By Chris Valentine
PBR Ohio Scouting Director

Vandalia Butler will have a different look this year, and it's not just because Taylore Cherry has moved on to the University of North Carolina.

With the losses of Cherry and lefty Austin Craine, Coach Trent Dues finds himself with a young, unproven pitching staff with little varsity experience. In addition to pitching, Coach Dues must also fill the holes left in the lineup due to the graduation of Lance Straley and Dan Link. In total, Vandalia Butler only returns three starters in their everyday lineup.

It will be a tough road back to a district championship, but the Aviators will try to reload and put the pieces together this spring. Having won their league 14 of the past 18 seasons, the Vandalia Butler tradition has been set.

Class of 2013

• SS, John Myers – The 5-foot-8, 140-pound three-year starter broke the Vandalia Butler assist record last year with 81 while hitting .300.
• C, Peter Yorgen – The 5-foot-10, 160-pound three-year starter and University of Findlay recruit hit .362 last spring.
• OF, Eric Hansman – The 6-foot-2, 170-pound outfielder hit .304 last year.

Class of 2014

• OF, Jacob Naas

Class of 2015

• 1B/RHP, Alex Murphy
• RHP, Alex Schulke

Class of 2016

• RHP/1B/3B, Mitch Gremling