Maxwell Costes
Gilman, senior, pitcher-infielder
The Maryland commit and preseason all-state selection led the Greyhounds last season with a .392 batting average, three triples, six home runs and 26 RBIs. In 13 appearances on the mound, Costes struck out 34 and had a 3.78 ERA.
Brendan Foster
Howard, junior, pitcher-outfielder
A preseason all-state selection, Foster teams with Gabe Delgado and Ryan Kulick to form one of the deepest rotations in the area. Foster and Delgado, as a 1-2 punch, could be special.
AJ Holcomb
Loyola Blakefield, senior, infielder
Another preseason all-state selection, Holcomb batted .296 and led the MIAA A Conference champion Dons in hits and doubles. The High Point commit had a .387 OBP and .506 slugging percentage and hit two home runs in a 3-2 playoff win over three-time defending champion Spalding.
Cameron Hyder
Reservoir, senior, pitcher-outfielder
The preseason all-state selection hit .409 and drove in 12 while leading the 16-win Gators to the Class 4A East Region semifinals. The Salisbury commit added eight doubles and scored 19 runs.
Austin Koehn
Patterson Mill, senior, pitcher
The UNC-Greensboro commit is a two-time All-Metro selection who led the Huskies to the Class 1A state semifinals with a 6-2 record, 58 strikeouts and a 1.14 ERA. The preseason all-state selection allowed just nine earned runs while hitting .316 with 15 RBIs.
Jeremy Lapp
Century, senior, pitcher-outfielder
A West Virginia commit who throws in the high-80s, Lapp went 7-1 and struck out 64 in leading the Knights to the Class 2A West Region semifinals. The preseason all-state selection batted .309 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs and was named All-Carroll County Athletic League.
Tyler Locklear
Archbishop Curley, junior, third baseman
The VCU commit led the Friars to 16 wins and a fourth-place finish in the MIAA A Conference, hitting .365 with six home runs and 26 RBIs. The preseason all-state selection added nine doubles and two triples.
Michael Marrale
Century, senior, catcher
The Player of the Year in Carroll County, Marrale hit .440, slugged .907, hit 10 home runs and had 31 RBIs. The Old Dominion commit and preseason all-state selection also scored 28 runs.
Nolan Matsko
Dulaney, senior, pitcher-infielder
The Georgetown commit scored 37 runs and stole 21 bases as the Lions reached the Class 4A North Region final. Matsko batted .444 with eight doubles, four triples, two home runs and 22 RBIs.
Kody Milton
Severna Park, senior, third baseman
The returning All-Metro Player of the Year hit .580 and led the Falcons to the Class 4A state semifinals. The Maryland commit had 40 hits, including six home runs and 11 doubles, and a .700 on-base-percentage. The preseason all-state selection is a four-year varsity starter.
JP Murphy
Calvert Hall, senior, outfielder
The offensive catalyst for the Cardinals, Murphy batted .453 with 43 hits, including five home runs, and 27 RBIs for the MIAA A Conference finalist. The High Point commit and preseason all-state selection added seven doubles, five triples and had a .487 OBP and .768 slugging percentage.
Cam Nolet
Annapolis, senior, pitcher-first baseman
After posting a 5-2 record with 78 strikeouts and a 2.01 ERA as a junior, Nolet departs St. Mary’s and the MIAA A Conference to give Panthers coach Gus Kaplanges an ace. The University of South Carolina-Aiken commit allowed just 19 hits and pitched a six-inning perfect game against North Brunswick (N.C.).
Stephen Pelli
St. Mary’s, senior, pitcher
Despite going 4-6 last season, Pelli, a North Carolina commit, posted a 2.80 ERA and struck out 96. He leads a veteran yet revamped Saints squad that is looking to get into the MIAA A Conference playoffs after falling a game short in each of their first two seasons in the league.
Will Schubert
Arundel, senior, pitcher
The Wildcats have one of the stingiest and most effective pitching staffs in the state, and Schubert, who posted a 0.46 ERA as a junior, leads the way. Schubert and Steven Sturlaugson (1.18 ERA, 47 strikeouts) form one of the top 1-2 rotations in the area and will be counted on to lead the Wildcats.
Joe Seidler
Chesapeake-AA, senior, pitcher-infielder
The Radford commit led the Cougars to a second consecutive Class 3A state championship game, going 6-2 and allowing just 16 earned runs in 55 1/3 innings. At the plate, the preseason all-state selection hit .420 with 10 doubles, three home runs and 25 RBIs.
Jose Torres
Calvert Hall, junior, shortstop
Torres, 6 feet, 175 pounds, batted .333 with 24 runs, 17 RBIs, five doubles and four triples for the MIAA A Conference runner-up. In the field, he covers a lot of ground with quick feet and has a good arm.
Others to watch
Ryan Archibald, John Carroll
Pierce Bennett, Gilman
Liam Bowers, Bel Air
Cameron Clark, Severna Park
Nick Collier, John Carroll
Brandon Cook, St. Mary’s
Everett Cox, Fallston
Gabe Delgado, Howard
Max Elliott, Patterson Mill
Connor Feustle, Mount Saint Joseph
Tucker Finkelston, River Hill
Bryce Frederick, Dulaney
Trent Gast-Woodard, Archbishop Curley
Will Glock, Loyola Blakefield
Peter Godrick, Archbishop Spalding
Keaton Goetzger, South River
Tyler Green, Northeast-AA
Nick Hopkins, St. Mary’s
David Kates, Glen Burnie
Ethan Kiple, Century
Parker Landwehr, Calvert Hall
Tyler Leach, C. Milton Wright
Andrew Lechner, North Harford
George Lesher, Severna Park
Kevin Madden, St. Paul’s
Paul Nixon, Archbishop Curley
Josh Olsufka, Marriotts Ridge
Hunter Reeling, Marriotts Ridge
Alex Rozner, Severn
Ned Ruffin, Boys’ Latin
Tyler Russo, Glenelg Country
Julio Sanchez, Harford Tech
Billy Scanlon, Westminster
Garrett Stanard, Arundel
Steven Sturlaugson, Arundel
Brady Waters, Southern
Matt Wyatt, Loyola Blakefield
Dylan Young, Chesapeake-AA
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article misspelled Jeremy Lapp’s name.
