The Illinois high school season kicks off on March 12th, the first day for regular season games.

Leading up to the opening week of games we will be rolling out team previews of high school teams all across the state and across all classifications, eventually launching our Preseason Power 25.

We will bring you a snapshot of what to expect along with top players and keys to success for that particular team.

Team: Andrew
Preseason Rank: 25
2017 Record: 26-8
Conference: Southwest Suburban - Red
IHSA Class: 4A
Head Coach: Dave DeHaan
Playoff Run: Lost in Regional Championship
2017 Final Rank: NR
Returning Starters: 5
Returning Pitchers: 4

 

TOP PLAYERS

KEY PLAYERS LOST

David Chianelli, OF (Saint Xavier)
Dan Cryan, RHP
Tom Flisk, C (Hendrix)
Daniel Heilbron, 1B
Joe Oswald, 1B

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

RHP/OF Vince Borrelli, is a sophomore, two-way player who has the talent to potentially impact the varsity this spring. Borrelli should be one of many competing for a spot in the outfield and should add much needed depth on the mound for Andrew. In a recent bullpen, Borrelli pounded the strike zone with a fastball that sat 83-85 mph. Don’t be surprised if this sophomore is throwing meaningful innings come playoff time.

Vince Borrelli (2.18.18)

X-FACTOR/STAT RAT

This year’s X-Factor for Andrew, senior Scott Youngbrandt, could also qualify as an impressive “stat rat”. The St. Louis commit is going to be asked to once again carry Andrew as the ace of the staff as well as one of the top hitters. Last spring Youngbrandt went 8-1 on the mound with a 1.82 ERA. In 61 innings he struck out an astounding 105. He also added five home runs and 29 RBI while hitting above .300. If the two-way talent can come close to repeating his performance from last spring, the T-Bolts will be a Southwest Suburban team to be reckoned with.

OUTLOOK

The Thunderbolts won 26 games, made a regional championship last year and return five starting position players and four arms. Their top three pitchers return along with the core of the infield. RHP/INF Scott Youngbrandt, is a legitimate ace that returns with plenty of experience and success under his belt. Behind him waits another senior RHP Nick Torres. Torres went 5-0 last spring with a 0.56 ERA. He allowed 3 runs in 37 innings and struck out 46. Two sophomore right-handed pitchers, Vince Borrelli and Nolan Fasel have a chance to add needed depth by the time postseason plays rolls around.

Despite having two legitimate arms to rely on, the strength of the Thunderbolts will likely be the returning core of infielders. Seniors Jake Plastiak (Wichita State) and Mike Carey (Austin Peay) will be the primary double play combo up the middle. Both Plastiak and Carey will hit near the top of the order. Carey, a four-year starter, hit .420 last year with 40 runs scored. Youngbrandt will handle the hot corner when he is not toeing the rubber. 1B Donovan Nanfeldt (Indiana University Southeast) hit .450 with two home runs last spring and has plenty of power in his bat to eclipse that home run total from last year. Junior OF/2B Anthony Montalbano plays the game the right way and should be a spark plug to the offense. Sophomore Joe DeHaan should take over the catching duties. Replacing the entire outfield is the main concern for the Thunderbolts but they have five or six players who will compete for those jobs.

BOTTOM LINE

The Thunderbolts have the talent to take the next step in 2018. They will be led by a talented group of seniors and have two quality arms to ride come playoff time. If a few sophomores can step up and add to the depth of the club, they will be a tough out come playoff time. Keep an eye on this talented Southwest Suburban club in 2018.

Find more information on the 2018 Thunderbolts below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Website
+ Gamechanger
+ Twitter

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

PRESEASON POWER 25 COUNTDOWN