85 South Shore high school baseball players to watch this spring

The South Shore has a clear top baseball school.

Milton High was our top-ranked South Shore team wire-to-wire last spring en route to a Division 2 state title. A 12-0 start to this spring has done nothing to change that.

The Wildcats weren't the only team to impress last year and won't be the only team to jump out this spring. Abington has become accustomed to deep tournament runs. Bridgewater-Raynham has the look of a Div. 1 contender. The Patriot League has some talented teams.

That highlights just a handful of the teams in the area, there's plenty of other teams to keep an eye on this spring.

More: Shake up the lineup: South Shore high school baseball top 10 rankings

These are the players to keep an eye on this spring:

Spencer Merrick, Abington

Merrick has been Abington's pitchers best friend for a long time now. The senior catcher has been a stalwart behind the plate. He's a returning South Shore League All-Star that batted .313 last spring.

Stephen Madden, Abington

The junior led the team in average last season, hitting at a .390 clip. The South Shore League All-Star was also a key pitcher and played shortstop last spring.

John Sellon, Abington

The junior southpaw is already making a strong case to be Abington's ace this season. He tossed a one-hitter in a victory against Abington. In that same game, he helped his cause with three extra-base hits.

More: Making an NFL Mock Draft using only South Shore high school football players

Bryan Cahill, Archbishop Williams

This senior is a three-year starter at third base for the Bishops. The left-handed hitter from Weymouth will play at UMass Dartmouth next year.

Greg Mayo, Archbishop Williams

The Bishops will be relying on this right-handed pitcher to have a big senior season on the mound. The captain is a three-year starter and he'll be playing at Plymouth State next year.

Ryan Beardsley, Archbishop Williams

This two-sport captain (hockey and baseball) is another key three-year starter for the Bishops. He's a captain and will play shortstop. The three-year starter is from Quincy.

Cole Bohane, BC High

Junior third baseman from Hingham was a Catholic Conference All-Star last spring when he led the Eagles in homers, RBI and batting average. He keyed recent wins over Malden Catholic and Catholic Memorial with a home run, 3 doubles, 3 walks and 5 RBI.

More: BC High's Cole Bohane is swinging for the fences in hopes of a Div. I scholarship

Ryan Kane, BC High

Senior right-handed pitcher from Bridgewater was 5-0 last year and got off to a 2-0 start this season. The Ithaca College commit combines a mid-80’s fastball with a curveball and a changeup.

Nick McCabe, BC High

Senior shortstop/second baseman from Hingham went 7-for-8 with a pair of homers and 4 RBI in back-to-back recent wins over Malden Catholic and Catholic Memorial. Also an All-Scholastic golfer, he's headed to Tufts University.

Eoin McDonagh, Blue Hills

Senior right-handed pitcher was 5-0 last spring with a 2.83 ERA and 29 strikeouts. Tri-captain struck out 8 in his debut this season. Said coach Matt Manders: "Eoin is our ace and willing to take the ball against anybody. His leadership and work ethic has been a big asset to the younger players in our program."

Charlie DiMartino, Braintree

Senior center fielder will try to ignite the Wamps' offense from the leadoff spot. Said coach Bill O'Connell: "He adds great leadership and confidence at the top of the lineup and covers tons of ground in the outfield."

Jack Fitzgerald, Braintree

Senior first baseman/right-handed reliever hit .333 last season with a home run and 13 RBI. He'll play Div. 1 baseball at the University of Dayton. Said coach Bill O'Connell: "Jack is a three-year starter who has worked really hard this off season adding strength. We will count heavily on him in the middle of the lineup."

More: Decisions, decisions: Braintree's Jack Fitzgerald commits to Div. 1 baseball at Dayton

Dan Surette, Braintree

Senior catcher/right-handed pitcher threw 6 shutout innings in relief to key a 4-3 season-opening win over Needham. Said coach Bill O'Connell: "Dan is a three-year starter behind the plate and has improved each year. We will relying on him this season as a valuable middle reliever."

Luke Barry, Bridgewater-Raynham

Senior got the Opening Day start for the Trojans and struck out seven batters in four innings of work in an 11-1 win over Barnstable. He also plays shortstop.

Cam Morrison, Bridgewater-Raynham

Senior is a versatile fielder that has found himself as the starter behind the plate this season. Hit .436 with 25 RBI and 12 extra-base hits in an All-Scholastic junior year.

Zeke Inchaustegui, Brockton

Junior hit a three-run homer in the Boxers' season-opener against Whitman-Hanson, then a multi-hit outing against North Quincy.

More: Pitching, defense and 'believing': Brockton High baseball team is off to a 5-2 start

Matt Chafin, Canton

This shortstop can throw runners out at first just as easy as he can hit out the park. The senior captain be useful for the Bulldogs in every inning.

Jack Digirolamo, Canton

This senior captain is a first baseman that brings a lot of power at bat to go along with a strong glove on defense.

Matt Hart, Canton

Hart is a senior captain that has a strong arm and good reflexes at catcher. Plus, he's also strong at bat with a powerful swing.

Jason Kelly, Cardinal Spellman

Senior utility player is batting .444 with a .515 on-base percentage, 4 RBI, 7 runs scored and 4 stolen bases for the Cardinals this season.

Ben Sepeck, Cardinal Spellman

Senior pitcher/first baseman is batting .238 with a .448 on-base percentage, 1 home run and 6 RBIs. He plans on playing collegiate baseball at Bridgewater State next spring.

Nate Dirado, Carver

Junior captain is a pitcher and catcher for the Crusaders. Dirado went 2-for-4 for a double and 3 RBIs in a 14-3 win over Hull.

Derek Lopes, Carver

Junior outfielder went 3-for-5  with two doubles and one triple for 3 RBIs and 3 runs-scored in Carver's 14-3 win over Carver on April 11. First-year coach Quirino DoCanto, Jr. said the tandem of Dirado and Lopes provides "varsity experience to the team."

Michael Hession, Cohasset

Even as a sophomore, Hession is a strong baserunner for the Skippers and is only getting better at the disg.

Tucker Bliss, Cohasset

He's only a freshman, but considering the tough competition the Skippers play, he's been holding his own. He's also solid at the plate too.

Nick Ayres, Duxbury

The University of Maine commit is a third and first baseman for the Dragons. Last year he led his team in HR's an RBI's. He already has a walk-off homer and a grand slam under his belt this season.

More: One-man bomb squad: Duxbury's Ayres blasts walk-off grand slam to sink Braintree

Chris Walsh, Duxbury

This senior captain is a Northeastern University commit and plays shortstop for the Dragons. At the plate he has an .397 batting average and led the league in runs last year.

Jaden Lovell, East Bridgewater

Junior pitcher/infielder is a returning South Shore League All Star. Said coach Jeff Ghiloni, "Jaden will have a big role on the pitching staff as well as a middle of the order bat."

Ray McNaught, East Bridgewater

Senior pitcher is a returning South Shore League All Star, who is committed to play at Quinnipiac next year. Said coach Jeff Ghiloni, "Ray will be one of our top pitchers and hitters."

Jake Powers, East Bridgewater

Senior catcher/first baseman is crucial to the middle of the Vikings' order. Said teammate Ray McNaught, "Jake Powers is a hell of a player and hard worker."

Gabriel Knudsen, Hanover

Knudsen is the ace for the Hawks.. His 10-strikeout game over North Quincy is just one example of how special he is.

Jeremy Aylward, Hanover

Only a junior, Aylward has already shown he’s there with the top players in the Patriot League.

Mehki Bryan, Hanover

A junior that is strong at the plate and can rack up RBIs for the Hawks. The three-sport athletes (football, hockey, and baseball) is no stranger to big moments.

Aiden Devlin, Hingham

The junior center fielder is a returning Patriot League All-Star. He’ll be a key part of the offense.

Jake Schulte, Hingham

The senior right-hander is a leader on the Harborman pitching staff.

More: Commanding the strike zone paves way for Hingham’s Jake Schulte's first no-hitter

Ethan Carey-Prendable, Holbrook

This senior captain is coming off a solid junior season in which he earned three wins on the mound. The pitcher/second baseman bats leadoff and brings speed to the lineup.

Sam Hobart, Holbrook

Hobart is a power bat in the middle of the Bulldogs order. He bats clean-up for Holbrook.

Nick Tiani, Hull

Junior shortstop/pitcher hit .300 as a sophomore. Said coach Mike O'Donnell: "Nick has a strong arm and an excellent swing. He had a great football season this past year and has improved his speed and strength in the weight room."

Sam Bernard, Marshfield

The senior third baseman is coming off a stellar junior year.

Jack Keane, Marshfield

Keane has thrown some gems on the mound this season. He threw a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Scituate.

Justin Tullish, Middleboro

This senior returns to the heart of Middleboro's lineup as a .338 hitter with 15 RBI last year. Tullish, who committed to play at Stonehill next year, is also a pitcher that maintained a 3.18 ERA in 22 innings pitched in an All-Scholastic second-team junior season. Said coach Josh Porter, "Justin is a guy that can put the team on his back, both on the mound or at the plate."

Andrew Soule, Middleboro

Senior left-handed pitcher returns to the Sachems' rotation after what coach Josh Porter called a successful junior season. Said Porter, "When Andrew gets the ball and goes to pitch, he has a competitive fire that will be driving him this year "

Tommy Mitchell, Milton

This junior is already committed to play at Elon. "Tommy Michell is stepping up and leading the pitching staff. We had a lot of really good pitchers last year and Tommy was one of them. It’s his turn to lead the staff," said Milton head coach Brendan Morrissey.

More: The defending state-champion Milton High baseball team is 12-0. Here's 12 reasons why.

Owen McHugh, Milton

Senior captain and right-handed pitcher who will lead the charge on and off the field. “Owen as an athlete speaks for himself but the best thing about Owen is he’s the best person I’ve met in a really long time,” said Morrissey.

Max Gaudiano, North Quincy

As a freshman, Gaudiano already established himself as one of the top hitters in the Patriot League. Now a sophomore with already 20 starts under his belt, hopes are high for the Raiders catcher.

Vinny O'Leary, North Quincy

The senior captain will see time at shortstop and catcher. He's a three-year starter and he'll continue his baseball career at St. Joseph's in Maine.

Alex Montero, North Quincy

Montero will see time at first base, third base and on the mound as a right-handed pitcher. The captain is a three-year starter who will play at Framingham State next year.

Kyle DeBoer, North Quincy

DeBoer is a key pitcher for the Raiders. The righty is a three-year starter and now a captain. He'll play at Curry College next year.

Jack Birtwell, Norwell

The senior captain is a returning South Shore League All-Star. He started the season in style by tossing a one-hit shutout against O'Bryant in the season opener. He'll play at Cordon College next year.

Garrett Fisher, Norwell

Coach Barrett Jacobs describes Fisher as a 'coach on the field.' The shortstop is a solid defender with a knack for wreaking havoc on the basepaths.

Griffin Link, Norwell

Link, a senior captain, plays center field and bats leadoff. He's a returning South Shore League All-Star. He opened the year with 2 hits and 2 RBIs in a win over O'Bryant.

Patrick Finnerty, Oliver Ames

Senior outfielder is committed to play at Bentley University next year. Finnerty recorded two hits, two RBIs and a run scored in a 15-6 win over Stoughton. Said coach Joseph Abarr, "We will be leaning on him to patrol CF and anchor our lineup."

Andrew Zagami, Oliver Ames

Coach Joseph Abarr said the senior captain "will be a key pitcher in our rotation."

Jake Falco, Pembroke

This first baseman senior is the lead guy for the Titans at-bat. Falco has been batting .500, and has three RBI's and two HR's.

Garrett Bolan, Pembroke

Bolan is their ace pitcher for the Titans and knows how to frustrate batters. He's only allowed four hits and he has 13 strikeouts.

Mark McKay, Plymouth North

The senior catcher is a three-year starter for the Blue Eagles and could be an important bat in the lineup.

Connor MacKenzie, Plymouth North

A returning starter at third base, MacKenzie has already committed to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Alex Carroll, Plymouth South

The junior captain launched a grand slam in the Panthers’ season-opener against Bridgewater-Raynham.

Nathan Ferry, Plymouth South

Ferry, a senior, will be a key part of Plymouth South’s pitching rotation.

Owen Desmond, Quincy

The Presidents graduated 17 seniors and Desmond is one of just two returners. The junior has driven in three RBIs so far this season.

Jack Dunn, Quincy

The junior is just one of two varsity returners for the Presidents. He got off to a solid start at the plate this season.

Ian White, Rockland

The senior shortstop is already a two-time South Shore League All-Star. The career .369 hitter will play at Anna Maria College next year. He'll also see time on the mind and is a standout with the glove.

Shane Daly, Rockland

The three-year starter and two-year captain has a fastball that sits in the mid-80s. Standing at 6-4, he struck out 38 batters in 33 innings. He's also one of the top students in his class.

Shawn Boostrom, Rockland

The junior is a three-year starter that bats out of the middle of the order. Last season, he led the Bulldogs in nearly every offensive category. He had a walk-off hit in an extra-innings win over Southeastern.

Jakob Henderson, Scituate

Henderson is a returning captain and third baseman for the Sailors. He "will anchor the middle of the lineup this year. We'll look to Hendo to drive in a lot of runs," said Scituate head coach Craig Parkins.

Neil Sullivan, Scituate

This senior is a center fielder and good at tracking fly-balls in the out field. "Sully is one of the best defensive outfielders in the Patriot League and will look to be the catalyst for the offense out of the leadoff spot," said Parkins.

Garrett Murphy, Scituate

This senior does it all for the Sailors as a pitcher, second baseman, and shortstop. "Garrett is our lone returning pitcher from last year's team, and he'll be our workhorse on the mound," said Parkins.

Ben Caristi, Scituate

This sophomore catcher has taken over for three-year starter Connor stone who now plays at Elmira College. "Ben has made major improvements over the past year and is definitely ready to step in and play at the Varsity level as a sophomore," said Parkins.

Nick Peterson, Silver Lake

Senior is "one of the top defensive catchers in the area with an extremely strong and accurate arm," first-year coach Bob Savor said. "He's a great hitter who possesses power and also has terrific speed."

Jack Quigley, Silver Lake

Junior shortstop drove in a pair of runs in a big early season win over Plymouth North. Said Savoy: "Jack is a very smooth defensive shortstop with a great arm and great range. He is a true five-tool player and will be fun to watch this year."

Ben Zschau, Silver Lake

Senior pitcher/first baseman starred in early season win over Plymouth North, allowing 1 earned run over 6 innings. Said Savoy: "Ben has great stuff on the mound and good command. He has good velocity and changes speeds well."

Jared Graca, Southeastern

Senior shortstop/pitcher got the Opening Day start and impressed by pitching 6 ⅔ innings with 11 strikeouts. Said coach Eric Belton, "Graca bats in the top half of the lineup and has the power bat the Hawks need."

Andrew Haddigan, Southeastern

This junior center fielder was selected as an All-Scholastic his freshman season and is off to a hot start this spring, boasting a .571 batting average with 2 runs through the Hawks' first two games.

Dylan Major, Southeastern

Junior left-hander tossed a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in his first start of the spring. Said coach Eric Belton, "He has aspirations of playing at the next level and will be a big part of the Hawks' success this season."

Tommy Jenkins, South Shore Tech

Junior center fielder/pitcher broke out as a sophomore, hitting .410 from the leadoff spot and going 5-1 on the mound.

Jake McAleer, South Shore Tech

Senior first baseman hit .433 last season. He's led the Vikings in most batting categories since he was a sophomore.

Jake Starbird, South Shore Tech

Sophomore third baseman/pitcher is a returning starter. Batting third this spring, he has "great discipline at the plate," according to coach Todd Hohenleitner.

Hunter Malkin, Stoughton

Junior has been a key part of the Black Knights' lineup.

Christian Bates, West Bridgewater

Bates is a returning All-Scholastic for the Wildcats. As a sophomore, he batted clean-up and had a knack for the clutch hit. He is looking to improve after batting .354 last season.

Andrew Daley, Weymouth

Sophomore second baseman batted .350 as a freshman last year. He had a bases-loaded walk-off single against Brockton late in the season and was a Bay State Conference Honorable Mention selection.

Gill Dolan, Weymouth

Junior shortstop enters his third season as a starter. Said coach Joe Paolucci: "Gill is a great all-around talent. He is outstanding defensively at short and usually hits second or third in our order."

Sean Zaslaw, Weymouth

Senior pitcher was limited to DH work last spring due to elbow issues but still made an impact by hitting .328 with 3 homers and 16 RBI. He's been sharp on the mound this season, beating North Quincy (4 scoreless innings) and Braintree (5 scoreless innings). Said Paolucci: "He is one of the top players in the area and it's a pleasure to watch him play."

Ryan Baker, Whitman-Hanson

Baker is only sophomore but the left handed pitcher is the ace of the team at the mound. He began the season with 14 strikeouts and holding opposing batters to a .122 batting average.

Cam Beltramini, Whitman-Hanson

A junior catcher that can get it done at bat. Through the first four games he batted .583, seven hits, with three doubles. "Cam has been excellent behind the plate working with the pitchers and controlling the running game," said W-H head coach Matt Henriksen.

Brandon Craven, Whitman-Hanson

This senior captain has already been off to a hot start on the season. He's batted .533, had eight hits, and five runs through the first four games. "On the bases Craven is a perfect 3 for 3 in stolen base attempts. Craven also acts as the Panthers closer on the mound," said Henriksen.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: South Shore high school baseball players to watch this spring