Staples coach Jack McFarland holds aloft the 2019 Class LL state championship trophy after a 3-0 over Southington at Palmer Field, Middletown, on Saturday June 8, 2019. Two years and a COVID-canceled season later, the Wreckers will start there as baseball teams across Connecticut return to the diamond. (Pete Paguaga, Hearst Connecticut Media)
After nearly two years on the shelf, baseball is back! And so is the GameTimeCT Top 10 poll.
With little information to go on because of the lost 2020 season, voters were content to pitch their ballots for the usual suspects in this year’s preseason rankings. Voting in any preseason poll is an inexact science and voting for teams that did not play last season and are comprised of many players lacking varsity experience did not make that job easier.
Unsurprisingly, 34 teams picked up votes in the opening poll. Voters were split on who should be No. 1, with five teams receiving votes for the top spot.
BASEBALL 2021: 25 PLAYERS TO WATCH | GAMES TO WATCH
Ultimately, it is Staples (four first-place votes) starting the season at No. 1. And why not? That’s where we left them in the 2019 final poll after the Wreckers won the CIAC Class LL championship. Amity (3), East Catholic (2), Fairfield Prep (4) and Greenwich (1) snagged the other first-place votes.
A few notes on the poll: The records and previous results are listed from the end of the 2019 season.
The 2021 season will be unlike any we have ever seen. There’s a lot to learn as we reacquaint ourselves with the state’s best teams and players.
But, after what happened last spring, any baseball game played will be a good one.
Play Ball!
The 2021 Baseball Preseason Top 10 Poll
TEAM (First place votes) | 2019 REC | PTS | LAST | CLASS |
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 | 1. STAPLES (4) | 25-3 | 380 | 1 | LL |
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| 2019 result: Def. Southington 3-0 Class LL championship. Bottom Line: The Wreckers won it all in 2019 and have a deep pitching staff with Seton Hall commit Carter Kelsey, Justin Lessing and lefty Alex Deutsch. |
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 | 2. AMITY (3) | 19-8 | 370 | 5 | LL |
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| 2019 result: Lost to Southington, 3-2, in Class LL semifinals. Bottom Line: The Spartans have lived in the Top 10 for the last 20 years. OF Juju Stevens, committed to play at Missouri, is back as is 3B/1B Sebastian Holt, who has committed to Maine. |
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 | 3. EAST CATHOLIC (2) | 16-6 | 336 | NR | M |
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| 2019 result: Lost to Haddam-Killingworth 3-2 in Class M Second Round. Bottom Line: Frank Mozzicato is among best pitchers in the state and East also has St. Joseph commit Michael Wearne and junior Maryland commit Alex Irizarry at SS. |
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 | 4. FAIRFIELD PREP (4) | 9-13 | 313 | NR | LL |
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| 2019 result: Lost to South Windsor 3-2 in the Class LL First Round. Bottom Line: 2019 was not the Jesuits' year, but that was a long time ago and the reports out of Fairfield say they are loaded in 2021. |
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 | 5. WATERFORD | 20-9 | 242 | 5 | M |
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| 2019 result: Def. Berlin 1-0 in the Class L Championship game. Bottom Line: The ECC is always loaded with talent and voters still like Waterford, which won state titles in 2019 and 2017. P Connor Podeszwa might be best of the Lancers. |
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 | 6. NEWTOWN | 20-4 | 224 | 9 | LL |
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| 2019 result: Lost to Amity 4-3 in the Class LL Quarterfinals. Bottom Line: UConn commit Jack Petersen should keep Nighthawks in every game. |
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 | 7. TRUMBULL | 15-8 | 214 | NR | LL |
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| 2019 result: Lost to Staples 12-6 in the Class LL Quarterfinals. Bottom Line: Northeastern commit Luke Masiuk and Ray Leonzi, a Fairfield commit, lead a talented Eagles roster. |
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 | 8. HAND | 18-7 | 178 | NR | L |
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| 2019 result: Lost to Notre Dame-West Haven 7-3 in the Class L Quarterfinals. Bottom Line: There are plenty of question marks for the Tigers but 3B Anthony DePino is not one of them. |
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 | 9. NEW FAIRFIELD | 14-8 | 173 | NR | M |
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| 2019 result: Lost Foran 2-1 Class L Second Round Bottom Line: This could be the Rebels year with catcher Matt Garbowski and LHP Braden Quinn both committed to UConn. |
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 | 10. GREENWICH (1) | 8-13 | 168 | NR | LL |
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| 2019 result: Lost Norwalk 3-2 in Class LL Qualifying Round Bottom Line: Cardinals have an ace in Vanderbilt-bound pitcher Miles Langhorne. |
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| Dropped Out from 2019: Southington (2), Cheshire (3), St. Joseph (6), Ludlowe (7), Berlin (8), Wolcott (10). First-place votes in parentheses and points tabulated on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis. |
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| Others Receiving Votes: Darien (13-9), 131; Cheshire (25-2), 124; Shelton (13-9), 114; Southington (21-4), 114; Sheehan (8-13), 107; Fitch (13-8), 102; Barlow (9-12), 45; St Joseph (19-8), 41; Coventry (23-2), 30; Masuk (18-8), 20; New London (2-18), 20; Montville (16-5), 20; Ridgefield (12-9), 16; Glastonbury (17-5), 11; Notre Dame West Haven (15-10), 11; Berlin (22-3), 10; Ludlowe (20-6), 9; Holy Cross (21-3), 9; NFA (10-11), 8; Shepaug (22-5), 8; Haddam-Killingworth (16-6), 7; East Lyme (14-9), 7; St Paul (18-6), 7; Enfield (15-5), 7. | ||||||||
| The following voted: Mike DiMauro, The Day of New London; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Pete Paguaga, GametimeCT; Mike Madera, New Haven Register; Dave Phillips, Shoreline Newspapers; Bill Bloxsom, Trumbull Times; Scott Ericson, GameTimeCT; Tim Jensen, Patch Media Corp.; Kyle Maher, Journal Inquirer; Will Aldam, GameTimeCT; Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin; Matt Hornick, Bristol Press; Rich Zalusky, The Chronicle; Kevin Roberts, Republican-American. — Poll compiled by Scott Ericson |
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