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Marlington Dukes

February 1, 2023
Dylan Hefflinger
PBR Ohio Editor in Chief/NW Scout

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With 2022 now in the past, PBR Ohio is eagerly anticipating bringing the Buckeye state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2023. Starting in February, we began releasing team previews for squads across the state. Ahead, we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way.

To view the full list of 2023 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here. Or you can view each of the divisions in an excel format by clicking below.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2023 Team Preview, click here.

Interested in attending a PBR Ohio event? Check out our schedule by clicking here.

2023 Spring Team Preview: Marlington Dukes

Team Name: Marlington Dukes
Head Coach: Cody Jones
Division: II
2022 Record: 20-5
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 3/5

Coach Outlook: "We can't wait to get this season started in a few weeks. Being a senior dominated roster last year, there will be lots of plate appearances (500+), innings on the mound (105.1) and opportunities to contribute defensively to go around this year. How quickly this group gets acclimated to the speed of the game at the varsity level will have a major impact on our growth as a team. With that being said, we are very excited about this group for 2023! We have some great senior leadership again, we also have a very talented junior class and a very deep sophomore class as well. We expect this group of seniors to lead the way to a great season. Once again, we have an absolutely brutal schedule, by design. We want to be faced with plenty of pressure situations in big games so that when tournament play starts we are battle tested. We hang our hat on throwing strikes, making the routine plays defensively and having a damage first mindset at the plate. We are expecting big things on the mound this year from our pitching staff. Not only from UK commit Tommy Skelding at the top of the rotation, but the other guys that have been waiting their turn. '24 6'6" RHP Drew Simmons is primed for a big year. Juniors Carter Difloure & Dillan Hawthorne are strike throwers and will be counted on to get plenty of outs this spring. The sophomore class has 5 guys that we hope will add to our depth on the mound and be able to get guys out. They include LHP Dylan Heatherington, RHP Sam Yoder, RHP Bryson McCord (Football QB), RHP Travis Hoffmeyer & RHP Isaiah Andrews. Junior, Garrett Martz will be the catcher tasked with handling this staff. Our offense will be led by seniors Caden Bates & Tommy Skelding & Nathan Johnson. Junior Wyatt Dillon will provide some speed and power in the middle of the order for us.The rest of the lineup will depend on who starts off hot swinging the bat and on the defensive side can make some things happen for us. Internal competition should be ratcheted up every day at practice. "

2023 Team Strengths:

  • Starting Pitching - Led by '23 RHP Tommy Skelding & '24 RHP Drew Simmons
  • Pitching Depth - 2 juniors & 5 sophomores that will get chances in scrimmages to prove who can get varsity hitters out.
  • Team Defense - we have a good catcher, solid through the middle infield and we have some outfielders that can go get it.

Top Returning Players:

  • Tommy Skelding, 2023, RHP/1B, 6'3 185 R/R 3 Year starter, Kentucky Commit - .415 AVG, 8 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 32 RBI 21 R, 4 SB, 8-1, 1.145 ERA, 68 K, 25 BB
  • Caden Bates, 2023, MIF, 5'11" 180 R/R 3 Year starter, Bowling Green Commit - .282 AVG, 6 2B, 2 3B, 12 RBI, 19 SB, 25 R, .469 OBP, 23BB
  • Drew Denham, 2023, *Injured* MIF, 5'11" 180 R/R 3 Year starter, Akron Commit - .455 AVG, 5 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBI, 35 R, 21 BB, 20 SB
  • Nathan Johnson, 2023, OF 5'9" 165 R/R, 1 Year starter, Hiram Commit
  • Wyatt Dillon, 2024, OF, 5'10" 175 R/R
  • Drew Simmons, 2024, RHP/CIF, 6'6" 205 R/R
  • Garrett Martz, 2024, C/OF, 5'9" 170 R/R

Class of 2023 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

  • Tommy Skelding
  • Drew Denham
  • Caden Bates
  • Nathan Johnson

Class of 2024 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

  • Wyatt Dillon (Video Below)
  • Garrett Martz
  • Drew Simmon
  • Dillan Hawthorne RHP 6' 180 R/R
  • Carter Difloure RHP 5'9" 180 R/R

Class of 2025 Prospects To Keep Eye On:

  • Garett Dillon 3B/OF 5'10" 170 R/R
  • Travis Hoffmeyer RHP/OF 5'11" 165 R/R
  • Dylan Heatherington LHP/1B/OF 6'4" 175 L/L
  • Sam Yoder RHP/UTL 6'6" 185 R/R
  • Isaiah Andrews RHP 5'8" 155 R/R

A Look Back At The 2022 Season:

To view the 2022 Team Previews, click here.

To view the 2022 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here.

To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

To View the 2022 PBR All-State Teams click below:

To view the 2022 Preseason All-State Teams, click below:

To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:

To view the 2022 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click here.

A Look Back At The 2021 Season:

To view the 2021 Team Previews, click here.

To view the 2021 Ohio Spring HS Report, click here.

To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

To View the 2021 PBR All-State Teams click below:

To view the 2021 Preseason All-State Teams, click below:

To view the Weekly Team Rankings, click below:

To view the 2021 Ohio Spring Scout Blog, click below:

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

To view each of the parts to the No 'Last Dance' Series, click below:

To view the 2020 Team Previews, click here.

To view the 2020 Preseason All-State Teams, click here.

To view the 2020 Virtual Ohio High School State Tournament/Preseason Team Rankings, click here.

A Look Back At The Last Decade:

To view the Ohio High School All-Decade Team 2010-2019, click here.

A Look Back At The 2019 Season:

To view the 2019 Team Previews, click here.

To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

To view the 2019 All-State Teams, click below.

To view the 2019 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

A Look Back At The 2018 Season:

To view the 2018 Team Previews, click here.

To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

To view the 2018 All-State Teams, click below.

To view the 2018 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

A Look Back At The 2017 Season:

To view the 2017 Team Previews, click here.

To view the OHSAA Baseball Tournament Roundup, click below.

To view the 2017 All-State Teams, click below.

To view the 2017 Preseason All-State Teams, click below.

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