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With the turning of the calendar a new year is upon us and the spring high school baseball season is just around the corner (believe it or not)!. Today we begin a series of stories entitled "Spring Forward" where we take a look at and highlight some of the top players, programs, and conferences across a variety of categories for the upcoming 2019 season. 

In our first installment we highlight some of the top private schools to catch in 2019. Note: Teams are listed alphabetically. 

 

Archbishop Spalding

Spalding won back-to-back-to-back MIAA Championships from 2014-2016 but have missed playing for the championship in the last two seasons. This year’s Cavaliers look to be loaded and primed for a return to the big stage. Power hitting first basemen and East Carolina commit Josh Moylan, Justin Caesar (UMBC) and Ethan McCormick (Liberty) look to lead a well balanced offensive attack in 2019 while RHP Zach Powers (Navy), Patrick O’Farrell (Stevenson), and Noah Mrotek (Maryland) anchor the staff. Look for Spalding to get back in the mix for an MIAA regular season and postseason championship.

 

Calvert Hall

Calvert Hall looks poised for a potential return to the top in the MIAA with the likes of star North Carolina State commit and potential MLB draft pick Jose Torres and Boston College commit Parker Landwehr anchoring the Cardinals. Garrett Mcilhenney (Misericordia), GT Maggay (Mount Aloysius), and Pete Marchineck round out a big time senior class for the Cardinals in 2019 who look to avenge their two one-run losses and early exit from the MIAA playoffs last season. Keep an eye out for 2022 Lamar King who at some point will develop into an impact player for the Cardinals down the road.

Caravel Academy (DE)

One year removed from a DIAA state championship and on the heels of a runner-up finish to Cape Henlopen last season in the championship game; Caravel will lean on University of Maryland commit Kevin Keister to lead the Buccaneers back to the promised land in 2019.

 

DeMatha Catholic

DeMatha came very close last year to dethroning the Cadets of St. John’s in the WCAC Championship. Falling 6-4 in twelve innings has left a bad taste in the mouth of the Stags and they look to be poised for at least one more major run at the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) championship this year. With a solid core of seniors in C/1B Clark Burroughs (College of Charleston), 1B Jack Silder (Harford CC), and Preston Moltz to go along with their sensational group of 2020’s that includes OF/RHP Alex Greene (Virginia), C Jack Bulger (Vanderbilt), and C Blake Badman. Badman is the next star catcher to come out of the Stag program. DeMatha’s offense could be very exciting to watch this season. Look for them to make a run at snapping St. John’s streak of five consecutive WCAC titles in 2019.

 

Gerstell Academy

After finishing third in their first season in the MIAA “B” Conference, look for the Falcons to be very competitive again this season. Senior power right handed pitcher Reece Early, a US Naval Academy commit, is back to anchor the staff while 2020 catching prospect Christopher Hagan and 2019 outfielder Max Friedman look to pace the offense for the Falcons. Westminster High School transfer 2020 P/1B Logan Satti and 2021 Graham Vaeth add versatility and depth to the roster in 2019.

 

Gilman

Peter Heubeck should anchor the greyound staff in 2019 after a very impressive 2018 season as a freshmen on the mound. Pierce Bennett and Gabriel Gonzales should pace a strong offensive attack along with 2020 Justin Reece, who is a very talented and explosive outfield prospect. Given that Gilman always find themselves in the race for the MIAA crown, we wouldn't be surprised to see them back in the mix in 2019. Gilman will have to find a way to replace their all everything player in Maxwell Costes who is now a freshman at Maryland.

 

Loyola-Blakefield

Losing Will Glock (Maryland) and AJ Holcomb (High Point) will hurt but the Dons boast arguably the best one-two punch on the mound this season in the MIAA with 2019 Virginia commit RHP Matthew Wyatt and 2020 UPENN commit RHP Nate Beal. SS Dominic Dinoto (Army) is back for his junior season and there are quite a few underclassmen that could make an impact at some point in 2019. Look for Loyola to again compete in the MIAA and make another run come tournament time.

 

St. Mark's (DE)

Look for the senior duo of 1B Eric Ludman and RHP Matthew Phillips (West Chester) to lead perennial Delaware high school baseball powerhouse St. Mark’s back for a run in 2019. The Spartans last won the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) State Championship title in 2016 but have finished the last two seasons with loses in the state semifinals.