NTL BASEBALL: SAYRE COACH BELIEVES TALENTED FRESHMAN CLASS WILL KEEP 'SKINS COMPETITIVE IN 2019 (2019-04-01)
Valley Sports ReportSAYRE "” Two-time defending District 4, Class A baseball champion Sayre won't have an opportunity to defend its title after being bumped up to Class AA in 2019, but coach Jamie VanDuzer believes an influx of freshmen will keep the Redskins competitive after losing several key players to graduation.
"We lost some very key players to graduation, including our two best pitchers, two best catchers and three of our best five offensive players," said VanDuzer. "They will be tough to replace, but we have some very talented freshman and a few newcomers that can contribute.
"We have a very good freshman class coming in," he noted. "They should all compete for playing time with upper classmen."
Junior Quinn Hanafin returns and will play shortstop, while senior Jon Cron will play first base, while senior James Esposito will see time in the infield and outfield. and junior Camden Wheeler will play third base. Sophomore Nic Ficarro could also see time at first base.
Senior James Esposito, who could also see action on the infield, will start in the outfield. Also seeing time in the outfield will be junior Isaiah Firestine, freshman newcomer David Northrup, and senior Nathan Garrity, who returns to program after two years away.
Sophomores Jake Burgess and Zach Moore will move into starting roles this season, with Burgess at second base, and Moore at shortstop. Both could also see time in the outfield.
"The were instrumental as freshman last year, and will be expected to fill voids of players gone to graduation," said VanDuzer.
Freshman Brayden Horton will see the majority of action at catcher.
"We are young, but deep," said VanDuzer.
"We will mix some things around at first to see which kids will step up and adjust to varsity baseball the quickest.
"I think we will be able to play defense and score some runs, my concern is with inexperience in pitchers," added VanDuzer.
Esposito, Cron, Moore, sophomore Jordan Goodrich, junior Corbin Brown, Ficarro, Northrup, and freshmen Kannon VanDuzer, Mason Houseknecht, and Dominic Fabbri could all see time on the mound.
"We have a lot of pitching depth but not much experience," said VanDuzer. "It will be interesting how many of these guys step up and get the innings."
On the NTL: "The league will have some much improved teams," said VanDuzer. "While we lost a lot, many other teams did not. There will be some good arms out there and some well-coached teams."
Sayre opens the 2019 season Tuesday at Troy.
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IN PHOTO: Sayre's Quinn Hanafin.
