Baseball – 2014 Preview: Henry Hudson

Henry Hudson Admirals

Head Coach: Vinnie Whitehead, second season
Record Last Year: 7-11 (5-9, sixth in B Central)

Key Losses: Jim Trivett (1B/OF/P), Angelo Miragliotta (C), Jake Altobelli (1B), Chas Breithoff (P/INF) – Transferred to Shore
Key Newcomers: Tom Colintino (Fr., OF/P), Ryan Doelger (Fr., INF/P), Brendan Carlstrom (Fr., P/OF), Jack Slocum (Fr., OF), Steve Stockton (So., C/INF), Alonso Olsen (Jr., C/INF), Tim Belicose (Jr., INF), Bill Dickie  (Jr., INF/P), Pierce Niles (Sr., 1B)

Team Outlook

The Admirals got off to a strong start last season, thanks in part to a manageable schedule out of the gate, before running out of gas in May, so the first goal for Henry Hudson will be to prepare for the long haul. That doesn’t mean they would not like to get off to another good start, but development will be a key for Hudson, which has only four seniors on the team. One of those seniors is Ben Thompson, one of the top offensive players in the division over the past two seasons, as well as a capable starter who should be a solid No. 1 pitcher in B Central.

The rest of the returning group will look to complement Thompson in the lineup and on the mound. Shortstop Kyle Rauen is primed for a strong junior season, while seniors Andre Berry and Pat Delatore both return with experience in the everyday lineup. Pitching will be more touch-and-go for Hudson, which will play as many as four freshmen – three of them on the pitcher’s mound, potentially. No team in the division has a juggernaut lineup, so if pitchers like junior Alonso Olsen and freshmen Tom Colintino, Ryan Doegler and Brendan Carlstrom get a chance to pitch and throw the ball well, they will have a chance to get some outs.

Other teams are farther along in putting division title contenders together, but Henry Hudson has on of the division's top players in Thompson and the young players will try to catch up in order to make a run late in the year.