and strike throwing ability. 

Hayden Moore (2/9/20)

Another top of the order bat to keep an eye on his spring is junior C/CF Grant Huebner, who was on Team Illinois at this summer’s Future Games. Like a lot of players on this roster, Huebner is extremely versatile. He should serve the role as an everyday catcher where his strong arm plays well but can also play an above-average outfield position as well. The right-handed hitter has a flat path, controls the barrel and can backspin the baseball to all fields. 3B Spencer Stearns is another name that should be seeing a lot of time in the middle of the order and also some time on the mound. The ball jumps off Stearns bat and he gives Head Coach Tim Funkhouser another arm that pitches in the low-80’s to choose from. Another name that should be in the everyday lineup is senior OF Rogelio Berumen (Rend Lake JC commit). Beruman takes competitive at-bats and runs the bases well. 

Edwardsville should be as deep from top-to-bottom as any other team in the state and some other names who should be fighting for spots in the lineup throughout the season are OF Cade Hardy, OF/DH/1B Adam Powell, C/DH Zak Zoelzer, INF Kayden Jennings, INF Gannon Burns, INF Kyle Modrusic, INF Cameron Grant, OF Caeleb Copeland and INF’s Cole Funkhouser and Bryce Beegle.

On the mound, they lack some of the high-end velocity they have had in the past but they will be extremely deep when it comes to reliable arms that can get outs and keep them in games. On paper, it looks like the Tigers could have 15 or more arms that have a chance to get varsity innings this spring. At the top of the rotation should be Quinn Weber a Webster commit. Weber is a high-pitchability right-hander who pitches in the low-80s and has dominated opponents when we have seen him in the past. Funkhouser, Moore, Stearns and Burns, all mentioned above as position players to watch, are other arms who will play a big role this spring. Some other arms towards the top of the depth chart should be Jake Holder, Cameron Grant, Taylor, Huebner, Caden Archer, Conrad Heppler, Wiley and Logan Geggus. Of all the names listed, Archer (2023 grad) has one of the livelier arms and biggest upsides on the staff. 

BOTTOM LINE

Edwardsville is the defending state champion until someone knocks them off. Despite not having some of the high-end pitching velocity that they had in 2019, the depth and talent across the roster is extremely impressive. Moore, Funkhouser and a few other seniors with the 2019 state finals experience will look to lead the way with the next crop of young talent coming through the system ready to make an impact this spring. Edwardsville is the team to beat in Southern Illinois and looks primed to make another run come June.

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