High school baseball preview: Another banner season seems on the horizon in county

Baseball has continued to be one of Medina County's most well-rounded sports. Medina and Wadsworth are coming off Division I district championships, while Buckeye, Cloverleaf and Highland also won their leagues. The bar remains high after the area's seven OHSAA schools compiled a sterling 128-59-1 record (.684) in 2023, but plenty of returning talent means a significant drop-off is unlikely. While gutted by major graduation losses that included Gazette MVP Nate Hill (Toledo) and two-way star Jack Geiser (Ohio), Medina still returns left-handed ace Owen Cavey. Wadsworth is stacked with top pitchers Finn Schmitt (Malone) and Jon Byers to go with reigning Suburban League National Conference Player of the Year Kyle Figuray and .400 hitters Eric Decker and Kai Close. Like Medina, Brunswick was hit hard by graduation losses but still boasts Eastern Michigan-bound Tyler Yudess and pitchers Brady Rice and Mike Stoll, while Highland is led by Ohio University recruit Hunter Winston on the mound as well as touted sophomore Casey Myser. Buckeye brings back veteran pitcher Joey Cash, a deep junior class and virtually its entire offense, which boasts four-year starting catcher Ranger Metter, Cloverleaf is headlined by All-Gazette ace Mark Stewart and four-year starting infielder Griffin Petrocci and Black River remains experienced with four-year starter Johnny Kray atop the lineup. Medina Christian Academy will make its OHSAA debut under first-year coach Jack Seiple. Here's a closer look at the county's eight teams: Black River Coach: Jake O'Connor (5th season, 57-44 record). Last season: 17-8, 12-2 (2nd Lorain County League). Key letterwinners lost: Noah Hopek (All-Gazette), Hunter McJunkins (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Johnny Kray (HM All-Gazette, SS/P, sr.), Evan Ladina (OF/P, sr.), Eric Groesser (1B, sr.), Lenny Ramirez (OF, sr.), Alex Woolfrom (2B/P, jr.), Travis Dean (1B/P, jr.), Cole Ladina (OF/P, jr.), Jayce Hopek (C, so.). Newcomers: Layne Lawhon (OF, sr.), Blake Hopkins (1B/OF, sr.), Ridge Martin (2B/3B, sr.), Dozier Hendershot (UTL, so.), Hunter Mate (UTL/P, so.), Trent Boggs (OF, so.), Dozier Hendershot (UTL, so.), Hunter Mate (UTL/P, so.), Chase English (1B/3B, fr.), Zane Kristophel (SS/3B, fr.). Noteworthy: Utilizing a hyper-aggressive small-ball approach, the Pirates have averaged 7.6, 7.3 and 7.7 runs over the last three seasons. l The pitching staff will need to be rebuilt after the graduations of Noah Hopek and McJunkins, but Dean appears ready to step into the ace role with an upper-80s heater. The Ladina brothers and Woolfrom also are capable. l Kray led Medina County with 37 hits and 36 stolen bases last season, while Evan Ladina was tops with 11 doubles. l Groesser is out for the season after ACL reconstruction surgery. Brunswick Coach: Grant Relic (7th season, 93-74 record). Last season: 17-12, 5-5 (T-3rd Greater Cleveland Conference, Strongsville Division I District runner-up). Key letterwinners lost: Jacob Mancini (All-Gazette), Kyle Callahan (HM All-Gazette), Jayce Dye (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Bryce Bogan (C, sr.), Brady Rice (P/OF, sr.), Tommy Morgan (1B, sr.), Bret Petrigac (P, sr.), Tyler Yudess (SS, sr.), Mike Stoll (P, sr.), Keegan O'Malley (2B, sr.), Tyler Brown (OF, sr.), Eric Carbone (3B, sr.), Connor Adams (C, jr.), Chad Novicky (P, sr.). Newcomers: Adam Yanus (1B, sr.), Logan McComas (C, sr.), Dean Sheely (P, sr.), Mike Samano (3B, sr.), Gavin Trush (2B, jr.), Nick Wojtala (OF, jr.), Cooper Neel (P, jr.), Ryan Maslyk (P, jr.), Alex Hubbell (OF, jr.), Brooks Relic (P, jr.), Cole Rauscher (OF, jr.). Noteworthy: Yudess (Eastern Michigan), Rice (Walsh), Petrigac (Tiffin), Yanus (Mount Union), O'Malley (Hiram), Brown (Hiram) and Samano (Mount St. Joseph) are committed to play collegiately, while Morgan is a Hillsdale (Mich.) basketball recruit. l The Blue Devils feature notable multi-sport athletes Morgan (basketball), O'Malley (football), Neel (football) and Hubbell (football). l Stoll (5-1, 2.03) and Rice (2-3, 3.78) give Brunswick a veteran 1-2 punch atop the pitching staff. l Yudess was one of eight county players to hit at least two home runs last season. Buckeye Coach: Mike Wolf (5th season at Buckeye, 69-35-1 record; 18th overall, 287-152-1 record). Last season: 15-7-1, 9-1 (1st in Great Lakes Conference East Division). Key letterwinner lost: Aidan Barnhardt (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Joey Cash (P, sr.), Ranger Metter (HM All-Gazette, C, sr.), Scott DiMarco (OF/P, jr.), Dylan Traylinek (OF/P, sr.), Gabe McCabe (OF/P, sr.), Andrew Hein (1B/P, sr.), Nathan Sadlis (SS/P, jr.), Chandler Kosh (3B/P, jr.), Cody Burgess (2B/P, jr.), Andy Schneider (1B, jr.). Newcomers: Noah Seeley (INF/P, sr.), Nate Miller (OF/P, jr.), Logan Brown (OF, so.), Zach Seeley (C, so.), Nolan Klingbeil (P, fr.). Noteworthy: Cash (4-1, 2.82), Sickle (3-1, 1.13), Kosh (0-1, 0.58) and DiMarco (2-1, 1.11) all pitched at least 10 innings last season. l Schneider is coming off a breakout sophomore season in which he led the team in doubles (8), RBIs (21) and runs (17), while Kosh batted .369 and was among the county leaders with 22 walks. l The 6-foot-6 Klingbeil lettered as a backup center for the basketball team. Cloverleaf Coach: Erik Pinkerman (2nd season, 16-10 record). Last season: 16-10, 13-1 (1st Metro Athletic Conference). Key letterwinners lost: Tyler Biskup (All-Gazette), Branson Harding (HM All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Griffin Petrocci (SS/P, sr.), Robby Wells (P/1B, sr.), Mark Stewart (All-Gazette, P/OF, sr.), Gavin Cauley (1B/P, sr.), Logan Biskup (OF/P, sr.), Bryson Salyer (3B, jr.), Taylor Hines (2B, jr.). Newcomers: Josh Bowman (INF/P, jr.), Carson Donohue (INF, jr.), Troy Hlucky (1B/P, jr.), Derek Koval (C, jr.), Peyton Gregoire (OF, jr.), Logan Knapp (UTL, so.), Noah Lindenmuth (UTL/P, so.), Carson Baltic (C, fr.). Noteworthy: Stewart was 8-2 with a 0.90 ERA last season. His eight wins were tied with Highland's Max Wagar for the county lead. l The Colts are 37-5 with two championships since the Metro Athletic Conference debuted in 2021. They previously had never won a league title. l Due to the new high school construction, Cloverleaf again will play home games on the southwest corner of the U.S. Route 224/Leroy Road intersection in Westfield Center. The Colts are 15-1 all time at the facility. Highland Coach: Jay Grissom (11th season, 151-109 record). Last season: 17-9, 11-3 (T-1st Suburban League American Conference). Key letterwinner lost: Max Wagar (All-Gazette) Letterwinners: Hunter Winston (HM All-Gazette, P/1B, sr.), Shane Cope (P/3B, sr.), John Toth (C, sr.), Matt Fillinger (1B, sr.), Peyton Janickas (SS/2B, sr.), Peyton Ganda (C/P, jr.), Casey Myser (P/OF, so.). Newcomers: John Farrell (P, sr.), Noah Radigan (SS/2B, jr.), Lorenzo Nemec (P/UTL, jr.), Ben Coyne (1B/3B, jr.), Kyle Williams (OF/P, jr.), Cam Koch (2B/SS, jr.), Jayden Barr (OF, jr.), Matthew Dean (OF, jr.), Luke McCool (P, jr.), Landon Sooy (UTL, jr.), Evan Roham (P/OF, jr.), Dan Miller (P/3B/1B, so.). Noteworthy: Ohio University recruit Winston set the county season record for strikeouts per inning (1.929) last spring. l Still regarded as one of the top sophomores in Ohio, Myser batted 9-for-16 over the final six games of 2023 and is expected to be a key member of the rotation as a left-handed option. l Highland batted a pedestrian .281 as a team a year ago and lost a large chunk of the lineup to graduation. Myser (.355) and Ganda (.333) are the top returnees. l The Hornets have been .500 or better in 13 of the past 17 seasons after having zero winning records from 1990-2005. Medina Coach: Mark Kelly (2nd season at Medina, 25-7 record; 4th season overall, 75-41 record). Last season: 25-7, 10-0 (1st Greater Cleveland Conference, Bowling Green Division I Regional runner-up). Key letterwinners lost: Nate Hill (Gazette MVP), Jack Geiser (All-Gazette), Brennan Stobbs (All-Gazette). Letterwinners: Owen Cavey (P/1B, All-Gazette), Danny Stoddard (HM All-Gazette, OF, sr.), Jack Stobbs (P/1B/SS/@B, sr.), Andrew Boughter (P, sr.), Drew Rohlen (3B/P, sr.), Camryn Hathaway (OF, sr.), Nick Hayes (UTL, sr.). Newcomers: Zeylan Yanmaz (OF, jr.), Alec Kish (UTL, sr.), Joey Johnson (2B, so.), Trent Kerr (2B, jr.), Brayden Smigel (P/UTL, jr.), Alex Rossetti (SS, so.), Brian Wuchter (C, so.), Joey Mack (C, jr.), Ethan Acurio (P, jr.), Lincoln Briggs (3B/OF/P, jr.), Nolan Frank (P, jr.), Landon Briggs (1B, jr.). Noteworthy: Cavey (Ashland), Boughter (Otterbein), Hayes (Tiffin) and Hathaway (Baldwin Wallace) are committed to play collegiately. l Sophomores Johnson, Rossetti and Wuchter are expected to start full time. l Medina won the GCC by four games last season. l The Bees have a won a county-best 14 tournament games over the last six seasons. Medina Christian Academy Coach: Jack Seiple (1st season) Last season: 1-9, 1-5 in Lake Effect Conference Letterwinners: Joey Green (1B/P, sr.), Jonathan Thomson (OF/P, sr.), Jono Timco (OF, sr.), Seth Vanderlaan (C, sr.), Tyler Jones (3B/P, sr.). Newcomers: Adam Collier (UTL/P, fr.), Caden Dyer (OF/P, fr.), D.J. Reidl (UTL/P, fr.), Jacob Crandall (OF, fr.), Luke Kacenjar (C, fr.), Luke Marzen (UTL/P, fr.), Noah Landers (SS/P, fr.), Noteworthy: The Knights, whose home field is Reagan Park No. 4, will make their OHSAA debut. Their only 2023 win was the finale, 9-1 over St. Martin de Porres. l Medina Christian Academy has a unique roster with five seniors and seven freshmen. l Seiple was a left-handed pitcher at Hudson High and Hiram College. Wadsworth Coach: Greg Pickard (12th season, 201-83 record). Last season: 21-6, 12-0 (1st Suburban League National Conference, Baldwin Wallace Division I District champion). Key letterwinner lost: Aaron Keating (All-Gazette) Letterwinners: Jon Byers (P/DH, sr.), Kyle Figuray (All-Gazette, P/SS, sr.), Ethan Green (3B, sr.), Noah Gromofsky (P, sr.), Finn Schmitt (All-Gazette, P, sr.), Eric Decker (HM All-Gazette, OF, sr.), Nate Petit (P, sr.), Henry Canfora (C, sr.), Jake Schmeltzer (OF, sr.), Philip Garcia (2B/P, jr.), Kai Close (1B/P, jr.), Joey Flanigan (P, sr.). Newcomers: Tommy Pasterchek (UTL, sr.), Ryan Stoops (OF, so.). Noteworthy: Wadsworth won the SL National by a whopping five games last spring. The Grizzlies have captured seven of the last nine crowns. l Keating (.460, 1st), Decker (.444, 3rd) and Close (.403, 6th) were three of only six county players to bat .400 in 2023. l Schmitt (Malone), Gromofsky (Otterbein), Figuray (Cuyahoga Community College), Green (Cuyahoga Community College) and Flanigan (Cuyahoga Community College) are committed to play collegiately. Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com.