Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 9 Sandburg

The heartbeat of the Eagles, Branden Comia, is this team’s X-Factor. His on- and off-field leadership is the pulse of the team and his skills at short, in the batter’s box, and even on the mound will set the tone for the kind of season Sandburg’s able to have.

Comia is arguably the best all-around baseball player in the state. He can do it all at shortstop, he has turned himself into a well-above average runner and hits for power and average at the plate. The Illinois commit is poised for a huge senior season and will also be used on the mound more than ever this spring. Last year he was called upon to close from time to time but there is a chance he will be asked to start some games this spring. Comia has one last chance at state and he has the experience and talent to lead the Eagles to Joliet.

Branden Comia (2.4.18)

Sandburg marched all the way to the super-sectionals last year behind a less-than-experienced group but a talented one nonetheless. Last year, they were led by two IHSA All-State selections, shortstop Comia and catcher Ryan Hampe.

Comia is going to be a four-year starter on Coach Morsovillo’s varsity team and is currently the top-ranked shortstop in the state. He has a reputation as a team leader and will be relied upon to command an infield defense that remains unchanged from a season ago. As a defender, he’s as good as they come and he is extremely dangerous with the bat as well. Last season Comia hit .418 with 12 doubles, six home runs, drove in 26 and scored 32 runs. Besides Comia, the Eagles have one of the top catchers in the state, Hampe. In addition to being selected to the PBR Third Team All-State in 2017, Hampe also ranks as the No. 3 catcher in Illinois. He’s both an efficient defender and a threat at the plate -- he slugged seven homers for the Orland Park high school last year and hit .466. Morsovillo himself said Hampe stifles the opposition’s running game.

Hampe will often be catching the team’s ace Evan Tenuta. The righty Tenuta can also be classified as one of the best at his position in the state. He’s the No. 5 RHP in his class and has done this with a fastball that sits in the 88-90 range and has topped 92 mph previously. He pairs that fastball with a sharp, hard breaking ball and a straight changeup. Atop this rotation, Tenuta will be leaned on heavily.

All three of the aforementioned are seniors which is both exciting for an experienced Sandburg squad and pressure-inducing. With its top three players all a spring semester away from graduating and moving on to play Division-I ball, the 2018 season could represent the Eagles’ best chance at state glory since the high school won it all in 2002.

But it wouldn’t be fair to label this team top heavy, either. Comia, Hampe, and Tenuta will be lined up alongside fellow seniors and key contributors 3B Andrew Tenison and 1B Seth Masters. Both infielders are known for their steady defensive abilities that’s going to make this not-so-deep pitching staff’s life easier. Tenison and Masters both hit above .300 as juniors and starters last year -- the third baseman also bopped five homers, too. And as mentioned in the “Newcomer To Watch” section above, the junior Windt could round out the infield this year. Look for senior Andrew DeMatteo, junior switch-hitter Brian Adams and junior Nick Skrabis to add some depth to the lineup as well.

Seniors Scott Stemmons and Erik Herold will probably fill out this rest of the starting rotation unless juniors like Windt and Ryan Leland exceed expectations, which is possible.

The outfield has some question marks, seeing as it’s going to be an entirely new unit. Tenuta should actually get some time out there and senior DeMatteo will as well.

Nitpicking for a team’s weakness, however, is the most obvious sign that you’re looking at one of the state’s top contenders for conference, regional, sectional, and even state splendor.