Division: I
Coach: Scott Owen (16th year)
Last year: 5-13, did not make tournament
Returning starters: Ethan Dupre, jr., 2B/OF; Sean Fallon, sr., LF/RF; Jared Grondin, sr., P/LF/RF; Jake Kelly, jr., C; Matt LaTourette, sr., C/1B; Christian McClellan, jr., P/1B/3B; Steve Moran, sr., P/OF; Noah Wachter, jr., P/LF/RF
Top newcomers: Eli Boyle, sr., 3B/DH; Griffin Gilbert, so., P/1B; Connor Haywood, sr., 2B; Zach Morrissey, so., 2B/SS; Ben Normandeau, jr., 2B/SS; Kurtis Stadnicki, so., P/3B; Gabe Tobin, jr., OF
Outlook: “We have a lot of returning varsity experience, but we are still a very young team. I think our strength is our pitching. We are hoping that our hitting is better and we need to be able to play good defense,” Coach Owen said.
Teams to beat: Londonderry, Pinkerton, Nashua North, Exeter, Keene
Division: II
Coach: Sean Ashley (3rd year back)
Last year: 15-4, reached semifinals
Returning starters: Noah Dubois, sr., IF; Brody Ashley, jr., OF/P; Andrew Therrien, sr., U; Will Ohrenberger, sr., C; Alex Bussiere, jr., IN/P; Joel Boulanger, jr., OF; Taylor Dow, sr., P; Jayson Cleveland, sr., SS/P
Top newcomers: Bryce Twombly, sr., OF; Dylan Andrews, jr., 1B/P; Max Judge, jr., U/P; Brendan Eaton, so., IF
Outlook: “We expect to be strong again this year,” said Coach Ashley, adding that his team’s defense and pitching is likely to be its biggest strength. “We’re hoping to be right back in the thick of things again this year. We’ve got a lot of tough teams in our area, though, so we’ll have to work for it, for sure.”
Teams to beat: Windham, Portsmouth, Kingswood
Division: II
Coach: Dennis Pelletier (3rd year)
Last year: 8-10, reached quarterfinals
Returning starters: Egan Nickerson, sr., SS/2B/P; Callahan Loos, sr., OF/P; Wesley Lamphere, sr., SS/2B/P; Brock Bergeron, sr., 3B; Jeremy Aubin, jr., 1B/2B/P; Adam Tower, jr., OF; Leif Mailloux, jr., 2B/OF; Derek Goldrick, so., OF/P
Top newcomers: Aaron Roberterson, fr., C/3B; Kyle Hagman, so., INF
Outlook: With eight returning starters and 12 returning players with varsity experience from last year’s squad that made a run to the quarterfinals, the Generals look to return to the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The Generals have a solid lineup on the mound with senior tri-captains Nickerson (second team All-State in 2015), Loos, Lamphere and junior Aubin forming a solid rotation, with Goldrick potentially getting in the mix, as well. A challenge for John Stark will be replacing first team All-State catcher David Nelson, who now plays for Franklin Pierce University. Freshman Robertson and sophomore Ryan Rothdiener will compete for the starting spot. Rothdiener could also see some time in right field. Loos and Lamphere are a solid 1-2 in the batting order with Goldrick, sophomore first baseman Noah Greene and Bergeron adding power to the middle of the lineup. Aubin and Tower are the team’s top returning on-base percentage leaders. Mailloux will be a threat on the basepaths. “The X-factor this season for John Stark will be its overall team defense,” Coach Pelettier said. “The team ended (the 2015 season) on a great roll defensively and so far this preseason has been very solid.”
Teams to beat: Portsmouth, Souhegan, Windham, Goffstown
Division: II
Coach: Sean Wheeler (14th year)
Last year: 4-12, did not make tournament
Returning starters: Joe Dougherty, sr., SS/P; Chad Eaton, sr., OF/1B; Cole Laliberte, sr., OF/2B; Kevin Barton, jr., 2B; Mark Barton, jr., C; Joe Ostrowski, jr., 3B/P; Brian Nylen, so., 3B/P
Top newcomer: Matt Ostrowski, fr., OF/P
Outlook: The Pride hopes to return to the playoffs after missing the postseason last year. The key will be to see how an inexperience pitching rotation handles the competiion. Nylen has looked sharp in preseason scrimmages. Dougherty (10 innings), senior hurler Robbie Rattee (six innings) and Joe Ostrowski (three innings) have limited varsity pitching experience and Ostrowski might be out until May with a shoulder injury. Sophomore Alan Thompson and freshman Matt Ostrowski are also fighting to pitch some innings. The Pride looks strong defensively with seven regulars back in the lineup, but second baseman Kevin Barton, MV’s lone All-State selection last year, has been sidelined with an ankle injury for most of the preseason. Dougherty (second base) and Mark Barton (catcher) are key returners in their positions. Matt Ostrowki will get the nod at center field with Laliberte, Eaton and Ratee and junior Taylor Hughes battling for the starting corner spots.
Teams to beat: Portsmouth, Windham, Goffstown
Division: II
Coach: Joshua Coughlin (6th year)
Last year: 5-12, reached first round
Returning starters: Cole Hapgood, so., INF/P; AJ Gagnon, jr., P/INF/OF; Connor Locke, jr., P/INF; Noah Manteau, sr., OF; Chase Ranfos, sr., C
Top newcomers: Jared Murray, so., P/INF; Quinton Paquin, jr., P/INF; James Fisher, sr., P/OF
Outlook: “We will have a young pitching staff with Gagnon as the anchor,” Coach Coughlin said. The Spartans hope to improve once the rest of the rotation gets settled and are looking for offensive support from the bats of Ranfos, Fisher, Gagnon and Hapgood. “We look to be playing our best ball come the end of May, early June and anything can happen,” Coughlin added.
Teams to beat: Portsmouth, Souhegan
Division: III
Coach: Matt LeBlanc (6th year)
Last year: 11-7, reached quarterfinals
Returning starters: Doug Price, jr., 1B/P; Matt Pluskis, so., 2B; Corey Derosier, jr., SS/P; Cole Contigiani, jr., 3B/1B/P; Ryan Gelinas, jr., LF; Chris Marden, jr., CF; Jonny LeClair, jr., RF/P/C
Top newcomers: Joshua Guptill, sr., P/IF/OF; Brett Lima, so., IF/OF/P; Cam Magerer, fr., IF/C; Colby Brown, fr., IF
Outlook: “We return eight starters from a team that made it to the quarterfinals last year, so we’re looking to hopefully build on that experience,” Coach LeBlanc said. “We’ve got some pretty competitive teams here in the Lakes Region, so it will be an uphill battled every day. But we’re looking to take the next step.”
Teams to beat: Laconia, Campbell, Hopkinton
Division: III
Coach: Skip Foy (11th year)
Last year: 9-8, reached second round
Returning starters: Tom Blandini, sr., SS/P; JP Nemcovich, sr., C; Martin Hecka, sr., 1B; Adam Kalil, sr., 2B/P
Top newcomers: Max Lamora, so., 3B/OF; Mario Fusco, jr., SS/3B/P; Alex Andrews, fr., 3B/OF; Theo Partington, so., OF; Josh LeClaire, jr., OF/3B
Outlook: With three returning All-State selections – Blandini (first team), Nemcovich and Hecka (both third team), we have a strong nucleus coming back, but we still have a lot of question marks at third and outfield as we lost our entire outfield to graduation,” Coach Foy said. “We are still evaluating who is going to fill those positions. Obviously we are not going to win baseball games with just three players, but we believe we have kids who are ready to step up and help us at the open positions. We need to throw strikes and play defense first, and then find nine guys who can each give us quality at-bats to score enough to win.”
Teams to beat: Hopkinton, Bow, Winnisquam, Campbell, Mascenic, Conant, Somersworth
Division: III
Coach: Ben Forbes (16th year)
Last year: 8-10, reached second round
Returning starters: Evan Vulgamore, sr., DH; Jeff Bell, sr., P/1B; Brendan Winch, jr., P/1B; Jack Corriveau, so., P/INF/OF; Christian McDonald, so., INF; Connor Lorenz, jr., OF
Top newcomers: Austin Beaudette, jr., C; Connor Blandini, fr., P/INF
Outlook: The Falcons are looking to capitalize on a young, solid defense and some veteran pitching. With Vulgamore (2015 D-III Player of the Year) questionable due to an injury, the Falcons will need a more well-rounded team effort offensively to have a successful season.
Teams to beat: “Any team on any given said,” Coach Forbes said.
Division: III
Coach: Dave Joyce (3rd year)
Last year: 5-11, did not make tournament
Returning starters: Brendon Frechette, sr., P/1B; Garrett Fleming, sr., P/OF; Patrick Kaplan, sr., C/RF/3B; Tyler Arnold, sr., C/2B; Max Joyce, jr., SS; Dylan Cooper, sr., 3B/1B/P; Thomas Pellerin, so., 3B
Top newcomers: TJ Laramie, fr., 1B/P; Harrison Clark, fr., P/RF
Outlook: The Tornadoes are looking to break out after a couple of rough years. Franklin looks poised to do it with the return of six players who are entering their third season of varsity experience. The Tornadoes also have four experienced left-handed pitchers with different mechanics and bolstered with the addition of freshmen Laramie and Clark who have a lot of AAU experience and could make an immediate impact in the lineup. “This should help our already strong defensive play from last year and we look to be even more thrifty this year on runs allowed,” Coach Joyce said.
Teams to beat: Belmont, Bow, Campbell
Division: III
Coach: Mike Donnell (3rd year)
Last year: 1-15, did not make tournament
Returning starters: Dominic Downs, sr., P/SS; Brandon Soules, sr., C/CF
Top newcomer: Kevin McCaffrey, fr., 1B/P
Outlook: “Inexperience and youth describe our team,” said Coach Donnell, referring to half of his Hillcat squad who will see varsity action for the first time and to three players competing in the sport for the first time. “That said, this team will hit, will defend and should compete. The future is bright,” Donnell added.
Teams to beat: Campbell, Hopkinton, Conant, Franklin
Division: III
Coach: Dave Chase (20th year)
Last year: 16-3, reached semifinals
Returning starters: Ben McManus, jr., 2B/P; Kyle Slevira, sr., 1B/P; David Nelson, sr., 1B/P; Jacob Walling, sr., 3B/C; Alex Lajeunesse, sr., C/P
Top newcomers: Dustin Rose, so., CF; Will Rhynhart, jr., 2B/OF; Robert Wilkerson, jr., OF
Outlook: Hopkinton returns a strong pitching staff (McManus and Slevira combined for a 14-2 record in 2015), bolstered by a healthy Nelson and Josh Angell, making the Hawks armed and ready to go. Lajeunesse, an all-state catcher, anchors the middle of the lineup. “The Hawks will need to field it and get better at the plate in order to be successful this season,” Coach Chase said.
Teams to beat: Bishop Brady, Masenic, Belmont, Somersworth, Campbell
Division: III
Coach: Travis Pelletier (4th year)
Last year: 7-11, reached second round
Returning starters: Jake Vierzen, sr., P; Bo Underhill, so., OF; Brad Underhill, so., OF/P; Cy Courser, jr., OF; Levi Wilson, so., 2B; Joe Storozuk, so., 3B; D.J. Smith, sr., OF; Sam Lick, so., C
Top newcomers: Zach Mattos, sr., 1B; Nick Pellerin, fr., INF/P; Bryce Bourque, jr., OF/INF
Outlook: The Cougars may still be a young team, but return six starters from last year, plus two other players who also saw varsity action. Pitching may be a weakness early in season, but according to Pelletier, “we lost a lot of innings on the mound with kids graduating, but we have a good potential to be strong in this area by the end of the season.”
Teams to beat: Campbell, Monadnock
Division: III
Coach: Fred Caruso (10th year)
Last year: 9-8, reached first round
Returning starters: Tim Harmon, sr., P/1B; Mikey Lowrey, jr., P/SS; Jake Snow, jr., 3B; Devin Martinez, sr., P/OF; Hunter Tierney, jr., P/INF
Top newcomer: Jack Decormier, sr., CF
Outlook: “We have most of our innings (pitched last season) back on the mound with Harmon, Martinez, Lowrey and Tierney. Everyone is a year older, stronger and wiser. Hopefully that translates on the field. We graduated our 1-2-3 hitters in the lineup (all three were All-State players). We’ll have to find some offense. Defensively and on the mound I think we’ll be fine,” Coach Caruso said, adding that, “We play a very tough schedule. We play last year’s top three teams (Campbell, Laconia and Monadnock) in the first five games. We also play Belmont and Bishop Brady during that stretch. Both should be very good. We’ll find out right away where we stand.”
Teams to beat: Belmont, Bishop Brady, Campbell, Gilford, Hopkinton, Laconia, Mascenic, Monadnock
Division: IV
Coach: Rob Stockman (10th year)
Last year: 8-11, reached first round
Returning starters: Jesse Slater, sr.; Kyle Hamel, sr.; Noah MacGlashing, jr; Cam Darrah, so.; Casey Clark, so.; Devin Bedell, 8th grade
Top newcomers: Kyle Stockman, fr.; Brian Sullivan, fr.; Tyler Prentice, 8th grade; Jesse MacGlashing, 7th grade
Outlook: The Panthers return six starters from last year’s team, but half of the returners played as freshmen or middle schoolers last year. “Our goal is to always make the playoffs and to progress as a team,” Coach Stockman said.
Teams to beat: Portsmouth Christian, Sunapee, Colebrook, Newmarket