Wittmer, Walton lead list of 10 area players to watch

The high school baseball season is about to start. There will be high-level talent on nearly every area field with Division I commits and teams that won a district title last year. Perkins won district and regional titles last year, losing in the state championship game. You can bet those players are hungry again. There is also some players that came up short of some big goals last year. The talent is endless. There's no shortage of experience returning in the Register coverage area. Here is a look at the top 10 players in the area this season: 1. Bryson Wittmer, senior, Edison Wittmer has been known for a while, committing to Louisville as a freshmen for the Chargers. Last season, Wittmer made nine starts for Edison, going 4-1 with 83 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings. You know the fastball will be pumping when the southpaw takes the mound. He may take on a bigger role this season with the graduation of Abe Hermes, who was 9-1 for Edison. Wittmer is explosive at the plate too, hitting .444 with 40 hits including six home runs and 23 runs batted in. "Bryson is a rare combination of speed and power," Edison coach Sean Hoover said. "He has a chance to affect a game in so many different ways that it gives the rest of the team confidence. One way Bryson, and most players for that matter, can get better is to leave the previous play behind and be mentally ready for the next play. "Baseball is a game of failure, and learning how to deal with that in the correct way is important for all players to be focused on the next play instead of what just happened."2. Talon Walton, senior, Perkins Walton was the Most Outstanding Performer in the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division last year. On the mound, he was 4-3 with a 1.48 earned run average, striking out 47 batters in 33 innings. At the plate, Walton hit .322 with 29 hits (nine doubles) and 32 RBI. Walton got the start in the state championship game for the Pirates, who won the league title. Expect him to be even tougher to hit this year in his final season. "Talon leads by example," Perkins coach TJ Blanton said. "If Talon is doing something on the baseball field, you hope 40 other kids are doing the same thing." 3. Blake Sutherland, junior, Bellevue Sutherland kind of flew under the radar last year, but went 9-1 on the mound for the Redmen. He struck out 74 in 42 1/3 innings, helping Bellevue fight for the league title down to the very end. Sutherland isn't much of a hitter, recording just 14 at-bats last year. But, the big lefty gives the Redmen a chance to win every game he pitches in. The league is deep this year, so Bellevue will need some big performances from him. "Blake has more of a presence to him this year," Bellevue coach Andy Dennings said. "He proved himself last year and he has worked hard at getting better this offseason, so he has a lot of confidence heading into this season." 4. Kash Koch, senior, Perkins Another area pitcher that went 9-1 on the mound, Koch started and won the Pirates' state semifinal game. Koch has put in even more work in the offseason to become better. He threw 59 innings for Perkins, recording 58 strikeouts. He tallied 27 hits and drove in 24 runs for the Pirates at the plate. Koch gets the ball in nearly all of the biggest games for Perkins. Don't expect that to change this season. "Kash just needs to be Kash," Blanton said. "His success hasn't been by luck. The hours upon hours he has put in the offseason shows when the lights are the brightest and others are already following that lead." 5. Landon Hohler, senior, Huron Hohler has been a key piece to the Tigers baseball team for a couple seasons. That won't change this year as Huron looks to chase down Edison in the league race. Hohler wasn't able to pitch toward the end of last season due to a shoulder injury, but he's good to go now. Expect him to get the ball in a lot of big games for the Tigers and expect him to be a major factor this year. "Landon is a born athlete and skilled in all facets of the game," Huron coach Dan Lindsley said. "We need him to help encourage and lead our younger core. We hope he has fun and stays healthy this spring." 6. Ike Brown, junior, Bellevue Much like he does on the basketball court, Brown does a little bit of everything for the Redmen. He went 3-1 in limited action on the mound, throwing just 10 2/3 innings. Brown excelled at the dish, hitting .413 with 26 hits, 17 runs scored, 16 steals and 13 runs batted in. Those were all team-highs for Bellevue. Brown has a winning mentality and the Redmen will need that this season if they hope to win a league championship. "Ike is a player that handles the highs and lows of the game very well," Dennings said. "He doesn't let the tough times eat at him, adversely affecting his future opportunities in the game which helps to keep our team stay relaxed and focused. Ike does a lot of things well for us, but his increased assertiveness into our defensive play will definitely help." 7. Bryce Davie, junior, Perkins One of the best pure athletes in the area, Davie came on strong in the Pirates' run to the final day of the season. Overall, he hit .333 with 22 hits and 18 runs scored and controlled the Perkins defense in center field. Davie played in only 20 of the Pirates' 32 games last year, so expect a massive season if he stays healthy. "Bryce is what you would call a freak athlete," Blanton said. "If you have watched Perkins athletics, that will stick out to you. Bryce just has to use his given ability, be himself and the leadership qualities just come out naturally." 8. Zach Gray, junior, Margaretta Gray hit .324 last year for the Polar Bears, who ended the season playing some good ball. Gray is able to cover major distance out in center field, but might need to contribute on the mound to help Margaretta when needed. The Polar Bears will be a factor in the SBC Bay race and it will likely be because of Gray. "We need him to be a three-way contributor," Margaretta coach Ray Neill said. "We need him to do what he does offensively at the top of the lineup and do what he does defensively in center field. We also need him to be one of our every week pitchers. Hopefully he can give us five or six innings a week on the mound." 9. Cole Leimeister, senior, Edison Leimeister batted .354 for the Chargers last year, finishing with 28 hits, 26 runs and 15 RBI. On the mound, he was 5-1 in nine appearances, making five starts for Edison. He had a 1.53 earned run average, striking out 28 in 32 innings. The quarterback on the football team and guard on the basketball team, Leimeister is used to high-pressure situations. The Chargers want another SBC Bay Division title and Leimeister will be pivotal to that chase. "Cole has been very consistent," Hoover said. "He is bigger and stronger than in past years. I expect him to have a big year at the plate and on the mound." 10. Sam Cox, senior, Huron Cox was recognized as a second-team performer last year for the Tigers. He's poised for an even bigger season for Huron. Cox was able to do some big things for the Tigers and that will be needed if Huron wants to make a deep postseason run. As a senior, players will look up to Cox for guidance. "Sam is a tough player and is ready to break out this season," Lindsley said. "He really carried a huge load for us last season with the arm injury that Landon had. Sammy is a gamer. He loves the game and plays it to the best of his ability. We need him to also lead our younger players and enjoy the moments." 10 more to watch (alphabetical order): Quentin Binette, senior, Perkins; Drew Dennings, senior, Bellevue; Colt Flores, junior, Clyde; Carter Harp, senior, Norwalk; Alex Marsh, sophomore, St. Paul; Braxden Martin, senior, Perkins; Deyker Inciarte, Sandusky; Chaz Smith, senior, Edison; Tristian Wetherill, senior, Edison; Cayden Wikel, junior, SMCC