Prep Baseball Report

Division I Team Of The Week: Week 4 - Brecksville-Broadview Heights


Bruce Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Senior Writer

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Division I Team Of The Week: Week 3 - Brecksville-Broadview Heights

BROADVIEW HEIGHTS - And then there was one.

The last unbeaten team in the state among big schools is Brecksville-Broadview Heights, the Prep Baseball Report Division I Team of the Week.

“We’ve played well and played consistently,” noted head coach John Mutch, whose 15-0 Bees defeated Twinsburg 5-2 and Nordonia 11-1 and 6-1 this past week. “I think our consistency has definitely benefited us. I really think we have a strong group of guys in terms of our chemistry. They’ve bought into what we’re trying to do.

“This is a different year, but they’ve embraced all the obstacles,” continued Mutch. “We laid out a plan for them and they go about their business and what we want them to do for the betterment of the team. Each of them has a role and they’ve done a good job executing that role.”

A dozen seniors are on the roster helping out the cause for the fifth-rated D-I team in the state.

“We’re fortunate to have 12 seniors returning but a lot of them didn’t have any varsity experience,” Mutch pointed out. “We do have two seniors that have started since their freshman year and we knew we had some other talent. The question was where our leadership was going to come from and how quickly those with no varsity experience would adapt to playing at that level.”

Tommy Barth and Garrett Kubitz, both uncommitted, are the two four-year players for Brecksville.

“Tommy is the anchor of our outfield,” Mutch said of Barth, the sixth-ranked senior outfielder in Ohio who leads the team in average at .467 with 18 runs scored. “He’s one of those guys that can do anything. He’s been our leadoff hitter since he was a freshman but this year we put him in the three-hole and he’s not missed a beat.

“Garrett came up as a corner guy but this year we moved him to shortstop,” Mutch added about the sixth-rated 2021 third baseman in the state who is hitting .326 with 16 RBIs. “At 6-2 and 215 as a middle infielder he’s a nice presence to have.”

Max Hartland, the 115th-ranked senior right-handed pitcher in Ohio with four wins and a 1.12 ERA, was the winning pitcher against Twinsburg and “one of the key guys on our pitching staff,” according to Mutch. “He’s a really good competitor on the mound. We have a few guys at the top of the rotation and he’s kind of the leader of that group.”

Senior Brice Hall and sophomore Matt Mihalek bring more depth to the rotation along with junior JJ Zenir. Hall has four wins and a 2.41 ERA, Mihalek is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA and Zenir 1-0 with a 2.74 ERA.

Luke Reasor is a freshman left-hander with a future on the mound, but this year is playing first base and averaging .391.

Seniors Casey Leddy and Braxton Hiles are important upperclassmen “providing senior leadership,” explained Mutch. Leddy, an Adrian commit with a .333 average and 14 runs scored, is ranked 11th in the state as a 2021 second baseman while Hiles, a .421 hitter with a team-high 17 RBIs, is the 62nd-rated senior outfielder.

“It’s important we focus on not overthinking things and not thinking too far ahead,” concluded the  16th-year head coach. “Whether it’s practice day or game day it’s about trying to focus on what we’re trying to accomplish.

“I think our confidence is tremendous which will help pick them up when needed and not dwell on mistakes. We need to try and not make moments too big and execute in that moment.”

A Look Back At What Would've Been The 2020 Season:

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A Look Back At The Last Decade:

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A Look Back At The 2019 Season:

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A Look Back At The 2018 Season:

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A Look Back At The 2017 Season:

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