Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 6 Mount Carmel

An uber-talented Mount Carmel team was felled in last year’s regional final to an unlikely Reavis High School squad. It was simply a disappointment for a team with much higher hopes, seeking another state appearance and first since it was a runner-up in 2015. The Caravan’s heartbreaking 5-4 loss to the Rams hurt a little more considering the kind of talent that was on its way out. First baseman Bobby Seymour and shortstop Zion Pettigrew were two hurtful losses that the Caravan will be forced to address this spring.

With that said, Mount Carmel may have one of the most fear-inducing lineups in the entire state. The Caravan currently have nine division one commits on their roster and were selected to play in the prestigious USA Baseball NHSI tournament at the end of March. Batters one through nine should cause pre-game nightmares for opposing pitchers this season. Even with the losses of Pettigrew and Seymour, the Caravan have a special group of seniors in 2018, led by MLB-draft hopeful and Texas Christian commit Alek Thomas. He’s the top-ranked player in the state and No. 8 overall. He does this with an array of skills from game-breaking speed, advanced defensive instincts, and a bat that did nothing but square up the best pitchers in the country in a number of national events last year.

But, by no means is Thomas the only threat within this lineup. Anthony Herron, Jr., a senior committed to Missouri State, transferred in from Simeon and is eligible to compete this spring. Herron is the top-ranked first baseman in this Illinois class because of the easy might he wields at the plate. And despite his hulking, 6-foot-2, 245-pound frame, he moves well and with athleticism at first base. Senior catcher Jake Kapers, a Valparaiso commit, is more of a defensive prospect because of his strong arm and agility behind the plate, but he’s no slouch in the batter’s box either.

In addition to the three previously mentioned, the behemoth that is the Caravan’s lineup should also include Northern Illinois commit Malik Peters, Eastern Kentucky commit Christian Lucio, Western Illinois commit Diego Munoz, Murray State commit and junior Kevin Dowling, and sophomore shortstop Ed Howard IV, an Oklahoma commit. Pitchers will have no time to ease off the accelerator when they’re up against the Woodlawn neighborhood high school.

On the mound, there are a few more questions to be answered. They’ll miss the arm of Cameron Hupe in the rotation because, frankly, there isn’t too much depth here. RHPs Munoz and Lucio should move to the top of the rotation this season when not playing the infield. But they’re on the lookout for someone to help add to their rotation, too, and that mystery player could be the sophomore Gonzalez.