AUSTIN PREPPED FOR A LONG RUN
Coast Conference as pitchers Jayden LaFleur and Sam Watts lead the way along with shortstop Mason Kulpa and second baseman Myles Mendoza. Apponequet looks to rebound behind pitchers Tanner Audyatis and Justyn Machie.
Gloucester will look to pitchers Zachary Morris and Brett Moore along with shortstop Jack Costanzo and third baseman Zachary Oliver. Swampscott will be looking to bounce back off a 7-8 season. Shortstop Pat McNamara and pitcher Tommy O’Grady headline the list of returnees for Stoneham, while outfielder Jeidden Avila-Rosa and third baseman Ryan Bracetty were league all-stars for Greater Lowell.
Ethan Hunt is back on the mound for Pentucket along with outfielder Trevor Kamuda. North Reading returns all-CAL pitcher Ryan Baker, while Newburyport is looking for big things from second baseman Jack Fehlner and pitcher Lucas Stafford.
Foxboro returns infielders Sean O’Leary, Tom Marcucella and Ryan LeClair to go along with outfielder Jack Watts. Tristen Lewis should be one of the top pitchers for Middleboro.
The South Shore League should have a say in how Div. 4 shakes itself out. Perennial power Abington was in the state final last year and will lean on catcher Spencer Merrick. Mashpee will be led by first baseman Sean Fancher and shortstop Colton Colleran, while Cohasset will look to third baseman Luc Nivaud and outfielder Nick Henry.
Amesbury returns a solid nucleus in outfielders Trevor Kimball and Drew MacDonald along with shortstop Shea Cucinotta and second baseman Jake Harring. Hamilton-Wenham lost some key components and will look to pitcher Gian Gamelli, catcher Nick Freni, shortstop Will Cooke, third baseman Harrison Stein and outfielder Conner McClintock.
Christian Ortiz moves over from Snowden to Boston English and is expecting big things from pitchers David Castillo and Nanfer Duarte, infielders Justin Peguero and Francis Villalona and catcher Braylin Gonzalez. Randolph Abraham adds the baseball coaching duties to his resume at Brighton and he is looking to pitchers Joe Schlehuber, Wesley Zabala and Oliver San Quinton and third baseman William Gonzalez as well as second baseman William Paralta.
St. John Paul figures to be one of the teams to beat in Division 5 as pitchers Hunter Alten and Jimmy Adams are back along with catcher Jake Walman and shortstop Mikey Van Neste.
St. Joseph won the Div. 4 North title last year and return all-CCL pitcher Chuck Nolan. Mystic Valley has pitchers Tyler Santoro and Brandon Paris back with shortstop Dylan Santoro and catcher Jake Stover.