Prep Baseball Report

Region Preview: Class A - Region III



By Greg Williams
WV Director of Scouting

With the start of the high school season less than a month away we will be previewing each region in each classification statewide. In addition to a look at the top teams we will also highlight some of the top prospects in each region.

                 Class A - Region III

Preseason Favorites

Valley Fayette (21-11) / Greenbrier West (12-11)

Valley is looking to build on last year's success and make a return trip to Charleston where their season ended in 2013 with a loss in the Class A semifinals. A number of key pieces from that team have graduated, including 1st Team All-State performer Arik McGinnis (WV Tech). The Greyhounds return five starters from last year's State Tournament team. Several other players return that played significant innings and will be counted on to fill positions that seniors had filled.

At the head of that list is sophomore RHP/SS Druw Bowen. A 2nd Team All-State selection in 2013, Bowen is capable of running the ball to the plate in the mid-80s, and is ranked No. 3 in the WV Class of 2016. Raeshawn Breckenridge and Joe Eckert, both senior lefties, will be counted on to bolster the pitching staff. Joe Eckert also returns for his senior season handling the pitching staff behind the plate.

This could be the year for Greenbrier West. The Cavaliers return their entire roster from a team that hit .325 in 2013. Among the returners are seven seniors that would like to go out with a bang their final year. In order for them to get over the hump and earn a berth in the state tournament they will have to improve their pitching. The Cavaliers finished last season with a 6.23 team ERA.


In the Hunt

Fayetteville (21-15)


6A3 druw pitch.jpgPreseason Player of the Year

Druw Bowen, RHP/SS, Valley Fayette HS (Class of 2016)

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound sophomore went 8-0 with a 2.15 ERA as a freshman last year and was named 2nd Team Class A All-State. Bowen, who is currently ranked No. 2 in the WV Class of 2016, will pitch and see some time in the outfield for Team Pennsylvania at the PBR Future Games next August in Indiana. The talented two-way prospect hit five home runs during Valley's run to the state semi-finals last year.

 

Top Prospects

Greenbrier west

Mikey Goddard, SS/RHP (Class of 2014)
Jared Jennings, C/RHP (Class of 2014)
Chase McClung, 3B/RHP (Class of 2014)
Austin Ransom, 1B/LHP (Class of 2014)
Adam Tygrett, 2B/3B (Class of 2014)
Dustin Yoakum, OF/RHP (Class of 2014)

Man

Cayce Mullins, C/RHP (Class of 2014)
Braden Griffin, LHP/OF (Class of 2014)

tug valley

Trevin Horn, 2B/SS (Class of 2014)

Valley fayette

Raeshawn Breckenridge, OF (Class of 2014)
Joe Eckert, LHP/1B (Class of 2014)
John Riddle, C (Class of 2014)
Druw Bowen, RHP/SS (Class of 2016)

 

view all Region previews & preseason players of the year by conference


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