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2015 Team Preview: Raymore-Peculiar Panthers

February 26, 2015

Shon Plack and Jeff Viles
Prep Baseball Report-Missouri

As we prepare for the upcoming 2015 high school season, we will be taking a preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.

Team: Raymore-Peculiar
Nickname: Panthers
Class: 5A
League: Suburban Big 6
Head Coach: Gary Renshaw
Twitter Handle: @raypecbaseball
2014 Overall Record: 18-12
2014 League Record: 6-4, 2nd place
2014: Post-Season Finish: District Runner-Up

Number of Position Players Lost: 4
Number of Pitchers Lost: 0
Number of Returning Starters/Position Players: 4
Number of Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5

TOP RETURNERS (Commit)
Jason Chambers, OF, 2015
Ben Harris, RHP, 2015 (Air Force)
Andrew Houston, INF, 2017
Evan Rathburn, SS/RHP, 2015 (Crowder)
Josh Scribner, C, 2015 (Nebraska-Omaha)
Kyle Wilson, RHP, 2015 (Crowder)

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jordan Clarkin, C, 2016
Noah Newman, SS/OF, 2017 
John Thompson, 2B/3B, 2016

OUTLOOK
Head Coach Gary Renshaw took the Raymore-Peculiar Panthers to the brink of a district championship last season, losing to a powerful Lee's Summit West team in 2014.  The Panthers compete in arguably the toughest district in Class 5, a district that features three of the MHSBCA top ten.  The Panthers will start the season ranked #9 in Class 5, but third in their district. Consider it a tough road to the state playoffs and to the Final Four at T.R. Hughes in early June.  But, Ray-Pec has the fire-power to get there.  They will have one of the top right handed arms in the state on the mound in Kyle Wilson, a Crowder recruit.  The senior will draw professional scout's attention this spring with live 90 mph fastball.  Senior Ben Harris, an Air Force commit, will be a nice complement to Wilson on the mound.  Harris saw significant innings as a junior, and shows command of three pitches that keep hitters off balance.  The Panthers will also have top players at shortstop and catcher.  Senior Evan Rathburn is a rangy SS with a strong arm.  He has an 88 mph positional velo and is a left-handed hitter with the ability to get down the line in 4-seconds.  Senior Josh Scribner, a Nebraska-Omaha singee, has a sub-2 pop-time and displays power at the plate, with an 89 mph exit velo.  Ray-Pec will also have an talented sophomore that will emerge in 2015.  Andrew Houston is an athletic 5-foot-9 170-pound second-baseman with a quick bat and plus-speed.  The Panthers will be strong defensively up the middle to go along with top caliber pitching. Offensively, they have team speed and power.  A good combination to make 2015 a memorable one for the Panthers.  

CLICK HERE, to see the MHSBCA Rankings
CLICK HERE, to see the entire list of 2015 Missouri Team Previews

Coaches Preseason Questionnaire 

We appreciate all of the help provided by high school coaches across the state assisting with our preseason coverage. If you have not already done so you can fill out our coaches' preseason questionnaire online by CLICKING HERE.

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